Creamy Cucumber Salad

 

• ½ cup sour cream 
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice 
• 1 tsp granulated sugar 
• ½ tsp dried dill 
• ½ tsp salt 
• 1 large cucumber 
• ¼ red onion (optional)

This was better than the version I usually just throw together.

Cinnamon Rolls

A combination of several recipes.  These get rave reviews and keep well for a few days, so they're great for holiday breakfasts.

Makes 12 very large rolls 

Tangzhong Starter

6 T water

6 T milk

4 T all-purpose or bread flour

Dough

5 c (600 g) all-purpose or bread flour

1/4 c dry milk (optional)

1/2 c granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

2 T instant yeast (I usually use SAF Gold, but regular is fine)

1 c milk, warm

2 eggs

8 T butter, melted

Filling

3/4 c packed brown sugar

3 T ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

Icing

8 oz cream cheese, softened but cool

2 T corn syrup

2 T cream (or milk or half-and-half)

1 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

1. To make the tangzhong: Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.

1. Place the saucepan over low heat, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.

1. Transfer the tangzhong to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature.

1. To make the dough:  Combine the tangzhong with the remaining dough ingredients, then mix and knead — by mixer or bread machine — until a smooth, elastic dough forms; this could take almost 15 minutes in a stand mixer.
2. Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.
3. Turn dough out onto floured surface and roll out to a rectangle about 1/2" thick (approximately 14"x18").  Mix together the filling ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2" border on one long edge.  Roll from the other long edge and pinch to seal.  Cut into 12 equal pieces and place in a greased 13"x9" pan.  Cover and place in a warm spot until doubled, about 1.5-2 hours.
4. To make icing: While the dough rises, combine all of the icing ingredients in a bowl and mix at low speed for about 1 minute.  Increase the speed to high and mix until the icing is smooth (about 2 minutes). 
5. Bake at 350 degrees until instant read thermometer measures 185-190 degrees in the middle, about 25-30 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack then spread icing on top.

Sautéed Cabbage

 Hardly worth noting this simple recipe except when I made it Tony specifically said, “yum!” And that doesn’t happen often. 

• 1 (2 pounds) head green cabbage

• 1/4 cup high-quality unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup chicken broth0

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled, for garnish (optional)

  Cut up the cabbage.

  Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add cabbage, and toss until well coated. Stir in the chicken broth, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender but still a bit firm, 8 to 12 minutes.

  The bacon probably shouldn’t be optional, it does get soggy in leftovers though so eat it the first day.

Sprouts

 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0249/1474/files/Sprouting_Guide_with_Discount_95b6a8f2-f3bd-4c5d-ae39-aea3cc26dabc.pdf?v=1695918605

Best Ramen Noodle Coleslaw

 Salad:

• 2 (3 ounce) packages chicken-flavored ramen noodles, broken into pieces, seasoning packets reserved

• ½ cup raw sunflower seeds

• ½ cup slivered almonds

• 1 (16 ounce) package coleslaw mix

• 3 green onions, chopped

Dressing:

• ½ cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  
  

  The thing that set this recipe apart was toasting the crunchy ingredients first.

  Bake noodle mixture in the preheated oven until fragrant

   and toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

  
  
  
  

  
  

Buttermilk Bread

 

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk 

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1-1/2 tsp baking powder 

2 cups flour 

Preheat oven to 325°. Whisk together wet ingredients, then fold in dry ingredients until combined. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and an internal temperature of 200°. 

Kind of sweet; like cornbread without the cornmeal. Would probably be good as a breakfast bread with some cinnamon mixed in.

Rice Consommé

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

3/4 cup water

1 (10.5-oz.) can beef consommé

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

2 large oregano or thyme sprigs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine rice, water, and consommé in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Scatter butter over the top, and tuck thyme sprigs into liquid.  Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake at 400°F until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 50 to 55 minutes.