I don’t know why, but recently I have been craving chili. And although I have probably made chili at least 100 times over the years, I always like to mix things up a bit. And last evening was no exception. Except, last night, I wasn’t really in the mood to cook. (I know, it’s happening with greater frequency the older I get.) And considering my newfound laziness, I didn’t want to do much veggie chopping or open more than the 2 cans necessary for last evening’s recipe. (Canned tomatoes and canned beans.)

So, I came up with this bare bones’ recipe. And by golly, it was really delicious. And it had been so very easy to prepare. No fuss, no muss!  

So, in keeping with last evening’s cooking adventure, I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. If you love chili, but don’t have a lot of time or strength, this recipe might be great for you too. Full of flavor, nutritious, and cooks up in no time. Perfect for work nights. And believe me, I know what it’s like to work all day and come home to hungry kids and have no real desire to be creative. All you want is to get food on the table that you know everyone will enjoy, while still leaving room to do the dishes, start a load of laundry, supervise bath time, read stories to the kids, and make a batch of cookies for next evening’s PTA meeting!   

And although I usually make cornbread from scratch, I always have a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix on hand. Inexpensive and delicious. And perfect when quick and easy is the order of the day.  

And as always, peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 sm. yellow or white onion, diced

3 T. chili powder, or more to taste (I use my homemade chili powder. Recipe below.)

1 T. granulated garlic

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1½ c. water

2 T. beef base (I use Better Than Beef Bouillon)

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian)

2 T. tomato paste

1 (16 oz.) can beans (your choice), drained and rinsed

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or lidded soup pot. Add the ground beef and cook until the meat is nicely browned. (Caramelized.) Add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chili powder, granulated garlic, cumin, sugar, seasoned salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Stir until well combined.

Add the water, beef base, diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato paste, and drained beans. Stir well.

Bring to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover, and gently simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with chopped green onions, grated sharp cheddar cheese, and sour cream. And if you are feeling really ambitious, warm corn bread is the perfect accompaniment.

SAVORY HOMEMADE CHILI POWDER

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, more or less

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. seasoned salt

2 tsp. smoked paprika 

4 tsp. dried oregano leaves (preferably Mexican oregano), broken down a bit

4 tsp. ground cumin

2 T. granulated garlic

2 T. granulated onion

½ c. sweet paprika

Combine all ingredients together in an airtight container.

Teaspoon for teaspoon, use in any of your favorite recipes calling for chili powder.

Coleslaw is one of the easiest and least expensive salads to serve and is especially perfect when you are feeding a large crowd. And I know, you can either spell this humble salad with two words (Cole Slaw) or as one word – Coleslaw, which I happen to prefer. The word “coleslaw” is derived from the Dutch word “koolsla”, meaning “cabbage salad”. 

Now, if you have any familiarity with this blog, you already know that I have several coleslaw recipes already published. And as you have probably already gathered from the sheer number of posted recipes, I love coleslaw.

And since I tend to serve coleslaw regularly for our in-home pre-concert luncheons, I like to change the flavor up a bit, so our regular attendees don’t get bored. And every time I get at least one, if not several people telling me how much they like the salad. So, this is just one more coleslaw recipe with which you can tantalize your guests’ tastebuds.

And I know, not everyone is enamored with cabbage. I happen to live with one of those people who would be thrilled if three quarters of cruciferous veggies were found to be unhealthy for human consumption. But except for Brussel sprouts, I love them all. So, I keep serving coleslaw, not only because it’s inexpensive and easy to prepare, but also because it tastes good, is crunchy, and almost always tastes better after having spent a bit of quality time in the refrigerator. In other words, it’s best when made ahead.

So, just for grins and giggles, let’s talk a bit about menu preparation.

For me, planning the menu for a large gathering takes a lot of thought. Not all my guests will be seated at a table. So, that means, nothing served should require a knife. I mean really, who wants to cut steak on a plate resting on their lap? That is a disaster just waiting to happen! And then probably at least one of my guests will be vegetarian or gluten intolerant or allergic to nuts, etc. So, that too must be anticipated. And another important aspect of any menu I plan, is what I call “the crunch factor”. And I don’t care if it comes from the appetizer, the mains, or the salads. There simply must be at least one dish that offers another texture rather than soft. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where coleslaw becomes my best friend.

So, if you too are looking for a new recipe for coleslaw, I recommend you give this traditional recipe a try.

Well, that’s it for today. This evening, we are going to a concert in Bellingham. The Jeff Hamilton trio is performing at The Firehouse Arts & Events Center. Influenced by greats like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, Jeff Hamilton’s illustrious career has seen him perform with jazz royalty, from Lionel Hampton and Woody Herman to Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, and Oscar Peterson. A founding member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and leader of his own acclaimed trio, Hamilton has graced hundreds of recordings and shared the stage with artists like Diana Krall, Ray Brown, and Paul McCartney. And tonight, this legendary jazz drummer is going to perform with us in the audience. I am well and truly psyched!

May you too find things that bring you excitement and fill your life with anticipation.

And as always, peace and love to all.

1 sm. green cabbage, finely sliced and chopped

1 lg. carrot, grated

1 c. mayonnaise

⅓ c. granulated sugar

2 T. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

½ tsp. celery salt, or more to taste   

freshly ground black pepper   

Place the cabbage and grated carrot in a large mixing bowl.  

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, kosher salt, celery salt, and pepper together.

Pour most of the dressing over the cabbage and carrots. Thoroughly mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve along with the remaining dressing.

Cole slaw is always better after sitting for a day. Make sure to mix the slaw a few times as it sits in the fridge.

Just before serving add the remaining dressing and give the salad a good stir. Serve with a slotted spoon.  

We love chili. Who doesn’t! But like every other dish I make, I like to change things up a bit. And having recently purchased a small bag (thank God) of Eye of the Goat heirloom dried beans, I decided to go all out and not only use my newly purchased expensive beans but also try a new chili recipe. So, I went to one of my favorite cooking sites (spendwithpennies.com) and found Holly’s recipe for The Best Chili.

I of course messed with the recipe a bit including the use of dried jalapeño powder* (which BTW I have become an ardent fan) rather than a fresh jalapeño. (I hardly ever have a fresh jalapeño on hand.) And as with many recipes that call for canned beans, I prefer to start with dried beans and go from there.

Well, if these dried beans were meant to soften at some point, they never did for me. And I cooked the soaked beans for at least 3 hours!

And of course, this was one of those nights when Mr. C. had a rehearsal and had to be out of the house by 6:00 pm. So, the chili was absolutely divine, except for the beans. Not only were they still, after hours of burbling on the stove, slightly crunchy, there was no flavor at all. So, I’d lay money on the fact that you could guess what happened to the rest of the bag. If not, let me tell you that those recalcitrant beans are now residing in our yard waste barrel. And a jolly good place for them too! Bad beans!

Anyway, while I was reading the chili recipe preface, I clicked on Holly’s recipe for homemade chili powder. So, while I was at it, I made that recipe (with a couple of modifications) too. And I WILL NEVER BUY CHILI POWDER AGAIN. After making the chili powder I did a taste test. Wet spoon, stick it in homemade chili powder, taste. Yummy savory flavor.  Wash spoon, stick in purchased chili powder, taste, and yikes! Water, give me water! Very bitter and hardly any flavor!

So, my dear chili loving friends, I suggest you too make your own chili powder. And if you want to change up your chili a bit, give this recipe a try. Just don’t go crazy and use unfamiliar dried beans. Or if you do, cook them separately, hours in advance. And always, absolutely always have a can or two of beans on hand for emergencies.

And please let me remind you that dried beans do not have the shelf life of a Twinkie! Dried beans will generally stay at best quality for about 2 to 3 years at normal room temperature. They will remain safe to cook after that but may take longer to cook and have less flavor. (If they ever get soft at all!)

Frankly, I think the darling little bag of heirloom beans I bought at a boutique specialty food store somewhere along the way on one of our trailer adventures must actually have been on the shelf longer than I have been retired. Which is a couple of decades now. There was no “best used by” date on the packaging, because after my undercooked dried bean disaster, I looked very carefully at the packaging.

Well, life sometimes offers surprises. But as cooks, we keep trying new ingredients, new recipes, and new ways of making food delicious and nutritious. Blessing on all of you who cook from scratch. Keep up the good work. (Just don’t trust dried beans any more than you would a certain unelected billionaire who is wreaking havoc on America.)

And as always, especially in these tumultuous times, stay strong and committed to empathy, diversity, and justice. Peace and love to all.   

1 c. dried beans of choice or 1-2 cans of chili, kidney, black beans, etc., rinsed

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. lean ground beef

½ onion, diced

1 c. diced celery

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 T. Savory Homemade Chili Powder (more or less) (see recipe below) (or store bought if you must)

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

tiny pinch powdered jalapeño*

1 bay leaf

1 (28 oz.) can diced, crushed, or whole tomatoes with juice (preferably Italian)

½ (28 oz.) can water

1 T. tomato paste

2 T. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base)

1 can beer (I used an IPA because that’s what we had on hand)

2 tsp. brown sugar 

Either soak the beans overnight in your refrigerator or place in a small saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let sit covered for about 2 hours.

Heat the olive oil in a large, covered Dutch oven or heavy pan. Brown the ground beef, then stir in the onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Cook until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chili powder, cumin, seasoned salt, black pepper, powdered jalapeño, and bay leaf and cook for another minute or so.

Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, water, beef base, beer, brown sugar, and drained and rinsed beans.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 60-90 minutes or until the beans are tender. Then remove the lid and let the chili simmer until it has reached desired thickness. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Offer grated sharp cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and sour cream at table.

*Jalapeño powder is the result of drying and grinding fresh jalapeño peppers into a fine consistency like other seasonings. The taste of jalapeño powder is naturally very similar to that of the whole jalapeño, but the fact that it has been dehydrated and ground leads to its flavor being much more concentrated. So, you need only a small amount of powder to achieve the same amount of heat and intensity of a fresh pepper.

Jalapeño powder and Savory Homemade Chili Powder

SAVORY HOMEMADE CHILI POWDER

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, more or less

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. seasoned salt

2 tsp. smoked paprika 

4 tsp. dried oregano leaves (preferably Mexican oregano), broken down a bit

4 tsp. ground cumin

2 T. granulated garlic

2 T. granulated onion

½ c. sweet paprika

Combine all ingredients together in an airtight container.

Teaspoon for teaspoon, use in any of your favorite recipes calling for chili powder.

This past Sunday, I served this salad to our JazzVox home concert guests. And it was a hit. The salad was easy to prepare, contained healthy ingredients, was crunchie, and gorgeous to boot! Also, it needed to be made ahead so the veggies could soak up some of the incredibly tasty dressing/marinade. Which always works best for me when I have a crowd to feed.

(This is actually a picture of the salad I just made. The day of the concert all the salad was gone before I could take a picture. And I only got one bite! So, I couldn’t wait any longer. Luckily, I had all the ingredients. So, now I get to feast on this salad too. Mine! All mine! Except of course if Mr. C. wants a bite or two.)

I found this recipe on thelifejolie.com site. And boy am I glad I did.

The other nice thing about this salad was that I got to use my new Crinkle Cutter Knife, Potatoes Crinkle Fry Cut and Vegetable Cutter for Veggies, Stainless Steel Carrot Slicer – yellow (Amazon $5.99).

I had purchased this gizmo a few months before, but for whatever reason I had never thought to actually use it. But after cutting the cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, celery, and onion, my right hand was getting tired. Then the light bulb came on. Why not try cutting the carrots with my new crinkle cutter knife? And OMG, slicing the carrots was a breeze. The blade is very sharp, so it cut through the carrots like they were butter. But the slices were too big for the salad, so I just kept using the cutter to create the sizes I needed. Then I used the same cutter on the cucumbers. It worked great on the cucumbers too. And because of the wavy cuts, the veggies looked so pretty in the salad. But the best part was that my hand didn’t hurt while using my new best kitchen implement. So, if you cut a lot of carrots, etc., you might consider spending the big bucks on one of these cutters. (And no, I don’t get any kind or reward from any store for recommending this item. This cutter just worked so well for me; I thought you too might profit from owning one.)

Well, today is Mr. C’s and my 32^nd wedding anniversary. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone. And how wonderful my life has been since he came into my life. Not only has he made my life better by just being such a wonderful, thoughtful, and decent human being, he has allowed me the freedom to just be me. With all my foibles, strong opinions, righteous displays of indignation, and my inability to keep my very private thoughts to myself rather than put them out for all the world to read either on Facebook or on this blog. This has taken real courage on his part.

May you too have a life partner who treats you with respect, makes coffee for you in the morning, takes out the garbage without being asked, does the laundry when needed, and in every other way shows love through not just words but by their everyday actions that speak even louder than words.

Peace and love to all.  

¾ c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

⅛ tsp. white pepper 

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 c. small bite sized cauliflower florets

2 c. halved cherry tomatoes (if large cherry tomatoes, cut in thirds)

2 c. small bite sized carrot pieces

2 c. small bite sized celery pieces 

2 c. thinly sliced English cucumbers that have been partially peeled, halved, and the seeds removed 

½ med. white onion, cut in half again, thinly sliced, soaked in ice water for at least 15 minutes, then drained and patted dry

½ c. chopped fresh parsley

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt, dry mustard, white pepper, and garlic together in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, white onion, and parsley. Taste and add salt if necessary.   

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pull out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the olive oil to warm enough to not clump onto the veggies. And give the salad a good stir before serving as the marinade tends to settle to the bottom of the bowl. Transfer to a pretty salad bowl before serving.

Well, apparently, I thought these two simple veggie dishes were “too insignificant” to even bother to take a photo.  “Too Insignificant” meaning something so unimportant or small that it was not worth considering or paying attention to; essentially completely negligible or irrelevant. Well, that may have been the case when I prepared both of these recipes as almost an afterthought to accompany the more exciting and note-worthy entrée. That is until I sat down to dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the first bite and every bite thereafter of these simply prepared veggies. So, I thought you might profit from my disdain. And believe me, I’ll try hard not to let this happen again. Starting today, I plan to take a picture of every item I bake, boil, steam, fry, etc. etc.

So, if you too like simple recipes that are quick and easy to fix, these recipes definitely fit the bill. And no, they aren’t fancy. But they are doable even if you are a harried working mom or dad that just got home from work and instead of being greeted with “welcome home” or “how was your day”, you are greeted with “I’m hungry”, “what’s for dinner”, or my personal favorites – “I need 2 pieces of poster board and some colored pens for class tomorrow” and “I need a white shirt for the band concert tomorrow night”. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have been there too!

So, if these two recipes help you get dinner on the table, my work here is done!

And for you parents who wonder “will this ever end”, believe me when I say – yes it will. And one day when you are older, you will realize that you would give almost anything for 1 more day of your kids asking you “what’s for dinner”?

Peace and love to all.   

OVEN ROASTED SWEET POTATO CHUNKS

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more to coat the baking dish or pan

2 lg. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch chunks

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Coat the bottom of a baking pan or dish with just a thin coating of olive oil.

Place the cut sweet potatoes in the baking dish, along with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until the sweet potato chunks are soft and fork-tender, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning them halfway through the baking process.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.   

BUTTER LEMON BROCCOLI

1 head broccoli, cut into florets and peeled stems 

2 T. unsalted butter

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest 

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Steam* the broccoli until crisp tender; remove from pan.

Melt the butter in a non-stick fry pan over medium heat. When the butter melts and starts to foam, add the lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the steamed broccoli, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss until the broccoli is well-coated.

Serve immediately.

*Because I have an inquiring mind, I decided to research whether it is nutritionally wiser to steam broccoli (and other veggies) or to cook them in a microwave. And from everything I have read, the best way to retain vitamins and nutrients while they are being cooked is to use short cooking times that limit the exposure to heat and a cooking method that uses as little liquid as possible. This can be achieved with a microwave, although most studies show that the very best way to retain nutrients in vegetables is to steam them.

And even more interesting and enlightening – if your primary goal is to preserve the most nutrients in your vegetables, then steaming is generally considered better than roasting, as steaming retains more vitamins and minerals, especially water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C.

And finally, boiling vegetables is generally considered the least healthy way to cook vegetables because it causes the greatest loss of nutrients.

Now, to be honest, steaming does not retain the color of veggies the way nuking them does. And the fantastic flavor of veggies that have been roasted is incomparable. But for pure nutritional value, steaming is the recommended method.    

So, confession time. Until yesterday I had never cooked a shank. And for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you why. Maybe because, best to my recollection, I had never eaten a shank until last year when we were served braised lamb shanks prepared by my sister-in-law Katie. I was blown away by the wonderful flavor and tenderness of the meat. And then just before Christmas, our dear friend Phyllis served braised beef shanks at a small dinner party we were fortunate enough to attend. And it finally dawned on me that shanks were just braised meat. Duh. Basically, as simple as that!

So, after that, I bought a couple of lamb shanks and tucked them in our freezer.

Jump forward a few weeks, and our dear friend Todd posted about fixing lamb shanks and that did it! I had to venture into braised shanks land. And oh, my goodness. Braised shanks ARE REALLY EASY TO PREPARE. All I can say is “where have braised shanks been all my life?” (And thank you recipetineats.com for this wonderful recipe.) (And sorry for all the changes.) And just because I’m sure you too were wondering, a lamb ‘shank’ is the lower part in the rear leg. The same joint in pork is the ‘hock’ and in beef, the ‘leg’. The equivalent joints on the front legs are ‘fore shanks’ for lamb, ‘knuckles’ for pork, and ‘shins’ for beef. And since you too may never have seen either lamb or beef shanks sold at your local grocery store, lamb shanks look like this.

Beef shanks are large, round cuts of beef with a bone running through the middle, between 2-3 inches thick, from the lowest part of a cow’s leg, just above the hoof. Beef shanks look like this.

So, if you too have had your head buried in sand while everyone around you has been enjoying shanks, then take my word that lamb shanks are easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. And no, I haven’t prepared beef shanks yet. But you can count on me to do so in the next couple of weeks. And when I find a great recipe, I will pass it on to you. As far as where you can purchase lamb or beef shanks, I’m afraid you are on your own. Bug the butcher at your local grocery store. That’s what I plan to do!

And as always, peace and love to all.

2 lamb shanks

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper  

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ onion, finely diced

½ c. finely diced carrot

½ c. finely diced celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1¼ c. dry red wine

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian)

1 T. tomato paste

1 c. chicken stock

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a heavy based pot over high heat. (I use my Le Creuset Dutch oven.)  Sear the lamb shanks until brown all over, for about 5 minutes. Remove lamb onto a plate and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium low. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add red wine, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

Place the lamb shanks into the pot. Turn the stove up, bring liquid to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and transfer to a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 2 hours.

After 2 hours,remove the lid, and check to make sure the lamb meat is ultra tender.  If not, cover and keep cooking. (Ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto bone.)

Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm.

Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.

If required, bring veggie mixture to a simmer over medium heat and reduce slightly to a syrupy consistency. Or, if it is too thick, add a bit more chicken broth or water. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Great served with Creamy Polenta (see recipe below)

And of course, both of these recipes can be doubled or tripled.

And if you have any left-over chunky sauce, don’t throw it away. Freeze it and add it to your favorite marinara sauce. That’s what I plan to do.

CREAMY POLENTA

2 c. water

¼ c. whole milk

scant ½ tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. polenta (I use Bob’s Red Mill yellow polenta)

½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil

In a medium pot, bring the water, milk, salt, and pepper to a high simmer. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Bring the heat to a very low simmer. Continue to whisk the polenta until it just starts to thicken. Then cover the pan and let the polenta cook for about 20 minutes.

Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so that the polenta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. The polenta should be soft and tender when done.

If your polenta is too thick, whisk in a bit more water. (The polenta should be creamy.)

Turn off the heat and whisk in the olive oil. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot.

Note: Polenta will thicken as it sits. If you are not serving it immediately, you can reheat it by whisking in more water or olive oil to make it smooth and creamy again.

OK, I never said I was a gourmet. I love food much too much to limit myself to only fancy dishes like Pâté De Foie Gras, Beef Wellington, truffles, or anything made with Wagyu beef. Not to mention my budget could never accommodate that much money spent at fancy restaurants or even the ingredients for homemade versions. Which is just fine. Because sometimes, all I want is a good old-fashioned hot dog.  

Now don’t get me wrong. I want a good quality frankfurter. And I also insist on having a great bun. So, I have found that the only way to get a bun for either a hot dog or a hamburger that lives up to my picky expectations, is to build my own. And yes, I have two other recipes for hot dog and hamburger buns on this site – Soft and Tender Hot Dog (Etc.) Buns and Whole Grain Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns. They too are delicious.

But I am still in recovery mode from the holidays, so I wanted to make a very quick and easy bun this time.

And I found just what I needed on the jennycancook.com site, which BTW is a terrific site. I encourage you to visit Jenny’s site. It is a winner!

Anyway, if you too love a good hot dog or hamburger, consider building your own buns. Not only will you save a great deal of money (not enough to buy a vat of Pâté De Foie Gras however), but I think you could probably treat yourself to a latte from Starbucks.

And you will have the satisfaction of not force feeding your family or friends ingredients like, Malted Barley Flour, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil, Monoglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Ascorbic Acid, etc. etc.

So, there you go. I rest my case!

And on that uplifting note, peace and love, and Happy New Year to all.  

For Hot Dog Buns:

2¾-3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed, divided

2 tsp. instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

1 T. granulated sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. warm whole milk  

2 T. vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

Combine 2½ cups of the fluffed flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Add warm milk, oil, and most of the beaten egg. (You want to save just enough of the beaten egg to brush the top of the buns before they go into the oven.)

Mix for 2 minutes with your dough hook. Scrape down the sides with a stiff spatula as needed.

On low speed add the remaining ¼-½ cup flour until the dough forms a sticky mess.

Cover and rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 8 pieces on a floured surface. (I use my bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 pie shaped wedges after I have shaped the dough into a big ball.) Then with floured hands, press each piece of dough into a 3 x 6-inch rectangle. From the 6-inch side, roll up tightly into a log.

Place seam-side down on the baking sheet, cover with a clean tea towel, and let rise in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size. For me, this takes about 45-50 minutes.

Just before baking in a pre-heated 375-degree oven, brush each roll with the remaining beaten egg. Bake for 12 minutes. (The internal temperature should reach 190 degrees before removing the buns from the oven.) Then let cool completely before cutting.

For Hamburger Buns:

2¾-3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed, divided

2 tsp. instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

1 T. granulated sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. warm whole milk  

2 T. vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

sesame seeds

Combine 2½ cups of the fluffed flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Add warm milk, oil, and most of the beaten egg. (You want to save just enough of the beaten egg to brush the top of the buns before they go into the oven.)

Mix for 2 minutes with your dough hook. Scrape down the sides with a stiff spatula as needed.

On low speed add the remaining ¼-½ cup flour until the dough forms a sticky mess.

Cover and rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 8 pieces on a floured surface. (I use my bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 pie shaped wedges after I have shaped the dough into a big ball.) Then with floured hands, shape each into a ball and place on prepared baking sheet.

Flatten each ball to about ½-inch thick, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot until they double in size, about 45-50 minutes.

Just before baking in a pre-heated 375-degree oven, brush each roll with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 12 minutes. (The internal temperature should reach 190 degrees before removing the buns from the oven.) Then let cool completely before cutting.