"Everything" Brioche Burger Buns

"Everything" Brioche Burger Buns

I can't stop thinkin' about that stinkin' burger we made yesterday. It was so good. And one of the biggest reasons why is because it was all stacked on a homemade bun. Not any ole' burger bun y'all, a brioche bun. If you've researched making some buns for your burger at home, then you have obviously come across this recipe. It was featured on blogs, such as Smitten Kitchen and Annie's Eats, and well, countless others. Each of them ranted and raved about these "light brioche burger buns", and when you keep hearing about 'em, well you eventually have to make them! I finally gave in this last week for the Jimmy Buffett concert and it was sooooooo worth it. They are buttery, soft, yet sturdy enough to hold a juicy burger. All are important qualifications, trust me. These buns would be just as good plain, so don't worry about the extra touch I put on them. But, if you're gonna make them, why not go all out?! Instead of just topping them with boring sesame seeds or poppy seeds... I heavily sprinkled the golden buns with an "everything" bagel topping. Who doesn't love "everything" bagels? Well, okay probably all of your friends who have to smell your breath for the rest of the day, but that's why they are your friends, right? Right. Everyone's reassured... good. Between the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper, you have got one seriously-flavored bun. And for a burger purist like me, who likes to only season a patty with just some good salt + fresh pepper, these buns add a lot of flavor while still keepin' everything classic. In other ways, the way it was intended to be. I can't rave about these enough, and you can certainly add me on to the list of bloggers who will be making these for years to come!! Enjoy :)

Amazing "Everything" Burger Topping

Aren't they just so gorgeous?

For the Brioche Buns:

3T Whole Milk, Warmed

1C Water, Warmed

2t Instant Yeast

2 ½T Sugar

1 ½t Salt

1 Large Egg

3C Bread Flour

1/3C AP Flour

2 ½T Unsalted Butter, Softened

For the “Everything” Topping:

1 Large Egg

1T Water

4t Poppy Seeds

4t Sesame Seeds

4t Dried Garlic (minced or flaked)

4t Dried Onion (minced or chopped)

2t Sea Salt

1t Fresh Cracked Pepper

Directions:

1. Making the Dough:In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the milk, water, yeast, sugar, salt and egg.  Mix briefly to combine.  Add the bread and AP flours to the bowl, and mix until incorporated.  Mix in the butter.  Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for about 6-8 minutes.  The dough will be somewhat tacky, but you want to avoid adding too much extra flour, which will create tough buns. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours.

2. Prepping for the Buns:Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat (I prefer Silpats).  Using a dough scraper, divide the dough into 10-12 equal parts. Gently roll each portion of dough into a ball and place on the two baking sheets, 2-3 inches apart (I put 5-6 dough balls on each baking sheet, which ensures that they won’t touch). Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise again, 1-2 hours, until puffed up and nearly doubled.

3. For the “Everything” Topping:In a bowl, mix together the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, salt, and pepper until completely incorporated. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Set these both up in a station, along with a pastry brush, for quick assembly. Just a side note, you will not have to use all of the topping, just save the rest for another batch of buns or homemade bagels.

4. Baking the Buns:Set a large metal pan of water on the lowest rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400˚F with a rack in the center. Place one of the baking sheets in the oven and bake the buns for 7 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and then brush them completely with the egg wash and heavily sprinkle the tops with the “everything” seasoning topping. Rotate the pan halfway and return the seasoned buns to the oven and to cook for another 8-10 minutes or until they are perfectly golden brown on top and thoroughly cooked through in the center.

5. Once they are done, remove the buns to a cooling rack to cool completely. After they have cooled, gently slice the buns in half and store them until you are ready to use them.

source: light brioche burger buns.

"Pizza Juliana" with Homemade Pesto Base, Crispy Bacon, Crumbled Goat Cheese, Roasted Mushrooms, Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Fresh Basil, & Balsamic Reduction

"Pizza Juliana"

I swear I'm not that into myself, ya know... by naming a pizza after me. This goes way back to when I was in lower + middle school. Remember how awesome slumber parties were? A bunch of your friends all at one house, wreaking havoc, dressing up, doing makeovers, calling boys, giggling, and most importantly, gossiping. Well, almost every one of our weekend sleepovers included ordering a bunch of boxes of Papa John's pizza. This was not fun for me because I'm lactose intolerant. So I always had to pick off all the toppings, peel of the cheese, and eat the crust for dinner. I know, that's less-than-stellar for sure. But as I got to high school and college, rustic pizza places became my new obsession. I mean, they had this deliciously crispy crust, topped with all the best toppings you can buy, and even better, you could create your own... brilliant! Now, that's the only kind of pizza people eat. I can't honestly remember the last time I had one of those delivery pizza chains (thank goodness). This is how I developed "Pizza Juliana"... a no cheese pizza loaded with all my favorite toppings like pesto, caramelized onions, crispy bacon, roasted mushrooms, slow roasted tomatoes, fresh basil and a balsamic reduction drizzled over the top. The kicker is that I do include goat cheese. It seems to be the one cheese that doesn't make me feel sick. So, by nature, I'm a pro-goat cheese kinda gal. I put it on everything, it pretty much borderlines on an obsession. In my recipe below, I didn't give exact measurements for each topping, I like to fill mine up, while others might want much less, and that's fine. Just put as little or as much as your heart desires, either way it will be delicious!! Enjoy :)

For the Extra-Crusty Pizza Dough:

3 ¾C AP Flour (plus extra for shaping the dough)

2t Sea Salt + 1t Sugar

¼t Active Dry Yeast

1 ½C Water  

For the Balsamic Reduction:

¼C Balsamic Vinegar

1t Honey

For the Pizza Juliana:

Prepared Pizza Dough

Prepared Balsamic Reduction

Homemade Basil Pesto

Caramelized Onions

Crispy Bacon Lardons

Slow Roasted Tomatoes or Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Roasted Mushrooms (I used Portabella Mushrooms)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, For Drizzling (optional)

Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste (if needed)

Crumbled Goat Cheese

Fresh Basil, Chiffonade

Directions:

1. For the Extra-Crusting Pizza Dough: Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 1.5 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, preferably 18 hours (but anywhere between 12-18 hours would work as well). Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 1-2 equal portions (depending on thin or thick you want your pizza dough). Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions. Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour.

2. During the last hour of the dough’s resting, preheat the oven to its hottest setting, around 500-550 degrees, and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Working with the dough, dust it generously with flour and place onto a floured work surface. Gently shape the dough into a 10-12 inch disk. Press or spread the dough dish on top of a baking sheet or pizza stone. Now it’s time to add on the topping.

3. For the Balsamic Reduction: Add the balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook to reduce for 3-5 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Set this aside until ready to use.

4. Assembling the Pizza: Spread the dough with some of your homemade pesto, in an even layer, and then layer on the caramelized onions, crispy bacon lardons, slow roasted tomatoes, and roasted mushrooms (and you can drizzle a little olive oil, as well as salt & pepper if you would like too).

5. Bake the pizza until the bottom of the crust is crisp and the top is blistered, about 10-15 minutes (depending on the heat of your oven).

6. Once it has baked and the crust is crispy, scatter the crumbled goat cheese all over the pizza and garnish with a bunch of fresh basil (the more the better, the aromatic smell is unbelievable) and a drizzle of the balsamic reduction all over the toppings.

7. Cut into squares of slices, and enjoy immediately!

Pretzel Wrapped Sausages with Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Pretzel Wrapped Sausages with Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce

I haven't been able to post a tailgatin' recipe recently, but I'm back at it again. And these will be perfect for all the men & women at your parties :) Who doesn't love a good stadium dog? Or a good ole' salty pretzel? Or some of that store-bought nacho cheese? No one. We all love it. Especially while drinkin' at a football game. So why not make them at home and combine them all together? I was so excited when we made these because I knew that I could substitute beer brats for hotdogs, and lemme tell you, soooo much better. And when they are wrapped in soft, pillowy homemade pretzel dough, they are the perfect drunk/football/party food. You of course hav'ta dip them in the cheese sauce that is fully loaded with beer and jalapenos. This is the essential main course to any tailgatin' fiesta, people. And they are hand-held deliciousness!! Enjoy :)

For the Pretzel Wrapped Sausages:

8 Pre-Cooked Sausages, Hotdogs, or Brats

1 ½C Warm Water

1T Sugar

1 Package of Active Dry Yeast

4 ½C AP Flour

2t Salt

2oz Unsalted Butter, Melted & Cooled

For the Bath:

3 ½Q of Water

1C Baking Soda

1 Large Egg + 1T Water, Beaten

For the Topping:

Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

For the Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce:

12oz Beer

2C Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

1T AP Flour

8oz Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1 Clove of Garlic, Minced

2T Candied Jalapenos, Minced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Dough: Combine warm water and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and set aside for 5 minutes, until mixture is foamy. Add the flour, salt, and melted butter. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until well combined. Increase speed to medium and knead dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, creating a ball of dough around the dough hook, about 5 minutes. The dough will be soft, pliable, and just a bit sticky. Remove from bowl, form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Dust the top with flour, then cover with plastic and let sit in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Place baking racks in the center and upper third of the oven. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and lightly brush the paper with oil (Don't skip the oiling, it’s important to brush the paper or the pretzels will stick).

2. For the Pretzel Wrapped Sausages: Combine water and baking soda in a large pot and bring to a boil. While the water comes to a boil, turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly oiled work surface. Divide the dough into eight even pieces (one per sausage). You want to make a rope with each piece of dough. Start with the fingers of both hands in the center of the dough, and roll, moving your hands outward as you go. Roll the dough along the oiled surface until you have about a 24" (for whole dogs) piece of rope. Starting at one end, roll the dough around a hot dog gently (without stretching too much), pinching and sealing each end well. When water has come to a boil, gently lower a few of the dough-wrapped dogs into the boiling water and allow it to boil for 30 seconds. Using a skimmer (flat, slotted spatula), carefully remove them and place on the oiled parchment. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle each with some salt and pepper. Bake in the preheat oven until they reach a deep, golden brown color, about 12-15 minutes. While they cook, prepare the cheese sauce.

3. For the Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce: Add the beer to a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil. While you are waiting, toss the shredded cheese with the flour. Once the beer is simmering, whisk in the cheese and all of the remaining ingredients. Whisk until all the cheese has melted and you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve.

4. Serve the pretzel wrapped sausages on a platter with the Jalapeno-Beer-Cheddar Cheese Sauce for dipping.

source: spicy beer cheese sauce. pretzel dogs.

Homemade Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Bread

Homemade Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Bread

I know this doesn't have any Bacon Jam in it... and I know that I promised all Bacon Jam recipes this week, so just wait a hot second. This is the bread that is key to any good sandwich. It's the only bread that I will make a sandwich with... that says a lot. It's the perfect chewy vessel for any panini I make. I personally love to fry it in rendered bacon fat or olive oil. But, it was also be great with a big bowl of soup or just simply with some Bacon Jam (duh). I decided to finally post this so that y'all could make some killer sandwiches of your own. Maybe even the Bacon Jam BLT's that I'm going to post in a few short minutes... I think yes!! Enjoy :)

The Perfect Sandwich Bread

For the Homemade Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Bread:

3C Bread Flour

1 ¾t Salt

½t Yeast

1C Freshly Grated Parmesan

Roasted Garlic Cloves (the more garlic cloves, the stronger the flavor)

1 ½C Water

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, yeast, Parmesan, and garlic cloves. Add in the water and stir until you have shaggy dough.

2. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 12-18 hours.

3. Once the dough has rested, heat the oven to 450 degrees. After the oven has heated, put a covered pot in and heat for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and carefully pick up the ball of dough and drop it into the hot pot. Put the lid on the pot and return it to the oven to bake for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, take off the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until the bread is golden brown.

4. Carefully remove the bread from the pot and let it cool completely before slicing.

source: crusty bread.

Mini Spinach-Artichoke Dip Bread Bowls

I made one of my favorite dips ever, Crazy-Good Spinach-Artichoke Dip, a little while ago, and had a bunch left over. So I decided to use the leftovers to make another easy tailgatin' appetizer. You don't necessarily have to use my recipe (but I love my recipe so much that I think you should, haha), but you could use whatever you have left over or a recipe that you love. Pretty much all you have to do it scoop some of your spinach drip into bread dough that has been pressed into muffin tins, and then top it with shredded mozzarella cheese, and just pop it in the oven. I really loved these bread bowls and they are just so darn stinkin' easy to make! Enjoy :)

Mini Spinach-Artichoke Dip Bread Bowls

For the Mini Bread Bowls:

2 Cans of French Bread Loaf Dough

Your Favorite Spinach-Artichoke Dip, For Filling

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, For Topping

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24 muffin cups with Pam and set aside. Unroll the packages of the French bread and slice each into 12 equal size squares, about 1 inch thick. Press each slice into the prepared muffin tins. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop the spinach-artichoke dip filling into the centers of the bread bowls. Top the bowls with some shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until just turning brown on the edges.
2. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 3-5 minutes before eating.
3. Enjoy!