 Anyone else dream about spending a Saturday morning with a steaming cup of hot coffee and a pan of giant yeast dough rolls covered in so much sweet frosting that they would be considered dessert if eaten at any other time of day? I'm not sure what's more appealing - the thought of a Saturday morning agenda that's completely free of tasks and commitment or the idea of eating tender baked buns stuffed with sweet fillings that have been baked until golden brown and generously slathered with rich, creamy icing.  The reality is that I hardly ever linger over a leisurely Saturday morning breakfast. I spend most Saturdays trying to catch up on the to-do list around the house, keeping up with the never ending yard work, preparing food for clients or running out the door with tea in my travel mug and a granola bar in my pocket. My hectic schedule doesn't stop me from continually striving towards peaceful mornings though. Prepping weekend breakfast the night before really does help with the chaos that inevitably ensues on Saturday morning. These gooey sweet rolls can be put together on Friday afternoon which means they're ready for rising and baking on Saturday morning.  Raspberry Lemon Pistachio Sweet Rolls 6 Tablespoons butter 1/2 cup milk 3 cups flour 1/3 cup sugar 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast 3/4 teaspoons salt zest from 1 lemon 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk Filling 6 Tablespoons butter 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup raspberry jam Glaze 3/4 cup powdered sugar 2 Tablespoons butter 1 Tablespoon lemon juice Heavy cream (as needed) Topping 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Top with chopped pistachios.  Just in case you picked up on the discrepancy between my pictures and my recipe - I only made half of the written recipe. Why make a half recipe, you ask? The only way that I could stop myself from eating the ENTIRE batch of sweet rolls was to only make half the batch. It's true. I have ZERO self control when in comes to delicious, homemade and fresh from the oven sweet rolls.
If you're feeling adventurous - swap out the raspberry jam for another flavor. Apricot, peach, cherry, orange marmalade or even a fig preserve would make a really tasty filling for these sweet rolls.
Here's hoping you can take a few minutes to yourself on this beautiful Saturday morning to enjoy a delicious breakfast and spend some time reflecting on your life. Nothing helps change my perspective on life better than a plate of something sweet sitting in front of me. Have a great weekend friends.
Ciao!
0 Comments
 I have a serious obsession with balsamic vinegar. My parents and I visited the Tahoe Oil and Spice store in Truckee, California last December and I'm pretty sure that I tasted all 50 of their scrumptious balsamic vinegars. They were amazing. It took me no less than an hour to narrow down my favorites and pick just two to bring home.  How many bottles of balsamic do you have to collect before you're considered obsessed? I have a feeling that I might just be getting close to balsamic horder status. I use balsamic vinegar on a lot of different foods. I like to drizzle it on salads and reduce it to make a syrupy glaze and pour it over vegetables for extra flavor. My latest balsamic recipe creation is roasted balsamic red potatoes. I love the way that the balsamic takes center stage in this simple potato recipe.  Roasted Balsamic Red Potatoes 2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into wedges 2 Tablespoons olive oil 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon basil 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar Toss potatoes with oil and seasonings.  Spread onto a 10 x 15" pan.  Roast 25 minutes at 425. Stir. Drizzle with vinegar. Roast another 10 minutes.
These potatoes are a perfect compliment to almost any meal. A great side dish for a grilled steak, a perfectly baked chicken breast or pan seared fish filets. Oh, and eating the leftovers for breakfast is just about the best thing ever.
Ciao!
There is no question that shrimp is the most commonly consumed seafood in the United States. I would attribute that to the fact that shrimp is readily available, it's relatively simple to prepare and there are health benefits to eating it. Not to mention the fact that it's DELICIOUS. Ever since discovering a local store that stocks fresh wild caught shrimp from the coast of Georgia - I cannot seem to get enough to these yummy crustaceans. If you love shrimp as much as I do, these crispy shrimp tacos are a great way to enjoy the seafood that we love. This recipe comes together quickly and it is really tasty.  Crispy Shrimp Tacos 2 tomatoes, chopped Toppings 1 onion, chopped shredded lettuce 1 jalapeno, minced sliced avocado 2 Tablespoons ketchup fresh cilantro 1 Tablespoon lime juice hot sauce 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces 5 tablespoons oil 8 flour tortillas 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
You can garnish these tacos with lettuce, avocado, cilantro and hot sauce or in my case, a couple of ripe, red strawberries and a couple slices of avocado.
One of the best parts about living within a few hours of the Georgia coast is the fact that we can take weekend trips to get our fill of delicious, fresh caught shrimp. Ben and I took a trip to Jekyll Island last month and my goal was to eat shrimp at every single meal that I ate while on the island. (I take my shrimp eating seriously, friends) I didn't take any pictures of the shrimp that I consumed while I was there - mostly because I ate it the instant that it was put in front of me - but I did get a few pictures of the beach. Hope you enjoy. Ciao!
 I think that you could wrap just about anything in phyllo dough and I would be a fan. OK - so maybe not ANYTHING but I do think that phyllo elevates the flavor of the food that you put inside. I can't explain why wrapping food in beautiful, paper thin slices of phyllo dough makes things taste and look better - I just accept it.  And for those of you who think that phyllo dough is hard to work with, you need to give these Southwest Spanakopita Bites a try. There is no messy butter to brush over the dough or fussy layering or stacking. Easy peasy phyllo dough assembly.
Southwest Spanakopita Bites 2 Tablespoons chopped red bell pepper 1 green onion, sliced thin 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 cup fresh spinach 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1/2 cup frozen corn 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained 1 Tablespoon chopped jalepeno 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 sheets phyllo dough
Spritz the end of the strip with cooking spray and press onto triangle to seal. Place triangles on silpat lined baking sheets and bake 10-12 minutes at 375.  Serve with avocado and sour cream.
 I love, love, love the filling inside these spanakopita bites but if you're not a fan - it's completely customizable. Feel free to get creative with your own fillings or even leftovers to create something new and original. I can totally see a spanakopita bite filled with leftover taco meat in my future.
Ciao! |
