Maiden Voyage

So, this is my first official post.  Well, actually it’s my second.  Maybe third.  I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve re-written it.  I’m still trying to get the hang of things here.  Bear with me.

It’s a bit odd that I chose now to start this blog.  I just signed up with a personal trainer and am trying to get in shape and thus have altered my diet significantly over the past two weeks.  Normally, I eat whatever I have a hankerin’ for… within reason.  However, the day after my first session with Betsy my personal trainer (who I fondly refer to as “B” as in “bitch”), I found myself walking like a stroke victim on crack.  Every muscle in my body screamed loudly in pain.   It then occurred to me that maybe I should cut back a little on the really good food so as not to sabotage myself and render all that hard work in vain.  Does that make sense?  You know what I mean.

Don’t be concerned, dear friends.  I’m not talking about living on raw veggies and flax seed.  Just being more mindful of what I put in my mouth.  Eliminating the crap stuff.  For instance, I’ve been drinking a lot more milk (well, Calorie Countdown milk… low carbs for my Type 1 diabetic ass).  I’ve been eating lots of salads and grilled chicken.  I usually spice it up with a snappy home made vinaigrette, maybe some Stilton or Manchego cheese and a sprinkle of nuts, baby!  Oh, and a little mango or other fresh fruit.   I’m tryin’ to just say “no” to things like Chik-fil-a.  No easy feat given that my kids love the stuff AND it takes a mighty strong will to keep one’s hand out of that greasy white and red bag when pulling out of the drive-thru. 

That’s what’s goin’ on right now.  As soon as I get my stuff together I’m gonna give you my full Memorial Weekend food report from my trip back home to Pennsylvania.  I have lots of glorious pics too (those sweet cinnamon buns up above – yea, I baked those bad boys!  recipe down below). 

Thanks for tuning in, y’all-

Jett

 

Lamb chop & vino in bed - lovin life in Charleston!

 

 Cinnamon Buns

(from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart)

6 1/2 T granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

5 1/2 T unsalted butter, room temp.

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp. lemon extract or lemon zest

3 1/2 cups unbleached bread or all-purpose flour

2 tsp. INSTANT yeast

1 1/8 cups whole milk or buttermilk, room temp.

1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (6 1/2 T. sugar + 1 1/2 T cinnamon)

*White Fondant glaze

Cream together sugar, salt and butter.  Whip in the egg & lemon extract until smooth.  Then add flour, yeast & milk.  Mix on low speed until dough forms a ball.  Switch to a dough hook, increase speed to medium and mix for approx. 10 mins.(dough should be silky & supple, tacky but not sticky).  You may have to add a little flour or water depending on consistency.  Temp. of dough should be 77-81 degrees.  Lightly oil a large bowl & transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it w/ oil.  Cover the bowl w/ plastic wrap.

Ferment at room temp. for approx. 2 hours or until it doubles in size.

Mist counter w/ spray oil & transfer dough to the counter.  Roll out dough w/ rolling pin, lightly dusting the top w/ flour to keep it from sticking.  Roll into a retangle about 2/3 inch thick & 14×12 for larger buns (18×9 for smaller buns).  Don’t roll out too thin or buns will be tough.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the entire surface and roll dough up into a cigar-shaped log.  With the seam side down, cut the dough into 8-12 even pieces about 1 3/4 inch thick ( 12-16 piece 1 1/4 inch thick for smaller buns).

Line 1 sheet pan w/ baking parchment.  Place the buns approx. 1/2 inch apart so that they aren’t touching but are close to one another.  Proof at room temp. for 75-90 minutes or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size.  You can also retard the shaped buns in the fridge for up to 2 days, pulling pan out of the fridge 3-4 hours before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees w/ rack in middle position.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool buns in the pan for 10 mins. and then streak white fondant glaze across the tops while they are still warm… but not hot.  Place buns on a cooling rack.  Wait at least 20 minutes before serving. 

A ton of work, in my humble opinion, but damned good.  That pic up above was my first and only attempt at making these laborous beauties.  Thanks to the chick who writes the Orangette blog (and the monthly piece in Bon Appetit) for planting the seed that I could do it.