Rocket Rolls

Rocket Rolls are deliciously light and airy and will take you to the moon.  My kids decided these rolls needed all three toppings, so they went to work sprinkling the poppy seeds, kosher salt and fresh rosemary leaves on top of the dough balls. These rolls have a touch of sweetness and a hint of cinnamon to them.  This recipe comes from Rebecca Rather's cook book "Pastry Queen".  Rebecca  uses the rolls for sandwiches and her bakery and I used them for a dinner roll.  Either way these rolls are fun to eat and make with the family. My son Alex decided that we needed to make a second batch of these rolls.  He said "mom we have to get started making those delicious rocket rolls" this was at 6:00 am Monday morning after a dinner party the night before.  I guess it is never to early to get cooking!

Rocket Rolls:
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes:  32 dinner rolls or 16 sandwich rolls

3 (1/4-ounces) packages active dry yeast, about 1 tablespoon
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water (more as needed)
6 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sea salt
pinch of cinnamon
egg wash (recipe follows)

Egg Wash:

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons rosemary, washed, leaves removed and finely chopped

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1.  In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar.  Allowing the yeast to become foamy about 5 minutes.

2.  In a mixer with a dough hook attachment, add the oil, egg, sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, salt, pinch of cinnamon and yeast mixture.  Slowly add the flour one cup at a time until the dough forms a ball.  (If the dough is too sticky add more flour one tablespoon at a time.  If the dough is too dry add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes together in a ball).  Allow the dough to mix on low for 5 minutes. Lightly grease a large bowl with canola oil. Then place the dough into the bowl and cover it with a towel or plastic wrap.  Allow the dough to rise for 1  1/2 hours in a warm place or until the dough has doubled in bulk.

Rocket Roll Dough Ball

3.  Punch down the dough and remove it from the bowl.  On a floured work surface divide the dough into golf ball size dough balls for dinner rolls or tennis size balls for sandwich rolls.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet spacing them 2 inches apart.  Cover the roll with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until lighter and fluffier.

4.  Mix the egg yolk and milk into a small bowl making an egg wash.  Using a pastry brush, brush each roll with the egg wash.  Then sprinkle your favorite topping:  poppy seeds, fresh rosemary or kosher salt to the top of the rolls.  You can try all three if you like.

5.  Remove the plastic wrap or towel from the dough.  Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 20- 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow the rolls to cool on a wire rake for 5 minutes.  Eat the rolls warm with cold butter.  You can warm the rolls up by placing them in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes just before serving them.

Rocket Rolls With Rosemary, Poppy Seeds and Kosher Salt

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

This lemon poppy seed muffin recipe is terrific.  This recipe has an entire lemon ground up to give these muffins a tart and sweet flavor combination.  I brought these muffins to my twin boys third grade teacher after school on Friday.  She said "these muffins are just the thing I need today"!  This recipe comes from the Pastry Queen Cookbook by Rebecca Rather.  I tried to make these muffins healthier by cutting out half the butter and replacing it with canola oil, using 1% yogurt instead of whole milk, using whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose flour.  I also added the poppy seeds to this recipe.  These muffins are still light as a feather and are delicious for a morning snack or coffee break.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins:

Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes:  25 muffins or 50 mini muffins

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins:
1 medium lemon
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups(16 oz.) plain yogurt (1%)
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

1.  Spray 25 muffin cups with cooking spray or line them with muffin wrappers.

2.  Cut the lemon in quarters and remove the seeds.  Place the quartered lemon into a food processor with a metal blade for 1 minute or until it is fully ground up.  Scrape out all the lemon parts into a small bowl.

3.  In a mixer with the paddle attachment, add the butter, oil and sugar.  Blend together for 1 minute.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix well between each addition.  Add the vanilla, soda, baking powder, salt, yogurt and poppy seeds to the batter.  Add the whole wheat and bread flour slowly to the muffin batter until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

4.  Spoon the muffin batter into the muffin tins up to the top. (this batter is thick so it will not run over the edge of the muffin pan).  Bake for 18 minutes for the regular muffins and 12 minutes for the mini muffins or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. You can also freeze the muffins for up to 2 weeks in a ziplock freezer bag.

Mini Muffin Tin

Regular Muffin Tins

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Mini Fall Pumpkin Muffins

Mini fall pumpkin muffins are a wonderful treat this time of year.  I baked these muffins for my daughters 5 grade classes fall party.  The 5th graders loved the moist pumpkin muffins and I loved giving them a healthy snack for a party.   These muffins make great lunch box extras as well so make a double batch and freeze some to brighten up your kids next school lunch bag.  If you are feeling inspirational bake off some pie pumpkins and scoop out the filling with a spoon.  This way you get the best tasting pumpkin muffins you can find.

Fall Pumpkin Muffins:
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes:  1 1/2 dozen mini muffins

2 1/4 cups King Arthur Whole Wheat White Flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups organic cane sugar
3/4 cups canola oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups pureed pumpkin fresh or canned **

1.  In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the oil and sugar together for 1 minute.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix together for 2 minutes.  Add the cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, baking powder, salt, vanilla, pumpkin and flour together until all ingredients have been incorporated.

Fresh Pumpkin Puree

Fall Pumpkin Batter

2.  Grease mini muffin tins and paper liners with cooking spray and fill the tins 3/4 of the way up the side.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  If you want to make larger muffins cook them for 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Scooping The Batter Into The Muffin Tins

Mini Fall Pumpkin Muffins

 *If you want to freeze the muffins just place them in a freezer zip lock bag and freeze for up to 1 month.  Allow the muffins to thaw for 2 hours at room temperature.

** If you want to use fresh pumpkin in this recipe.  Cut 2 pie pumpkins in half and remove the seeds.  Place the pumpkins face down on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Bake the pumpkins for 1 hour at 400 degrees.  Allow the pumpkins to cool for 20 minutes then scoop out the pumpkin flesh with a spoon.  Puree the pumpkin for 3 minutes or until all the pumpkin has been pureed.

Farmers Market Apple Pecan Cake

Farmers market apple cake is a great fall dessert.  This cake uses 3 cups of delicious sweet golden delicious apples so it is extremely moist.  Apples this time of year are sweet and delicious so try to find some golden delicious apples or Pink Lady apples at your local farmers market or family apple tree.  My mother-in-law brought me a bushel of golden delicious apples this week so I prepared this apple cake.  The toasted pecans and King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour packs this cake with protein and fiber.  Try this cake for your next family movie night or school bake sale.

Farmers Market Apple Pecan Cake
Pre-Heat Oven:  325 degrees
Makes:  12 servings

Apple Cake:
3 cups golden delicious or pink lady apples, peeled and shredded
1 cup lightly toasted peans, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups King Arthur Whole Wheat White Flour or all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
3 eggs

1.  In a mixer with the paddle attachment, add the oil and sugar together and beat until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition.  Add the cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, salt, chopped pecans, shredded apples and flour and mix until all the ingredients have been incorporated.

2.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Then turn the cake out on a plate and allow to finish cooling.

Farmers Market Apple Pecan Cake Cooling

Honey Glaze:

1 cup confectionary sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons none fat milk

In a medium size bowl, mix the powder sugar honey, vanilla and fat free milk together with a wire whisk until glaze is smooth.  Pour the glaze over the cake after the cake has cooled.

Whisking the Honey Glaze

Farmers Market Apple Pecan Cake

Garlic Croutons

This garlic croutons will be the hit to your next caesar salad.  Croutons will never taste the same after you make your own.  These garlic croutons are easy to prepare and taste fantastic.  These are also fun to make with young children since they can cut or tare the bread pieces and toss the bread into the oil and garlic mixture.

Garlic Croutons:
Pre-Heat broiler:  High
Makes:  3 cups croutons

1 baguette loaf, either white or wheat
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper


1.  Cut the baguette into small cube size pieces.

Cubed Baguette Bread

2.  In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, pepper and crushed garlic together.

Garlic, Olive Oil And Salt And Pepper 

3.  In a large bowl, toss the cubed bread pieces in the olive oil mixture until all the bread has been coated with the olive oil mixture.

Placing The Croutons On The Cookie Sheet To Be Broiled

4.  Broil the croutons on a foil lined cookie sheet for 2 minutes then stir.  Broil croutons for an additional 2 minutes until toasted.  Be very careful because the croutons will burn very easily. Cool croutons for 5 minutes on a wire rack.  Eat immediately with your favorite caesar salad.  If you have extra croutons just save them in a zip lock back and reheat them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes on a foiled lined cookie sheet.

Garlic Croutons

Cranberry Almond Muffins

Cranberry Almond Muffins are sweet and juicy.  These muffins have a wonderful crimson color that will make any lunch or snack a treat for kids and adults.  These muffins freeze well so make a double batch so you are always prepared for those special friends who just stop by during the holiday season.  I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour so you still get all the taste you love and the fiber you need to keep your stomach full all day.

Cranberry Almond Muffins:
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes:  12 regular muffins or 24 small muffins

2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon rind, diced
1 egg
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped


1.  In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the vegetable oil and sugar together.  Add the egg and continue to mix for 2 minutes.  Add the lemon rind, orange juice, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour to the batter.  Stir in the almonds and chopped cranberries to the batter.

Coarsely Chopped Cranberries

Folding In The Cranberries And Almonds To The Batter

2.  Grease the muffin tins  or baking cups with cooking spray.  Fill the muffin tins or cups 3/4 of the way with batter.

3.  Bake the muffins in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes for the small muffins and 20 minutes for the regular size muffins or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4.  Allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  If you want to freeze the muffins just place them in a freezer in a zip lock bag and freeze them up to 1 month.  Allow muffins to thaw for 2 hours before serving.

Orchard Apple Pie

Orchard apple pie is pilled high with fresh apples from the tree and warm cinnamon.  My family had the opportunity to go pick fresh apples from my in-laws apple tree this fall.  The kids had so much fun climbing the 50 year old apple tree and finding the perfect apple to eat on the spot.  We picked about 2 bushels of apples and came home to make buckets of home made applesauce and apple pie.  Serve this apple pie warm with a cool scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Orchard Apple Pie:
Pre-heat Oven:  400 degrees
Serves:  8


3 pounds apples (Granny Smith, Jonagold, Empire, or Pink Landy),
peeled, cored and cut into 1/4" thick slices.
3 tables King Arthur's White Whole Wheat flour or all purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup organic cane sugar or white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter, pieces
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk
2 9" deep dish pie crust (like: Marie Callender's)
















1.  Blind bake one of the 9" pie crusts (blind baking:  cover the bottom crust with parchment paper and fill it with dry beans or you can fork the bottom of the crust with a fork several times).  Bake the crust at 400 degree for 10 minutes then remove the parchment liner and dry beans and bake the crust for another 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Allow the crust to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
















2.  In a large bowl, place the sliced apples, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar and mix together. Slide the apple mixture into a cooled pie crust.  Dot the top of the apples with the butter pieces.  Place the second pie crust evenly over the top of the apples and seal the sides of the crust together using your finger tips and squeezing the sides together.


















3.  Mix the egg yolk and cream together in a small bowl.  Brush the pie crust with the egg wash.  Cut 4 air wholes about 1 inch long into the top of the pie so the steam can escape.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.  Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.