World's best dough!

Don't these look good??


OR THESE...

Well, they are! And if I can make them, anyone can! You MUST try them!

World's Best Rolls
(Recipe courtesy of ourbestbites.com)

2 c. whole milk (if you're in a pinch, you can use 2%, but whole is best. Don't use 1% or skim)
½ c. + 1 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1/3 c. (5 1/3 Tbsp.) butter
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 pkgs. active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp.), preferably bread machine yeast
2/3 c. warm (105-115-degree) water
8-9 c. all-purpose flour ( I used 6-61/2 c)
3 beaten eggs

Bake @ 375 for 12-15

Combine milk, 1/2 c. sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. It's salty. It's sweet. Yum.

Remove from heat. Allow to cool to lukewarm. I usually rub some ice cubes along the sides of the pan or pop the entire pan in a sink full of ice cubes to cool the mixture down because this step can take forever. This step is really important because if the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

While the milk mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast and 1 Tbsp. sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes. If the yeast hasn't bubbled, you'll need to repeat this step--moving on with yeast that hasn't been activated properly will only end in heartache for you and hate mail for us.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. 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. Why should you beat your eggs first? Same reason you should combine your dry ingredients before adding them to moist ingredients when making cookies and cakes--it ensures everything is well-mixed and can be evenly-distributed through your dough or batter. If you add the whole eggs, your dough may not be as consistent.

Stir in as much remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough. This dough 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. Don't worry, it will firm up during the rising process. Part of what makes these rolls so good is that they're so soft and light; if you add too much flour, they will be heavy and dense. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Lightly flour your work surface and turn dough out onto surface. Divide in half.

Spray 2 9x13 glass pans with cooking spray. Roll first portion of dough into a rectangle and then cut it into 12 equal-sized pieces. I like to use a pizza cutter because it has a blade on each side, so it cuts right through dough without sticking to the blade. This dough should be very easy to work with, almost like playdough. 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 (depending on your oven), preheat oven to 375.

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. You must now eat one. Now. While it's hot.

Want cinnamon rolls???

Filling

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

Icing
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
2 T melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbs milk

SO YUMMY!!

Cream of Tomato Soup

Cream of Tomato Soup

2 T. butter
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2-28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
9 oz can chicken broth
2 T. sugar
Pinch of baking soda
1 T. Basil
1 T. Italian Seasoning
1 clove garlic
2 cups cream

Saute celery, butter and onions. When finished add all other ingredients EXCEPT CREAM in large pot. Simmer for 1 hour, with lid checking. Puree and then add warmed cream. Do not boil after cream is added.

**I added 1 cup of orzo pasta which is good if you like a lot of texture, but this soup already has texture so you can leave it out.

**Add FETA cheese and it's amazing!

***To freeze--do not freeze with cream. Freeze soup and once thawed, reheat and then add cream.

Basil Cous Cous Salad

This is SOOOOOO yummy. Everyone must try it!

Basil Cous Cous Salad
3 c. spinach/Euro mix lettuce
1/3 c. dried craisins
1/3 c. grated Asiago cheese
1/3 c. toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
2 c. white corn
1 pkg. couscous, olive oil & garlic flavor (prepared per package instructions)

Dressing:
1 c. fresh basil leaves (roughly chopped)
1 c. mayonnaise
½ shallot, chopped
1 c. buttermilk
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

Add ingredients in a blender and blend well. Salt & pepper to taste.
Toss with salad just before serving.

Carrian's One hour rolls

This recipe if from A Bountiful Kitchen who actually got it from "sweet basil". Great website with lots of great recipes. The "chef" is one of my sis-in-laws good friends.

I made these today and they were awesome. They are really easy. The only thing that took longer than expected was scalding the milk. It took me about 20 minutes because I did it in a double broiler. Maybe I'm doing it wrong?? If anyone has any tips....

Carrian's One Hour Rolls

Sweet Basil

print recipe

1 tablespoon yeast, rounded
1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 1/4 cup milk, scalded
4 tablespoons butter

2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup warm water
4 cups flour, plus more for kneading and surface

2 tablespoons melted butter, optional

Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water.
Melt the butter in the scalded milk. Stir to cool.
Mix eggs, 3 remaining tablespoons sugar, salt and dissolved yeast mixture to a bowl.

When milk mixture is cooled a bit (not hot), add to egg mixture.
Mix in flour. Knead dough on a floured surface, or in a mixer, adding flour until rolls are no longer sticky to touch.

This is where usually, rolls are left alone to raise for about an hour. No need with this recipe.
Roll out in desired shapes and place on lightly greased baking pan.
Place rolls in draft free place*, brush lightly with melted butter and let raise while oven is preheating. I left my rolls to raise until the rest of dinner was about 15 minutes away from being done.
Turn oven to 400 degrees and place rack in middle of oven. When oven is preheated, bake rolls for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips:

-*Remember, when letting items raise on a kitchen counter, best to look for the warmest spot in the kitchen. Maybe it's the top of your dryer? Granite or stone surface counter tops are not a good choice unless you are trying to quickly cool items. Tke your hand and place it on the granite if you don't believe me. Always place a towel (or two) on a stone surface if leaving dough out to raise.

-**To make knot shapes, roll the dough out, cut into strips about 6 inches long, 1 inch wide and about 1/2 inch thick. Take the strip and tie into a loose knot. How loose? Not so loose that you can see through the knot. Snug, but not so tight the dough breaks. Tuck the ends under, place on baking sheet and brush top lightly with butter. It's not as complicated as it sounds. Just experiment with a few and you'll get the hang of it. You'll also discover how large or small you like the rolls.

-Do not add too much flour when kneading dough. This will produce a tough roll. Also, the roll will be hard to shape.

Breakfast casserole

1 26 oz frozen hash browns
1/4 cup melted butter
3 cups diced ham 0r 1 1b cooked bacon or sausage
8 oz each cheddar and swish cheese shredded
12 eggs beaten
3/4 cup milk

Spread potatoes in buttered casserole 9x13 pan. Pour butter on top and season with salt and pepper. bake 20-25 min at 425. or until lightly browned. Top with ham and 2/3 of shredded cheese. mix eggs and milk and pour over potatoes and top with remaining cheese and bake 35-45 additional minutes at 350

Waffle brownies

1/4 c. margarine
3 T + 1 1/2 t. cocoa
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c sugar
1 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla

Preheat waffle iron.

Melt butter and add cocoa. Mix in sugar and beaten eggs. Add flour, salt, and vanilla and stir until well blended. Drop by teaspoons onto waffle iron. Put on teaspoon in each section of the waffle iron. Cook for 1 min.

Trey's (not Troy's:) Chicken Marinade

1/2 C. Italian Dressing (I use the one you mix yourself-good seasons, mixed according to directions)

1/2 C. Mrs. Buttersworth syrup
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

4-8 chicken breasts

2 peppers (any color)

1 onion

Sliced provolone cheese

Marinade anywhere from 2-24 hours and double the mixture. Set aside 1/2 of it to use on the peppers and onions.

Grill chicken.

Slice peppers and onion lengthwise and saute in a little bit of oil. When they are tender, add in the marinade for just the last few minutes. When the chicken is done, put a spoonful of pepper/onion over top and then a slice of provolone cheese.

Bake in 350 oven till cheese is melted OR warm on grill.

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Brownies:
2 cubes butter
5 1/2 Tbsp cocoa
1 1/2 c flour
2 c sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and add cocoa. Mix flour and sugar in separate bowl and add cocoa mixture. Beat the eggs in 1 at a time. Fold in vanilla. Put in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Frosting:
1 cube butter
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c powdered sugar

Boil butter, cocoa and milk. Take off heat. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla and 2 3/4 c powdered sugar. Pour over brownies and let gel. Brownies DO NOT have to be cool.

Quick and Easy Salsa

1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 bunch cilantro
1-28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1-4 oz can diced green chiles
4-6 green onions, chopped
1/4-1/2 jalepeno, seeds removed & chopped

Put garlic, pepper, salt and cilantro in blender or food processor. Add juice only from tomatoes and process until cilantro is chopped. Add tomtoes and process carefully. Stir in chiles, green onions and jalepeno.

caramel crunch ice cream dessert

2 Sticks butter
2 cups flour
1 cup quick oats
1/2 brown sugar
1/2 cup nuts (optional)


Preparation
Mix together and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and crumble. Put half of crumbs on bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan. Put half jar of chocolate or caramel ice cream topping over crumbs. Top with 1/2 gallon of soft ice cream. Top with crumbs and topping remaining. Freeze. Let sit out for 10 minutes, then serve.

Summer Blackberry Cobbler with Coconut-Pecan Topping

• Toss Together:
• 8 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen (thawed slightly if frozen)
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup instant tapioca
• juice of ½ a lime
• pinch of salt
• Combine; knead in:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ½ cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed (1 stick)
• Blend in:
• 1 egg
• VANILLA-RUM CREME ANGLAISE
• Warm:
• 2 cups half and half
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped; pod chopped into 1" pieces
• Whisk together;temper milk into and cook:
• 5 egg yolks
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons light or dark rum
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Blend and strain;add:
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 400°
• Toss berries with sugar, tapioca, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Spoon into a 2 quart baking dish.
• Combine flour, coconut, sugar, pecans, baking powder, and salt in a second bowl. Using your fingertips pinch the butter and mix with the dry ingredients. Don’t over blend so the butter turns greasy. Mixture should look like course sand when you’re done.
• Mix in the egg with your fingers; topping will be sticky. Arrange topping over the berries in clumps, covering them evenly. Bake the cobbler for 45-50 minutes, or until topping is golden and crisp, and filling is thick and bubbly.
• Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before serving. Juice will thicken as it cools.
• Vanilla-Rum Crème Anglaise
• Warm half and half, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and vanilla bean seeds and pod in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk yolks, 2 Tablespoons sugar, rum, and salt together in a bowl. When milk mixture is steaming, temper it into the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour the custard back into the pan and return to the burner. Cook over medium-low heat. stirring constantly, until custard coats the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes.
• Blend custard and vanilla bean pod in a blender for 1 minutes. Strain into a bowl, add the extract, cover, and chill.
• You can serve with ice cream or whipping cream and it's just as good.
  

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

4 ½ cups flour

½ tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. baking soda

4 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp nutmeg

Cream sugar and butter; add eggs and beat until fluffy. Mix in everything else except flour and sour cream. Alternate flour then sour cream, flour then sour cream. Refrigerate overnite or put in the freezer for an hour. Roll out on a floured surface…thicker than you usually do (about ¼ to ½ inch) Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 10-12 minutes (depending on your cookie sheet…dark or shiny) Do not overbake…the edges should not get brown. Cool and Frost with Butter Cream Frosting.

Butter Cream Frosting

1 cube butter

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3-4 TBSP Milk or cream

2 tsp. Vanilla

Beat until fluffy! (Several minutes)

Strawberry and Feta Salad with cinnamon candied almonds

spinach
sliced strawberries
feta
thinly sliced red onion

Dressing
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayo
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1/4 cup milk
Combined all ingredients and mix well.

Cinnamon roasted almonds
1 egg white
1 tsp cold water
4 cups whole almonds or slivered ( I used slivered as well as just 3 cups of almonds)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Lightly grease a 10x15 jellyroll pan
2. Lightly beat the egg white: add water, and beat until frothy but not stiff. Add the nuts, and stir until well coated. Mix the sugar, salt and cinnamon and sprinkle over the nuts. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until golden. Allow to cool, then store nuts in airtight containers.

4 easy dinners to try!

Chicken Enchiladas
**not the healthiest dish in the world, but oh-so-delicious!**

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1-2 cans green chiles
green salsa (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion chopped
1 tbs. butter
1 lb. shredded monterey jack cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 pint whipping cream
6-8 tortillas

Put chicken breasts with 1 can green chiles and about a cup of green salsa in crock pot on low, cook 5-6 hours. (green salsa is just to flavor it up a little, optional, and you don't have to cook chicken in crock-pot either, i just like it that way!). Shred chicken. In saucepan, saute chopped onion in butter. Add 1 more can green chiles and cream cheese and stir until melted. Add shredded chicken to mixture. Put mixture into tortillas and roll up. Top with shredded monterey jack cheese (it seems like a lot but is soooo good!). And then pour whipping cream on top of that. Bake at 350 until bubbling and cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.


Russian Chicken Tenders with Rice - don't have a good name for this one! :)
1 small bottle of wishbone Russian salad dressing
1 jar of pineapple apricot jam (you can find some at walmart)
1 package of dry lipton onion soup
As many chicken tenders as you'd like!

Blend the three ingredients together and then poor over chicken. Bake for 30-40 min (or until its done) and then broil 5 min or until chicken is brown on top. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches
1 loaf garlic bread
marinara sauce
frozen breaded chicken tenders
mozzarella cheese

Bake garlic bread and chicken tenders per instructions. Top garlic bread with marinara sauce, then chicken tender. Put some mozzarella on the chicken and put back in oven to melt cheese. And voila!, an open faced (is that the right word?) delicious sandwich!

Sun-dried Tomato and Chicken Ravioli
1 bag costco Ravioli - frozen
3 jars Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo (classico makes one)
16 chicken tenders
Parmesan Cheese (grated)
(This is the party size - only 1 jar and 8 tenders are needed for an 8x8 for 1 family)

Cook tenders in 1 tbs butter, cube when cooked 1/2 way through. Continue cooking until done.

Add jars of Alfredo sauce to chicken. Add about a 1/8 cup water to each jar when empty, put top on, and shake to get extra sauce, add to chicken. This helps thin the sauce as well.

Take large pan and start layering:
Add a small amount of sauce 1st so the ravioli doesn't stick
1. Ravioli - lay pieces side by side filling whole bottom
2. Add chicken sauce to cover ravioli
REPEAT
Sprinkle top with grated parmesan cheese

Place in oven 350 for about an hour, for large pan, - remove when bubbling - let sit for a minute to thicken... enjoy!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice
2 1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 cloves garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder

8 Uncooked Tortillas
1 lb. chicken (approx. 2 breasts) cooked and shredded (the chicken tastes the best if you cook them on the grill, but you can boil them or cook them in the crock pot too)
2 or more cups shredded monterey jack cheese

14 oz. can green enchilada sauce
3/4 cup half & half

Mix the first four ingredients and add to the chicken.
Let the chicken soak while you prepare the tortillas.

Cook: (in frying pan) the fresh tortillas

Fill tortillas with some chicken and some cheese and roll up. Place in baking dish.
Mix the enchilada sauce and half & half together (and any remaining honey lime sauce*). Pour over the enchiladas and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, uncovered. Serve with quacamole, spanish rice, refried beans and chips.

*I used 4 chicken breasts and 12 tortillas and the same amount of the honey lime sauce...there was no sauce left over to mix with the half & half/enchilada sauce; so I used 1 1/2 cups half & half...I also used lots of cheese...it was yummy!)


Spanish Rice

In large skillet:
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 chopped onion
1/2 chopped bell pepper
Saute until rice is brown and onions transparent.

Stir in:
2 cups chicken broth
1 10 oz can rotel tomatoes
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp. salt
Barely simmer on low heat until the liquid is absorbed (about 30 min.)

Mint Brownies

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
6 TBSP cocoa
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. mint extract

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time until mixture is fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend. Bake in a greased and floured 9 X 13 pan at 350 degrees. (16 to 20 minutes or until done...toothpick comes out clean...for best results, don't overcook)

FROSTING
1 cube butter (I have used 1/2 cube butter and it turns out)
3 cups powdered sugar
3 TBSP milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. mint extract
8-10 drops green food coloring
Mix until smooth and fluffy. top with chopped Andes mints (optional:drizzle with melted milk chocolate)

Lemon-Coconut Chessecake Bars

(2 1/2 cups coconut toasted)

3/4 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup toasted coconut
Place in food processor and mix well, then press to bottom of 9 X 13 ungreased pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until light brown.

1 8 oz cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 TBSP lemon zest
Beat sugar and cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in eggs and lemon juice until mixed. Pour over crust and bake 18-20 minutes

1 1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix well. Pour over above layers. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/1/2 cups toasted coconut. Bake 10 minutes

Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting.

( One of the girls at work shared this recipe with us...it's rich and tart at the same time. If you like lemons and coconut you'll love this one!!)

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

GARLIC CHICKEN FARFALLE

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter

1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry's mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you're apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it's crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it's usually around 30 minutes.

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Faux Fried Ice-Cream

This is a favorite that I make but I have never really had a recipe...which made it difficult to tell people how to make it (so washburn right?!) But today I measured everything and came up with this:
NOTE: This is the yummiest when you let it re-freeze overnight

1 and 1/2 tubs of vanilla ice cream (regular size...about 3 quarts)
*Get this out and let it get soft while you are making the rest. A good tip is to se your muscles
(or like me a mixer) to stir the ice cream so that it is soft and smooth which will make it
easier to spread.

In a saucepan over medium high heat:
2 sticks butter (I think real butter is key)
3 cups brown sugar...not packed, just scooped

Allow to melt and stir until mixture comes to a soft boil. Remove from heat and stir in:

5 cups rice cereal
1 cup coconut (optional...if you don't like it just leave it out!)

Stir until completely coated/combined

Scoop 1/2 of cereal mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 and spread out.

Spread vanilla ice cream over top of cereal layer

Spread the rest of ceral mixture on top of ice-cream

Sprinkle 2-3 Tablespoons of cinnamon sugar on top
*sometimes I also sprinkle that much cinnamon sugar on top of the bottom layer of the cereal
mixutre...but I really like cinnamon so that is up to you.

Cover and refreeze until firm. (I like to leave it overnight..it's easier that way.)

To serve:
Top squares of faux fried ice-cream with carmel or chocolate (or both) ice cream topping and a scoop of whipped cream.

Enjoy!!