Mmmm...Cinnamon rolls

Last night, to fulfill my desire to bake something, I looked around until I found a recipe for yeast-less, from scratch cinnamon rolls. They look pretty impressive when they're finished, but they're not too tricky to make. This was my first try and they turned out well, so that should encourage you to try.

Here's the recipe:

1/3 c butter, melted
2/3 c packed brown sugar, divided
1 T water
2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
2/3 c milk
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425. Combine melted butter, 1/3 c brown sugar, and water in a 9x9 inch metal pan. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk all at once, stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn out onto well floured surface. Roll out into a 12x10 inch rectangle. Combine remaining 1/3 c brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over dough. Roll up dough, starting with 12 inch side. Cut into 1 inch slices. Place cut side down in prepared pan. Bake at 425 for 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown. Turn out immediately.

Eggplant Casserole

This is a very simple but tasty recipe that my Grandma makes. She usually serves it as a side dish, but it's hearty enough to be a main dish, especially if served over rice. Even my sister (a vegetarian who doesn't like vegetables) likes this one :)

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium eggplant
1 14 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
1 10 oz. can Rotel (tomatoes and peppers)
Sharp cheddar cheese (as much as you like!)

Directions:
Peel and slice eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Boil in water for about 10 minutes. Grease or spray a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Place a layer of eggplant in the casserole. Mix the two cans of tomatoes and add half of this mixture. Add a layer of cheese. Layer the remaining ingredients, topping with a generous amount of cheese. Cover. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until bubbly and slightly browned.

Potato Croquettes

What is a potato croquette, you ask? Ours looked something like this:

But since we didn't take any pictures, this is just a generic photo from the internet. Anyway, they were tasty and fun to make, if a bit time-consuming. We used the rest of our 10-lb. bag of potatoes that Steve mentioned in an earlier post. Here's the recipe, from the Mark Bittman cookbook:

4 cups mashed potatoes
salt and pepper
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 T butter or more oil
flour for dredging
2 eggs, lightly beaten
breadcrumbs for dredging

Saute onions in 1 T oil until soft. Add to the mashed potatoes. Form the mixture into patties. Add the remaining oil or butter to the pan, dredge each patty in the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Cook the patties as you would hamburgers, till browned on both sides. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Note: They're a bit dry without any sort of sauce, so you might plan ahead so you have something to put on them. We didn't, but they were still good.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe is a recommendation from my mom, who got it while watching Good Morning America. It's by Chef Emeril Lagasse. My mom made it, said it was good, so Steve and I tried it out last night. If you're expecting the Velveeta-type liquid cheese-style broccoli cheese soup, you'll be disappointed; however, if you want something a bit more sophisticated and subtle that tastes like real food, this will hit the spot. Also, it's easy and quick.

Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 c thinly sliced onions
1 T sliced garlic
1 t salt
1/4 t cayenne pepper
5 c chicken (or vegetable) stock
4 c broccoli florets
1 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oil, add onions, garlic, salt, and cayenne. Saute till onions are soft and translucent. Add chicken stock, bring to boil. Add broccoli, cook till fork-tender. Remove soup from heat, cool slightly. Then blend it in batches, adding some cheese to blend up with each batch. You're done!

[Potato Gnocchi Fail]

Want to make potato gnocchi? I suggest you buy some beer and order a pizza.

Or, if you are a better pasta-maker than me, post your recipes.

Really Simple Potato Soup

Thanks to a deal on Michigan potatoes at our local big-box grocery ($1.50/10 pounds!), we've been searching out good potato recipes (feel free to share some of your own). Below is a potato soup recipe that is particularly simple.

What You Need:

• 3 pounds (about 5 large) russet potatoes
• 3 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 2/3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup(s) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Steps:
Peel, rinse, and cut the potatoes into thirds. Place them in a large pot with water to cover, add 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very soft -- about 45 minutes. Drain the potatoes. Mash them with a potato masher until smooth. Add the sour cream and butter and stir until melted. Add the milk, pepper, and remaining salt and bring the soup back to a simmer. Garnish with shredded cheese.

Variations:
The original recipe calls for bacon and scallions as garnish -- we skipped both these, though only the bacon on ethical grounds. Also, I'm not sure if this would work, but I might try blending the potato/sour cream/butter mixture for a smoother soup.

Ambiance:
Best made when peeling potatoes sounds more appealing (a-peeling?) than grad-school reading.