Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Pane Francese "Baguette"

1 pkg. dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 cup warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1-1 1/4 cups cold water

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in small bow, stir briefly. Let stand until foamy or about 5 minutes. Using a dough hook mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and 1 cup of cold water. Beat until dough is shiny, elastic and slightly sticky; about 5 minutes. Add more cold water 1-2 teaspoons at a time if the dough is dry. (Dough should be soft, we and when stretched should have a thin transparent skin.)

Place in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 1/2-2 hours. Sprinkle the countertop with flour and turn out the dough. Cut in half and shape into 8" rectangles. Start at the short end and roll and press edge into the unrolled part of dough with the heal of your hand. Place seam side down on countertop (with flour sprinkled underneath). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Transfer loaves to greased baguette pan on cookie sheet and stretch to 12-14" long. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 475 degrees.

After dough has risen in the pan, place in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 425 degrees and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Dough for Dinner Rolls and Cinnamon Rolls

Dough Ingredients:
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter flavor Crisco (melted)
2 eggs
4 cups hot milk (let cool before adding to mixture)
3 Tbsp. yeast, plus 1Tbsp. sugar mixed with 1 cup warm water (let rise until double)
Flour 8-10 cups (add more if needed)

Directions:

Mix together then add flour until a good elastic consistency.Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it is double (about 1 hour). Punch down dough; turn onto lightly floured surface. Roll out in a circle and using a pizza wheel make triangles. Roll each section starting from the widest down to tip and seal with a dab of water. Place on greased cookie sheet and cover. Let rise until double (about 30 minutes) Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Bring out of oven and using a pastry brush, dip in melted butter and brush on hot rolls. Transfer rolls onto a cooling rack.

Cinnamon Roll Directions:
After letting dough rise, roll into a rectangle and using a pastry brush and melted butter, brush butter onto dough. Next sprinkle on a generous amount of brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll from the long side and seal the ends of the roll. Using unflavored floss, slide under roll and cross the floss and pull until it slices the roll. Place cinnamon rolls on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Roll Icing with Cream Cheese:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Regular Icing:
3 cups of confectionery sugar

2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons of milk or cream

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Friday, January 15, 2010

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
Flour
Salt and Pepper
Oil
15 oz can pineapple tidbits, reserve juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch (use enough water to dissolve the cornstarch)
1/4 cup vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, chopped in large pieces
2 carrots, sliced

Directions:
Cube chicken and roll pieces in a flour, salt and pepper mixture. Heat oil in a skillet and brown the chicken. Put chicken pieces in a baking dish, cover with foil and place in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Drain the pineapple and reserve the juice and add enough water to equal 1 1/2 cups. In a large sauce pot, combine juice and water, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and chicken bouillon and cook and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add cornstarch to mixture and bring to a boil for one minute, reduce to a simmer.

Saute vegetables in butter, add pineapple pour sauce over the veggies. When ready to serve add the cooked chicken to the sauce and vegetables. Serve with cooked white rice.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Texas Sheet Brownies

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda

1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup water
1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine and set aside flour, sugar and baking soda. Bring to boil the butter, shortening, water and cocoa. Then combine the boiled mixture with the flour mixture. Stir in buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.

Grease and flour a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Frosting Ingredients:
1 stick butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/4 cup milk

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Bring to boil the butter, cocoa and milk (stir constantly). Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

ENJOY!!! :o)