Short Cut Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe uses ready-made croissant dough to produce petite sweet rolls that you can brag on, with lots better home-made taste than the refrigerated cinnamon rolls in the same display case. It's so easy I'm almost embarrassed to write directions.

First things first

🠞 Preheat Oven at 350°F (177°C), yes, a lower temperature than package directions.

🠞 "Butter" (Margarine, Veggie Oil, or, heck, bacon grease) an 8-inch by 8-inch  (20-cm by 20-cm) or larger baking sheet or pan.

Ingredients

✔ 1 8-ounce (226-grams) Refrigerated Crescent Dough Sheet

✔ 3 to 4 Tablespoons spreadable Margarine or salted Butter

✔ 3 to 4 Tablespoons Granulated or Brown Sugar, or mix 'em 

✔ 1 to 2 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon

✔ Caramel Sundae Syrup

Directions

1. On a lightly floured surface, unroll the dough sheet.

2. Slather on margarine or salted butter evenly, leaving half-inch clear on one short edge.*

3. Sprinkle on sugar evenly, again leaving half-inch of short edge clear.*

4. Sprinkle on cinnamon evenly, again leaving half-inch of short edge clear.*

5. From opposite of clear short edge, roll sheet up toward clear short edge, rolling close but not tight, then pinch clean edge against roll to finish.

6. Cut roll into 1 to 1½ i-inch (2.5 to 3.8 cm) pieces. Wet knife blade before each cut. Makes 7 to 10 rolls.

7. Place on baking sheet or pan, close together will promote height and softer edges, well-spaced will promote spread and browner edges, but not by much either way, so don't agonize over it. Or do both.

8. Bake 15 to 20 minutes (longer than package directions) until golden brown.

9. Remove from oven, cool for a few minutes, then apply the caramel sauce. WARNING: If you apply too much caramel sauce, you may find it necessary to lick up the excess from the pan. Just sayin'. 

* Amounts can be varied to taste.

;^)

Coffee: A New Brew Review

This "cold brew" is my favorite coffee, to date, after decades of trials of various methods and brands. Not to put too fine a point on it, it is born of laziness. Nonetheless, it packs the most flavor and the least bite.

It is a considerably different preparation from that in an earlier entry,  Coffee Press—A superior coffee experience?

This method creates a 1:3 coffee concentrate which I keep in the fridge in mason jars. I shake the jar to re-oxygenate the concentrate prior to each use, then mix 1 part part coffee concentrate with 3 parts water, then nuke. Here's the gist of the concentrate preparation: I place

- 200 grams (by weight) McCafé Medium Roast in my

- Bodum  51 ounce/1.5 liter coffee press which I

- Fill with heated (~180°F/82°C) tap water*, mixing the grounds with a wood , plastic, or silicone (to avoid breaking the glass) implement. I replace the press's lid but do NOT depress the plunger  (See parts in Coffee Press—A superior coffee experience?). Then I

-  Allow the coffee to steep at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, at which point I

- Depress the plunger on the coffee press (it can resist so support it to avoid bending the plunger or tipping the pot) until all the grounds are at the bottom. Next, I

- Decant the coffee liquid in equal measure into two mason jars, which I put in the fridge. Then I

- Refill the pot with hot tap water, using the very same grounds, mixing the same way, recapping, but NOT pressing the plunger. I allow that to 

- Steep this refill for  another 12 to 24 hours at room temp, then repeat the pressing and decanting into the same two mason jars.

- I add a healthy pinch of salt to each jar—this is essential.

PRESTO! Approximately 64 ounces of coffee concentrate, which I keep in the fridge.

* My tap water is fairly neutral, but not all are.

;^)

Spiced Tea

This is a simple but rich hot tea drink that makes wet, chilly weather worth tolerating. It's an instant mix that can be prepared by the cup, mug, pot, or by the batch. Here are the proportions:

- 4 Parts Sweetened Iced Tea Mix with Lemon
- 2 Parts Tang (or similar) Orange Drink Mix
- 1 Part Lemonade Drink Mix
- Cinnamon and/or other spices to taste (Nutmeg, Cardamon, Ginger, Allspice, among others)

- Mix the dry ingredients together, then add:

- Hot Water

For a basic 20 ounce hot Spiced Tea, I use rounded teaspoons as the measure and 3 shakes of ground cinnamon.

This style of drink is known by other names (Russian Tea, Winter Tea, Masala Chai Tea, etc.) and can also include other flavors, such as pineapple, cayenne, or black pepper. It's a comfort drink, so create your own. And there's no law that prohibits enjoying this year 'round nor any regulations requiring that it be served hot, so have at it.

;^)

Wet-Smoked Indoor Barbecue

 

Disclaimer

This isn't actually a barbecue recipe according to the "outdoors, open fire" definition. It is, in fact, finished under an oven broiler.

Context
I live in an apartment. My stove's exhaust fan
vents directly into the kitchen. On top of that, the smoke alarm is hypersensitive. If I set my toaster control above 4, then even the neighbors know when the toast is done.

Even so, I love smoky barbecue meat, especially chicken, so here's how I make do.

Ingredients

- 4 Chicken Thighs

- 4 Ounces (Colgin) Liquid Smoke, Hickory (vary amount to taste)

- 4 Cups Chicken Broth or Water+Salt to taste

- 4 Ounces Barbecue Sauce (Store-bought or DIY)

Preparation

1. Place Broth (or Salted Water), Chicken Thighs, and Liquid Smoke in a pot, with sufficient liquid to cover the chicken.

2. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook for 35 minutes to 165℉ internal temperature (or held at 140℉ for 8 minutes).

3. Remove Chicken Thighs to a greased (Cooking Spray) broiler pan, skin side up.

4. Turn on oven broiler, adjust rack to upper position so that the chicken will be 2 to 6 inches under the broiler element, depending on the broiler. I do most of my work in a toaster oven, hence I tend to place the meat closer to the element.

5. Brush on Barbecue Sauce to top and sides of the Chicken Thighs.

6. Place broiler pan with chicken on upper oven rack.

7. Brown chicken to desired doneness, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on oven broiler and rack height.

8. Remove broiler pan from oven, turn Chicken Thighs skin down, brush on sauce, and return under broiler, for 4 to 8 minutes.

9. If desired, turn thighs once more, brush on sauce, broil for 2 to 4 minutes.

10. Serve, with Barbecue Sauce on the side.

Serves 2, depending on the size of the Thigh portions.

Notes

- Save the cooking broth. It can be frozen and reused for "smoking" more chicken or other meat. It can also be used to flavor soup, gravy, or other sauces.

- This recipe can be used for other meats, such as Country Style Ribs.

- Additional herbs and spices can be added to the cooking liquid, to taste, e.g., Sage, Marjoram, Cayenne, Thyme, etc.

;^)

Toasted Almond Frappuccino

I confess: I am a fan of foo-foo drinks. I love those sweet and fruity flavors—Harvey Wallbanger, Sloe Gin Fizz, Piña Colada, Fuzzy Navel, White Russian, Whiskey Sour, Margarita, Tequila Sunrise—I've loved 'em all. I do have certain standards, however: NO FROZEN DRINKS. I mean, one has to draw the line somewhere.

Among my recent favorites has been the Toasted Almond, a blend of Amaretto, Coffee Liqueur, and cream, in roughly equal parts, though mix recipes vary. I admit, I like it more for the almond and coffee flavors, and I find even the mild bite from the alcohol to be distracting. The truth is, I'm not a big fan of the taste of alcohol, so sue me.  I've even tried duplicating the drink using alcoholic-free syrups, but the flavor just isn't the same.

Then, the other day, I was reaching into my fridge for a single-serving bottle of Frappuccino, when I happened to spot my liqueur stash on the fridge’s door shelf. And I had an “A-ha!” experience

Opening the frap, I took a couple swallows to free up some space. Next, I added two ounces of Amaretto and one ounce of Coffee Liqueur. I snugged the cap back on the frap and shook it, to mix. And then … Mmm. Not bad. Good flavor, barely noticeable bite. A Toasted Almond Frappuccino.

So, there it is, yet another way to imbibe, an important skill set to hone, in this age of isolation.

;^)