A Bit of Aloha to Celebrate

 

We have a saying here at our house, "Costco got me", and that was true yesterday as I was strolling the aisles.  A friend calls Costco The Promised Land!  After inhaling the perfume from the pineapples that were stacked high, reminiscent of our time in Hawaii a few weeks ago, I picked up a pineapple and some macadamia nuts, along with $200+ of other things I can't remember, and headed home.  With my pineapple, some suspect cream cheese that was on the cusp of expiring, and the macadamia nuts, I decided to try and replicate the Pineapple Glazed Cheesecake that we had in Waimea at The Red Water Cafe.  To be honest, we devoured this dessert before taking a photo at the restaurant, so I really can't remember if it was a baked cheesecake or not, but the bruleed top was what made this memorable.  So, this is my take on that memorable dessert, and I'm making it to celebrate California opening up soon, and we are all finally vaccinated.  

Pineapple Bruleed Cheesecake

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 3/4 cup macadamia nuts

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, line a 9-inch cheesecake or springform pan with aluminum foil, and coat the foil with non-stick cooking spray.  

Put the crumbs, macadamia nuts, and brown sugar into a food processor.  Process until the nuts are chopped.  Add the butter, and stir to combine.

Press the crumbs into the pan and up the sides.  Bake for 15 minutes.  

For the Filling

Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract

4 large eggs

1/4 cup sour cream

2 to 3 tablespoons dark rum

2 cups fresh pineapple, finely chopped

raw sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the cream cheese and sugar, until smooth.  

Add the vanilla and the eggs and beat until smooth.  

Add the sour cream and beat until incorporated.   

Pour the mixture onto the crust, smoothing the top.  

Arrange the pineapple on the top and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes until set.  

Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar until the cheesecake cools.   

When the cheesecake is cooled, sprinkle the pineapple with the sugar, and using a brulee torch, caramelize the pineapple.  If you don't have a brulee torch a broiler will work.  Cool completely and refrigerate.  Remove from the refrigerate at least 1 1/2 hours before serving.  

A few notes:  

1. Only make this with the best pineapple, right now gold pineapples are available in your markets.  The only test of ripeness is by aroma---so smell that pineapple---pineapples are picked ripe, so if you want for that pineapple to ripen on your counter, it will begin to ferment.  Also, the photo shows sliced pineapple, since I'd sliced up the pineapple before I knew that I would be making this dessert.  At the restaurant there was a lot of chopped pineapple on the top and that woudl be my preferred method of topping this cheesecake.  
2. I prefer Mauna Loa macadamia nuts, these were the only ones available at Costco.  
3. Cheesecakes are best at room temperature, instead of ice cold.  
4. My 21 year old Dacor convection ovens are on their last legs, the bottom oven has quit, the top is still "working"---note the quotes, so I have ordered new Cafe double wall ovens which should be arriving in the end of July....this whole supply chain thing is cutting into my cooking!  I'm just grateful to have one oven working.  

Chopping the nuts with the crumbs ensures that you won't get nut butter

Going into the oven

A little overbaked, but I'll blame that on the oven

Brulee torch covers a multitude of sins, and as Julia Child said, every woman needs a blow torch

Ciao for now.  

Dear Elizabeth Minchilli; Thank you for Pistachio Cake

 Dear Elizabeth, 

Thank you for your blog, your generosity in sharing your homes in Rome and Umbria, your recipes, the photos, all make armchair traveling so satisfying, especially during this time of quarantine. A few years ago, you posted a pistachio cake recipe on your blog, and although my intentions were to make it immediately, I finally made it tonight since I dug out the pistachio flour from the freezer.  What a delicious treat! Thank you again. I'll preface this by saying, I'm not a baker, but I do love a good bake.  The recipe called for making two loaves, but since the loaf pans I have aren't the same size, I figured I'd try and make it a bundt cake, and it's glorious!  I'm so grateful for your generosity in sharing your favorite places, foods, and your writing and hope one day to meet you in person when we are finally in Italy again.  Gratefully yours, D

Elizabeth Minchilli's Pistachio Cake (adapted)

Makes one 9-inch bundt, or two loaves

The original recipe called for yogurt, I didn't have any so subbed in sour cream, and it's delicious.  

11 ounces salted butter 

2 cups sugar

8 large eggs

3 tablespoons pistachio paste (see link)

1 cup plain yogurt, or sour cream or creme fraiche

1/3 cup pistachio flour (see link)

2 cups 00 flour, or all-purpose (I used 00)

2 tablespoons baking powder

confectioners' sugar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and coat the inside of a 9-inch bundt pan, or two loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.  (I use Baker's Joy--never fails)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  

Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the pistachio paste and yogurt or sour cream.  

Add the flours, and baking powder, and beat until blended.  

Transfer to the prepared pan, and bake for 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  

Cool on a wire rack for exactly 10 minutes, then turn out on the rack to cool completely.

Sift powdered sugar over the cooled cake and serve.  

This piece was still quite warm, but none-the-less, it was buttery, and delicious, with a crispy exterior.  

Now that I've made the investment in the pistachio flour and pistachio paste, I may just go into business making these cakes, it's that easy!  I do plan to make another and freeze it to have on hand.  This one will go quickly.  Once again, thanks to Elizabeth Minchilli, if you aren't following her and her daughter Sophie on Instagram and getting their blogs, you are missing out.  Ciao for now.  

Chocolate Salted Caramel Chip Cookies

 

So, I've said this before, I LOVE cookies!  I have my favorites, but I'm always willing to try something new, and that new thing was some salted caramel chips from King Arthur Baking.  I waited a long time to try them since they were out of them and over the summer they don't ship them because it's too hot and they might melt.  These chips are pretty sweet, and I thought they'd probably be too sweet for a chocolate chip type cookie, so I decided to add them to a chocolate cookie---since chocolate and salted caramel are matches made in culinary heaven.  

I picked up some Lindt cocoa in Italy---it's really delicious, and I can't find it readily here.  You can use your favorite cocoa in the recipe.  This recipe is simple to put together, I used a portion scoop to shape the cookies, and then pressed the cookies down once they were on they are on the baking sheet.  

 Chocolate Salted Caramel Chip Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies

1 cup unsalted butter softened

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract

2 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 to 2 cups salted caramel chips (see note)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheets with silicone, aluminum foil, or parchment. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together the butter, sugars, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, powder, and vanilla.  

Add the eggs beating until smooth.  

Beat in the milk, flour, and chips, until combined.  

Using a portion scoop, or a tablespoon, form the dough into balls and place 2-inches apart on the prepared sheets. Wet your hand, and press each cookie down to flatten.

Bake 12 minutes, until the cookies are no longer shiny, and look set.  Allow them to cool on the baking sheets, then store them in an airtight container.  

Note:  Because these chips are really sweet, I went with 1 1/2 cups, I think 2 cups would be fine.  The chips don't melt, they stay solid in the cookie.  

Note:   I adapted this recipe from the King Arthur website

There they are, just waiting for a glass of milk, a cup of tea, or coffee.  I hope you are all safe a well.  Dr. C and I have been vaccinated, and that feels hopeful.  Ciao for now!

Quarantine Baking: Marble Chocolate and Tres Leches Cake

 

There is so much sugar, flour, and butter flying around my kitchen it's hard to keep track of what I'm making at any given time.  So far I've made about 5 trays of toffee, and lots of cookies, I've got a panettone biga rising, and dried fruit stewing in Amaretto, and then I stumbled upon a recipe that I thought would be delicious, a chocolate, dulce de leche, vanilla loaf cake. The recipe came from a respected baker who has written award-winning cookbooks, and I followed the recipe, and it was a waste of the ingredients --- the cake was dry and had no flavor at all, and it was a loaf---who wants to eat a loaf?  Give me a bundt or layer cake anytime.  So I set about transforming this recipe, I wanted a  flavorful cake that was moist, and I got it.  It really doesn't need frosting, a dusting of powdered sugar will work, but a little more dulce de leche can't hurt.   

Chocolate Marble Dulce de Leche Cake

Makes one 9-inch bundt

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup dulce de leche

Melt the chocolates in the microwave at 50% power, or on the stovetop over medium-low heat, and allow to cool.  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and coat the inside of a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, until they are combined.  Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating to combine.  (the mixture will look curdled)

Add the flour, baking soda, powder, and salt, and beat until smooth.  

Divide the mixture in half, and beat the chocolate into one half and the dulce de leche into the other.  

Spread the chocolate into the pan, top with the dulce de leche, and using an off-set spatula, draw the spatula through the batters to create a marble effect.  

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake, comes out clean.  

Let cool on a rack for exactly 10 minutes, then turn onto the rack to cool completely.   

A few notes:  

• The Bundt pan I used is gorgeous when the cake is turned out, but difficult to cut into attractive slices.  
• There is no vanilla marble component in this cake like the original because really, who needs vanilla when you've got chocolate and dulce de leche?  You could divide the batter into 3 equal parts, and then have chocolate, vanilla and dulce de leche.  
• The basis for this cake came from a cake in the book Baking for Friends which is a terrific cookbook.  
• Remember when you spread the first layer into the pan, that will be the layer that you will see when you turn out the cake---you can reverse the chocolate and dulce de leche if you would like.  
• This cake will freeze beautifully for about 6 weeks.  

Chocolate layer going in---I have to be honest, I just eyeballed the amount

                                                                     Dulce de leche

Swirled

You can just see the marbling down the center

As I said at the beginning, this really doesn't need a frosting, but a drizzle of dulce de leche over the bundt would give it a lovely look.  I hope that you are all enjoying some holiday cheer (read that strong cocktails) as we wait out this virus and its devastation.  We are just grateful to be safe and well, and wish you a holiday season filled with comfort, joy, and good health.  Buon Natale!

Cornmeal Biscotti, Quarantine Kitchen

 So, I still don't know what day it is, but I do know that I went to Trader Joes' the other day and picked up a small packet of cornmeal biscotti.  Now, I know, I should make these myself, but I really wanted to see what they tasted like and whether I would even like them.  They were your standard hard-as-a-rock biscotti, with a little bit of a sandy cornmeal texture, and not many identifiable nuts.  But, it got me thinking that for what I paid for these 12 biscotti I could be manufacturing 100's of them them in my own kitchen.  

Today was another hot day here in San Diego, so weird for October.  

Normally we see the ocean and the freeway here, but tonight we are fogged in

I'd made a batch of Marcella Hazan's broccoli potato soup for dinner but really wanted to try to make some biscotti, my way.  I trolled the internet for some ideas, and this recipe is a winner, thanks to David Leibovich and his wonderful blog.  I did adapt it a bit since I like a more buttery taste, and I used my favorite nuts, pistachios.  I think these would be great with an addition of dried cherries, or cranberries for the holidays, and pecans would be a nice sub for the pistachios.  

Quarantine Cornmeal Biscotti

Makes about 40

5 tablespoons salted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon paste (or 1 teaspoon lemon extract) 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chopped salted pistachios

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with silicone or parchment paper. 

In a bowl, combine the butter, sugar salt, and eggs, until combined. Add the extract and lemon paste.  

Add the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and pistachios.  

Shape the dough into two logs about 13-inches long.  (they will expand in the oven)

They don't look like much, but they expand in the oven

Bake for 20 minutes until set.  

Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees, and allow the logs to rest for 20 minutes.  

Cut the logs into 1/2-inch cookies, and arrange on the baking sheet --- I like to follow my friend Lora Brody's way of doing this and standing them upright.  Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.  

The biscotti will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks, or you can freeze them for up to 2 months.  

So, a few notes here, if you wish to add dried fruit, about 1/2 cup will work well.  A drizzle of bittersweet chocolate would also be spectacular on these once they are cooled.  I've been using salted butter for cookies lately, and the difference is really interesting---deeper flavor for chocolate chip cookies, and vanilla cookies.  These also benefitted from the salted butter.  If you only have unsalted butter, use 1/2 teaspoon salt, rather than the 1/4 teaspoon.  

What is Lemon Paste, you ask?  

Neilson and Massey who make my favorite vanilla paste, have come out with a lemon paste, a combo of zest and extract---use it as you would extract, you'll get a nice punch of flavor.  I have used this in cakes, and these cookies, and am sold!  

So, we are into October, and Dr. C. and I have canceled our trip to Maui at Thanksgiving---I'm not whining, we are just sad for our country and the number of people who are sick and have died. Please wear your mask, stay safe, stay well and VOTE.   

Whatever Day it is; Kitchen Quarantine, Old School Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, I confessed in another post that cookies are my downfall---given an empty house, I would eat every cookie I could find.  One of my favorite store-bought cookies is Tates' Bakeshop Chocolate Chip cookies.  These are crisp chocolate chip cookies, that stain your chin with buttery goodness.  

The recipe for these cookies in the Tate's Bakeshop Bakery Cookbook doesn't produce a crisp cookie---I've tried my darndest to get them there, but they don't get to that crispy consistency.  BUT, the good news, I've finally gotten their recipe to a point that I love them (which is unfortunate since I can't stop eating them). These cookies are thin, with a crispy edge, but a chewy center.  The other night I made them, and even our son, who is the chocolate chip cookie monster said they were my best effort ever.  Cook's Note here, we are more partial to milk chocolate chips in these cookies, but you can use semi-sweet or white chocolate in them if you prefer.  The other note is that using salted butter gave me a more flavorful cookie---go figure after years of culinary school, and teaching, it seems that salted butter in cookies has resulted in Nirvana.  

Chocolate Chippers

Depending on the scoop you use, this should make 36 to 48 cookies

1 cup salted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons baking soda

8 ounces milk chocolate chips (I've used Ghirardelli and Guittard with great results)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheets with silicone, aluminum foil, or parchment.  
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth.  
3. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat till smooth. 
4. Add the flour, baking soda, and chocolate chips, beating on low speed until just combined. 
5. Using a portion scoop, or a tablespoon, form the dough into balls and place 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.  
6. Wet your hands, and press down on the cookies, bake for 10 minutes, reverse the baking sheets and bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are golden brown, and the center are set.  
7. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks to cool and store in airtight containers.  
8. Cook's Note:  This recipe was adapted from the Tates Bake Shop Cookbook.
9. If you only have unsalted butter, add 1 1/2 teaspoon salt to the recipe. 

So, I have no idea what day it is in our quarantine, but I do know that we are in, and when we go out we wear masks, and we social distance.  That is the only way we can flatten the curve.  After the 4th of July, I realized that we'd have 2 weeks till the next wave happened, and here we are in California, basically closed down again.  Stay safe and stay well.   

Getting Cheesy; No Idea What Day it is; Quarantine Kitchen

I know that's not cheese, they are blackberries, and I was fortunate enough to find some amazing blackberries this week, and then decided it was time to make a sauce out of them.  So, then I needed something to put the sauce on. 
I've been helping a family who lost a loved one, making a few Sunday dinners for them.  It's been therapeutic for me, and I hope it's taken the stress off of them.  When making these meals I want to make it as simple as possible, so the main just gets a heat up in the oven, and the desserts can just be served, so cheesecake it is.  This recipe was given to me when I was newly married, over 48 years ago, and it's been a keeper ever since.  I've made other cheesecakes, but this one is still my go-to.  Cheesecakes are magic, you get a smooth, creamy, delicious filling on top of a crunchy crust, and they can be frozen with no problem at all. 

Sour Cream Cheesecake Bars

Serves about 10

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 18 whole crackers)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the crust, in a large bowl, combine the crust ingredients and press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the dish.  Set aside.

Cream Cheese Filling

Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese softened

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract

With an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the vanilla and beat until the filling is smooth. Pour into the crust and bake until set, 35 to 40 minutes.

Sour Cream Topping

2 cups sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Meanwhile, make the topping. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. 

When the cheesecake is done, remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400° F.  Spread the sour cream mixture over the hot cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and immediately cut into squares. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack.

Do-Ahead: At this point, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 2 months.

Cook’s Note: Cutting the cheesecake while it’s hot is much easier than cutting it when it’s cooled and solid.  I recommend you do this with a chef’s knife or bench scraper and make one long cut down each row, wiping the knife after each cut. 

Blackberry Sauce

4 cups blackberries, washed and picked over for leaves

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup orange juice

In a saucepan combine the ingredients, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Cool and serve the sauce over ice cream, cheesecakes, or chocolate cake.  

As we begin another week, Dr. C. and I are staying home this week, I've stocked up on groceries, and snacks, and we won't go out except to take our walks.  He had his first cataract surgery last week, and this week we need to make sure that he has a negative Covid test on Sunday, so he can have his next surgery on Tuesday.  So staying home is our jam.  Stay safe, stay well, and wear a mask. 

Quarantine Kitchen, Gaining the Covid 19

Cookies are my downfall; if they are here, I'm like Cookie Monster, I'll eat them all.  Which brings me to the Covid-19...those pounds we are packing on by baking and cooking enormous amounts of food.  Recently I've been on the lookout for a really delicious sugar cookie---I want a cookie I don't have to roll out, soft, chewy, buttery, and satisfying.  I've tried a few recipes, then ran across this one on the Cooks Illustrated website.  I made then once using unsalted butter, and they left me flat, so the next time I made them I used salted butter that was leftover from an early Costco run when they were out of unsalted butter.  These are my cookie; everything I was looking for, and I really can't stop eating them. They will make an amazing ice cream sandwich cookie, too.  That was my motivation for trying some recipes, I'd been to a restaurant in LA with our son who was doing a review, and the best part of the meal was the ice cream sandwich made with some amazing sugar cookies sandwiched with strawberry ice cream.  So with Father's Day around the corner, and July 4th coming up, these are the perfect cookies.  

Soft Sugar Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

1 cup salted butter softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and line baking sheets with silicone, aluminum foil, or parchment. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until the mixture comes together. 

Add the flour and baking powder, and stir until blended.  

Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, roll in the sugar, and place on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  

Using the bottom of a drinking glass, flatten the cookies, and bake for 7 minutes, reverse the baking sheets and bake an additional 7 minutes, until they are golden brown around the edges, and just set.  

Cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.  

Cook's Note:  If you only have unsalted butter you will need 1 teaspoon of salt.  

I hope you are all safe and well.  Until next time, wishing you a great weekend.  

Day 44, Quarantine Kitchen, Foccacia

Sunday I decided to make some focaccia dough, and let it rise overnight in the fridge.  This is my friend Jenny's basic recipe, but I tweaked it a bit.  I've been practicing with focaccia during this quarantine, using sourdough, then yeast, no-knead, you name it I've tried it, and I've finally hit the right note; a long slow rise in the fridge and copious amounts of really good olive oil.  For this one, I sprinkled some Romano cheese over it, then dimpled the dough, and sprinkled some chopped rosemary and Maldon salt over the top before liberally dousing it with olive oil.  I use Cuore Verde olive oil that I order from our family in Italy at Enoteca Properzio.  There is something satisfying about taking this gorgeous bread from the oven, and knowing that you've created magic with just flour, yeast, and water.

Jenny's No-Knead Focaccia

3 2/3 cups (550g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups (375g) warm water

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 to 2 teaspoons flaky salt like Maldon

Optional:  chopped rosemary (about 2 teaspoons) 1/2 cup grated cheese

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt and water, until well combined.  Brush a bowl with extra virgin olive oil, turn the dough in the bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour---I've done this and my suggestion is to actually refrigerate this overnight and give it a long slow rise---the focaccia rises higher and the finished product is way superior.  

The next day, pour at least 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a baking pan---mine is a 12-inch all-clad skillet, Jenny suggests a cast iron skillet, which is another choice.  You can even do this on a baking sheet if you like.  Push the dough onto the oil, and make sure it goes to the rim of the baking pan.  If it's a little slow to stretch, cover it for 15 minutes, then try again.  Once the dough is in the pan, allow it to rise, covered, for 1 hour.  

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, push your knuckles into the dough to make indentations.  Pour the remaining oil over the focaccia, and sprinkle with the flaky salt.  Make sure to pretty much drench the dough with the oil, otherwise, it will be dry when you take it out of the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes, until the bottom is crispy and the top is golden brown.    Let the focaccia rest for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.  

We had the focaccia with a huge pot of pasta with meatballs, click here for a recipe.  The wine glass photo is one of my favorites from Enoteca Properzio in Spello. We have our friends in Italy on our hearts as they navigate this virus.  
I urge you to check out my friend Jenny's blog--she tests every recipe, and they are keepers.  Her dinner rolls are our go-to for Thanksgiving, you'll never buy another roll again, and that's coming from a non-baker.  Stay safe and stay well.