What's Cooking with Jean
Friday, June 20, 2008 whole wheat cinnamon rolls

These are so yummy, I made the recipe 3 times in a week! And yesterday when I made them, I had six 4 & 5 year olds with me. So they are kid-tested and a really fun thing to make with kids. Think about how fascinating it is to find out how the cinnamon gets swirled in the dough!! :)

Note: Butter has to be softened. Doesn't work if you compromise on this.


WHOLE WHEAT CINNAMON ROLLS


1 1/2 packages dry yeast (about 3 1/4 teaspoons)
3/4 cup warm fat-free milk (100° to 110°)
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Cooking spray

Filling:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup raisins (I use golden raisins)

Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 teaspoons fat-free milk

To prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm milk and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until foamy.

Add butter and next 5 ingredients (through egg white); stir well. (I use a whisk.) Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Punch dough down; roll into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Coat surface of dough with cooking spray.

To prepare filling, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; sprinkle over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle raisins over dough, pressing gently into dough. Roll up rectangle tightly, starting with a long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam to seal. Cut the dough into 16 rolls. Place the rolls, cut sides up, in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Uncover rolls. Bake at 375° for 22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare glaze, place powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Add 5 teaspoons milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring to form a thick glaze. Drizzle glaze evenly over rolls.

From Cooking Light, June 07

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Friday, June 06, 2008 France



Provence offering of spices



A little late in posting, but a journey through Italy and France was a delight a few months ago. Here are some of the delicious photos from France to inspire us all to celebrate food.

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Banana Pudding Pie


Banana slices are about the only healthy component, but this is a delicious summer pie! I grew up with an aversion to bananas and definitely to banana pudding. But my first bite of a fresh banana in Rwanda changed that. And leave it to Southern Living to change my opinion about banana puddings!

Note: don't toss the egg yolks. Vanilla Cream filling will call for those to be used.


1 (12-oz.) box vanilla wafers, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large bananas, sliced

Vanilla Cream Filling (see below)

4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

1. Set aside 30 vanilla wafers; crush vanilla wafers (I put them in a ziploc bag and used meat mallet. You could pull out food processor too.) (you should end up with about 2 1/2 cups.) Stir together crushed vanilla wafers and butter until blended. Firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a 9-inch pieplate.

2. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.

3. Arrange banana slices evenly over bottom of crust. Prepare Vanilla Cream Filling, and spread half of hot filling over bananas; top with 20 vanilla wafers. Spread remaining hot filling over vanilla wafers. (Filling will be about 1/4 inch higher than top edge of crust.)

4. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Spread meringue evenly over hot filling, sealing the edges.

5. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and let cool 1 hour on a wire rack or until completely cool. Coarsely crush remaining 10 vanilla wafers, and sprinkle evenly over top of pie. Chill 4 hours.

VANILLA CREAM FILLING

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until it reaches the thickness of chilled pudding. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will be thick enough to hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Use immediately.

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Thursday, June 05, 2008 DC places: Hill's Kitchen

So between the opening of a new Harris Teeter and now this awesome store in our neighborhood, I am pretty excited. Check out Hill's Kitchen
at 713 D Street SE
and you can read more about it, since the Washington Post already gave it a shout-out in their Food section this week!

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 new, favorite kitchen tool: the garlic twist


The Garlic Twist...

If your local kitchen store carries this, it is worth every penny. So much better than a press.

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