Cinnamon Rolls

I usually make the bang-on-the-counter kind of cinnamon rolls.  Kendra at Preschoolers and Peace shared this from scratch recipe with me.  I made it for Thanksgiving morning.  How good was it?  Well let's just say my family won't let me make the bang-against-the-counter kind of rolls again.  Yes, they're that good!

Cinnamon Rolls
Dough:
1 T. dry yeast
1 C. warm milk
1/3 C. white sugar
1/2 C. melted butter
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 C. flour
Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Knead into a ball. Let rise until double in size. When ready, roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Spread with filling.

Filling:
1/4 C. butter, softened
1 C. brown sugar
3 T. cinnamon

Spread butter on dough evenly. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over dough evenly. Roll dough up. Slice roll into 1 inch slices. Place on a greased pan. Let rise again until doubled. bake 10 min. at 400 degrees.

Icing:
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 oz. cream cheese
2 T. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Beat until fluffy. When rolls are hot, spread lots of icing on them.

If baking in the morning make the dough, let rise, then make the rolls.  Instead of letting them rise again, just wrap them up and put in the fridge.  The next morning put them in the oven while it's preheating.  When the oven is preheated start the timer.   Makes a 9x13 pan...about 16-18 scrumptious rolls!   

These are soooo delicious!   The best!  

Spiced Hang-Ups

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Since we were on the topic of gingerbread men yesterday I thought I'd share with you my recipe for Spiced Hang Ups today over at Raising Homemakers.  Go check it out HERE.



* Tomorrow will be Part 2 of my answers to the "Just Ask" post. *

Cinnamon Candied Apples

Cinnamon Candied Apples

I know this recipe is a little more fall-ish than anything but since fair food season is just around the corner, I thought I would share this recipe with you. We tried this recipe last fall. It was a big hit but had everyone running for water when they were done with their apple! It's a little caliente, but totally worth it!


2 bags of Brach's cinnamon red hots
1/2 c. water
12 medium sized apples (we used golden delicious)
12 popsicle sticks or skewers

Mix the red hots and water in a saucepan over medium high heat. Mix constantly to prevent burning the candy. Mix until all the red hots are melted and remove from heat. Let it sit for a minute or so to let it cool a bit. While the candy is cooling put the apples on the sticks and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (they'll stick to wax paper). **Tilt the saucepan and dip the apples in the candy while spinning to coat the apples. Let them cool for a few minutes and enjoy!! The candy coating is nice and chewy but spicy hot! It sure clears the nasal passages!!

** If you are called away from your apples for a bit and the candy in the pan has gotten too thick to put on your apple you can add a smidge of water and then put the pot back on the stove and mix to thin the candy a bit.

Old House French Toast

I've revamped one of our favorite family breakfast dishes, again. It was good before, but this time it has a secret ingredient! Brown sugar!  It adds a delicious flavor to the french toast. It's so scrumptious! 

Old House French Toast

1 loaf buttermilk bread (approx. 18 slices)

8 eggs beaten
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 T vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar (loosely packed)


Mix everything (except the bread!) together well. I use my electric griddle to cook french toast. I set it between 375 and 400, but use the temp you think is best and keep your eye on them! Lift up a corner...when the one side is done...flip 'em!  These are really good with Old House Baked Eggs, but we often have them all by themselves.  Enjoy!

Baked Carrots

I think this dish tastes a bit like sweet potatoes. We have it every Thanksgiving and Christmas and sometimes in between. Let me know what you think!

Baked Carrots

2 cup cooked and mashed carrots
3/4 cup sugar
3 T flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick butter (softened)
3 eggs, beaten

Mix all ingredients. Place in a greased 9x9 casserole dish. Top with cinnamon or cloves. (I do a smidge of clove and a smidge more cinnamon...how's that for precise?!).
Bake 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Cinnamon Chicken

In season 6 of Little House on the Prairie there's an episode where Laura makes a meal for Almonzo but Nellie is pretending that she made it. Laura is upset with Nellie so she puts cayenne pepper in the mix instead of cinnamon. It's one of my favorite episodes. Hilarious to say the least!

Every time I make this the kids chatter on and on about that episode. But then of course we have to a-hem and remind them that it wasn't very nice of Laura. (But it sure was funny!)

Cinnamon Chicken
2 whole chickens (see note below)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
2 T. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic salt

Blend together broth, cinnamon, honey, lemon juice, cumin, chili powder, and garlic salt. Place chicken in a large ungreased roasting pan (I use my roaster); pour mixture over chicken. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours. (Make sure that you have plenty of room between the chickens to let air circulate.) Let them rest for about 20 minutes to retain moisture.

Note: You can use chicken pieces such as breast on the bone with skin. Cooking time will be less (about an hour) and you'll want to lower the temperature to about 375 degrees.

Sour Cream Blueberry Bread

This is a regular morning treat at our house. Usually on Sunday mornings when we are busily getting ready for church. It's originally a Williams-Sonoma recipe but I've tweaked it a bit. The sour cream makes it so moist.

Sour Cream Blueberry Bread

2 med-ripe bananas
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 lg. eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 heaping cup of blueberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan. Mash bananas well w/ a fork and set aside. Stir together flour, sugar, soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, vanilla, butter and bananas. Stir wet and dry ingredients until moist. Carefully fold in blueberries. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50-60 minutes (until done...test it first with a cake tester or knife). Let cool in pan on a rack for 5-10 minutes. Turn the loaf out onto the rack and cool completely. Wrap it up to keep it fresh. This bread freezes well, too!

--I quadruple the recipe to make four loaves at one time, but you'll need a really big bowl!

Baked Oatmeal

This is a much requested breakfast treat.  May your family enjoy it as much as mine!

Baked Oatmeal

Mix:
4 1/2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
3 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 t. salt

In a separate bowl mix:
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. applesauce*(or oil)

Mix and bake in 9x13 greased pan in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 25-30 minutes


*Note: The applesauce tastes much better than the oil (in my opinion anyway).

I mix this (dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another (and put in the fridge)) the night before so all I have to do in the morning is preheat the oven, mix all of it together, pour in a pan and pop it in the oven. I also add raisins to one half since half of my gang doesn't like raisins. (Just spoon them over one half and push them down in a bit.)

I'm sure there's a healthier alternative to the brown sugar...if anyone has any ideas, let me know!

Cherry Cinnamon Applesauce

This recipe is a Frays family favorite (my mother-in-law's side).  It's fairly easy and the kiddos love to help make it.  It can be either a "fruity dessert" or a "sweet and fruity side dish". I'll let you decide on that one.   

Cherry Cinnamon Applesauce

2 cups water

1/2 cup cinnamon candies (Red Hots)

1 quart applesauce  (4 cups for those of you playing along at home)

2 small (.3 ounce) packages of cherry Jello®

Boil water and cinnamon candies.  Stir until the candies are dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in Jello®  until dissolved.  Stir in applesauce.  Carefully pour into a 2 or more quart dish.  Don't refrigerate right away because putting very hot items in the refrigerator makes the motor run more to get it back to the proper temp.   So wait at least 30 minutes or so.  Chill the dish at least 4 hours until set.