The Little Red Hen Did It Herself

[mixfinder]

Only What Is Needed

Celebration cake is a caloric outrage but part of its calories are mitigated by a meringue cake cake lower in fat.  About 1/3 of the frosting is excess and not used.  The sugar totals are relatively low but the the richness factor is extreme, a very good thing with desserts.  You don't eat of "piece" of this cake but a thin slice and since it isn't sweet it is much more tolerable than eating a candy bar.

The roulades are trimmed of fat. browned and then the pan is completely wiped to remove the fat before deglazing.  There is no added fat.  The Beer in the Butt chicken, roasts standing up on a rack so all fats flow away and the chicken is prepared with no extra fat. The potatoes are mashed with fat free canned milk and a small amount of fat free butter replacement.  The salad of mescalun greens, cranberries, walnuts and blue cheese has an Onion dressing thinned by half with buttermilk to increase a more pleasant mouth feel and cuts the calories in half.  The rolls have butter milk, eggs and 1/4 cup butter.  I eat them without additional butter but for the guests its on the table.  The asparagus was oven roasted and served without sauce.

 

Before you all jump to a conclusion I am a Kamakaze in the kitchen don't forget I made my living knowing more about products than salesman and end users, modifying many products to be food safe for shipping, removing individual ingredients and altering the end product to taste the same.  I am not a hack and for the record since the wash in last March I have lost 26 pounds.

 

[frigilux]

Kelly, those roulades are making my mouth water---not that the cake isn't, LOL.

 

[kevin313]

Kelly, this all looks so delicous and mouth watering...yes, we sure do eat first with our eyes!

But I have to tell you, of all the offerings of this fabulous meal, the thing that I want to taste most is one of those beautiful rolls! Exquisite!

 

[circlew]

Yum

Everything looks very tasty!

 

[petek]

I'm with Kevin...them rolls

and then some cake to wash them down.

 

[golittlesport]

Wow!

That all looks fabudelicious, Kelly. Can you explain how you make the Roulades?

 

[mixfinder]

Roulades

I bought chuck roast presliced.  The package had 13 slices and cost 21.69.  I gasp at the cost of food.

In a saute pan I cooked celery and onions in a small amount of oil.  Removed tha pan from the heat and added 1 package Pepperidge Farm herb dressing mix and stirred in enough chicken stock to hold it together.  I layed out the meat single layer on paper towels, trimming and removing any large pieces of fat and silver.  I used my fingers to dimple the meat and even it's shape.  Place approximately 1/3 cup filling on the end of each roulade, tamping the stuffing and then secure it with a pick.

Heat a heavy skillet on the Heat Minder burner to 325 or use an electric skillet at 350.  Allow the pan to heat until shimmering and then a scant amount of cooking oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Fill the pan with roulades but don't crowd them.  Brown and give the roulade a quarter turn until all four sides are browned.  Remove the meat to a tray, pluck out any loose struffing bits and add a touch more oil as need and continue browning until all the roulades are done.

 

[mixfinder]

When the Meat is Browned

Use a paper towel to remove all traces of fat and any loose bits of stuffing.  Reduce the heat to 200 and add 1 cup strong red wine.  Deglaze the fond and allow the wine to reduce until syrupy.  Add 2 cups beef broth and I can of Cambell's lite Cream of Mushroom soup.  Whisk to combine and then add the roulades to the pan gravy making sure they are all covered with sauce.  I don't cook them on top of the range because the meat is so thin it can turn to shards before your eyes.

Cover and place in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour.  Don't over cook or they'll disintegrate when you try to get them out of the pan.

 

[mixfinder]

Easy bread

In the Kitchenaid bowl place 1/2 cup hot tap water.  Add 1 teaspoon sugar and 2 tablespoons yeast (I prefeer Red Star commercial, available at Cash and Carry or Costo for 3.00.  Mix and allow to froth.  In a microwaveable container place 1/4 cup butter and microwave for 35 secondS.  To the butter add 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 1/4 cup sugar and I teaspoon salt.  On the shelf next to the butter milk pan place two eggs.  Microwave it all at 50 percent power for 1 minute.  Check the eggs, they just just feel warm to touch, not hot.  Put your finger in buttermilk.  I should be the temperature of regulation hot tub (108)  Break the eggs into the warmed milk mixture and stir to be sure sugar is dissolved.  In a microwaveable bowl or a piece of parchment measure 3 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour. Heat the flour in the microwave for 2 minutes on medium power.  Add all ingredient to the yeast.  If the yeast looks anemic add another tablespoon of yeast in case the water wasn't warm enough.  Combine with a dough hook on speed 20 for 2 minutes.  Stop and wait five minutes and then mix again on speed two for 2 minutes.  Turn off the bowl and forget the dough for 20 minutes.  I should look like this.

 

[mixfinder]

Even Steven

Roll the dough into a log and divide equally into 15 portions.  Use a touch of flour if you have sticking issues and place the shaped roll on a parchment lined baking sheet  Rest the rolls near the range where the most heat in centerted.  Let them rise until doubled about 20 minutes and bake them in a preheated 400 degree oven for 22 minutes.  Brush with butter when it comes from the oven