Southern Frog

Well, we heard we were going to get snow. We heard it would be a lot of snow. It was! We had more snow than I have ever seen in a place where I have lived. We live in a retirement community and many of the people who retire here are from “up North.” This is the first place I have ever lived where people have snow shovels. Well, they needed them this weekend.

A little before, during and after . . .

Observe the noble frog.

We are so thankful that it was snow and not ice like last year. Unfortunately, not everybody was so lucky. I understand that a lot of places got ice. Never fear, the sun will shine again, and the snow will start to melt.

Hope your homes and hearts are warm. – Christi

Go check out all the before and afters at:

Today’s Lagniappe: Parmesan Pull-Aparts
When the cook gets snowed in, the cook starts baking!

* 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-oz package)
* 1 teaspoon mild honey or sugar
* 2/3 cup warm milk (105–115°F), divided
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 Tbsp for sprinkling
* 1 1/4 cups grated (with a rasp) Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/3 oz)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 large eggs
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into Tbsp pieces and softened
* 1 tablespoon water

Stir together yeast, honey, and 1/3 cup warm milk in mixer bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, start over with new yeast.) Whisk together flour (2 1/2 cups), cheese, and salt, then mix into yeast mixture along with remaining 1/3 cup warm milk at low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat in 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until a very soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, until dough is elastic, about 2 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.)
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Scrape dough into center of bowl and sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
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Punch down dough (do not knead) and turn out onto a floured surface. Cut dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball by cupping your hand and pushing dough against work surface as you roll in a circular motion. Arrange rolls 1 inch apart in a buttered 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and cover with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled and dough fills pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
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Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
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Whisk together remaining egg with water and brush on tops of rolls. (You will have leftover egg wash.) Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Loosen edges of rolls from pan with a sharp knife and invert rolls onto a rack, then reinvert and cool at least 20 minutes.