Buttered Rosemary Dinner Rolls

Buttered Rosemary Rolls

My cousin Janet made these rolls for me and they quickly became a favorite! Best of all you use, basic frozen dinner rolls! You can find them in the frozen bread section in the grocery store.

Now here is what you do. Generously coat a heavy cast iron skillet with some olive oil…or some cooking spray. Trust me, the olive oil is best all by itself!

Now place the frozen rolls in the pan, leaving plenty of rising room around each one.

 

skillet rolls

I wouldn’t want it any more crowded than this since the rolls will probably double in size by the time they’re finished rising. Of course the larger the skillet the more you can add. Now cover them with plastic wrap or a dish towel.

risen rolls

And put them in a non-drafty spot in your kitchen. Walk away for a good three hours (check the directions on the package) and allow them to rise.

After the rolls have risen, using fresh rosemary, strip off the leaves and chop the rosemary. Throw a little butter (regular, salted) into a microwave-safe bowl…And melt it in the microwave.

Brush  butter over the tops of the rolls. They’re light and fluffy and risen, so don’t do this too forcefully.

Sprinkle rosemary all over the top. It’s very, very flavorful, so you don’t have to do too much.

Now, very gently brush a little more butter over the top, just to coat the rosemary.

sprinkle with rosemary

If you have any good, coarse sea salt, grab it.  And sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt over the tops of the rolls. It does make the first bite a little salty, but there’s enough plain bread underneath the crusty top to balance it…and it really brings out the flavor of the rosemary. Now just pop the skillet into the oven a bake. I did 400 degrees for about 16 or 18 minutes, I think.

 

baked rolls

 

Note: Definitely bake them for an adequate amount of time; let the top get really golden brown. You want the bottom of the rolls to be done too. For this reason, it’s best to keep the skillet no higher than the middle rack of the oven.

Note #2: Don’t be alarmed if you look in the oven and the rolls have risen way over the top of the pan. They’ll settle down slightly when you take them out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chestnut Stuffing (Dressing)

Chestnut Stuffing

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1 Big bag of Pepperidge Farm Stuffing
1 cup chopped onion 1 Tbs. Sage
1 cup chopped celery 1 Tbs. Savory
1 Tbs. minced garlic 2 Tsp. salt
1/2 cup minced carrot 1/2 tsp pepper
1/ cup chopped green pepper 1 stick butter
chicken stock 1 Tbs. Parsley

24 chestnuts,
Roasted, shelled, broken up and soaked in 1/2 cup of rum. I soak them for a day or two. I also use the rum in the making of the stuffing.
Melt butter, saute onions, celery, garlic, carrot, green pepper, sage, savory, salt, pepper, and parsley until vegetables are cooked. Add in bread crumbs, and chestnuts. Moisten with chicken stock until you have a nice moist, yet fluffy stuffing.
Play with it. Add the seasonings that you like. Most of all, enjoy!

In Search Of…

I decided that this Thanksgiving, I want to make a Cranberry-nut quick bread to have at the dinner table. Now here is my problem. I don’t have a good recipe for a real Cape Cod Cranberry-nut quick bread!

I’ve been looking over all sorts of recipes, but none of them sound anything like what my Mama used to make.

Growing up on Cape Cod I’ve tried my share of Cranberry Breads. I love the ones that are nice and moist, have a little bit of orange zest in it, and of course wonderful walnuts!

Any ideas?

Pork, Apples & Sauerkraut

Yesterday I decided to make a wonderful Autumn recipe. I’m writing it down because I don’t want to forget this amazingly quick and easy recipe. This is what I did.

  1. One, 1-2 pound Pork Loin. Trimmed of excess fat.
  2. Four or five good size apples, peeled, sliced into wedges. (I used an apple slicer/corer)
  3. A quarter cup of Splenda Brown Sugar.
  4. One half a teaspoon of cinnamon.
  5. One onion quartered and sliced thinly.
  6. A half a pound of good Sauerkraut.

Get out your slow cooker. Add everything but the Pork Loin, and mix thoroughly with your hands. Once everything is mixed well, add the pork and mix it into the pot with your hands, to cover it with the apples, onions and sauerkraut.

Put on high for an hour. Check to be sure it has come up to a bubbling mixture. Once it has, turn down to medium low and cook 4-5 hours.

The meat was tender, and so were the apples. I served it with baked potatoes and pearl onions. Hubby was thrilled with the meal and wants me to make it again! One thing he doesn’t know is that he is getting it for a leftover meal later this week!

Eggplant Lasagna

I love eggplant, and currently have six plants in my garden. They have grown long thin eggplants, and this year, it seemed that many of their long fingers ripened at once. Yesterday I harvested 24 Ichiban Eggplants. I thought about what I could do and it came to me…Eggplant lasagna!

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  1. So I peeled the Eggplant, sliced them in half, and tossed them in Italian bread crumbs. Then I put them on a PAM sprayed cookie sheet, gave them a little pray on their upper side, and roasted in the oven at 425 degree for 20 minutes, turn and cook for another 15 minutes or until they are nicely browned on both sides.
  2. Once roasted, I set them on wire racks to cool.
  3. Meanwhile, I had my own Spaghetti Sauce, made with Italian Sausage, that I thawed and had standing by.
  4. I used 8 ounces of Ricotta Cheese mixed with 1 egg. (Or 1/4 cup of egg whites) Whip it thoroughly.
  5. Cook 6 lasagna noodles.
  6. Get a 9X11 inch glass pan. Spray with PAM or other nonstick spray.
  7. Layer:
  • Spread a small amount of spaghetti sauce on bottom of pan.
  • Lay one layer of lasagna noodles in pan. (mine hold three across.)
  • Spread spaghetti sauce on noodles.
  • Place a layer of Eggplant in the same direction of the noodles.
  • Take some shredded Mozzarella cheese and place over eggplant lightly.
  • Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of that.
  • Then place dollops of Ricotta mixture on top of that, and then spread all over the top of the eggplants.
  • Then place the second layer of noodles across this.
  • Cover with spaghetti sauce.
  • Then place the second layer off eggplant on top of this.
  • Then sprinkle a fair amount of Mozzarella cheese.
  • Lastly, take some Parmesan cheese and sprinkle on the top.
  1. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes. Make sure cheese is melted and bubbly.
  2. Take out of oven and set on the top of stove, turning off the heat.
  3. Let sit for about 10 minutes so it will “jell” and be easier to cut.

If you have any questions, let me know. I will be trying this with regular eggplant this winter, when my garden stops producing.

Moon Glow Pickles

The hand continues to heal, and in the meantime, with one hand I’ve continued to do my thing. Blanch and freeze beans, and yesterday, with the help of my husband, we began the process of making Moon Glow Pickles.

Moon Glow Pickles

pickles anyone

  • 6 quarts cubed cucumbers (ripe and yellow)
  • (cut into quarters lengthwise, peel and scoop out seeds and cube)
  • 3 large onions cubed
  • 1/2 cup canning salt
  • 2 green pappers chopped
  • 2 red peppers chopped

Put in large pot cover with water and soak overnight, drain and rinse.

Then add:

  • 12 whole cloves
  • 2 TBSP mustard seed
  • 6 cups sugar
  • 1 quart cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Tumeric

Cook until soft and kind of transparent. Pack in hot sterilized jars. Yield 10 pints.

So, today, Hubby and I will finish off and can these pickles. They are one of our favorites an a great way to use a cucumber that is overgrown and just sort of got away from you by hiding in your garden.

Quick & Easy Four Bean Salad

Four Bean Salad (for canning)

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  • 6 c. total garden beans (yellow wax, green, Romano, or combination)
  • 1 c. cooked chickpeas
  • 1 c. cooked kidney beans
  • 1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 tsp. mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp. pickling salt, or 1 1/2 t. kosher salt
  • 1 c. white vinegar (5 %)
  • 1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (I use Real Lemon)
  • 1 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1-2 tsp olive oil
  • 1&1/2 c. water

1) Blanch your beans in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Set aside.

2) Combine all the non-vegetable ingredients except for the oil (vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, herbs, spices, water, etc.) in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Briefly remove from the heat and add the oil. After combined, stir in the vegetables and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let cool; refrigerate for at least 12 hours. (***This step is necessary to make sure that the vinegar actually penetrates the beans, making them safe for a water-bath canner.***) I usually let them set overnight.

3) When the beans are almost done marinating, prepare your canning supplies. Clean and sterilize 4 pint jars. Prepare a boiling water bath and heat the lids.

4) Bring the vegetable mixture to a boil. Fill the jars with the solids, then cover with the hot liquid, leaving a 1/2″ head-space. Cover with two-piece lids (remember, you can reuse the jars and rings, but use fresh lids every time) and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Set on a double folded dish towel. You should hear the lids thunk down, letting you know they have properly sealed.

Best Ever Baby Backs

As you all know, I love baby back ribs. In fact, we’re having them tonight. In the summer they are even more delightful, because they can be finished off with a nice charcoal grilling. So, I decided to reprint this recipe and clips so anyone who missed this before can have the recipe to use. It really is, the best recipe ever.

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The night before (or at least 4 hours before you cook):

1. Thoroughly wash, rinse, and pat dry the ribs

2. Remove the membrane off the back of the ribs, if still on.
This is an important step as it allows the flavors to penetrate the ribs. Take a small knife, pierce it on the back (bone) side of the ribs and slowly lift up to pop a hole in the membrane and remove the entire membrane.

3. Rub the ribs thoroughly with the Dry Rub.
(I use my hands and thoroughly rub in the rub with my hands until completely coated)

4. Seal the ribs for marinating.
Following is the way that I prepare the ribs (if you feel uncomfortable using the plastic wrap, completely seal using heavy-duty aluminum foil).
– Wrap in the ribs in a high-quality plastic wrap (this may take two coats). This method produces the best ribs that will fall off the bones.
– Wrap again using heavy-duty aluminum foil, completely sealing in the ribs

5. Place the ribs in the refrigerator and allow to marinate overnight (at least 4 hours minimum)

6. Preheat oven to 300 degrees

7. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and place on a cookie sheet (preferably on top a wire rack) and place in the oven

8. Cook for 2 ½ hours (depending on the size of your ribs. This recipe is based on a full rack of ribs. The ribs should be very tender and ready to fall of the bones).

9. Remove and leave rest 15 minutes. Unwrap the ribs (watch the steam!) and allow to rest 15 minutes to absorb the flavors and cool

10. Prepare your grill for cooking

11. Place the ribs on the grill over high heat, let cook for 5 minutes, then turn the ribs over and cook for 5 minutes more.

12. Thoroughly brush the ribs with the Traditional Barbecue Sauce and flip the ribs. Coat the other side with sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Repeat this process twice.

13. Coat the top side one more time with sauce, remove, and Enjoy!

I did a video a couple of years ago on how I do them. So I will stick it in here so you can see.

Making the Ribs from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Good Ribs from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Seafood Lasagna

This is one of my family’s favorite recipes. My cousin makes a really good one. Probably better than mine, despite the fact we use the same recipe. We also will use lobster if they are cheap and easy to get.

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 lb shrimp
  • 1/2 lb crab
  • 1/2 lb scallops
  • 2 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 T butter
  • 2 cups béchamel *
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1cup Swiss and Mozzarella cheese mix , shredded
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 lasagna sheets, cooked ‘al dente’
  • salt and white pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

  1. In a saucepan, melt 1 T of the butter, sauté the garlic until transparent – do not brown or burn.
  2. Add the shrimp, scallops and crab.
  3. Toss over high heat for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add onions, stir and continue cooking till shrimp lose their transparency.

Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the béchamel.*

  1. When béchamel is ready, stir in the cream, wine, and salt and pepper to taste, blend thoroughly and remove the sauce from the heat.
  2. Spread about a third of the sauce over the bottom of an 8 x 10 or round pie pan.
  3. Sprinkle 1/2 the cheese mixture over the sauce.
  4. Scatter about half the shellfish evenly over the cheese.
  5. Cover with half the lasagna sheets.
  6. Repeat the layers finishing with the last sheets of lasagna.
  7. Cover with the remaining sauce and Parmesan.

The layers, from the bottom:

  1. Sauce
  2. Cheese
  3. Seafood
  4. Lasagna
  5. Sauce
  6. Cheese
  7. Seafood
  8. Lasagna
  9. Sauce
  10. Parmesan

BAKE for 30-40 minutes or until the topping is golden brown (keep and eye on it, you don’t want the top to burn).Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

*Bechamel Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/4 cups milk, heated**
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

** Use 1 cup milk for the sauce in the seafood lasagna because heavy cream and wine will thin the sauce. This will result in the sauce being thicker than usual, but that’s ok!

  1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
  2. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don’t let it brown – about 2 minutes.
  3. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens.
  4. Bring it to a boil.
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more.
  6. Remove from the heat.
  7. To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper or pour a film of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming.

Makes about 1 cup.

PS. I ALWAYS use more cheese than a recipe calls for. It’s always your call to use more or less…

Oh So Sweet N Easy Boneless Pork Ribs

  1. 1-2 lbs country-style pork ribs, (without the bones)
  2. Sweet Baby Rays Barbecue Sauce
  3. 1 large on cut in half and sliced
  4. salt and pepper
  5. One Dutch Oven

Dutch Oven

Directions

  1. Sprinkle salt, and pepper all over each slice of boneless rib.
  2. Pour 2-3 tbs of olive oil in a Dutch Oven. Heat to medium heat.
  3. Place ribs inside the uncovered Dutch Oven. Brown on all sides.
  4. Remove ribs from pot and keep warm on plate.
  5. Put onion slices in pot and stir around until they are caramelized.
  6. Once onions are caramelized add ribs to pot and sauce and stir to mix well.
  7. Cover the ribs with the top of the Dutch Oven, and put back into the oven.
  8. Turn oven to 250 degrees so sauce won’t burn and let them bake for 2-3 hours. After two hours have passed, check the ribs with a fork to check tenderness of the meat, if you desire them to be even more tender put the cover back over tightly and let them sit for another hour in the low oven.
  9. After ribs are done take cover off carefully as steam will come out, take out ribs and let them sit for 5-10 minutes in their sauce.