Potato dinner rolls

As much as I love Asian food, I can also survive, alone, on bread and butter. Homemade bread is such a lost art these days; if you want to impress anyone, then this recipe is the way to go! It's perfect for a big family dinner, church potluck, or plain JUST BECAUSE. Even for a novice baker, this recipe is pretty fool-proof. Try it out, and see for yourself! :)

INGREDIENTS:


2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast

1/4 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of lukewarm WHOLE milk

4 1/4 cups of all purpose flour

8 ounces of mashed potato (about 1 large russet potato)

2 teaspoons of salt

6 Tablespoons of softened unsalted butter

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

FOR THE EGG WASH:

1 egg plus 1 Tablespoon of water

YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
some vegetable oil

cooking spray

foil

13x9 inch (preferably aluminum) pan



INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wash and scrub your potato. Pat it dry. Using a fork, poke holes all over the potato. Place your potato into a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Flip your potato over, and microwave the other side for 3 more minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before touching. Once cooled, remove all of the skin. Mash up your potatoes using a fork, and then using a kitchen scale, weigh out 8 ounces of mashed potatoes. If you don't have a kitchen scale, then measure out 1 cup of lightly packed mashed potato.


2. Heat up your milk in the microwave until lukewarm. (In my microwave, it only takes about 30-40 seconds) Make sure it isn't too hot, or else you'll kill the yeast! Sprinkle in your yeast and sugar. Mix well and set aside until foamy (about 5 minutes).

3. Into your stand mixer (or by hand), add in your all purpose flour, salt, mashed potatoes, butter, and eggs. Once your yeast mixture has bloomed, at that in as well. Using your dough hook attachment, turn mixer to "stir." Mix until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes.

4. Dump your dough onto a clean work surface. Knead with your hands until you've formed a smooth ball. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl, toss to coat, cover with saran wrap, and allow for it to double in size. Could take you anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hour.

5. Fit your baking pan with some aluminum foil. Spray generously with some cooking spray. Set aside.

6. Once your dough has doubled in size, place it onto your clean work surface, gently deflate it, and begin to roll it out into an 18 inch long log. Cut out your dough into 18 equal pieces (cutting them 1 inch apart).

7. Roll out each dough, one at time, into a nice smooth ball. Cover any pieces that aren't being used, with a clean towel, to prevent drying. Place your rolls into your greased pan, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow for them to rise until doubled in size.

PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 350 DEGREES F.

8. Coat each roll with your egg wash and bake for about 15 minutes. Rotate your pan, and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown on the top.

9. Remove your dinner rolls from the oven, and then turn them out onto a wire rack.

10. Serve immediately!



NOTES:

-This recipe makes 18 large dinner rolls. Feel free to make the rolls smaller to feed little mouths.

-Freeze any freshly made dinner rolls to enjoy later. I wrap each dinner roll, individually, in saran wrap and then just thaw them out on the counter before eating.

-Aluminum baking pans bake your dinner rolls more evenly, but you are free to use whichever kind of pan you have on hand.

Beef Chow Fun

Straight up--If I was an inmate on death row, my one and only last meal, would be chow fun. Sounds crazy, huh? Chow fun is, and will always be, my most favorite thing to eat on the planet! Beef chow fun, shrimp chow fun....I LOVE ALL THE CHOW FUN'S IN THE WORLD.


INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of fresh rice noodles (may use dried noodles: follow the directions on the packaging)

8 ounces of sliced beef (I like to use tri-tip)

1 small bunch of sliced Chinese broccoli

3 scallions cut 1 1/2 inch in length

half of a white onion, sliced

4 cloves of chopped garlic

1 teaspoon of corn starch

garlic powder

fish sauce

oyster sauce


FOR THE SAUCE:

3 Tablespoons of double black soy sauce (or dark soy sauce)

2 Tablespoons of light soy sauce

2 Tablespoons of oyster sauce

2 Tablespoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of Mirin

1/4 cup of water

black pepper to taste



INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Start off by making your sauce: place all of your sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and bring it to a quick rolling boil. Stir just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside for later use.

2. Separate your fresh rice noodles. If using dried noodles, follow the directions on the packaging. Set aside.

3. Marinade your beef with 3 Tablespoons of your reserved sauce. Add 1 teaspoon of corn starch. Mix well. Set aside.

4. Into a hot skillet or wok, add in a bit of water. Add in your sliced Chinese broccoli, pinch of salt, and black pepper. Stir, cover with lid, reduce heat to medium, and steam for 5 minutes. Remove lid, stir, and place into colander to remove any excess liquid. Set aside.

5. Into the same skillet on medium-high heat, add in a bit of oil. Add in your marinaded beef slices. Add garlic powder, fish sauce, and oyster sauce to taste. Cook just until no longer pink. Set aside.

6. Wipe down your skillet before using. On medium-high heat, add in 2 Tablespoons of oil and chopped garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add in all of your noodles, making sure to separate them in the process. Pour in the rest of your reserved sauce, sliced onions, and sliced scallions. Cook on high heat until the noodles are well coated. Remove from heat and serve immediately!

NOTES: *I've only used this sauce recipe with fresh rice noodles. If using cooked, dried noodles, I would recommend using only half of the sauce, at first, and then gradually adding more sauce to taste.

*Do not cut the sauce recipe in half. If you plan on using only 1 pound of noodles, then use only half of the chow fun sauce. Store the other half in an airtight container, and place it into the fridge for later use. :)

Lemon Cake with Lemon Icing

I don't discriminate--I love cake of all sorts. BUT I must say...lemon cake with lemon icing is the way to my heart (well, at least at the moment, it is!). This cake has the perfect balance of sweet-to-tartness that will tickle your taste buds. It's soft, not overly-sweet, and has a very soft crumb. Your family and friends will go nuts over this one!


INGREDIENTS:

6 EXTRA LARGE eggs (separate the egg yolks from the egg whites)

2 sticks (1 cup) of softened unsalted butter

2 cups of caster sugar (may sub for granulated sugar)

8 ounces of sour cream

3 cups of sifted cake flour

1/2 tsp of baking soda

3/4 tsp of salt

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp of lemon oil or lemon extract

The zest from 2 lemons

cream of tartar

FOR THE LEMON SYRUP:

1/4 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of water

The juice from two lemons

FOR THE LEMON GLAZE:

2 cups of sifted powdered sugar

2-4 Tablespoons of lemon juice
(I use about 1 1/2 lemons for this)

A bit of lemon oil

Pinch of salt

YOU WILL ALSO NEED:

A 10-inch aluminum tube pan

a skewer or something to poke holes with all over the finished cake

softened butter to grease pan



INSTRUCTIONS:

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325 degrees F.

1. Butter your tube pan all over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Generously coat the whole pan with cake flour and then tap off the excess. Set this aside.

2. Sift your cake flour, salt, and baking soda together. Set this aside.
3. Separate your eggs; place your egg yolks into a small bowl.

4. In a large mixing bowl, add in your egg whites along with some cream of tartar and beat until stiff. Set this aside.

5. In your stand mixer, cream together your butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

6. "Stir" in your sour cream just until combined.

7. Alternate adding in your flour mixture and egg yolks until fully combined with your creamed mixture.

8. Add in your lemon oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.

9. Fold in your egg whites (by hand) just until combined.

10. Pour cake batter into your tube pan, give it a little jiggle to evenly disperse the batter, and bake for about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Check after 1 hour for doneness using a skewer.

11. While the cake is baking, make your syrup. Place sugar and water into a small saucepan, bring it to a quick rolling boil, and remove from heat. Add in your lemon juice. Mix well and allow this mixture to cool down.

12. Make your lemon icing: place sifted powdered sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Add in your lemon juice. For thicker glaze, start off with only 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and add more from there. Add in a small squeeze of lemon oil. Mix using a wire whisk. Add more or less powdered sugar to control consistency. Cover until ready to use.

13. When cake is done, allow it to rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen up the cake from pan and set it on a wire rack.

14. Using a skewer, poke holes throughout the whole cake. Using a spoon, slowly pour the lemon syrup all over the cake.

15. Once the cake has cooled down, pour your lemon glaze all over the cake. Allow for glaze to set (about 15 minutes). ENJOY!



NOTES:


-For best results, use extra large eggs.
-To make caster sugar, place white granulated sugar into a food processor and pulse until smooth.
-Love pound cake? If you do not separate the eggs and just beat them in whole, the cake will be much denser and taste like a pound cake!
-If you do not separate the eggs, the cooking time will be a bit longer.
-Add a little lemon zest to the lemon glaze for a little kick!
-I highly recommend purchasing some lemon oil (I use the Wilton brand) if you can find some! I found mine from my local craft store, Michaels. If you really want to splurge, Lorann makes a good lemon oil, as well.

Banh Xeo (Asian Sizzling Crepes)

These savory, sizzling crepes are a real crowd-pleaser in the summertime. They are light, crispy, and packed with so much flavor! You may use whatever filling combination you'd like! Some favorites are ground chicken, and pork belly. You are also free to add as much or as little crepe batter when you're frying these up. If you'd like a thicker crepe, simply add a bit more crepe batter into the pan while swirling it around in the hot pan. The thicker the batter, the longer it will take to make them crispy. For EXTRA crispiness, after you've added in your ground pork and blanched bean sprouts, turn your heat down to low, cover with a lid, and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes (or until crunchy), remove lid, and continue with flipping your crepe over as instructed.

INGREDIENTS:

10 ounces of rice flour

2 ounces of corn starch

1 teaspoon of tumeric

1 tsp of salt

yellow food coloring

1 Tablespoon of olive oil (may sub for vegetable oil)

1 (14 ounce) can of coconut cream

3 1/2 cups of club soda

FOR THE FILLING:
2 pounds of ground pork

4 cloves of chopped garlic

4 Tablespoons of water

1 Tablespoon of oyster sauce

1/2 Tablespoon of fish sauce

1/4 tsp of sugar

lots of black pepper

msg (optional)

YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
bean sprouts (I use about half of a large bag of beansprouts for this whole recipe)

1 whole onion, sliced

1 1/2 pound of cooked shrimp meat (I like to buy them fresh from the seafood counter)

GARNISHES:

one head of lettuce

assortment of mints

cilantro

basil

Thai chili peppers

FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR DIPPING SAUCE:
1/2 cup of sugar dissolved in 3/4 cup of very hot water

1/4 cup of good fish sauce ( I like the Three Crabs Brand)

3-4 Tablespoons of vinegar

crushed roasted peanuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Into a large mixing bowl, add in your rice flour, cornstarch, tumeric, salt, oil, food coloring, coconut cream, and club soda. Mix well using a wire whisk. Cover tightly with saran wrap, and allow to rest in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 4 hours before using.

2. Soak your veggies in some cold water, and clean them VERY WELL. Drain, pat them completely dry (or a salad spinner works wonders!), and place them on a large platter. You may choose to cut up your lettuce into thin strips, but I would leave everything else whole.

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add in your bean sprouts, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until just softened. Drain, and run some cold water through the bean sprouts to prevent them from over cooking. Set aside.

4. Into a large skillet on medium-high heat, drizzle in some oil. Add in your chopped garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in your ground pork and cook until no longer pink. Drain, and using a paper towel, wipe off any excess oil from the skillet. Add your ground pork back into your skillet, and add in your water, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, lots of black pepper, and msg (if using). Taste check for seasoning. (You don't want it overly salty, just not bland either) Place your seasoned ground pork into a large dish until ready to use.

Get your work station ready! Make sure you have everything around you, next to your stovetop, ready to use: sliced onions? Check. Shrimp? Check. Blanched bean sprouts? Check. Seasoned ground pork? Check.

5. (Make sure you mix your crepe batter well before you begin. The rice flour and cornstarch will have settled on the bottom of the bowl, and this is normal. ALWAYS give it a good stir if it's been sitting, undisturbed, for a while.) Into a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat (make sure pan is HOT), drizzle in a bit of oil. Add in a few slices of onions and cooked shrimp. When onion and shrimp start to brown, add in a thin layer of batter. In my pan, I use about 1/4 cup of batter each time (how much batter you pour in depends on the size of your pan, and how thin/thick you like your crepes). Quickly, using your wrists, swirl your batter all around the pan until it's evenly distributed. When the outer edges of the crepe begin to crisp up or pull away from the pan, add in a handful of ground pork, and some bean sprouts. (I don't like to overfill my crepes, but to each their own. :)) Continue to cook until desired crispiness. When ready, flip over one side of the crepe to cover your filling, remove from pan, and serve immediately!

NOTES:

*This recipe makes a lot of crepes. Scale down the recipe by half if you wish.

*Crepe batter sits well in the fridge for up to three days. Stir well, after you take it out of the fridge and always allow it to come to room temp (at least 30 min) before using.

*A good non-stick pan is key! If your pan sucks, your crepes will suck. THE END.

*FOR EXTRA CRISPINESS: after you've added in your fillings onto the crepe, cover the pan with a lid, turn down heat to LOW, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until desired crispiness.

*If you are making a lot of crepes at once, make sure you separate each crepe with some foil to prevent them from sticking to each other. I usually serve two at a time for each plate, and then place the rest of the crepes on a large platter, separating each one with some foil.

Homemade Breadsticks

I have a confession to make: I'm a known "carbaholic." I love all things bread, and homemade bread (or should I say, breadsticks), is definitely the way to my heart. These breadsticks are the perfect mate to your favorite pasta dish. And guess what?! They are soft, chewy, and are practically fool-proof. Not to mention...kids really enjoy shaping out the breadsticks; It's a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of warm water

2 tsp of active dry yeast

2 Tablespoons of sugar

2 1/2 cups of all propose flour

1 Tablespoon of vital wheat gluten

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1 tsp plus 1/4 tsp of salt

YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
melted coconut oil (may sub for butter)

garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Sprinkle the yeast into your warm water. Stir. Add in your sugar. Stir, again. Set this mixture aside and allow the yeast to "bloom" or become foamy (about 5 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare your dry ingredients.

2. Into a large mixing bowl, add in your flour and vital wheat gluten. Mix well.

3. Once your yeast and water mixture has become foamy, add that into your dry ingredients along with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix for about 30 seconds and then add in your salt. Mix for 1 minute more.

4. Place your dough onto a lightly floured surface, and quickly knead your dough for 2-3 minutes until it forms a nice, smooth ball. Use additional flour as needed but overall, dough should remain slightly tacky.

5. Place dough into a well oiled mixing bowl, cover with kitchen towel, and place in a warm, draft-free place until it has doubled in size (about an hour).

6. Place your dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate it by giving it a few light punches or simply using the fold-over method a few times.

7. Roll out the dough into a 24-inch long log. Cut into 12 equal sized pieces and gently roll out each piece of dough into 8-inch long breadsticks.

8. Place formed breadsticks, 1-inch apart, onto a large baking sheet fitted with some parchment paper. Cover with kitchen towel and allow them to rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes to an hour).

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES F.

9. Carefully brush the tops of the breadsticks with some melted coconut oil and then with some garlic powder. Bake for 15 minutes, or until breadsticks turn slightly golden brown. Serve immediately!

NOTES:
-These taste best eaten same day.

-May reheat in microwave for 10 seconds a piece.

-Add 3 Tablespoons of Bakers Special Dry milk to your dry mix if you have it! Otherwise, follow directions as written.

-Do not rush bread making! Make sure dough has properly risen before moving onto next step.

-There is such a thing as "over-proofing." In other words, don't let your dough rise for too long or it will result in heavy, brick-hard breadsticks.

-If it's a warm day, your bread may rise faster. Check your dough after 30 minutes to ensure you don't over-proof. If it's cold, it may take you longer than an hour for your dough to rise.