Beef and Mozzarella Baked Rotini & Walnut and Brown-Sugar Rugelach

It was suggested this week, seeing as a double recipe attempt is becoming a reoccurring thing, that I mention that a second pair of hands (my husband) is helpful.

Today's recipes resulted in a whirlwind of emotions. The Beef and Mozzarella Baked Rotini recipe was torn out of the Canadian Living Magazine.

The Walnut and Brown-Sugar Rugelach recipe was torn out of the Everyday Food Magazine.

I started with the ingredients for the Rugelach. All of which are easily found at any grocery store.

I proceeded to make the dough in the food processor I have used 3 times now since I got it a couple years ago for Christmas.

It does not come together like a customary dough would. It was very soft.

I set up two pieces of plastic wrap and scooped the dough out as evenly as I could.

Wrapped them up and put them in the fridge for 2 hours.

While the dough was firming in the fridge I made the Tomato Sauce required for the Rotini dish. I substituted both fresh basil and bay leaves for dry. The reason was because I could not find either fresh at the grocery store. I used 1 tsp of dried basil and two dried bay leaves.

It was easy to prepare and it was flavourful.

This is where the second pair of hands became useful. As I assembled the Rugelach, my husband put together the Rotini.

The ingredients for the Rotini were the following.

As my husband proceeded with the preparation of the Rotini dish, (it appeared to be quite easy to assemble) I attempted the Ruglach.

I removed one disc of dough from the fridge and started to roll it out on the floured parchment paper. My first mistake was not allowing the dough to thaw. Second mistake I rolled the dough out too thin. I had seen early on in the dough making process that it was very soft. I should have known what to expect next. I brushed the egg wash onto the dough, sprinkled the brown sugar and then the walnuts. Used the pizza cutter to cut the dough into the 16 wedges then, expected to be able to roll each triangle into the center only to end up with ripped up dough and a frustration level that was increasingly getting worse. I threw the first disc and all of it's topping into the garbage. The second try was better.

I ended up rolling fourteen of them successfully. Others ripped just like the ones before. I was so frustrated at this point that I put them into the oven and a couple minutes later rushed to get them out. I had forgotten to brush the egg wash on top. Back into the oven they went.

All though the recipe states to bake for 30 to 32 minutes, I ended up taking mine out at the 25 minute mark.

Meanwhile my husband brought together the elements for the Rotini dish.

My husband has never been one for following recipes exactly. He advised me after this was brought together that he has added more sauce then was asked for.

It went into the oven and came out looking like this.

I am glad he added the additional sauce. I think it may have been to dry without it.

So, I am definitely KEEPing the Beef and Mozzarella Baked Rotini dish. It was easy to assemble and tasted very good. I had seconds, even though I shouldn't have. While making the Walnut and Brown-Sugar Rugelach I experienced so many mixed emotions. The dough did not co-operate and the flavour turned out to be nothing special. I really want to burn this recipe. It made me angry. I am ripping it into tiny little pieces and TOSSing it into the garbage.

Weight Watcher's followers: For 1/10 of the Rotini dish it is a hefty 12 points. You could possibly reduce it by not adding so much cheese. One Rugelach is 4 points. I don't know about you but I'm not wasting my points on that.