Family’s Favorite This Easy No Knead Fruit and Nut Artisan Bread is generously loaded with fruits and nuts in every slice. Yum! It stays firmly in the baking rotation. By now, I have probably made over 2 dozen loaves since Spring 2020. Yes, we love …
September 13, 2020. Late afternoon. Garlic Bread. I stumbled upon a fabulous picture of a large baked flower bread on Pinterest. The bread was so stunning I had to take a closer look and found out that the original bread was from Russia/Georgia. Using Google …
September 12, 2020. Nighttime. Cinnamon Rolls.
Jump to RecipeI love cinnamon in baked goods but I have always resisted making Cinnamon Rolls at Home simply because they are laden with sooooo much sugar! Finally, after making some drool-worthy Swedish Cardamom Knot Buns (read it here=> The Best Swedish Cardamom Knot Buns (Kardemummaknutar) For The Win!) I thought I might as well make its more famous cinnamon cousin.
After doing a bit of research online, I was fascinated to learn that these delicious buns originated from Europe and popularized in Northern Europe and North America. According to Wikipedia, in Sweden it is called kanelbulle, and in Denmark it is known as kanelsnegl. In Norway the bun is known as Skillingsboller, Kanelbolle and Kanelsnurr, and in Finland it is known as korvapuusti. This sweet roll is also known as cinnamon bun, cinnamon swirl, cinnamon Danish and cinnamon snail.
Whatever the name, I settled on one recipe that claims to deliver the Best Cinnamon Rolls at home! One of the members of my baking group was touting a recipe from The Stay At Home Chef. Armed with that information I started to put the ingredients together to make this Cinnamon Rolls at home. After making the rolls, I’ve written up the recipe at the end of the post, and added my tweaks, and adjustments based on my notes.
The recipe is really made up of 3 parts. First, the dough a.k.a. the sugar cinnamon delivery device. Second is the delicious cinnamon sugar filling that goes inside the dough, and finally, a sugar glaze that goes on top to the buns after it is baked.
I will be listing the items in the approximate order in which it will be used. It is best to gather all the ingredients before starting so that you can put this together smoothly.
For this recipe we will need the following ingredients:
Dough for Rolls
1 cup Full Milk, warm
1 Tbsp Active Yeast
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1¼ tsp Salt
1 Large Egg
3 cups All Purpose Flour, sifted
Sugar Filling
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
1 cup Brown Sugar, or turbinado sugar
2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
a pinch of Salt
Glaze Topping
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened
1 cup Icing Confectioner’s Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Milk
You will also need a large oven safe pan, approx 12″ x 8″ to bake the rolls.
Let’s start by making the dough.
Combine the wet ingredients – warm milk, yeast, sugar, salt, butter, and eggs in the stand mixer bowl using the dough hook. Mix on low speed. Slowly add in flour until thoroughly combined.
Next, increase the speed until that the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Then, check that the dough mixture is soft and tacky, but will not stick to your hands.
Adjust by slowly adding 1 tablespoon of flour at a time, until the dough reaches the desired consistency. When ready, transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise until double in size, about an hour.
When waiting, prepare the butter and sugar filling. Melt the butter. Use some of the melted butter to lightly grease a large baking dish approx 12″ x 8″. Set aside the rest. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch down and tip onto a working space. A pastry rolling mat is very handy for this job.
Roll dough into a large rectangle, approx 14″ x 20″ (or, in this case, as large as my pastry mat would allow!) Then, brush the dough with melted butter.
Next, sprinkle the prepared cinnamon sugar on top of the melted butter.
Then, roll up the dough firmly lengthwise, so you have one long roll.
Try and keep the rolling nice and tight so the signature swirls will show up clearly when cut.
Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, score and cut the dough into 12 even pieces.
I find that lightly scoring the dough with my bench scraper before cutting helps make the cinnamon rolls size fairly even.
Transfer the dough pieces to the prepared lightly greased 12″ x 8″ baking dish.
Cover and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes, until it has become puffy.
When the rolls are visibly puffy, remove the cling wrap and it’s ready for the oven.
Preheat oven to 325°F. When the rolls have proofed enough, bake for about 28-30 minutes, until they are light brown on top edges. Bake for another 3-5 minutes if necessary to achieve this color. If you take them out too early, your rolls might be under-cooked.
Put together the cream cheese glaze when the rolls are baking. Use a hand mixer to whip together the softened cream cheese and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Then, add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk and whip till the glaze becomes a smooth thick liquid. If it is too goopy, the glaze can be thinned out with more milk. What you want is a glaze that is pour-able so it can be drizzled over the warm cinnamon buns.
When the rolls are ready, remove from oven and place on trivet.
Finally, pour the glaze on top of the warm rolls and spread evenly.
The Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are ready!
After eating one, and then another with a cup of black coffee, I have to say these rolls are truly scrumptious! They are fluffy and soft, and the filling and glaze makes it all ooey and gooey. Plus my whole kitchen smells like a bakery for the whole day! My family obviously agree since the 4 of us managed to polish off the entire tray in one day!
If you are in the mood for Cinnamon Rolls and want to make them at home, give this a try. It’s totally worth it! Yum!
Do you like colorful and delicious roasted veggies? Check out my post on making this cool tart = >Colorful And Happy Veggie Blossom Tart
If you are in the mood for something garlicky, have you seen my pull-apart petals bread? Here’s the post where I show how you put it together => Beautiful Pull-Apart Flower Petals Garlic Bread
For something quick and delicious that bakes up in an hour, have you read about my Blueberries Scones? They are lusciously lumpy and full of blueberries with every bite. Check it out here => Quick and “Bursting with Blueberries” Scones
The recipe is adapted from https://thestayathomechef.com/best-homemade-cinnamon-rolls-ever/
This beautiful no-bake Strawberries & Cream Roll-up Crepe Cake was making its rounds on social media. On a whim I decided to put it together since 1) I happen to have fresh strawberries in my fridge, 2) I have most of the ingredients in my …
September 10, 2020. Afternoon. Baked Veggies Cheese Casserole. I experimented with this Fun Size Baked Veggies Cheese Casserole recipe this morning and it was a big success! My family (especially my son) loves the sweet petite Strawberry Craisin Oatmeal cups I whip up on busy …
September 9, 2020. Evening. Lamb Curry.
Jump to RecipeOne of the chef I admire the most is Jacques Pepin*. I have been following his work since watching his cook shows on PBS, and recently all of his wonderful short videos on Facebook. I own many of his cookbooks. The man is a genius in the kitchen! This Lamb Curry with Apples and Potatoes recipe is one of my favorites for a hearty dinner. It is flavorful, spicy and not too hot!
This recipe uses lamb breasts, one of the least expensive cuts of lamb**. The lamb breast is usually quite fatty but extremely flavorful when cooked over a longer period of time. However, the fat can be rendered off, then cooked slowly to ensure the meat is tender and delicious.
My family and I really enjoy the taste of this dish. It’s a wonderful balance of lamb meat, with the sweetness imparted by the apples and onions, combined with the slightly starchy potatoes all simmering in a gloriously spicy saucy mixture. The curry tastes divine served with crusty bread, on top of a bed of rice, or with fresh roti or naan. We have eaten it with all!
So please join me as we cook up this delectable dish from start to finish. Let’s go!
* Please check out my other post on Jacques Pepin’s method of cooking using foil packet or en papillote here => Quick Sausage En Papillote: Awesome Recipe from Jacques Pepin
**I’ve included a link to a guide that briefly talks about the various cuts of lamb at the end of this post.
You will need the following items for this Lamb Curry. I am listing the items roughly in the order in which it will be used in the recipe.
The base of this curry will be 2 pieces of lamb breasts, about 3 pounds total. They usually come in a strip like bone-in ribs.
For sweetness and texture, we will be using:
2 onions, chopped and 2 apples, skin on, cored and roughly chopped.
And for the curry sauce, we will need:
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 ½ teaspoons salt. All of these 4 ingredients will form the paste. To that we will add roughly 3- 4 cups of water to create a beautiful simmering sauce.
Finally to add starchiness and to thicken the curry, we will be using
6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
And, a last optional ingredient – 3 stalks of green onions, thinly sliced for garnishing the curry. I think a pop of green color really adds to the visual appeal of the curry. You can also use chopped cilantro or parsley.
In addition, you will need a large heavy-bottom pan. I used my large 5 quarts enameled cast iron braiser for this curry. I think it’s the perfect size for this curry. It also is the best stove-top to tabletop serve-ware to minimize clean up!
To start, let’s gather all the ingredients.
We will prepare the lamb breast first. First, wash and pat dry the lamb breasts. Trim and remove most of the visible fat from the top of the lamb breasts, leaving the fell, or pink skin on top.
Next, cut each piece of breast between the ribs.
Then, arrange the lamb ribs in one layer in a large dutch oven type pan (thick bottom pan) and cook them over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Make sure to cover the pan. Turn the lamb pieces every now and then, until all the surfaces are well browned.
This step will render and melt most of the fat from the lamb breasts.
When waiting for the lamb to cook, start preparing the other ingredients. Trim and chop the onions. Then, core and coarsely chop the unpeeled apples.
Next, peel and quarter the potatoes. Cut larger potatoes into smaller pieces so that they cook evenly.
And then, slice the green onions or other greens (if using).
When ready, transfer the ribs to a plate, and discard the fat from the pan.
Next, add the prepared chopped onions to the pot and stir for a minute. Then place the browned lamb ribs back in the pot.
After that, add all the remaining ingredients – chopped apples, curry powder, chili powder, tomato paste, and salt to the pan.
Mix well, and add 3 cups of water, or slightly more until most of the lamb pieces are covered.
Bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently on low heat for approximately 30 minutes.
Finally, add the potatoes to the pot, stir and cook for another 30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft.
If desired, top the hot curry with chopped green onions and serve immediately.
The Lamb Curry with Apples and Potatoes is ready! Let’s eat!
Tip 1: The curry taste delicious served with cooked rice, crusty bread, roti or naan.
Tip 2: Leftover tastes even better the next day! I always make a big pot so that we will have leftovers for the next day.
Tip 3: I like to serve creamy curry with something crunchy and refreshing like lightly blanched broccoli florets, a small romaine lettuce salad, or sliced fresh green cucumber and juicy chopped tomatoes.
Tip 4: There will be a lot of rendered lamb fat. You can toss it away, or use it in the classic Shepherd’s Pie, or make a sublime roasted potatoes with rosemary with the leftover fat. Ideas to consider!
Have you tried this gorgeous pull apart garlic bread? It’s beautiful AND tasty. Read how I put it together here => Beautiful Pull-Apart Flower Petals Garlic Bread
You have probably read or seen Potatoes Hasselback, but have you tried Eggplant Parmesan, served in the popular fan shaped? No? Please check out my write up on how I put this together in this post => How to make Fan-Shaped Eggplant Parmesan
In the mood for something sweet? Check out this French Grape Clafoutis that get whipped up in an hour. => Absolutely the Best Quick and Easy French Grape Clafoutis Recipe!
This recipe is adapted from NYT https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9538-curry-of-lamb-breast-and-potatoes
For more information on various cut of lamb meat, I found this guide from FarmDrop to be very helpful => https://medium.com/farmdrop/the-only-lamb-cuts-guide-youll-ever-need-how-to-choose-and-cook-your-cuts-29419edf875b
September 9, 2020. Late afternoon. Eggplant Parmesan. Hasselback Potatoes were all the rage a few years ago. While looking for ideas on what to make for dinner, I saw pictures of Fan-Shaped Eggplant Parmesan on social media. I was intrigued and thought it would be …
I was really excited to learn how to make this 5 -Layer Pink Ombré Pavlova Cloud Cake. If you have never tasted pavlova, you are in for a treat! Imagine eating a light, crunchy, sweet cloud that simply melts in your mouth. Then stack it …
September 9, 2020. Afternoon. Colorful Veggie Blossom Tart.
Jump to RecipeI saw this Colorful Veggie Blossom Tart on Facebook and Pinterest a few years ago and was totally captivated by the colorful appearance. The first time I made it, my family polished the whole thing off and asked for more! I knew I was onto a good thing. I call it a happy Veggie Blossom Tart since it makes me happy every time I take a bite. And I think it looks a lot like a colorful flower.
Since that time, I have made this veggie blossom tart regularly. In addition to tasting amazing, this tart is extremely adaptable and on numerous occasions made this recipe to clear out my veggie drawer. The tart looks like a complicated endeavor but it is surprisingly easy to put together.
In addition to being a wonderful regular treat, I think this colorful tart will look right at home gracing your holiday table. This would be a wonderful option for the vegetarian at your dinner table. I have made this for our Thanksgiving and Christmas meals last year and it melded so well with our traditional festive spread.
There are really 3 parts to making this fabulous tart. First, the pie crust. We are using store bought puff pastry sheet. You can substitute with regular pie crust, or homemade crust. Second is the pesto sauce. You can use your favorite store bought or homemade pesto sauce. This sauce binds all vegetable and crust together to make a delicious tart. Finally, the variety of thinly sliced colorful vegetables. I like to use what is in season and substitute with vegetables my family likes.
First gather up all the ingredients and tools. To simplify preparation of the veggies, I highly recommend using a kitchen mandoline.
For the pie crust – 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed. I am using a store bought crust today. You can use homemade or store bought.
Next, for the pesto, please prepare the following items:
3 cups fresh basil
¾ cup pine nuts
¾ cup parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic
¾ cup olive oil, divided
½ cup ricotta cheese
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
If in a hurry, please feel free to use your favorite store bought pesto.
For the vegetables. Wash, dry and carefully slice thinly with a kitchen mandoline or a very sharp knife.
2 medium zucchinis
2 medium yellow squashes
4 large carrots
1 large eggplant
For today’s recipe, I am using 1 large eggplant, 2 carrots, 1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper and 1 yellow pepper.
Start by using a mandolin slicer or vegetable peeler, slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and peppers into thin ribbon-like slices.
Then on the pre baked pie crust, spread out the pesto mixture evenly on the bottom. Pre-cooking the pie crust means no soggy bottom!
Start layering on the veggie ribbons from the outer rim, working inwards.
Make sure to alternate the vegetables so the colors blend beautifully, until the entire shell is completely filled.
Last but not least, lightly drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with dried oregano.
Pop the tart into the oven and bake in the 400°F oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the veggies are tender.
When done, remove from oven and cool on rack for 5 minutes.
If you like, top the tart with fresh basil leaves.
Slice the Veggie Blossom Tart and enjoy!
Want to try another delicious and colorful dish? Check out my Easy Colorful Ratatouille Casserole
Have you ever tried a Pull- Apart Garlic Bread that looks like a gigantic flower? Read about how I put together this gorgeous showstopper here => Beautiful Pull-Apart Flower Petals Garlic Bread
Have you tasted this soft ooey gooey Cinnamon Rolls and tried to make it at home? Read how I put it together here => I Tried Making the Best Cinnamon Rolls at Home!
I made this Fun French Apple Tart and learned a new technique on how to prepare the apples correctly. It makes shaping the tart a breeze. Read how I did it here => Fun French Apple Tart – Taking up Sara Moulton’s Challenge!
This recipe is adapted from https://tasty.co/recipe/rainbow-veggie-and-pesto-tart
September 9, 2020. Mid Afternoon. French Apple Tart. Sara Moulton, one of my favorite chefs, posted a baking challenge to make this fun French Apple Tart on Facebook this summer. I was instantly intrigued and was inspired to learn. Tarte aux pommes or apple tarts …
