Icebox Potato Rolls

Icebox Potato Rolls

(2½ doz.)

Ingredients:

1¼ lb. (3½ cups) Red Potatoes, peeled & cubed

¾ cup sugar

2 tsp. Salt

1 pkg. (1/4 oz.) Active Dry Yeast

5½ - 6 cups Bread Flour

1 cup Milk

½ cup Water

½ cup Shortening

3 large Fresh Eggs

1/3 cup Unsalted Butter, melted

Directions:

Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until tender.  Drain and put through a ricer (see note) back into saucepan.  You should have about 2 cups.  Cool slightly.  In a large bowl, mix sugar, salt, yeast and 2 cups of flour.  In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and shortening to 120 – 130 degrees.  Add this to the dry mixture using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Now add the eggs and potatoes beating on high for 2 minutes.  Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough (it will be sticky).  Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with greased plastic wrap and put in refrigerator overnight.  Leaving dough in bowl, punch it down.  Take a tablespoon dipped in melted butter and scoop 3 dough balls into a greased muffin pan.  Repeat process until you have all the dough in muffin pans.  Remember to dip tablespoon in the butter each time.  Cover muffin pans with greased plastic wrap and place in a warm area for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.  Brush tops of rolls with melted butter before placing in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:               If you don’t have a ricer, than just mash the potatoes as best you can.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Garlic Potato Rolls

Garlic Potato Rolls

(1½ doz.)

 

Ingredients:

3 bulbs Fresh Garlic

8 oz. Cooked Potato (see note)

2 tbsp. Brown Sugar, packed

1 cup Warm (105-115 degrees) Milk

3- 3½ cups Bread Flour

2 tsp. Salt

1 pkg. Active Dry Yeast

1 large Fresh Egg

1 tbsp. Water

Directions:

Cut tops off the garlic bulbs and set on a piece of foil big enough to enclose.  Drizzle with a little olive oil, seal foil and place in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 25 minutes.  Remove, let cool and then squeeze the garlic out of their skins.  Mash garlic and place in a large bowl with the potato, brown sugar and milk.  Stir mixture together to make a paste.  In another bowl mix 2 cups of flour, salt and yeast.  Slowly add this mixture to the paste and combine well.  Now add in enough flour (1/4 cup at a time) until dough is soft and tacky mixing well each time.  Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes or until dough firmer, smooth and elastic.  Shape into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl turning once to coat all sides.  Cover, place in a warm area and let rise about 1½ hours or until doubled in size.  Return dough to lightly floured surface, cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Divide dough into 18 equal portions and shape into balls.  Arrange balls on a 15x10x1 baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Balls may be touching each other.  Cover and let rise in a warm place about 40 minutes or until doubled in size.  When ready, beat egg and water together and brush over rolls.  Place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Cover rolls with foil the last 10 minutes to prevent over browning.  Remove, cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:               Peel and cube potatoes and place in a saucepan covered with water.  Bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes or until tender.  Drain and put through a ricer.  If you don’t have a ricer, just mash as best you can.  If you mash, dough may be lumpy.  This may make the rolls a little more chewy but still delicious.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Try Potato Rolls for the Holidays

The Fall/Winter Holidays are coming up soon.  Something everyone serves with their holiday meals are rolls.  Whether you make them or buy them from your favorite bakery, they definitely help make the meal.  Not to mention great sandwiches with the leftovers.

This week I have a couple of recipes for dinner rolls.  These are a little different in that they are "Potato Rolls."  Yes, they require the use of some potato in the recipe.  One of the recipes makes a dozen and a half while the other makes 3 dozen rolls.  You can easily double the first recipe or half the second if you need different quantities.

The first one of Wednesday is "Garlic Potato Rolls" and uses roasted garlic in them.  You can roast the garlic a day or two before making the rolls.  Just seal up well and refrigerate.  Be sure to take the roasted garlic out and bring to room temperature before using in the recipe.

"Icebox Potato Rolls" will be the recipe on Thursday.  As the name implies, the dough is refrigerated overnight before forming into rolls and baking.  You get two different tastes from these recipes but both come through with the added potato flavor.  It's a taste I'm sure everyone will enjoy.

You can make these rolls a week or two ahead of time and then freeze.  Take them out of the freezer the night before or morning of your big meal depending on time of service.  You can serve them at room temperature or wrap them up in foil and heat up a bit so they are nice and warm at dinner time.

If these recipes don't interest you, maybe give some other recipe for dinner rolls a try.  It really adds a nice touch to any "Holiday Meal" you might serve.

I want to thank everyone that has been following my food blog.  This Thursday's recipe of "Icebox Potato Rolls" will be my "800th Post" on "Cabana Boy Cooks."  I wouldn't have been able to keep this up without your following and encouraging me on.  I truly hope that all of you have gotten something special out of my blog.  Again, "Thank You" all for your support.  Your comments and questions help me greatly too.

"Happy Cooking" and do try these recipes.  Please share them too.  I thank you for that and see you again next week.

Hasselback Style Skillet Potatoes

Hasselback Style Skillet Potatoes

(5-10 servings)

 

Ingredients:

5 large Russet Potatoes, cleaned well (see note)

1-2 tbsp. Olive Oil

5 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted

The following ingredients as needed to personal taste.

Garlic Powder

Italian Seasoning

Salt

Black Pepper

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Take 2 wooden spoons and place potato in between longways.  Slice potato every ¼ inch or so from end to end.  The spoons keep you from slicing all the way through.  Oil the bottom and sides of a 12 inch cast-iron skillet and arrange potatoes inside.  Pour the melted butter over the potatoes evenly and then season each with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Cover skillet with foil and place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for one hour.  Remove from oven and uncover.  Evenly sprinkle the cheese over potatoes and return to oven uncovered.  Bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese has melted and potatoes have crisped up.  Serve whole potato or cut in half for more portions.

Note:               Depending on size of potatoes, it could take 4 to 6 to fill skillet.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Cheesy Jalapeno Skillet Corn Bread

Cheesy Jalapeno Skillet Corn Bread

(8 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp.  Unsalted Butter

4 tbsp. Canola Oil

1½ cups Red Onion, small dice

½ cup Fresh Poblano Chile Pepper, seeded & small dice

½ cup Fresh Anaheim Chile Pepper, seeded & small dice

½ cup Fresh Red Jalapeno Chile Pepper, seeded & small dice (use green if needed)

1 tbsp. & 2 tsp. Seasoning Mix (see note for recipe)

¾ cup Corn Flour

1¼ cup All-Purpose Flour

¾ cup Sugar

½ cup Cornmeal

1 tbsp. & 2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 large Fresh Egg, beaten

1½ cups Milk

5 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted & cooled to room temperature

1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated & divided

1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, grated & divided

Directions:

Make seasoning mixture first and set aside.  In a 12 inch cast-iron skillet over high heat, combine butter with 2 tbsp. of oil.  As soon as butter has melted add onions, all the chile peppers and 1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. of seasoning mix.  Stir well and occasionally while it cooks until beginning to brown (6-8 minutes).  Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.  While vegetables are cooling, mix corn flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and remaining seasoning mix in a large bowl.  Add the egg, milk, melted butter and a half cup of each cheese mixing until just combined.  Pour remaining oil into skillet making sure oil covers all the bottom.  Lift and tilt if needed to coat skillet bottom.  Heat oil to just starting to smoke (4-5 minutes).  Add the batter to the skillet (should sizzle right away).  Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle evenly with remaining grated cheeses.  Place in a pre-heated 350 oven for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in middle of corn bread comes out clean.  Remove to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Note:               Seasoning Mix Recipe: 2¼ tsp. salt, 1¼ tsp. ground dried New Mexico chili peppers, 1 tsp. Onion Powder, 1 tsp. Paprika, 1 tsp. ground dried chipotle chile peppers, ¾ tsp. ground cumin and ¾ tsp. garlic powder.  Mix in a small bowl.  Makes enough for this recipe.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

You need a Cast-Iron Skillet in your Kitchen

"Cast-Iron Skillet" is a needed mainstay in your kitchen.  Really it wouldn't hurt to have several cast-iron pieces at your disposal.  If you haven't every seem one, please go to a store selling kitchen equipment and check them out.  They are heavy but very versatile.

You can cook with them on top of the stove, in the oven or use outdoors.  They are the best piece of equipment to cook "Fried Chicken" in hands down.  There are great for making bacon and eggs in the morning to using for that "Swiss Steak" recipe I posted last week.  They work well for starting a dish on the stovetop and finishing it in the oven.

Once seasoned, a cast-iron piece of cookware is basically non-stick.  Many people are afraid of them because they think a lot of care is required to maintain them.  That is really not true.

Now the best ones to buy are used pieces.  These are already seasoned unless they had a terrible owner who abused them.  But new ones are easy to season too.  All you need to do is rub the surface all over with vegetable oil.  Then place it in a pre-heated 200 degree oven for 3 or 4 hours.  Be sure to put a sheet pan on the shelf under it to catch any oil dripping off.  When it is cool enough to handle, wipe it off with paper towels and store it away from moisture.  If you have a gas oven with a pilot light, you can't find a better place to store them.

Once you have used your cast-iron piece, it will need to be cleaned.  Be sparingly with the soap and don't use harsh abrasives on them.  If you do need to, then re-season it by the method above again.  Usually, water and washcloth will wipe them clean.  Be sure to dry it completely and quickly and they will rust.  The best way to dry them is place it on a stovetop burner on low and let it up and dry.  This will take a few minutes to do.  Once it has cooled down, put in a dry place.

Well "Happy Cooking" until next week and please spread the link to anyone you know.  Thanks.

Salisbury Steak

Salisbury Steak

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

1 ½ lb. Ground Chuck (80/20)

1 cup Fresh Bread Crumbs

1 tsp. Seasoned Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper

½ tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 large Fresh Egg

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Sliced Mushrooms (your choice)

¼ cup All-Purpose Flour

2 cans (14 oz.) Beef Broth

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add half the oil.  When shimmering, add onion and sauté until soft (about 6 minutes).  Spoon half the onions into a large mixing bowl and the other half into a smaller bowl and set aside.  To the large bowl add the ground chuck, bread crumbs, seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and egg.  Mix to combine and form into 4 oval patties.  Heat the rest of the oil in skillet and browned the beef patties on both sides (about 4-5 minutes per side).  Remove to a platter and drain off grease leaving 2 tbsp.  Next add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the reserved onions and flour mixing well to combine and cooking about 2 minutes.  Slowly add the beef broth while stirring and bring to a boil.  Return patties to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until sauce has thickened and patties are cooked through (about 10 minutes).  Best served with mashed potatoes or egg noodles to help enjoy the sauce.

Note:               If you don’t like mushrooms, they can be left out of recipe.

Ideas for Future Efforts

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________