Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Pregnancy cravings = new recipes!

I love trying new recipes and I found a few recently that I LOVE and will make over and over again. The first is a potato crescent roll. These were the best textured rolls I have ever made! I followed this recipe as written, but I did substitute 2 1/2 cups fresh wheat flour and added 2 tbsp of dough enhancer. Instead of fresh, I used instant potatoes, and I did not raise in the fridge for 8 hrs, I just let it raise until double in size. However, this is a fantastic make ahead recipe as you can leave it in the fridge for up to 5 days!
Ingredients
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 2/3 cup shortening
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

  1. Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and mash.
  2. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  3. When yeast is ready, mix in 1 cup mashed potatoes, sugar, shortening, eggs, salt, and 3 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough has become stiff but still pliable. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, and up to 5 days.
  4. Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, and form into rounds. Roll out each round to a 12 inch circle. Brush generously with melted butter, and cut each circle into 16 wedges. Roll wedges up tightly, starting with the large end. Place on lightly greased baking sheets with the points underneath, and the ends bent to form a crescent shape. Cover, and let rise for 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.


Peanut Butter! Peanut Butter! Peanut Butter!
I made these twice last week, I cannot keep them around, the fam devours them!
You know, on regular days I like Peanut butter, but this pregnancy, I LOVE peanut butter and I found this simple cookie recipe that is a HUGE hit. I adapted it using my fail proof cake mix cookie recipe.
1 box chocolate cake mix (I used fudge and devil's food and both worked great)
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
Combine ingredients. This takes elbow grease and makes a thick dough.
Next make filling.
Filling:
1 1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Mix equal parts of peanut butter and powdered sugar. mix as best you can with a fork and then I just knead it together with your hands. Once combined, roll into approx 3/4 inch balls. 1 1/4 cup each usually makes almost 26 peanut butter balls.

Now take about a tbps of chocolate dough (it will take a couple cookies to get a hang of the correct amount) and flatten into your hand to make a flat circle. Place the peanut butter ball in the middle, then wrap around the peanut butter ball. once covered, roll the entire ball in your palm to smooth out. Roll finished ball in sugar and place on greased cookie sheet. Once the full sheet is made, take the bottom of a glass and press each cookie down. Bake for 7 Min in a preheated oven, 350 degrees. DO NOT OVER BAKE! 7 Minutes is key. If you bake longer, the outer cookie will be crispy instead of chewy. let cool on cookie sheet for several minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.


Lastly, for some strange reason, I was craving grilled shrimp and found this marinade. So easy and crazy good! You don't even need cocktail sauce.

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • skewers

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
  2. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.
  3. Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.


7 comments:

Nicole Marsh said...

Yum!! I am so going to make the cookies.

MyrLynn said...

Oh those cookies look like heaven. I love PB too and had major cravings for it when I was pregnant with her...watch out, she is now has a peanut allergy. Poor girl!

Carlie said...

Seriously woman!!! How are you not 500 lbs?? If I ate stuff like that I would look like a beached whale (not that I don't) but you are so amazingly gorgeous and adorable! Not to mention you put me to shame with your baking skills and talents! You are my hero!

Kylene said...

YUM! Thanks for sharing!

Holly Strong said...

Yummers! Keep the recipes coming. I made marshmellows and prezels....these now look delish and are on my list to try.

Ambyr said...

Totally trying your rolls and shrimp recipes! YUMMY, I would try your cookies but I can't have them Via Weight Watchers so bummer there but they look fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

Brian and Cristeen said...

Yummy is right! I just made the PB cookies last night and they turned out super! It never mentioned what to cook them at so I just did the standard 350 degree oven...they are almost totally gone already! Next...the roll recipe!