Bread, Muffins & Rolls etc.

Popovers – ‘Let me count the ways…’ (A new addition to The Popover Experiment.)

These may be the easiest popovers to make – ever!

Crusty outside and drier than most popovers inside – great for filling with chicken salad etc. Or ice cream and chocolate sauce, which tastes like an eclair!

A while back I did a series of popover recipes which I called The Popover Experiment. I had a lot of fun – and ate a lot of popovers – while working on that series of recipes. It’s truly amazing how many variations of popover recipes there are. And I can say with all honesty that I’ve never eaten a popover I didn’t enjoy!

Recently I made popovers for my grandchildren while visiting with my son’s family. I found this recipe in my son’s 1980’s edition of the Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cook Book., which I used religiously when my sons were teenagers. (Awhile ago I purchased used copies for both my sons, so they now each have their own copies of the same cookbook I used when they were growing up!)

As you can see in the photo above, these popovers are huge and crusty. The centers are drier than most popovers, perfect for filling with chicken salad etc. – OR – ice cream and chocolate sauce! Of course, all popovers are delicious just slathered with butter and a bit of jam.

Here’s my grandson’s idea – melted chocolate. He was one happy boy!! ; o )

Popovers with Melted Choc. Chips - myyellowfarmhouse.com - COOPER'S IDEA! — We sprinkled on some chocolate chips and melted them a bit in the microwave – YUMMY!

Oven at 375 F Bake for 50 minutes

++ Grease popover pans if they’re not ‘nonstick’.

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
1 cup milk
3 Tbs. butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt.

Beat 3 eggs, 1 cup milk and 3 Tbs. butter at high speed until foamy. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour & ½ tsp. salt. Beat until combined and foamy.

Bake at 375F for 50 minutes. Pierce each popover with a knife to allow steam to escape.

++ Recipe courtesy of the 1980’s edition of the Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cook Book

January 29, 2017April 11, 2018

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!18 Comments

Moist and Light Honey Pecan Wholewheat Bread – Bread Maker Version

The dough for Moist and Light Honey Pecan Wholewheat Bread, as it was being kneaded in my bread maker, looked super sticky. I added two tablespoons of white flour and was tempted to add more. I’m glad I didn’t. This bread cooked up beautifully with a moist and light texture. Nothing ‘cardboard’ about it, unlike some wholewheat breads. ++ Recipe does include some all purpose white flour.

A recent blood test showed I have a touch of hypoglycemia which means I need to eat protein with every meal – and watch my carbs. So, I believe the carbs I do eat should be healthy – healthy and delicious of course!! (Of course, I’ll still be eating desserts… I just can’t over indulge.)

++ About that bit of ‘Extra Flour’. When making bread dough, the amount of flour needed can vary depending upon the humidity of the flour etc. If the dough looks more like glue than dough, add a tablespoon or so of flour. After the bread maker kneads for awhile, the dough should come away from the sides and form a ball. If it doesn’t, add another tablespoon of flour. There’s NO way you can screw it up!

++ Loaf Ready in About 4 1/2 hours ++

2-LB. Loaf ++ For 1 1/2-LB. Loaf…. continue scrolling down

ADD INGREDIENTS TO BREAD MAKER IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER

1 1/3 cups milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs. honey ++ Or sugar
4 tsp. butter
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white bread flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast/bread maker yeast
1/4 cup chopped pecans ++ If your bread maker alerts you when to add ‘extras’, add pecans then. If not, add nuts after dough has been kneaded for about 10 minutes.

++ Want to add chia seeds, flax seeds etc.? Just remove an equal amount of flour from the recipe

Set bread maker cycle to ‘GRAIN’ if possible. Otherwise, set bread maker cycle to ‘BASIC’. It doesn’t get much easier than that! ; o ) Enjoy!

– – – – – – – – –

1 1/2 Lb. Loaf

ADD INGREDIENTS TO BREAD MAKER IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER

1 cup milk
3 Tbs. water
4 tsp. honey ++ Or sugar
1 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white bread flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. active dry yeast/bread maker yeast
3 Tbs. chopped pecans ++ If your bread maker alerts you when to add ‘extras’, add pecans then. If not, add nuts after dough has been kneaded for about 10 minutes.

++ Want to add chia seeds, flax seeds etc.? Just remove an equal amount of flour from the recipe

Set bread maker cycle to ‘GRAIN’ if possible. Otherwise, set bread maker cycle to ‘BASIC’. It doesn’t get much easier than that! ; o ) Enjoy!

moist-and-delicious-honey-and-pecan-whole-wheat-bread-breadmachine-versiion-2

moist-and-delicious-honey-and-pecan-whole-wheat-bread-breadmachine-versiion

++ Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens ‘The Complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking’ – 1999.

November 5, 2016December 6, 2016

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!10 Comments

Parmesan and Basil Spiral Dinner Rolls – Short on Time? Buy Prepared Dough!

Parmesan and Basil Dinner Rolls would be a delicious addition to any meal but, at least for me, these babies are the perfect accompaniment for spaghetti and meatballs or lasagna … actually, pretty much anything Italian.

I used my bread machine, which makes a 2 lb. loaf, to prepare the dough for these rolls. Since I only needed half the dough to make 12 rolls, I used the rest to bake a loaf of bread. Of course, you could use the dough to prepare 24 Parmesan and Basil Rolls instead of 12!

Yesterday I lost a life-long friend to pancreatic cancer. Angela adored bread, in any form. My dear friend, I dedicate today’s post to you. And I like to imagine you and your mom busy preparing the best lasagna heaven has ever seen.

++ You can purchase 1 lb. of bread dough, prepare the dough the ‘old fashioned way’ or use a bread machine, set on the ‘dough’ setting – it’s up to you.

This bread machine recipe makes a 2 lb. loaf. One lb. makes 12 rolls plus one bread. Or, if you chose, you could make 24 ‘Parmesan and Basil Rolls’. For 24 rolls, you’ll need two 8 1/2″ – 9″ round cake pans.

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ cup lukewarm milk
¼ cup lukewarm water
2 Tbs. butter or olive oil
4 cups bread flour
1 Tbs. AND 1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 ¼ tsp. bread machine (quick rise) yeast

Add ingredients and set bread machine for ‘dough’. Should take about 2 hours.

FILLING INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. softened butter
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
¼ tsp. dried Italian seasonings – or oregano
¾ tsp. minced fresh basil leaves
2 – 3 fresh garlic cloves, crushed OPTIONAL

TO SPRINKLE ON TOP OF ROLLS AT END OF BAKING

1 heaping Tbs. grated Parmesan

METHOD

Oven at 375F 8 1/2″ to 9″ round cake pan Bake rolls for approximately 25 minutes

Mix 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 2 Tbs. softened butter, 2 Tbs. mayonnaise and herbs in a small bowl. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 lb. (16 oz.) bread dough into a 12” by 14” rectangle.

+ If using frozen bread dough, allow it to thaw and warm up a bit so dough will be easier to roll.

++ Dough may have the tendency to spring back – just let it rest for a minute and then ‘give it another go’. Also, don’t be afraid to take a bit of dough from one place and stick it onto another place in order to get the rectangular shape.

Spread Parmesan/butter/mayonnaise/spice mixture evenly on the 12″ x 14″ rectangle. ++ I like to drop small amounts all over – I think it makes it easier to spread the filling.

Starting at the 12” end, roll up dough and cut into 12 equal sections.

Place sections in an 8½” to 9” round cake pan. (Pan does NOT have to be greased.) Cover pan with a dish (tea) towel and allow dough to rise until almost double – between 40 minutes to over an hour.

++ I recommend placing the dough in the oven to rise, and I place a 10” x 13” pan filled with hot water on the lowest shelf because the hot water helps the dough rise evenly – and usually faster.

Once rolls are risen, remove from oven and set oven temperature to 375F.Bake rolls for 20 minutes – remove from oven and sprinkle on 1 heaping Tbs. grated Parmesan. Bake 4 – 5 minutes more.

Allow rolls to cool for a minute or two, then remove from pan with a spatula. Enjoy!

April 16, 2016April 16, 2016

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!6 Comments

Always Moist Barbequed Chicken, Corny Bread and Easy-Cheesy New Potatoes

“Always Moist Barbequed Chicken”

“Corny Bread – Made in Bread Machine”

“Easy Cheesy New Potatoes”

“Easy Cheesy New Potatoes” – – – ‘Brooklyn Farm Girl’s’ version – – – prepared with fresh radishes and broccoli straight from her rooftop garden. Check out Pamela’s blog at brooklynfarmgirl.com!!

Some friends came over tonight to help take my outdoor furniture out of the barn – and into the yard, where it belongs! The weather today was amazing – mild with no humidity…. the kind of day that just screams – BAR–B– QUE !!

I haven’t made my Always Moist Barbequed Chicken in a while, although it’s always a real favorite whenever I make it. (And it was a big hit tonight.) The secret lies in the marinade, and, in cooking the chicken in a 250 F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours so the meat is partly cooked before it goes on the grill. So you can say goodbye to slightly raw – or dried out – barbequed chicken!

The Easy-Cheesy New Potatoes is something I “invented” tonight – and the Corny Bread recipe is from a cookbook that came with my bread maker. Even though there’s a half cup of cornmeal in the ingredients, it doesn’t taste like cornbread. It’s just incredibly moist and light! .

“Always Moist Barbequed Chicken”

The “Always Moist Barbequed Chicken” is marinated for several hours – or overnight – so I’m giving you those directions first.

Ingredients – (Uses 4 Large Chicken Breast Halves – bone-in and with skin.)

4 bone-in chicken breast halves with skin
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
dash of pepper

Combine the Italian salad dressing with 2 Tbs. soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and a dash of pepper. If you like, you can add some other ingredients to your marinade, such as a bit of cayenne pepper are some cumin, for example.

Place the chicken in a bowl, a pan or a large zip lock bag, and pour the marinade over it. Marinate overnight – or for several hours, turning occasionally.

About 1 1/2 to 2 hours before you plan to barbeque (depending on the size of the chicken breasts) set your oven at 250 F, drain away the marinade and place the chicken in a low sided casserole or pan. (You can turn the chicken a few times but it’s not necessary.)

At the end of the cooking time, the chicken will look like this – all ready to be barbequed!

OK – you’re all set! Set your gas grill at medium. Slather chicken breasts with your favorite sauce, grill until the skin as brown as you like and enjoy! (If fat from the chicken makes your grill flame up – lower heat a bit.)

++ Tip from Emril Legasse – spread on your barbeque sauce at the last-minute or it might crystallize and char! My chicken breasts charred a bit because I turned up the heat when the skin wasn’t browning quickly enough for me…. and the next thing I knew, it had gotten slightly charred. Oh well, we live & learn !

Corny Bread – Made in the Bread Machine

The “Corny Bread” takes several hours, so allow yourself enough time. (Not that you have to do any of the kneading etc.!)

Ingredients

2 Tbs. milk. . . .and add lukewarm water to make 1 cup
1/4 cup honey
3 Tbs. butter, softened a bit
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 tsp. yeast – bread machine yeast !
++ OPTIONAL – 1/2 cup canned corn – drained OR 1/2 cup frozen corn – ADDED LATER!

Place all the ingredients – EXCEPT THE CORN – in your bread machine’s baking pan in the order listed above. Select the “Basic” and “Regular Crust” settings. My bread machine lets me know when I should add ingredients such as nuts – or corn. If you’re bread maker doesn’t have this feature, you can add the corn towards the end of the kneading cycle. (My machine takes 3 hours and 50 minutes to knead and bake the bread.)

“Easy Cheesy New Potatoes”

My sister-in-law says I could make a delicious meal out of mud. And by that she means I can take a bit of this and a bit of that and – voila – some good eatin’ ! I take that as a very nice complement – thanks Sue !! These “Easy Cheesy New potatoes” were NOT made out of mud but out of what I happened to have on hand. I love the flavor and texture of new potatoes – like strawberries, they taste like spring or early summer.

Ingredients

6 – 7 medium new potatoes – unpeeled
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. butter
5 shakes of Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp. salt – or to taste
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
some sliced cheese to place on the top – about 1/2 cup – as much as you want
(I happened to have Marble Jack cheese, which is a combination of Colby and Monterey Jack)

Scrub potatoes a bit under running water, then cut into chunks of about 1″. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook potatoes until they are fork tender. (According to my brother-in-law, I didn’t cook them enough. According to his wife, they were fine…)

Once potatoes are cooked, drain and set aside. With the heat off, mix 2 Tbs butter, 2 Tbs. olive oil, 5 shakes Tabasco sauce, 2 Tbs. parsley and 1/4 tsp. salt in the pan. Add in the potatoes and mix well. (If the potatoes begin to break up a bit… that’s fine.)

Place potatoes in a casserole. Put some sliced cheese on top and broil until the cheese is melted – that’s it ! (The cheese tends to melt quickly because the potatoes are already hot!) Enjoy !

June 20, 2013March 18, 2014

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!19 Comments

Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I used to make these Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins for breakfast when my sons were young. However, at that time I wasn’t topping the muffins with melted chocolate and nuts. A person only has some much time in the morning!

Breakfast has always been one of my favorite meals, so I used to love to cook all kinds of great things for breakfast, such as a really delicious breakfast custard. Or we used to have cornmeal pancakes, banana nut pancakes, apple pancakes, waffles, Egg Benedict, Eggs in a Frame and Goldenrod Eggs on toast etc. Was I always on time for my job as a teacher….. nope. But I always arrived with a Happy Tummy!!

The original recipe didn’t call for chocolate chips – or melted chocolate on top – but I believe you can never have too much of a good thing.

Oven at 400 F Makes 16 mini muffins Makes 12 regular muffins

13 (or so) minutes for “mini” muffins – – – For the mini muffins, grease both the bottom & the sides of the muffin cups.

15 minutes (or so) for regular-sized muffins You can use cupcake liners – or – grease the bottoms only.

Ingredients I checked online and the recipe has been changed a bit since “way back when”, so I’m posting the latest amounts because I think the changes are good. There’s a bit more mashed banana, plus a little more sugar.

1 egg
3 Tbs. melted butter – microwave for 10 seconds — OR — 3 Tbs. oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups Bisquick
1 1/4 cups mashed VERY RIPE banana
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips – for top of muffins
1 tsp. Crisco
some chopped walnuts, to sprinkle on top of muffins

In a medium bowl, mix egg slightly with a fork. Add the 3 Tbs. melted butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 cups Bisquick and 1 1/4 cups mashed banana. Mix with large spoon until just combined.

Add 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups to 1/2 full. Bake according to the above directions, depending upon the size of your muffin pans. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or a knife into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, then your muffins are done. (Don’t get confused by the melted chocolate sticking to either the toothpick or the knife. As long as the batter’s cooked, then the muffins are done!)

Allow muffins to cool for a few minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. While muffins are cooling, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 tsp. Crisco in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Return to microwave for another 20 – 35 seconds. Stir again, then, with a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the muffins. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Enjoy!!