MIndy's Hot Rolls

I shamelessly swiped this from Bits and Odd Peices of Mindy's Kingdom. One can never have too many bread recipes...that's my opinion. Thanks, Mindy.  The comments about the recipe are Mindy's, not mine. :-)

1 envelope dry yeast
2 Tab sugar
1/4 C warm water
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C butter
1tsp salt
1 C hot milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 1/3 C flour
2 Tb (I swear that is all I used, I promise.) melted butter

Use as much butter as you want....I cannot lie....I used more.
Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the very warm water in a large bowl. Do NOT leave the sugar out. A lot of recipes do not mix yeast with suger but TRUST ME....your yeast will love you for it!
Stir until the yeast dissolves. Let cool a bit. In a pan, heat your milk and allow your 1/4 C butter to melt it in. Also allow to cool down until it is just warm. Add your milk mixture to your yeast mixture then add in your egg. Beat in your 4 1/3 C of flour 1 cup at a time with your wet ingredients until you get a soft dough. You can then turn your dough out on your board and knead it for about 5 minutes. I just leave mine in my kitchen aide mixer (I would marry it if I could) and let it run a few minutes with the dough hook. Place your beautiful dough in a warm greased bowl and allow it to rise until it has doubled. You can then punch it down and make your rolls. Place your rolls in a butter greased pan and allow them to rise. Bake in a 350 degree over for 15-20 minutes until a pretty golden color and your family is standing around the oven holding a jelly jar. I then like to slather them with butter while they are still hot. This is a really forgiving easy dough. I let mine rise the first time and then punched them down and made hot rolls. Then, instead of letting them rise again, I put waxed paper over the top and put them in the fridge. Took them out the next morning and let them warm up and rise. Then we cooked them and ATE THEM all gone!! People are afraid of yeast and making bread....I promise you it is not hard!!

Easy Rum Cake

And here is another one.  I admit that I haven't tried it, but I have all the ingredients, and it seems so easy I thought I'd share it here.  How can one go wrong?  I plan on making it tonight, so I'll comment about how it turns out.

Ingredients
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding (4 serving size)
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. rum (light)
4 eggs

What to Do
Grease tube pan. Mix first five ingredients with mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Bake 1 hour at 325 degrees F.  Leave in pan until sauce is added and all is cooled completely.

Sauce Ingredients
1/2 stick butter
1/8 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
1/8-1/4 c. rum

What to Do
Bring butter, water, sugar and rum to a boil. Pour over cake when done and still hot. Remove cake from pan when completely cool.  Top each serving with whipped cream.

Cranberry Rum Coffee Cake

A restaraunt near where I work closed.  Among various food items, I was given a large bottle of expensive rum.   Not being a drinker, I had to find some way to use it.  This was delicious!

Ingredients

1 cup Craisins (sweetened, dried cranberries)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup rum
3/4 cup chopped nuts
confectioners sugar

What to Do
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter and flour an 8 inch square baking pan, tapping out any excess flour.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine Craisins, butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from burner and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in 1/4 cup rum and 1/4 cup water. 
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg) until evenly mixed. Set aside.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, break the egg and beat until light; stir in the cooled Craisin/rum mixture.
6.  Gradually stir in the dry ingredients mixing only until the flour is thoroughly dampened. Mixture does not need to be smooth, and may still have some lumps.
7.  Gently fold in chopped nuts. Macadamia, walnuts, pecans and almonds or any combination may be used.
8.  Bake coffeecake for 35-40 minutes or until cake tests done (a toothpick inserted in center comes out nearly clean; cake will begin to pull away from sides of pan slightly).
9. Remove from oven. Brush top with melted butter and dust lightly with confectioners sugar while still warm. Cool on wire rack for 5-10 minutes.  Run a blunt knife along side of pan and remove cake from pan.

Tip: For extra flavor, toss nuts with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with confectioners sugar and a pinch of cinnamon, if desired before adding to batter.

Lentil and Sausage Soup

It is almost March, which means spring is arriving (or has already) in many places.  In northeast Wisconsin we have had what passes as a very mild winter for this part of the country.  Nonetheless, outside the window I see a blanket of white snow, and more is in the forecast.  It is not time for me to put away the scarves and mittens.  March is very unpredictable here.

How about where you are? 

Mindful of the chill and the snow, I'm sharing a hearty comfort food.  This is simmering on the stove right now, and the house smells wonderful!

Ingredients
1 lb. or about 2 cups lentils
1 tbsp. olive (or other) oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 c. wine vinegar, or juice of one lemon
8 cups beef or chicken broth (or use part water if you need to)
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. cumin

1 large (28 oz.) can stewed tomatoes or diced tomatoes

1/2 lb. or about 2 cups, Italian sausage, cooked and chopped

What to Do

Brown sausage and onion in oil.  Drain  and set aside. 

In dutch oven or large soup pot, combine washed lentils with half the broth, celery and carrots.  Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes.  Add spices and remaining broth. Bring to a boil again and then simmer about 15 more minutes. (Some people like to puree the soup at this point.  I leave it as is.  Up to you.)  Add tomatoes, vinegar or lemon juice, and the onions and sausage; cover and cook 15 minutes more. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices if desired.  Serves 8.

Note
Also try this with a bit more broth (or tomato juice) and a package of frozen spinach, thawed and added when you add the sausage/onion mix.  You can also use about a pound of fresh spinach.  Garnish with parmesan cheese instead of the parsley.

Pork and Rice

Ingredients

1 generous cup uncooked rice

one envelope dried onion soup mix

1/4 cup (half stick) butter or margarine, melted

1 can cream of mushroom soup

about six boneless pork steaks, cut into pieces about 3 inches wide

pinch each of thyme, rosemary, and basil

chopped scallions (optional)

What to Do

Pour butter into baking dish.  Add rice.  Layer chunks of pork steak over the rice.  Smear canned soup over pork and sprinkle the spices and onion soup mix over the top.  Cook at 350 F. for about an hour or till pork is done and rice is tender.  Garnish with some chopped scallions if you have them.  Let sit for about 5 minutes. Will thicken slightly.  

More optional additions:  Add some pine nuts about half way through cooking time, or dried cranberries or raisins, or peas.  Haven't tried all of those at once, but someday I might.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Balsamic

You like Brussels sprouts too?  Ah, the few, the proud...oh never mind.

These flavorful little morsels are full of wonderful nutrients.  If you overcook Brussels sprouts, they do get a bit smelly.  Cook till just tender.  Smaller ones are more tender and sweeter.  Remove any yellowed outer leaves, and trim off the stems.

Serves 6.

Ingredients
1/4 pound (about 4 strips) bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, stalk ends removed, cut into halves
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or almonds (optional)

What to Do
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add bacon pieces and cook till crisp.  Discard most of the fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.  Add the Brussels sprouts, pour in the vinegar, and saute until the vinegar caramelizes on the sprouts.  Add nuts.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Oreo Truffles

Aren't these pretty?  Our four-year-old granddaughter is coming over to "help" me with a bit of Christmas baking.  I think she is going to like these!  I mean, what could be better than Oreos AND cream cheese?

Ingredients
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (16.6 oz.) OREO Cookies
(If you can find a box of Oreo crumbs, you will need about 41/4 cups.)
16 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate squares (or a comparable amt. of semi-sweet chips), melted

What to Do
Crush 9 cookies and set aside. Crush the remaining cookies. You can use a food processor, or put them in a closed plastic bag and roll with rolling pin. Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs (except for the nine you sat aside) until well blended.  Roll into 1 inch balls (makes about 42).  Dip into melted chocolate.  You can use two forks to gently roll the balls and remove them.   Place on baking sheet covered with waxed paper.  Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.  Refrigerate until firm (about an hour).  Store tightly covered in refridgerater.  Or outside in the garage if you live in a cold winter climate like we do!

Note:  You can melt the chocolate in the microwave if you watch carefully and stir several times.  It will take about 2 minutes.  Or you can use a double boiler or a metal bowl over a pan of boiling water.