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In on April 27, 2016 with No Comments

Garlic Parmesan Rolls

To get back into the baking groove, I decided to make up some rolls to accompany the meatball gnocchi casserole for dinner tonight. Since the casserole is Italian inspired, I wanted a dinner roll that would complement the flavors in the dish. I stumbled across a recipe for garlic Parmesan rolls on my Pinterest board, and this delicious recipe comes from Tastes Better From Scratch. It’s easy to pull together, and nothing smells or tastes better than freshly baked bread. Try this with your next Italian meal, and your family will definitely appreciate it!




 

garlic and parmesan rolls 2

 

garlic and parmesan rolls

Garlic Parmesan Rolls

1 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit)

1 package active dry yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon good extra-virgin olive oil

2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Garlic Parmesan Spread:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 to 3 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

Drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

 

In a bowl of your stand mixer, stir together the warm water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.

Add the flour, salt and olive oil, and knead (or mix with mixer with the dough hook attachment) for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will form a ball and pull away from the dough hook. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Pour the dough out onto a floured countertop. Roll out into a large rectangle, no more than 1/2-inch thick.

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic powder, parsley, and drizzle of olive oil. Use a pastry brush to spread about half of this mixture onto the dough. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese.

Roll the dough tightly long-ways into a log (as you would for cinnamon rolls). Using a sharp knife, cut the log into pieces about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet.

Cover the rolls with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Allow the rolls to rest for about 30 minutes more.

Bake rolls in an oven that has been preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 9 minutes. At this point, remove the rolls from the oven, and spread the remaining butter mixture over the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top. Return rolls to the oven, and finish baking for approximately 5 more minutes, or until nicely golden brown.

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In , on April 27, 2016 with No Comments

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Rum Frosting

It’s been a few days since I’ve posted anything, mostly because work has finally picked up again, and I haven’t had much time for testing out new recipes or doing any baking. While my waistline may appreciate it, my boys haven’t, so I decided to take a break yesterday and make them a cake. I actually had a few ripe bananas sitting on my counter, which itself is an amazing accomplishment because every time I buy bananas intending to use them in a recipe, the boys devour them immediately. That’s all fine and dandy because they’re good for them – it’s just I rarely get to make a recipe that calls for bananas 🙂




This is a basic cake recipe, and while it’s perfectly delicious as is, you could add some chopped pecans or walnuts for a yummy addition. For the frosting, I used my grandmother’s basic buttercream frosting recipe and added about 4 ounces of cream cheese that I had leftover from another recipe. It turned out great, and I didn’t have extra cheese sitting around that would be tossed out later. Win win 🙂

banana cake in pan

 

banana cake 2

 

banana cake

Banana Cake with Rum Cream Cheese Frosting

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 2)

3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

1/2 butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon good vanilla

2 eggs

Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking dish (or two 9-inch round cake pans) with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, softened butter and vanilla. Mix on low speed until well combined.

Add eggs one at a time, and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake tests done with a toothpick inserted into the middle. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans (if using round cake pans), and allow to completely cool on wire racks. Frost cake when completely cooled.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 egg white

2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon good vanilla

1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring (or good rum)

In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add the egg white, and mix until completely incorporated. Slowly add the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, and mix on low to incorporate. When combined, increase the speed to medium high, and beat mixture for about 1 minute. Add in the flavorings, and mix until completely combined. Depending how thick or thin you like your frosting, you can add more powdered sugar to reach your desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk to thin it. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.

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In , on April 9, 2016 with No Comments

Chicken Stuffed With Spinach, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I’ve been on the hunt for good-tasting stuffed chicken breast recipes. I tried one a few weeks back that was good, but it needed a little “something” to take the taste over the top. It also had spinach and cheese in the stuffing, and that recipe also had white wine. It was good, but the boys were only okay with it.



Tonight I decided to jazz up the spices just a bit. I went back to the spinach and cheese theme from before, but this time I added in some feta along with the mozzarella, and I added some sun-dried tomatoes for extra earthy flavor. I replaced the wine with a red pepper Italian dressing, and I used this as a marinade/sauce over the top of the chicken. All in all, I like this flavor profile much better than the other one, even though I’ll probably make that one again someday.

 

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This really is quick and easy to throw together, and you can halve or double the recipe as needed. Just use one boneless, skinless chicken breast per serving. My chicken took about 45 minutes to bake, but your time may vary according to your oven. Just make sure the chicken temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. ETA: Next time I’m going to stuff in as much cheese as I possibly can. I was being overly cautious because I wanted to make sure I could “close” the pocket. Next time, I won’t care if everything runs over and out – this was really good 🙂

 

chicken stuffed with spinach, feta and tomatoes

 

chicken stuffed with spinach, feta and tomatoes 2-cut

 

Chicken Stuffed With Spinach, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup washed fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 bottle red pepper-flavored Italian salad dressing

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with baking spray.

Slit each chicken breast to make a pocket in the middle, making sure not to cut completely through the chicken breast. Add spinach, feta cheese, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese to each chicken pocket. Use toothpicks to hold the chicken breasts together, and place chicken in the prepared baking dish. Pour the Italian dressing over top of the chicken. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

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