The BEST and EASIEST Rolls EVER!

In honor of not posting for SEVEN months, I decided to finally post again!  Yay me. 

The recipe is actually called Overnight Crescent Rolls--but I've changed the name because they are so easy and always receive rave reviews.  By everyone.  My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law have all already requested the recipe. 

Oh, and last weekend, my mom saw the recipe for the first time and said, "These are Mary Riding's rolls!"  Mary Riding was in my ward (congregation) when I was growing up and always made the best rolls.  I always thought her roll recipe was SO hard to make!  I'm glad to know that they're not hard at all...and that I've been able to master them already! :)

I think these would be a FANTASTIC addition to your Thanksgiving table!  And, since they're mixed up the night before, take a few minutes of attention in the morning, and then rise for several hours, it will free up your time to prep other parts of dinner or read a book...or both.  (As usual, I have no pics--but I'm going to give you a link to the site where I found these beauties to see pics.)

Without further ado, here is the recipe:

Overnight Crescent Dinner Rolls

Recipe adapted from RealMomKitchen.com (click on link for her pic!)
Yield: 2 dozen rolls

1 Tbsp yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 -5 cups flour
1/2 cup butter

In stand mixer, combine yeast and warm water. Allow yeast to dissolve while you move on.

In small sauce pan melt butter. When melted and starting to bubble, mix in milk and remove immediately from heat. Set aside to cool a little.

In same bowl as yeast, add eggs, sugar, and salt. Drizzle in a little of the lukewarm butter/milk mixture to mixing bowl, while paddle attachment is running.  Continue adding milk mixture a little at a time until all mixed in.

Change to dough hook.  Add flour 1 cup at a time up to 4 cups.  Let the mixer knead the dough for about 5 minutes.  (This will ensure the flour is mixed in and not just on the outside layer of dough.)  You want a very sticky dough, but it should not be runny. If needed, add up to 1 cup of flour, but DO NOT go over 5 cups.

Scrape side of bowl down, so dough is in a ball at the bottom.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight.  (If you want to keep from getting a "skin" on your dough, place the plastic wrap right on the surface of the dough, but leave enough "gathers" on top so the dough can expand.  It won't expand a ton, but will definitely rise overnight.)

About 4 hours before you want the finish product, remove dough from fridge.  Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter.  Divide dough in half and roll 1/2 into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.  Pour half of melted butter on center of circle and spread within 1 inch of dough edge.  (Butter will stiffen up as you spread.)

Using pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge starting with wide end rolling toward point.  Place rolls on ungreased baking sheet, point down.  (I have found that the butter on the dough is enough to grease the baking sheet as they bake, but you can spray the pan with baking spray before putting the rolls on it if you want to.)

Cover and let rise for 3-4 hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  (If you're using a dark baking sheet, reduce oven temp to 325 degrees.)  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

NOTES: Some people are afraid of yeast recipes--but this one is actually quite easy.  When mixing up the yeast and water, use the hottest tap water you can stand to put your hand in.  And let the butter/milk mixture cool enough so it won't burn you if you stick your finger in.  That way, it won't kill the yeast when you add it to the mixing bowl.  And, make sure NOT to go over 5 cups of flour.  Even if the dough seems too sticky--trust me--it works.

Cranberry Glazed Chicken Breasts

A couple of weeks ago, I decided (for who knows what reason) that I needed to put cranberry chicken on our upcoming dinner menu.  I made it a couple of years ago and felt it was time to give it another go. And cranberries just sounded really good.

From what I remembered, the past recipe basically combined a can of cranberry sauce with a bunch of barbecue sauce.  Somewhere in the mixture, the cranberry flavor was lost and the chicken tasted like plain ol' barbecue chicken.  I was determined that this time, my cranberry chicken would taste like cranberries.  (I know.  Who would expect that?)  So, I set off on the search for the perfect cranberry chicken. 

And, whaddya know.  I hit the jackpot on the very first recipe I tried!  Whoa boy.  This chicken was plate-lickin' good.  Not that I actually did that. *ahem* On to the recipe!

Cranberry Glazed Chicken Breasts
Adapted from Cully's Kitchen (Which has fantastic pics of the recipe!)
Servings: 6-8

1 Tbls butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped (optional)
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups fresh cranberries **See NOTES**
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup water
2/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbls apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place butter, onion, and shallot to 9x13 glass baking dish and bake in preheated oven until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. 

While onions are softening, combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat. 

Remove dish from oven, push onions to either end.  Place chicken into baking dish and return to oven. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. 

In small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and mustard.  Add to warm cranberry mixture.  Remove chicken from oven, scoop onions into cranberry mixture; stir to combine.  Pour cranberry mixture over chicken and return to oven.  Bake until cranberry mixture is slightly caramelized, which should be about 20 minutes, (or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 degrees on thermometer). 

NOTES: The shallot is completely optional.  I happened to have one on hand, so I tossed it in.

I only used 4 chicken breasts, but there was plenty of sauce for much more.  I served rice with ours--and the sauce is just as incredible over steamed rice as it is over the chicken.

Speaking of sauce--you can substitute canned "whole berry" cranberry sauce instead of making your own, but I wouldn't recommend it.  My original plan was to do just that.  When I opened the can and saw that mound of gelatinous goop glowering back at me, I wondered if I could go through with it.  Since when does "whole berry cranberry sauce" on the outside of the can translate into "cranberry jelly with a few whole berries tossed in" on the inside?  I've apparently been very spoiled at Thanksgiving in recent years. Thank goodness I remembered the fresh cranberries waiting in my freezer.  Immediately, the canned gel was ziplocked and stashed in the freezer for some other application.  You could use it in this recipe, but it will certainly change the fresh flavor of the dish.  And, tossing your own fresh sauce together is so easy, why would you opt to go the canned route anyway?

In all honesty, I don't really know how long I baked my chicken.  I used our meat thermometer, instead of the timer as a guide.  I did watch the clock, though, and think that my approximate times are fairly close.

Butternut Squash Bake

With Thanksgiving approaching, my mind is spinning with all of the recipe possibilities.  This year, our Thanksgiving celebration will be a smaller affair with my family and my in-laws.  And I'm OK with that.  While it can seem like a lot of work for so few people, it's nice to know that it will be comfortable and I don't have to worry about impressing anyone.  Because of this, I'm still deciding what I'm going to do with the sweet potatoes this year.  Should I go savory or sweet?  Should I make a casserole or keep them in a recognizable form?  So many decisions to make.

One thing I have already decided, however, is that this Butternut Squash Bake will be making appearances on our table in the future.  I recently triend another similar casserole to see how they matched up--and this one is the knock-out champion at our house.  Even my husband, (who doesn't normally approve of winter squash), liked this version!  AND, he took seconds.  That's huge over here.

So, if you're like me and not sure what direction you're heading with a Thanksgiving side (or two), try adding this one to your menu.  You (and your guests) can thank me later.

(Sorry about the lack of pic AGAIN.  You'll just have to go with your gut on this one.  It should be growling by now.)

Butternut Squash Bake
Adapted from Taste of Home

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. oil
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crushed saltines (about 8 crackers)
2 Tbls. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbls. butter, melted

Place squash in saucepan.  Cover with water and bring to boil.  Boil 20(ish) minutes until squash can be easily pierced with a fork.  Drain well and place in large bowl.  Mash until squash is nearly smooth.  Set aside to cool a bit.
 
While squash is boiling, heat oil in small skillet.  Add onion and saute until soft and translucent.
In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, sauteed onion, egg, sugar, salt and pepper.  Add cooled squash; mix well.  Pour into greased casserole dish.
 
Mix saltines, Parmesan, and butter.  Sprinkle over squash mixture.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through and top is golden.
 
NOTES: The original recipe doesn't have you sautee the onions.  I didn't.  If you're a fan of crunchy onions, then feel free to leave that step out.
 
As for the Parmesan, I use the pulverized Kraft Parmesan.  I'm sure it would look fancier if I shredded some myself, but it still tastes fantastic!

Philly Chicken and Pasta

I will admit right now that there was a point at which the scale and I were friends.  After I got pregnant with my third baby, our relationship became somewhat strained. And now, as I visit every day, I usually leave in a bit of a huff.  I fondly remember our happy times together--the scale and me--and I am looking forward to having a great relationship once again.  Therefore, my current challenge, as it relates to this blog, is to find amazing low-fat, calorie-counter's-dream recipes.  And, I will admit, this task does seem a little on the big deal side of things.  (I would say big FAT deal, but that's what we're trying to get away from...)  So, it's with this new goal in mind that I created tonight's recipe.  I know that I'm not the first person to combine these ingredients in this manner.  But, since I made it up tonight, sans recipe, I'm going to call it an original.

(Now, imagine a great pic here.  OK--well, mediocre.  Oh wait--that's what WOULD have been here if my camera battery hadn't died yesterday.)

Philly Chicken and Pasta
Servings: 4

2 large bell peppers
1 large onion
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (or pressed)
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
4 oz. neufatchel cheese (lite cream cheese)
1 cp. chicken stock
salt and pepper
8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti, prepared according to package directions

Chop bell peppers into thin slices.  Cut onion in half, then into thin slices (half-moons).  Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in large skillet; add peppers and onions; saute until soft.  Add garlic; saute for about a minute.  Slice chicken into very thin bite-sized pieces and add to pepper mixture.  Cook until no pink is left on chicken.  Add cream cheese and about 1/4 cup of stock.  Stir for a minute.  Add stock, about 1/4 cup at a time and stir until cream cheese is completely melted and incorporated into stock.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If a thinner sauce is desired, add more stock about 2 Tbls. at a time until desired consistenct is reached.  Serve over hot spaghetti.

NOTES: I used both a red and a yellow bell pepper.  I prefer their sweetness over the bitterness of the green.

In the end, I probably used a little over 1 cup of stock.  I wanted a little more sauce and figured it was a lower-calorie way to cut the cream cheese a little more.

Black Beans and Rice

What kind of lame food blog is this anyway?  Doesn't she know she's supposed to actually POST recipes?  Not just collect them.  Not just prepare them and never talk about it.  Ahh, well, we can't all be terrific food bloggers, right?

I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I last posted!  I guess that's what I get for involving myself in a musical and then starting to work with the Young Women at church.  But finally, FINALLY, life is slowing down a little.  And I'm hoping that will mean a little more posting.  I'm sure that most of what I post for the next few weeks will be something we tried out long, long ago.  And, therefore, I'll be able to offer a slightly tempered review of each recipe.  Is this a benefit?  Not sure.  As for pictures, some have them, most don't.  Oh well.  I'll take what I can get at this point.  Lucky for you, this one has a picture!

I love beans.  I believe I have said that before on this blog, and I'll probably say it again.  When I found this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe, I couldn't wait to give it a try!  And, Oh. Boy.  This recipe truly stands out in my mind.  Of the many I have in the queue, this one was definitely a favorite.  It was full of flavor and incredibly satisfying--but completely simple to make.  Thus, it has already gone into the "Favorites" folder.  Oh, and I should also mention that Mel at My Kitchen Cafe adapted it from the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook.  So it's completely calorie friendly--which we all need around the holiday season!

Black Beans and Rice
Yield: 4-6 servings

4 tsp. olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup water
2 Tbls. finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic; saute, stirring often, until vegetables are soft and tender. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, oregano and water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick, add 1-2 Tbls. hot water to thin to desired consistency.

Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper; discard bay leaf. Serve over hot rice.

NOTES: I didn't use low-sodium chicken broth.  Just used less salt at the end.  And, I can't find anything but ground thyme anywhere, so I'm usually light-handed when I add the thyme.  Plus, I think ground thyme tastes a little like dust.  And no one likes the taste of dust in their food.