Dinner Rolls

These are the easiest quickest homemade rolls you will ever meet. They are best if given the double rising 'required' for dinner rolls (and most bread) but... they don't need it to be delicious. Check out this recipe... So easy, I can almost make them in my sleep.Quick Dinner Rolls from my friend Verlene:

4-5 cups flour (I always use unbleached white flour, it just seems healthier)
3 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup warm water (to dissolve yeast)
2 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
1 cup Scalded Milk
1/4 cup margarine

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Heat milk and margarine together in microwave for about a minute and a half. Mix dry ingredients. Combine all together and knead. (I just let my Kitchen Aid do the kneading.) Let rise double. Form into rolls. Let rise. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.Sometimes I don't let them rise at all, I just form into rolls and pop them in the oven. They are more dense that way but still mouthwatering and irresistibly tasty.

Homecoming

The Homecoming Dance at our High School was on Halloween this year, and...
the students were NOT allowed to come in costume.

Beaner and I went shopping a few weeks before the dance. Fully expecting to find a dress that would require adjusting for modesty. We found a cute one in the second store we tried. It would require some adjusting but nothing a cute little black Tee and a yard of black fabric couldn't fix!

By letting out the hem which thankfully was four inches deep and adding another four inches of black fabric the dress made it to her knees. Here's a secret about The Beaner, she is always wearing a pair of basketball shorts! If a dress is too short to cover them... it's too short!We spent about an hour curling her three heads worth of hair and she looked beautiful!
Do you recognize her date? New Kid! They went trick or treating in our old neighborhood, ate at Red Robin, went to the dance and had a great night with good friends.

Cleaning Cast Iron Frying Pans

Once upon a time there was a cast iron pan with caked on food.It had lovingly helped in creating a beautiful meal to feed the masses.

The chef walked away, forgetting her cast iron pan.
When she returned the pan was cold and to her dismay
the food had become a hard crust- impossible to remove.
The chef scrubbed and she scrubbed and after much soaking and toil
the food came out and the pan became...
Rusted!?!

Oh whoa was the chef and she cried bitter tears.
What would she do without the pan that she loved.
And then one day her dear brother said,
"Don't worry yourself. That pan's life isn't o'er.
You can season the pan like you once did before.
Starting over again with the pan you adore."

But what will I do when it happens again.
Must I rust and reseason each time that I use it?

"No, No," cried her brother as he chuckled and sighed,
"Follow these simple directions and you will always have a
perfectly seasoned pan with a complete lack of crust."

1. After food has been removed from pan, replace pan on heat.2. Pour in hot water, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. (never cold, this could crack your cast iron)3. Use your spatula to 'scrape' off excess crust from bottom and sides of pan.4. NEVER use soap or detergent on cast iron. Future food will have the residual flavor of Dawn.
5. Using a hot pad, remove pan to the sink and pour out water and food remains.
6. Finish wiping out pan with dishcloth.
7. Dry completely.8. Spray with oil.9. Spread oil evenly with paper towel.10. 'Dry' with a new paper towel. Your pan will shine with joy.

Navajo Taco's

It's what's for dinner.

First you take the bread dough.

Yesterday I made dinner rolls with meatloaf!

But I was kind of in a hurry, so I only made up enough rolls for our family. No leftovers. Then I tossed the rest of the dough in the freezer.

Today, Beaner (the major taco lover of the family) requested Navajo Tacos. Being the "pleaser" mom that I am, I said, "Sure!" (Of course knowing there was premade dough in the freezer helped.)And now I will take you on a journey to the land of the Navajo. A land of prairie grass, tumble weeds and open camp fires. A land where Buffalo roam free and men hunt on horse back. Wait. Wrong channel.

Let's go instead to the kitchen of Whoville. Where white dishes seem to multiply and glass glasses are becoming extinct. A land of smoothies and grilled pb&j where children roam free and men are found on the seat of a bike.

Roll out the dough to about about 1/2" thick. Cut into squarish type shapes and place gently in preheated 350 degree oil. Watch closely and please wear an apron, I would really hate it if you ruined you favorite Rush Concert Tee with grease spots. Turn when golden brown and remove onto paper towel which has been lovingly placed in a white serving dish.Have your favorite kitchen help (child) brown hamburger while you fry the bread. Beaner likes to season taco meat with Taco Seasoning and chili sauce. Oh baby!Shred Cheddar and Jack cheese. Or just one. Tonight we used White Cheddar. That hasn't gone over very well here at Whoville. People are confused by the lack of color.

Cut up some crisp lettuce.

Make sure the sour cream isn't growing any green fuzzy stuff.

Heat up a can of refried beans and open a fresh jar of homemade salsa.

Place everything on the table in its own special serving dish (because you love to do dishes of course!)

I like to top my scone (frybread) with the fixin's and eat with a fork. The rest of my family like to open them and fill them up with the goods. It's a little easier to eat that way.Fashionista on the other hand is a 'scone' purist. Just a little honey and butter please.

Fry Bread vs. Scone? Living in the classy (I use that term loosely) Northwest I have found that when you say scone people think you are talking about the crumbly English cake muffin thing. I grew up calling fry bread scones. How about you? When you eat what we ate for dinner tonight what do you call it?

It's Bread Time!

I've told you before and I'll tell you again.

I love bread!

Like crusty, holey, flavorful sourdough french bread. Maybe broiled toasty with a little fresh garlic rubbed on and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Aaaaahhhhh. Or even better, do that and then add some fresh tomato, basil bruschetta on top. (excuse me while I go wipe the drool off my chin)

Some days there is nothing I want more than a soft chewy hot from the oven dinner roll with real butter and home made strawberry jam dripping off the sides. I remember when I was a kid and my mom would make rolls with dinner. You split the roll across the middle, smother it with butter and jam. Then replace the top and smash them together, delicious melting goo dripping between your fingers as you try to smash it into your mouth. (Yeah, that pretty much drove my Mom crazy.)

We got this book from the library after reading about it on the Breadfarm's web site:
Yesterday Mike started our starter or seed. It will take about a week before we can make our first loaf of bread from this seed, but we are on our way.

We went to the Breadfarm last Friday afternoon to get a loaf and maybe ask some questions. It was so much fun just watching them work. The work counter is right there and they had an assembly line going with about six 'men' rolling and working the dough. Five of them looked like teenagers in an assortment of clothing styles, basketball shorts, baggy cargo shorts and jeans. One was weighing out balls of dough, adding a little here and there then flopping them on the counter, a few others took the previously weighed bunches of dough and then followed very specific identical methods of shaping and rolling, while another arranged the loaves on racks to rise.

I was captivated and wanted to hang out for a few hours watching the magic unfold. But alas, we had sick kids at home and needed to get back to them and their needs. So we bought a huge loaf of sour dough whole wheat bread and headed for home.

As soon as we got in the car, I tore off a hunk and handed it to Mike. Got one for myself and enjoyed the ride home.

NaBloWriMo

"November is here, and with it the beginning of National Blog Writing Month. Our intrepid band of lunatics will sally forth into the blogosphere, writing, sharing, reading, photographing, and commenting their way through the month." NaBloWriMo.

I am giving it a try!

It is National Blog Writing Month!

The goal? To write once a day for the entire month of November.

Come and join me... It WILL be fun!

Halloween's Six Word Saturday

Ugh. I messed up, click here for todays (November 14th) 6WS

Six Word Saturday: I Was Progressive Flo for Halloween!

Go here to see other spooky Halloween 6WS