What Matters Most Now: November 2013 entries

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November 2013 entries

11/27/2013

Crescent Roll Dough

Years ago I had a fascination for Crescent Rolls but knew, even then, that the contents of what came in the refrigerated tube could be improved upon with a homemade version. One Christmas, my grandparents gave me a bread machine as I was becoming a budding baker. When I found a recipe for Crescent Roll dough that I could make in my bread machine, you can imagine my sheer bliss!

Over the years this recipe has been tweaked and massaged but I think you will be happy with the final product. The early version called for vegetable shortening that is now substituted with coconut oil in its' hardened version.

The dough can be used for numerous recipes to include this delicious Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Ring, the Turkey Cranberry Pockets I will be sharing tomorrow and a variation stuffed with Spinach Lemon and Chicken.

My holiday assignment is always the request to bring the rolls and you can bet that these have graced many a Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner table over the years.

This recipe is super easy to make and should not intimidate you in the least bit.

I'll be honest here…these were the only three left over that I could snap a shot of the day after I made them (when the lighting conditions improved). They are a hit with my family so they may not be the "prettiest" of the batch but still taste divine!

Crescent Rolls

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

4 1/2 teaspoons (or 2 packages) active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water (105 degrees)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup coconut oil or vegetable shortening

4 cups flour

Instructions:

1. If using a bread machine, put ingredients into machine according to your manufacturer and turn to dough setting and skip to step 3.

2. Combine yeast and warm water in bowl of mixer. Proof yeast by letting it sit until bubbly. Add sugar, salt and eggs. Mix. Add oil or shortening and combine. Add flour one cup at a time until it is incorporated and knead for 5 minutes. Let dough rise until doubled, at least one hour while covered in a warm spot.

3. When dough is done rising, divide dough into two balls. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Spread with soft butter and cut each 12-inch circle into 16 wedges. Roll up each wedge, starting to roll at the largest end of triangle. Cover and let rise until double, at least one hour.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake 12-15 minutes until rich, golden brown. Brush with soft butter.

Makes 25-32 rolls.

Crescent dough cut whatmattersmostnow.typepad.com

After rolling the dough into a circle, I start by cutting the circle in half, then in quarters, and then in eighths, finally in sixteenths.

11/27/2013 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

11/25/2013

Family Favorite Beef and Broccoli with a bit of a kick

Spicy Beef and Broccoli whatmattersmostnow.typepad.com

Our Family Favorite Somewhat Spicy Beef and Broccoli

As we head into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, keep this little nugget in your back pocket as something you can rely on in a pinch.

Spicy Beef and Broccoli ingredients

Spicy Beef and Brocoli

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce (light works great)

1 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons oil, divided

1 boneless beef top sirloin steak (1 1/4 pounds)

3 cups broccoli

1 medium onion, sliced into strips

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon peeled fresh ginger root, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 beef broth

Instructions:

1. Whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Cut steak lenghtwise in half and then crosswise into 1/4-inch strips. Add beef to soy sauce mixture. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes to marinate.

2. Cut broccoli and onion into thin wedges. Cut bell pepper into thin strips, two inches long.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat and add half of beef, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir fry 1-2 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. Do not overcook.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil and add broccoli, onion and bell pepper, stir-fry 3-4 minutes or until vegetable are crisp-tender.

Return beef to skillet; add broth and bring to a boil for one minute, stirring gently, until sauce is slightly thickened.

Serves 4.

Serve over rice or Asian noodles. Sprinkle with cilantro, peanuts or green onions, if desired.

11/25/2013 | Permalink | Comments (0)

11/22/2013

Amish Friendship Bread - the gift that keeps giving...

I just returned from a Collective Impact Institute 4-day training and collaborative leadership learning event. The immersion learning experience impressed upon attendees how collective impact can transform a community and move the needle on major issues facing communities.

One of my favorite take-aways was an inspirational video that was shared to kick-off the event. It centered around the power of just one person doing one good deed and the ripple effect that has on others.

Life Vest Inside's The Kindness Boomerang "One Day" video tracks an act of kindness as it passes from individuals on a city street. You must watch it! I had goosebumps and felt the tears welling as I watched this for the first time.

Life Vest Inside - Kindness Boomerang from Orly Wahba on Vimeo.

This Amish Friendship Bread recipe is an example of that ripple effect of kindness to others as the recipe requies sharing the "starter" with others who in turn, share it with other friends and pass it on and on.

The finished bread is amazing and something that can't be replicated without the process of growing the starter and sharing it with others.

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe

Printable Recipe

Tip: Print a copy and write the day and date that you start, so you won't lose track of what to do, when.

Starter Ingredients:

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
1. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in a large glass, plastic, or ceramic bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, flour, salt, and sugar. Beat until smooth. Let stand uncovered at room temperature three to five days stirring 2 or 3 times a day. Use a wooden spoon. Cover at night.

2. When the mixture is ready, it should have a yeasty smell. At this point, pour out one cup of this into a large plastic or ceramic bowl to use for the friendship mixture. The rest should stand one day and then be covered, refrigerated, and used within 10 days.

Developing and Growing the Starter Instructions:

Record the date you start this process: _____

With the 1 cup you removed, add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup flour and 1 teaspoon sugar to the bowl. Do not use a metal spoon. Do not refrigerate. This is the "starter mixture" for Day 1.

Day 1: The day you receive (or made) the starter mixture — do nothing.

Days 2, 3, and 4: Stir with a wooden spoon.

Day 5: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. STIR.

Days 6, 7, 8, and 9: Only stir the mixture.

Day 10: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, one cup milk and stir. Pour 1 cup mixture into each of the three separate containers and give to three friends. (If you use plastic bags, tell your friends to transfer the starter to a bowl.)

Directions for the Final Amish Friendship Bread

To the remaining mixture add:

2/3 cup oil

3 eggs

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add fruits, nuts, raisins or chopped apple.

Instructions:

1. Mix ingredients and pour into 2 well-greased and sugared (sprinkle with granulated sugar) loaf pans.

2. Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool 10 minutes prior to serving.

*Be sure to plan this during a time when you will not be out of town during the time requiring action.

11/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

11/18/2013

Four Ingredient Dessert - Quick and Easy Toffee Crisps

Need a quick and easy after school snack or cookie on the fly?

Enter Quick and Easy Toffee Crisps.

Years ago I found a cookbook that spoke to my messy cooking style that was a fly-by-the-seat of your pants kind of cookbook. I think it had both sloppy and messy in the title but I apologize that I am at a loss.

Regardless, I penciled down this recipe after trying it and forever had this in my back-pocket for last-minute, throw-down desserts on the fly.

It's so hard to believe that Saltine soda crackers can be transformed into this sweet and salty little snack.

Quick and Easy Toffee Crisps

Ingredients:

8 ounces chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 cup light brown sugar

40 saltine crackers (this depends on the size of your pan, you may need a few less or a few more)

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil, while stirring for 5 minutes.

2. Line a jelly-roll pan or large cookie sheet with edges with the crackers.

3. Pour the melted sugar and butter toffee mixture over the crackers while attempting to cover them evenly.

4. Bake at 425 degrees F for 4-5 minutes or as the mixture starts to bubble. After removing from oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee and spread them over the cracker/toffee mixture as they start to melt.

5. At this point you can either pop into a freezer for about 15 minutes, refrigerate or even just let them cool to room temperature before breaking into pieces.

quick and easy toffee crisp ingredients whatmmattersmostnow.typepad.com

This is all you need. Truly just four ingredients for Quick and Easy Toffee Crisps

11/18/2013 | Permalink | Comments (0)

11/15/2013

Bella's Strawberry "Julius" - Copycat Recipe

In the fourth grade, Bella prepared this recipe for her classmates for a presentation requiring the execution of "making something with steps".

At the time, she was a master at whipping up these concoctions in the blender at a moment's notice.

We started with a recipe from a Top Secret Recipe by Todd Wilbur posting that we found years ago and have tweaked it over the years.

In our house, this is considered "Bella's Strawberry Julius" for which she is the only member to know the secret ingredient which was just revealed to Connor yesterday. In the past, we always used a dried egg white, meringue powder to substitute for the required two egg whites. With a slew of extra eggs in our fridge, Bella tried the fresh egg whites and low and behold, her recipe was perfected. Connor, meanwhile, was horrified that there were raw eggs used for this delicious concoction.

If you are leary of the raw egg whites, you can substitute milk, yogurt, or dried egg whites/meringue powder but to make it truly taste just like those you find at the Julius chains, use the raw egg whites.

strawberry julius whatmattersmostnow.typepad.com

Bella's Strawberry Julius - served via Bella in the special glasses with her own styled straws as well.

How To Make A Strawberry Julius

By Bella (with original inspiration from Todd Wilbur)

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen strawberries (or you can use fresh)

1 cup water

1 heaping cup of ice

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup of sugar (either granulated or powdered)

Pick your protein: To make them exactly like the Strawberry Julius at the restaurants, use 2 egg whites. We like to add either 2 dried egg whites, 1 Tablespoon of dry milk powder, ¼ cup of whole milk or 1/2 cup of yogurt.

Instructions:

1. In a blender, put 1 cup water, the frozen strawberries (slightly defrosted), the vanilla, the sugar, the egg whites (or your protein choice) and the heaping cup of ice.

2. Set blender on high speed for at least one minute. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Serves 2-3 drinks, depending upon the size.

To make a Pineapple Julius you can substitute the strawberries for 1 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple in juice or a cup of juicy, fresh pineapple.