Best Florek Rolls

This recipe is from a friend, Angel Florek, who lived in our ward while we were in podiatry school. Angel made these rolls along with a curried chicken salad for a friend's baby shower and I seriously thought she bought the rolls somewhere from a bakery. I was stunned to find out she had made them from scratch! They are sweet & remind me of hawaiian bread or milk-and-honey rolls. They are great as sandwich rolls (like for pulled pork or curried chicken salad!) or stand alone (like for Thanksgiving!). Love these!

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2 Tbsp dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 C. warm water

1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C sugar
1/2 shortening
1 C hot milk
4.5 C flour, divided
2 eggs

In a small bowl, combine yeast, 1 Tbsp sugar, and warm water and set aside for 5 minutes or until bubbly. In a stand mixer bowl combine salt, 1/2 C sugar, and shortening. Mix on low with the whisk attachment until combined then add the hot milk, mixing slowly so as not to spill. Once incorporated, add 2 cups of flour. Then add the yeast mixture and mix well. Then add eggs.

Replace the whisk attachment with the dough hook and add remaining 2.5 cups of flour. Mix on high for 5 minutes. Remove the hook and set aside for 15 minutes to allow rising.

Flour the counter and divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll out each piece into a circle and cut it into 8 pieces, like a pie. Place rolls on a cookie sheet.

For quick rise: set oven to 170 then turn off. Place rolls in the off-but-warm oven for 30 minutes.

Bake at 400 for 9 minutes. Watch the first batch CLOSELY so they don't burn. Times can vary by oven anywhere from 7-10 minutes.

Ratatouille

***My wonderful friend Severine Germer from France made this traditional dish for us and I practically licked the bowl clean afterwards. This recipe is great the day its prepared, but as the flavors are given time to meld together, the leftovers are almost better the next day! That's saying something from a girl who isn't all the fond of leftovers! I also love her little quips throughout the recipe, it really shows her personality & why I think she's so fun!***

RATATOUILLE

(because you can't call yourself French if you don't know how to make this -or at the very least know about it-). This dish comes from the South of France and is very tasty with almost no fat. I usually make it with rice and sausages.

Ingredients:
-2 small yellow onions, cut "julienne" (you cut it in half and then in half again and take the inside slices apart)
-1 medium eggplant: cut in half lengthwise and then in thin slices. Put some in a strainer, add salt, then more + salt and so on in layers. This will take the bitterness out of the eggplant. Leave for 30 min and then pat the eggplants slices with paper towel to absorb the "juice."
-4 medium zucchinis, small slices
-about 5-7 medium tomatoes.
-1 Tbsp herbs de Provence
-olive oil
-1/2 stick of butter if you're not on Weight Watchers. It's not absolutely necessary though, I rarely use butter in ratatouille except to brown the onions.

Now that you've done all the slicing/getting ready, it's super easy and you can almost feel like you're in a Pixar movie:

1. Warm a big pot on the stove with a bit of butter, add onions when hot. Brown for about 5 mins, making sure they don't burn (it's been known to happen even to yours truly)

2. If need be, add some olive oil and then the eggplant, cook for 3-4 more mins.

3. Add zucchinis, plus a glass of water and cover. While it cooks, I usually cut the tomatoes in 8 and add them when I'm done. Add salt to taste and herbs. Add butter if you like.

4. Let simmer on low for one hour, adding some water if needed.

5. If too watery, uncover while simmering.

Marcia's Chicken Divan

***When I served in the RS Presidency of the Oakland 9th ward, Marcia Storm was one of my counselors. When we were all released we had a little farewell dinner at her place and she made this to-die-for dish. I told her I had to have the recipe on the spot. She said it came from a ward cookbook from the "old" Orinda ward. The original recipe is credited to Kay Merrill & Mildred Lindley. Thanks Kay & Mildred--and to Marcia for this go-to recipe!***

2 - 10 oz packages frozen broccoli
2 Cups Cooked Chicken (4 Chicken Breasts), Chopped
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Cup Mayo
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Curry Powder
1/2 Cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Tbsp Melted Butter

Cook broccoli and drain. Arrange in a greased 9x13 pan. Place chicken on top of broccoli. Combine soup, mayo, lemon juice, and curry powder. Pour mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese, then the bread crumbs, then sprinkle melted butter over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

PW's Tasty Kitchen Risotto

***Jack came home from his externship in Wisconsin having tasted Risotto at someone's home and was dying for a second taste. This is the recipe I drummed up.***

Recipe: Risotto

Prep Time: 15 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 45 Minutes  |  Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups Parmesan, Romano, Or Asiago Cheese (or A Mixture Of All Three)
• 3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
• 1/2 whole Large Onion
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 pound Arborio Rice
• 7 cups (to 8 Cups) Chicken Broth
• 1 cup (to 1 1/2 Cups) Heavy Cream
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Chives, Chopped
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Grate 2 cups of cheese. Peel and finely dice 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Dice ½ of a large onion.

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil. Then add 1 tablespoon of butter. Throw in the garlic and onion and sauté for a couple of minutes until the onion is translucent.

Add 1 pound of Arborio rice and stir to coat the rice thoroughly. Adding 1 cup at a time, add 7-8 ounces of chicken broth, stirring constantly after each addition. As soon as it appears that the rice has absorbed each helping of broth, add in the next helping. Do not stop stirring. This process will take at least 20 minutes. Rice is done when it no longer has a hard bite.

When more of the broth is absorbed pour in 1 to 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Next add the grated cheese and stir thoroughly. Add in plenty of fresh cracked pepper and about 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped chives. Add salt to taste.

Make it. Make it now. Eat! Enjoy!

Decadent French Toast

**This recipe is from Amy Thurston. One day we had a big gathering of young moms over at Amy's old apartment for a potluck breakfast party. Everyone was supposed to come in pajamas and bring something breakfast related. It was a crazy delicious smorgasbord of amazing breakfast items but in my opinion, this one stole the show. I had to steal Amy's recipe which she credited to a family member named Loni, and make it for special breakfast meals throughout the year.***

Decadent French Toast
16-40 slices firm bread (I used a thick cut   Heavy white bread) 4 (12 oz.) cream cheese Cinnamon & granulated sugar 1 – 2 ½ c brown sugar ¼ - ½ c maple syrup	1 – 2 ½ sticks butter 6 – 15 eggs 1 ¾ - 4 1/3 c milk 1 – 2 ½ tsp vanilla Berries & sour cream
Spread half of the bread slices with cream cheese (a good thick layer!) and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Top with another slice of bread.  Cut in half diagonally.  In 11 x 17 inch pan (I used a large roasting pan) combine brown sugar, butter and maple syrup.  Cook for 5 minutes until dissolved.  Place the bread in pan.  Blend eggs, milk and vanilla together in bowl.  Pour over bread.  Cover and let set for 45 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.  Uncover and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes (mine took quite a bit longer…just make sure the casserole is set).  Remove pieces from pan and flip to caramel side up and pour any remaining syrup in pan over top.  Top with berries and sour cream.
BAKE: 350*	MAKES: 8 – 20 people

Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue aka Smoke Almond, Cheddar, & Bacon Dip
From Corene Bingham


2 Pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese (Brand name is important, generic clumps up when heated)
2 jars (8 oz each) sharp cheddar cheese spread (Old English brand in the cracker aisle is the best)
½ c milk
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 medium green onions, thinly sliced (2T)
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
¼ c canned smoked whole almonds, coarsely chopped
Assorted raw vegetables or breadsticks, if desired

Heat cream cheese, cheese spread, milk and garlic in 1-qt saucepan over
medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted and smooth.
Stir in onions.

Spoon into1-qt slow cooker to keep warm if desired or into serving bowl.
Sprinkle with bacon and almonds. Serve with vegetables. 16 servings (2 T
each)

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore

Click here for printable text only

1 lb. chicken breasts or chicken breasts and thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 c. white flour

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. olive oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and either crushed or halved

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

1 c. white wine (you can also use apple or white grape juice mixed with 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar)

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using cooking wine; you may shrivel up and die if you add the salt in addition to cooking wine because cooking wine is treated with salt to make it undrinkable)

1 bay leaf

1 c. sliced mushrooms (or more if you love them. Mushrooms are divine in this dish!)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and stir frequently until onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon (this is why you need to keep the onion and garlic pieces big), shake off excess oil (you don’t have to go crazy here, a little olive oil never killed anyone!), and transfer to your blender. Increase heat to medium-high.

In a large Ziploc bag, combine flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and shake to coat pieces with flour. Dump the entire bag into the hot pan and stir quickly to prevent pieces from sticking together. Saute until chicken is golden. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Turn off the heat under the oil, lest you start a grease fire. I am NOT speaking from ANY kind of firsthand experience here… ;)

While chicken is draining, add wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, and marjoram to the onions and garlic in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place chicken and bay leaf in your slow cooker and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the mushrooms and the chopped green pepper. Cook until mushrooms and pepper are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve over pasta.

FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Complete steps through browning the chicken. Instead of placing chicken in your slow cooker, place it in a freezer-safe container and cover with sauce. When ready to eat, place frozen mixture in your slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours. You can either cut the mushrooms and peppers ahead of time and freeze them separately from the chicken and sauce or you can just plan to have those in your fridge when you’re ready to make this.

Baked Chicken Penne-OBB

***This is one of my favorite meals to make on nights when we have to take a meal to someone in need. It makes enough for our family to have dinner and enough for an 8x8 disposable pan to take to someone else! I took this meal over to Corene Bingham right after she had her second child and she gushed about how this dish is one of her favorite meals. We love it!***

Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne
slightly adapted from this recipe by Martha Stewart

• 6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound penne rigate
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each), halved horizontally
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 6 cups whole milk
• 10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone* (6 ounces) you could also make that 1/2 mozzarella
• 1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 6 ounces)

*Note on Cheese: 
Sometimes provolone cheese can be hard to find.  I don’t always encourage the use of pre-shredded bagged cheeses (because ‘ve found they usually contain additives and therefore don’t melt or taste as good), but in this recipe I’ve used a *good* quality one, like Sargento, and it’s turned out great.  Actually in this batch I used Sargento’s Provolone/Mozzarella mix.  You’ll find that with packaged cheese mixes, provolone is often mixed with other white cheeses and that’s totally fine.  Just try to find one that is mostly provolone, like a 50/50 mix.  The other easy option is to go to the deli department where you can buy sliced cheese.  Just ask for a 6 oz chunk and you can grate it yourself.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. If you’re going to freeze one, use a disposable foil pan.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside.
2. While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.  While chicken pan is still hot, toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes).  Use a little extra olive oil if needed.
3. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot (I just use the pot I cooked my pasta in), melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer.  Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. take the pan off the heat and and gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
4. Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes.  If freezing, place remaining parmesan cheese in a zip-top baggie.  If cooking, sprinkle on top.
5. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Freezer instructions:

To freeze, prepare through step 4 and then let pasta cool.  Cover pan well with plastic wrap.  Place extra cheese in baggie (for topping) on top and then cover entire pan well with foil.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  To bake, preheat oven to 400.  Remove foil and plastic from pan and set cheese baggie aside.  Place foil back on pan and bake for about 1 1/2 hours.  Remove foil, stir pasta, and top with cheese.  Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly throughout.