Cinnabon's and Snow

Lot's of snow and no where to go is the reason for this recipe. It's also the reason I have to spend an extra 45 minutes on my elliptical today. 

Enjoy... and if it's snowing where you are, BAKE! (this recipe makes 12 large "cinnabons")

1 cup warm milk (between 110-115 degrees)

1 package dry yeast

2 eggs, room temperature (you can do this quickly by plunging eggs into hot water for a minute or two)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk in a large bowl until In about 5 minutes, the yeast will have dissolved and will be foamy. Add eggs, butter, salt and sugar. Whisk together. 

Stir in:

4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (1 cup at a time) to form a nice dough. Turn out on floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 

Once dough has risen, punch down and let rest for 10 minutes. While dough is resting: mix 1 cup brown sugar and 2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Soften 1/3 cup unsalted butter. 

Roll dough out to a 16 X 21 inch rectangle. Smear dough with butter and sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture evenly over buttered dough. 

Starting at end nearest you, roll up, jelly roll style. Slice into 12 even "buns" (you can do this easily with dental floss, thread or a serrated knife.

Place buns in a lightly buttered 9 X 13 inch baking pan.* * see note, below

Cover with a towel and let rise 30-45 minutes until puffed. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 

While buns are baking, make the frosting. 

1/4 cup softened butter

3 ounces cream cheese

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Beat until smooth. Frost the buns while still warm. 

**you can do all of the above the night before, cover and refrigerate. In the morning, set pan in warm place and let buns rise for 30-45 minutes before baking. 

Now excuse me, I need to work off this snow day treat! 

A View of Things to Come, Artisan Bread and Whole Wheat Honey Caramel Sticky Buns

Look what I found when I went outside to collect our mail today:

A true harbinger of spring, daffodil sprouts! My first view of the spring to come. YEA!!

I've been testing quite a few bread recipes lately. I have searched long and hard for an easy, delicious AND healthy way to bake bread. I LOVE bread. Especially the pricy, artisan loaves so popular at expensive bakeries.

I believe I have found it thanks to "Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. and Zoe Francois (also the authors of "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day")

This recipe is not only fast, it's easy and it really does take just a few minutes a day after the initial mixing. Here's the best part: NO KNEADING. Yup, you read it here first. AND one recipe makes four 1 pound loaves, or 8 mini loaves or 4 mini loaves and a bunch of rolls or 2 big loaves, a mini loaf and sticky buns.

All you have to do is mix the dough up, put it in the refrigerator and over the next 14 days pull off the amount of dough you want to make. Fresh bread, hot from the oven, anytime you want it. Does it get any better than that?

Okay then,

Ready. Set. Dough.

Whole Grain Artisan Free-Form Bread

5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups all purpose, unbleached flour

1 1/2 tablespoons (2 packets) yeast

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

4 cups lukewarm (about 100 - 110 degrees F) water

Cornmeal or parchment paper for board or pizza wheel

Measure out all your dry ingredients into a big bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer (fitted with a dough hook)

Add the warm water all at once and mix using a spoon or your stand mixer. This should happen fairly quickly. Just mix until there are no dry spots.

The dough will be very sticky. Transfer to a VERY big bowl - or two large mixing bowls. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave it alone. DO NOT KNEAD THE DOUGH.

Let it rise for about 2 hours or until it rises and then begins to collapse. Letting it rise longer than 2 hours won't hurt it.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours, loosely covered or overnight. Dough that has been refrigerated is easier to handle.

Baking Day:

Dust a board with cornmeal and set aside.

Dust your hands with flour and dust the top of the dough with flour. Now pull off a grapefruit sized piece (you will need to cut it off with a serrated knife). Orange size if you want mini-loaves like I have pictured. Very quickly, in a matter of 30-40 seconds shape the dough into a round or oblong. Most of the dusting flour will fall off - that's good, it's not meant to be incorporated into the loaf.

Place on your cornmeal dusted board.

Loosely cover the loaf with plastic wrap and allow the loaf to rest 90 minutes. (40 minutes if you didn't refrigerate the dough)

If you don't have a board, just grease a cookie sheet and put the dough on that to rest.

Thirty (30) minutes before baking preheat the oven to 450 F. If you have a baking stone, put it on the center rack. Put a heavy broiler pan on the rack below.

Just before you slip the bread into the oven paint it with water. If you want, sprinkle it with raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds or a combination. Using a serrated knife, slash the loaves on the diagonal.

These are my mini loaves

Slide the loaf (or loaves) onto your baking stone, into the oven. If you are using a cookie sheet, place in oven. Quickly, pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler pan and close the oven door. Bake for 30 minutes (large loaf) or 20 minutes (mini). When done the bread sounds hollow if you rap on it with your knuckle. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Store the rest of the dough in a bowl in your fridge, covered with saran wrap, for up to 14 days. The dough will continue to develop flavor as it rests in your fridge.

Out of this one recipe I made the 3 mini loaves pictured, 6 rolls and this recipe for Honey Caramel Sticky Buns:

Honey Caramel Sticky Buns: (makes 8 to 12 buns)

Bread Recipe Above - a cantaloupe size piece of dough

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (I used pecans, but walnuts, macadamias or your favorite are fine)

1 cup raisins

Cream together the honey, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter and orange zest.

Spread half this mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan.

Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick rectangle (about 10 x 8). Use enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking.

Spread the rest of the cream mixture on the dough and sprinkle with the nuts and raisins.

Roll it up jelly roll style.

Using a very sharp knife, dental floss or kitchen snips, cut into 8 to 12 rounds.

Place in the bottom of the cake pan on top of the creamed caramel, cut sides up.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. F. Bake in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert a plate on top of the pan and quickly turn, releasing the buns.

Top with powdered sugar glaze if desired. (1/2 cup powdered sugar, teaspoon milk, drizzle over while hot).

Serve warm.

A Cook's Notes: You can make this bread and sticky bun recipe using all white flour if you want. Decrease the water to 3 cups, omit the vital wheat glutin and use 6 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour. Follow all the other instructions as written above.

Inspiration and Biscuits A La Cuiller (Ladyfingers)

To my surprise and delight when I checked my email this morning I found a lovely compliment and an award from another blogger, The Confused Homemaker. 

The award is an "Inspiration Award" and Confused said that "I inspired her to do more in the kitchen".. awww..

How nice is that? 

This immediately put a smile on my face, a spring in my step and piled heaps of guilt on my soul. 

Smile. Get that. 

Spring in Step. Check.

Heaps of Guilt?? Why Good Cook, why the guilt?

Well, since confession is good for the soul (and the digestive tract) here is my true, never before told story of Biscuits A La Cuiller (also know as Ladyfingers - which I find truly apropo since so many of my dear readers are of the female persuasion and I'm assuming ladies. ahem)

But I digress. 

As some of you may remember, I offer "personal chef" services, where I come into your lovely home and cook, right there in your very own kitchen, for you and your guests. I love these gigs and spend hours on the menu, table settings, prepping, and just all around obsessing with the details. 

My next gig is for a lovely woman whom I have cooked for before. As a matter of principal and sound business practice, I always under promise and over deliver. Over deliver means I cook up or bake up something special that is not on the menu. This item is for my client and guests to enjoy the next day - or as a late night snack before the end of the party. Sometimes it's as simple as a floral centerpiece or fresh vegetables in a basket or fresh herbs in a bouquet from my garden. 

So anyway, dessert for this particular dinner party is sabayon with fresh peaches and mint garnish. I've given you all this recipe so don't feel cheated. My "extra" was going to be ladyfingers on the side.. a little something crunchy to go with the silk and sweet of the sabayon. 

In a fit of insanity and pure stupidity (I forgot in a moment of self UNawareness, who I AM).. I bought these:

Imported all the way from Italy. Low fat and low cholesterol no less. (or more)

Sweet mother of all that is holy, what was I thinking?? Store bought ladyfingers? Store bought anything??? Say it isn't so Good Cook! I can only surmise by this act of treachery that my mind is finally going - snapped if you will. Insanity has finally got a hold of my senses. 

Thank You Confused Homemaker for reminding me of my true identity. Thank you for restoring my mind to its methodical cooking self. In the name of all that is good and home made, thank you. 

Without further ado, and just before this confessional post, I whipped up these, from Mastering The Art of French Cooking (of course) I give you: Biscuits A La Cuiller

Ladyfingers: (makes about 24)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Butter and flour 2 baking sheets (I used parchment, but also buttered and floured the parchment). 

Assemble a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch opening. 

1/2 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

3 egg whites

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour, measured then put in sifter.

powdered sugar for dusting

Gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks, add the vanilla and beat until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted (about 2-3 minutes on high speed).

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over and continue to beat until shiny and stiff peaks form. 

Scoop 1/4 of the egg whites over the yolk mixture and sift on 1/4 of the flour. Delicately fold in until partially blended. Then add 1/3 of the whites and 1/3 of the flour, fold until almost blended. Repeat with 1/2 the whites and flour and end with the rest. Be VERY careful, fold gently until just combined. You don't want to deflate the batter. 

Scoop into your pastry bag and pipe out batter 4 inches long by 1.5 inches wide. 

Dust with powdered sugar placed in a sifter or sieve. About 1/16 inch thick. 

Bake in middle and upper 1/3 of the oven for 20 minutes. The ladyfingers will be just slightly golden (very pale brown) underneath the powdered sugar. 

Remove immediately and cool on wire racks. 

These keep beautifully in an airtight tin for up to 10 days (but who really keeps cookies around for 10 days??)

Ah... I feel so much better getting that off my chest. I think I'll have myself a cup of tea and a few Biscuits A La Cuiller. 

NEXT: Who inspires me?? Tune in tomorrow. 

Organizing and Slow Cooked Baby Back Ribs

Today is one of those cloudy, gloomy days when the sky just can't decide whether to rain or not. Holly Bear and I got misted on this morning while running in the Secret Park - but that was the extent of any rainfall. I wish it would JUST POUR! I haven't watered the garden for the last 5 days in anticipation of rain and I'm a bit rusty when it comes to a rain dance. 

The other reason I'm hoping for rain is that a rainy day is the perfect time for me to organize the inside of my house. Sunny days find me outside in the one of the "patches" (vegetable, perennial, herb or annual) which means the inside goes totally untended. 

I'm going to start with the coffee table that has absolutely no room for coffee. See the picture? Photo Album that needs to be updated (yes I keep a "baby" album of Holly Bear - they grow up so fast, don't they?) cooking magazines, Reader's Digest, TV Guide, unfinished glass of wine from last night (how did that happen?), the most recent book I'm reading, the best husband in the world's last few months of Scientific America, a book on German Shepherds, People (my trash reading) hand cream, etc... kind of reminds me of my purse. Anyway, today, I organize. I also slow cook. Rainy days are perfect days to fill the house with the teasing aroma of something good in the oven. Today that aroma is Baby Back Ribs My Way. Read on:

Baby Back Ribs My Way: (feeds four normal people or two rib lovers)

1 rack of baby back ribs (about 3 pounds)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Take ribs out of refrigerator 30 minutes prior to first cooking cycle. Pat brown sugar into tops of ribs. Place on rack in roasting pan. Pour water and apple cider vinegar in bottom of roasting pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place in oven on bottom rack. Bake for 4 hours. 

After 4 hours, Preheat Grill to HIGH. 

Take ribs out of pan, discard juices in bottom of pan. Grill ribs for 4-5 minutes per side, basting with your favorite BBQ sauce. We like Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce. I'm pretty sure there is crack cocaine in it because my family is addicted to this stuff. 

Serve with creamy cole slaw and hot corn bread. The ribs would also be excellent with the Missing Sibling Salad from yesterday's post.

Corn Bread: makes sixteen 2 inch squares

When you take the ribs out of the oven, crank the oven up to 425 degrees. 

Butter a 8 inch pan.

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, egg and oil and mix quickly with a few quick flicks of your spoon or whisk. Spoon into pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Corn bread will be puffed and golden on top. Cool slightly, slice and serve. 

Variations: to the batter, add

Add a few sliced jalapeno peppers

Add a handful sliced, sun dried tomatoes

Add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes

Add a few strips crumbled bacon

Add 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Um... What Do You Think, How About Some Brownies

I am at home in my kitchen. I am not leaving for Pennsylvania today as originally planned. 

Why you ask? Okay, hold on to your (whatever you hold on to):

The Doctor is sick. 

That's right folks. The surgeon who is supposed to perform my dad's surgery is sick. 

And what you ask is wrong with him? 

Well, here are the facts:

He has a virus.

He is not allowed back in the operating room until next Thursday. 

Now, what do you think he has? I have my suspicions all fueled by massive media coverage over the last 2 weeks. 

I already told you about my inappropriate laughing and I've got to tell you, if he has what I think he has (the DR that is...) well, then yesterday's post recipe was absolutely spot on and I find that very funny, although I do feel really bad for my dad - you know how it is, you get yourself all ready for the day.... (he is rescheduled for next Thursday)

What do you think? As for me, I'm making brownies:

The Best and Easiest Brownies in New Jersey (I do stop short of saying the world because I am humble)

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Butter a 9 inch pan. 

Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl or pot over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, salt, flour, vanilla and optional nuts. 

Pour into a prepared pan and bake 35 minutes. Now listen up - DO NOT OVERBAKE. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the side is ALMOST clean. Cool on a rack and cut into 1 x 1 inch pieces (like who ever does that??)

A Cook's Notes: These are chewy, fudgy brownies meant to take the edge off of life. They are dangerously good - so only make when you are extremely stressed out and there is just no other solution to your problem. Or, you know, you just have to have some chocolate. 

And the Tough Get Cooking

I decided that if I can't do anything about operations and tumors and cancer, I CAN make chocolate chip cookies. These are not the standard Toll House Cookie Recipe that we all grew up on. Nope, these are, New and Improved, HOT from my oven in New Jersey, and personally driven and hand delivered to Shane in Michigan by his Uncle Jim:

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES IN THE WORLD:

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp table salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted until slightly browned

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk only

2 cups (12 oz) Ghirardelli or Hershey's semi-sweet chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position the rack in the middle of the oven.

Stir sugars and vanilla into melted butter. Whisk or gently mix. Wait 3 minutes, mix again. Wait 3 minutes. Mix again.

Add egg and egg yolk. Mix gently until incorporated.

Stir together flour, salt and baking soda. Add to melted butter, sugar mixture. Stir or mix gently. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonful onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Cool slightly. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

A Cook's Notes:

By browning and melting the butter you are accomplishing two things:

1. Adding more depth of flavor with the browned butter

2. Aiding in the melting of the sugars. This will keep the cookie chewier.

The egg yolk will also give your cookies more chewiness; rather than a cake like texture that the egg white would add.

The higher ratio of dark brown sugar to white adds even more depth of flavor and adds a caramel crispness to the outside of the cookie

Use Hershey or Ghirardelli chocolate - it is a better quality than Nestle.

Bake in batches - only one tray at a time. Yes, it's time consuming, but you will get a better, even baked cookie. Use two trays - one in the oven and one ready to go. Don't put batter on hot tray, allow cookie sheet to cool before reloading.

And finally, make these cookies for small boys (and girls) and not so small boys and girls with scary stuff in their lives.