Honey Rolls

Due to my rain delay to the great outdoors yesterday, I also made this sweet honey rolls in addition to the spicy mashed sweet potatoes.  I normally don't bake bread very often in the summer but I was glad for an easy breakfast because all these needed was a quick brush of raspberry jam and I was off and running.

Honey Rolls

1 cup warm water
2 tsp quick active yeast
3 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp sea salt
2 3/4 cups bread flour

Combine warm water and yeast and allow to sit for 15 minutes.  In a large bowl, pour in yeast water and stir in oil, egg, honey and salt.  Fold in flour  gradually.  When it's all combined, knead for 10 minutes and then return to the bowl and pour a little more canola oil on top, turn and make sure it's all coated, cover with a clean dish towel and let sit in a warm place for 2 hours. Turn out on a lightly floured board or countertop and divide into 16 equal pieces.  Place in a greased pan and allow to rise again until doubled at least. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°.  Remove from oven and brush honey butter on top (recipe below) and return to the oven for an additional 3 minutes.

Honey Butter

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp honey

Mix together and use for bread topping and many other things.

Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

It's a rainy day here in the valley.  A thunderstorm rolled through two hours ago and it doesn't want to leave.  I decided to make some sunshine in a bowl using the sweet potatoes I had on hand.

Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

3 sweet potatoes, pared and cubed
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp sea salt 
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Boil sweet potato cubes until tender.  Drain and mash with a potato masher.  Add in sour cream and all of the spices.  Stir until all blended and serve.

I tried to photograph showing some beautiful pottery that I found on Etsy but I'm afraid that I did not do it justice.  Visit the site ~ you'll be happy that you did because she has so many beautiful pieces ~ http://www.etsy.com/shop/onewintrynight

Tuscan Peas

Summer is here and the heat is intense.  These peas have a little heat in them but nothing like what is outside.  There is more than heat though, lots of flavors blended together to make these the perfect side to whatever you're serving.

Tuscan Peas

1 1/2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp butter
Romano cheese, grated

In a saucepan, heat olive oil.  When fully heated, add in garlic and cook for one minute.  Add in peas, spices and butter.  Cover and heat until fully cooked.  Put in a serving dish and top with grated Romano cheese

Blackberry Lemon Water

Happy 4th of July!  Today is a day about celebrating with family and friends so I'm just posting an easy to make and family friendly beverage.  It's getting really warm outside now and amazingly no rain in sight here.  I hope everyone reading has good weather (and are mosquito free).

Blackberry Lemon Water

                 
7 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1 cup blackberries
4 thin lemon slices

Pour 6 cups of water into your favorite pitcher.  Heat 1 cup of water
with the honey until it has completely dissolved, cool and add to the
pitcher.

Add the blackberries and slice the lemon and add to the pitcher.
Allow to cool and the fruit juices to release into the water.

Taco Spaghetti

It's so hot that I have no desire to be outside grilling.  Plus a slight sunburn from the weekend has me retreating indoors to figure out what to do with a pound of ground beef.  I went down to the pantry and saw my squiggly pasta from Eataly, aka fusilli, and a plan formed...

Taco Spaghetti

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp taco seasoning (mine is homemade and salt-free)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste1 cup beef broth
1 -  8 ounce can tomato sauce
4 oz cream cheese - I used the leftover 4 oz of Neufchatel from the grape salad
3 cups cooked small spaghetti
1 cup Marble Jack shredded cheese
1/2 cup broken Fritos
sour cream (optional)

Brown hamburger.  When almost cooked through, add in onions and garlic.  When onions are translucent, add in beef brothe, tomato sauce and cream cheese.  Stir until cream cheese has blended into sauce.  Pour over cooked pasta in a greased pie plate.  Place in oven at 350° for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with cheese and Fritos.  Bake for another 10 minutes.  Serve with sour cream if desired.

Raspberry Lemonade Cookies

It's not often when I make a cookie recipe but I'm usually happy with the results and this one screams summer.  The tangy smell that emerges from the oven is heavenly as well as the slightly tart icing blends together.  

Raspberry Lemonade Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed

Cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in the egg.  Alternate adding in dry ingredients and raspberry lemonade concentrate.  Bake for 12 minutes at 325°.  Allow to cool completely before icing.

Icing ~

2 tbsp butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp raspberry lemonade concentrate

Mix together until completely blended.  

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Dorito Chicken Fingers

I found another new use for sour cream.  I thawed chicken breast strips and was looking for a different way to make them.  I happened to have some snack size Dorito packages so I used them with the sour cream to make these moist chicken fingers.

Dorito Chicken Fingers

2 cups crushed nacho cheese Doritos
1# chicken breast strips
1/2 cup sour cream
salt to taste

Place the sour cream in a dish that is easy for dipping.  I placed the Dorito bits in a plastic bag and rolled the chicken finger into the sour cream and then  placed it in the bag and shook it.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Salt slightly and then bake for 30 minutes at 350°.