The On-Call Cook: April 2012

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Baked Doughnuts

While I was waiting in the doctor's office this past week, they had the TV set to PBS create, and there was none other than the one and only Bob Ross painting with that glorious, glowing afro of his. It never ceases to amaze me how he can turn a canvas of emptiness into the most amazing picture you've ever seen in 30 minutes! My daughter came with me, and she kept looking up from her coloring book. First she said, "How does he make it look so real?" Then she said, "Uh, mom... he has really weird hair." Yes, he does. However, that guy could turn a pile of mud and a t-shirt into a glorious work of art. One of my co-workers and I were talking about Bob Ross, and he found the website bobrossquotes.com. Oh, man. I was laughing so hard. Here are some:

And just go straight in like your going to stab it. And barely touch it...barely touch it
I can't go over 30 minutes, because we have a mean ol' director with no sense of humor.
When I was teaching my son Steve to paint, I used to tell him, just pretend he was a whisper, and he floated right across the mountain, that easy, gentle, make love to it, caress it.
We tell people sometimes: we're like drug dealers, come into town and get everybody absolutely addicted to painting. It doesn't take much to get you addicted
Water's like me. It's laaazy... Boy, it always looks for the easiest way to do things
That's a crooked tree. We'll send him to Washington
Oh, that would make a nice place to fish. I like fishing, but I'm not a very good fisherman. I always throw the fish back into the water, just put a band-aid on his mouth, tap 'im on the patootie and let him on his way. And maybe some day, if I'm lucky, I'll get to catch him again

I could go on and one. This guy was a crack-up. I love good ol' Bob Ross. Well, as for these doughnuts, as Bob Ross would say... They are happy little clouds of sugary wonder. When I took them into the office, one lady seriously took about ten doughnuts holes and was popping them in her mouth like they were popcorn. I love that these doughnuts are baked- although I'm still slightly partial to the fried ones. These are wonderful, and everyone that tried them absolutely loved them. They are worth the effort! Grub 'em up and while you're eating them, catch an episode of "The Joy of Painting" for a real mind-blowing experience.

Baked Doughnuts
source: Melskitchencafe.com

Doughnuts:1 1/3 c warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees
2 t active dry yeast
2 T butter
2/3 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
5 c all-purpose flour
A pinch or two of nutmeg, freshly grated
1 t salt

Topping:

1/2 c butter, melted
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1 T cinnamon

Add the yeast to 1/3 c warm milk. Once it is foamy, add it into your bread maker. Add the remaining milk, sugar, and melted or softened butter. Add in the eggs and the dry ingredients. Put the bread maker on the dough setting and let it work its magic.

Once the dough is finished and double in size, remove the dough to a floured countertop or a pastry cloth dusted with flour. Roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Use a doughnut cutter (or a round cookie cutter for the outside ring and a smaller one for the inside) and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. With this recipe, I was able to make 8 doughnuts and about 70 doughnut holes.

Place the doughnuts in a warm spot and let them rise until doubled in size. I always put my bread in the microwave with a small bowl of boiling water. They rise perfectly and quickly every time!

Bake them in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. You want them to be cooked through but not browned on top. I think I baked mine for the full ten minutes. If they start to get brown but you think they are not cooked through, you can tent them with foil.

Let them cool for two minutes on the cookie sheet. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Melt some butter in a small bowl. Put a couple doughnuts in a larger bowl, put a couple spoonfuls of butter in there and toss the doughnuts to coat them with butter. Add them into the large bowl with the cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss to coat.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze

Oh, how I love Steelhead Salmon. However, when I eat it, for just a split second, I feel really guilty. These crazy fish swim upstream for miles and miles to spawn only to get snagged up. All that work for nothing. At least they are delicious, and I will not let their efforts prevent me from devouring them every chance I get. Could you imagine if humans had the instinct to return to their place of birth to spawn? Watch out, Price, Utah! Here I come! Ha! I'll pass. But I won't ever pass if this salmon is present at the table. It was tender, flavorful, and delicious in every way. The green onions were a nice touch, too. That was my own doing, but I loved it.

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze
source: foodnetwork.com http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/salmon-with-brown-sugar-and-mustard-glaze-recipe/index.html

3 T brown sugar
1 T honey
2 T butter
1/4 c dijon mustard
2 T soy sauce
2 T olive oil
1 T grated ginger (or 1 t ground ginger)
vegetble oil
salt and pepper
8 salmon filets
green onion (for garnish)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, honey, and butter.

Cook and stir until the brown sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and add the dijon mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and ginger. Stir until everything is well combined.

Preheat the oven to 375. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon filets on the foil. Drizzle some vegetable oil on top and salt and pepper each filet- unless you have a five yer oldlike mine that loves salmon but without seasoning.

Brush some of the brown sugar and mustard glaze onto the filets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. I brushed a little more glaze on each filet and sprinkled with a bit more brown sugar before serving it. Use a spatula to scrape the fish off the skin. It comes off really easily, and you can just throw the foil away.

Sprinkle some cut green onions on top of each filet.

Chocolate Breakfast Muffins

I'm sorry about all the posts about pregnancy stories, but if you haven't been pregnant, you haven't experienced some of the most bizarre occurances in life. For example, my family and I were headed into Boulder City this past weekend for the "Day out with Thomas" train ride. My 5 1/2 year old daughter informed us, as we were only five minutes from our destination that she forgot her shoes. We laughed about it and tried to figure out where in Boulder City we could get shoes. This town is super small and probably doesn't even have a Wal-Mart. Luckily, we saw a CVS. We pulled in there and I waddled in to see if I could find some shoes or flip-flops or something. I did. I went up to pay for them. Now, the lady behind the counter was probably about 70. Her dyed midnight-black hair was thrown up into a messy beehive-looking do that had more fly-aways than a flock of pigeons being attacked my a pack of rabid dogs. She had on dark reddish-purple lipstick that was a little too thick. She had on heavy eye make-up. In fact, she probably had more eye make-up on one single eye that I have ever worn in my entire life. I walked up, and she said, "Oh, my! Did you swallow a basketball?" while smiling with her coffee-stained teeth. To avoid any further discussion, I told her that I was smuggling a bowling ball out of the store. She proceeded to rech over the counter and place both hands on my stomach and rub it. Hello?! Who does that?! She asked if it was a girl or boy. I told her it was a girl. She took her hands off, looked at me with the look of a mother after her daughter tells her that she's decided to drop out of school and start a Ace of Base cover band in Finland. The woman stated with near disgust, "It can't be a girl! You are carrying far too high." I honestly think I didn't respond for a good twenty seconds becuase I was baffled as to why a woman that predict the gender of a baby based on belly height is working at CVS. I just laughed it off, nudged the flip-flops in her direction, and hoped she'd ring me up without any further confused looks or physical contact. When she handed me the bag, I booked it out of there. I'm surprised she didn't chase me down with a measuring tape! Good times, I tell you.

Speaking of good times, any time these scrumptious morsels are served for breakfast, good times are sure to follow. These were an utter delight! My kids both had a friend sleep over a couple weekends ago, and I made these for breakfast. The four-year-old boy that was over here said, "Ummm.. are these supposed to have chocolate chips in them?" as his wide eyes and smile observe the melty chocolate chips. These muffins were gobbled right up. I can't wait to make them again someday soon.

Chocolate Breakfast Muffins
source: KingArthurFlour.com http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/chocolate-breakfast-muffins-recipe

2/3 cup Dutch-proces cocoa

1 3/4 cups Flour
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 t vanilla
2 t vinegar
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place muffin liners in your muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.

In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and vinegar. Add this to the dry ingredients.

Add the melted butter as well.

Stir just until moistened.

Use a cookie scoop to get the batter into the muffin liners. I sprinkled the top with regular sugar, but the original recipe calls for sugar pearls, which I'm sure everyone has on hand.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let them cool a few minutes before devouring them.

Aren't the lovely? These are the closest I have found to those big chocolate muffins you find at Sam's Club or Costco. This recipe is a keeper!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry French Silk Pie

When I was making this for dessert one night, I texted my brother and wrote, "Do you want to come over the Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry French Silk Pie?" Within about 15 seconds, he replied, "uhh... yeah!" Someone would have to be downright mad to turn down this pie. It was wonderful. I know that it looks even more radiant on that paper plate with the jagged sliced sides. I was a tad bit anxious to eat it, so I didn't take the time to get a better picture. Take my word though- this pie is divine!

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry French Silk PIe
source: Cooking Club Magazine Spring 2012

crust:
1 1/2 c chocolate cookie crumbs (about 14 Oreos)
5 T butter, melted

Filling:
8 Oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
1/4 c butter, cut up
1 1/4 c heavy whipping cream
1 t vanilla

Garnish:
2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 t canola oil
8 strawberries, stems removed

Topping:
2 c heavy cream
1 c chopped strawberries
2 T sugar

Preheat the oven to 325. Spray a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray.

Combine the cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl.

Mix well and pat into the pie pan. I don't know how Powder got into my house to pat this down. He can be sneaky. Press it up the sides as well.

Bake it in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

Place a bowl over a pot of simmering water or use a double boiler.

Put the chocolate, marshmallow creme, and 1/4 c butter in the bowl. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted. Pour into another bowl and let cool- about 15-20 minutes.

Beat 1 1/4 c heavy cream and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat at medium-high speed until firm peaks form.

Fold half of the whipped cream mixture into the chocolate mixture until it is well incorporated.

Add the remaining whipped cream in and mix until it is all mixed. Spoon it into the crust and let it sit in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, beat the topping ingredients until firm peaks form.

Add in the chopped strawberries. mix well.

Spoon the whipped cream with strawberries over the chocolate layer.

For the chocolate-covered strawberries, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until it is melted. Add the oil. Wash and dry the strawberries and dip in the chocolate. Place on a wax-paper lined plate. Place them in the fridge until they are set. Arrange them on top of the whipped cream.

Mmmm...

Pecan Sticky Buns

Sticky buns? I'm not referring to someone who sat in syrup. Although, that would be quite comical.

One of the many joys of being pregnant is the little sleep you get toward the end. I still have about five and a hlaf weeks to go, but I've been sleeping as much as an insomniac who drank five Rockstars. About a week ago, I woke up at 5:30 and could not go back to sleep for the life of me. I decided that if I was going to get up at the crack of dawn, I would at least make it worth my while by making a breakfast that takes three hours to finish. My husband usually comes strolling down the stairs around 10:00 in the morning when he wakes up, but when I made these, he was down by 8:30 wondering what the smell was that had been wafting through the house. These were all that I'd hoped they would be. The bread was perfectly tender, and the caramel pecan sauce was amazing. I'd take these over cinnamon rolls any day of the week.

Pecan Sticky Buns
source: The Taste of Home Baking Book

2 t active dry yeast
1 1/4 c water (110-115 degrees)
3 T butter, softened
3 T sugar
2 T dry milk powder
1 t salt
3 - 3 1/4 c bread flour (I used all-purpose)

Filling:
1/3 c butter, softened
1 T sugar
1/4 c brown sugar (my own addition here)
1 t cinnamon

Sauce:
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c butter
1/4 c corn syrup
1/2 c chopped pecans

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. While it is foaming, put the butter, sugar, milk powder, salt, and 2 c flour in a bread maker. Once the yeast has foamed, add it into the bread maker as well. Turn it to the dough setting. Let it mix for a few minutes then add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Let the bread maker run its course until the dough has doubled in size.

Once it has doubled, pour it out onto a floured surface. Roll it into a 16 x 10 rectangle. Spread the butter all over the rectangle.

Sprinkle with the sugars and cinnamon.

Roll it up jelly-roll style.

Use kitchen string or floss (it sounds crazy, but it works great!) and slide it under the dough. Cross the string or floss and pull tight to cut all the way through. Cut into 12 pieces.

Look at that nice smooth cut!

Once they are all cut, set them aside while you make the sauce.

In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup.

The mixture will start to boil and the sugar will be dissolved. Add the pecans.

Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Place the 12 rolls on top.

Place them in a warm place until doubled in size. I always boil water in a Pyrex measuring cup and keep it in the microwave with the rolls. The rise quite nicely in there. Here is the pre-oven picture.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown. Cool for three minutes.

Invert them onto a serving platter or whatever you have that is 9 x 13 size.

Get ready to have some delicious sticky buns!

I took a few over to my neighbor (shout out, Madison!) and she was just pleased as punch. She said that it was a nice break from cleaning bathrooms and doing laundry. I'd think anyone that would get these as a surprise would be just thrilled to pieces. They are divine.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Alphabetical Index of Recipes

I'm happy to announce that I'm working on an alphabetical index of all the recipes on my blog. Now, you won't have to scroll through 8,000 pages trying to find your favorite recipe. It's all here! Hopefully, this will save you oddles of time and will help you discover some of my older posts that are desperate for some attention. Enjoy!