Parker House Rolls a la Bobby Flay

I love these rolls.

Thank you, Bobby Flay.

PARKER HOUSE ROLLS A LA BOBBY FLAY

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups milk
1 stick butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. active dry yeast (I used 1 Tbs.)
1/2 cup warm water
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 tsp. salt
6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, then stir in the butter and sugar and let cool. (I placed the milk and butter in the microwave until the butter was melted, then stirred in the sugar and let cool.) Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy. Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a mixer with the dough attachment (I used my KitchenAid) and mix until smooth. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms.

Remove from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape as desired. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet; cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter before serving.

I tried shaping the rolls (pictured above) using a technique by Alex Guarnaschelli I saw in a Food Network magazine. I like it! Here is a link if you're interested (slide 11-17).

(If you go to the Bobby Flay link there is a video of him making rolls, and after watching I have concluded that he has no idea how to shape rolls.)

Italian Sodas

We served these for Shilo & Cheyenne's graduation party and they were a huge hit.

You can buy the syrup online direct from Torani, and if you order over $59, the shipping is free. World Market may have them also, you are just limited to the flavors they carry. We like to use the syrup for slushies and shaved ice all summer long.

ITALIAN SODAS

In a 16oz glass or plastic cup:

Pour 1/4 c. flavored syrup (if you are mixing flavors, you want them to total 1/4 cup) in bottom, then
Fill glass or cup 3/4 full of ice
Add 2/3 cup sparkling mineral water (or club soda)
Pour in 2 to 4 Tbs. heavy cream

(Note: I use 2oz shot glasses/cups to measure. 1 (2oz) measure of syrup, any combination, 1 (2oz) measure of cream. Just makes all that measuring stuff easier.)

Stir with a straw.
Enjoy.
And then enjoy another flavor.
Seriously, you may not be able to stop.

Lucky us, I slightly overbought for the party, so we have a stash that will last us (and our company) for a long, long time. Come see us and we'll serve you up.

Iced Hot Chocolate

I had to search for this recipe today on my family blog, so I thought I would quickly transfer it here where it is more easily found and accessible. I still have quite a few of these containers of Swiss Miss, so I think I'll share them with friends this summer along with this great recipe. YUM!

ICED HOT CHOCOLATE

Put in blender (my old $20 basic Oster does a great job - no need for a VitaMix):

2 cups cold milk
6 Tbs. hot cocoa mix (more if you like)
approx. 2 cups ice

Blend.
Pour into glasses.

Starbucks fancy style (unnecessary unless you are blending to impress):
top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolaty syrup.

Drink with a straw.
Makes 3 servings.

Note: I have tried making this with another hot cocoa mix and didn't like it nearly as well as the Swiss Miss. I'm not saying you can't make it with another mix, I just can't guarantee you will get the same results ;-) If you get BETTER results with another mix, please, feel free to share!

HELLO SUMMER!

The Best Jello Salad

Here's my current favorite Jello Salad, recipe courtesy of my friend Jeanne (who saved me on the 4th of July when I was trying to make it from memory - not a good idea  - for the whole gang and needed clarification.  She was in Hawaii - I had forgotten the time difference - and returned my call, apologizing for the delay in her response, but it was only 7am there.  She's a gem).

(I usually double the recipe when I am making it for a group.)

Jeanne Leak's Jello Salad

1 small pkg. cook-style vanilla pudding (can use sugar-free)

1 small pkg. cook-style tapioca pudding (can use fat free)

1 small pkg. Jello (can use sugar-free, any flavor)

3 cups water

Mix all together and bring to a boil.  Let cool 2 to 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Mix cooled Jello, making sure to blend well (no chunks - I use a big whisk).

Fold in fruit of your choice (mandarin oranges, strawberries, or my favorite, raspberries)

and 1 (8oz) Cool Whip (can use light - NOT fat free).

You can serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.

It's a little reminiscent of the Jello salad that has cottage cheese, WITHOUT the cottage cheese.  The tapioca pudding absorbs the jello, and you end up with brightly colored tiny soft balls of tapioca.

YUM-O.

Chocolate Raspberry Crash Cake

I usually try to make German Chocolate Cake for Bill's Birthday, but was a little pinched for time yesterday. I quickly perused Pinterest for a quick, easy and YUMMY alternative (with ingredients I already had on hand), and found this recipe and decided to give it a try (making a few adjustments). I had invited our neighbors over for cake and candles, so I hoped it would be good!

It was yummy. And pretty to look at. Definitely a keeper.

I didn't get any great pictures of the cake (focused on the Birthday part of things), so these will have to do:

Chocolate Raspberry Crash Cake

1 Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix, prepared per package directions; baked in a 9x13 pan; cooled
2 sm. boxes instant chocolate pudding
3-1/2 cups milk
2-1/2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbs. confectioners sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed (fresh raspberries would be awesome if you have them!)

While the cake is baking, prepare instant pudding using 3-1/2 cups milk (I like the pudding just a tad thicker - you could use the 4 cups milk per package directions if you would like).  Put in refrigerator to set.

Whip the cream with the confectioners sugar until stiff peaks are just about to form. Add vanilla and whip a few seconds more (I like fairly stiff whipped cream, too). Refrigerate until ready to assemble cake.

When ready to assemble, cut cake into small squares. Using approx. 1/3 of the cake, pull out and break up cake pieces to cover the bottom of a trifle bowl.

Using 1/2 of the prepared pudding, spoon onto cake layer and smooth out with back of spoon.

Spoon approx. 1/3 (or slightly more) of the whipped cream on top of the pudding, carefully spreading to edges.

Sprinkle on 1/3 of the raspberries.

Repeat layers starting with cake pieces.

Add one more layer of cake pieces, and top with remaining whipped cream and berries.
(Since my frozen berries didn't look that awesome, I didn't put any on top).

Keep in freezer for about 15 minutes before serving.

I think this cake would be best assembled within 30 minutes of serving. All the components can be prepared well ahead of time, and assembly takes 5-10 minutes, depending on how meticulous you are.

YUM!

Grandma G's Microwave Caramel Corn

I think this recipe came from my Grandma, but maybe it came from mi madre. Either way, it's still Grandma G's recipe. I've enjoyed numerous batches of this crunchy treat over many, many years. Last night around 9:30 Mauri requested we make some, since she will be getting braces today and will have to stay away from all things sticky/crunchy/gummy for a couple of years. I hadn't made it for a long time, and was reminded once again how quick and easy it is.

Grandma G's Microwave Caramel Corn

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cube BUTTER (or margarine)

Microwave for 2 minutes, then stir. Microwave 2 more minutes, then add:

1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Stir (will foam a little), then pour over popcorn. Stir. Microwave all together for 1-1/2 minutes more, stirring every 30 seconds. Let cool until crispy.

*Notes: Always use a glass bowl for the caramel. Once, when Bill and I were visiting my sister in Maryland (18 years ago), we made it in a plastic bowl. Not a good idea. The caramel melted a nice big hole in the bottom of the bowl and we had a hot mess. Literally.

The quantity of popcorn needed is subjective. I have made this using air-popped popcorn or microwave popcorn (it's delicious over butter flavored, and the salt gives it a little savory, too). I have found that the perfect amount of popcorn is pretty much a single full-sized bag of microwave popcorn per recipe.

Per my grandma, ALWAYS sort the unpopped kernels (I think we used to call them old maids) out of your popcorn before pouring the caramel over. We wouldn't want any EXTRA dental work!!

You can do the last step (popcorn and caramel together) in a plastic bowl, if needed. You just have to make sure it will fit in your microwave.

Misty's Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

I am not doing great at getting my favorite recipes posted. Obviously.
I've actually been in quite a baking/cooking/grilling/making dinner RUT. Life has been so busy that, by the time dinner rolls around, I am only looking for cheap, fast, easy, and low-mess options. Unfortunately, this has led to many a freezer-to-stovetop-to-table meal. (We've been having a lot of Costco's Crazy Cuisine brand of Chicken Teriyaki over rice with frozen oriental veggies lately. 20 minutes, 2 frypans + a rice cooker, about $7 for the entire meal for 4.)

Excuses aside, I've had the pic for this cake on my desktop since we made it for Shi's birthday, and decided today was the day to git 'er done - before I lose the recipe (it's happened before).

This recipe came from my awesome next-door neighbor, Misty.

Misty's Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
12 oz fresh strawberries, diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 10" Bundt pan (10 to 15 cup pan). Sift together 2-1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated. Toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Place in oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled, pipe cream cheese icing over the top and serve.

Cream Cheese Icing
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
6 Tbs. milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Yummy, yummy!