Summer eats and treats

8/7/10

Have you ever had a Navajo taco??? MMMMMMMMM you must! You can either come on down to the Washington Co. Fair next week and pay $10 for one, or make your own. I have found a way around having to make your own dough (I hate making dough) so it's super easy. You'll need to get a package of these:
Rhodes Texas Rolls, found in the freezer section. Basically, they are balls of raw frozen dough that you thaw out and let raise for perfect fluffy rolls OR scones/Navajo tacos. Or you can buy a package of their frozen bread dough and transform them into cinnamon rolls. OK, now I'm going to have to post that recipe, too.

Navajo Tacos

by Melissa Yoder

12 (or desired amount) Rhodes Texas Rolls frozen dough, thawed and raised to double in size* (takes 3-6 hours)
vegetable oil

Suggested toppings:
refried beans
taco meat (ground beef cooked with a taco spice packet)**
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
diced tomato
diced avocado or guacamole
sour cream
shredded lettuce

For sweet toppings, try:
honey or honey butter
jam with whipped cream
butter and powdered sugar

Fill a deep skillet with 1-2 inches of vegetable oil--heat on med-high to 350-375°F. Shape dough into flattened rounds about 8 inches across. You may combine two balls of dough to produce a bigger fry bread. Deep fry until golden brown--about 30 seconds on each side. Set aside on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Top with desired toppings and dig in!

* To speed up the thawing process, you can nuke the frozen rolls for about 25 seconds on each side, then cover and let raise.

**Some people just use a can of chile con carne instead of separate beans and meat. Use whatever suits your taste.

Next, you're going to need a package of these:

One loaf of dough translates into one dozen of these:

Loaded Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

by Melissa Yoder

1 loaf Rhodes frozen bread dough, thawed and raised to double in size (takes 3-6 hours)
1/4 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
dental floss or large serrated knife

(Bear in mind I don't usually measure out these ingredients exactly, so you may need more or less.)

After the dough has thawed and raised, roll into a large rectangle, keeping edges square, to 1/4-1/2" thickness. Spread entire surface with melted butter. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts.

Starting with the longer side of the rectangle of dough, roll it tightly into a spiral, pinching the final edge of the dough onto the main roll, sealing it all together. Cut into 12 rounds using a length of clean dental floss (slide it underneath the roll, cross at the top and pull the floss in opposite directions to cut through) or serrated knife, taking care not to squish the roll. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let raise a second time, about 30 minutes. Bake as directed in a 350°F oven for about 12 minutes.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 stick butter, softened
1 Tbl. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and milk and blend thoroughly. Add powdered sugar to reach desired consistency--can be thinned with milk if needed. Store extra in fridge.