Baking Rolls, Bread,
Muffins, Torte, Cake...
Did I mention I got a new stove?
By Cynthia Bowan
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I started writing this column two other times, and both times, I could not finish what I was doing. I hated it. One column was whiny, and the other dull. So I let my deadline go by.
Besides, there were other things going on in my life. I got a new stove and a dishwasher. My DH had just opened up a second office, all his own, and that meant getting some furniture and office supplies and…did I mention I got a new stove? <GBG>
The oven on my old stove died months ago. Which was good for my diet – meaning no baking – but terrible for the "artistic" side of my life, creating new recipes, improving old ones or just baking for the sheer joy of it. And the oven is an extra-large one, so I can fit more in it!
Merrill (the "DH – darling husband – of the above paragraphs) walked into the living room the morning after the stove was delivered and set up, to find me nursing a second cup of coffee and going through a stack of computer print-outs which had to be a good inch to an inch and a half thick.
He gave me what our children called the "Mr. Spock" look – one eyebrow raised, and inquired as to what I was doing. He later said I had a goofy smile on my face, much like one who has had two Cosmopolitans (okay, so I LIKE those things) as I said, "These are all recipes I have been waiting to try…"
I do remember his next expression distinctly, which was one of two things: either it meant "I’ve created a monster" or "There goes the diet for everyone on the block"!
Some men just do not get it.
Baking is like breathing to me. It’s like my writing – when I have the urge to do a story or make a loaf of bread or whatever…I am frustrated and edgy until I can do it. And baking I have been doing…and writing, to a point.
I was up at 4 this morning (Fibromyalgia does that to a person), so I decided to make fresh muffins. I pulled out my chunky muffins recipe and whipped up a batch. (You can find the recipe in the October 2002 column here – Original Cyn’s Chunky Muffins.) Then I went back to the stack of recipes and found one called Earth Bread, which I had wanted to make for about three years but never gotten around to doing it.
The recipe calls for grated zucchini, carrots, mashed banana, whole wheat and regular flours and more…and for some strange reason, I had ONE zucchini in the refrigerator crisper drawer and a couple almost over-ripe bananas, so this was a perfect recipe to try. I set to work, and the two loaves were ready for the oven by time the buzzer went off signaling that the muffins were done.
The love of my life stumbled down the hallway at precisely 8 a.m., carrying his teacup from the day before, and mumbling something about his schedule and world peace, or at least, that’s what it sounded like. I took the cup and put it in the sink, handed him the fresh cup I had made when I heard the bedroom door open, and turned him around to face the muffins. He gave a weak smile, and trundled to the back of the house, muffin in one hand and tea in the other.
When he emerged a half hour later, clean-shaven and well dressed, the night’s fast broken and his stomach happy, he kissed my neck, hugged me and reached for another muffin.
They say that "nuthin’s as loving, as somethin’ from the oven…" well, not quite, but sometimes, muffins can help. <G> I think I will keep him around for another forty years! And, if he thinks those muffins were loving, wait until dinner tonight, when he bites into the tomato herb rolls I’m making to go along with the pork chops at dinner.
Yes, ladies, the way to an (old) married man’s heart IS through his stomach. And the way to a frustrated oven-less woman’s is a department/home center store where you can buy a new stove to solve the problem. This is definitely what politicians and sports persons call a "win-win solution"!
I’m going to share the other recipes I’ve been making over the past couple weeks with you all, so I hope you will Enjoy! them. (And included is a bonus recipe to keep a certain cook happy...<GBG>) Yes, I have gone a bit crazier in the kitchen than usual, and our grocery bills have gone up, but I have had NO complaints from anyone on the receiving end of my efforts!
One other word of advice – the best spice for cooking is love…after 45 years with the same man; I know that to be true. (We "went" together for five years first – I always tell folks he couldn’t make up his mind – on the other hand, I knew he was the one the first time he kissed me. I had my eyes closed; I saw a ranch house, wooden fence, a dog and a lot of children. We never got a dog and we don’t have a fence…<G>…but we do have all the rest and each other, through it all…) CYH – consider yourselves hugged!
Tomato-Basil Rolls
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
1/4 cup V8 or tomato juice, room temperature
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, room temperature
1/4 cup prepared pesto
3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 1/4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped
Place water, V8 or tomato juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, sugar, salt, egg, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, flour, and yeast in bread pan of your bread machine. Select dough setting and press start. NOTE: Depending on how much oil is in the pesto; you might need to add additional flour. Check the dough (don't be afraid to open the lid). It should form a nice elastic ball. If you think the dough is too moist, add additional flour (a tablespoon at a time). The same is true if the dough is looking dry and gnarly. Add warm water (a tablespoon at a time).
When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. (I use a nonstick cooking spray). Form dough into an oval, cover with a cotton towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
After resting, grease a large bowl; add dough, turning to coat entire surface. Cover bowl with towel and let rise in warm area until doubled, about 1 hour.
For Garlic Oil: In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil just until warm. Stir in garlic. Remove from heat and cool.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease six muffin cups. Gently punch dough down. Knead until smooth. Divide dough into six (6) equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, pulling edges under to create a smooth top. Place rolls, rounded side up, in prepared muffin cups. Using scissors, snip 1/2-inch deep "X" into top of each roll. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm area until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes.
Lightly brush rolls with garlic oil. Bake until golden brown, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. (A good check is to use an instant thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees.) Remove from oven and brush again with garlic oil. Transfer rolls to a wire rack and cool slightly before serving.
Makes 6 rolls.
Earth Bread (4 * - exceptional!)
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup flour
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 5x9x3-inch loaf pans. Set aside.
Mix eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in flours. Mix well. Stir in zucchini, carrots, bananas and nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.
Cinnamon Rolls (machine)
1 pkg. yeast (I used 2 tsp. SAF)
1/2 c. water, room temperature
1/2 c. milk, room temperature
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. butter, room temperature - NOT margarine
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, room temperature
3 3/4 c. flour
Add ingredients, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Use dough cycle. After dough is done, roll out into a 15x9" rectangle on lightly floured board or surface.
Spread the entire rectangle with softened butter. Sprinkle with mixture of 1/2
c. light brown sugar (packed) and 4 tsp. cinnamon.
Roll up, cut into even slices and place in buttered 13x9" pan. Allow the dough to rise,
covered, for about 40 minutes. Bake at 375F, 25-30 minutes. (I baked mine at
350F., because I used a glass-baking pan.)
Once out of oven, spread with any cinnamon roll glaze, adding extra cinnamon
top taste.
Zucchini Rolls
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. yeast
2-3 c. grated zucchini
1 c. warm water or milk
1 tsp. flour
2 T. oil
2 tsp. honey
sesame, caraway or poppy seeds
In a large bowl, place flour, salt and zucchini. In another bowl, stir together 1 tsp. flour, honey, water or milk, and oil. Add this to flour mixture, mixing well. Knead dough about 10 min. to make a soft firm dough. Grease surface of dough, let rise in warm place until doubled. Turn the dough out onto a floured board, and then knead lightly. Shape into rolls, place on pan, and let rise again about 30 min. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place rolls in pan on middle rack, immediately lower heat to 375. Bake 15-20 min. Just before baking, spray tops with salt water and sprinkle with choice of seeds for variation
Mandarin Orange Muffins
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
Topping:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350F. Drain oranges well and pat dry while mixing batter. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, allspice and sugar. Cut in shortening. Add drained orange segments and mix lightly.
Combine egg and milk. Add all at once to flour mixture, and mix until flour is moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pan to about 3/4 depth. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan. While hot, dip in melted butter, and then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Yield: 12 large muffins.
Original Cyn's Fresh Ginger Snaps
2 T. grated fresh ginger (or more to taste)
1 1/2 sticks real butter, room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar, plus additional
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 c. flour
Beat ginger, butter, vanilla and 1 c. sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in
molasses and egg, mixing well. Mix in soda and salt, then add flour and mix
until just combined, do not beat long. Chill dough at least 2 hr.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2 " balls, and then roll
cookies in additional sugar. place about 2 " apart on an ungreased cookie
sheet. Bake about 12-15 min, or until edges start to brown. Centers will be a
little soft. Let stand on cookie sheets for a minute and then remove to racks
to cool completely. Makes about 2 1/2 doz. cookies.
Note: fresh ginger root is available in most produce departments. It will keep
for months in zip-lock bags in your freezer, simply take a piece out, grate
what you need, and return it
to the freezer
Flourless Chocolate Torte
7 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (3/4 c.)
4 large eggs
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
Do not use unsweetened chocolate. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and sprinkle with sugar an 8-inch springform pan. Wrap foil around outside of pan.
Melt chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Whisk eggs, sugar and coffee powder in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in chocolate mixture.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake in large baking pan. Add enough
hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of cake. Bake until knife
inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hrs. (The cake will be about 1/2 inch high.) remove cake from water bath and cool. Remove foil. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (This can be prepared up to a week ahead, keep refrigerated.) Release pan sides from cake. Cut cake into wedges and serve cold. Also good served with whipped cream or raspberry sauce.
Orange Zucchini Cake
1 cup butter, or margarine, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
4 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
21/2 cups unsifted flour
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup grated unpeeled zucchini
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
In a large bowl, cream butter until light; beat in sugar gradually. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, mixing well. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add baking powder, salt and gradually add flour alternately with orange juice. Mix batter thoroughly.
Fold in grated zucchini and orange rind with spatula, mixing well. Pour batter into well-greased tube pan (10 inch) and bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or until cake starts to leave sides of pan and tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan and then turn out on rack to complete cooling.
Frost top with a mixture of 1 tablespoon butter and 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar and about 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Grated orange rind may be sprinkled over frosting.
BONUS:
Cosmo Cocktail
1/2 cup well chilled premium vodka
1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1 1/2 T. fresh limejuice
2 tsp. orange liqueur
Lime slices for garnish
Combine all ingredients except garnishes. Shake well. Pour into two martini glasses and garnish.
By Cynthia Bowan
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Tomato-Basil Rolls | Earth Bread | Cinnamon Rolls (machine) | Zucchini Rolls | Mandarin Orange Muffins
Original Cyn's Fresh Ginger Snaps | Flourless Chocolate Torte | Orange Zucchini Cake | Cosmo Cocktail
