Strawberry Pecan Sticky Buns

Adapted from a Recipe by Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa). I added strawberries instead of raisins, I never have been a raisen fan (I blame early childhood trauma from my older brother telling me they were squished flies) and I think the strawberry flavor gives it such a lift from the caramelized sugar to another level.

SUPER easy, the simplicity, in fact the hardest part is watching them cook and bubble in the oven and wondering how much longer you have to wait. Let me know what you think.

Ingredients

12 tbsps (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature (make sure it is totally room temp)

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces

1 package (17.3 ounces/ 2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cup strawberries chopped into 1 cm cubes (errr about 1/4 inch)

Directions

Pre-Heat oven to 400 degrees F (204.44 Celsius). Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (I used a teflon non stick muffin pan).

In the bowl of an electric mixer preferably fitted with a paddle, --I didn't have one.. so just make sure whatever you use whips and smooshes it together well. Combine the 12 tbsp butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Plop 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in the bottom of each muffin cup segment. Distribute pecans and spoon about 1 tsp of strawberries into each muffin cup on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or flat clean surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch (approx 2 1/2 cm) boarder on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and the remaining strawberries split between the 2 sheets. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling (firm but not tight) finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch (1 1/2 cms) and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces (it's easy to do if you cut in half and then divide the sections into 3 even rolls). Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups (very lightly press it down). Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful- they're hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes ONLY, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely.

Parmesan and Garlic Crusted chicken with Artichoke, Bacon, Roasted Capsicum. Harvarti Cheese and Herb Aioli Panini

If you think the name is a mouthful you should try eating it!!

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breast Halves

2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese

1 tbsp Finely chopped and then smooshed Garlic

1 loaf "everything Italian" Bread (Walmart $1.50!)

1 Small Jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts

1/4 cup thinly sliced Roasted Red Capsicum(Bell Peppers)

8 slices Harvarti Cheese

4 slices bacon cooked till crispy (broken up into chunks)

Herb Aioli Ingredients & Directions

1 cup Mayonaise

2 tsp Finely Crushed Garlic

1/2 tsp chopped Fresh Thyme

1/2 tsp chopped fresh Oregano

3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, when totally mixed allow it to sit in fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.

Directions

1, Season the chicken with Salt, Pepper, and the chopped and smooshed garlic. Place the chicken in a pan on low temp, cover and allow to slowly cook for 15 minutes. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on the chicken when you turn it . Check the inside of the chicken to make sure it is not pink. Set aside and allow it to rest.

2. While chicken is cooking. slice loaf of bread into 4 equal sections, halve it to create tops and bottoms for the sandwhich. Butter both sides and grill in a pan to create a nice crust.

3. Slice chicken breast 1 cm thickness.

4. Generously spread Aioli on the bottom bread pieces. Place half the Harvarti cheese on the bottom of the paninis, layer on chicken, bacon, chopped artichoke hearts (as much as to your taste) sliced capsicum and top with remaining cheese.

5. Warm pan on medium heat, place sandwhich in pan and put a really heavy pan on top. Allow it to squish and crisp then quickly turn it to the other side and repeat. Repeat for all sandwhiches.

ENJOY

Classic Calzone

My favorite part of this whole recipe is the dough. Having a heavy thick heavy dough on a calzone is just too much and leaves you bloated and feeling full of bread, in this recipe it's light and fluffy and SO satisfying.


Ingredients

1 lb (454grams) Extra Lean Ground Beef (Mince)
2 small cloves fresh garlic very finely chopped
1 Jar of Prego Traditional Pasta sauce (or your favorite.. just make sure it's thick)
Salt
1 cup of large black olives barely chopped (just quarter or half them.. we want this baby chunky!)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan or parmesan reggiano cheese
1/2 cup fancy shredded monterey jack cheese.. or mozarella cheese would also do.


Preparation


4 1/2 hours before you want to eat start cooking lightly coat a casserole dish with non stick spray (just the vegetable oil kind). Place your Rhodes rolls apart enough that when they rise they will not touch. Cover with plastic wrap and place them where they will not be disturbed while they rise.


Instructions
1. Pre-Heat oven to 350 F (180C)

2. In a mixing bowl mush the ground beef and garlic and a generous dash of salt with your hands. Make sure the garlic is evenly distributed throughout the meat (This will give the meat a great flavor without flooding the sauce with it).

3. Cook meat in a frying pan on medium high heat. Don't break it up too much. Keep it in moderately large chunks. Pour pasta sauce over meat (you want it to be a meaty sauce.. not sauce with some meat so if just use your eye to judge how much pasta sauce to add it usually works to be roughly one jar) and reduce to low temp. Stir in Olives. Cook until sauce is heated all the way through then remove from heat.

4. Lightly dust counter and rolling pin with plain flour. Take a piece of dough and gently flatten it out. Be careful not to flatten it too much or it will break when you fold it over. You should have a circle size bread dough like a mini pizza.

5. Mix your cheeses together in a bowl.

6. Layer the calzone starting with a small bit of cheese blend, scoop of sauce and then another dash of cheese on top of the sauce (as shown in picture).


7. Quickly Fold over one size to the other.. be careful not to let any sauce get near the edges as it will not let you seal the edges together once it is wet.
8. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray and place calzone carefully (so as not to puncture dough) sprinkle tops with cheese to your taste. Make sure calzones are 2-3 inches apart and not touching.
9. Cook approx. 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and dough is browned on top (as shown in picture above)
Serve and Enjoy.!~

Cheesy Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Rolls

Cheesy, soft, garlicky rolls. Need I say more?

Ingredients

Frozen Rhodes Rolls (dinner or texas size)
1/4 cup salted butter
1 1/2 tsp fresh FINELY chopped garlic (I'm sorry people but chopped jar garlic is just not the same.. you can use it but don't say I didn't warn you)
1 sprig fresh thyme/very finely chopped
1/2 tsp fresh oregano very finely chopped
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup "fancy" shredded monterey jack/chedder cheese blend (fancy being very fine shredded)

1. I use spring form pan usually but this will also work in a glass casserole dish as well.
Grease your pan with non stick vegetable oil cooking spray. Place your rolls in the pan close enough so that when they rise they will touch. (about 1 - 1 1/2 inches apart). cover with plastic wrap and place somewhere warm and safe. Let them rise for about 4-5 hours. You don't want them to over rise or they get kind of strange and too airy inside.
2. Pre-Heat oven to 375 F (185 C). Remove plastic wrap and lightly sprinkle the thyme and oregano on top of each roll, place rolls in oven.
3. Place butter in a small microwave safe dish with the chopped garlic and heat until melted. stir all together. Mix all the cheeses together.
4. watch the rolls and as soon as they start to brown a teeny bit and get a slightly firm top carefully remove them from the oven. (Don't bump them or they will go flat) as quickly as possible spoon some of the melted garlic butter over all the rolls. It will run down to the bottom, don't worry that is great!. As long as the top of each roll gets a bit of butter thats what matters. Generously sprinkle the cheese on top. Be careful not to overload it though or the weight will make the rolls go flat.
Replace back in oven and allow them to cook until the cheese gets golden and bubbly. Make sure you don't take it out too early or the bread might still be a little doughy.