.................. Cooking with Barry & Meta: Oil

Showing posts with label Oil. Show all posts

Rosemary Oven-Roasted Nuts

Flavor-packed nut blend that's nice for snacking or to serve with cocktails.

Rosemary Oven-Roasted Nuts

1 ½ cup raw nuts + seeds if desired (I used whole almonds, walnuts, pecan, pumpkin seeds & sunflower seeds)

1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil, or melted coconut oil or butter

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Add all ingredients to a bowl and toss to evenly coat nuts.
Spread out on a rimmed sheet pan.
Add to a preheated 350° oven and bake 10-12 minutes, stirring at the halfway point. Watch carefully near the end to avoid burning the mixture

Taco Smash Burgers . . . a general preparation guide

I’m finally getting around to trying Taco Smash Burger, an internet recipe sensation for awhile. I have to say, they are fast, fun, satisfying, and not nearly as messy as tacos. While there are recipes on the internet with precise measurements, I think this is one of those dishes that has lots of variables.

Taco Smash Burgers . . . a general reparation guide

Ground beef – just enough to almost cover the tortilla with a thin layer

Seasoning: Taco seasoning, hamburger seasoning, seasoned salt, or salt & pepper

Flour tortillas – we used small ones

Oil - just enough to lightly coat a skillet or grill pan

Cheese of your choice

Other possible additions: ketchup or sauce such as More Than Mayo, pickles, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, etc.

Grab enough ground beef to form a small ball that when flattened will thinly cover a flour tortilla. Add a liberal pinch or shake of selected seasoning and work evenly into the meat. Place ball of seasoned beef in center of tortilla and flatten with fork or fingers to thinly cover the tortilla, leaving a small area around the outside uncovered.
Brush a thin layer of oil onto a skillet or grill and preheat on medium hot until it’s hot enough to create a sizzle when meat hits the skillet.
Place tortilla, meat side down, and let it brown and caramelize for about 3 minutes.
Turn, add cheese and cook the underside for a minute or so, until cheese melts and tortilla has browned.
Add other toppings of your choice. Fold and eat.

Recipe without photos — Taco Smash Burgers . . . a general preparation guide

Ground beef – just enough to almost cover the tortilla with a thin layer

Seasoning: Taco seasoning, hamburger seasoning, seasoned salt, or salt & pepper

Flour tortillas – we used small ones

Oil - just enough to lightly coat a skillet or grill pan

Cheese of your choice

Other possible additions: ketchup or sauce such as More Than Mayo, pickles, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, etc.

Grab enough ground beef to form a small ball that when flattened will thinly cover a flour tortilla. Add a liberal pinch or shake of selected seasoning and work evenly into the meat. Place ball of seasoned beef in center of tortilla and flatten with fork or fingers to thinly cover the tortilla, leaving a small area around the outside uncovered.
Brush a thin layer of oil onto a skillet or grill and preheat on medium hot until it’s hot enough to create a sizzle when meat hits the skillet.
Place tortilla, meat side down, and let it brown and caramelize for about 3 minutes.
Turn, add cheese and cook the underside for a minute or so, until cheese melts and tortilla has browned.
Add other toppings of your choice. Fold and eat

LeSueur Pea Salad

As we entered her apartment at Homestead Virginia (soon to be 102 at the time) sputtered, “We just had the worst macaroni and cheese — baked so long it was dry and served with frozen peas that were still frozen! Simply horrified by that meal, her mind conjured up an old-time favorite. “Do you remember LeSueur Pea Salad? Virginia recalls, “By the time we were finished making it, the counter was lined with cans. It has peas, green beans, some kind of special corn, celery, a whole lot of things. We served it with just about anything and took it to potlucks, too.”

Besides being quite tasty, the salad will keep for several days stored in a covered container in the refrigerator

Shoepeg corn is a white and sweeter than other corn. It is characterized by small, narrow kernels and it's flavor is described as sweet and mild.

LeSueur Pea Salad (also know as Shoe Peg Corn Salad & Mainiated Salad)

About 8 servings

Salad:

1 (15 ounce) can LaSure peas, drained

1 (15 ounce) can Shoepeg corn, drained

1 (15 ounce) can French cut green beans, drained

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 (2 ounce) jar pimentos

Vinaigrette:

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Assemble salad: Mix together peas, corn, green beans, celery, bell pepper, onion, and pimentos in a large bowl.
Make vinaigrette: Combine sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Pour boiling vinaigrette over salad; stir to coat. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Rock Springs Ranch Chicken Parmesan—featured in KANSAS! magazine

Urban and Small-Town Getaways is the theme of the latest issue of KANSAS! magazine (2024 / vol 80 / issue 4 / pp 22-26) and my Taste article focuses the Rock Springs Ranch, the 735-acre 4-H camp getaway that offers breathtaking views of the tallgrass prairie, wooded areas full of native flora and fauna, and natural streams. Today’s state-of-the-art facilities are much different from when I attended 4-H camp many years ago as a preteen and later took FHA students there for summer camp.

The name of the article, “Fine Dining for the Campers,” pretty much sums up what’s happening on the culinary side of the camp.

ABOUT THE RECIPE — Created by Chef Brandon Stokesbary, this versatile recipe is very popular with both youth and adults, and can be served over mashed potatoes of pasta. Or, he adds, “It can be turned into chicken parm sandwiches or sliders.”

Although other seasoned breading flour could be used, Chef Brandon highly recommends the brand mentioned in the ingredient list. He makes the dish allergen free by selecting gluten-free flour and bread crumbs. A make-ahead tip is included in step #7 of the instructions.

Chicken Parmesan 4 serving

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup Buddy Rooster Gold Dust (breading) Flour©

1/2 cup egg liquid (if using eggs in the shell, this is equivalent to a little less than 3 large eggs that have been blended)

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of salt

1/2 tablespoon pepper

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon paprika

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

4 (6-ounce) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

Frying oil

1 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place flour, eggs and panko bread crumbs each in it’s own half-hotel sized pan (about 12x10-inches) to create a 3-part breading station.

2. Add half of the salt and pepper to the egg; the other half to the bread crumbs. Add Italian seasoning, paprika and grated Parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs.

3. Arrange a double layer of plastic wrap on a counter top and place each of the chicken breasts on top. Add another double layer of plastic warp over the chicken and pound with meat tenderizer until the thickest part is just even with the thinnest part, about 1/2-inch thick. Avoid pounding too thin or it is difficult to fry.

Instead of using plastic wrap, Barry put the chicken breasts in a plastic bag for pounding.

4. To bread, first place each chicken breast into the flour, covering completely. Shake off any excess flour and then immerse completely into the egg. Finally, place chicken in the bread crumb mixture, coating each breast with the crumbs—make sure there is no visible egg or flour showing through the final layer.

5. Transfer each chicken breast to a parchment or foil-lined lined sheet pan after breading.

6. Fry breaded chicken breasts in a deep fryer with hot oil (375° F temperature) only until breading is golden brown.

7. Transfer to another parchment or foil-lined pan and place in refrigerator until 1 hour before service.

8. When ready to serve, place pan of chicken in a preheated 350°F oven until internal temperature reaches 150°F. This generally takes about 20 to 30 minutes in a conventional oven, 10 to 15 minutes in a convection oven but check chicken temperature every 10 minutes to be sure.

9. Remove from oven and place 1/4 cup marinara over the top of each breast; sprinkle mozzarella to cover. Return to oven and heat to 165°F and the cheese has melted, about 5to 8 minutes in a conventional oven; 2 to 3 minutes in a convection oven.

Recipe without photos . . . Chicken Parmesan 4 serving

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup Buddy Rooster Gold Dust (breading) Flour©

1/2 cup egg liquid (if using eggs in the shell, this is equivalent to a little less than 3 large eggs that have been blended)

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of salt

1/2 tablespoon pepper

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon paprika

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

4 (6-ounce) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

Frying oil

1 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place flour, eggs and panko bread crumbs each in it’s own half-hotel sized pan (about 12x10-inches) to create a 3-part breading station.

2. Add half of the salt and pepper to the egg; the other half to the bread crumbs. Add Italian seasoning, paprika and grated Parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs.

5. Transfer each chicken breast to a parchment or foil-lined lined sheet pan after breading.

6. Fry breaded chicken breasts in a deep fryer with hot oil (375° F temperature) only until breading is golden brown.

7. Transfer to another parchment or foil-lined pan and place in refrigerator until 1 hour before service.

Speedy Cinnamon Rolls – start to finish in about 1 1/2 hours - a Chef Alli recipe

If you haven’t checked out Chef Alli’s blog, it’s time to do so. You can do it in all the time you save making her Speedy Cinnamon Rolls! I tend to have doubts about yeast recipes that are speedy but the only things this recipe is missing is hours of time. The rolls are soft, tender and tasty.

Chef Alli calls for instant yeast but she uses rapid rise; I used used instant. (Click on DIFFERENCES to find out how rapid rise and instant yeast differ.) I used her speed method and it took me just about an hour from start to finish. She also provides additional tips for making her cinnamon rolls + nutritional analysis with the recipe on her blog. Also included are instructions on how to freeze cinnamon rolls before baking.

September 2024 — I made a few additions to these already delicious rolls including adding heavy cream right before baking (see specifics in step #16). According to King Arthur baking site, "As the rolls bake, the cream in the bottom of the pan heats up. Its liquid migrates up into the rolls, making them moister. And the remaining fat, milk solids, and milk sugars coalesce into a sweet, sticky syrup that coats the rolls’ bottom (which become their top when you turn them out of the pan)." However, since Barry likes additional frosting, I added a layer of Butter Pecan Glaze to part of the rolls (recipe included in step #18.)

Speedy Cinnamon Rolls Makes 16 rolls

Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg

6 1/2 to 6 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, as needed to make a nice, soft dough

5 teaspoons instant yeast

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very softened

1 to 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 cup dark brown sugar, or substitute 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Creamy Cinnamon Roll Icing

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 to 4 tablespoons milk, as needed

3 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cinnamon Rolls: Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Combine milk, water, oil, sugar and salt in microwave safe bowl; heat 1 to 2 minutes, or until the temperature is to 120 - 130 degrees F. at the center.
While the liquids are heating, measure 3 cups of flour into the bowl of a stand mixer; add yeast, combining it with the flour.
Pour the heated liquids into the flour/yeast mixture. Using the whisk attachment, beat at medium speed for 30 seconds, then add the egg and beat one more minute.
Switch to the dough hook and add 3 cups of flour, kneading the dough until the flour is fully incorporated. At this point, the dough is likely to still be pretty sticky; add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, a little at a time, only adding as much as needed, until the dough is soft and pliable, slightly tacky to the touch and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Typically, when the dough has reached the perfect consistency (slightly tacky and still soft and tender), it will come all together on one side of your mixing bowl. As soon as this happens, STOP KNEADING!
Note: At this point, if you have time, place the dough into a large greased mixing bowl and cover with a lightweight towel; let the dough raise until double in size, approx. 40 to 45 minutes. If extra first raise will make your cinnamon rolls extra tender. I
you don't have time for this step, just proceed to the next step.
Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface, allowing it to rest for 5 minutes. Punch the dough down, then allow it to rest for another 5 minutes.
Using your favorite rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle, approx. 22"wide x 18" tall in size.
If you begin rolling out the dough into the rectangle and the dough keeps pulling back each time, let the dough rest for an additional 5 minutes. Once the dough has fully relaxed, it will roll out easily.
As you roll out the dough, make sure you roll from the center towards the edges so that the center of the dough isn't thicker than the rest. Also, try to be sure to roll out the dough into a RECTANGULAR sheet, not an oval sheet. These two steps really help you wind up with cinnamon rolls that are all uniform in size.
Spread the softened butter over the surface of dough; sprinkle the dough evenly with cinnamon first, and then the brown sugar. Using your palms, lightly press down over the brown sugar to kind of "adhere" it into the dough a bit.
Roll up the dough starting from the long edge closest to you, gently tucking and rolling the dough and the filling as you go.
Using a sharp serrated knife or a piece of dental floss, cut the log of dough evenly in half. Now place both halves horizontally before you on the work surface, one above the other on the counter, but not touching.
Make incisions on top of each log of dough at the same time, marking where you want to slice so that both logs of dough can be cut into equal pieces. Slice each one at the incisions you made on top of the rolls of dough, then place the cinnamon rolls onto a greased, rimmed baking sheet, 13" x 18" in size. You can slice 12 large cinnamon rolls from the dough, 16 medium cinnamon rolls, or 20 small cinnamon rolls.
Let the rolls raise in a warm, draft-free place for 15 to 20 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for approx. 14 to 15 minutes (20 small rolls) 16 to18 minutes (16 rolls) 19 to 20 minutes (12 large rolls) or until lightly golden brown, taking care not to over bake. HEAVY CREAM ADDITION - Drizzle 1/3 heavy cream over each pan of about 8 rolls right before putting them in the oven. Use a pastry brush to smooth out the cream so that it covers the surface of each roll.
Let the cinnamon rolls cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes, then frost with the cream cheese icing.
Creamy Cinnamon Roll Icing; Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in the vanilla and milk, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar and salt until the icing is smooth and fluffy. Spread over the cinnamon rolls while they are still slightly warm. FROSTING VARIATION: Butter Pecan Glaze: Cream 1/4 cup softened butter with 1/2 packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Blend in 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup chopped pecans. Add additional cream if you want more of a glaze versus frosting. Spread frosting/glaze over rolls. Sprinkle on additional chopped pecans if desired.

Recipe without photos . . . Speedy Cinnamon Rolls Makes 16 rolls

Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg

6 1/2 to 6 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, as needed to make a nice, soft dough

5 teaspoons instant yeast

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very softened

1 to 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 cup dark brown sugar, or substitute 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Creamy Cinnamon Roll Icing

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 to 4 tablespoons milk, as needed

3 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cinnamon Rolls: Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Combine milk, water, oil, sugar and salt in microwave safe bowl; heat 1 to 2 minutes, or until the temperature is to 120 - 130 degrees F. at the center.
While the liquids are heating, measure 3 cups of flour into the bowl of a stand mixer; add yeast, combining it with the flour.
Pour the heated liquids into the flour/yeast mixture. Using the whisk attachment, beat at medium speed for 30 seconds, then add the egg and beat one more minute.
Switch to the dough hook and add 3 cups of flour, kneading the dough until the flour is fully incorporated. At this point, the dough is likely to still be pretty sticky; add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, a little at a time, only adding as much as needed, until the dough is soft and pliable, slightly tacky to the touch and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Typically, when the dough has reached the perfect consistency (slightly tacky and still soft and tender), it will come all together on one side of your mixing bowl. As soon as this happens, STOP KNEADING!
Note: At this point, if you have time, place the dough into a large greased mixing bowl and cover with a lightweight towel; let the dough raise until double in size, approx. 40 to 45 minutes. This extra first raise will make your cinnamon rolls extra tender. If you don't have time for this step, just proceed to the next step.
Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface, allowing it to rest for 5 minutes. Punch the dough down, then allow it to rest for another 5 minutes.
Using your favorite rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle, approx. 22"wide x 18" tall in size.
If you begin rolling out the dough into the rectangle and the dough keeps pulling back each time, let the dough rest for an additional 5 minutes. Once the dough has fully relaxed, it will roll out easily.
As you roll out the dough, make sure you roll from the center towards the edges so that the center of the dough isn't thicker than the rest. Also, try to be sure to roll out the dough into a RECTANGULAR sheet, not an oval sheet. These two steps really help you wind up with cinnamon rolls that are all uniform in size.
Spread the softened butter over the surface of dough; sprinkle the dough evenly with cinnamon first, and then the brown sugar. Using your palms, lightly press down over the brown sugar to kind of "adhere" it into the dough a bit.
Roll up the dough starting from the long edge closest to you, gently tucking and rolling the dough and the filling as you go.
Using a sharp serrated knife or a piece of dental floss, cut the log of dough evenly in half. Now place both halves horizontally before you on the work surface, one above the other on the counter, but not touching.
Make incisions on top of each log of dough at the same time, marking where you want to slice so that both logs of dough can be cut into equal pieces. Slice each one at the incisions you made on top of the rolls of dough, then place the cinnamon rolls onto a greased, rimmed baking sheet, 13" x 18" in size. You can slice 12 large cinnamon rolls from the dough, 16 medium cinnamon rolls, or 20 small cinnamon rolls.
Let the rolls raise in a warm, draft-free place for 15 to 20 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for approx. 14 to 15 minutes (20 small rolls) 16 to18 minutes (16 rolls) 19 to 20 minutes (12 large rolls) or until lightly golden brown, taking care not to over bake. HEAVY CREAM ADDITION - Drizzle 1/3 heavy cream over each pan of about 8 rolls right before putting them in the oven. Use a pastry brush to smooth out the cream so that it covers the surface of each roll.
Let the cinnamon rolls cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes, then frost with the cream cheese icing.
Creamy Cinnamon Roll Icing: Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in the vanilla and milk, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar and salt until the icing is smooth and fluffy. Spread over the cinnamon rolls while they are still slightly warm. FROSTING VARIATION: Butter Pecan Glaze: Cream 1/4 cup softened butter with 1/2 packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Blend in 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup chopped pecans. Add additional cream if you want more of a glaze versus frosting. Spread frosting/glaze over rolls. Sprinkle on additional chopped pecans if desired

Mary Molt's Sweet Yeast Dough as featured in the Aprils 2023 issue of KANSAS! Magazine

Dr. Mary Molt and K-State's dining halls were the perfect fit for the latest issue of KANSAS! Magazine, (vol 79, issue 3, 2023) with a theme related to the state's record setting. Both Dr. Molt and K-State have a an impressive list of accomplishments and accolades. Since this article appears in the Taste section, Mary provided this recipe that was shared with her by a student.

Caramel-Pecan version of this Sweet Yeast Dough. The dough is so a dream to work with and I look forward to trying other versions.

Sweet Yeast Dough

Ingredient

Amount

Procedure

Milk

2 cups

Warm milk to about 115^oF. Pour into large mixing bowl.

Eggs, slightly beaten

Sugar **

Instant Potato Flakes

Oil

Instant Yeast

Salt

Flour

2 eggs

½ cup

2 packets

[or 1 Tbsp + 1 ½ tsp]

2 tsp

2 cups

Add ingredients listed at left to warm milk.

Using a flat paddle (mixer) or spoon, beat until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.

Replace flat paddle with dough hook and proceed as described below.

Flour

3 - 3 ½ cups

Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time.

Note: Dough should be soft. Adjust flour amount slightly as/if needed for a soft dough.

Use mixer to mix and knead (or knead by hand) until smooth and elastic. Knead approx. 10-11 min in mixer or knead on a floured surface about the same time (until a piece of dough can be stretched very thin, i.e. window pane test.)

Grease top of dough and cover bowl. Let stand in warm place until double in size, 40-min. or so.

SHAPE AS PREFERRED

Cinnamon Rolls -- Roll dough into a rectangle approximately 15 x 12-inches. Brush with 2 Tbsp softened butter and sprinkle with mixture of 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Roll tightly, jelly roll fashion, starting with short side, pinch edge to seal. Cut into slices. Place cut side down into greased 9 x 13-inch pan or pan with pecan-caramel mixture (recipe follows). Let rise until double in size (30-45 min) and bake at 350-375^oF for approximately 30 minutes until done. If using pecan-caramel mixture let rolls cool for 10 minutes then turn out. Pecan-Carmel mixture: In the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan, mix together ½ cup heavy whipping cream, 1 ½ cups brown sugar,

¼ tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle with pecans or walnuts (optional.)

Yield: 12 cinnamon or pecan rolls + dough for a small loaf.

**Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls -- Using buttered hands, form dough into 1 – 1½ inch balls and put balls into greased pan with rolls touching. Brush dough balls lightly with melted butter. Let rise until doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes. Bake at 375^oF for approximately 20 min until browned and registers an internal temperature of 190-195⁰F. When done, brush with melted butter.

**Note: For a less sweet dinner roll reduce sugar by a third to a half.

Yield: 18-24 dinner rolls.

Kolaches -- Form dough into 1½ inch balls and put on greased cookie sheet. Leave space to rise without touching. Brush dough balls with melted butter. Let rise until doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes. Make an indention in the middle of each ball, leaving ½ - 1-inch outer rim. Fill indented area with fruit filling or jam. Bake immediately after filling at 375^oF - 400^oF for 12-15 min until browned. When done, brush with melted butter. Dough may be rolled to about ½ to ¾ inch thick and cut with at 3 ½” cutter.

Yield: 15-18 kolaches.

I made the Pecan-Caramel Rolls and they were outstanding. A hit with everyone that tried them. So soft, tender and utterly delicious—ewwy, gooey and oh, so good.! I took photos of the process.