Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

I am sure you are all getting ready with your menus for Thanksgiving.  This year I am not hosting Thanksgiving (and I am kinda excited about it).  Instead I am bringing a couple of dishes.  The first thing I will be making is Pumpkin Crescent Rolls.  This is a recipe my sister Kelly has always included with her Thanksgiving menu.  I did a trial run last night with the recipe.  I don't usually do "trial" runs on recipes, but I became a little paranoid this year with every magazine saying NEVER do a recipe for the first time for a special meal.  These rolls turned out so well...the dough was easy to work with and they looked beautiful, and tasted yummy!! Kelly always makes them the day of Thanksgiving, and I will too, but....I did freeze the ones I made yesterday and heated a couple of them tonight for dinner and they were just as good. 

 Divide into 4 parts.

 Roll each into a 12 inch circle.

Aren't they beautiful!!

Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

Makes 32 rolls


2 (.25 oz.) packages active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

1 cup canned pumpkin

7 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, softened (optional)

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and stir in sugar, salt, 1/2 cup butter, pumpkin and eggs. Add 3 cups of the flour and beat well. Stir in enough additional flour to make dough easy to handle. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, covered, and allow to double in size.

2. Punch down and divide into 4 parts, rolling each into a 12-inch circle. Spread with 1/4 cup butter if desired. Cut into 8 wedges. Roll up each wedge beginning at wide edge. Place on greased sheet and allow to rise.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

4. Serve with Harvest-Spiced Butter.


Harvest-Spiced Butter

4 tablespoons, unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon honey (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Combine ingredients with mixer or in food processor until well blended. Serve at room temperature.

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!!

FFwD - Roast Chicken for les paresseux

 This could possibly be one of the tastiest roast chickens I have ever made!  And talk about easy---Les Paresseux are lazy people, but we all need a "lazy" kind of recipe now and then!  All you are doing is adding fresh herbs - I used rosemary, thyme, and oregano 1/2 inside the bird, the other half outside.  The chicken is roasted in a Dutch oven for 45 minutes at 450.  Add vegetables, I used potatoes, carrots and shallots, Bake for another 45 minutes.  That's it!

 Dori starts the chicken on what she calls "the bread trick".  The chicken sits on top of the bread and as the chicken roasts the bread will imbibe its juices and after a while will get crisp and become the "cooks treat."  I was having a hard time imagining what this would really be like...

 O my gosh...it was a treat! Think of the best crouton you ever had and that is what this was like!

This recipe is from the new Dorie Greenspan cookbook - Around my French Table.  This cookbook is really worth adding to a cookbook collection! 

I am also joining Foodie Friday hosted by Michael at http://www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com/ , make sure you stop by for some great recipes and inspiration!

Mexican Monkey Bread

This is a great bread to serve as a "party starter" or I served it with a great Mexican Chicken Soup!  Everybody loves a version of Monkey Bread!  This one has a great "kick" to it!

 Dip 1/3 of the biscuit pieces in butter; place in a pan.

 Top with 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup peppers and 1/4 tsp. parsley.  Repeat layers.

 Top with combined mozzarella and remaining cheddar cheese.

Serve bread warm and "pull" a piece off!


Mexican Monkey Bread
Ingredients:
1 can (16.3 oz) refrigerated biscuits, quartered
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/4 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
3/4 cup drained canned sliced jalapeno peppers
3/4 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 350.
Spray 9X5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.  Dip 1/3 of the biscuit pieces in butter; place in prepared pan.  Top with 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup peppers and 1/4 tsp. parsley; repeat layers.
Cover with remaining dipped biscuit pieces, peppers and parsley; top with combined mozzarella and remaining cheddar.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Invert bread onto plate; remove pan.  Serve bread warm.