Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Red Lobster Biscuits
60 Servings...for a big gathering!
1 t. garlic salt of powder
1T parsley flakes
1t. italian seasonings
5 lbs. Bisquick
44 oz. cold water
1 lb sharp chddar cheese, grated
1/2 c. butter
Preheat 450 degrees. Mix bisquick, water, cheese. Drop by large spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. After baking, brush on melted butter with all seasonings mixed in. Serve hot.
For smaller batch: 12 biscuits
2. c. Bisquick
1/2 c. cold water
3/4 c. gratred cheddar
1 egg
Melt some butter and sprinkle above seasonings into it before brushing it onto the right out oven biscuits.
**May also substitute soda water or gingerale for water.
Pull Aparts
So, I made batch to go along with our vegetable beef soup. But then ate a few. Then thought, "Since we invited two kids for dinner, it only makes sense for me to invite the parents as well." So amid the afternoon craziness, I made another batch. Although Dads were still at work, my friend and I had an enjoyable dinner with 5 kids...all practicing manners. (Adelle supplied the dessert...a sucker tree!)
Pull Aparts...b/c I can't believe they aren't on here yet!
1 pkg yeast in 1 1/2 cups water..allow the yeast to get foamy in the warm water (let these sit for about 5 minutes...I sprinkle a bit of sugar in just for the yeast to grow on)
Add:
2 T sugar
1/2 t. salt
3 c. flour
Mix and Knead. Let it Rise til double. . Melt 1/2 c. margarine in 9 x 13 pan (but you can also put it into a 7x11 pan) . Roll out dough to fit pan. Flip flop dough in margaine. Score dough into squares by using a metal spatula, egg flipper, cutting through to the bottom. Sprinke with parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Rise again til doubled. Bake 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
PC Chocolate Chip Sensation
PC Says: This decadent dessert pizza has been a Kitchen Show favorite for years. However, I don't ever remember having it at a show but tonight I think we will be having it again.
1 18 oz package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 pint (2 cups) cold half and half
1 3.9 oz Chocolate Instant pudding and pie filling
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1. Preheat oven to 350. Shape cookie dough into a ball in center of large round stone. using lightly floured roller, roll out dough to 12" circle, about 1/4" thick. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edge is set. Cookie will be soft. Do not overbake. Cool 10 minutes. Carefully loosen cookie from stone; cool completely on stone.
2. In small bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar until well blended; set aside. Pour half and half into bowl; add pudding mix and whisk 2 minutes using whisk. Let stand 5 minutes until thickened.
3. Spread cream cheese mixture over thoroughly cooled cookie to within 1/2" of edge. Spread pudding over cream cheese. Sprinkle with nuts.
Cut into wedges. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Yield: 16 servings.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
the Best SOFT/LIGHT Dinner Rolls
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups water at 105 to 110 degrees
4 cups bread flour, divided
1 7-gram packet instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup baker’s dry milk
1 teaspoon dough conditioner (optional)
Directions
- Heat the butter until it is almost melted and set it aside.
- Grease the inside of 10x15-inch pan or a large baking sheet, including the rims.
- Measure the water. Use an insta-read thermometer to get the temperature right.
- Place two cups of the bread flour and the yeast in the bowl of your stand-type mixer equipped with a dough hook. Turn the mixer on for a couple of bursts to disperse the yeast. Add the water and mix for 30 to 60 seconds.
- In another bowl, mix the rest of the flour with the salt, sugar, dry milk, and dough conditioner. Add this mixture to
- the wet mixture along with the melted butter.
- Knead with the dough hook on medium speed for four minutes or until the gluten is well-developed.
- Grease a large mixing bowl. Turn the dough out into the large mixing bowl and turn once to grease both sides of the dough ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise. It should double in size in about 45 minutes. If it has not, let it rest longer.
- Divide the dough into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Place the balls on the greased pan about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit again to rise. They should double in size in about 45 minutes. Let them rise until they are very puffy. If they start to blister, poke the blisters with a toothpick and place the rolls in the oven.
- Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees or until the tops are browned and the internal temperature is at least 190 degrees. Remove them from the oven. After a few minutes, remove the rolls from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm.
Dennis is the founder and general manager of The Prepared Pantry www.preparedpantry.com in Rigby, Idaho, a full-line kitchen store and online retailer of food, baking mixes and ingredients, and kitchen tools. This came from Meridian Magazine, Thanksgiving 2010.
I made these for Thanksgiving and they were the best. Made them 2 other times and altho they were fine, they weren't anywhere near as fine as the first time. I think the comment that all times are estimates is accurate. I'd say just leave the dough to rise til it rises as described.
TIPS GIVEN
The #1 tip for making light dinner rolls
Patience. Let them rise. Forget about the time in the recipe. Time doesn’t matter; how much they have risen does. When you think they have risen enough, let them rise some more. Let them rise all the way to the point when they are about to blister. They should look puffy, full of air, and be soft to the touch. An indentation should slowly spring back if at all. It is possible to let bread rise too much but people usually don't.
The #2 tip for making light dinner rolls
Great flour. It has to be high protein—at least 10.5% and 11% is better. But there is a lot of difference in flour. Find one that works well for you in your kitchen and stick with it.
There is almost a cult-like following for General Mills Harvest King. We use it in almost all of our bread mixes. It’s hard to find in grocery stores but check; it’s also sold as Better for Bread Flour. (We can sell you a bag of Harvest King but the shipping is a little painful.)
And keep your bag closed up. Your great flour won’t remain great if it’s exposed to the air. Especially in the West, it dries out. We store opened bags in large, food-grade plastic bags closed with a twist tie.
The #3 tip for making light dinner rolls
Use a good dough conditioner. It should give you 10 to 15% more rise plus a nicer texture.
Dough conditioners are proprietary products and every producer’s will be a little different. The one we use (and sell) enhances the gluten structure with longer strands to create a better structure that will capture more gas and make your rolls lighter. It also lowers the pH in the dough. Yeast likes a slightly acidic environment. (Did you ever wonder why our grandparents added a tablespoon of lemon juice to their dough? It too lowered the pH.)
The #4 tip for making light dinner rolls
Use a thermometer. It’s hard to tell when your rolls are done just right by looking at them. And the time in recipe is a rough estimate. Use an insta-read thermometer and stick the probe through a crease to the center of a roll. The temperature should read 195 degrees.
There you have it. If you would like to learn more about baking ingredients, download our free “Baking Ingredients and How they Work.” The Prepared Pantry sells ingredients and tools for bread bakers.
Beefy Vegetable Soup/Stew
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 quarts water
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 10-oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables
1 28-0z can tomatoes, undrained and chopped ( or diced tomatoes)
1 15-ox can tomato sauce with tomato bits
1-1/2 T beef-flavored bouillon granules
1-1/2 t. salt
2 t. pepper
Brown ground beef in large Dutch oven, stirring to crumble. Drain well, and set aside.
Melt butter in same dutch oven' add flour and cook over low heat 3-5 minutes or until a smooth paste forms. Gradually add water, stirring constantly; cook over medium heat until bubbly, stirrign occasionally.
Add ground beef and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and summer, uncovered, for 1 hours. Yield: 13 cups.
I also always add fine egg noodles (UNCOOKED)to give it move of a stew consistency. I toss in about a half bag, stir it around and the juices cause the noodles to cook.
Italian "Scallion" Salad
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 small jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained
12 pepperoncini
Start with the dressing. Mix the tomato sauce, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, oregano, garlic power and pepper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Arrange the salad:
Begin with the greens (red leaf mixed with romaine makes it look pretty and festive).
Top with half the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Next layer on the Italian salami, sliced into strips.
Top this with the sliced provolone.
Add the tomatoes.
Then the diced red onions.
Black olives...whole if you have picky eaters or sliced if all enjoy this.
Now 4 diced scallions.
You can add the artichokes if you all enjoy it.
I used the pepperoncini rings.
Drizzle with the dressing 5 minutes before serving.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Cheeseburger Casserole
Daphne invited Robert and me to her home for lunch today and surprised us with quite a fast and very tasty casserole.
2 pounds ground beef
1 can Campbell's Golden Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 bag frozen crinkle cut french fries.
Toppings include: catsup, mustard, pickles chopped, onions diced, tomatoes chopped.
Brown the ground beef, drain. Place in a square baking pan.
mix the 2 soups and pour over the ground beef.
layer on the crinkle cut french fries.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
Serve with whatever toppings you might add to a regular Cheeseburger.
PS...made this for New Year Eve's dinner and took the messy pix above. Hank commented that it was interesting how much this tastes just like a casserole.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients
1 small red pepper (I don’t add this)
1 pkg. (10oz) frozen broccoli
4 cups chicken broth (I use water + boullion cubes)
3 ½ lbs of potatoes, chopped
1/3 c. half & half
1/3 c. sour cream
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 ¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
4 green onions, chopped
4 slices of bacon (or more!!) crumbled
Shredded cheese
Instructions
1. Combine potatoes, peppers, broccoli with broth for 3 hours on high or 6 hrs on low in crock pot.
2. When soup is almost done, mix half and half, sour cream, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Add in mixture to crock pot along with green onions, let it cook a little longer
4. Sprinkle with bacon, cheese and sour cream
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Pumpkin Crisp

Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
2/3 c. butter or margarine softened
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 six oz. package of Craisins
2/3 c. white chocolate chunks...or chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using an electric mixer to beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. The recipe says to combine oats, flour, baking soad and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. (I simply dumped all the dry ingredients into the wet and it turned out fabulous.) Stir in Craisings and white chocolate. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. (Mine took just over 6 minutes. I took them out when they looked just barely done if not under done...PERFECT.) Cool on wire rack. Makes 2 1/2 dozen. (Yep...I got that many cookies!)
Friday, November 19, 2010
2010 Holiday RS Soiree Recipes---held at 3830
2 8oz blocks of cream cheese
1 c. Ranch dressing
2 - 12.5oz cans cooked chicken
2 c. cheddar cheese.
3/4 c. Buffalo Hot wing Sauce
Combine ingredients and place in crock pot on low until melted and slightly bubbly....takes about an hour.
Jan Wolf's Cucumber Sandwiches
1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 .7 package dry Italian salad dressing mix
1-2 cucumbers
Cream together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and salad dressing mix. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably over night. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto slices of bread and top with a sliced cucumber.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Chewy Sugar cookies - 2 dozen

I made these 2 weeks ago. Straight from Cook's Illustrated magazine. Excellent cookies. But here's what makes it so:
Dynamic Duo: Baking Powder + Baking Soda
Many cookie recipes contain both baking soda and baking powder. Since each is a leavening agent, why do you need both? The answer is that the two work n tandem to create cookies that not only rise--but spread--to the right degree. Plus in this recipe, baking soda has one more purely aesthetic effect: It creates cookies with an appealingly crackly top.
Baking powder is responsible for the lift, since it is engineered to produce most of its gas after the cookies go into the oven, where the dough sets before these bubbles can burst.
But too much lift can mean cookies that turn out humped. Here's where baking soda comes in: As long as there's an acidic ingredient in the dough for it to reach with, a small amount of baking soda can even things out. Baking soda raises the pH of dough, weakening gluten. Weaker gluten means less structure and cookies that spread, Goodbye, Humped shapes.
As for the crackly tops, baking soda reacts immediately in the wet dough to produce large bubbles of carbon dioxide that can't all be contained by the weakened dough Before the cookies can set in the oven, the bubbles rise to the top and bust, leaving fissures in their wake
The bottom line: For a baker who likes her cookies just so, the use of both baking powder an baking soda can be a potent combo.
2-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. table salt
1-1/2 cups sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces
6 T. unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 T. milk
2 t. vanilla extract
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour,baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Place 1-1/2 cups sugar and cream cheese in large bowl. Place remaining 1/3 cup sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate and set aside. Pour warm butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later). Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix with rubber spatula until soft homogeneous dough forms.
3. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, about 2 T. each. Use hands, roll dough into balls. Working in batches, roll balls in reserved sugar to coat and evenly space on prepared baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. Using bottom of drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2" in diameter. Sprinkle tops evenly with 4 t. sugar remaining in shall dish, discarding any remaining sugar.
4. Bake 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11-13 minutes, rotating tray after 7 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
OTHER WORLDLY STICKY BUNS
You guys are gonna so want this recipe. It was superb. Be aware that you will need 5 hours to make this so plan it for a day when you are going to be home. And when it says it's gonna be sticky, it is....so you will be adding more flour as you knead by hand...just make sure you keep it soft. And allow it to rise the 2.5 hours initially. and if you don't want to make royal icing, you can just make the normal one and pour it on the warm rolls after baking. Holy Moly...this is other worldly.
OTHER WORLDLY STICKY BUNS W/ICING..ANNE THORNTON of Desserts First…on .the FoodNetwork
Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
- 2 tablespoons dry yeast
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup dry nonfat milk powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans, plus 1/4 cup, melted
- 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Royal Icing, r ecipe follows
Directions
Dough: In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, and pinch of sugar. Allow it to stand until foamy, about 8 minutes. Using a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric mixer, mix the remaining sugar, butter, milk powder, and salt until well blended. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the remaining 1 cup of warm water, and the yeast mixture, then 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time. Using a rubber spatula, mix in another 1 cup of flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently (dough will be soft and sticky). Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour onto a work surface and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes.
Butter a large bowl, add the dough, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm area until doubled, about 2 1/2 hours.
Glaze: Butter 2 (10-inch) round cake pans with 2-inch high sides. Beat the brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, honey, corn syrup, and water in a medium bowl to blend. Spread half of the glaze in the bottom of each prepared pan. Equally divide the pecans into each pan.
Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Roll each piece of dough out on a floured work surface to a 12 by 10-inch rectangle. Brush any excess flour off the dough. In a small bowl mix the sugar, and cinnamon. Brush the melted butter over the dough rectangles and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, dividing equally. Starting at 1 long side, tightly roll up each rectangle into a log. Cut each log into 12 rounds. Arrange the 12 rounds, cut side down, in each prepared pan, spacing evenly. Cover with plastic wrap. At this point the buns can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Let the buns rise in a warm area until almost doubled, about 1 hour (or 1 hour 25 minutes if refrigerated).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bake the buns until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Run a small knife around the pan sides to loosen the sticky buns. Turn the hot buns out onto a platter. Cool about 30 minutes and then drizzle with royal icing.
Royal Icing:
- *2 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until they are combined. Add the sifted confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container. Royal icing hardens when it is exposed to air.
