Recipe Rants

Grandma’s Rolls

These Appalachia milk rolls were made from my grandma Wilson’s recipe and we had them at every Sunday dinner during my childhood. While I have made them from time to time as an adult, this is the first time attempting them in more than 20 years and the first time, Michele has ever made rolls from scratch.

Recipe

1 package Yeast (not fast rising)

3 T Sugar

4 Cups Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Water

Directions

Mix yeast, 1/4 cup water (100-110 degrees), 1 teaspoon of sugar and let the yeast bloom for 10 minutes.

Mix together the remaining ingredients and heat the milk up just a bit.

Use a stand mixer with a dough hook and mix until ready. You may need to add two tablespoons more of flour.

Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a towel and place in a warm place. Let rise until double, at least 1.5 to 2 hours. Since we live in Alaska we have to place it near our wood stove. In order for the dough to rise you need a mixture of moisture and warmth an internal temperature of 75 degrees for the dough to will tell you if the yeast is working.

After have allowed the dough to rise, grease a muffin tin and place a large dollop of dough in each cup. Brush with butter.

Preheat oven to 375 and bake for around 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Here is the handwritten recipe (with our adjustments)  from my mom, who passed away last year. This post is to honor her and my grandmother.

What are your favorite roll recipes? Please share in the comments and maybe we will give them a try at Forto’s Fort!

 

Bacon Beer Cheese Dip

Since the lockdown occurred in March, Michele and I have up’d our cooking game. We have tried many new recipes and spent a lot of time together in the Kitchen. Many of those recipes were inspired by Sam the Cooking Guy who we stumbled upon when everything was closed. Tonight we tried our hand at a Bacon Beer Cheese Dip with chicken and shrimp skewers and a sourdough baguettes.

Recipe

6-7 pieces of bacon
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. Velvetta
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 oz. beer
2 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning.

Directions

Sauté bacon about 3/4 done and drain fat.
Mix in remaining ingredients.
Whisk and simmer until desired thickness.

Skewer chicken and shrimp with a dash of salt and pepper and avocado oil. Drizzle bread with oil.

Cook flattop for just a few minutes.

Enjoy!

A new Christmas Eve tradition at Forto’s Fort!

Often called kosher-style dill pickles, these are quick to make. Use either small whole cucumbers or cut large ones into quarters. For an additional interesting flavor, tuck in a small dried red pepper into each jar.

We always try to get pickling cucumbers in the short summer months here in Alaska at the local farmers markets. This year we picked up several pounds at the Alaska State Fair. These are not your normal cucumbers. They do not taste very good raw so I would suggest only using them for pickling.

Ingredients:

8-10 small picking cucumbers (about 3 pounds)

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups water

2 tablespoons pickling salt

4 heads of fresh dill or 4 teaspoons dill seeds

4 small cloves of garlic

Preparation:

Cut a thing slice from each of the ends of the cucumbers

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, water and salt in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Remove hot jars from canner. Place 1 head fresh dill or 1 tsp dill seeds and 1 clove garlic into each jar; pack in cucumbers. Pour boiling vinegar mixture over cucumbers to within 1/2 inch or rim (headspace). Process 10 minutes for pint jars and 15 minutes for quart jars.

Tip: garlic may turn blue or green in the jar. Nothing to be alarmed about, it is only the effect of the acid on the natural pigments of the garlic.

 

 

I am glad I am not a vampire. I love garlic on everything! Recently Michele and I tried out a pickled garlic recipe.

Here it is:

Prep 45 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Ready in 21 days

Ingredients:

1/2 pound garlic, peeled

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups distilled white vinegar

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Directions:

Place garlic cloves in a medium bowl, first cutting the large cloves in half. Mix in the red bell pepper.

In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, place distilled white vinegar and white sugar. Wrap ground dry mustard and celery seed in a spice bag, and place in the liquid mixture. Bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper. Continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and discard spice bag.

Place garlic and peppers in sterile containers to within 1 inch of the top. Full with the remaining liquid within 1/4 inch from the top. Seal and store in the refrigerator  approximately three weeks before serving.