Fluffy Make-Ahead Dinner Rolls

Fluffy Make-Ahead Dinner Rolls
By: Cook’s Country Magazine (December/January 2007 Issue)

3 Tablespoons butter, plus 2 Tablespoons (softened) for bowl and baking dish
1 ½ cups whole milk
1/3 cup honey
4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) Crisco shortening

5 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon rapid-rise or instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 large egg

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When the oven reaches 200 degrees shut oven off. Grease large bowl with 1 Tablespoon butter. Line 9x13 baking dish with tin foil, leaving overhand on all sides. Grease foil with 1 Tablespoon butter.

Place milk, honey, shortening, and remaining 3 Tablespoons butter in a large glass measuring cup. Microwave until milk is warm (110 degrees) and butter and shortening begin to melt, 2 minutes. Whisk until well combined.

Mix 4 ½ cups flour, yeast and salt in an electric mixing bowl fitted with dough hook. Turn mixer to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium, add egg, and mix until dough is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add another 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed until dough is shiny and smooth, and comes away from the sides of the mixing bowl, 6-7 minutes. Turn dough onto an unfloured surface and knead briefly to form smooth, cohesive ball. Transfer dough to buttered bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in turned off oven until dough is doubled, 60 minutes.

Punch down dough on floured surface and divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thick cylinder and cut each cylinder into 5 equal pieces (a total of 15 rolls). Working one piece at a time form dough pieces into smooth, taut rounds and arrange in prepared baking dish. Lightly press on dough rounds so they tough each other. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and return to turned off oven until dough rounds have doubled in size, 60 more minutes.

Remove dish from oven and heat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap baking dish. Bake until rolls are deep golden brown, 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Using tin foil handles remove rolls from the baking dish and cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Remove foil from rolls and return to rack to cool completely, 2 hours longer.

Serve immediately, or by keeping rolls together, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil; can be frozen up to 1 month.

To serve if frozen: Remove plastic wrap and foil (reserve foil) from rolls, then re-wrap in reserved foil and defrost at room temperature for 2 hours. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake foil-wrapped rolls on baking sheet until heated through, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 15 large rolls

Rosanna’s Note: This recipe takes some time, but it is well worth it. The stages are short and easy, but the rising takes hours! 5 out of 5 stars

Rich Hot Chocolate

Rich Hot Chocolate
By: Natalie Haughton’s “Slow & Easy fast-fix recipes for your electric slow cooker”

1 cup heavy whipping cream
8oz bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), cut into 1 inch pieces
4 cups whole milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
Whipped cream, for topping

In a 2 quart glass measuring cup or bowl, combine the heavy cream and chocolate. Heat in a microwave oven on high power for 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes, until chocolate is melted when stirred. Whisk to mix well. Whisk in 1 cup of the milk until blended.

Transfer the chocolate mixture to a 4 quart slow cooker (crock pot). Whisk in the sugar and remaining 3 cups milk.

Cover and cook on high heat for 2 hours, or on low heat for 4 hours, until chocolate is very hot. Ladle into cups or small mugs and top with whipped cream.

Makes about 6 cups; 10-12 servings

Beef Stew with Red Wine

Beef Stew with Red Wine
By: Natalie Haughton’s “Slow & Easy fast-fix recipes for your electric slow cooker”

2lb boneless beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes (all excess fat removed)
4 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
5 medium red waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ to ¾ inch cubes
3 celery ribs, sliced
2 medium or 1 large yellow onion, cut into ¾ inch dice
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups dry red wine, such as cabernet or merlot
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
Pinch of granulated sugar
2 bay leaves

In a 6 quart slow cooker (crock pot), mix together the carrots, potatoes, celery, and onions.

Place the flour, salt, and pepper in a large plastic Ziploc bag. Add the beef cubes, seal the bag, and toss until the beef is evenly coated with the seasoned flour. Add the meat and any loose flour to the crock pot. Spoon some of the vegetables up and over the beef.

In a glass bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together the wine, mustard, and sugar until thoroughly mixed. Pour evenly over the beef and vegetables. Submerge the bay leaves on opposite sides of the crock pot.

Cover and cook on low setting for 6 ½ hours, until the potatoes and beef are tender but the beef still holds its shape. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Rosanna’s notes: leave time for prepping the vegetables. Once everything is in the crock pot it’s a breeze. Too die for flavor and the beef is sooooo moist!!! 5 out of 5 stars. The wine aroma is stronger than the actual flavor of the stew as the alcohol cooks off over time.

Sweet-and-Sour Pineapple Chicken

Sweet-and-Sour Pineapple Chicken
By: Natalie Haughton “Slow & Easy” Fast-fix recipes for your electric slow cooker cookbook

Rosanna gives: 3 out of 5 stars
Rosanna’s note: Easy and quick to prepare…Great for someone just starting to explore the kitchen!!!

1 can (20oz) pineapple chunks in juice
1/3 cup ketchup
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large bell peppers, 1 green and 1 orange or yellow, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 large yellow onion, cut into thin wedges
1 cup converted long-grain white rice (such as Uncle Ben’s)
1 large tomato, cut into thin wedges

Drain the juice from the pineapple into a bowl. Add to it the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper and ¾ cup water. Mix sauce well. Set aside.

In a 4 to 5 quart electric slow cooker (crock pot!), combine the pineapple chunks, bell peppers, chicken strips, onion wedges, rice and tomatoes. Pour the sauce over all and toss well to distribute the ingredients evenly.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for about 4 hours, stirring once about halfway through if possible, until the chicken and rice are tender. Do not overcook, or the rice will become too soft!

Rosanna’s end note: Excellent flavor, but it does dry out. Great as a side dish with something moist!