Monday, May 10, 2010

My Sister's Buns and Chicken Piccata



My sister M is a wonderful baker.

This fact alone is enough to make me [slightly] jealous but add the fact that she weighs about 17 pounds, is tall and willowy and beyond beautiful and well, I may as well keep loving her because that is just too much jealousy for one person to carry around.

Plus she's really nice. And she shares all her recipes complete with her personal notes so that all the testing and tweaking is out of the way and you just end up with a pan full of goodness.

Um, just asking, what kind of buns did you think I was referring to?

M's Cinnamon Buns: (makes 12 really big buns)

All of the comments in ( ) are M's.


Cinnamon Rolls
2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 package active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups + 1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Filling
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon

Glaze
4 tablespoon butter, melted
2 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoon milk  (I used a little more)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the milk, sugar, and oil in a large bowl.  Microwave for 2 minutes
and then stir well.  Sugar should be dissolved.  If not, microwave for
another minute.  Use a candy thermometer to determine the temperature of the
milk mixture.  Wait until it cools down to about 90 - 110 degrees.  This is
the best temp for yeast to thrive.

Add the yeast and stir.  Then add the 3 1/2 c flour a little at a time until
it is all combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let rise
until double in size - about 1 hour.  (Mine took about 2 hours to double)

Take the towel and plastic wrap off.  Add the last cup of flour, baking
powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir to combine, you do not need to knead
the dough.

At this point you may cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the
refrigerator for up to 3 days.  When you plan to prepare the rolls, take the
dough out and let sit on the counter for an hour.  You can skip the
refrigerator altogether if you want to just proceed into making the rolls.

Roll the dough into a large rectangle.  Melt the butter for the filling and
pour on the dough.  Use a  pastry brush to spread the butter.  Sprinkle on
the sugar and then enough cinnamon to cover the dough.

Now roll it up.  You should end up with a log of dough.  Use a sharp knife to cut the rolls and place cut side down in either 2 buttered 8x8 [six rolls each) or a buttered 9x13 pan [12 rolls].  Let rise in dishes for
another 20 minutes.  (mine didn't really rise much at this point - they rose
up in the oven during baking)

Bake at 375 for 15 - 20 minutes (mine took about 24 minutes) or until light
golden brown.

Combine the ingredients for the glaze and pour over the warm cinnamon rolls

For my mother's day dinner, TBHITW decided he would be the cook. I took on the role of prep chef and and assistant - handing him ingredients (and a glass of wine) when ordered asked to do so.

This recipe is as easy as it is delicious and the best part? You probably have every ingredient you need already in your pantry or refrigerator. We served the chicken with wild rice and steamed asparagus on the side and Sauvignon Blanc in our glasses.

Chicken Piccata (serves 4)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded into cutlets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1 heaping teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
4 fresh lemon slices
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Add oil to large saute pan and heat on medium high. Add chicken and and saute until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer chicken to a platter and tent.

Deglaze the pan with wine, then add garlic. Cook until garlic is golden and fragrant and wine is nearly evaporated. Add chicken broth, lemon juice and capers to the pan. Return the chicken cutlets to the pan and simmer for about 2-3 minutes until warm and cooked through. Add any juices from the platter to the pan also.

When chicken is hot and cooked through, remove to warm, clean platter. Add lemon slices and parsley to pan and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and swirl butter into sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time until sauce is slightly thickened. Poor over chicken cutlets, garnish with additional parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

17 comments:

  1. I bookmarked this page before I even read it all! I will be trying both those recipes, yummy!!

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  2. I am now hungry for a fresh cinnamon roll!

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  3. Well, you know what sort of buns I was thinking of, but I'll take cinnamon buns as a replacement, for sure.

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  4. all this talk of "buns". I have a dirty mind. those look scrumptious though!

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  5. Oh, YUM!!!! Both sound fabulous!!! Can't wait to try these out!!! You are simply the finest chef! ~Janine XO

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  6. I love you too!
    M

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  7. Oh a beautiful,skinny, nice ,good cook sister...
    I have a cousin like that! Those cin rolls are begging for me to break my glutten diet...yum..
    I also love chicken picata...and I have never attempted it..we have a favorite resturant here thaT makes a wonderful one..but I am trying to cook more at home than go out..more control of freshness of food...Well all I can think now is..I want a Cin Roll!!!!!

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  8. I can veganize these!!! I haven't had a cinnamon roll since December! Delicious.

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  9. Mrs D - I am staring down the last 2 cinnamon buns and they are winning the battle of the wills... sigh.

    Kathy- Here's a tip: I put them together (rolled and panned) the night before and just popped them in the oven in the morning. Yum. Tasty and easy.

    Suldog - there is always one in the crowd.

    Mo - make that two in the crowd!

    Sniffles - thank you for your kind words.

    Marlene - Oh, make the chicken picatta - it is so easy... Gluten Free? I couldn't live.

    Phoebe - will you use soy milk instead of the regular milk? What do you replace the butter with?

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  10. Well, since I saw the picture before the post title, I KNEW what kind of buns you were talking about!

    I am getting the ingredients for both of these this week - I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

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  11. I would never make it past the cinnamon buns to get to the chicken! I LOVE Cinnamon rolls!

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  12. Ethelmae - It sounds like there is going to be some good eating this week at your house! Please let me know how you enjoy the recipes.

    Otin - There is just something wonderful about all that sweet and spicy wrapped up in one warm roll isn't there?

    Kimberely - so glad you enjoyed it!

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  13. I hope your sister is okay with you displaying her buns online.

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  14. Chicken Picata is hands-down one of my favorite foods and I HAVE NEVER MADE IT. I have it EVERY time I go out to dinner with three other friends for our birthdays. This takes place four times a year and I never deviate. Can you believe it NEVER dawned on me to try and make it at home? I make salmon and capers and other fish and capers but now, maybe now, I'll have it FIVE times a year! Thank You! (And I'll make the cinnamon rolls, too, but I'm not gonna tell you that.)

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  15. I wish I had a sister who was a wonderful baker! Seriously, these cinnamon rolls look heavenly, and now I am craving them! Love the Chicken Piccata, too! Thanks for the great recipes, cher!

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  16. Chicken Piccata used to be my signature meal...then I married someone who doesn't care for the majority of the ingredients so I don't make it as often. It is still so easy and wonderful, though! I always fix risotto milanese with it; something about the creaminess and the saffron works so well with it. Thank you for this post-I think I'll have to make it this weekend!

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Wow. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I love feedback... what with being a cook and all. I will respond to your comments via email (if you do not have a "noreply" address or here, below your comment) As always, Bon Appetite!

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