First of all, thanks to all of you who participated in my Facebook poll yesterday. Next week I am feeding 88 people, and I'm starting to get extremely nervous about it. Panicky nervous also would be a good description. Mainly because I have no idea how much food that should entail and I haven't figured out how to serve it yet. We are serving pasta with marinara, pesto, and Alfredo. Should I serve the sauces separate from the pasta or together? I know that I would love to see them separate, but what about what's easiest...and if I'm going to serve pesto as a real sauce, then I'd have to thin it out with something because it's not exactly a sauce that you should drown a pasta in. These are the questions that are swirling through my brain at an alarming rate...especially when I try to sleep.

So here's where I should say that this bread calms me or that I'm serving it with this pasta next week. But, it doesn't and I'm not. I'm serving sourdough and ciabatta instead. That's not to say that this baguette isn't amazing. It's great. I love it. It's pretty easy to make your own baguettes, too. Just know that you'll never get a bakery-size baguette out of your own oven because your oven isn't that large. You'll want to put it on the biggest cookie sheet you have, and I usually angle it on the sheet so it can be even longer. Did I mention it's only four ingredients? That's right. Easy peasy. So you don't have to worry about it when you're trying to sleep. We all need some of that, right?

Baguette Recipe
Makes 4 loaves
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2 pounds bread flour (6 1/2 cups)
1 pound, 6 ounces warm water (2 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve the yeast in the water in the bowl of your mixer. Add in the flour and mix on low using the paddle until combined. Wait five minutes and then add the salt. Switch to the dough hook and mix on low until the dough is smooth and tacky (about 5-8 minutes). It should not stick to the sides of the bowl. Remove to a clean bowl that is sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise for an hour or until doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, divide it into four pieces. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Working one at a time, shape it into a rectangle. Start with the small side and tightly roll it up. Pinch the edges together and use your hands to rock or roll it out to make it as long as you can make it to fit on the baking sheet. Place the loaf on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 500 degrees with plenty of steam in the first 10 minutes. I use a spray bottle filled with water to spray the oven walls and loaves to create steam. Be careful to not spray your oven window or it could shatter. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Let them cool for about 30 minutes before you tear into them. 

Source: Cook Street School of Culinary Arts

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I never really thought I was a big fan of cinnamon rolls until I started making different varieties. And then I was hooked. I've done pumpkin cinnamon rolls, apple pie cinnamon rolls, and now these strawberry cinnamon rolls. These are perfect when you want something that's a little more light and refreshing. 

These are also pretty simple to make after you take care of the dough (which isn't hard to do). Just use a good quality jam for the filling and doctor it up a bit with some cinnamon. Sprinkle on some fresh strawberries, roll it up, slice and bake it, and viola! Perfect breakfast! I'll be adding these to my list of weekend breakfasts, that's for sure! 

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Makes 18 rolls
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For the dough: 
6 1/4 cups all purpose flour (794 g/28 ounces)
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups + 2 tablespoons lukewarm milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the filling: 
1 1/2 cup strawberry jam
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups sliced strawberries

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons milk

To make the dough, mix the yeast with the sugar and warm milk and let sit for about 5 minutes. Measure the flour into the bowl of your mixer, add in the yeast mixture and oil, and mix with the paddle until everything is incorporated. Add in the salt, switch to the dough hook, and mix on low speed until a smooth, tacky ball of dough forms. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.   

When the dough is almost done rising, stir together the jam and cinnamon. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

To assemble the rolls, divide the dough in half. Roll it out on a floured surface into a long rectangle, about 15x25 inches or so. The dough will be thin. Spread half of the jam mixture onto each rectangle.  Sprinkle the strawberries on top. The berries won't cover the entire rectangle, but you want to make sure they're evenly spaced. Roll the dough up from the long side and then cut it into 2-inch pieces. Place the slices into greased cake pans, cut side down. Let sit for about 15 minutes to rise. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned on top and cooked through. 

After the rolls have finished baking, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and almond extract. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is a pourable consistency. Pour over the cinnamon rolls and serve.  

Dough recipe from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day

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I don't know if you ever read the What We're Eating page, but I had these sandwiches listed on there for about 3 weeks in a row. Not because we loved them that much (although we did) but because I never could get around to making them. So when I finally did, I was so happy. They were amazing! As I've mentioned many times before, my husband hates pasta, so I can never get away with chicken parmesan and spaghetti. So just like I fill my meatball craving with meatball sandwiches, I can now fill my chicken parm craving with these sandwiches. It's a win win (especially because I love bread!).

I pan fried these but you could just as easily bake them (and they'd be healthier, too). That's what I'll probably do next time, but I was in the mood to use some hot oil. I pounded a large chicken breast out pretty thin, and that was enough for 2 large sandwiches...and we both only ate half of our sandwich. Next time, I'll just make one sandwich that we can split with a side or salad. I also highly recommend you make these with homemade ciabatta. It really took it over the top! 

Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches Recipe
Makes two sandwiches
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1 large chicken breast
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Vegetable oil

For the sandwiches:
Mozzarella cheese slices
1/2 cup marinara sauce
Sandwich bread or homemade ciabatta
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Pound the chicken breast out until it is a uniform thickness, about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the chicken in half so you have two pieces. Mix together the flour, salt, and pepper, and spread it out on a plate. Place the beaten egg in a large wide bowl. Mix together the panko, garlic powder, and onion powder. Place those in a large wide bowl or on a plate. Dredge each chicken breast through the flour so it's coated on both sides, then through the egg, and then through the seasoned panko. Make sure the panko covers the entire breast. Place on a plate.

If you want to fry the chicken: Pour enough oil in the skillet to cover about 1/2 inch. Heat it over medium heat until the oil is almost smoking. If you drop a breadcrumb in the oil to test it, it should sizzle. Once your oil is hot, use tongs to place the chicken breasts in the pan. If they don't fit side by side, do them one at a time. Let them cook for about 3-4 minutes until they're golden brown. Carefully flip the chicken over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown. The chicken should be 165 degrees on the inside (but check them temperature when it's not in the pan). Take the chicken breast out of the oil and place on a paper towel to drain any grease.
 
If you want to bake the chicken: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the breaded chicken on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165 degrees.

Meanwhile, spread the softened butter on the bread, sprinkle with garlic powder, and place it butter side down on a pan over medium heat until golden brown and toasted, about 1-2 minutes.

Place the cheese on top of the bottom piece of bread, place the chicken on top of it, pour 1/4 cup of hot marinara on top of the chicken, and top it with the second piece of bread. Serve immediately.

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Let me start by saying that this ciabatta tastes like no other ciabatta I've ever had. The ciabattas that I've had are tough and chewy. This ciabatta is soft and incredible. It's not that I don't like those other ciabattas, but it's just that I love this bread. It's probably one of my favorites, and that's coming from a girl who eats a lot of bread. Oodles and oodles of bread.

The only reason I don't eat this bread every week is because it takes a little bit of planning. You have to make a biga ahead of time. What is a biga you ask? A biga is a per-ferment that is similar to a sourdough (but it's not sour). It gives great flavor and texture to the bread and helps it last longer (yay!). A biga is just four simple ingredients that you have to mix together using a spoon (no mixer required) and then place in your fridge overnight. It's really simple, but you have to think about it. That, generally, is my downfall. I wish I was better at thinking ahead of time because this bread is so worth it.

Just a note that this is a very wet and sticky dough. While it's rising, you are going to have to spray a spatula with cooking spray and stretch and fold the dough. Stay with me. It's easier than it sounds. All you do is put the spatula under the dough and then lift and fold the dough on that side in toward the middle. Then you rotate the bowl 90 degrees and do it again. You'll want to do this a total of 8 times. The reason you'll do this is to help strengthen that sticky and stretchy dough so it's a bit easier to work.

Essentially this seems like a hard bread, but it's really not. And it's worth every bit of effort as soon as you take a bite. Making bread is easy; let's do it!

Ciabatta Recipe
Makes 4 loaves
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Make the biga a day before you make the ciabatta.

For the biga:
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 3/4 cups (8.7 ounces) bread flour
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons cool water

For the ciabatta:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (10.5 ounces) warm water
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons (14 ounces) bread flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 biga recipe

To make the biga, dissolve the yeast in warm water in a small bowl. Let it sit for about five minutes until it's creamy. Measure the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the yeast mixture as well as the cool water and stir it together with a large wooden spoon. Mix until sticky and well combined. Cover tightly and place in the fridge overnight.

To make the ciabatta, add the yeast and warm water in the bowl of your mixer. Let sit for five minutes until it's foamy and then add in the biga and flour and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until well blended. Let sit for another five minutes and then add the salt. Switch to the dough hook and mix until a smooth and soft dough forms. It will be sticky. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for about an hour until doubled.

After an hour, spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray. Place the spatula under the dough in the bowl, lift it on one side and fold the dough over itself toward the middle. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this 8 times. Cover the bowl and let rise for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, repeat the lift and fold technique for 8 more turns. Cover and let rise for 30 more minutes.

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Cover two sheet pans with parchment paper and generously dust with flour.

Generously dust your counter with flour and place the dough on the counter gently. Be careful to not completely deflate the dough. Flour the top of the dough and divide in quarters. Take one piece of dough and place the long cut side up. Press it into a 6x3 inch rectangle (it doesn't have to be perfect). Fold the shorter sides of the dough toward the center like you were folding a business letter (in thirds). Gently transfer the folded dough to the dusted sheet pan, seam side down. Repeat with the other three pieces of dough. Place two loaves on each sheet pan. Use your finger tips to gently press down into the dough and dimple it (like you were pushing down on piano keys or a keyboard). Let rise for 30 minutes and dimple it again.

Spray the loaves lightly with water from a spray bottle and place the cookie sheet into the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, spraying the loaves with water twice more in the first 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 475 degrees and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Cool loaves to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Source: Cook Street School of Culinary Arts 

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Is it just me or do you have to get a soft pretzel every time you walk into a mall? Every time. I have always loved soft pretzels, and I remember going to Broncos games when I was little and getting fresh soft pretzels every. single. game. About 10 years ago when they moved into a new stadium, the fresh pretzels were gone and they substituted it with the frozen Pretzel Time ones. So sad...but I still get one now and then. In fact, I got one at the playoff game a few weeks ago and then I dropped half of it. Fail. Especially because they're $3 a pop.

These pretzels, however, are awesome, and they're pretty easy. True pretzel recipes involve a boiling stage. This one does not, but I still think they taste just as good. Instead of boiling them, you mix hot water and baking soda together and then dunk the shaped pretzel in that before you put it on the baking sheet. It's not exactly the same effect but you still get that crispy crust and chewy inside. Pretty delicious in my opinion. This is an Auntie Anne copycat recipe, so you know it's gotta be good. Plus, you should have all of the ingredients on hand unlike others I've seen and tried.

I don't make pretzels from scratch very often because they're really best on the day they're baked. After that the salt gets soft and liquidy and they lose something. I highly recommend you make them the day you want them and then eat all of them. Every single one. You could make the dough the day before and let it rise in your fridge covered the night before and then shape, dunk, and bake the day of. That would be my recommendation if you don't want to do everything in one day. If you need to reheat though, do it in the oven or a toaster oven. Please don't eat day two pretzels at room temperature or microwaved. It's truly not the same.

One more thing about pretzels. You want the rope to be long...at least 2 feet. The longer it is, the less likely it is to bake into itself and make more of a pretzel mound than an actual pretzel with the spaces. They taste good either way, but if you're looking for that mall pretzel, make sure your dough is at least 2 feet long.

Oh....I highly recommend you serve them with queso! Because everything is always better with queso.

Homemade Soft Pretzels Recipe
Makes 8 pretzels
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1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup bread flour
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the bath:
2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons baking soda

Topping:
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water (optional)
2-4 tablespoons melted butter (optional)
Coarse pretzel salt

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar and let sit for five minutes or until foamy. Add in the flours and mix with the paddle on low speed until everything is incorporated. Let sit for five minutes, add the salt, and mix. Switch to the dough hook and mix on low until the dough is smooth and tacky. Place in a clean greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about 30 minutes to an hour or until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper sprayed generously with cooking spray or silicone baking mats.

Prepare the baking soda water bath by mixing the two in a large container. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll/stretch each piece into a rope that is 1/2 inch thick or less and at least 24 inches long. Shape into a pretzel shape by creating a U with the rope, bringing the ends down into an X (that meet up with the bottom of the U, and then crossing the ends so they twist in the middle of the pretzel. Lightly press anywhere the dough touches itself. Dip into the bath and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Let rise for about 15 minutes, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt. Alternately, bake without the egg wash and salt, dunk in butter after they're baked and sprinkle with the salt. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately or at room temperature the same day they're baked (don't put in a bag).

To store any leftover pretzels (highly discouraged), you can keep them in a bag and then reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes until crispy on the outside.

Recipe from Copycat Recipes Cookbook

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Are you ready for one of the most comforting meals ever? Well hello. I love pot pie, and I definitely love it with pie crust (mainly because I adore good pie crust). However, in January a few veggies soaked in cream stuffed inside a buttery flaky pie crust can be a bit much. Calorie wise, that is. This creamless pot pie studded with cream cheese pepper chive biscuits is incredible. You don't have to fuss with a pie crust (which can be annoyingly difficult), and the biscuit topping almost preportions the servings. And have I mentioned yet that the biscuits are the perfect contrast to the filling? A bit of spiciness from the pepper contrasts nicely with the cream cheese and chives. Not to mention they're so tender and wonderful. And yes, I'm aware that I'm trying to make pot pie sound healthy. Just go with it.

This really isn't hard to make, and if you wanted to save yourself some time, you could use a bag of frozen veggies instead of doing the prep and cooking the veggies yourself. I included an onion, carrots, green beans, and celery but you could do zucchini, peas, or any variety of your favorite vegetables (or the ones you know your family will eat). I have to leave the peas out or the hubs won't touch it. If you are going to add peas, use the frozen ones and add them into the sauce at the very end (still frozen).

The broth is a simple roux made with chicken broth instead of milk/cream. I'm not going to lie...it's a little skimpy on the sauce side but it does coat the veggies well and it's not dry. This sauce really allows those veggies to shine, but if you like it saucier (and I don't blame ya), you can double the sauce part. I used a very large chicken breast that I boiled, but if you're really going for easy, cut up a rotisserie chicken! All in all, it's one of our favorite cold-weather meals. And I love that I can have it in my arsenal when I need it. Not to mention that it's not 8 million calories like some of the other ones out there. 

Chicken Pot Pie with Pepper Chive Biscuits Recipe
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*Note: This filling is not very saucy as it's mainly veggies (because I was trying to be a tad bit healthier). If you like a lot of sauce, double the flour, butter, and chicken broth mixture.

For the biscuits:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
2 tablespoons cold butter cut into cubes
2 ounces cream cheese, cold
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk, cold

For the filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups carrots, finely diced
1 cup green beans, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 cup diced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter*
1/4 cup flour*
2 cups chicken broth*
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

To make the biscuits, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, sugar, pepper, and chives in a medium size bowl. Add the cold butter and cream cheese and cut them into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or a fork until they resemble coarse crumbs. Add in the buttermilk and stir until the dough is in one ball. Place a little flour on your counter and pat the biscuits out until they're about 1/4 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter or a glass and cut 9-12 biscuits (depending on size). Place them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray.

To make the filling, in a large skillet over medium heat melt the 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the carrots, green beans, yellow onion, and celery and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every so often, until the veggies have softened slightly. Add the garlic and cook for about 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. Remove them to a bowl. In the same skillet, melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium heat and sprinkle the flour on top. Whisk together and cook for about 3 minutes until bubbling and slowly add in about 1/4 of the chicken broth while whisking. Keep whisking and slowly add in more of the broth. Once all the broth is incorporated, whisk and cook for a few minutes until any lumps are gone. Season with salt and pepper. Add the veggies and chicken to the broth and stir to incorporate everything.

Pour this mixture into your prepared pan. Place the biscuits on top of the chicken mixture and brush them with buttermilk, heavy cream, or melted butter. Place in the oven and bake for 20-23 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and the pot pie mixture is bubbling. Let cool slightly before serving.

To reheat, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cover with foil and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Adapted from Joy the Baker

I had never heard of an epi until I bought a bread book. I thought that it looked cool and then flipped past the page it was on and promptly forgot about it. Then I took a bread making class and learned how easy it is to make one. All it is is a loaf of French bread that is shaped, cut, and baked. I love making it for special occasions because people can rip off a hunk of it. It makes for a pretty neat centerpiece, too. Though I haven't tried it, I think you could do this method with a loaf of frozen and thawed dough, too. So before you think that it's too hard to make, just check out the pictures below. It's surprisingly easy, and since I'm not cool enough to know how to make a triptych in Photoshop, I really hope you like a lot of pictures!

After your dough has risen, shape it into a rectange.

Start from a short end and roll it up tightly.

Pinch the edges together and then place the seam side down and rock/roll it out using your hands to make it longer. Be sure that it will still fit in your pan though! Move it to a parchment paper lined sheet pan.

Take a pair of kitchen scissors and place them to cut the bread.

You want to cut close to the bottom of the bread, but not all the way through.

That's what it looks like after you finish your cut. Riveting.

Take the cut piece and move it to the left of the loaf.

Make a second cut.

Move the second piece to the right and make a third cut. Continue to do this, alternating the cut pieces.

This is what it will look like at the end of the cutting, and then you can bake it.

Epi
Makes two loaves
Print this recipe

2 pounds bread flour (6 1/2 cups)
1 pound, 6 ounces warm water (2 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve the yeast in the water in the bowl of your mixer. Add in the flour and mix on low using the paddle until combined. Wait five minutes and then add the salt. Switch to the dough hook and mix on low until the dough is smooth and tacky (about 5-8 minutes). It should not stick to the sides of the bowl. If your dough is at all sticky, it won't hold it's shape when you cut and move it. Remove to a clean bowl that is sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise for an hour or until doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, divide it into two. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Working one at a time, shape it into a rectangle. Start with the small side and tightly roll it up. Pinch the edges together and use your hands to rock or roll it out to make it longer. Place the loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. About two inches from the top, make an angled cut with kitchen scissors, ensuring that you don't cut all the way through the loaf. Move the cut piece to the left and then make another cut below it. Move that piece to the right and continue making cuts and moving pieces until you reach the end of the loaf. Repeat with the second loaf.

Bake at 500 degrees with plenty of steam in the first 10 minutes. I use a spray bottle filled with water to spray the oven walls and loaves to create steam. Be careful to not spray your oven window or it could shatter. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Let them cool for about 30 minutes before you tear into them. 

Source: Cook Street School of Culinary Arts

I got my first bread machine when I was in college, which means that I've been making these rolls for quite some time. Do you guys ever check out the recipes that come in the instruction manuals? Sometimes they are real winners! Eventually I gave up on the bread machine and started making bread with my mixer instead. Since it's already on the counter, it's just easier. I still use the recipe from the booklet though. Everyone loves these rolls. They're soft, slightly sweet, and buttery. They are everything a roll should be.

The original recipe calls for 2 3/4 cups bread flour. Over the years of making it, I have realized that I need closer to 3 cups of flour. So start with 2 and 3/4 cup but know that you may need to add more if it's too sticky. Regardless of whether you're using a bread machine or a mixer, it should form a ball while you're mixing it and pull away from the sides of the bowl (if you're using a mixer) or pan (if you're using a bread machine). It's not going to be stiff enough to maintain the ball shape for long, but hopefully that can guide you as you make these. 

And if I just scared you away from making bread with yeast in that last paragraph, just ignore me and make these anyway. If I was making these before I knew anything about baking or bread, you can too. They're easy and so much better than anything store bought. And if you happen to have leftovers, you'll be happy to know that they're great for breakfast with a little butter or for lunch with some leftover turkey.  

Buttery Dinner Rolls Recipe
Makes one dozen
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7/8 cup warm milk
1/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
2 3/4 cups - 3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup butter, softened and cut into two pieces
1 teaspoon salt

In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the milk, water, yeast, and sugar and let sit for five minutes until foamy. Using the paddle, mix in the egg. Add in 2 3/4 cups bread flour and mix on low until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add in the softened butter and salt and mix until incorporated. Switch to the dough hook and mix on low speed for about five minutes or until smooth. If the dough is really sticky, you can add up to 1/4 cup more of bread flour so it can form a ball while mixing and pull away from the sides of the bowl. When the dough is smooth, place it into a large greased bowl and cover. Let rise for about an hour until doubled in size.

If you're using a bread machine, add all the ingredients into the pan according to your manufacturer's instructions and select the dough setting. Let it do its thing but check on it after a couple of minutes. If it's sticking to the sides of the pan, add up to 1/4 cup more bread flour.

When the dough has finished rising in the bowl or in the bread machine, divide it into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place the balls in a greased 9-inch cake pan or pie plate or a 9x13 pan. Let rise for 30 minutes and then bake it in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Brush about 1 tablespoon of butter on top of the rolls. Serve immediately and store leftovers in an airtight bag. 

Source: Oster Bread Recipes  

I've never liked fish or seafood. In fact, the only fish I really will eat is tuna in the can...which I don't think even counts. Therefore, I never went to Red Lobster growing up. Thankfully, my parents knew that I would love the cheese biscuits that they served, so they would always bring me home some. And thus began my love affair. Ever since I moved out of my parents house, I've been making my own cheese biscuits (since I couldn't get my fix through them anymore). Until last year, I had been making them with Bisquick, milk, cheese, and some garlic powder. While I have nothing against Bisquick, it started to taste funny to me. So I decided to find my own recipe.

These are one of my husband's favorite breads. Sometimes I can even convince him to eat pasta if I serve these with it...which is pretty huge since he abhors pasta. Weirdo. When it's just the two of us, I make half of this recipe, and we have leftover biscuits. I love the fact that while they don't come out of a yellow box, they're pretty much just as easy to make. And I think they taste better, too.

Cheese Biscuits Recipe
Makes about 12 medium size biscuits
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Notes: I use butter-flavored shortening, but use regular if that's all you have. If you don't have buttermilk (I usually don't), pour a scant 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into the 3/4 measuring cup and then fill it up with milk. Let it sit while you get the rest of your ingredients together and then pour it in at the end. The butter topping makes quite a bit, so if you know that you won’t want to slather your biscuits with it, you can cut it down some. My husband likes a lot of butter! 

For the biscuits:
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup buttermilk

For the topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and garlic powder. Using a fork, mix in the shortening until it is broken down and resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cheese. Add in the milk and then stir until combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches between the biscuits. 

Bake for 12-14 minutes until the tops are brown. 

While the biscuits are baking, melt the butter. Stir in the garlic powder and parsley and then brush over the tops of the hot baked biscuits. Serve immediately. 

Adapted from AllRecipes 

I realize that October isn't exactly prime outdoor grilling season for most people, Colorado included. However, we still grill...or perhaps I should say that my husband still grills. That's what coats and grill lights are for, right? Just because it's getting darker and colder doesn't mean that our craving and love for hamburgers and steaks goes dormant. To spice things up a bit, I wanted to try a variation on my favorite homemade hamburger bun. I added some jalapeno and sharp cheddar cheese and devoured them with a juicy cheeseburger. Oh my. They are fantastic. We use hamburger buns for more than just burgers, too, so I'm looking forward to having these with sloppy joes and chicken sandwiches.

I only used one large seeded jalapeno in this recipe, and it looked like way too much for the batch. However, once I plopped 1/3 of a pound of meat on the buns, I realized that there wasn't enough jalapeno. You could barely taste the kick. So realize that while it seems like a lot, you won't be eating the bun plain. If you really like spicy food, you could add three jalapenos. I won't tell.

Cheddar Jalapeno Hamburger Buns Recipe
Makes 8 buns
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3 tablespoons warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced

In a mixing bowl, combine your warm milk, warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes or until your yeast is bubbly. Add the egg and mix with the paddle attachment on low until the egg has broken. Add the flours and salt and mix. Once the flours are mixed in, add the butter, jalapenos, and cheese and mix for about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook and mix on low speed for about 5-7 minutes until the dough is slightly tacky. If it's sticky, you'll want to add more flour (1 tablespoon at a time) while it's kneading.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. If you're using a bread machine to make these, add all the ingredients into the pan according to the manufacturer's instructions, and start the dough cycle.

Once the dough has risen, divide it into 8 equal pieces, and form each piece into a ball. Place each ball on a large sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Press down slightly on the ball because you want it to be wider rather than taller. Let these proof for 30 minutes to an hour or until almost doubled. After the buns have finished proofing, you could brush these with an egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water).

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
 
Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats, who adapted it from Smitten Kitchen