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Sunday, March 4, 2012

Dinner Rolls


Dinner Rolls
adapted from: Our Best Bites

2 c. whole milk*
1/2 c. plus 1 Tbl. sugar, divided
1/3 c. unsalted butter
2 tsp.  salt
2 pkgs. (4 1/2 tsp.) active dry yeast
2/3 c. warm water
8-9 c. all-purpose flour, divided
3 beaten eggs

*They recommend whole milk, but if you're in a pinch 2% milk will work, but try to stay away from 1% or skim

Combine milk, 1/2 c. sugar, butter and salt in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until butter melts into salty-sweet perfection.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm (this is really important, because if it is too hot, it will kill the yeast).  

While the milk mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast and 1 Tablespoon of sugar in warm water.  Let stand about 10 minutes.  If the yeast hasn't bubbled, you'll need to repeat this step with new yeast.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of flour and milk mixture.  Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly.  Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes.  Add beaten eggs.  Stir in as much of the remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough.  This should should be very soft - it will be coming away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still stick to your finger when you touch it.  (If you add too much flour, these rolls will be heavy and dense).  Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough.  Lightly flour your work surface and turn dough out onto surface.  Divide in half.  Spray two 9x13-inch glass pans with cooking spray.  Pat first portion of dough into a rectangle and then cut into 12 equal-sized pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball and place in prepared pan.  Repeat with remaining dough in the second pan.  Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.  When dough has about 15-20 minutes to go, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.  When done, remove from oven.  Rub a stick of cold butter over the tops of the rolls.  Eat one now while it's still hot!!

Jenn's Notes:  I cut this recipe in half and got 12 rolls.  I used 2% milk, 2 eggs and 4 cups of flour total.  When you are done mixing, the dough is still pretty sticky, but it firms up during the rising process and was very easy to work with.  I used my kitchen scale to ensure that each roll was the exact same size, but if you don't have one of those, don't worry, just eye-ball it.  During the second rise, my rolls took longer than 30 minutes, more like 45 minutes.  So, plan a little extra time, just in case.  These rolls were still delicious and very soft the next day, but I couldn't tell you about the 3rd day, because I didn't have any left!  


***Update - I have made these rolls a lot since this post, at least a few times a month.  They have become my new go-to roll recipe, because they are so easy and turn out perfect every time.  I have made them with both 2% milk and whole milk and I think they are delicious both ways!***

Gyoza


Gyoza

Gyoza - Japanese style dumplins
Gyoza is originally a Chinese dish, which has become very popular across Japan. This recipe shows how to make the gyoza dough and the gyoza filling. The time consuming and difficult part of making of the dough can be skipped by buying premade dough pieces, which are available at some Japanese and Chinese grocery stores.

Ingredients:
(for 30 Gyoza)

  • Dough:
    we used wonton wraps
    • Filling:
      • 200 g ground pork
      • Cabbage
      • Leek or Green onion
      • Garlic

    • Dipping Sauce:
      • Soya sauce


    Preparation:







    Making and frying the Gyoza:
    1.  
    Put some of the filling onto a piece of dough. Remember that the filling should suffice for 30 gyoza pieces.
    1.  
    2.  
    Moisten the edge of the dough with water. Moisten only a semicircle, not all the way around.
    1.  
    2.  
    Close the gyoza. While closing it, fold the edge about 6 times as shown on the image.
    1.  
    2.  
    Put the gyoza on the table as shown in the image.
    1. Fry the Gyoza in a little bit of hot oil until the bottom is brownish, then add water so that the gyoza are in the water with about half of their hight.
    2. Keep the high heat and wait until all the water has vaporized. Then remove the gyoza from the heat.
    3. Dipping sauce: Mix the same amounts of soya sauce and vinegar together.

    Saturday, March 3, 2012

    Chicken enchiladas with green chili sour cream sauce


     These were wonderful and even the kids liked them.

    Chicken enchiladas with green chili sour cream sauce
    *These are seriously so so good*
    10 soft taco shells
    2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
    2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
    3 Tbsp. butter
    3 Tbsp. flour
    2 cups chicken broth
    1 cup sour cream
    1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies

    1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 pan
    2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese.  Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
    3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute.  Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  
    4. Stir in sour cream and chilies.  Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
    5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
    6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

    Taken from Chicken Enchiladas

    Easiest dinner ever


    The 1st night we made this we had it over rice and it was awesome!  The next night we added the leftovers to the leftover rice and put them in tortillas for burritos.  Very Yummy!


    Easiest Dinner Ever.
    Get ready for one of the easiest meals ever.
    Of course it involves the crock pot!
    Here is what you need:

    - Bag of frozen Chicken Breast Tenderloins (2.5-3lb bag)
    - 8 oz block of cream cheese (don't use Fat Free! 1/3 less fat or regular is fine)
    - Can of Black Beans, drained & rinsed. (or Pinto Beans if you prefer)
    - Can of Corn, drained.
    - Can of Rotel

    Directions:
    Put frozen chicken in the crock pot.
    Put Cream cheese on top of the chicken.
    Dump in the Black Beans (make sure they are drained & rinsed!!!)
    Dump in the drained corn.
    Dump in the Rotel,

    Cover & cook in your Crock Pot on low for 6-8 hours.
    Every 2 hours, I stir the ingredients.
    You can shred the chicken when it is done, or just leave it as tenderloins.
    This is what it looks like after 6 hours:

    Taken from Easiest dinner ever