11 grain Mixed Berry Jalapeno Cheese-Popper Pinwheels

 This is really crazy, but I have to share these...in spirit. I'm not sharing in real life. They are mine.  These are the most ridiculously divine sweet-savory pinwheels I've ever decided to set forth in foodie form. There. There's the word. I'm sure in the future there will be amazing things...but today, this one is the one that makes my sweet little chef heart go pitter-de-patter. Yeah. Chef hearts have a little "de" in the middle of the pitter-patter. It's like our personal pause for effect. 

To make these whole grain love bombs, you'll need 1/2 batch of the 11 Grain Molasses Bread. When the dough has raised and is ready to form into loaves, lightly flour a counter-top and roll dough out to 1/2 inch thickness in a rectangle. Usually I go for about 24 inches by 18 inches. 

You will need:
1 cup naturally sweetened mixed berry jam. ( I use homemade freezer jam)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup cheddar or mozzarella cheese
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped fine. 

Spread the jam over the rectangle, leaving a 1 inch margin around the outside of the dough. 

 Spread with cheese. 

 Roll up the dough tightly and pinch the seam. Turn seam side down and cut with a sharp knife into 24 slices.

 Place slices onto a parchment lined baking sheet, 1-2 inches apart.

Allow to raise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly sprinkle with a little sea salt before baking. That's the magic step. Lightly salted.  Bake 25-30 minutes. While still warm you may spread with a thin layer of butter or garlic infused olive oil to add some extra sheen. That of course is totally optional but I'm telling you in the name of all that's right...you can't go wrong with a kiss of garlic olive oil. 

Boom-chicka-waaaa-waaaa! Check them out! Imagine me snapping my fingers and moving my head back and forth in a very sassy manner right now. 

There you go. Make some rockin' Berry-jalepeno-popper pinwheels. See how cool you sound just saying that recipe name 10 times fast. 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

11 grain Orange Hazelnut Rolls with Tangerine Honey Glaze

It's time to get serious. I'm not really ready to give up good food to eat healthy. Who ever said that healthy food needed to taste like a tree  branch wrapped in sap? I'm not sure, but these rolls are not evil-bad...they are evil-good. Low fat, 11 whole grain goodness, toasted hazelnuts and the sweet luscious hint of orange infused olive oil nestled between the soft bread. No refined sugar. Bring it.

My son asked me, "Are these healthy?" I'm personally of the opinion that if I just sneak nutritious food into my kids, it gives them a false sense of what good food actually is. Suddenly they're in college and eating a bunch of crazy stuff...like a cinnamon rolls or brownies not baked by me. No comment on college brownies. I know what they put in those bad-boys.  How will they choose? Here's the deal-i-o. I want them to know they are eating right. I want them to know what a good food choice is. They won't always have a mom who is also a professional chef to cook for them. How does a parent empower a child to eat right if the kid doesn't have a clear idea of what eating right is?! For the same reason I teach them not to lie, I should teach them not to deep fry. Right? Have I been perfect at this? No. I'm a little bit husky myself. However, if I can unlearn bad habits, so can my kids. They have an advantage...mom is a chef.  You have an advantage reading my blog. I'm full disclosure girl. I share it with you. This is a big deal to me. I want to be part of a meaningful change in our nation's food habits. It's time to get back to how my grandma ate. Am I right? No comments on the jello salad. None.

 I took half of the dough from the 11 Grain Molasses Bread recipe and rolled it out into a 24 inch by 18 inch rectangle on a lightly floured counter top. It was gorgeous with all the beautiful grain!

 Drizzle the dough with 1/4 cup Crushed Mandarin Orange Certified Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This gives a remarkable depth to the orange flavor when you use infused oil. I'm a huge fan. 

 Zest of one orange. You can use a microplane zester. I usually do, but today I was really wanting the beautiful zest in elegant little strips. If you prefer smaller zest...use the micro zester. 

 Combine the zest with 1/2 cup natural sweetener. I use Xylitol or another sweetener called granular erythritol for sugar free natural options. 

Sprinkle the orange mixture over the honey and olive oil spread. Top with one cup chopped toasted Hazelnuts. Mmmm. Hazelnuts. 

 Roll tightly and pinch together at the seams. Cut into 24 little circular swirls of happiness.  Do you see the grain? Oh.My.Stars!

 I place the rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to raise 1 1/2 hours (or until doubled in size). Arizona is usually warm enough that I don't have to wait the full hour and a half. January is the only exception. I had to wait. If you put the rolls overlapping in cake pan or round casserole they grow together. Unlike putting kids together in the same room. That's just messy...and they fight over who gets to wear the red sweater and who has to pick up the papers off the floor...and who...Dang it. I slipped into total freakish mom right there. Sorry.

Bake them in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. When they are warm, do something evil.  Drizzle with any flavored honey of your choice. I'm always partial to maple hazelnut honey or tangerine. 

There you go. One awesome and amazing new breakfast and snack to add to your healthy lifestyle. You know I love you right? Of course. Share the love! Now you make some! Xoxo!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

5 More Roll Ideas!

 5 day Sweet Roll Dough like I did this week, I dang well better also show at least 5 new ways to make rolls, right?! Well, I did in my dinner roll class on Tuesday, but I know there are people all over the country and globe who read the blog and well...it's not your fault you couldn't make it to the class.  So here we go. In a roll marathon! Hopefully it gives you a lot of new ideas! Let your brain just soak it up. We're going to play.

I just figured that if I introduce a First a Windmill. Take 1/5th of the dough and roll it in a rectangle on a lightly floured counter top or board. It should measure approximately  15 inches by 9 inches. It will make 15 small pin-wheels if you cut it into 3 inch squares.  Cut a notch into the squares like this.  It will look like 4 triangles stuck together if you do it right. 

 Alternate windmill by going around the dough and pinching 4 corners in the middle of the square.

 Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or oiled well. Allow to raise 45 minutes to an hour. With your thumb, poke a hole in the middle of the roll and then dot with 1T pie filling or pastry filling of your choice.Lucky Leaf premium cherry is perfect for these, by the way. It's what I used today. Top with a light sprinkle of...

Chef Tess' Streusel Topping

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp almond flavor

Combine all ingredients and  mix with a fork until crumble topping is formed. Use as Streusel topping for pies, muffins and baked goods.

Bake 350 degrees 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven. I top with a light fruit glaze to get a nice shine. To do so, melt 1/2 cup apricot jelly with 2T water over a stove until liquid. With a pastry brush, apply warm glaze over rolls.

This next roll is actually a pretty classic design called a Flemish fruit square. You basically make that same square you used for the windmill, but tuck the corners in to the center instead of cutting a notch.

 Easy stuff.

 Transfer to a baking sheet, giving 1-2 inches space between rolls. Allow to raise on hour. Add a Tablespoon of Lucky Leaf  Premium cherry or Apple pie filling in the center of the roll just before baking. I also added a few nuts. Top with a little struesel and bake 350 degrees 20-25 minutes. I paint the hot rolls with a light fruit glaze to get a nice shine. To do so, melt 1/2 cup apricot jelly with 2T water over a stove until liquid. With a pastry brush, apply warm glaze over rolls.  You may frost them if desired.

 For twisted Danish. Take 1/5 dough and roll into a rectangle 12 inches by 8 inches. Lightly spread a thin layer of butter and spiced sugar on the dough. Cut into 1 inch strips for small danish or 2 inch strips for larger Danish.

 Twist the strip with your hand and roll into a snail design on the pan. Like so...

 Allow to raise 1 hour. Top with a Tablespoon of filling or just a cherry. Bake 230 degrees 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and glaze or frost as  desired.

Fan Rolls:
5 Day Bread Dough or the  5 day Sweet Roll Dough can also be used with herbs to make fan rolls. Now if you haven't seen a fan roll, It's basically a pull apart roll. Here's what they look like before baking. It appears I forgot to take a picture of the finished rolls. How odd.

Roll out 1/5 the dough into a 12 inch by 8 inch rectangle. Spread with 1/4 cup of soft butter and sprinkle with an herb blend of your choice. I love these with dill and onion. Very much. Too much.

 Cut the dough into 2 inch (4 across the 8 inch length).

 Stack the strips.

 Cut into 12 one inch rolls and place in a well greased muffin pan.

 Allow to raise until double and bake 350 degrees 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

Last but not least...Salted Sweet Rolls.
These are by and far my favorite way to have the sweet roll dough. Divide 1/5 of the dough into 12 rolls and roll into balls. Place in a well oiled muffin tin and allow to raise about an hour. Whisk one egg with a pinch of salt and lightly "paint" the tops of the rolls with the egg wash. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.

 Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm.
There you go! Five new ways to do rolls! Enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess