Fare Exchange: Finding ways for citrus-flavored rolls, vinaigrette

Jane Henegar

Good morning; good rain-filled, crisp-air, promising morning. Here are today's challenges: tomato basil soup, homemade kefir, curry as served at Sawasdee Thai Restaurant and risotto made with Arborio rice.

G.B. surveyed her Lookout Mountain garden and wrote, "I have wonderful tomatoes running out of my doors and I love tomato basil soup but can't find a recipe. Do you have a recipe for such?"

The remaining requests came from "Regular Reader" and included a request for homemade kefir, as well as one for the mild curry served at Sawasdee Restaurant - "it's not on the menu, but it is just right."

And finally, reading about rice pilaf has gotten this reader hungry for another special rice dish: risotto prepared with Arborio rice.

Betsy Zbinden was looking for an answer to Jane Guthrie's recent request for how to get the canned taste out of green beans. No answer appeared, so Zbinden supplied her own.

"I love your column and read it faithfully. This last Wednesday, I fully expected to see an answer to Jane Guthrie's question about how to get the canned taste out of green beans. When nobody responded, I decided the time had come for me to chip in for all of the good tips and recipes I have gotten over the years. I use Allen's Italian Cut green beans all the time. I drain and rinse them; then I cook them in chicken broth and chopped onion. They are delicious, taste garden fresh and are almost fat free."

There is more than one way to pilaf rice, we are finding and, for today, here's the one supplied by Patsy Evitt.

Rice Pilaf

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cup chopped onion

2 (4-ounce) cans sliced mushrooms, drained

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 cup long grain rice

2 cups minced Italian parsley

Sauté onion in oil until tender. Add mushrooms, broth and rice. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in almonds and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

This citrus-laced roll recipe utilizes a package of hot roll mix - the tests used Pillsbury Specialty Mix Hot Roll Mix - and came in a large assortment from an anonymous reader, who saved it from Southern Living in 2011.

Lemon-Orange Rolls

1 (16-ounce) package hot roll mix

1/4 cup butter, softened and divided

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons orange zest

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

Prepare roll mix according to package directions. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Roll 1 portion of dough into a 12-by-18-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread with 2 tablespoons butter.

Stir together granulated sugar and next 2 ingredients; sprinkle half of sugar mixture over butter on dough rectangle. Roll up rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, butter and sugar mixture.

Cut each roll into 1/2-inch slices and place slices in cups of 4 lightly greased 12-cup miniature muffin pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans to wire racks and let cool 5 minutes.

Stir together powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth; drizzle over tops of rolls.

Note: If needed, you can bake these miniature rolls in batches. Just refrigerate any extra dough while you wait to refill the pans.

In the same collection came an assortment of vinaigrettes, including this one that is recommended for any favorite Mexican or Asian salad.

Zesty Lime Vinaigrette

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/3 cup lime juice

1/2 tablespoon honey

Dash cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients and add a little lime zest to add, well, zest.

The Shapiro pickle memories are sharp for many of us. Becky McGee continues that conversation.

"Since you posted the recipe I sent you from Barney at Shapiro's ... seems you have received an awful lot of inquires. I wanted to let you know, so perhaps you can pass this on to your readers. The recipe was given to Helen Exum and she published it, just as I gave it to you, for others that might be interested. However, Barney made a huge amount of these pickles, and as he noted, the ingredients would have to be adjusted for a smaller amount. He never measured anything and they always were wonderful! The recipe is in Helen Exum's 'Chattanooga Cook Book' published in the '70's. Wish I could give more information so your readers would be happier but that is exactly as he told her.

"Barney Brody had no way of measuring exactly how much of the different spices he used, but said you can experiment. Just be sure you always use enough dill and garlic with the other ingredients. He always used kosher salt but he thought any salt would be fine as long as it is not iodized. Hope this will work out for those of us that so loved his pickles."

In a search for an easy cocktail quiche, Adelaide Evanston found this spinach version. "I like that it has flour in the filling so it will be more substantial and easier to cut. I also will substitute thawed and very well-squeezed frozen chopped spinach, and 1/2 cup of whole eggs in the place of Egg Beaters, and half-and-half for the nonfat milk. It doesn't seem like skimping on ingredients is a help at all."

Crustless but Crusty Spinach Quiche

1 medium onion, diced

6 ounces fresh baby spinach

2 large eggs

1/2 cup egg beaters (liquid substitute)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Generous pinch cayenne pepper

1 1/3 cups non fat milk

1/2 cup feta cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly grease a 10-inch quiche/tart pan or a pie plate.

In a medium frying pan, cook diced onion with a bit of vegetable oil or cooking spray over medium-high heat until translucent and tender. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Set aside to cool for a few minutes

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and egg substitute, flour and baking powder. Whisk in milk, then stir in spinach-onion mixture.

Pour quiche base into prepared pan. Top with feta cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, or until center is set and the outside edge is golden brown.

Let set for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

With such a light and colorful touch we will conclude. Remember to tell us what indispensables there are in your kitchen (Our latest favorites, by the way, are ramekins, suited for every occasion, microwave- and oven-safe.) You will thus supply Kitchen Must-Haves, and if you will tell us what you have been doing that is easy and successful, you will supply the next entry to Just a Dash (perhaps better known as Kitchen Must-Do's).

Spectators and copiers are abundantly welcome as well. The one who records it all fits into both categories.