Cheesy Beer Rolls!

These "Cheesy Beer Rolls" are so easy peasy you will not believe it and they taste so yummy!  It's just a few basic ingredients and you have wonderful homemade dinner rolls.  

 Here is what you will need:

2 cups biscuit mix (like Bisquick)

3 Tbs. sugar

pinch of salt

1 cup beer

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Place the biscuit mix, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.  Slowly add the beer and stir to mix.  Stir in the cheddar cheese.  If the mixture seems too thick, add just a little more of the beer.  It is a sort of stiff dough though. 

Spray a medium 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick baking spray.   Fill each about half full of the dough mixture.  Place in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Brush the tops with melted butter.  Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Serve immediately!!!   Yummy!!!







Cheesy Ranch Monkey Bread!

When you think of 'Monkey Bread", you might think of the caramel, sweet yummy bread we sometimes make for breakfast or a sweet snack and it is wonderful, but this "Cheesy Ranch Monkey Bread" is a savory bread!    This follows the same concept, but this is for eating with pasta, soups, or even as a fun appetizer when served with pizza sauce for dipping!!!   We loved this!!!   It's so good served with spaghetti or lasagna!!!   

This is great when you want a semi homemade bread, but you don't have much time!!!  If you have a can of biscuits in the fridge, this is doable!!!   Here is what you will need:

1 can  (16.3 oz) large refrigerated biscuits, 8 count 

6 Tbs. butter, melted

2 Tbs. dry Ranch dressing mix

1  1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the biscuits in quarters and place in a mixing bowl.

Mix the melted butter and the ranch dressing mix and pour over the biscuits and toss.

Add  1 cup of the mozzarella  cheese and toss lightly.

Spray a deep 9" pie plate with nonstick spray.  Pour the biscuit mixture in and spread it out evenly in the pan.   Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese and the other 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese!  Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes!  

Serve right from the dish or you can turn it out on a plate!  I like to serve this with pizza sauce for dipping!!!   This just pulls apart in pieces for serving!    It's so buttery, cheesy and delicious! 

Cheesy Country Ham Cornbread!

In Kentucky we take our cornbread and our country ham very seriously!   They are both a big part of our cuisine, so I thought, why not combine them and I did!   The result was amazing, if I do say so myself.  As I have discussed before, country ham, is a very regional product. 

 You don't find it above the Mason Dixon line much, if at all, or west of the Mason Dixon line, and surprisingly, not even in the deep South...Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama.   You can order country ham on the internet now though.   However, if you don't have county ham, this is good with regular ham or just a good smoked ham. 

Here is what you will need for this yummy cornbread:

3 Tbs. shortening

1 cup self rising cornmeal

1/2 cup self rising flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 cup cream style corn or a small can

1 cup finely diced country ham

1 Tbs. butter

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

3-4 green onions, sliced thin, including some of the green blades

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Place the shortening in an 8 or 9 inch iron skillet and place it in the oven while you prepare the cornbread.   This works best in an iron skillet, but if you don't have one, use a 9"x9"  baking dish.  

In a mixing bowl, place the cornmeal, the flour and the sugar.  If you cannot get self rising in your area, add a 2 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt to plain.  For some reason self rising flour makes better cornbread and biscuits than plain, so if you can get it, try to get some for that.

Add the eggs and mix.   Add the sour cream, milk, oil and the creamed corn and stir until no lumps.

Put 1 Tbs.  butter  in a skillet and saute the country ham until brown or done.  Contrary to what some think, country ham has not been cooked and needs some cooking before you eat it.  It is a smoked and cured ham, but still need a little heat on it. 

Carefully take the skillet out of the oven.  It will be screaming hot so use a good oven mitt.  Pour half

of the batter in the hot skillet. That hot shortening will come up over it and that's a good thing.

Sprinkle green onions,  then country ham, then 1 cup of the cheddar cheese over the batter.

Carefully place the skillet in the oven.  You might put it on a cookie sheet for easier moving in and out of the oven and to prevent spills.  This is a dense cornbread so it needs to bake for about 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  About 10 minutes before time to take it out, sprinkle the top with the rest of the cheddar cheese, just so it melts and gets bubbly. 

Cut in wedges and serve!  This is so good I could eat it just by itself.  It's really good with pinto or white beans and collard greens also! 





7-Up Biscuits!

This is one of those recipes that has circulated all over the Internet and Pinterest and I get asked for it a lot, so I thought I would make these and post them.  This recipe does produce a really fluffy and light biscuit due to the addition of the soda.  They also have just a hint of sweetness.  If you do not have good luck with making homemade biscuits, this is a good recipe to use, because I don't think you can mess it up.  

As with all of the Pinterest type recipes, I have to experiment and see if they really work.  This one works, but I did adjust just a bit for best results.  

 Here is what you will need:

2 1/4 cups baking mix (like Bisquick o Jiffy)

1/2 cup sour cream

2/3 cup 7-Up or any clear carbonated soda will work

1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Place the butter in a 9"x9" baking pan and place it in the oven to melt the butter.  Watch it carefully or it will burn.

Place the baking mix in a mixing bowl.  With a pastry cutter or fork, cut the sour cream into the baking mix.  Pour in the 7-Up and mix.   This makes a very soft dough. 

Sprinkle a board or sheet of wax paper with more baking mix and then turn your dough out onto it.  Knead and work the dough until it is covered with baking mix.  Do Not over work the dough.  This is why biscuits turn out sort of tough and not flaky. Just knead enough that you can roll the dough out to cut it.

  I use a baking mix that I get at GFS (Gordon Food Services) and it is so much better than any I have ever tried.  It has little bits of butter in it.  If you have a GFS in your area, check it out.  I think they are mostly in the southeast.

Roll it out, leaving it fairly thick for thicker biscuits. Cut with a biscuit cutter or glass or whatever you have. You should get about 9-10 biscuits out of this.

Place each biscuit in the pan, turning them over in the melted butter so that each side gets buttered.  Place in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until browned on top!

Serve hot out of oven!  They are delicious!





Lemon Bread!

This time of year, when the temperatures start to come down enough to turn the oven back on, I get in the mood for baking again!  As I have said before, I love lemony desserts...pies, cookies, cakes and now this "Lemon Bread"!   Breads are nice for those who don't want a ton of sugar, but just want something with a little sweet taste.  This "Lemon Bread" has just a hint of lemon flavor and is not overly sweet!   It's perfect for breakfast or with a good cup of coffee or a tall glass of cold milk as an after school snack for the children!  

 Here is what you will need for this delicious bread:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or shortening

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1  1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. lemon flavoring (if you don't have lemon flavoring, add another tsp. lemon zest)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup confectioner's sugar

3 Tbs. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl cream together the sugar and the butter or shortening.   Mix in the eggs and milk.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.   Add this to the wet ingredients along with the lemon zest, lemon flavoring and vanilla flavoring.  Beat just until well combined.  Fold in the pecans.

Spray a 9"x5"x3" loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.   Pour the batter in the pan and place in the preheated oven.   Bake for 55 minutes to an hour. 

Mix the confectioners sugar with the 3 Tbs. lemon juice and  pour over the bread  as soon as it's out of the oven and while it's still in the pan.   Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. 

Remove the bread from the pan and slice. You might need to run a sharp knife around the edges of the loaf pan to loosen it.   This is good served slightly warm!

This is good served plain, with a little butter or even better, some whipped cream cheese! 





Buttery Garlic Knots with Alfredo Dipping Sauce!

You are not going to believe how easy this is to put together!  These are great with soups or pasta dishes or to serve as a fun appetizer!   The Alfredo sauce is very comparable the one served at Olive Garden and it's a recipe I have experimented for some time to get just right!  It's great to use for pasta also if you thin it down a little.  I just like it thicker for the dip.  

Here is what  you will need for both of these recipes:

Buttery Garlic Knots

1 (12 oz.) can of refrigerated biscuits

4 Tbs. butter, melted

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1/4 tsp. dried basil

2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut each biscuit in half and then roll into about a 3 inch piece like a snake.  Tie it in a knot and tuck the ends under.  In a bowl, mix the butter with the other ingredients.  Dip each roll in the butter and roll around to cover all of it. 

Place on a cookie sheet.  Place in the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes or until slightly brown.

Alfredo Sauce

4 Tbs. butter, divided

4 Tbs. flour

1 (15 oz.) can of chicken broth

3 cups milk (you can use half and half cream  for an even richer sauce)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt 

pinch of black pepper

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the flour and cook just until it's mixed with the butter and starts to bubble a little.  You just want to get rid of the flour taste.  Add the chicken broth and the milk.  Whisk  and cook on medium low until the flour is incorporated and it is smooth.  Bring this up to just a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer just until it starts to thicken. 

 Add the cream cheese and 1 cup Parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth and thick on low heat.  Don't let this boil after adding the cream cheese.  Add in the salt, black pepper, parsley and garlic powder. 

 If you want to use this for a pasta sauce, just thin it a little with about 1/4 more milk or cream.  It is so much better than any Alfredo sauce you buy in a jar.





Sour Cream Rolls!

1 (8 oz.) container of sour cream

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 tsp. salt

2 (1/4 oz.) envelopes active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)

2 large eggs

4 cups all purpose flour

2 Tbs. butter

Cook first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted.   Cool to 105 to 115 degrees.

Combine the yeast and 1/2 cup warm water in a glass bowl or measuring cup.  Let stand for 5 minutes. 

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast mixture, sour cream mixture, eggs and flour.  Blend well but don't over knead it.

Chill, covered for 8 hours.

Divide the dough into fourths and roll each portion into a ball.   Roll each ball to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface.   

With a 2 1/2 inch or 3 inch round cutter, cut the dough.   Brush each piece with the other 2 Tbs. melted butter.   Make a crease across each round with a knife and fold in half.   Press edges to seal. 

Place the rolls on a baking sheet that has been greased with the sides slightly touching.    Cover loosely and set in a warm place.  Allow to rise until the rolls have doubled in size or usually about an hour.   

Place in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until just starting to brown.

Serve hot from the oven with additional butter!







Cloverleaf Yeast Rolls!

This is a really easy little yeast roll you make in a muffin tin.  The rolls take on an interesting shape and are just delicious!   It's so easy, even those who don't make homemade breads can do this one!  When making yeast breads, there are a just a few key things to know about that can make it or break it.  I will let you know what those are as I give you this recipe! 

Here is what you will need:



3  1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 pkg. (1/4 oz.)  dry quick acting yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup warm milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp. salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

vegetable oil

1/4 cup half and half cream

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.  The water should be warm, not hot.  If it's too hot it will kill your yeast! It should feel just warm to the touch.  This is one of the keys to yeast breads and a mistake so many make.

Mix the warm milk, sugar, butter, salt and egg.   Stir this wet mixture into the flour and mix just until combined.
 

Now add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix again until it is all well combined.  Make sure to add the yeast mixture after the other wet mixture has been added and mixed, because the salt and yeast to do not need to make direct contact.  Salt added right with the yeast can also kill the yeast and your rolls will not rise!  This is tip #2!

Put about 1 Tbs. of oil over the roll dough and turn it over in the bowl to just cover it.  Cover loosely with clean kitchen towel and place in  warm place in your kitchen to rise for about 2 hours or until it doubles.

Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Shape into a ball and with a knife cut it into 4 pieces.  Cut those 4 pieces into 3 pieces.    The cut each of the 3 pieces into 3 more pieces and roll each one in a ball.   This assures you get uniform size rolls.

Brush a 12 cups muffin tin with the oil.  Be sure  to brush around the tops and of each tin, because the will rise over and bake onto the edge and top of each tin.

Place three of the dough balls in each tin to make a shape like a cloverleaf.

Brush each roll top with a little half and half cream. 

Place in a warm spot in the kitchen allow to rise for 1-2 hours or until they have doubled in size again.   The amount of time they take to rise depends on how warm the area you place them in is.  If I have the oven on, I try to put the pan on the counter by the oven for faster results.

Place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for  12-18 minutes or until just brown on top.

 

Serve immediately with butter!



Buttery Bubble Bread!

If you love the taste of yeast rolls, but always have problems getting them to turn out or just want to make them in a simpler fashion, this recipe for "Buttery Bubble Bread"  might be your answer.  It's so easy and there is practically no way to mess this up.

 Here is what you will need:

1 pkg (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
4 to 4  1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
8 Tbs. butter (1 stick)

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm milk.  Add sugar, oil, and egg.  Mix the salt with 1 cup of flour.  Be sure to mix the salt with the flour first so that it doesn't kill your yeast.

 Mix into the liquid mixture.  Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.   Turn onto a floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic for 6-8 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top.   Cover and let rise until the dough has doubled, about 1-2 hours.  The warmer the area you sit it in, the faster it will rise.

Punch the dough down and then turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Pinch off pieces and roll into 1  1/2 inch balls.   Melt the butter and roll each ball in the butter.  Arrange evenly in a greased 9 inch bunt pan or fluted tube pan.  Drizzle the remaining butter over all.  Cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

 Allow to cool for about 5 minutes and then invert onto a  serving platter.   

Just pull apart to serve!