Anyone have the recipe for their mouth-watering yeast rolls??

Colonnade Corn Bread Muffins

1 1/2 cups white cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease or line 12 muffin cups and set aside. In a large b owl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the water, oil, buttermilk and eggs. Beat vigorously for 45 seconds, or until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour into greased muffin cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.

Peeps have gone Halloween and they’re not chicks anymore. They’re Peep pumpkins and ghosts and they’re perfect for decorating Halloween treats.  Add your favorite candy to make them your own.  Calories don’t count on Halloween, right?

Spooky Peep Treats

3 tablespoons butter
1 10 ounce package miniature marshmallows
6 cups rice krispies

Toppings:

Ghost and pumpkin Peeps 
small candy pumpkins
Halloween M&M’s

Just one cheese?  Nah.  Why use one cheese when you can use three?  Topping or no topping? Topping of course when it’s Panko.  It adds a layer of crunchiness and contrast to the creamy mac and cheese.  Throw on some chopped fresh parsley for green measure and you’ve got a delicious side that’s perfect with just about anything or perfect all by itself.

This recipe is from Mio Kitchen and Wine Bar in Pittsburgh.

Mac and Cheese

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup flour
3 1/2 cups (or more) whole milk
2 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 8 ounce container mascarpone cheese*
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 pound orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta) or large elbow macaroni

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion; saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add crushed red pepper
and garlic, stir 1 minute.  Stir in 3 tablespoons butter; allow to melt; then
add flour and stir 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in 3 1/2 cups milk; simmer
until thick enough to coat spoon thickly, stirring frequently, about 5
minutes.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in cheeses.  Whisk in more milk
by 1/4 cupfuls until sauce is thick but pourable.  Season with salt and
pepper.
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add panko and stir until very light golden, about 5 minutes.  Remove from
heat.  Stir in parsley.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter 9×13 inch glass baking dish.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm
to bite, stirring occasionally.  Drain well.  Return pasta to pot.  Add warm
cheese sauce; toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer mixture
to prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over.  Bake mac
and cheese until heated through and topping  is golden brown, about 30
minutes.
*An Italian cream cheese, sold at many supermarkets and at Italian
markets.

Sun Golds are my favorite cherry tomato and they’re only around for a few months in the summer.  Run, don’t walk to your nearest farmers market and pick some up.  They’re golden orange in color and have a wonderful sweet flavor that makes them perfect for snacking, salads, sandwiches, or pastas.  I like to mix them with freshly cooked summer peas and toss them with a homemade vinaigrette. Delicious.

When you use the freshest ingredients, you don’t need many ingredients and this recipe is a perfect example. Be sure to use really good olive oil and Parmesan cheese.  It also calls for fresh basil which I was fresh out of, so use your imagination when you’re looking at the finished product.  You can add it at your house.

Sun Golds fresh from the Peachtree Road Farmers Market

Sun Golds charring in a pan with olive oil and garlic

Sun Gold tomatoes bursting in the pan and morphing into a creamy sauce.

This recipe is from the Food Network.

          Pasta with Sun Gold Tomatoes

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• 6 ounces capellini, spaghetti, or bucatini
• 3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan
• 8 medium fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
• Toasted breadcrumbs (for garnish; optional)

Food trucks and street food are all the rage in Atlanta . Crazy Corn is straight from the streets of Mexico and it’s easy to make.  Grilling corn brings out the natural sugars and the flavor is amazing.  Try adding some Mexican street toppings.  To die for.

This would be perfect for a 4th of July barbecue or any time this summer when corn is plentiful and at its peak.  This recipe was featured on the Today Show.

Crazy Corn

Ingredients

• 6 fresh ears of corn, husked and rinsed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Unsalted butter
• Mayonnaise
• 1 cup, crumbled queso cotija or fresco, farmer’s cheese or a mild feta
• 3 limes, halved, to squeeze on top
• Kosher or coarse sea salt to taste
• Dried ground chile Piquín, Tajín or a Mexican mix, to taste

Gooey, melted chocolate chips are truly one of life’s little pleasures.  You’ve had them in cookies, but have you tried them in muffins?  They’re great for breakfast, brunch, or a snack any time of day.

Mix the dry ingredients the night before and they go together quickly in the morning.  You may or may not need coffee.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 egg
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
 Makes 9 regular size muffins.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees or convection 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl mix the melted butter, sour cream, corn syrup and egg. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spray the muffin pan w(muffin cups) with Bakers Joy. These cook and look better without the muffin liners. Fill muffin cups with batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

They taste best when they have just been cooked and are still warm. Don’t cover them or the tops go from crusty to soft and they’re not as good.

*If you happen to have any of these left over, they warm up to their original gooey goodness by zapping them in the microwave on low heat for a few seconds.

Not a fan of Brussels sprouts? You might change your mind when you try this light and refreshing salad from Giada De Laurentis. Tender Brussels sprout leaves are paired with peppery baby arugula, Pecorino Romano cheese and toasted almonds.  Drizzle it with the citrus flavored dressing and you’ve got a salad you’ll want to make over and over again.

Giada’s Brussels Sprouts-Leaf Salad

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
2 cups baby arugula
1 head Belgian endive, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I omitted and used more baby arugula)
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1. Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

2. Salad: Using a small paring knife, remove the outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts. Reserve the cores for another use. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprout leaves and cook for 1 minute. Drain and put in a bowl of iced water, then transfer to a colander to drain. Put the Brussels sprout leaves,arugula, endive, and almonds into a large salad bowl. Add the dressing and toss together. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

3. To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until lightly toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely before using.

What’s Valentines Day without a little chocolate?  And what’s a little chocolate without a little champagne?  Go ahead, indulge yourself; count it as one of your fruit servings for the day.

Whether you eat out or stay in, make these for your Valentine and you’ll make someone very happy.    They’re perfect for any occasion and  look extra special served on a silver tray.  If you’re passing them around though, they probably won’t make it very far across the room.

Cupid’s Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried well

1. Put the semisweet chocolate into a heatproof medium bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowl of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)

2. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.

3. Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

The recipe calls for homemade mayonnaise but since that’s never worked for me,  I use Hellman’s and  love the results.  Serve this as an appetizer with crackers or make the best sandwich ever using the fluffiest white bread you can find.  It’s to die for.

This recipe is from Frank Stitt, a famous Southern Chef who features this in his restaurant Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, AL. and his cookbook, Southern Table.

Highlands Bar and Grill Pimento Cheese

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 pound cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped (may want to use 2)
1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s)
1 teaspoon sugar
splash of hot sauce, such as tabasco or cholula
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Grate the cheddar in the food processor with the grating disk or grate by hand on a box grater. Using the food processor, mix the mayo, cream cheese, pepper, sugar, hot sauce and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Then, gently pulse in the 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese. Do not mix too finely. Add remaining shredded cheese by hand. *Mix in the chopped roasted red peppers BY HAND. They get too small if added to food processor.

Making banana bread is easy.  Waiting on it to come out of the oven is hard. Crusty on the outside and moist and flavorful inside, this recipe is sure to become one of your favorites. It also tastes great if you add fresh blueberries, chocolate chips or chopped nuts.

Start with some ripe bananas.  I like to use them before they get too dark and mushy.

These are the basic ingredients and it’s so easy to make.

The mixed batter ready to be popped into the oven.

Banana Bread

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 1/2 – 3 large)
3/4 cup blueberries (optional)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with bakers joy or pam spray. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Make well in center. Add sugar, eggs, oil and buttermilk. You can also use a mixer. Stir and fold in bananas. If using blueberries, dust blueberries with about 1 Tablespoon or less of flour. This keeps the berries from sinking to the bottom of the bread. Gently fold in blueberries if using. Pour batter into pan. Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

2.*The riper the bananas, the darker the bread will be. I like the taste and color of this when it’s made while the bananas are ripe but still a light color.