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‘Breads, Rolls & Muffins’ Category

  1. Down Home Spoon Bread

    May 21, 2011 by Cas

    Dear Merciful God, somebody stop me.

    I’m promising to end my Southern Belle kick IMMEDIATELY, for two reasons:

    (A) I’m now completely obsessed and I have too much unpacking to do to be fucking around in the kitchen; but more importantly,

    (B) Cooking as I do in nothing but an apron, all the butter and flour and salt in these amazing dishes is causing me to hate myself when I walk past a mirror and catch what my ass is looking like sticking out in the back.

    So I COULD wear pants, but I think I’ll move on to small plates and finger foods and salads for a little while.

    But not until I finish eating stuff like this.

    I love corn bread, I love simple, I love starchy and creamy and eggy… this is all those things.

    More of a bready custard, this is real stick-to-yer-ribs grub. It starts on the stove then goes into the oven, and you serve it, if you’re a purist, with a spoon. A true Southerner would gawk at a Yankee trying to slice this like a quiche or a pan bread just the way we’d stare at an ape eating soup with his hands at a high tea. I know folks who prefer it sweet, served hot from the oven with a pat of butter, a drizzle of honey or maple, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. But I think it’s best in its basic form, served as we would above the Mason-Dixon line as a starchy base for a saucier main dish — like noodles with stroganoff or stew, or rice with chili or curries. So even though this is GREAT stand-alone with a bit of butter and some salt and pepper (did I hear someone say “sprinkle of parmesan”? Yeah you, in the back there — I caught that), instead of just a haughtier cousin of the soul-nourishing corn grits, try it instead of biscuits next time you make a saucy dish so good you don’t want to miss a drop.

    3 Large Eggs
    1 tsp. Salt
    3 Cups Milk

    1 Cup Yellow cornmeal

    2 Tbsp. Butter

    1 Tbsp. Baking powder

    Preheat oven to 350°.

    In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs well with the salt. Add 1 Cup of the milk and blend thoroughly; set aside.

    In a medium saucepan, mix remaining 2 Cups of milk with the cornmeal until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium high heat; once boiling, reduce heat to medium and, stirring constantly for another 3 minutes, work mixture into a very thick paste, being sure to scoop down sides and bottom. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring to melt and blend it in thoroughly.

    Add 1/2 of the milk and egg mixture, and blend in thoroughly working out any lumps. Repeat with remaining liquid until smooth and uniform.

    Add baking powder and stir thoroughly, folding in the resulting foam until the mixture is well blended.

    Transfer mixture to a greased casserole (or preferably, because this is home-cookin’, a cast iron or other oven-proof skillet). The fluffy mix will not rise much, so if it fits comfortably at this stage, you’re safe from puffy, drippy messes.

    Bake on rack in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, or until the edges are browning and the top is showing signs of turning golden brown in spots. Remove from oven, and let cool.

    Yes it will deflate a bit. Yes it will be delicious anyway. And yes you will find a  million reasons to make this, from brunch to lunch to dinner to whythefuckamIawakeatfourinthemorning.

    Try this with our Stout-Poached Pulled Chicken Barbecue. Or just try it, as the name and the Confederacy demand… with a spoon.

    Category Breads, Rolls & Muffins, Entrees-Vous!, Fresh Baked, G.F. Yourself! Gluten-Free Food Daddy, Side by Side by Side Dish, Vegetarian (or Potentially So) | Tags: ,,,, | No Comments

  2. Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

    May 18, 2011 by Cas

    Light and fluffy and amazing just out of the oven. I love these with some melted butter and a drizzle of honey, but you can also use them as substitutes for buns or rolls in finger sandwiches and sliders.

    The key here is to handle the dough as little as humanly possible. I’ve also used the food processor method, though if you’re more comfortable (or only equipped) with hand tools, use a pastry cutter, forks or a box grater as you see fit.

    3 Cups all-purpose flour
    4 tsps. Baking powder
    1 tsp. Baking soda
    1 tsp. Salt

    1 Stick cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

    1-1/2 Cups buttermilk or substitute
    2 Tbsp. sugar or honey

    Preheat oven to 425°.

    In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the dry ingredients to mix. Add butter chunks, and pulse to combine just until mix is the consistency of coarse meal with visible chunks of butter remaining. Add buttermilk and sugar or honey, and pulse again just until dough comes together.

    Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Working quickly to handle as little as possible, form into a rectangle, dusting top with flour, and folding in thirds (as you would a letter for an envelope). Flatten again into a rectangle, dust top with flour, flip upside-down, and repeat fold.

    Repeat flattening, flouring and folding 3 more times. Finally, press dough out into a rectangle roughly 1/2″ – 3/4″ thick. Using a 2″ round cutter or the mouth of a juice glass or clean, dry tin can with top and and bottom removed, cut biscuits;  re-roll scraps and pat and cut (again, handling as little as possible).

    Place biscuits, sides just touching, on a buttered, greased, or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

    Allow biscuits to cool 2 minutes before serving warm, or on a baking rack cool the biscuits completely, place in an airtight container or ziplock bag, and refrigerate or freeze.

    Note that it never hurts to brush the tops with melted butter before baking, after baking, or whenever the hell you feel like it. It’s butter and it’s biscuits and it’s all good, y’all!

    Category Breads, Rolls & Muffins, Fresh Baked, Vegetarian (or Potentially So) | Tags: ,,,, | No Comments

  3. 30/30 WTF! #23: NANA KITTY’S CHERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING WAFFLE

    March 2, 2011 by Cas

    Food Daddy Foodie Shannon wrote from Colorado to say her mother — too young and hip to be a run-of-the-mill Granny, thus known as “Nana Kitty” — was very fond, having grown up in Cherry territory, of that local fruity favorite. I thought to incorporate cherries into something moist and sweet, and came up with this, pairing it here with white chocolate.

    Now… cherries are a problem, seasonally. You won’t be surprised to learn that the cherry trees on my rooftop just steps off Times Square hadn’t, in this cold and horrid February, bloomed yet. Likewise, you won’t be surprised to learn that I don’t actually keep fucking cherry trees on my roof in midtown Manhattan.

    The Food Emporium will have them in season; the fruit stores and the Farmers Market on Saturdays in Hell’s Kitchen will have them in a few months. But alas… not now.

    Not now.

    So here’s what you do: if you can get fresh, get fresh. And get ‘em ripe and sweet. Measure out your two cups and chop them up for this recipe. If you have to use canned, make sure they’re a brand that won’t be too limp and disappointing. Limp and disappointing… that reminds me I have to return a message from my ex-boyfriend…

    Or if you get dried — the tart Bing variety from Trader Joe’s did VERY nicely in my trials — cover about three quarters the amount you need in EXCRUCIATINGLY hot water to plump them to the two full cups.

    In either of the last two cases, be sure to DRAIN THE HELL OUT OF THEM before adding to the mix or they’ll make it too wet. And in the case of plumping the dried, rinse them in cold water and THEN drain lest you add hot fruit to a mix containing chocolate, and come up with a melted, gooey mess.

    These are really, really good. And I think served warm you’ll find these an ideal dessert.

    Waffle Iron Setting/Cook Time: HIGH

    8 Slices white bread
    2 Cups cherries, chopped
    2 Cups White chocolate (morsels, or bar form, chopped)

    1 Cup sugar
    2 Tbsp. flour
    1/2 tsp.  Salt
    1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

    1/2 Cup orange juice
    4 Large eggs

    Tear the the bread into chunks and place them in a mixing bowl. Add cherries and white chocolate.

    In a separate bowl, mix sugar, flour, salt and nutmeg. Add juice and eggs and mix thoroughly. Pour over bread mixture and toss to coat completely. Let soak 5 minutes.

    Grease waffle iron well with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop waffle mixture onto waffle iron sections or wedges, and close to cook. Check for doneness: waffles should be cooked through and dark golden brown on the outside. You should be able to remove them with minimal fuss; if there is fuss, don’t be a drama queen and just deal with it. A spatula will help and I’m sure you’ll be able to cope.

    I originally thought, “Hmm… powdered sugar for a garnish? Whipped cream? A glaze of some sort, or pastry icing?”

    And then I tasted these and said, “leave perfect alone.”

    To quote “Steel Magnolias”, though, you might consider a scoop of vanilla. In discussing a recipe, Clairee says of the decadent “Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa” dessert, “Sounds AWFULLY rich,” to which Miss Truvy responds, “It is! So I usually serve it with vanilla ice cream — to cut the sweetness.”

    Perfect idea, Truvy.

    Category 30/30 WTF!, Breads, Rolls & Muffins, Cakes, Pies & Pastries, Fresh Baked, Just Desserts, Vegetarian (or Potentially So) | Tags: ,,,,, | 12 Comments

  4. 30/30 WTF! #17: COFFEE ROLL WAFFLE

    February 24, 2011 by Cas

    These are a good, plain, delicious, dip-em-in-your-milk-or-coffee treat.

    The ingredients are few, and though the process has a few stages they’re quick and none too taxing. A few minutes from start to finish is all you’re in for, and if you waffle up a big batch of these, they freeze and warm up really nicely for anytime enjoyment. That alone justifies turning on the kitchen light.

    But truth be told, these are so simple and sweet and basic that they’ll do fine in a jar on the countertop for whenever you feel a proper cup of tea requires a biscuit or some bread and jam. Only you won’t need the jam, because the sweet’s in there already. And I won’t tell a soul if you decide to add a schmear of butter to make it that much more decadent. It’ll be our little secret.

    2 Cups Bisquick
    1/2 Cup sugar
    1/4 tsp. Salt
    1/2 Cup milk
    1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

    1 Stick butter

    1 Can sweetened condensed (NOT evaporated) milk

    Waffle Iron Setting/Cook Time: MEDIUM HIGH

    Mix the dry ingredients to combine, then add milk and vegetable oil to form a smooth dough. Let dough rest in refrigerator.

    Melt the butter and let cool in a larger mixing bowl. Break off pieces of chilled dough with a teaspoon, dropping them into the melted butter, and tossing occassionally to coat after ever few additions.

    Pour sweetened condensed milk over the dough and butter mixture, and toss to combine completely, or until liquid is almost all absorbed.

    Grease waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the waffle mixture over the griddle leaving plenty (and dudes — I do mean PLENTY) of room for spread, and close the lid.

    Check for doneness when the waffle iron or instinct directs you to do so. The outside will have caramelized a bit and taken on a nice golden patina (I’m feeling foody AND poetic), and the waffles should hold together nicely, given a minute to rest in the iron before removing.

    Dunk away…

    Category 30/30 WTF!, Breads, Rolls & Muffins, Fresh Baked, Just Desserts, Vegetarian (or Potentially So) | Tags: ,,,,,, | 3 Comments

  5. 30/30 WTF! #8: SNICKERDOODLE WAFFLE

    February 15, 2011 by Cas

    From the “Out of the Fire and Into the Frying Pan” files…

    Here’s the deal, Foodies, on making cookies in a waffle iron — and I can boil it down to one very simple, hard-and-fast rule of thumb that really and truly simplifies the process:

    Don’t.

    Cookie dough just isn’t made to be manipulated this way. It needs resting time without being poked, it needs to be lifted gingerly from beneath. There’s a whole lot of ominous portent in the cookie/waffle iron relationship.

    And yet, to please the masses and because I’ve heard tell and read tell of others who INSIST this pairing can work if you put your time in, nurturing it, changing your expectations, I forged ahead. And just like every romantic relationship of mine which held similar portent, had similar cheerleaders hindered by major impairment of one or all of their sensory capabilities, and had me committed to please everyone else involved no matter what my instincts told me, instead of saying “thank you, no, I’ll pass” I devoted way too much time to trying to put lipstick on a pig. Or sugar cookie dough on a griddle.

    Babies… Daddy tried. It didn’t work. They can’t all be home runs, or pigs in drag.

    But I salvaged the remains, and crafted something rather yummy. A friend and I having coffee today in a Times Square chain coffee house I cannot mention by name (Celestial Male Deer need not fear a breach of anonymity), we actually broke open a bag of these and enjoyed with our tea. Or rather he did. I’d had quite my fill already.

    The tastes are simple and basic, and because I wanted a more buttery, cookie consistency, I created a batter that yields something that plays on your tongue somewhere between Grandma’s snickerdoodles and street vendor Churos — those long, fried sticks of crispy, sugary dough that seem to be almost as popular as hotdogs on midtown street corners these days, and twice as abundant as sleeping indigents in the subways.

    So if, like me, you don’t have a grandma to bake you snickerdoodles anymore (and truth be told, my two Italian Nanas were, instead, into rainbow cookies and taralla when they were here with us every day), and you don’t really salivate over open food being sold 3 feet away from racing rail rats the size of hairy pheasants, you can whip up a batch of these babies and kick back with a book and cup of tea and smile contentedly thinking of all the reasons you loved grandma so.

    1/4 Cup sugar
    1 tsp. Cinnamon
    1/4 tsp. Salt

    1 Cup Bisquick
    3/4 Cup sugar
    1/4 Cup milk
    1 Large egg
    2 Tbsp. melted butter or vegetable oil
    1/4 tsp. salt
    1/4 tsp. cinnamon
    1-1/2 Cups crumbled sugar cookies (home-wrecked or store-bought)

    4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

    Waffle Iron Setting/Cook Time: MEDIUM HIGH

    Mix first three ingredients in a small bowl, and transfer to a flat plate. Set aside.

    Mix all remaining ingredients except cookie crumbs and butter, and beat by hand with whisk or fork until smooth. Add cookie crumbs and mix thoroughly. Divide into two batches.

    Spray waffle iron and spread batter over griddle. Close iron and cook to golden brown.

    Allow waffles to cool a minute on griddle before removing. Cut into individual waffles or wedges, and brush tops with melted butter. Immediately turn hot waffles buttered-side down into cinnamon sugar mixture, turn upright, and place on plate or serving dish. Serve warm, or at room temperature. The waffles will crisp up a bit as they cool.

    Hi, Grandma Hazel and Grandma Louise. Love you. Thanks for being in the kitchen with me when I was little. And for still being here now :*

    Category 30/30 WTF!, Breads, Rolls & Muffins, Fresh Baked, Just Desserts, Vegetarian (or Potentially So) | Tags: ,,,,,,,,, | 4 Comments

  6. 30/30 WTF! #5: SALTY CARAMEL PECAN STICKY BUN WAFFLES

    February 12, 2011 by Cas

    DON’T GET ME STARTED. While I originally felt that religions should be founded on the tenets of the Brownie Waffle, and that Red Velvet Waffles were perhaps the first sign of the Second Coming, these now make me feel whole new worlds of brilliance and wonder should form from the supernova that is this sweet and decadent creation.

    A note on the genesis of this recipe: while soliciting some help with the technical aspects of publishing this blog, my amazing and beautiful friend Amy said, “May i suggest something with salted caramel? Or pralines… I love pralines.”

    This was not her idea of technical help, but content suggestion. And I was immediately captivated by the prospects.

    Amy, dear, we ALL love pralines. And if we don’t, well, we’re simply not trying hard enough to live a good life.

    Herewith, something surprisingly simple — seriously, the most labor-intensive aspect is unwrapping the caramels — and not surprisingly, as incredible as they sound just in discussing them.

    25 Kraft (or comparable) caramels, unwrapped
    2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
    1/3 Cup milk
    1/4 tsp. salt
    1/4 Cup chopped pecans
    1 Tube Crescent Roll dough (Pillsbury or store brand, 8-roll size)

    Waffle Iron Setting/Cook Time: MEDIUM

    (If I actually had to be the one to tell you to unwrap the caramels, there is truly nothing I or anyone else can do to help you in the kitchen or in life. Truly. I love you, but really? Anyway…) Place the caramels, butter, milk and salt in a saucepan, and over medium heat stir them occasionally until the caramels begin to melt. Once the mixture starts melting, keep stirring to avoid any burning. It won’t ever come to a boil; the sauce is ready when all the caramel is melted and it’s uniformly smooth and glossy. If you find you want to scrap the waffle idea and just pour the caramel sauce it into a mug and lock the doors and drink it — it’s ready. Take the sauce off the heat, add the chopped pecans, pour into a mixing bowl and set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.

    Meanwhile, open the crescent rolls. If you’re like me, this is a horrific process. As a child, back when the Poppin-Fresh cans still required by design that a spoon be used to press at the seam to open, I found this process tantamount to unsuccessfully attempting to defuse a bomb. Now, waiting to see if the auto-open cans open automatically instead, I still act as if it’s the 4th of July and I’ve been handed a lit M-80 bomb that may or may not go off in my hand. These things scare the shit out of me, and if I open 10 cans for a recipe then my guests in the other room will hear POP-”Aieeee!” 10 times.

    When the caramel is cool enough to touch without pain (warm but not hot) take each of the crescent dough triangles and, ripping them into 2 or 3 random pieces, drop them into the caramel. When you’ve added half the dough to the caramel, gently fold the dough into the mixture, coating it completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MIX THE BATTER; what you’re aiming for here is fat, fluffy ribbons of dough swimming in a caramel bath.

    Grease your waffle iron, divide the batter into two batches, and place the first batch in the center of the griddle, leaving plenty of room around the edges because this will expand a good deal. Close the iron and cook to medium.

    Open the iron and check, since irons vary. Your waffles are done when the caramel is no longer liquid and has started to crisp up but not turn dark. By this point, also, the dough will be cooked through (3 or 4 minutes). If you prefer them crispier and totally dark and caramelized, knock yourself out and close the iron and let them cook longer. The darker the coat the deeper the caramel’s flavor.

    Remove from the iron to the plate and serve warm. Or cold. Or frozen. Or covered in dirt. There’s literally no way to make these unappetizing.

    Category 30/30 WTF!, Breads, Rolls & Muffins, Just Desserts, Vegetarian (or Potentially So) | Tags: ,,,,,,,,, | 15 Comments