Perfect Snickerdoodles

November 13, 2012

One of the most popular recipes around these parts is rolo stuffed snickerdoodles. Because of that concept, I get asked for my best snickerdoodle dough recipe quite often. I don’t want to give an endorsement I can’t stand behind, so I have not answered for a time. But now I’m ready for a recommendation to be made. After much experimentation, these fluffy, gooey wonders are what I’ve deemed the “perfect” snickerdoodles.

Okay and but again, try the rolo stuffed version sometime.

Perfect Snickerdoodles
Makes 16 cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened (not melted!)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat together butter, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer. Add egg and vanilla and mix.

Add baking powder and flour and mix until dough forms. Shape dough into 1 and 1/2 inch balls.

Stir together sugar and cinnamon and spread on to a plate. Press dough balls into cinnamon and sugar.

Slightly flatten dough balls and arrange on a lined baking sheet.

Bake for 7-8 minutes.

4.7 from 6 reviews

Perfect Snickerdoodles

Author: Rachel Schultz

Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened (not melted!)
1 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Beat together butter, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer. Add egg and vanilla and mix.
Add baking powder and flour and mix until dough forms. Shape dough into 1 and ½ inch balls.
Stir together sugar and cinnamon and spread on to a plate. Press dough balls into cinnamon and sugar.
Slightly flatten dough balls and arrange on a lined baking sheet.
Bake for 7-8 minutes.

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

October 6, 2012

Rachel Schultz

I like casseroles that have all the benefits of casseroles, without ending up in the “midwest slop,” as I like to call it, category. I’m from the midwest! The concept for this baked casserole is kind of like a cousin of mac and cheese. Except you substitute the mac for wild rice, and the milk for vegetable broth. Add some vegetables and keep all the cheese. It’s really good and feels like comfort food.

No mayo, no cream soup.

I’ve heard people say it’s the best thing they’ve made from pinterest. The husband gets thirds.

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole
Serves five to six

1 cup rice
8 ounces wild rice
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or a rotisserie chicken!)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup wheat flour
2 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Prepare rice according to package instructions. I used to use a rice cooker, but lately I’ve been using my instant pot. And there’s always the classic stovetop method.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange chicken in a 9×13, foil-lined baking dish. Drizzle chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. Shred or slice chicken. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Saute onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in a skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, until tender. Set vegetables aside.

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat, stirring in wheat flour. Add 2 cups of shredded cheddar, vegetable broth, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir sauce until cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes.

In a 9×13 baking dish, mix together rice, shredded chicken, vegetables, and cheese sauce. Top with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake for 25 minutes.

4.8 from 5 reviews

CHICKEN & WILD RICE CASSEROLE

Author: Rachel Schultz

Ingredients

1 cup rice
8 ounces wild rice
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or a rotisserie chicken!)
¼ cup olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup wheat flour
2 and ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup vegetable broth
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Prepare rice according to package instructions. I used to use a rice cooker, but lately I've been using my instant pot. And there's always the classic stovetop method.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange chicken in a 9×13, foil-lined baking dish. Drizzle chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. Shred or slice chicken. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Saute onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in a skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, until tender. Set vegetables aside.
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat, stirring in wheat flour. Add 2 cups of shredded cheddar, vegetable broth, garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir sauce until cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes.
In a 9x13 baking dish, mix together rice, shredded chicken, vegetables, and cheese sauce. Top with ½ cup cheddar cheese. Bake for 25 minutes.

Adapted from Picky Palate.

Doughnuts from Refrigerated Biscuits (Four Ingredients!)

September 8, 2012

Rachel Schultz

Before this, the thought of making my own donuts seemed really complicated and time intensive. Occasionally, I’d see a recipe that gets me excited to give it a shot, but then it requires a special donut pan or something. I’m not really looking to inve$t in all that right now. These donuts made from store-bought refrigerated biscuit dough are your and my ticket to fresh donuts from home anytime.

We didn’t throw away the donut-centers, but instead made donut holes. Yum x2.

Doughnuts from Refrigerated Biscuits (Four Ingredients!)
Makes 8 doughnuts

1 tube refrigerated biscuit dough
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
Vegetable oil

Pour a 1/2 inch deep of vegetable oil into a large skillet and bring to medium heat.

Cut holes in center of biscuits. A small cookie cutter would be perfect, but I make do with something like an orange juice cap.

Cook doughnuts in oil for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Dip both sides of doughnuts into melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.

4.7 from 3 reviews

DOUGHNUTS FROM REFRIGERATED BISCUITS (FOUR INGREDIENTS!)

Author: Rachel Schultz

Ingredients

1 tube refrigerated biscuit dough
6 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup cinnamon sugar
Vegetable oil

Instructions

Pour a ½ inch deep of vegetable oil into a large skillet and bring to medium heat.
Cut holes in center of biscuits. A small cookie cutter would be perfect, but I make do with something like an orange juice cap.
Cook doughnuts in oil for 1-2 minutes on each side.
Dip both sides of doughnuts into melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.