Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Nifty Recipe: Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

Rolls:

  • 1 cup warm fat-free milk (100° to 110°)
  • 6 tablespoons melted butter, divided 
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 package quick-rise yeast
  • 16 22/25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 3/4 cups)
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Cooking spray
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Icing:
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

  1. To prepare rolls, combine milk, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and yeast in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups. Add egg and remaining granulated sugar to bowl. Stir in 4.5 ounces (1 cup) flour; let stand 10 minutes.
  2. Add 11.25 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) flour and salt to milk mixture; stir until a soft dough forms (dough will be sticky). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 35 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rise 35 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
  3.  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; roll dough into an 18 x 11–inch rectangle. Brush remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter over dough; sprinkle evenly with brown sugar mixture. Beginning at one long side, roll up dough tightly, jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut dough into 18 (1-inch) slices. Arrange 9 slices, cut sides up, in each of 2 (8-inch) square baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 35 minutes or until doubled in size.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°.
  5. Uncover rolls. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes in dishes on a wire rack. Turn rolls out onto wire rack; cool 5 minutes. Turn rolls over.
  6. To prepare icing, combine 3 tablespoons softened butter and cream; stir with a whisk. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar; stir until blended. Spread icing over rolls; serve warm.

Not to Eat: Burger King, White Knoll (Lexington, SC)

Location: Burger King at White Knoll (Lexington, SC)
To Eat or Not to Eat: Only if you have days to wait for your food.....

Fast Food? Not at this Burger King location...... It's so sad for these guys that the new McDonald's coming in took all of their business and, evidently, their zest for life, too. After waiting in line for 15 minutes (while I was only car #2 out of 3), I finally arrived at the window and said to the young guy, 'Competition getting the best of you?'...... His reply was priceless....'yeah, we haven't seen very many cars tonight, that's for sure.' My response: 'You wanna know why?' (With a BIG cheesy grin). The dumbfounded expression on his face said enough. I drove off with probably what is the last order of food from that Burger King that we will eat for quite some time. Serves me right.....should be feeding the family healthy stuff anyway, right?

Sooooo......its simple. No Bon Appetite, here!! Sorry, guys.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Not To Eat: Libby's of Lexington, SC

Location: Libby's of Lexington, SC
To Eat or Not to Eat: You would be better off going somewhere else

It is with such sad displeasure and disappointment that I write this review. On 03JUL2012, I raved and raved about Libby's in Lexington, SC. I was so proud of them for overcoming a bad moment a few days before that and for always being the place my family asks to go to eat. But when  a month ago, you overlook something as major as cheese being hand picked off of a burger after it's already been served and that same burger being served again after the cheese was hand picked off, it's really REALLY disturbing to experience the kind of visit I had this past Saturday (11AUG2012).

Saturday midday (not EVEN during lunch or dinner rush) around 2:30, my family and I (a group of 5) went into the restaurant with our taste buds absolutely salivating at the thought of an Asian steak wrap or pizza or steak and cheese sandwich. What we walked into was a very dirty restaurant, a manager eating pork with his hands right out of the tray it was cooked in out in the middle of the kitchen in plain sight, no air circulation in the dining areas, very SLOW moving staff that were also clumsy enough to drop more than one tray of food in the first 15 minutes we were there (probably because they couldn't stand upright on the greasy floor), and just an overall very disappointing look at the great Libby's that we had grown accustomed to. Orders not even prepped the way they were requested, one sandwich completely left off of the order and delivered 15 minutes after everyone else at the table had been served, and 2 trips to the kitchen myself to see what was going on.

After talking to Clint, (and some of you already know he plays a very important role in this restaurant's hierarchy), I was still very disappointed that the attitude of the day was not to fix the situation and try harder, but instead to make excuses for why the ship was running astray. I don't get it. I just don't get it. I'm so, sooo disappointed with Libby's right now. I almost take it personally that they could disappoint me sooo much. What a shame.

Long story shortened for you, I would give Libby's a while to clean up their act before even bothering to spend your money or your time. You'll only be frustrated with yourself for going right now.

No Bon Appetite here for a while..... :(