don't ruin your dinner with store bought rolls!

                                                                        everything "p"

You're going to cook a beautiful homemade Christmas dinner but, you're going to buy the rolls?!!!  NOOOOOOOO! Make these!  I just made the rolls in the picture a few days ago and, they were SIMPLE!  (I wanted to eat ALL of them right when they came out of the oven!!!)  

Homemade bread is wonderful!!!  Don't be afraid of yeast!! 

DINNER ROLLS (Fleischmannsyeast.com)

INGREDIENTS:

2 to 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 packet Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk 

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine 3/4 cup flour, sugar, dry yeast and salt in a large mixer bowl and stir until blended.

Combine milk, water and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on HIGH in 15 second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch  (120° to 130°F.  Butter won’t melt completely). Add to flour mixture.

Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.

Add 1/4 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball. 

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic and springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers, about 6 to 8 minutes. 

Cover with a towel; let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut dough into 12 equal pieces; shape into balls using your hands.

Place in greased  8-inch round or square pan.  Cover with towel; let rise in warm place  until doubled in size, about 30 minutes .

Bake in preheated 375ºF oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from pan by running a knife around the edges and invert onto wire rack; brush with additional melted butter, if desired. Serve warm.

The only thing I did different from this recipe was-- I only made 8 rolls instead of 12.

Egg Nog Bread!!!

I forgot how DELICIOUS this Eggnog Bread is!!! I haven't had it in forever!!! Well, since I lived in Florida many, many years ago!! Thank you, to my very special Florida friend for sharing the recipe with me!!

Eggnog Bread

INGREDIENTS:

bread ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup eggnog

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled a few minutes

2 tsp. rum extract

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

glaze ingredients: (the glaze is optional)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. rum extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 tbsp. milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat oven to 350. 

Grease bottom of 9x5 loaf pan. 

Beat eggs. Add sugar, eggnog, butter, rum extract and vanilla; blend well. 

Add flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. 

Pour into greased pan. 

Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick in center comes out clean. 

Cool 10 minutes in pan. Cool completely on rack.

If glazing...wait until bread is cool then mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Glaze should be thick but, you should be able to drizzle it from a spoon. If it's too thick, add a tiny bit more milk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Enjoy!!!

TIP: If you substitute rum for the rum extract, I'd use a dark spiced rum.

This is what happens when you mix CANDIED BACON into banana bread batter!  Yummmm!  Breakfast all wrapped up in a neat slice!!    

This is TWO recipes!  Because from now on, I bet you'll BAKE your bacon (it's SO simple, and clean up is a breeze!) and maybe you will even candy it every now and then!!  

You can make the bread with, or without the bacon.  Either way it's delicious!  I have to say, adding the bacon was a REALLY nice change!!  I think next time I will add some nuts along with the bacon...if you like nuts in your banana bread--ADD THEM!   

BANANA BREAD WITH CANDIED BACON

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup crumbled candied bacon (recipe below)
Brown sugar (for sprinkling--I didn't measure)
3 medium size ripe bananas
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups flour
1/2 cup walnuts (or pecans)-- optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

MAKING THE BACON:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Line baking sheet with foil.

Arrange bacon in a single layer on baking sheet.  (I use Applegate Naturals, Nitrate free)

Sprinkle very lightly with brown sugar. (see picture.)

Bake 10 minutes, and then lightly sprinkle again with brown sugar.

Continue cooking another 10 minutes or until the bacon is well done.  (if your bacon is thick you may need to cook it a bit longer!)

Drain bacon on paper towels, then crumble into big pieces.  (Try REALLY hard not to eat it all!  I admit, I did have a little taste!)

MAKING THE BREAD: (no mixer required!)

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Butter or spray a loaf pan.

Mash the bananas on a plate.  (I like mine a bit chunky!)

Put eggs into a large bowl and beat lightly.

Add the mashed bananas, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, salt and butter to the eggs.  Stir until combined.

Add the flour and mix just until combined. 

Fold in most of the crumbled bacon, save some for the top!  (Try REALLY hard not to eat all of this delicious, crunchy, candied bacon!!!!!  I admit, I did try a tiny piece!)

Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. 

Cool a few minutes in the pan and then move to a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

use your favorite beer to make pizza dough!

I know, it's easy to order a pizza and have it delivered.  But, IT'S FUN (and pretty simple!!) to make it at home yourself!  Choose your beer wisely--the flavor of your dough depends on it!!

I LOVE my crust super thin (like the picture!)  You don't always have to use tomato sauce!!  I just brushed a thin coat of olive oil on that crust, added mozzarella, parmesan, red pepper flakes, dried basil, and a sprinkle of salt, then right before taking it out of the oven I threw on some greens (spinach, arugula, radicchio) and just let it wilt for a few minutes.  It was delicious!!

Beer Pizza Dough  
(makes enough dough for 2 regular pizzas, or up to 8 flatbread/super thin crust pizzas)

INGREDIENTS:

1 12 oz. bottle of room temperature beer (I used Blue Moon)
1 packet rapid rise yeast
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cane sugar
4 cups bread flour
2 tbsp. olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large bowl combine beer, yeast, salt and sugar--let stand until foamy (5-10 min).

Put the flour into your mixing bowl (with paddle attachment), turn on LOW speed and add the beer mixture and the olive oil.  Mix until combined.

Remove the paddle attachment and add your dough hook.  Knead dough on low speed until dough is a smooth, firm ball--about 5 minutes.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place (I always put mine in the oven with the oven light on) until doubled in size.  About 1 hour.

Not making the pizza today?  Put the dough in a ziplock bag and throw it in the fridge for a few days, or in a freezer bag and put the dough in the freezer until you want to use it!

BAKE THE PIZZA OR FLATBREAD

PIZZA:
Stretch dough for 2 pizzas (whatever shape you like!), let rest for 15 minutes, (for a crisper crust bake the crust until light golden brown without any toppings on it first!) top with your favorite toppings and bake in a 500 degree oven until very well browned.

-OR-

FLATBREAD/SUPER THIN CRUST:
Take 1/8 of the dough and stretch paper thin on an ungreased baking sheet.  (I got mine to cover a full size baking sheet.)  

Poke multiple times with a fork.  Let rest 15 minutes.  

Bake in 500 degree oven until light golden brown (this happens fast, don’t leave!). 

Remove from oven, gently loosen the crust from the baking sheet, top with toppings, return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and toppings are heated through.  Crust will be a nice golden brown.

Put any dough you are not using into one big zip lock freezer bag or divide the dough into pieces and put into smaller bags and freeze until needed.  Thaw in refrigerator overnight, then bake per instructions above.

ENJOY!    

SOME OF MY FAVORITE PIZZA/FLATBREAD TOPPINGS:

--tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, onion, green pepper

--Margherita (tomato sauce, fresh buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil leaves)

--olive oil base, mozzarella, parmesan, hot pepper flakes, dried basil, salt, fresh spinach

--olive oil base, feta cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, fresh spinach

still buying bread at the grocery store??

These are the ingredients in Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat Bread (Yeah, and you thought it was healthy!!).  Kind of funny that I couldn't get this information from their web site--they don't list the ingredients there!

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Wheat Gluten, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Yeast, Honey, Contains 2% or Less of Each of the Following: Calcium Sulfate, Sugar, Butter (Cream, Salt), Vegetable Oil (Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oils), Salt, Dough Conditioners (May Contain One or More of the Following: Mono - and Diglycerides, Ethoxylated Mono - and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Peroxide, Datem, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide, Enzymes), Calcium Propionate (Preservative), Distilled Vinegar, Guar Gum, Yeast Nutrients (Monocalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate), Corn Starch, Soy Lecithin, Soy Flour.

look at all of those chemicals!!!

here's some info on just one of them...

Azodicarbonamide "its primary use is in plastic and rubber products like yoga mats and flip flops, where it’s used to make them softer and more stretchy."  per Forbes.com

Maybe eating those chemical ingredients once in a while isn't bad for us (but, who knows!!).  What if you have a sandwich on this bread (or pack your kids one for lunch!!) EVERY DAY??   

You might want to stop buying grocery store bread! Start making it at home!

Try this super simple bread recipe!  

ingredients:

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons very warm water 
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I've even used whole wheat flour!)

instructions:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar.  Let stand for 5 minutes until yeast is bubbly. 

Add the egg, salt and enough flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.

Don't let it rise. 

WHAT ARE YOU USING THIS DOUGH FOR?  Divide into 8 pieces (for hamburger buns/sandwich rolls)  16 pieces for dinner rolls (or kid friendly sandwich rolls!).  Form each piece into a ball.

Place 2--3" apart on greased baking sheets.

Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. 

Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

These freeze well!  I wrap my baked bread/rolls in foil and then put them inside zip lock freezer bags.  When thawing, I just pull what I need out of the freezer (leave it wrapped and bagged) at room temperature for a few hours until thawed.