Gray day spent in the kitchen

Today was a thoroughly gray day, full of chilly drizzle. It was the perfect day for Beef Stew. While I was making the stew, I decided to experiment with some yeast rolls. For your enjoyment, I took pictures of the process. I have no real recipe for Beef Stew, as it's my mother-in-law's creation. The only addition I made to it is thyme.

Here are the ingredients:

• Several Yukon Gold potatoes (best thing to come out of Canada since Pissoff!)
• the same number of carrots
• half a large Vidalia or Walla Walla onion
• 2.5 - 3 lbs. of beef chuck roast, cubed
• 4 cups frozen peas
• 64 oz. beef stock
• olive oil for frying
• salt, pepper, thyme to taste

Chop the onion and put it in the pot - Le Creuset, naturally - with the beef and the olive oil. Heat on high to brown, stirring vigorously.

Add seasonings and broth. Simmer on low heat for 2 hours, until meat is tender.

Peel potatoes and carrots. Cut into small chunks. Add to simmering meat. Cook for 30 minutes.

Add peas and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Thicken with flour and serve with yeast rolls.

Yeast rolls:

Ingredients:

• 3.5-4 c. bread flour
• 1/4 c. shortening, softened
• 1 package yeast
• 1/2 c. very warm water
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. milk, scalded and cooled
• 1 egg
• 1 T. salt

Affix dough blade to food processor.

Proof yeast in the warm water with 1 T. of the sugar.

Process 2 c. of the flour with salt, sugar, and shortening until mixed.

Add yeast and pulse until combined. Add egg, process to combine. Add milk through the feed chute and process until mixture is thoroughly combined.

Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft elastic dough forms. You may not need to add all the flour - too much will make the dough hard.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, then into a cool oven to rise for 1 hour. To boost the rising, fill a pan with very hot water and place it on the oven shelf below the dough.

Before

After

Punch down the dough and cut it in half. Use half for cloverleaf rolls (divide that half into 36 tiny pieces, roll them into balls, and place 3 in each section of a cupcake tin). Use the other half for my Parmesan Garlic Twirls.

Mince 3 cloves of garlic and mix with a pinch of salt and 2 T butter. Grate about 2 c. parmigiano reggiano:

Roll out unused portion of dough into a rectangle and smear with garlic butter mixture and strew liberally with 2/3 of the grated cheese.

Roll up into a lovely long log and cut evenly into 8 pieces. Arrange tightly in round pan, leaving very little room between rolls. Top with the rest of the cheese.

Allow cloverleaf and cheese rolls to rise for 30 minutes, using the same rising method as before.

Remove from oven and preheat it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter.

Bake cloverleaf rolls for 12-14 minutes. Mmmm - yummy!

Bake parmesan garlic rolls for 20 minutes.

Serve with stew, and don't kiss anyone for a while!