All Hail the Slow Cooker!

My sister (another foodie) sent a great recipe to me the other day for Italian Pot Roast. I read it, wiped the drool from my chin, and filed it away, thinking "This will taste great next winter." That's when it dawned on me: Why do we feel like the minute warm weather hits, the crock pot has to go into hiding? I realize that this time of year we are all grilling nearly everything we eat (including dessert, and that's another post). However, isn't a crock pot the perfect warm weather cooking tool? It certainly doesn't heat up the house, the way an oven or even a stove does. And who doesn't like to come home from work to the smell of dinner lingering throughout the house?

Now, I do realize that summer dinner's tend to be on the lighter side. Or do they? Is a grilled steak really considered a light meal? I don't care if you serve it with a salad...it's still a big hunk of meat on your plate, and there's nothing "light" about that. Light meals can really just mean smaller portions, even of something that's considered "heavy", like Italian Pot Roast.

Although I haven't yet made this dish, my sister did and she said it is "easy and very good". I'm all for easy and very good, especially in the summer.

Italian Pot Roast
4 medium potatoes, cut into quarters
2 cups fresh or frozen whole baby carrots
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium Italian plum tomato, diced
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 pounds beef bottom round roasts or beef chuck pot roast
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed Tomato Soup
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped roasted garlic or chopped fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves,crushed
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes, crushed
1 teaspoon vinegar

If you have time, sear the meat on high heat for a few minutes on each side. You can skip this step, as I usually do. However, you'll gain a lot of flavor by doing so.

Place potatoes, carrots, celery and tomato in 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Season roast with pepper and place on top.

Mix soup, water, pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley and vinegar. Pour over all.

Cover and cook on LOW 10 to 12 hour or until done.

As an FYI, my sister did not cook hers in a slow cooker.  She used a roasting pan in the oven, 300° for the first three hours, then 250° for one more hour.

I think I'm going to give this recipe a try this weekend.  I'll keep you posted on the results.  Since I don't have a photo of this dish, I'll just pass along a photo of my little companion Buddy.  He likes to hang out with me while I write.

What's not to love about Cinnamon Rolls?

My sister-in-law was in town recently, and foodies that we are, we went on a shopping adventure at Whole Foods in St. Louis.  Most people wouldn't consider a trip to Whole Foods a shopping adventure, but for two women who love to cook (and, ahem, eat), this is considered a trip to mecca!

By the time I reached the checkout lane, I'd filled my cart with necessities, such as wine, cheese, strawberries...and I can't remember what else.  I do remember that the adventure cost me $52 and it was well worth it.  I not only bought the freshest strawberries I'd ever had, but I also got to spend time with someone I enjoy being with, but rarely get to see.  She lives in Texas and runs a very successful business.  We are in Illinois and are equally busy.  Do the math, and it adds up to about 4 visits a year.

One purchase she made at Whole Foods was an awesome cookbook from author/blogger/photographer Ree Drummond, called The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl.  While we were in the checkout line, the woman in from of us said, "Try the cinnamon rolls in that cookbook.  They're the best I've ever had."  That was all we needed to hear!

The next day at breakfast, we were noshing on some of "the best cinnamon rolls we've ever had".  Lord these things are good.  And, did I mention they are EASY to make?  They may take time, but there is absolutely NO kneading involved.  None!  If you have a bowl, a large spoon, and a place to roll out the dough (no rolling pin is needed, but it is helpful), you can make these delicious little morsels.  Here goes:

Lee Drummond's Cinnamon Rolls
Makes 40 - 50 rolls

1 quart whole milk
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
 2 packages instant yeast
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
9 cups flour
2 cups very soft butter
1 cup melted butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Heat milk, oil and sugar over medium heat.  Do not boil, rather heat until almost boiling.  Remove from the stove and allow mixture to cool until lukewarm.

Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for one minute.

Add the liquid mixture to a bowl, along with 8 cups of flour.  Stir the mixture until just combined.  You shouldn't see any flour remaining.  Cover and let rise in a relatively warm place for about an hour.

After an hour, punch down the dough with a spoon and add baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining flour.  Stir thoroughly.

Now it's time to roll out the dough.  Sprinkle a bit of flour on whatever surface you're going to use to make the rolls.  Plop half of the dough onto the surface and do your best to form it into a rectangle.  At this point, you can use your rolling pin to roll the dough out to a rectangle that's thin, and truly a rectangle.

Now comes the filling.  Take one cup of the soften butter and spread it on the dough.  You could also melt the butter and spread it on with your hands.  Whichever is easiest to you.  Then spread 1 cup of brown sugar over the dough, and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon.

Starting from the side closest to you, roll the dough into a long tube.  Do not seek perfection...just roll it as tightly as you can.  Be sure to pinch the seam together.  Now, cut into rolls about 1 1/2 " wide and place in a prepared pan.  By prepared I mean one sprayed with non-stick spray, OR ladled with even more melted butter.  I used pie pans, but you could use a rimmed cookie sheet, or even the aluminum throw-away pans.  Whatever the case, the rolls should be touching, but not crammed into the pan.

Repeat the rolling and filling procedure again with the other half of the dough.

Now, turn on your oven to 375°.  While the oven preheats, cover the rolls with a towel.  They should rest at least 20 minutes.  After they have rested and the oven has preheated, pop them into the oven for 15 - 18 minutes.

While the dough is resting, throw together the yummy icing.  Mix 1 cup of melted butter with about 3/4 cup brown sugar and a teaspoon or so of cinnamon.  Keep this on low heat and stir occasionally while the rolls bake.

Remove rolls from the oven and immediately drizzle with butter/brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

• This recipe can easily be cut in half.
• The rolls can be frozen before they have been baked.  Simply remove from the freezer, thaw, then bake.
• The baked rolls can also be frozen.  Just thaw, and warm them in the oven for about 5 minutes or so at 375°

These will blow your mind!  My husband even declared them "best cinnamon rolls ever" on his Facebook page.

Did I mention I was trying to lose weight?

Who doesn't love hot rolls?

It's been another busy week indeed!  What we thought was a small water issue in our basement has turned into a huge mess, including lots of icky black mold.  Nice!  My mom has been in and out of the hospital recently after bouts of high blood pressure and heart palpitations.  Very scary!  And, a recent trip to our family doctor has brought a reality slap right in my face.  One way or another I'm going to have to lose A LOT of weight.  That means my recipe box needs to be filled with not only quick, go-to recipes, but also healthier options as well.  This is a good thing...really.  At least that's what I keep telling myself.  Then I remember this recipe I ran across for oh-my-Lord-so-delicious dinner rolls.  I mentioned these last week in my post about Rigatoni, Ricotta and Sausage, and I haven't been able to get them off my mind since.

I love to bake bread.  The whole process is satisfying to me, on so many levels.  But, I don't feel as passionate about the actual kneading process.  So, I especially love that I have a Kitchenaid Mixer and bread machine to make the job much easier.  And I was thrilled to run across this recipe on www.food.com for Hamburger Buns made in a bread machine.  Yes, they may be called Hamburger Buns, but it would be a true crime to reserve these just for burgers.  I can easily eat these completely unadorned.  Warm from the oven, or three days old.  They are, to me, sublime.  Perhaps that's why my butt needs it's own zip code.  I digress.

Bread Machine Hamburger Buns

1 1/4 cups milk, warmed at least to room temperature
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (I use the "bread machine" yeast, but you can use any you have on hand)

Place all ingredients into the pan of the bread machine, in the order listed (wet, dry, and the yeast on the top).  Select "dough" setting on your bread machine and let her rip.

When the cycle is complete, turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Cut the dough in half, and cut each half into 6 pieces.  You can get fancy and roll each piece into a nice, cute ball, but you don't really need to.

Place the dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or a greased baking sheet if you haven't any parchment.  (If you don't have parchment, go add it to your grocery list.  I could go on for hours about the value of it.  It's cheap and you'll never burn another cookie again if you buy it.)

Brush each melted butter, or with olive oil. Cover with a dish towel and let rise until doubled, which is about an hour.

Bake at 350° for 9 - 12 minutes, or until they are browned nicely.

Now, you can definitely enjoy a burger on one of these delicious little morsels.  However, I've also served them as dinner rolls, and I've seen my kids sneaking them from the pantry as a snack.  If you really want to be decadent, slice one in half, butter it, and sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and sugar.  Toast it under a broiler and enjoy!!! 

As for me, I'm going to make these for my family to enjoy, while I sit and gnaw on a carrot stick.  I'm sure the pure enjoyment of making them will be enough for me.  really.  no, really.