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Birdie bread rolls

I think the original plan for this morning was to go on a bike ride, but the rain arrived earlier than expected. So I decided to make little bird rolls, which is probably what most people would do when they find themselves with some free time on a  Sunday morning, right?

When I found this recipe, I appreciated the tips the baker provided. For instance, you need to push the little “beaks” (almond slivers) and “eyes” (peppercorns) in the dough further than you would think, as the rising and baking tend to push them out. What she didn’t add was that even if you position the heads back aways from edge of the bodies, the heads can fall off! I peeked through the oven door 10 minutes into the baking and half of the heads had just rolled right off. I hurriedly pushed a few back on, which sort of worked, but they’re the ugly ducklings of the group, for sure. I think it would work better to first moisten the dough where the pieces attach. Oh! And warn your diners about the peppercorns before they bite into them.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup warm orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Peppercorns (for eyes)
  • Slivered almonds (for beaks)

Directions:

Combine water, orange juice, sugar, yeast, salt, olive oil and flour in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Knead on low speed until dough is smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle work surface with flour and turn the dough out. Punch down and divide into 8 equal pieces. For each bird, cut 1/4 of each piece for head and form into a ball. Form the other piece into a teardrop shape. Make a divot in the fat part of the teardrop-shaped piece, but not too close to the edge.

Place birds on baking sheet. Cover birds with tea towel and set aside until nearly doubled, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a wooden skewer, poke holes in the bird’s head where you want the eyes and beak, pushing them well into the dough. Let birdies rise for another 5-10 minutes.

Bake birds until they’re golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to a rack to cool.

Somewhere between a french fry and a potato chip It’s a good thing not all of those cute new potatoes from last night got used. Today I went another round with them, this time making some into “smashed potatoes”, which may now be my favorite way to eat them. These salty little morsels were moist in the center and super crunchy around the edges, and almost impossible not to nibble on the whole time I was taking their picture.  They were steamed until tender and then arranged on a parchment lined baking sheet. With the back of a slotted spoon I smashed them until they were about 3/8-inch thick. After generously drizzling them with more olive oil and sprinkling them with salt, I popped them in the top rack of a preheated, 450 degree oven for about 12 minutes. I then moved them to the bottom rack of the oven and continued to bake for another 20-25 minutes. Watch them to be sure they’re browned and crispy on the edges, but not burned. 

Somewhere between a french fry and a potato chip

It’s a good thing not all of those cute new potatoes from last night got used. Today I went another round with them, this time making some into “smashed potatoes”, which may now be my favorite way to eat them. These salty little morsels were moist in the center and super crunchy around the edges, and almost impossible not to nibble on the whole time I was taking their picture. 

They were steamed until tender and then arranged on a parchment lined baking sheet. With the back of a slotted spoon I smashed them until they were about 3/8-inch thick. After generously drizzling them with more olive oil and sprinkling them with salt, I popped them in the top rack of a preheated, 450 degree oven for about 12 minutes. I then moved them to the bottom rack of the oven and continued to bake for another 20-25 minutes. Watch them to be sure they’re browned and crispy on the edges, but not burned. 

Potatoes are always good. When they’re new, multi-colored and nugget-sized, they’re even better. Tonight in my kitchen these were steamed until creamy and tender. Meanwhile, butter melted over low heat with some fresh rosemary leaves and cooked together slowly for about 5 minutes. Finally, the rosemary infused butter, a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some kosher salt was stirred into the potatoes. Heaven.

Potatoes are always good. When they’re new, multi-colored and nugget-sized, they’re even better.

Tonight in my kitchen these were steamed until creamy and tender. Meanwhile, butter melted over low heat with some fresh rosemary leaves and cooked together slowly for about 5 minutes. Finally, the rosemary infused butter, a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some kosher salt was stirred into the potatoes.

Heaven.

Onion bagels! I hadn’t made bagels in a while and was bound and determined not to buy them. So yesterday I diced an onion fine and sautéed it slowly until the pieces carmelized. I put half of the onions and a teaspoon of poppy seeds with the dough ingredients and reserved the other onions as a topping before I put them in the oven. The recipe’s one of my favorites, and I posted it about a year ago. Find it here.

Onion bagels!

I hadn’t made bagels in a while and was bound and determined not to buy them. So yesterday I diced an onion fine and sautéed it slowly until the pieces carmelized. I put half of the onions and a teaspoon of poppy seeds with the dough ingredients and reserved the other onions as a topping before I put them in the oven. The recipe’s one of my favorites, and I posted it about a year ago. Find it here.

I love a good bran muffin. I have two recipes for great ones; the other I will save for another day. You can taste the subtle, delicious tang of the buttermilk in these muffins. I put raisins in them if I have them on hand (which I didn’t). Classic Bran muffins - adapted from a recipe from Allrecipes.com Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups wheat bran 1 cup buttermilk 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 egg 2/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup raisins (optional) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners. Mix wheat bran with buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes. Whisk together oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture until just blended. Fold in raisins and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

I love a good bran muffin. I have two recipes for great ones; the other I will save for another day. You can taste the subtle, delicious tang of the buttermilk in these muffins. I put raisins in them if I have them on hand (which I didn’t).

Classic Bran muffins - adapted from a recipe from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups wheat bran
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

Mix wheat bran with buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.

Whisk together oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture until just blended. Fold in raisins and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

Over the past 5 years or so I have made this recipe for Marinated grilled shrimp countless times. I’ve taken pictures, but it’s really hard to capture with a camera how scrumptious they are. Tonight I was hell-bent to make it work. Daylight was waning and people were hungry. I pulled most of the shrimp off their skewers onto a platter, but took some into our garage to photograph. (Our garage is my “studio” by the way.) I present to you one of my all-time favorite foods, and perhaps the best picture I can capture of it.  What you see was our dinner tonight. Marinated grilled shrimp 1 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons dried parsley, or 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley 1 lemon- zest and juice 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails attached Lemon wedges for garnish Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, tomato paste, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Put shrimp in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over shrimp. Get as much air out of the bag as possible and close bag. Place the plastic bag of shrimp in a bowl and refrigerate for two hours. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes prior to use. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade. Clean and lightly oil grill grate. Preheat grill to high (approximately) 500 degrees. Place shrimp on grill grate and immediately turn heat down to medium. Close grill lid. Cook shrimp 5 minutes per side, or until opaque. Note: Shrimp size is determined by approximately how many of a particular size shrimp make up one pound. I usually use the 21-25 size shrimp.

Over the past 5 years or so I have made this recipe for Marinated grilled shrimp countless times. I’ve taken pictures, but it’s really hard to capture with a camera how scrumptious they are. Tonight I was hell-bent to make it work. Daylight was waning and people were hungry. I pulled most of the shrimp off their skewers onto a platter, but took some into our garage to photograph. (Our garage is my “studio” by the way.)

I present to you one of my all-time favorite foods, and perhaps the best picture I can capture of it.  What you see was our dinner tonight.

Marinated grilled shrimp

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley, or 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley
  • 1 lemon- zest and juice
  • 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails attached
  • Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, tomato paste, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.

Put shrimp in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over shrimp. Get as much air out of the bag as possible and close bag. Place the plastic bag of shrimp in a bowl and refrigerate for two hours.

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes prior to use. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.

Clean and lightly oil grill grate. Preheat grill to high (approximately) 500 degrees. Place shrimp on grill grate and immediately turn heat down to medium. Close grill lid. Cook shrimp 5 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Note: Shrimp size is determined by approximately how many of a particular size shrimp make up one pound. I usually use the 21-25 size shrimp.