Honey Yeast Rolls

I whipped up these honey yeast rolls this afternoon so we could have them for supper tonight. If you've worked with yeast dough before, you know that the smell is enough to make you want to eat a whole loaf of bread right then. Unfortunately the wait is a long one because the dough has to rise, but it's SO worth the wait. These were so good. I painted a little more of the honey-butter mixture on the rolls after they came out of the oven to give it an extra "wow" factor.
Source adapted from Annie's Eats.

Ingredients:
2 ¼ tsp. instant yeast
1 cup warm water (105°-115° F)
¼ cup honey
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 ¼ tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups bread flour
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp honey

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Add the honey, oil, salt, and egg and mix well. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix until the dough comes together in a sticky mass. With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining 1 cup flour and mix until it is incorporated into the dough. Switch to the dough hook, and continue kneading on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, about 2 hours.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 seconds. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and place into a round, lightly greased baking dish, spacing evenly. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes. Mix together the melted butter and honey, and brush lightly over the tops of the rolls. Bake at 400° for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cauliflower Soup

I have to admit that when I first saw this soup on Annie's blog, I was thinking .... "How can that be good?" But something inside me really wanted to try it, and I sure am glad I did. It's broth-y and creamy at the same time. I did change up the recipe a bit to lessen the calories, and I took Annie's advice and paired it with the honey yeast rolls.

Ingredients:
7 tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 1/2 to 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups skim milk
6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup fat free half-and-half
2 bay leaves
2-4 tsp. salt, to taste
1 cup light sour cream

Directions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir them around for 2-3 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add in the carrots and celery, stir, and cook for about 1 minute. Add in the cauliflower and the fresh parsley and stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and let simmer 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Pour in the chicken broth, turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Pour the whole milk into a separate bowl. Add the flour to the bowl and whisk together. As soon as the butter is melted, pour in the milk/flour mixture and whisk to combine. The mixture should thicken into a white sauce. Once thickened, whisk in the half-and-half. Then pour the whole mixture into the simmering soup. Add bay leaves to the pot, as well as the salt. Let the mixture simmer 15-20 minutes.
Just before serving, remove the soup from the heat. Mix in sour cream and stir until completely incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

King Cake

Mobile, AL is actually where Mardi Gras originated. I'm not from Mobile, but I'm living here not, and I'm getting used to the Mardi Gras scene. Last weekend was my 4th year going to the ball, and it's Aubrey's 3rd year being in the Inca Crew. He actually got to ride on the float this year and throw out beads, moon pies, etc.
I wanted to make a king cake last Mardi Gras, but time wouldn't allow.... So I made time to make one this year. I found a recipe for a cream cheese filled king cake from Emeril, and I am very pleased with it. It was actually a lot easier to make than I thought it would be. This makes a great breakfast or dessert.

Ingredients:
2 packages dry active yeast
1/2 cup sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
5 egg yolks
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Vegetable oil
8 ounces cream cheese
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons milk
Purple, green and gold sugar sprinkles
Plastic baby toy

Directions:
Combine the yeast, sugar, butter, and egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the milk. With the mixer on low speed, beat the mixture for about 4 minutes to dissolve the yeast. If the yeast mixture doesn't begin to foam after a few minutes, it means it's not active and will have to be replaced.

In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Add this mixture to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until it lightly comes together, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and climbs slightly up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat the dough with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set in a warm, draft-free place, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Mix well. In another small bowl, combine the remaining powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk. Mix well and set aside.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out 30 inches long and 6 inches in diameter. Spread the cream cheese filling across the center of the dough. Bring the two long edges together and seal all sides completely. Using your hands shape the dough into a long cylinder and place on a greased baking sheet, seam side down. Shape the dough into a ring. Place a well-greased 2 pound coffee can or shortening can in the center of the ring to maintain the shape during baking. Press the plastic baby toy into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough. Cover the ring with a towel and place in a warm, draft free place. Let the dough rise for about 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350-degrees. With a sharp knife, make several slits around the top of the ring. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. After baking remove the coffee can immediately. Allow the cake to cool. Drizzle the cake with the sugar glaze. Sprinkle the cake with sprinkles, alternating colors. Cut the cake into individual pieces and serve.

If you want to know more about the history of the king cake, go here. It's really interesting.... something I just learned.

Moon Pie Cake

My MIL saw a moon pie cake at the grocery store, and I thought it would be cute to make for this Mardi Gras season. Chocolate moon pies are my second favorite Mardi Gras treats.... second to the king cake. I searched for a graham cracker cake recipe, and I used marshmallow cream for the filling and ganache for the topping. The cake was amazing, but the marshmallow cream oozed out even in the fridge. I'll probably make this recipe again, but I'll turn it into cupcakes or mini moon pies and do the filling right before serving.
Please excuse my elementary piping. It looks like "Noon Pie."

Graham Cracker Cake

Ingredients:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (I used 24 squares)
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
Stir together the cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Alternately add crumb mixture and milk, beating after each addition.
Divide the batter between the pans. Bake 25 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely before filling and/or frosting as desired.

Ganache

Ingredients:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized heat proof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.

Cake Assembly

Ingredients:
2 round Graham Cracker Cakes, cooled
1 jar Marshmallow Cream
1 recipe Ganache
White Icing (I used Wilton's icing in a tube)

Directions:
Spread the jar of Marshmallow Cream on top of one cake. Place the other cake on top. Pour the ganache over the cake in the following way:

To Cover a Torte or Cake (joyofbaking.com):
Note: If covering a cake that is to be refrigerated, make sure the cake is cold before covering with the ganache. This will ensure that the ganache does not dull when stored in the refrigerator.
Brush any loose crumbs from the cake and place cake on a wire rack. Put the wire rack on a baking sheet. In this way if the ganache drips it will end up on the baking sheet, which makes clean up easier. Using a cake spatula, cover the sides and top of the cake with about 2 tablespoons ganache. This is called a crumb coat and seals in any cake crumbs so that your cake will have a smooth finish. Refrigerate cake for 5 minutes to set the crumb coat. If you have any air bubbles or crumbs in your ganache, pour through a strainer. To cover cake, pour the remaining ganache into the center of the cake. Working quickly, spread with a spatula, using big strokes to push the ganache over the sides of the cake, to create an even coating of ganache.
I didn't cover the sides with the ganache.... I just let it drip down so the marshmallow cream could be seen.

With the white icing, write "Moon Pie" on the top of the cake. Keep in the fridge.

If you want to read about the history of Moon Pies, check out this site.
If you want to read about the history of Moon Pies and Mardi Gras, check out this site.

Cream of Pimiento Soup

I made this soup a few nights ago when Aubrey had to work the night shift. I saved it for then because I knew this wouldn't be something he'd be jumping up and down for. He doesn't enjoy eating pimientos like I do.
I used the fat free half and half to cut down on some calories, and it worked just fine. This is a very rich soup and would pair great with a nice salad.

Recipe from Southern Living's Easy Weeknight Favorites Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimiento, undrained
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14 and 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1 and 1/2 cups half-and-half (I used fat free)
2 teaspoons grated onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
Garnish: sour cream

Directions:
Place pimiento in container of an electric blender; cover and process until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Set aside.
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add broth and half-and-half to saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly (15 to 20 minutes).
Stir in pimiento, onion, salt, and hot sauce; cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until heated. Garnish, if desired.
Yield: 3 and 1/2 cups.

Creamy Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Whenever I think of poppy seed chicken, I think of my friend Alison. We call her the "hostess with the mostess" because she loves to entertain. A bunch of us girls used to have Bible study once a week at her house, and I always loved when she fixed her poppy seed chicken. This isn't her recipe, but it sure does come close to her chicken. This recipe came from the Southern Living Easy Weeknight Favorites cookbook. Aubrey and I both enjoyed it. This is a good meal to serve a large group of people. You could easily double the recipe. This one serves 4.

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can light Cream of Chicken soup
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream (I used light)
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
1 and 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers (I used 1 sleeve)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine the first 4 ingredients; spoon into a lightly greased 11 x 7 x 1.5 inch baking dish (I used a 8 x 8 inch). Combine crushed crackers and butter. Sprinkle over chicken mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

My note: If you plan to freeze this, leave off the crushed crackers and melted butter until it has thawed (right before sticking it in the oven).

Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup

I found this recipe on the Food Network website. It's one of Giada's recipes (yes, we're on a first name basis), so I was excited to try it. I really loved the flavor, but it's not a hearty soup, or should I say "manly" soup. It's more of a "girly" soup.... maybe for a lunch with a small salad.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 sage leaf
2 (15-ounce) cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, cut in 1/2
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pan. Puree the remaining soup. Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pan, add the cream and the pepper. Keep warm, and serve into individual soup bowls.