Sticky Pecan Caramel Rolls

STICKY PECAN CARAMEL ROLLS

MAKES 6-8 LARGE ROLLS

1 ½ pounds prepared, refrigerated boule dough 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup brown sugar

30 pecan halves

4 tablespoons salted butter, softened

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ cup chopped and toasted pecans

Pinch of ground black pepper

Cream together the unsalted butter, salt and brown sugar. Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan. Scatter pecans over the butter-sugar mixture and set aside.

Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1 ½ pound (cantaloupe-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to an 1/8 inch thick rectangle. (Use flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your work surface, but not so much that it makes the dough dry.)

Cream the salted butter, sugar and spices. Spread evenly over the rolled-out dough and sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Starting with the long side, roll the dough into a log. (If it is too soft to cut, let it chill for 20 minutes first.)

With a very sharp serrated knife, cut the log into 8 equal pieces and arrange over the pecans in the pan, with the "swirled" side facing upward. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise an hour.

20 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (if you are not using a baking stone in the oven, 5 minutes is adequate).

Bake about 40 minutes or until golden brown and well set in center. While still hot, run a knife around the inside of the pan to release the caramel rolls, and invert immediately onto a serving dish. If you let them set too long they will stick to the pan and be difficult to turn out.

Tester's note: Using all salted butter works in a pinch.

Boule

I have the book "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day"  (http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/) and simply ADORE it.  Here's the master recipe (which has been widely shared).  I have made this into herbed bread, garlic bread, etc, with some minor tweaks.  Highly recommend this book.

THE MASTER RECIPE: BOULE (ARTISAN FREE-FORM LOAF)

MAKES FOUR 1-POUND LOAVES (RECIPE IS EASILY DOUBLED OR HALVED)

3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees)

1 ½ tablespoons granulated yeast

1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt or other coarse salt

6 ½ cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour (measure with scoop and sweep method)

Cornmeal or parchment for pizza peel

Preparing the dough:

In a 5-quart bowl or a resealable, lidded, plastic food container, add yeast and salt to lukewarm water. Don't worry about getting it all to dissolve.

Add in all the flour at once. Mix with a wooden spoon (you can use very wet hands to help if needed) or a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Don't knead the dough; just mix until it is uniformly moist without dry patches.

Cover with a lid that fits well, but is not airtight. Allow to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, about 2 hours. (You can let it go up to 5 hours.) The dough is ready to use at this point, but will be easier to shape if it is refrigerated at least 3 hours first.

On baking day:

Prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal (or line it with parchment).

Sprinkle the surface of your refrigerated dough with flour.

Pull up and cut off a 1 pound (grapefruit-size) piece of dough, using a serrated knife.

Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won't stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. (Most of the dusting flour will fall off.) The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but it will flatten and adhere during resting and baking. Handle the dough as little as possible.

Place the shaped ball on the cornmeal-covered pizza peel. Allow the loaf to rest on the peel for about 40 minutes, uncovered. Depending on the age of the dough, you may not see much rise (more will occur during baking).

20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour. Slash a ¼-inch-deep cross, scallop or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife.

With a quick forward jerking motion of the wrist, slide the loaf off the pizza peel and onto the preheated baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour about 1 cup of hot water from the tap into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely, preferably on a wire rack.

Store the remaining dough in the refrigerator in your lidded (not airtight) container. Cut off and shape more loaves as you need them anytime over the next 14 days. The flavor and texture will improve after even one day's storage.

Tester's note: If you don't have a baking stone, you can bake the loaf on a cookie sheet, but we found the crust was not as pleasantly crisp this way. Francois also recommends using unglazed garden tiles. If you don't have a pizza peel, the back side of a cookie sheet is a good substitute.

Overnight Oatmeal

Anyone who knows me and how I eat knows that I LOVE steel-cut or Scottish Oats.  Usually I will make a huge batch on Sunday and have breakfast for the week.  This is a recipe for a little something extra in the oats.  Make it with any kind of dried fruit you wish . . . I've made it with dried cranberries, apples, apricots, and raisins. :)  Just make sure that your dried fruit quantity doesn't exceed 2 cups.

Overnight Oatmeal on the Food Network
Alton Brown: Good Eats

Ingredients

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup dried figs
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup half-and-half

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and set to low heat. Cover and let cook for 8 to 9 hours.

Stir and remove to serving bowls. This method works best if started before you go to bed. This way your oatmeal will be finished by morning.

Rice Pilaf With Sauteed Onions and Dill

Rice Pilaf With Sauteed Onions and Dill | Real Simple Recipes

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 15m

Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 3 6- to 7-ounce boxes plain rice pilaf
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
• pepper

Directions

1. Cook the pilaf according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the dill and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

3. Transfer the pilaf to a large bowl and fold in the onion mixture.

Tip

With a boxed pilaf mix, there's no need to sauté the rice or measure the seasonings.

Nutritional Information

Calories 269; Calories From Fat 8%; Fat 3g; Sat Fat 1g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 1030mg; Carbohydrate 56g; Fiber 2g; Protein 7g

Baked Dijon Salmon

I made this for Easter supper one year and it was a huge hit.  It's so simple, yet your guests will think it's so fancy!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, for garnish

• 
  

• Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, stir together butter, mustard, and honey. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
3. Brush each salmon fillet lightly with honey mustard mixture, and sprinkle the tops of the fillets with the bread crumb mixture.
4. Bake salmon 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a wedge of lemon.

Eggnog

Eggnog on the Food Network

Alton Brown

(Low Carb)

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 pint whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 egg whites*

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Cook's Note: For cooked eggnog, follow procedure below.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugarmixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.

* Raw Eggs

*RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

BLT Frittata

BLT Frittata on the Food Network

Rachael Ray

(Low Carb)

This is a good basic frittata recipe.  I've made different versions of this depending on what I have on hand.  Frittatas are quick, easy, and tasty, which makes them a great go-to meal.  Also great with a simple tossed salad for a complete meal.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
• 1/4 pound sliced pancetta, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bundles arugula, trimmed and chopped, about 3 cups, loosely packed
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 12 extra-large eggs
• 1/3 cup half-and-half, eye ball it
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick ovensafe skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, pancetta, and garlic to the pan. When pancetta browns at edges and begins to crisp, add arugula. Wilt arugula, stir in tomatoes. Beat eggs together with half-and-half. Whisk in salt and pepper. Pour eggs over fillings and let eggs set. Using a spatula, raise eggs off the bottom of the skillet, allow more of the liquid egg to settle. When the frittata has set, transfer to oven and cook 10 to 12 minutes until top is deep golden brown. Remove the frittata and let it stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.