Ken Cooks blog

Cooking Thoughts and Insights

Author: Kenneth Wright

  • Let’s Swirl the Bread

    Cinnamon Swirl Bread

    Everyone seems to like this bread and it is pretty easy to make. Start by gathering your ingredients. Bread flour, Active dry yeast, Sugar, Salt, Vegetable oil, Cinnamon, and Powdered sugar. ( I doubled the recipe and made four loaves. The original recipe makes 2 and can be found on the Ken Cooks page of my website.)

    Start with 2 cups of warm water then sprinkle over the top with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp.yeast. Allow about five minutes for the yeast to activate (become foamy looking). Add 5 cups bread flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/4 cup vegetable oil and mix well. (If your dough is too sticky you can add a little flour but I like to do this as I am kneading the dough adding a little at a time as I go.) After mixing your dough, you pour it out onto a floured surface and knead it well for about 5 minutes. Your dough should be soft and workable. Clean and dry your mixing bowl, coat it lightly with vegetable or canola oil and place your dough in face down. Flip it over, cover lightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for about an hour until it doubles in size.

    Once it has risen, punch down the dough to release any trapped air and the divide it into two equal balls of dough. On your floured surface, roll the ball out to approximately 9X15 inches (assuming that you are using a 9 inch bread baking dish), sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and cinnamon and the roll tightly from the long end, pinch the bottom and the ends closed tight, and place into a lightly greased 9 inch dish. Repeat with the second ball. Place both dishes back into your warm place and allow to rise a second time for about 30 to 40 minutes until doubled in size.

    Once the loaves have risen the second time, place them into the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and sound hollow when you thump them.

    Enjoy your Cinnamon Swirl Bread toasted with butter. Delicious!

  • Soft Pretzels

    Who Doesn’t Like Soft Pretzels

    These pretzels are delicious fresh out of the oven with some melted butter or cheese sauce, and they are pretty easy to make.

    First, combine in a large bowl (if you have a stand mixer use its bowl, but if you are like me I just mix by hand) 1 ½ cups warm water (105 to 110 degrees), 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, the sprinkle 1 package of active dry yeast (or 2 ¼ teaspoons), let sit for about 5 minutes or until the yeast becomes frothy (begins to foam).

    Add four ½ cups of all-purpose flour, and ¼ cup melted butter. Mix until well combined until dough is smooth and well combined. If mixing by hand you will want to pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface  and knead a few minutes with floured hands and sprinkling with a little four as you go to reduce stickiness.

    Clean the bowl and coat it with non-stick cooking spray. Put the dough back into the bowl and turn it over so the oiled side comes to the top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place to allow the dough to rise for approximately an hour or until the dough has doubles in size.

    Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, line two sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with vegetable oil or spray lightly with non-stick spray and set aside. Bring ten cups of water to a boil and when it starts boiling add 2/3 cup baking soda.

     Meanwhile, turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and divide into eight equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a 24-inch rope. Form the rope into a U shape holding the ends of the rope, then twist and attach the ends at the bottom of the U shape to form the shape of a pretzel. Place them onto your oiled parchment paper on the sheet pan.

    Place the pretzels carefully one at a time (your pan should be big enough to do two at a time) into the boiling water for 30 seconds, 15 seconds per side, then using a large spatula, return them to your parchment lined sheet pans (I always cut the parchment paper down close to the pretzels cause the excess paper tends to burn in the oven). Mix three egg yolks with three tablespoons water and brush each pretzel well with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse kosher salt or pretzel salt.

    Bake the pretzels until they are a dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving with butter or cheese sauce or whatever you like with your pretzels. Enjoy!

  • Let’s Talk Turkey

    No-Fail Turkey

    Once again it is that turkey time of year. This is either the third or fourth year now I have made the Turkey using this particular recipe and it always turns out juicy and tender. I guess there is a reason they call it a no fail turkey recipe. It is a relatively easy recipe, and it is delicious every time.

    To begin, I remove the turkey from the refrigerator (fully thawed) an let sit out for about an hour to bring the skin area to room temperature. This makes it easier to separate the skin layer from the breasts and sides of the turkey. We remove the neck and giblets and then pat the turkey dry. Salt and pepper the cavity of the turkey. Preheat the oven to three hundred and fifty degrees. We are going to fill the cavity (but not to full that it restricts airflow) with a medium onion, peeled and quartered, one lemon, quartered, and two to three sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and sage. The turkey can then either be placed on a baking rack inside the roasting pan or (as I prefer) placed on a bed of one onion, peeled, and quartered, two large carrots roughly chopped, and three to four stalks celery, roughly chopped.

    Now is the fun part. In a bowl we are going to mix three quarter cup of unsalted butter that has been set out to room temperature. Six cloves of garlic minced (or more if you like garlic the way we do). Salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, and thyme finely chopped. We slide our hand underneath the skin to separate it from the turkey and then we rub about a third of the herb butter all over the breasts and sides under the skin. The remaining herb butter is then rubbed all over the outside of the turkey.

    Place the turkey in the preheated oven (uncovered) and cook for approximately fifteen minutes per pound. About three quarters way through cooking, if turkey is beginning to get too brown, place a foil tent over the top. Once it is done cooking (internal temperature should be 165), let sit for twenty to thirty minutes before carving. Enjoy.

    I am sure that you noticed that I also added a picture of my Banana Cream Pie and Pumpkin pie. You can find the recipes for those on the Ken Cooks page of my website. I have not put the turkey recipe on there yet, but here is an embed of my Pinterest .

  • Pizza Time!

    Who doesn’t like pizza? You would be hard pressed to find a pizza like mine with such a large amount of toppings. Both of these pizzas are eighteen inches. One is a pepperoni lover’s stuffed crust, and the other is a pepperoni and bacon lover’s. Both sit atop handmade Italian herb dough and are baked to perfection.

    The dough is a pretty basic dough with four cups of bread flour, one instant yeast packet, water, olive oil, and salt. I add garlic powder and Italian seasonings to it. There is not really a set amount to add, you just have to add to your taste. I usually use about a tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and about half that in garlic powder. The dough has to rise for an hour and a half and the cut into two equal parts and rolled out for whatever size pizzas you are making. If you are going to do stuffed crust, you have to add at least two to two and a half inches all the way around for a flap to wrap the cheese sticks. Once you have your dough ready to go, sprinkle your pizza pans with a little cornmeal, place your dough on the pans and then with a fork, poke a whole bunch of small holes in the crust.

    Now, preheat your oven to four hundred degrees and you are ready to start the topping. First thing, smear the dough with pizza sauce. Here, I ignore what the recipe calls for and just put the desired amount that I think it needs. Atop that is placed the mozzarella cheese. I usually use about a cup and a half at this point. This is your creation so you can make the toppings whatever you like. Sometimes I do a meat lover’s pizza that uses almost three pounds of meats. For this meal I just used pepperoni and bacon. I used an entire package of pepperoni on each and a pound of cottage bacon from Yoder Meats. After the meats I like to sprinkle the top with dried parsley to add that little extra something.

    Lastly, top each pizza with another cup and a half of mozzarella cheese, or as much as you like, place it in the oven for about twenty to twenty-five minutes until the crust turns golden brown, remove from the oven, slice, and serve. I usually also make bread-sticks too, but time has been limited for me lately so maybe next time. Enjoy!

  • Brown Sugar and Balsamic Crock-pot Pork Tenderloin

    This week, I made Brown Sugar and Balsamic Pork Tenderloin in the crockpot with Steakhouse style garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli and it was fantastic. It is a pretty simple and easy meal to make.

    To get started the first step is to brown the tenderloin. The recipe from Pinterest says to put it in the broiler of the oven but I prefer to use my Dutch oven and before I got my Dutch oven I just did it in a skillet. Once you have browned the tenderloin on all sides you rub it good with a mix of minced garlic and select spices, pour a half cup of water into your crock-pot, and place the tenderloin in the crock-pot on low for seven to eight hours.

    About one hour before the tenderloin is done cooking it is time to make the glaze. In a small sauce pan you mix brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, water, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Place the pan over medium heat and once it heats up, stir continuously for four minutes or until the glaze reaches the desired thickness. Over the last hour of cooking, you brush the tenderloin with the glaze. Again, here the recipe says to do this three times, but I do it at least five times and whatever glaze that is left you put out on the side for anyone who might like more added after it has been served.

    The recipe for this dish, and the Steakhouse Style Garlic Mashed Potatoes can be easily found on the Ken Cooks page of my website, www.ken_wright_enterprises.com.  I hope that you enjoy my blogs and are trying these dishes. Leave me a comment or email at kenneth@ken_wright_enterprises.com and let me know what you think.

  • Lasagna

    Lasagna

    Today on Ken Cooks, I made one of my wife’s favorite dishes. Yes, she does a happy dance when I make Lasagna. The absolute best thing I can tell you about Lasagna recipes is that you never want a recipe that tells you to use pre-made sauce from a jar. Always make your own sauce, you will thank me for that piece of advice.

    My Lasagna begins with one-pound hamburger, one-pound Italian sausage, onion, and garlic. I cook these together in my Dutch oven until nicely browned. The recipe calls for sweet Italian sausage, but you can use whatever fits your taste, I use mild.

    I then add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water followed by seasonings. Sugar, parsley, basil (I always use fresh herbs when possible.), salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and black pepper. This makes the best meat sauce. Let simmer, covered for one and a half hours, stirring occasionally.

    While the sauce is simmering, you can prepare your ricotta cheese mix and boil your noodles. In a separate bowl you mix your ricotta cheese with parsley and salt and boil your noodles according to package directions for al dente. Once the noodles are done, I like to coat them with olive oil and lay them out on a baking sheet to prevent sticking.

    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and then you are ready to start layering. In a nine by thirteen baking dish, you begin with spreading two cups of meat sauce and covering them with five to six noodles overlapped. Follow with half the ricotta mix and one third of the mozzarella cheese slices (I always add extra mozzarella slices and some shredded.) Two more cups meat sauce on top of that followed by one quarter cup shredded Parmesan atop that (again, I add extra cause we like it cheesy.) Repeat the layers and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

    Cover the dish with aluminum foil making sure it doesn’t touch the cheeses and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. Let rest for fifteen minutes and serve. Delicious.

    If you would like the exact recipe, you can find it on the Ken Cooks page of my website: www.ken-wright-enterprises.com

  • Shout out to Yoder Meats

    This week on my blog I have decided to give a shoutout to Yoder Meats. This is where I prefer to buy the majority of my meats from as well as other cooking and baking needs. Yoder Meats has five locations. Three in Wichita, Ks, one in Yoder, Ks, and a new location in Lawrence, Ks. Even though I live in Wichita, I tend to do most of my business at the Yoder location. The young ladies who work there always wear a smile and are extremely helpful and courteous.

    All of their beef, pork, and sheep are locally raised, grain-fed, all natural, antibiotic free, with no added hormones or growth stimulants. Their pork is outstanding and locally raised and they have a variety of poultry products as well as exotic meat choices such as Buffalo, Elk, and Lamb.

    You can also find a variety of delicious baked goods, deli meats and cheeses, and grocery items such as spices, jellies, jams, syrups, bakery supplies, and gluten free products. They even have products for the pets that you love to spoil. (My wife and I love their cottage bacon, it makes excellent bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches).

    You can purchase meats in single units in the store, or you can order from their bulk packages menu. I like to order bulk packages when I can and stock my freezer with a variety of meats for planning various meals. It always saves money to buy in bulk. You can also buy in whole, half, or quarters, which would fill the freezer fast.

    They also offer services such as custom processing. You can bring your own animals: cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer etc. and they will process and pack the meat to your specifications.

    Yoder Meats is a quality operation, and I am happy to promote them on my page. Here is their contact information at the Yoder location and their website, I recommend you try them.

    YODER MEATS

    3509 E. Switzer Rd.
    Yoder, KS 67585
    Phone:     620-465-3807
    Email:     yoderretail@yodermeatsks.com
    10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Saturda    y

    https://yodermeatsks.com

  • Fresh Baked Bread

    One of the best smelling aromas from my kitchen is fresh baked bread. I like a variety of breads such as, Cinnamon Swirl, Italian Crusty, White, Wheat, Sweet Molasses Brown, Garlic Rosemary, and Italian Herb and Cheese to name a few.

    Today, I am going to talk about Italian Herb and Cheese. Very Delicious and not difficult to make. The recipe can be found on my Ken Cooks web page by going to the Gallery and clicking, not on the picture but on the name.

    As with all bread, it starts with making the dough, placing it in a covered bowl to rise for about an hour till doubled in size. While the dough is rising, in a separate bowl you combine all the cheeses, fresh herbs, and garlic ( I always try to use fresh herbs whenever possible and mince the garlic fresh from cloves).

    Once the dough has risen, you punch it down to release any trapped air that may have accumulated then roll it out on a floured surface to a rectangle about twelve by eighteen inches. Sprinkle your prepared cheese and herb mix evenly over the entire surface and then from the long edge roll tightly until you have formed an 18-inch log. Now use a sharp knife and cut the log in half lengthwise.

    Here is the part that’s a little tricky. Take the two halves and turn them so that the filling is facing outward away from each other and then cross the two strips over each other to form a long twist, coil into a circle and transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rest for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees and then bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.

    This bread is unbelievably delicious. I guarantee you will love it. It is one of the absolute best breads that I make, and I get a lot of requests for it. Bread is always fun and delicious to make. However, keep in mind that if you do not have a stand mixer you have to mix by hand, and it requires a little bit of effort. I always mix by hand because that is how my grandmother taught me, she always said, “that’s the love that you put into it.”

  • Soup in a Pretzel Bread Bowl

    Today on Ken Cooks I have made a delicious dish of Cheesy Kielbasa Potato Soup in a Pretzel Bread Bowl. It is an excellent meal for a chilly day and would be much loved by your family and friends. The pretzel bowl may look hard to make but it is easier than you would think. It starts with an easy to make dough (even easier if you have a stand mixer but I mix by hand), then you let the dough rise for 45 minutes. After it has risen you divide it into four equal parts, then form them into balls, pinching the seam together on the bottom to make a seal. On a baking sheet with parchment paper, you let them rise another 30 minutes. Next, you brush them with egg wash, sprinkle them with coarse kosher salt, and slice an X in the top. Bake them at 450 degrees for 20 minutes until the tops are a golden brown. You can use any soup you like; you don’t have to use Cheesy Kielbasa Potato soup. However, if you wish to use the same soup, you can find the recipe for both the soup and the bread bowl on my Ken Cooks page of my website.