Peas and Beans

Peas and Beans Salad

serves 4-6

1/2 cup quinoa

1cup chicken broth

1 bag frozen peas

6 slices of bacon

1 onion, diced 

1 can of chickpeas, drained

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon dill, 

1tsp garlic powder

1. Place quinoa and chicken broth in a small sauce pot. On medium low heat, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, until the grains are translucent on the sides. Set aside.

2. In a skillet on medium high heat, add bacon and onion. do not add oil, or strain oil from bacon.cook until bacon is crispy, and onions are caramelized.

3. Add the peas and the chickpeas until heated through, about 5 minutes.

4. Then add lemon juice, dill and garlic powder, stir in the quinoa. And serve warm or chilled.

Basic Sweet Dough

BASIC SWEET DOUGH as adapted from "Americas test kitchen"
This versatile dough is used for Monkey Bread, Cinnamon Rolls, and Sticky Buns

3/4 cup buttermilk, warm (110 degrees)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
4-1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope instant or rapid rise yeast
1-1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs together in a large liquid measuring cup. Combine 4 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast and salt together in a standing mixer, fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes
2. Increase the speed on the mixture to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour as needed, using 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl, but sticks to the bottom.
3. Turn dough out on a clean counter, and knead by hand intoh a smooth, round ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Monkey Bread

MONKEY BREAD as adapted from "Americas test kitchen"
Serves 6-8

make sure to use light brown sugar here; dark brown sugar has a more molasses flavor that can be over-whelming. After baking, don't let the the bread cool in the pan for longer than 5 minutes or it will stick to the pan and come out in pieces.

BREAD
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 recipe Basic Sweet Dough (see post "Basic Sweet Dough)
8 tablespoons (1 stick unsalted butter), melted

GLAZE
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. FOR THE BREAD: Grease a 12-cup non-stick Bundt pan. Toss the brown sugar with the cinnamon and the spread out over  rimmed baking sheet

2. Turn the dough out to a clean counter (it will be sticky) greased with pam. divide the dough into 36 pieces. cover with plastic wrap. Working with several pieces at a time, (while the others are covered), roll in tight balls with your hands, then dip in melted butter, and roll them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place them in the greased pan, staggering the balls as you build up the layers.

3. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon/sugar, and drizzle any leftover butter on top. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour

or you can place it in your dishwasher right after the

dry cycle for 30 mins...it works :)

*Note: it has to be at  95-102 degrees for the entire time, and be at a high humidity

 

 



 

perfectly proofed

 

4. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. bake the monkey bread until the top is deep brown and the caramel begins to bubble around the edges; 30-40 minutes.

 

5.FOR THE GLAZE: Cool the monkey bread slightly, then turn out on a platter. Whisk the confectioners sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl and drizzle it over the bread...serve warm of course