Category: Breads

Breads, Recipes

SRC: Parmesan Garlic Rolls

Sarah

It’s Secret Recipe Club time again! If you’ve missed past SRC posts, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog. Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

This month I was assigned to Amanda’s Cookin’, a blog written by the founder of the Secret Recipe Club herself! Though she has many delicious looking sweets and enticing main dishes on her blog, I was immediately drawn to these babies:

Yes, you read that right.

Parmesan Garlic Rolls.

Oh my goodness. Skipping the sweets for something cheesy was a VERY good idea. Excuse me for shouting, it was necessary in this case.

Think savory cinnamon roll, except without the cinnamon-brown sugar filling. These soft, doughy rolls are stuffed full of herb garlic butter, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella cheese, then topped with tons of parsley and more cheese. Each bite is cheesy and gooey, more delicious than the first.

These rolls would be a perfect companion for a simple soup and salad night, or are great enjoyed appetizer-style on their own. I actually made two batches of dough [using 3 tablespoons of sugar instead of just 1 tablespoon in the second batch], so one could be used for maple-iced cinnamon rolls [filling and icing found here]. Then I took both pans of rolls–savory and sweet–to our church small group for snack one night. See below… they were both a big hit! I mean, why wouldn’t they be?

Sweet rolls + savory rolls = amazing deliciousness!

These soft, doughy rolls are stuffed full of herb garlic butter, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella cheese, then topped with tons of parsley and more cheese. Each bite is cheesy and gooey, more delicious than the first.Please excuse my messy kitchen. I know everyone will excuse yours if you take the time to make this tasty, cheesy treat or another recipe whipped up by other SRC folks. Check ’em out below my recipe!

Oh, one last thing–don’t be scared of the two hours these take to prepare. Most of the time is spent letting the dough rise, so you’ll still have plenty of time to watch old seasons of 24 on Netflix [or whatever else is taking up allllllllll your time these days! Is watching marathons of 24 just what we do?]. 🙂 But really, you need to try these. No excuses–the cheese is calling!

Parmesan Garlic Rolls

  • Servings: 12
  • Print

from Amanda’s Cookin’
Ingredients:

for the dough

  • 1 1/3 cup milk (105 to 115F degrees)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon [or 1 package] instant dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups flour or whole wheat flour
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

for the garlic butter

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated Mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

for the topping

  • 3 tablespoons grated Mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions:

Begin by making the dough. Heat the milk in the microwave for 30-45 seconds to warm. Then pour into the bowl of an electric mixer and add yeast and sugar. Stir together, then add 1 cup flour, olive oil, and salt. Beat until smooth, then stir in enough flour until soft dough forms. Be sure to continually scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate everything. Remove dough from bowl, then spray the inside of the bowl with cooking spray and place dough back in bowl. Cover and let rise until double, about 45-50 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the garlic butter. Beat butter in mixer until creamy, then add garlic, cheeses, and herbs. Beat until combined, then cover and set aside.
Next, coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
After dough has risen, punch down and knead several times on a floured countertop. Press dough into a thin rectangle sized 10 by 14 inches, then spread with garlic butter, using all but 2 tablespoons. Roll up dough into a tight cylinder beginning with the long edge nearest you. Wrap dough in parchment or aluminum foil, then place in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
Remove from freezer, then slice into 12 rounds. Place in prepared pans.
Melt remaining garlic butter by microwaving for 15 seconds, then brush over top of dough. Top with Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Cover and rise for 20 minutes, preheating the oven to 400 degrees at this time. Finally, bake for 17-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Enjoy your day by checking out other great SRC recipes!


Also linked up on Successful Saturdays.

Honey Yeast Dinner Rolls
Breads, Recipes

SRC: Honey Yeast Dinner Rolls

Sarah

December already?!? Where has 2011 gone? The good news is that another month brings another session of The Secret Recipe Club. If you missed it in November, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog. It’s a fun way to find new blogs and be stretched to try new recipes, cooking styles, etc. Then, everyone posts about their assigned blog on the same day. It’s so fun–if you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining.

For December, I was assigned Jen’s blog–Beantown Baker. Jen is an engineer by day, and a baker/chef extraordinaire by night! I was so tempted by many recipes on her blog including Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies, a family recipe for Rice and Beans, and Pumpkin Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars. I’ve definitely bookmarked more than a few recipes to try in the future. And although I don’t yet have my very own kitchen to customize [yay renting… sigh…], I loved/coveted reading about the kitchen renovation she and her husband did in their Boston home. It’s absolutely gorgeous! I would love to cook there. Basically, if you haven’t gotten the drift, Jen and her blog are pretty awesome. Her Ohio roots don’t hurt matters any. 🙂 This Indiana girl loved her six years in Ohio and always appreciates meeting Ohioans. But getting on with it…

Honey Yeast Dinner Rolls: soft, tender dinner rolls... simply wonderful!

Out of all the recipes on Beantown Baker, I decided to try my hand at Honey Yeast Dinner Rolls. I was looking for some bread to take to Thanksgiving in OHIO with Ben’s family, and since Jen served them last year, it was obviously meant to be that I should too. These rolls were a huge hit. They were denser than most other rolls I make, which, admittedly is not many, but they were still quite soft, tender, and chewy. These rolls were a little fancy and sweet from the honey, making them the perfect accompaniment to our holiday spread. I highly recommend them for yours as well!

Honey Yeast Dinner Rolls

  • Servings: 12 or 16
  • Print

from Beantown Baker

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 cup warm water [105°-115° F]
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 cups bread flour
  • cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Add yeast and warm water to the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, blend until combined then add honey, oil, salt, and egg. Mix well. Add 3 cups of flour, mixing on low until the dough comes together. With the mixer still running on low, add the last cup of flour and mix until combined.

Switch to the dough hook and run on low for about 8 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.

Meanwhile, lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray. When dough is ready, form into a ball and place in bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm area [my kitchen was warm enough the day I made these, but sometimes I place in a sink full of warm water to help matters along] until it doubles in size, about 2 hours.

Turn out dough onto a floured countertop and knead for about 30 seconds. Cover again and let rest for 10 minutes. Punch dough down and divide into 2 equal portions, and continue dividing until you have 12 or 16 equal pieces, depending on how big you want them.

Grease a baking dish with cooking spray, then roll each piece into a ball and arrange evenly. Cover and let rise again for about 20 minutes [my rise time was a little longer due to an unfortunately timed errand and it was just fine].

While the rolls are doing their last rise, preheat oven to 400 degrees [well, not if you aren’t at home… fires are no good. Duh.] Then mix together melted butter and honey and brush on each roll.  Bake for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Click on over to check out other posts from today’s reveal of the SRC. Have a great day!


Breads, Recipes

SRC: Honey Whole Wheat English? Muffins

Sarah

Happy Monday!

I’m especially excited about today because it’s my first time participating in The Secret Recipe Club. I first heard about The Secret Recipe Club from Lindsay’s blog and I was instantly hooked on the idea. The premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog. It’s a fun way to find new blogs and be stretched to try new recipes, cooking styles, etc. Then, everyone posts about their assigned blog on the same day.

For November, I was assigned Anne’s blog–Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy. The premise of her blog is simple and straightforward, and I quote directly from her homepage:

* QUICK – because who has time for anything more?
* EASY – because I’m no gourmet.
* CHEAP – because who has money for anything more?
* HEALTHY – because you are what you eat.

Sounds good to me! After checking out many of the amazing looking recipes and tasty treats that Anne regularly posts [frequently part of fun series like Better than the Box or Twelve Treats of Christmas], I decided to tackle a food that I love but have never been daring enough to make on my own: English Muffins. Or, to be more specific: Honey Whole Wheat English? Muffins. The question mark after the “English” is indicative of the fact that there isn’t complete certainty over the geographic heritage of these doughy, crisp breakfast treats. Nevertheless, I can say with complete certainty that these are delicious. Unlike some whole wheat breads, these are not at all dense, but just the right balance of doughy and substantive. I love the touch of sweetness that the honey adds too.

english muffins from scratch

So when grading by Anne’s four point scale, I must say that these English muffins are definitely quick [thanks to my dear pal Mr. Breadmaker], easy [can you say everyday ingredients + minimal appliances/tools?], cheap [again: read, everyday ingredients + minimal appliances/tools… just like any ‘ole bread] and healthy [I can pronounce everything… no mystery ingredients or fillers here]. These will definitely be making more appearances on our breakfast table in the future. Thanks, Anne!

english muffins from scratch
with some delicious pumpkin butter!

Honey Whole Wheat English Muffins [from Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup skim milk
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons yeast [I used breadmaker yeast]
  • cornmeal

Directions:

Place all the ingredients [minus the cornmeal] in the pan of your breadmaker in the order shown above, or as correlates to your breadmaker’s instructions. For mine, it is liquids and salt, dry ingredients, and then make a well for the yeast. Basically, the game plan is to just keep your yeast from mixing with the liquids too soon. Set for the “dough” cycle and when it’s ready, remove dough and place on countertop or work surface that has been covered with cornmeal. Covered! Press into a large rectangle, about 1/2-1 inch thick, then use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut out large circles of dough. Place on cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap or a towel and allow to rise for 30-60 minutes. Cook the muffins on an ungreased griddle set over low-medium heat for about 8-9 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Split with a fork and serve with butter and jam. Or as we did for dinner, eggs, bacon, Cheddar, and avocado. Store in an airtight container.

Note:

I recommend making sure your griddle is piping hot before you start cooking them. Also, if your kitchen is on the cold side, allow to rise longer than 30 minutes for best results.

Check out more of today’s recipes below!

Time: 45 minutes active [plus the time your breadmaker takes and an additional 30 minutes rising time].

Yield: 12-14 muffins.



Breads, Recipes

Pumpkin Biscuits

Sarah

Classic meets seasonal fantastic in this amazing biscuit. Pumpkin biscuits are buttery and flaky; everything a good biscuit should be but with a hint of sweetness and pumpkin flavor, enhanced by a smattering of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Classic meets seasonal in this great pumpkin biscuit! Find the recipe on thepajamachef.com

These biscuits are perfect for dipping into thick soups and stews on cold nights. The pumpkin flavor is not overwhelming by any means, but it is unmistakably present. When I first made these biscuits, I planned on making only one batch. However, I accidentally poured a full cup of milk into the pumpkin and maple syrup mixture and as a result, had to make a double batch so as not to make waste–and boy! was I glad I did that.  A couple weeks later and we still have a few leftover in the freezer, bagged and ready to toss into weekday lunches. They are so delicious that I think I’ll make more when we run out. And they are super easy to mix up so that will be no problem at all! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Pumpkin Biscuits

  • Servings: 6 biscuits
  • Print

from Sugarcrafter

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons butter, very cold [I cut the butter into quarters and stuck it in the freezer for a few minutes.]
  • 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter.

In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, and maple syrup. Then, pour mixture into dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Gently knead together on a floured countertop. Roll out and then cut into circles with a biscuit cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, simply scoop out with a large spoon and drop onto baking sheet.

Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

31 days of pumpkin

Breads, Recipes

Whole-Wheat Corn Bread

Sarah

There are dozens and dozens of cornbread recipes out there. Some people swear by Jiffy, others are firmly attached to their favorite aunt/grandma/second-cousin-once-removed’s version. There are Northern and Southern styles of cornbread, versions laced with corn kernels, jalapenos, cheese, and more. I don’t want to take away from your favorite version… I have no family recipe and I’m not tied any specific brand-name mix either. What I do have is a soft and moist bread housed in a crispy exterior that pairs the heartiness of whole wheat flour with soft, sweet cornmeal.

Whole-Wheat Corn Bread Muffins via thepajamachef.com
i ❤ silicone muffin liners!

This cornbread makes the perfect side dish for soup [may I suggest this or this, for starters?] and salad, or any light meal… just add a drizzle of honey and a pat of butter and call it a day. You won’t regret it… in fact, I think you’ll rather enjoy it!

Whole-Wheat Corn Bread Muffins via thepajamachef.com
love that honey & butter combo!

Whole-Wheat Corn Bread

  • Servings: 12
  • Print

from Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary DeMuth

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup skim milk
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and grease a 9×11 pan or line a muffin tin with 14-16 muffin cups. Stir together eggs, milk, sugar, and oil in a mixing bowl. In a small bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, and baking powder. Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for about 25 minutes [pan] or 12-15 minutes [muffin cups]. Serve with butter and honey and enjoy!

Question of the Day: How do you like your cornbread?