Pots and Pins

Apple Cider Biscuits...

Foggy October mornings call for apple cider biscuits, slathered with butter or apple butter, which makes them even better.  Biting into one of these gems makes the morning news more palatable, although they also make me want to scurry back into bed and pull the covers over my head just so I can get up and have breakfast all over again.

If you have a food processor these biscuits come together in a jif.  If not, they are easily made without one, cutting cold butter into the flour is not a workout by any means so you can do it!  Using a good apple cider, a "cloudy" one, makes a difference.

The dough is mixed only until everything is just barely incorporated and then it's kneaded a few times on a lightly-floured counter and that's it.  You can cut these biscuits into a larger size if you want, I used a 2 1/2-inch cutter and made 14 biscuits.   While I was making these the mister was circling, he was hungry and didn't want to wait the 10 minutes these takes to bake.   He decided he couldn't wait so he grabbed the bread and made himself a sandwich with 3 slices of bread, bologna and mustard.  It's so hard to see what he eats when left to his own devices! For lunch every day at work he eats canned food, straight out of the can.  Canned fruit cocktail and canned green beans.  And Spam.  Then he enjoys those little crackers filled with fake cheese and he thinks he's being healthy by eating them with cottage cheese.  I know I've said it before...you can take the caveman out of the cave but you can't make him eat like a foodie!!   

If you haven't made apple butter before, now's the time to do it!  Get out your Crock-Pot and let those apples cook all day, your house will smell amazing and you'll have yourself a sure-fire Fall treat!  Here's the link to my recipe:  Crock-Pot Apple Butter  Of course, these biscuits are perfectly fabulous on their own but the apple butter does send them to a new level.

Before baking sprinkle a little cinnamon on top if you want.  If I was eating them all I would have sprinkled more cinnamon on top and maybe even mixed it with a little sugar, which would have tasted amazing but as you know, the mister has a "sensitive" palate and if anything is too flavorful he just won't eat it!

I baked this batch a few minutes too long, didn't realize I set the oven on convection, so the bottoms are a bit darker than what I normally like.  Even so, they were delicious!  They puff up nicely and hot from the oven nothing can beat them!  Just as I suspected he would, the mister followed the aroma from the kitchen and came slinking in right as they came out of the oven.  He managed to stuff 3 into his biscuit-hole before I could even butter one for myself!  I asked he if liked them and he said they were "okay."  FYI, that's high praise from the caveman connoisseur!

Apple Cider Biscuits - Recipe from Harriet Stitcher via All Recipes

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold butter

3/4 cup apple cider

cinnamon for sprinkling on top

In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times until butter mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add cider and process until dough comes together into a ball.  (If you don't have a food processor, put ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand, cutting in butter by hand, then adding the cider and stir until dough comes together.)  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 times. Roll out to 1/2-in. thickness; cut with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired; pierce tops of biscuits with a fork and bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Powdered Sugar Donut Loaf...

Anything that has the word donut in it gets my attention...and this bread/donut/dessert is worthy of your attention, too.  We've had two consecutive snow days in Seattle, which is a big deal for us.  School cancelled, people staying home from work and even the aisles at Coscto were clear!  No one knows how to drive in the snow in Seattle, and even those who think they do, can't because of all of the others on the road who genuinely don't have a clue.  I think Seattle has about 10 snowplows...maybe 11...and we won't see one of them in our neck of the woods until the snow is melted and the rains return and the plow shows up just for fun.  Maybe we do have more plows but they really can't plow the roads because of all the deserted cars everywhere!  People start to slide so they just turn their car off and leave it!  It's just crazy...this is how things would work if I ran the world...if someone abandons their car on a hill in snow then they should leave the keys so when someone else comes along who actually knows how to drive in the snow, they could jump in, move the car out of the way so the plows could do their job and as a thank you they should be able to keep the car.  That would be my first act as Queen of the World.  My second would be to declare every day powdered sugar donut loaf day.

I have a new found love affair with freshly grated nutmeg.  It's so much brighter in taste than what comes already ground in jars.  World Market sells whole nutmeg for a decent price and you can find a small grater like the one pictured here at any kitchen shop - it makes all the difference in this bread...I mean donut.

It's important to use parchment to line the baking pan, you need to be able to lift the loaf out in one piece after it's baked.  The batter is super thick and the loaf bakes into a very dense crumb - just like biting into a powdered sugar donut.

Brushing the entire loaf with melted butter is so therapeutic!  After the butter is soaked in, the loaf gets a thorough coating of powdered sugar, every single side, top and bottom, and maybe even a double dusting because why not?  I think a better name for this bread would be Snow Loaf, and it's perfect on a snow day.

Powdered Sugar Donut Loaf - Adapted from Shauna Sever via The Kitchen

parchment paper for baking pan

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned (spoon it into the measuring cup so the flour doesn't become packed, keep it light!)

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg (if you don't have any nutmeg to grate then you can use ground nutmeg but fresh really does taste better)

14 tablespoons (1 and 3/4 sticks butter) at room temperature

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs at room temperature (to bring to room temp quickly, fill a small bowl with hot water and place eggs in the water for 3 to 5 minutes)

1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken, at room temperature (you can bring butter milk to room temp by putting in the microwave for 30 seconds)

To finish:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted, plus more as needed

4 tablespoons butter, melted

Position a rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 325°F.   Line a 9 x 5-inch bread load pan with parchment paper, leaving it over-hanging on the sides so you can lift the bread out easily after it's baked.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.   Scrape down the sides and on low speed beat in 1/4 cup of the flour mixture. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and stir in the remaining flour mixture and buttermilk in 5 alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Finish folding the batter by hand to make sure everything is incorporated — the batter will be very thick.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the loaf is golden with a couple of cracks on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in the pan set over a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift the loaf from the pan. Let rest for another 30 minutes.

When the loaf is cool and firm enough to handle, peel the parchment from the cake. Melt butter for finishing.  Gently turn the loaf over in 1 hand, and using a pastry brush, brush the bottom of the cake with some of the melted butter, then sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.  From there, brush the sides with the butter, and sprinkle each side with powdered sugar.   Lastly, brush the top with the butter, and generously sprinkle powdered sugar over the top.  (I have a powdered sugar container with a sieved top that I use to do this but if you don't just put the powdered sugar into a sieve and shake over the buttered loaf. Your loaf will resemble a giant powdered sugar donut. Carefully transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving, touching up the loaf with a quick sifting of sugar as needed.  This will serve 8 to 10, depending on how thick you make the slices.

Warning:  If you slice it up and put it on a cute plate and leave the plate sitting on your counter, after 15 minutes or so it will all be gone.  

Cathead Biscuits...

If you want to keep 'em comin' back to the table then you need to make cathead biscuits.  The name of these Southern staples refers to their large size (about as big as a cat's head, albeit a small cat).  When I read this recipe I couldn't wait to make them - just the name alone had me in the kitchen in a flash!  Cathead biscuits just struck my funny bone! But don't let the name fool you - these biscuits are no laughing matter - they are the everything you hope for in a homemade biscuit and more.

Instead of mixing the dry ingredients into the wet you mix the wet into the dry...not a huge thing but it does make a difference.  These biscuits come out fluffy, not flaky, and fluffy is a very good thing.  The mister loved these - the first time I made them he said they were the best biscuits he'd ever had.  Not particularly high praise since the man thinks plain boiled chicken is haute cuisine.  But the second time I made these biscuits, he repeated his love for them, over and over.  And here's the truly remarkable thing...for once we actually agree on something!  

There is a secret ingredient in these biscuits...hope you're sitting down...it's bacon grease.  Each bite will give just the slightest hint of smoky bacon, so eating one is not an option, it's two or three or none at all.  Oh, they are so easy to make you won't believe it...so fry yourself up some bacon 'cause you're gonna need the grease!

You can bake them on a rimmed baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet, which I prefer.  Either way they will rise up into the most beautiful biscuits.  Served with a bit of honey butter and jam and you've got yourself some serious eats!

Things of beauty.  Let me rephrase that, biscuits of beauty.  Nope, almost got it, but let me give it another go...HUGE beautiful biscuits!  And they taste as good as they look...even better!  If you don't have bacon grease, you can use lard/Crisco...but then you won't have the amazing flavor the bacon grease gives to these biscuits...and really, if you're going to eat biscuits with honey butter and jam, bacon grease is not your worst enemy!

  

Cathead Biscuits - Adapted from Epicurious

2 cups buttermilk

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

6 tablespoons bacon fat, slightly softened

6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces and slightly softened, plus more, melted, if desired to brush on top

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for rolling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In large bowl whisk baking powder, salt, sugar together.  Add buttermilk, softened bacon grease and softened butter.  Add 2 cups flour and mix with a fork until mixture resembles porridge.  Using a fork, or your hands, press fats against side of bowl to cut into smaller, irregular, flattened pieces.  Fold in remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and mix with hands until a wet dough forms.  Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface.  Dust top of dough with more flour.  Gently fold dough into itself until it feels like a pillow and is no longer sticky.  Using a floured butter knife, divide dough into 11 or 12 equal pieces.  Working with 1 piece at a time, dip cut sides in flour and gently roll into a ball with your hands.  Nestle each ball side by side in a large cast iron skillet or on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake biscuits until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.  Brush with melted butter after baking, if desired (just do it, now is not the time to worry about calories!)  Serve with butter, honey butter or jam.  

 

Pumpkin Bread with Salted Maple Butter...

Let's play true confessions...I'll go first...my house is already decorated for Christmas.  Has been for a week now.  Why yes, it's a bit early but the boy was here and he said he had time to help get out Christmas stuff and he wouldn't have time again until the week after Thanksgiving...and by then why bother?!?  So he got to work - bin after bin was carried in to its assigned room - Alexa played Christmas music for us and one by one I opened those bins and greeted my beloved decorations. It was all fun and giggles until the mister came home.  His bombastic voice rang out as he walked in the door, "Christmas crap already?!?"  When he turned the corner to go upstairs he was startled by Santa - as in he jumped a foot and his arm flew up in a Karate-chop (we've already established he doesn't know Karate) so the boy and I burst out laughing - we do love it when the mister gives us a reaction and we decided next year we might even put Christmas up before Halloween! Think how many Karate chops we could get then?!?  The mister has grumbled daily about the Christmas stuff, so everything is perking along just like always. 

But not to fear, we haven't bypassed Thanksgiving altogether!  I'm still trying new recipes, deciding which ones will make the cut this year, and this Pumpkin Bread has gone to the front of the line!  It's got it all going on...pumpkin seeds that get toasted while baking are on top for a nice little crunch, lightly spiced bread that tastes like every good thing this season has to offer, and then there's the salted maple butter...yep, it's got it all!

You can grate your own ginger so it's super fresh, or you can take the easy way and use the jar stuff - in this recipe it won't matter.  I buy my pumpkin seeds, or as they say south of the border, pepitas, at Trader Joe's or World Market.  Trader Joe's sells Spiced Pumpkin Seeds along with raw pepitas, and if you can find the spiced ones, use 'em!   

I doubled the recipe and made two loaves - it's always nice to have one to share and one to keep - although you might not want to give one away - it's that good.

Pumpkin Bread with Salted Maple Butter - Adapted From Bon Appetit

For the Bread:

nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger (from about one 3-inch piece of fresh ginger)

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 raw pumpkin seeds

For the Salted Maple Butter:

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, room temperature

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for serving

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly coat a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray.  Line bottom of pan with parchment, leaving a generous overhang on both long sides.  Whisk flour, cinnamon, kosher salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl.  Whisk eggs, pumpkin puree, ginger, and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl or in the bowl of your electric mixer.  Stream in oil, whisking constantly until mixture is thoroughly combined.  Gently fold half of the dry ingredients into egg mixture until no dry spots remain.  Repeat with remaining dry ingredients, stirring to combine but being careful not to over-mix.

 

Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top with a spatula.  Scatter pumpkin seeds over batter, pressing lightly to adhere.  Sprinkle seeds with remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Bake bread, rotating pan once halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 80 to 90 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then run a knife around pan to help loosen bread.  Using parchment overhang, transfer bread to a wire rack and let cool.  Bread can be baked 4 days ahead, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. 

 

Maple Butter:  Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter in a large bowl, scraping down sides until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add maple syrup and 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and beat, scraping down sides of bowl once more, just until incorporated.  Transfer maple butter to a small bowl, season with more sea salt, if desired.  Maple butter can be made 5 days ahead.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill.  Let come to room temperature before using.

 

Recipe makes one loaf of bread.

If you have a momentary lapse of judgment and decide not to make the bread - at least make the maple butter!!  It's great on plain toast, scones, biscuits, muffins, licked from the spoon...your T-Day breakfast demands you serve this in some way, and so do I!

This is a no-fail recipe.  I've made three batches of this already and each time the loaves bake up beautifully - c'mon kids, give this one a try!

 

 

 

 

Cheesy Bundt Bread...

My friend Janice sent me this card - on the inside it said, "It's all fun in games until someone ends up in a cone!"  So true!  We've had a lot of drama at the Slaughterhouse in the last few weeks...the mister, who is prone to hypochondria, actually had some legit health issues!  I think he would have been happy about it if he hadn't felt so crappy!  He spent some time in the E.R. and then saw a bunch of specialists and had a lot tests done ($$$) and now he seems to be on the mend, with the help of new meds and yours truly who is always telling him what he can and can't do/eat...so yeah, we're back to normal!  And about his eating...when we asked the doctor if there would be any dietary restrictions, the doc said, "He can eat and drink whatever he wants - he'll figure it out!"  So I heard the doctor say, eat and drink like normal and when you feel lousy and are up all night, paying the price, you'll learn to NOT eat and drink those things that affect you in a negative way.  The mister heard, "I can eat and drink anything I want."  Like I said, we're back to normal.

Now, speaking of normal - this bread is NOT, in any way, normal.  It's dense, chewy, cheesy and is great with soup, salad, basically awesome with anything you want to eat that doesn't affect you in a negative way!  I loved this bread smeared with butter...and the boy dipped his in spaghetti sauce...and the mister ate his plain (he's saving his calories by eating naked cheesy bread - haha!)  This one is a keeper and should be a go-to for every savory dish you make this fall!

 

 

 

 

 

Three things that make this easy, no-knead-quick-bread so amazing...Sour cream, Greek yogurt and cheese, cheddar and Parmesan.  If you've ever had dead Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, then you'll have an idea of what this bread tastes like - along with the cheese there is the hint of garlic and onion.  In two words?  Simply.  Divine.

If you don't have a Bundt pan, wait, what am I saying, everyone HAS a Bundt pan!  But, if not, get one...how can you bake without one?!?!?  This bread is impressive when it comes out of the oven - and it serves 8 people - very generous servings, like two each!  So it makes enough for a family dinner but try to squirrel away a slice or two so you can toast it and eat it for breakfast the next day...now that's the way to start your day right!

Beautiful, no?  It looks like it has pumpkin in it, and even though it IS Pumpkin Season, this bread doesn't have one ounce of pumpkin - it gets it color from the cheddar cheese.  Make this one kids, serve it alongside a bowl of chili or soup - you will thank me!

Cheesy Bundt Bread - Adapted From 12 Tomatoes 

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray, and spread evenly around pan with a paper towel. 

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder and onion powder in large bowl until combined.  In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream and Greek yogurt.  Pour mixture into dry ingredients.  Add melted butter and stir to combine.

Mix cheddar and Parmesan cheese into batter, making sure it is evenly distributed.  Pour batter into Bundt pan, spreading evenly to edges.  Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until toothpick inserted into bread comes out clean.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Remove from pan by turning upside down.  Allow to cool an additional 10 minutes before slicing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cherry Bread...

For many people, the month of March is about St. Patrick's Day, the arrival of Spring, daffodils and tulips poking their heads up from the frozen ground but at The Slaughterhouse, March is all about college basketball.  I'm used to the afternoon phone calls alerting me to the games that will be on that night, and the pleas for game food.  I'm used to the mister rushing in and heading straight upstairs to change into a sweatshirt representing whatever team is playing that night, he actually believes he can influence the outcome of the game by wearing his teams shirt!  When they lose he will yank the shirt off his body, wad it up and throw it into the corner of the room, where it will stay until his tantrum passes.  I'm used to the mister yelling and screaming at the TV when a game is on, jumping up and down until the house shakes, then regurgitating every detail from a missed foul shot but what I am NOT used to and never will be is the mister lying in wait.  Allow me to illustrate...I was in the middle of telling the mister about the girl and SIL and the new house they are buying and I was hood winked by his smile and head nods into thinking he was paying attention, he seemed so interested so I told him every little detail, didn't leave out a sneeze... but one second after I came up for air he blurted out, "Kansas lost".  My head did a quick revolution atop my neck before I realized what he was talking about, the University of Kansas lost a basketball game.  He did not hear a word I said.  The entire time I was talking he was lying in wait for his chance to tell me Kansas lost. Chomping at the bit, he was, because this time of year, during March Madness, a university basketball team that he has NO personal relationship with, is far more important than anything I could possibly tell him about his children!  It drives me crazy when he does that!  I get it though, I really do, I've had somewhat of an epiphany about the mister and March Madness...he loves college basketball, LOVES IT, and for the next two weeks he will be so distracted by games, scores, brackets, players, injuries, coaches, the number one seed and the odds of who will win that he will be blissfully unaware of anything I do or say...as long as I keep the game food going, I will have complete autonomy, think of the possibilities!! 

 

 

 

 

Cherry Bread is just one of the many treats I will ply the mister with while he gets ready for the tourney, the big dance, the final four...I would wager that most of the world doesn't know what those basketball terms mean, but Cherry Bread, now that's something people understand! This is a quick bread recipe, there is no yeast so no rising time, just mix and bake. 

Beautiful no?  Your kitchen will smell Heavenly and you'll want to cut a nice thick slice fresh from the oven, you'll be hard pressed to wait but wait you must because this bread is made SO much better with the cherry glaze on top.  The glaze is made with reserved juice from the maraschino cherries, so it's a very pretty shade of pink and has just a hint of almond extract, making it the perfect topping for this delicious bread!  

 

Cherry Bread - Adapted From Taste of Lizzy T

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 jars (10 oz. each) maraschino cherries, reserve the juice

To make the Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/3 cup reserved maraschino cherry juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, oil, egg, vanilla and almond extracts.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.  Drain the maraschino cherries, reserving the juice for the glaze.  Coarsely chop the cherries in a food processor or with a knife.  Gently fold the cherries into the batter.  Pour the batter into a greased 9"x5" bread pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.  All the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze:  In a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, cherry juice and almond extract.  Whisk until smooth.  Once the bread is cooled, spread the glaze on top of bread.  Slice and enjoy.  This bread freezes well but if you are going to freeze, do not add the glaze, allow bread to cool, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.  When ready to serve, allow to come to room temperature then make glaze and top the bread.  Makes 1 loaf of bread.

 

 

Tiger Rolls...

I am so far behind!!!  As I sit here in the Nerve Center, I am surrounded by piles of papers with scribbled recipes that I've made - recipes that you need to know about.  Really great recipes like the one I'm sharing today...one you probably will read and dismiss because who wants to turn their ovens on in the summer?!  But, trust me, when the cool weather rolls in, which will be in about 9 weeks, you'll want this recipe at your finger tips.  It will impress your family and friends but don't make it for applause, make it because these are dang good rolls!  

 

I've been doing a fair amount of baking/cooking lately because it's about the only thing I can do in my decrepit state...thankfully I can still lift a fork and shop online at Omar the Tent Makers for clothing!  Here's the good news though...we have not only met our deductible but we've met our out-of-pocket limit as well, so now anything I need to have done is FREE!!!  If I break a hip, replacement is FREE!  If I smash my fingers, surgery is FREE!  If I'm committed to a psych unit, 30 days is FREE!!!  However, face, boob and butt lifts are not free.  So rude, right? 

 

 

 

 Don't these look like their name?  Tiger rolls are crunchy on the outside, slightly sweet on the inside and they have that great homemade bread flavor that only yeast can provide.  Tiger Rolls are also called Dutch Crunch Rolls and Tiger Bread.  You can make these rolls big or small, I made mine small, dinner size, but I have seen them made hamburger-bun-size and they do make a great sandwich roll!

 

The dough is easy to make and you can do it in your electric mixer.  Once it's made it does have to rise until doubled in size.  I put my dough into a warmed oven (I warm the oven to 200 degrees then turn it off) and it took about 35 minutes to rise.  After it's doubled, the dough is cut into rolls and then they need to sit for 15 more minutes, and while they're resting, you make the topping.  The topping is thick and you might have your doubts about it - I know I did the first time I made these - I just couldn't imagine they would turn out!  But they do!  Just glop that topping on top of the rolls - a thin layer won't "crack" or produce the Tiger look - so lay it on thick and don't worry about it sliding off and down the sides - that stuff ain't goin' no where!

This recipe makes 16 dinner-size rolls.  The recipe I adapted said the rolls need to bake for about 30 to 35 minute.  The first time I made them I took them out of the oven after 35 minutes, they were browned and cracked on top but not done in the center.  I covered them with foil and put them back into the oven for 5 more minutes, so I actually baked mine about 40 minutes.

 

 

Tiger Rolls - Adapted From Whisk Affair

For the Rolls:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water, about 100 degrees

1 cup warm milk, about 100 degrees

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

For the Crunchy Topping:

1 cup rice flour (available at some Safeway stores and all Indian/Asian grocery stores)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

To make the bread:  In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine yeast, sugar, mile and water.  Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until mixture starts to bubble a bit.  Ad in vegetable oil, salt and half of the flour.  Stir on low until combined, then switch out the paddle to the bread hook.  Little by little, with mixer on low speed, add in the remaining flour.  Run mixer until dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, adding just a bit more flour, if necessary, kneading for about 3 minutes with the dough hook.

Turn out the dough into a lightly greased bowl.  Cover and keep in a warm place until it was doubled in size, depending on your kitchen this could take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.

Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 16 equal portions.  (Divide in half, then half each half, etc., etc., just in case math isn't your thing...).  Shape each piece of dough into a ball and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Cover the baking tray and let balls rest/rise for 15 minutes. 

Make topping:  Mix all of the topping ingredients in a bowl and stir vigorously until combined.  The consistency of the topping should be stiff, like royal-icing, not runny, it should fall in clumps from a spoon. Keep aside for 15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat the top of each ball with a thick layer of topping (a thin layer will not crack properly.)  Bake rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust appears well browned.

 

Banana Bread with Crumbly Topping...

My skinny friend said, "This banana bread is throw away good."  By that she means it is SO good she can only eat one little slice and then she has to throw it away because if she doesn't she will eat every last crumbly crumb.  My skinny friends watches what she eats, wanting to keep her perfect shape...me too!  Round is a shape!!  So I did NOT throw any of this bread away...I ate slice after slice, trying to stay perfectly round is not as easy as you might think...One has to be constantly chewing!  Besides, as another good friend reminded me, no kid wants a skinny grandma!  So for my grandkids - I ate this banana bread. 

Speaking of my grandkids...isn't my Elsa a beautiful child?!?  She and Rosie loved each other - well, maybe Elsa loved Rosie a bit more than Rosie loved Elsa - which is why there's a gnarly hand holding Rosie in place!

Elsa loved helping me in the kitchen and when I asked her if she wanted to make some banana bread, she said, "Only daddy makes banana bread."  And she refused to help!  She is a daddy's girl for sure!  So we didn't make banana bread but we did make a lot of other things.  Banana bread has been on my mind ever since the kids left, so when my skinny friend sent me a text telling me about the crumbly topping she put on banana bread and how insanely good it was, I'd finally reached my banana bread tipping point and headed into the kitchen.

Did you know you can make your bananas ripen by putting them in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes?  The skins will turn dark on the outside and on the inside you will have perfectly ripe and softened bananas!  You can also freeze bananas to keep them longer, and use them in your morning mocktails like I do...just like with baking, the skins will turn dark but the insides will be perfectly soft and ripe - perfect for making banana bread or a breakfast smoothie. 

 

 

 

 This banana bread recipe is from Epicurious, so I knew it would be great because they do all of the testing and this one was deemed the best.  I think it's because of the sour cream - it makes this bread extra moist and not too sweet...so you really taste the bananas.  The only change I made to the original recipe was to add toasted pecans...not a huge fan of walnuts but you could use them if you like.  And then, of course, I added the crumbly topping which makes this a game changer.

 

 

 

Toasting the pecans first really brings out their nuttiness...something you'll love when you bite into a slice of this bread, so don't skip this step, it will be worth it!  You will dirty three bowls, one for the banana mixture, one for the flour mixture and then your mixing bowl...but the bread bakes for an hour so you'll have plenty of time to wash everything up!  Again, it will be worth it!

I might have gone overboard on the topping...it was pretty thick and I almost took some of it off.  Luckily I came to my senses and left it all on there...I wonder what a loaf of just crumbly topping would taste like - probably Heaven - but then I'd be in a coma so there's that.

 

 

 

We had a pretty quiet 4th of July - mostly because it was rainy and cold and because I'm still nursing my knee and shoulder.  It's been almost two weeks since I had my knee fixed and I'm good until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon before it starts to swell and the ice packs come out.  We watched the fireworks on TV - totally depressing.  And then we listened to them going off in our neighborhood, even though there is a $1,000 fine for setting off fireworks!  And then we listened to the big dog in the neighborhood who barks all night long.  And then we tossed and turned and got no sleep because Rosie whined and cried every time the big dog barked.  And then I got up, hobbled downstairs and sliced off another piece of banana bread...aaah...the world righted itself once again!

Banana Bread with Crumbly Topping - Adapted From Epicurious and Megan Gee

Makes one loaf of banana bread.  You will need a 9x5-inch bread loaf pan.

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan

1 2/3 cups flour, plus more for pan

4 medium very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature (bring to room temp by putting in a bowl of hot water for about 3 minutes)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

Topping:

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x5-inch bread load pan with butter and dust with flour, tapping out any excess.  Toast walnuts or pecans by putting into a skillet on the stove top over medium-high heat, stirring gently for about 4 to 5 minutes until nuts begin to brown and smell fragrant.  Remove from heat and let cool.

In a medium bowl combine bananas, sour cream and vanilla, mix well.  In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, whisk together.  In the bowl of an electric mixture, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.   Add eggs one at a time and beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minutes each.  Add banana mixture and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds.  Add dry ingredients in 2 batches, beating on low after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl if necessary, until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds per batch.  Fold in walnuts or pecans.  Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top with spatula. 

Make Topping:  In a small bowl combine topping ingredients and spread over top of banana bread mixture.  Bake, rotating halfway through, until batter is set, top is dark golden brown and starting to crack and sides are starting to pull away from pan and a tester inserted into the center of bread comes out clean, approximately 60 to 65 minutes.  Cool in pan on a wire rack at least 15 minutes.  Run butter knife around perimeter of pan to loosen loaf, then tap pan gently on its side until loaf releases.  Transfer to a cutting board or plate and let cool completely before slicing.

You can see the crumbly topping - it's so good - trust me, 5 dangs worth!!!

 

Chive Popovers...For St. Paddy's Day...

We had a bit of drama here this weekend.  This mister, aka Reddy-Kil-O-Watt, dashing about flipping off lights at the speed of, well, light, discovered our outdoor "party" lights had been sabotaged!!! The mister went to turn on the lights and noticed half weren't working - and then, to his utter horror, he saw the cord had been C*U*T !!!   According to the mister, it was a clean cut, and not just one cut was made, but TWO, on one each side of the light bulb!  The entire bulb was gone - definitely deliberate sabotage!  The mister spent umpteen frantic minutes dragging his knuckles around the deck trying to figure out how someone got past his security system...which consists of some chicken wire and a hinged gate that even the 3 year old next door can open!   His investigation led him in and out of the house, up and down the stairs on the deck and around the yard - no stone was left un-turned, every leaf and blade of grass was inspected, interrogated and evidence was collected.  But still, the mister didn't have a solid lead.  Just when we thought the case had gone cold...da-da-da...he found it!!!  The smoking gun (!) as it were...the missing light bulb, carelessly dropped at the base of a tree.  The very same tree where Mr. Nutter and his family live.  Mr. Nutter is my pet yard squirrel.  The mister failed to see any humor in Mr. Nutter biting off one of his party lights and threatened to feed Mr. Nutter and Sons poison peanuts if they ever even so much as looked at his party lights again!  Oh, and he also informed me I can no longer entertain Mr. Nutter on the deck.  Life is so unfair, where's the love?  (All pictures of the mister performing his detective work and light bulb repairs were confiscated by the mister...he deleted them from my iPad during huge fits of laughter from me - only later did I find these two pics on my phone...it's the little things!)  Case closed.

 

 

 

Chive Popovers - so easy to make!  You need a blender, a muffin tin and in 30 minutes you'll be slathering butter on a hot popover, wondering how the other half lives!  If you don't have fresh chives growing in your garden, like I do (and only because they are super hardy and refuse to die) you can substitute fresh parsley.  These are perfect for one of your St. Paddy's Day feasts - enjoy them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

 

These popovers would great served with any meal, not just on St. Patrick's Day...I will probably make them for Easter brunch because they are so light and airy, not filling at all.  And that pale shade of green on the inside is just so Springy and pretty - they kind of say Easter, no?  Trust me when I say they will disappear quickly, so plan on making a double batch!

 

Chive Popovers - From Simply Classic, Junior League of Seattle

1 tablespoon oil

1 cup milk

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat over to 450 degrees.  Oil 10 muffin cups and place in preheating oven while preparing batter.  In blender or processor, combine milk, eggs and chives.  Blend well.  Add flour and salt and blend for 3 minutes. 

Carefully remove muffin tin from oven and immediately pour in batter.  Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Do not open oven door or popovers may fall.  Remove from oven and pierce gently with a small, sharp knife to prevent collapsing.  Serve warm with butter.  Makes 10 popovers.

Bacon Maple Date Biscuits...

Did you know there are Dog Psychologists??  It's the only kind of psychologist that does more talking than the patient.  Lately, little Rosie and I have had several talk therapy sessions...where I expound on the virtues of going potty outside...I think she's starting to listen, I mean, she stares at me with her little eyes and I see her concentrating...I see her blinking in agreement...perhaps I missed my calling in life and all this time I should have been counseling dogs?!?  So our talk therapy sessions are going great...and while Rosie is taking her time, you know, coming to grips with her behaviors and how she needs to change, I'm strictly adhering to our routine...standing out in the rain every three hours, walking around with smelly dog treats in my pockets, going to Pet Smart every other day to purchase new toys, treats, beds, carpet spray, etc.$$$! 

 

One thing Rosie loves is being in the kitchen with me.  She sits on the rug in front of the stove and watches my every move.  She's learned that occasionally some little bit of something falls to the floor so the kitchen is her happy place...as it should be!

Making these biscuits will put you in a happy place - guarandamteed!  First of all, there's bacon.  Need I say more? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bacon.  Right there is one reason you should make these.  Need another?  Maple flavoring.  One more?  Dates...or you could use raisins, which I did the first time I made these and they provide just the right amount of sweet.  And if you are still looking for another reason, here you go, buttermilk...it gives these biscuits a slight tang that plays ever so nicely with the sweetness of the dates and maple...this one is a keeper my friends.  Tried, true and downright delicious.  (Do not judge...I didn't have fresh buttermilk on hand the first time I made these, so I used the packaged "buttermilk" - which does work in a pinch or if you're desperate and you have to make them immediately and can't run to the store because you're in your pajamas!)

I haven't told you about the glaze...the maple glaze that is brushed on top of each biscuit as it comes piping hot from the oven.  It's a game changer.  Sticky-sweet - you'll be licking your fingers with glee...and no one will stop you, it's the right thing to do!  Oh one more thing, these are easy to make and they freeze well...make a double batch - some today, some to give away (all 4 people I served these to asked for the recipe and then when I didn't sent it right away, they asked again! Now that should tell you something!) and some to enjoy on Super Bowl Sunday!

 

 

Bacon Maple Date Biscuits - Adapted From The Wandering Goose, Seattle, WA

5 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups (3 sticks) cold butter, diced

8 oz. chopped dates (about 2 cups or less if desired, and you can use raisins)

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup cold buttermilk

1 tablespoon maple extract

melted butter

Maple Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl and mix on low.  Add the butter and mix on low until the butter is the size of small peas, about 5 minutes.  Add the dates and bacon, and with the mixer running on low, add the buttermilk and maple extract.  Mix only until just blended, taking care not to over mix.  The dough will be somewhat dry and crumbly.  (Which makes for a very flaky and light biscuit!)

Place the dough onto a lightly flour surface, pat gently into a 1-inch thick round, and cut using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour. (Do not twist the cutter as you cut the biscuits as this will seal the sides and the biscuits will not rise as high.  Gather up the scraps and reshape into a disc to continue cutting until all the dough is used.)  Set the biscuits on a baking sheet and brush the biscuits with melted butter.  Bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. 

For the Maple Glaze:  Combine the powdered sugar and syrup and mix until smooth.  If the glaze is too thick, thin with a few drops of water.  Drizzle over the cooled biscuits and serve. 

Makes 24 biscuits.