[Italiancook]

I agree, Mike, that having only one pastry brush is not preferable. I just don't know where to buy good ones. I spent a small fortune on a 3" brush from KABC, and that's my only one. It works great brushing butter on the large circles for the butterhorn rolls. But for smaller projects, it's too wide. Once, I went to a local cooking supply store looking for pastry brushes. They had some kind of rubbery brushes with spaces between the "bristles," and rounds at the tips of the "bristles." The clerk waxed eloquently about how wonderful they are. I bought only one, and it was annoying to use, so I threw it out. It didn't hold liquid the way the clerk said it would. Maybe my New Year's resolution will be to find more pastry brushes. It's funny I have only one, because I'm well-stocked with other tools.

[Italiancook]

My beloved stepmother insisted that bread be put into a cold oven for baking. I've done that all my adult life. Then I came across recipes to preheat the oven. The rolls I made today called for a preheated oven. Is it more correct to start with a cold oven. Or, doesn't it matter if you adjust time?

BakerAunt, when I baked the blackberry muffins this morning, I put Swedish Pearl Sugar on top -- the correct way. They came out of the oven looking much prettier. Thanks, again.

[Italiancook]

When I made butterhorn rolls today, I cut the dough into 4 pieces to roll out. By the time I reached the fourth section, I was careless. I put too much flour onto the pastry board. Some of my rolled butterhorns had flour on parts of them. I actually own only one pastry brush and it was in melted butter. I brushed away some of the flour with my fingers but there was still a noticeable amount left. When they baked, the flour was visible.

I didn't intend it as an experiment. But I welcomed the opportunity to bite into a floury section of the roll. The flour didn't feel gritty, and it didn't detract from the taste of the roll. Would I intentionally leave flour on a roll or bread? No. I think it makes the product look unfinished.

[Italiancook]

Interesting you mentioned the oven spring in a hotter oven, BakerAunt. My smaller butterhorns didn't expand very much during the second rise as compared to the properly cut ones. But they rose beautifully in the 425 degree oven. No one would ever guess that they had been cut too small -- I even had a hard time guessing which ones they were.

[Italiancook]

I baked rolls at an even higher temp today. I made Butterhorn Rolls from a Mennonite cookbook. My second time. Unfortunately, I didn't make any notes after doing them the first time. Lived to regret that. Recipe calls for a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. I thought that was too long at such a high temp, so i set the timer for 17 minutes. They came out black, but still soft inside. I gave that pan of rolls to my husband. He just had one and said, "They're good." The reason I didn't toss them in the trash was I thought he'd like them with coffee.

I baked the second pan for 11 minutes, and they're beautifully browned. Soft and light inside. Recipe uses shortening. Recently, I read that shortening in rolls makes them light.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Italiancook.

[Italiancook]

What's the purpose of the extra proofing, Mike?

I'm going to measure the dry ingredients for Blackberry Muffins into a bowl with a lid. I'll measure out the blackberries and put in a lidded container for fridge. In the morning, I'll make the blackberry muffins for breakfast and the freezer. I'd do it all now, but my husband has a project going in the kitchen. He's roasting country ribs.

[Italiancook]

I made a pot of Cauliflower & Pasta Soup that will last most of the week. I'll intersperse it with a meat meal or two. I greatly miss Parmesan Reggiano cheese from Italy. I'm not buying it because of Covid. As soon as the pandemic ends, Parm-Regg is the first thing I'll buy. Not having it means I can't cook the pasta dishes we like.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Italiancook.

[Italiancook]

Mike, you were right -- I didn't end up with runaway cinnamon rolls. In fact, they had barely risen on the sides in the refrigerator overnight. They're put into a cold oven, and their expansion occurred while the oven preheated. The 6" round cake pan worked perfectly.

[Italiancook]

Mighty fine cinnamon rolls, Len. Look scrumptious!

[Italiancook]

Joan, you started a trend, and I've followed behind you and Len. I decided to make a recipe Mike told us about for Easy Cinnamon Rolls for Two. It makes 4. The dough is on its first rise now. Once they're panned, I'll refrigerate them overnight and bake in the morning for breakfast.

It's taken me a long time to try this recipe. It calls for a 6" or 7" square pan, which I don't have. The picture with the recipe makes it look like the author used a Corning Ware dish. I have one that size, but it can't be replaced. I have certain savory meals I use it for and didn't want to use it for cinnamon rolls. I found 6" cake pans, and I'll use one for these rolls. Since it's not as high as the Corning Ware, I hope I don't end up with the rolls rising over and down the edge of the pan by morning . . . runaway rolls.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Italiancook.

[Italiancook]

Does Bakers Dry Milk have a shelf life? My belief, right or wrong, is that dry milk sold in grocery stores has an indefinite shelf life. I use the bakers dry milk so seldom and have a good-sized container of it, so I'm hoping it has a super long shelf life.

[Italiancook]

Len, I appreciate your information on making mushroom gravy. I'll probably try my hand at it after the holidays. During this current season, I want to make sure my gravy is tried and true and not experiment until January. That way, if I flop it there won't be a holiday disappointment. It's always good to know ATK techniques, although I sometimes am too lazy to follow them. And thanks, Mike, for the Julia Child input.

[Italiancook]

Thanks, rottiedogs, for your searching effort and the links. The links wouldn't open, but I thought of a do-around around 11 P.M. last night. I watched the ATK video for the recipe on TV. I used the pause and play buttons to write down the recipe by hand. I'm so sorry you spent your time on this but how nice of you. Maybe the link will open for someone else & they can benefit from the recipe.

I have a 6 pound turkey breast in the freezer, and this recipe calls for a 6-7 pounder. So I'm glad to have the recipe. Thanks, rottiedogs, for your help.

[Italiancook]

chocomouse, several years ago when Rachel Ray had 30-Minute Meals on Food Network, she often made homemade sausage. I just checked their site for her sausage recipes and can find only one. I don't think it's hot Italian sausage. It's unfortunate that her many sausage recipes have disappeared from the site.

Does anyone know how to obtain a recipe off Americas Test Kitchen without signing up to buy their service after a free trial? I want their Turkey Breast en Cocotte with Pan Gravy recipe but can't find any way to get the recipe without signing up for the free trial which leads to buying a service. Is there a work-around to this?

[Italiancook]

Len, you've posted a few times about making mushroom gravy. How do you do that? Is it the same as making giblet gravy only with mushrooms? I can see where gravy would be "healthy" if it had mushrooms in it.

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