Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

We sampled some of Dad's Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie last night that he'd made for Thanksgiving. Mmmmmm.

Maree's Rolls

This is from Cox's Hon*yland recipes. The yummiest rolls always seem to have potato flakes and scalded milk in them. Since I've been afraid of scalding milk, I've never tried to make them--but after watching Maree do it at Thanksgiving I'm ready to make these melt-in-your-mouth rolls for special occasions.

2 TB yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp sugar

2 cups milk, scalded
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 heaping tsp salt
1/4 cup potato flakes
1/2 cup honey
5-6 cups flour
3 eggs

Dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar. To scalded milk add butter, salt, potato flakes, honey and 4 cups flour. Add eggs one at a time and then add remaining flour to dough until it holds together in bowl but not stiff. If you put in too much flour you will have a tough roll. Let rise until double. Punch down and roll out (oil counter for rolling out). For dinner rolls, cut with circle cutter, dip in melted butter, fold in half, put in pan and let rise. Bake at 350 for 15 min or until light brown.

B*squick Mix for Pancakes, Waffles and Biscuits

I have another recipe for biscuits on here, but when I'm going all for flavor, this one is really yummy (this one's from Maree).

B*squick Mix
4 cups flour
2 TB baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Cut in shortening with pastry cutter.

Pancakes: 2 cups mix with 1 cup milk and 2 eggs.

Waffles: 2 cups mix with 1 1/3 cup milk, 1 egg and 2 TB oil.

Biscuits: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Stir 2 1/4 cups mix with 2/3 cup milk. Turn out on surface sprinkled with extra mix. Knead 10 times. Roll out 1/2 inch thick. Cut with 2 1/2 inch cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, close together so they have to expand upward. Bake 8-10 min or until golden brown. Makes 9 biscuits.
(Maree has a cool trick for biscuits. Roll it out thinner than it states and then fold the dough in half. Roll it out slightly, and then cut with biscuit cutter. There will be a perfect crease in the center of your biscuit for adding butter, honey or whatever after baking!)

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

(modified from C**king Light Magazine)

This can be eaten casserole-style after baking in a 350 degree oven or just right off the stove.

 

1 cauliflower head, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups florets)

Add cauliflower to boiling salted water for 4 minutes or until tender. Remove cauliflower with slotted spoon to a big bowl.
 
Add to water:
8 ounces small seashell pasta
Cook until al dente (about 7 minutes); drain and add to cauliflower.

Make a roux over medium heat—stir constantly until thickened (about 8 minutes):

1 tsp. butter
¼ cup flour
3 cups milk
¾ tsp dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, crushed, or garlic powder to taste

Take off heat and stir in:

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. salt

Pour the sauce over the cauliflower/pasta and mix well. If baking, add a breadcrumb/butter mixture on top if desired. Bake in 13x9 pan until desired crispness.

Yeast

Difference between active dry and instant yeast: active dry yeast needs to be proofed in warm water. Instant yeast does not.

In a recipe that calls for active dry, you can use 20% less instant yeast instead, still adding the liquid that it calls for for proofing the yeast.

In a recipe that calls for instant yeast, you need 20% more active dry yeast--proof it before adding it to the other ingredients. Also, you should reduce the amount of liquid you add later in the recipe by the amount of water you proof the yeast in.

(correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how I understand it)

Copycat C*fe Rio Rice/Salad Bowl

I don't know a better name for this. I'm adapting from a bunch of different recipes. I'm lazy, so I like my version (dressing #1) that only involves buying cilantro and lettuce; everything else I always have on hand.

Rice (we like brown rice and cook it in the rice cooker)
Add to the rice before cooking:
canned, diced green chiles
minced onion
fresh cilantro leaves
garlic powder

Chicken:
bake in slow cooker with salsa, then chop

Take your pick of two different dressings
Dressing #1--blend the following:
2 cups mayo
garlic powder
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
2 TB water
1-2 TB balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 jalepeno--no seeds (instead, I just use some of Mr. Brady's hot pepper seasoning)

Dressing #2 (Shannon's):
1 c buttermilk
1 c mayo
garlic clove or 2
half bunch cilantro (stems discarded)
3 tomatillos (2 if really big)
green Tabasco if desired
3 TB Ranch dressing powder

After making the chicken, rice and dressing, shred some lettuce, open a can of black beans (rinse and warm up), and enjoy everything layered in a bowl with shredded cheese. Very satisfying!

Or, you can omit the lettuce and scoop it up with tortilla chips (and add corn if you want).

Homemade Chicken Rice-a-roni

This satisfies my hungriest, pickiest boys (mostly they'd like convenient, processed foods instead of homemade)! I didn't have a rice cooker for a decade of my adult life, but now I wonder how I did without it. Instead of opening up boxes of Rice-a-roni, try making your own.

Break up some spaghetti noodles for the vermicelli--inch-long pieces.
Brown the noodle and desired rice amount in oil in a skillet (use the rice cooker measuring cup to measure).
Put rice/noodles in cooker and add chicken broth instead of water to the correct line
Throw in some minced onion and parsley flakes.
Start your rice cooker.

Voila! Homemade and as much of it as you want. Add grilled chicken strips if desired.