Simple Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

3 - 4 cups all-purpose flour

2 packages dry yeast (4.5 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

Filling:

Softened butter for spreading

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Icing:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon butter

1/8 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 Teaspoons hot water

Directions:

Dough:

mix together 1 3/4 cups flour, yeast, and salt. set aside.

in a small saucepan, heat the milk, water, butter, and sugar over med-low heat until it reaches 120-130F, stirring constantly. pour into the dry mixture and beat until smooth.

add egg and 1/2 cup flour and beat for another 2 minutes.

gradually add enough flour to make a soft dough (probably cup or two).

knead dough. cover and rest for 20 minutes.

once dough has risen, roll out into a rectangle, approximately 1/4” thick (note the thinner the dough the more rolls you have and the more layers your cinnamon roll will have). spread softened butter over top, and sprinkle filling over top, leaving a 1/2” border all the way around.

Filling:

combine brown sugar and cinnamon. (double amounts, if necessary, to cover the area.)

roll the dough as for a jelly roll, keeping it as tight as possible. when you get to the end, pinch the dough along the top. Trim the ends and cut roll into 12 rounds, using a knife or bench scraper. place rolls on a greased pan and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. let cool slightly, then top with glaze.

Glaze: 
combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and hot water and stir until you reach a smooth consistency.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Ingredients:

1 lb Chicken breasts

6 slices bacon, cooked and diced

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 package (1 oz) ranch dressing mix

1 can (10.75 ounce) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup water

8 oz. spaghetti cooked

Directions:

Spray 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, place chicken breasts in cooker. In medium bowl combine remaining ingredients except spaghetti, and when combined pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken breasts from croc and smother in sauce and let rest. Add the pasta to the crock and cook for 15 minutes or until desired doneness. Shred chicken and toss with pasta and sauce mixture.

Suzy Q's Cake

Ingredients

Cake

1 box Chocolate cake mix (prepared per package directions) + 1 extra egg

*cocoa powder for dusting the pan

Filling

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups Marshmallow Fluff

3 cups powdered sugar

Frosting

1/4 C Melted butter

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 C cocoa

1/3 C Milk

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

3 1/2 C Powdered Sugar

Directions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°

Grease 2 9x13 sized pans with butter and dust with cocoa powder, set aside.

Prepare cake according to package directions, but add in an extra egg to the mix.

Split the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake for 10-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow cakes to cool completely you can put them in the freezer to lock in extra moisture.

Filling:

In stand mixer beat butter and Fluff together until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add in powdered sugar. Turning mixer back up, continue mixing for 30-60 seconds until smooth.

Spread the filling on top of one of the cakes. Top the filling with the other cake.

Frosting:

Make a half batch of the above Recipe. Combine the butter, cocoa, and salt and stir. Gradually add milk and vanilla, stir in sugar in three parts (I had to add some extra milk to thin down my frosting to get the consistency I wanted).

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oats (quick or old fashioned)

2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugars.  Stir in peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well combined.  Add flour, baking soda and salt.  Fold in oats and chocolate chips and mix until combined.  Roll into 1" balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Apple Pie

Filling:

6 Apples (I used Gala), peeled, cored and sliced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Topping:

1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 stick (8 Tbsp. butter), room temperature

Crust:

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

½ cup vegetable oil

2 Tbsp water (or more by the teaspoon)

Directions for Crust:

In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt, whisk to combine. Stir in oil and water. Mix until combined then form into a ball. If you need more water add by the teaspoon until a moist ball forms. Spray your pie plan with non-sick cooking spray, push down your dough ball and spread it towards the edge. Do the best you can to evenly pull it up the sides and it is up to you if you want to do a fancy edge I simply rolled mine to make it smooth.  This is a very forgiving dough so if it tears then simply pinch it back together.

Directions for Filling:

I like to make the crust and put it in the fridge to firm up while I make the filling. Peel, core and slice your apples evenly and then drop them in a bowl. Add flour, sugar, and cinnamon and mix until evenly coated if some of the sugar mix doesn’t stick I still sprinkle it in the pan over the apples.

Directions for the Crumble Topping:

In a bowl combine flour, and sugar, then add in softened butter Use a large fork and combine the flour mixture with the butter until it looks crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture all over the top of the pie.

Baking:

Bake on the center rack at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. I had to cover mine after 30 to prevent the crumble from getting to dark.

Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients:

1 stick Butter

20 oz Caramel

1 can Sweet and Condensed Milk

10 Oz (or more) Marshmallows

10 Oz (or more) Rice Krispies

Directions:

Melt butter in a sauce pan, once melted add caramel and melt on a low to medium heat. Don’t get the heat to high or it will burn the butter before it melts the caramel. I like to use a wisk so it stays smooth. Once caramel is melted add the can of sweet and condensed milk and stir until dissolved. Add your marshmallows and stir until melted. Once melted remove from the heat and add you rice krispies (as much as you would like. I like a gooier rice krispie treat so I add less rice krispies) and stir. Remember to spray your spoon and cookie sheet. Flatten out until desired thickness and let sit to set up.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups pasta cooked (pasta of your choice)

2 medium chicken breasts

10-12 baby carrots sliced

5-6 bouillon cubes

1 tsp. onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Direction:

Fill stock pot with 10 cups water and bring to a boil. Boil your chicken breasts until cooked, remove and let sit while you add your 5 bouillon cubes and onion powder to the boiling water with chicken juices. Once dissolved add your pasta I used bow-tie pasta so it took about 10-15 minutes to cook, stir occasionally. While the pasta is cooking I roughly shredded the chicken. When the pasta is almost finished cooking add your carrots. When you carrots are close to being done check the flavor of your broth if needed add another bouillon cube (I prefer the flavor with 6 cubes) Add the shredded chicken and turn your heat to low and let it all simmer for 8-10 minutes. I served mine with my homemade whole wheat toast and it went along nicely. Enjoy

Note:

If you are using an small onion chop it up and brown it in the same pan before you add your water for cooking the chicken.

Baked Glazed Donuts

Yield: 10 to 14 doughnuts

For the doughnuts:

1 egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup milk, heated to 115 degrees

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached flour, divided, plus more for kneading

1 stick butter (4 ounces), cut into 1″ cubes

For the glaze:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup cold water or milk

(if you want chocolate glaze add a small amount of cocoa but remember a little cocoa goes along way!)

Directions:

In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the egg and sugar on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add in the milk, yeast, salt, and vanilla. Turn the mixer to low, and then add in 2 cups of the flour. Attach the dough hook and then on medium speed, add the butter one piece at a time until smooth. Reduce the speed to low, and then add the rest of the flour until the dough sticks to the hook and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should be soft and moist, but not sticky.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in a mixing bowl coated with cooking spray and cover with a damp towel. Let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and roll it out to about 1/2" thickness. With biscuit cutters, cut out 3″ circles with 1″ holes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the doughnuts 1″ apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on top of the preheating oven until almost doubled in size, about 25 minutes.

Bake until light golden in color, 5-8 minutes.

For glaze:

Mix all ingredients together until smooth.  If the glaze seems a big too runny, add more powdered sugar.  If the glaze seems too thick, add a bit more water or milk.  Dip 1/2 of the doughnut into the glaze, and then rest glaze side up on wax or parchment paper to dry or I put mine in the freezer to set the glaze. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Red Velvet Oreos

Cookie Bases:

1 Red Velvet cake mix

1/3 - 1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

Directions:

Combine all three ingredients to form dough. If the dough is too sticky add up to 1/4 cup flour. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. (I use a cookie scoop to create uniform cookies). Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees. (Place in a sealed container in you want a soft and chewy cookie)

Cream Cheese Filling:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup softened butter

Directions:

Mix the cream cheese and softened butter together and then add powder sugar one cup at a time. Frost the bottom of each cookie and top with a second cookie. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk (to make your own see directions below)

1/4 cup yogurt (vanilla, berry, or plain)

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 3/4 c mini chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prep muffin cups with liners or non-stick cooking spray. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk sugar, buttermilk, yogurt, oil, egg and vanilla until combined. In a larger bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.

Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.

Fill the muffin tins about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before removing muffins from muffin tin and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Note:

I didn't have buttermilk so I made my own by adding 2 tablespoons lemon juice to 1 cup milk. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to curdle.