So, I made these dinner rolls because I wanted to try something new with the sourdough starter. Turns out, the rolls are likely better than dinner itself. Crusty on the outside, light, a great chew and favor on the inside. Whole wheat and a little bit of brown sugar definitely up the flavor. Sort of like mini-baguettes. Would make a great sandwich too. I’m sold on these.
This recipe, in yeasted form vs sourdough, is by far the most viewed recipe on this here CSPS site. I’m not sure why exactly — the referrers are all from Pinterest, so I am guessing it’s just been shared to members who have large followings, and then saved a lot. So I decided to create a sourdough version of it as well, and I personally think that it is even better than the yeast version. Got a bit of tang, very rosemary, just the right amount of sea salt. It’s going to make some delicious paninis for dinner.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving! Long time followers will know that I often make a few things ahead of the big foodie holiday. I also typically try a riff on your standard cranberry sauce. This year,I found some fantastic italian plums at their peek so I frozen them to add to this Plum Pear and Cranberry Chutney. It’s delicious, and while it doesn’t take very long to make, it’s nice to have it ticked off the list. Should stay good in the ridge until Christmas, if you don’t eat it all at Thanksgiving.
I have a thing for pickles. I have told the story many times that my first word was actually “Gurke!” which is the German work for pickle. And I will eat them by the jar. OK, hopefully not by the jar because that is a little too much vinegar even for my iron stomach. So, I decided to make my own this year. I do this every few years, but when I saw the baby cornichons (these are literally just an inch or two in size), I just had to make them. They are a little salty (next time add a little more sugar to the brine), but otherwise, these are pretty fantastic. They should stay good in the fridge for a while, but I’ll likely eat them all by next week!
Originally, I was going to call this “Sprinkles and Twist” Focaccia, as I had found some mini mini cherry tomatoes that are marketed as “Sprinkles” and when I had decorated the top of the focaccia with them, it was sort of a twisty pattern. Once baked, however, the “twist” part wasn’t as evident, so I am just going with Sprinkles Tomato + Garlic Focaccia. Lots of garlic, lots of both sun dried and cherry tomatoes. Basil from the garden. Perfect snack and accompaniment to Italian Food. Yummy.