Thanksgiving Stuffing Rolls

stuffing-rolls-wee-eats

Thanksgiving is this week and many of you already have your menus planned but for those of you with a little wiggle room, allow me to talk you about these rolls. I saw these on in my inbox and was very skeptical like, “How much like stuffing could these really taste like?” Turns out, a lot. A lot like stuffing. Like, exactly like stuffing.

These aren’t just any rolls, these rolls have all the flavor of your classic Thanksgiving stuffing packed right into a soft, fluffy roll. Now, Mr. Eat’s family isn’t big on stuffing, I however adore it. These rolls are a happy medium that allow me to enjoy all the flavor of stuffing without actually making stuffing. These things are so delicious I just don’t even know what to do with myself. I’m even considering cubing and toasting the leftovers and using them to make actual stuffing. (Stuffing-ception? Gasp!)

You could bake this as a loaf (I’m thinking stuffing-bread sandwiches with the leftover turkey) or as rolls. I chose the latter because everything is better in mini size. Did I mention it comes together in about 10 minutes with one bowl and no mixer required? I could go on and on all day about how good these are, but honestly we are all busy prepping for Thanksgiving so how about I just get to the recipe already?

thanksgiving stuffing rolls

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Instructions

  1. Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, onion powder, parsley, sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
  2. Heat the milk, water, and butter for about 1 minute in the microwave until very warm but not hot.(Between 100-110°F)
  3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, stirring to combine. Stir for about 2 minutes until all of the flour has been incorporated.
  4. Stir in the remaining cup of flour, and mix well, using your hands to knead the dough together until all of the flour is incorporated into the dough.
  5. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  6. To bake a round boule-shaped loaf, place the dough in a greased 1 1/2-quart Dutch oven, and bake immediately.
  7. To bake as rolls, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place in a lightly greased 9 inch round pan; let the rolls rise until puffy, about 30 minutes. For a standard loaf, put dough into a large loaf pan.
  8. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the loaf or rolls with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with celery seed and flaky sea salt (optional). Bake for 35 minutes for the loaf, or about 25-30 minutes for the rolls. The top should be golden brown and tapping the top of the loaf should sound hollow. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
https://wee-eats.com/2016/11/21/thanksgiving-stuffing-rolls/

Source: Food52

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Cauliflower Cake

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Since its release in 2014, one recipe from Ottelenghi’s Plenty More has been receiving an awful lot of attention – cauliflower cake. It’s one of the first recipes I bookmarked as well, and it only took me about 18 months to get around to making it. Sadly, for me, that’s not too long.

I was so intrigued by this recipe, mostly because here in the U.S. anything with “cake” in it is expected to be sweet and is reserved to dessert or the occasional breakfast. This cake, however, adorned with beautiful purple onion rings, clearly this  was a different story. This brave  cake was not going the route of cowardly zucchini bread where the cook takes care to hide vegetable’s flavor beneath layers of sugar, spice, and butter.

Of course, I was most curious what the inside of the cake looked like. All of the photos online I have seen have been from the top, which is understandable as it is a gorgeous angle for this cake especially, but I really wanted to know what was happening underneath that beautiful exterior.

20160228-DSC_1334

The texture is somewhere between a quiche and a cake, biting into it was like biting into a fluffy, cauliflower cloud. I was a bit worried that the chunks of cauliflower in the recipe would give the finished product an odd texture, but that was silly of me. Once cooked, cauliflower becomes almost silkily tender, and melts away into the texture of the rest of the cake.

The recipe called for nigella seeds, which I was unable to find prior to making the recipe so I just rolled with it and did without. I expect they lend another layer of texture to the recipe but I thought the cake was delightful without them. If you’re interested, feel free to include them in the recipe, or you can substitute sesame seeds in their place.

The cake has a hearty, quichey flavor thanks to the eggs, but still keeps cauliflower front and center, but beautifully accented by the turmeric, onion, and loads of parmesan cheese. I suspect a picky eater would love this if you didn’t tell them what was in it first, but I couldn’t get Mr. Eats to even take a bite. It would make a delightful hearty side dish or appetizer. Serve it alongside a light salad or soup, a chicken breast, or eat it on its own.wee eats - cauliflower cake

Yotam Ottolenghi's Cauliflower Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 small cauliflower, outer leaves removed, broken into 1 1/4-inch florets (about 1 pound)
  • 1 medium red onion, peeled (about 6 ounces)
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 7 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Parmesan or another aged cheese (about 5 oz)
  • Melted unsalted butter, for brushing
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (also known as black caraway)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Tools
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Parchment
  • 9 1/2-inch springform pan (I used a 9-inch pan)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Place the cauliflower florets in a saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with water and simmer for 15 minutes, until the florets are soft and break when pressed with a spoon. Drain and set aside in a colander to dry.
  3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
  4. Cut 4 round slices, each 1/4-inch thick, off one end of the onion and set aside. Coarsely chop the rest of the onion and place in a small pan with the oil and rosemary. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
  5. Transfer the onion to a large bowl, add the eggs and basil, whisk well, and then add the flour, baking powder, turmeric, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, and plenty of pepper and whisk until smooth. Add the cauliflower florets and stir gently to combine, trying not to break up the florets.
  6. Line the base of a 9 1/2-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper. Brush the sides with melted butter, then mix together the sesame and nigella seeds and toss them around the inside of the pan so that they stick to the sides. (I skipped the seeds)
  7. Pour the cauliflower mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly, and arrange the reserved onion rings on top. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown and set; a knife inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.
  8. Remove from the oven and leave for at least 20 minutes before serving. Best served just warm, rather than hot, or at room temperature.
https://wee-eats.com/2016/04/26/yotam-ottolenghis-cauliflower-cake/

[ Recipe from: Plenty More ]

thursday things – bad luck and potato salad

esplanade

My favorite time of year is here – IT’S FALL IT’S FALL IT’S FALL! Although I don’t get to enjoy the smell of crisp fall mornings nor enjoy watching the leafs change colors, I do get a reprieve from triple digit temperatures.  I don’t think we hit 100 at all this week and I’m feeling super pumped about it.

My plan this week, guys, was to get back into the swing of things. I had a plan to make all the things, photograph those things, and then tell you all about those things. I made it 2/3 of the way through that plan. I made all the things, I photographed those things, and then I promptly lost my camera’s SD card, and therefore all the pictures of the things I had made, and then I cried a thousand tears of sadness. (Not really, but I was medium annoyed).

I had put the card in my pocket for safe-keeping and apparently was unaware that there was a black hole in my pocket that was hungry for SD cards. I retraced my steps over and over and over again looking for my poor little card but alas there was no card to be found.

Fear not, I have ordered a new SD card for the camera which, with any luck, should arrive in time for this weekend and for new cooking adventures. Which MEANS, there is a chance I can get back on the blog-wagon by next week.

*Fingers-crossed**Knock on wood**Whatever-else-you-do-to-create-good-luck*

So, instead of all the pumpkin things I made last weekend, you get this. Which is a potato salad that I made for a BBQ at my father in law’s house. I snapped a quick picture on my iPhone before we left the house so I decided I would share it with you because something is better than nothing, right? 🙂

potato salad

 

easy potato salad

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds redskin potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • Chicken stock (or vegetable stock, or water); enough to cover the potatoes by at least 1 inch
  • 1 Tablespoon of salt
  • 1 large shallot, finely minced
  • 3 stalks celery, finely diced
  • 4 slices bacon, finely diced
  • 3 Tablespoons (ish) fresh-snipped chives, reserve some for decoration
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 to 2 Tablespoon sour cream
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons yellow or stone ground mustard
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika*
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions

    Prepare the potatoes:
  1. Dice potatoes and put into a large pot. Cover with water or stock by 1-inch and add tablespoon of salt.
  2. Bring pot of potatoes to a boil over high heat and cook until potatoes are slightly tender but still firm. (You should be able to easily pierce them with a fork but you don't want them to fall apart when you do so).
  3. Strain potatoes and set aside to cool slightly. Taste one piece of potato so that you know how much salt you will need to add to the dressing.
  4. Make the dressing:
  5. In a large bowl mix mayo, sour cream, mustard, paprika, garlic powder, and a generous helping of salt and pepper. A dash of hot sauce or chipotle is good here too, if you're into that sort of thing. It's not against the rules to try a taste of the dressing before you toss the potatoes in to make sure that the flavor is balanced. Keep in mind you want it to taste a bit "strong" plain since the potatoes will absorb and mute the flavor a bit.
  6. Combine:
  7. Throw the potatoes into the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Add the shallot, celery, bacon, and chives and continue tossing to combine. If necessary, add another tablespoon or two of mayo or sour cream.*
  8. Once your salad is tossed to your liking, place in the fridge uncovered until chilled (to avoid that pesky condensation). Once chilled, cover tightly with plastic wrap until ready to serve. Potato can be made (and is usually better made) one day ahead.
  9. Sprinkle with extra chives and paprika just before serving to make it look pretty.

Notes

*I like my potato salad to have a bit more "kick" so I tend to be a little heavy-handed with my spices. If you're afraid of smoked paprika, start with the smaller 1 teaspoon amount. If not, go for the larger amount.

*I tend to like my potato salad to be very lightly-dressed, others prefer theirs to be loaded with mayo. If you prefer the latter, feel free to add more mayo and/or sour cream to your dressing, you'll get no judgment from me!

https://wee-eats.com/2014/10/02/thursday-things-bad-luck-and-potato-salad/

creamy cauliflower soup (without cream!)

cauliflower-soup 1

Apologies as I’ve been MIA lately. You see, I’m in a bit of a predicament as I’m on an “elimination diet” of sorts. (You may have heard of it, it’s called the Whole 30, or as my fiance is referring to it, “The worst 30 days of his life”) What that means is that I can’t eat like 98% of the things I would normally be eating (cake, cookies, bread, dairy, peanut butter). Instead, my life is filled to the top with fruits, veggies, and protein. So much protein.

I think I even got a case of the meat sweats last night…

So how do you make your life feel normal when you’re on a diet that cuts out most “normal” food? Well, this soup is a good start.

This soup is so good, in fact, that the fiance ate it for like 4 days straight without a single complaint. He has even asked if we could have it again, even though I’m pretty sure that if he even sees one more piece of cauliflower in the kitchen my life may be in peril. Did you have any idea how versatile cauliflower was? I didn’t.

I know what you’re wondering – Can you really get all the luxury of creamy cauliflower soup without any cream?

In short, yes.

cauliflower soup 2

In long, basically there is something about the very low insoluble fiber content of cauliflower  [ insert science here ] that makes it the perfect vegetable for blending into a rich, creamy oblivion. America’s Test Kitchen (where I got the recipe from) does a much better job of explaining it.

Basically, what that means is that you can get that perfect, satisfyingly rich, velvety mouth-feel with zero cream.

Not even a drop.

So even though you feel like you’re enjoying a rich, indulgent soup, you’re actually just enjoying some good-for-you veggies! (Sh, don’t tell anyone!). And although the soup looks really thick and heavy, it doesn’t feel heavy in your belly – Think of it like a creamy potato-leek soup minus the brick that usually ends up in your belly when you finish eating it. So go ahead and have a second bowl!

creamless cauliflower soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 5 servings

Serving Size: ~1 cup

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds cauliflower florets (1 head)
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (clarified butter, if you're on Whole 30, or even olive oil would probably do.)
  • 1 leek
  • 1 medium onion (between 1/2 to 1 cup chopped)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (plus more to taste)
  • 4 to 5 cups water

Instructions

  1. Trim leaves and stem from cauliflower, removing the core. Thinly slice the core of the cauliflower and cut the cauliflower head into 1/2-inch thick slices.
  2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add leek, onion, and salt to the pan with the melted butter. Saute until leek and onion are soft but not browned (about 5 to 7 minutes).
  3. Increase heat to medium-high and add half of the cauliflower, along with the sliced core, and enough water to cover (about 4 to 5 cups). Bring water to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook at a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes.
  4. After 15 minutes, add remaining cauliflower and return soup to a simmer. Continue cooking another 15 to 20 minutes until cauliflower is tender.
  5. When cauliflower is ready, remove the pan from the heat and puree the cauliflower with an immersion blender until smooth.* If desired, add more water to thin the soup. The soup should have a thick texture but be thin enough to settle to a flat surface after being stirred, but should not be thin or runny (maybe slightly thinner than cupcake batter).
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning adding more salt and/or pepper if needed.

Notes

* If you don't have an immersion blender, you can process the soup in a regular blender (in batches if needed). Remember to remove the middle plug (can cover with a towel) to allow steam to escape while processing. Return soup to the pan after processing and add water if necessary to adjust the consistency.

* I topped my soup with bits of roasted cauliflower and some chives to make it look pretty, but you really don't need to add a single thing because it's delicious on its own.

Source America's Test Kitchen

https://wee-eats.com/2014/06/12/creamy-cauliflower-soup-without-cream/

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