my cinnamon rolls

I have tasted and seen too many sub-par cinnamon rolls lately, and I feel the need to share my methods. I know everyone probably knows how to make their own cinnamon rolls, but just in case there is someone out there who is struggling, perhaps this will help a titch.


I follow my favorite basic roll recipe to the T (see it below), and when the recipe calls to "shape the rolls" I roll out the dough for my cinnamon rolls. You want to make a rectangle shape. The longer and skinnier you make it, the more (smaller) rolls you will make. If you make a square, your rolls will be humongus and you will make far less.
Next I take cold butter, about 1/4 cup, cut into tiny pieces, and scatter them on the dough. (You could add an extra 1/8 cup butter and only make it better.) The problem with most rolls I taste is the butter issue. I know butter is fatty and whatever, but YOU CANNOT SKIMP THE BUTTER WHEN YOU MAKE CINNAMON ROLLS! Without enough butter you end up with rolls without the goo. Trust me- you want the goo.

I'm sure someone out there in the world measures, but I don't, so I sprinkle the cinnamon all over- MAKE SURE YOU GET THE EDGES REALLY GOOD, you are going to wipe the counter off anyway, right?

Next I sprinkle hand fulls of brown sugar until.... well covered. I'm sorry, I don't measure.


Then start the roll.

When cutting the rolls, you are NEVER EVER ALLOWED TO USE A KNIFE! Cinnamon flavored dental floss is the best way to go. Simply slide the floss under the roll, twist the two ends and pull. This will cut the roll from the outside all at once. The ends usually have the least numminess, so scoop up all the filling that falls out as you cut the rolls and stuff them inside and on top of the end pieces- that way they aren't a waste. A little butter on them would work wonders as well.
Place on a greased pan NOT TOUCHING! My roll recipe calls for 1 hour of raising after the rolls are shaped, so they get plenty big.Cook them according to roll directions. When finished, drizzle with frosting and enjoy!

MY FAVORITE ROLL RECIPE

These rolls are super soft and nummy even without the cinnamon roll stuff.

Apple Pancakes

Apple Pancakes

Add 2 granny smith apples (peeled and grated) and 1 tsp cinnamon (optional) to your pancake batter. (I use Lehi Roller Mills Pancake mix, (lehi pride))

Syrup Recipe

1 Cup Sugar
2 TBL Cornstarch
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Cup treetop Apple Cider
2 TBL. lemon juice
1/4 cup butter

Mix dry ingredients in sauce pan. Stir in apple cider and lemon juice. Heat to boiling stirring constantly....boil 1 minute. Turn heat off, and add butter.

For a large group, 4x or 6x the recipe and you will have leftovers. Just freeze remaining syrup. thaw a little and then warm up in a sauce pan when you want to reuse.

Spinach Quiche

INGREDIENTS

2	cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated garlic butter crescent dinner rolls (8 rolls each)
1	package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3	Eggland's Best eggs
1	small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
1	box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/8	teaspoon pepper
1	cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

DIRECTIONS

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 16 (2 3/4x1 1/4-inch) muffin cups with CRISCO® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray.
2.	Separate each can of crescent dough into 8 triangles. Press 1 triangle on bottom and up side of each muffin cup.
3.	In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in onion, spinach, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold in cheese. Fill each cup to the top with egg mixture (do not overfill).
4.	Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and edges of rolls are golden brown. Remove from pan. Serve warm. Thanks to Michelle and Delana for the recipe. It was SO good!

German Pancake's

When I was a kid, my Mom made these all the time. All my other siblings loved them and cheered when they saw it coming out of the oven. I however, hated them. I don't know if I ever even actually tasted them, but being the stubborn kid that I was, I wouldn't touch it. Fast forward 20+ years. . . Six months ago my Mom made them again while we were visiting my brothers family in Las Vegas. I LOVED it. I asked her how she made them (she never has a recipe for anything, yet everything she makes is delicious) and she nonchalantly gave me her most recently made recipe. So, this recipe may be different from the ones you have made in the past, but it works really well for me. I now make this at least once per week and my girls also cheer when they see it in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 420. Place 2 tablespoons of cold butter in a 9x13 dish and put it in the oven to melt. (Don't just melt butter and put it in the pan. The hot pan helps the egg batter to pull away and become inflated.)

combine:

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

(this is how much I make for 2 adults and 2 kids, with one leftover piece. For more servings, increase the eggs to 9, 1.5 cups milk and 1.5 cups flour in the same size pan- that usually serves 4 adults and 2 kids)

Whip it up with a whisk until there are no lumps.

Remove the hot pan from the oven and pour the batter in. Bake it for 17-20 minutes or until it is golden brown and nearly touches the top of the oven. Smother with syrup, applesauce, butter or jam. Enjoy!

Sticky Pull-Apart Buns

you will need:

20 frozen rhodes rolls

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 3.5 oz. box of butterscotch pudding (not instant)

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Grease a 9x9 glass baking dish.

Evenly spread the pecans on the bottom.

Arrange the 20 frozen rolls on top of the nuts.

sprinkle the pudding packet on top of the rolls ( I only used 3/4 of the packet)

then bring the butter and brown sugar to a boil, then pour evenly on top of the rolls. (I didn't boil it, just melted it in the microwave)

Do the prep the night before. The rolls will thaw and raise overnight and in the morning you just stick it in the oven. 350 for 35 minutes. When they come out of the oven just dump them over onto a serving tray.

These are soooooo good and sooooo healthy. Perfect for a breakfast treat on a holiday or for when your mother-in-law and father-in-law are in town. Enjoy!

Bran Muffins

Make no mistake, these are not the dense dry bran muffins you have had before. These are light, sweet, moist parcels of goodness that fill your house with a delicious aroma. 

4 cups 'All Bran' cereal (looks like little sticks)

1 cup shortening or butter

2 cups boiling water

2 cups sugar or honey

1 quart buttermilk

5 cups flour (white or whole wheat)

4 beaten eggs

5 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

mix it all up

Spoon batter into muffin tins until each is 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes. 

***the batter is good in the fridge for 7-10 days**** isn't that AWESOME?!? Just keep it in a ziplock. You can make hot muffins every day of the week. My kids and I LOVE these things. 

thanks Aleena for the recipe! 

Carb Master Yogurt

Okay, another tip. 

There is a certain kind of yogurt that is only sold at Smiths (usually for .33 to .50 each) called Carb Master. It is Kroger Brand. Not only is it yummy but it is currently my favorite thing to eat. 80 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of sugars, and 12 grams of protein. New Years resolutions love this stuff. Check it out.

Breakfast Monte Cristo

This is a perfect dish for Christmas morning. It can be prepared several days in advance and refrigerated until ready to cook and serve.

Monte Cristos (This makes 6 sandwiches.)

12 slices packaged pre-cooked bacon
butter or margarine
12 frozen waffles
18 slices swiss cheese (I buy the prepackaged slices rather than getting it from the deli)
12 slices honey ham (prepackaged.)
12 slices turkey (prepackaged)
Powdered sugar, if desired

1) Heat bacon as directed on package. Set aside.

2) Toast the waffles. Do not butter them at this point...just toast them.

3) Lay the waffles out on wax paper or alum. foil in pairs. On half of the waffles, layer:
1 swiss cheese
2 ham slices
1 bacon piece, broken in half
1 swiss cheese
1 bacon piece, broken in half
2 turkey slices
1 swiss cheese

Top with the remaining waffle.

Now, at this point, you can either spread the sides with butter and cook them in a skillet or electric frying pan until toasted and the cheese is melted, or you can wrap them in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator. If you are preparing it in advance, when you are ready to cook them, unwrap; spread both sides with butter, and cook in electric frying pan (or skillet) until toasted and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with dip.

Raspberry Yogurt Dip

1/2 - 3/4 c. seedless raspberry jam
2 containers (6 oz) red raspberry yogurt (I use Yoplait 99% fat free)

Mix jam and yogurt in a bowl until blended. Serve with Monte Cristo Sandwiches.

French Toast

1 Loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread cut into 8 slices

6-7 eggs

2 1/2 cups milk

1 Tbsp brown sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 Tbsp butter

Butter a glass 9x13 pan.(just spray it with Pam) Place Bread slices flat in pan. Mix all remaining ingredients, reserving the butter and pour over the bread. Cut butter into pieces and dot over the tops. Refrigerate overnight. Bake 45-50 min at 350.

The Bread makes this dish, So those of us who live in Utah are lucky to have a Kneaders Bakery and Cafe. The Bread runs about $4.00 a loaf, and is well worth the money!!!

Matt's Famous Pancakes

Our friends Matt and Angie introduced us to the most amazing pancakes. Matt searched for two years for the perfect recipe, and ultimately created this. When Matt made them for us, they didn't taste like pancakes, but more like creme filled pastries. YUM! 

2 Cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 eggs, separated

2 cups milk

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 Tbsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

Combine dry ingredients. Separate egg, and beat the whites until they begin to stiffen. Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the egg yolk.  Add dry ingredients, and mix well. Lightly fold in egg whites. Fry on a lightly greased frying pan or pancake griddle. 

ENJOY!

*this recipe makes about 20 3-4 inch pancakes

Banana Muffins

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350 F.

Cream suage and butter. Add eggs and beat well. Sift or mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add bananas and vanilla.

Spray or grease muffin cups or use cupcake papers in muffin pans. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 18 muffins.

These are so delicious and easy to make! They go very fast at our house!

Waffles

These waffles are great, they turn out so fluffy and light

Sift 2 cups flour, 1 tsp.salt 1 tsp baking powder, 1/3 cup sugar, and set aside. Add 2 cups milk, 3 eggs yolks. Fold in 3 egg whites that have been beaten. Add all ingredients together and add 6 T oil.

German Pancakes

1 c. milk
1 c. flour
6 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. Butter

1. Heat over to 425
2.Combine milk, flour, eggs & salt
3. In a 9 x 13 pan melt butter in the oven (while its preheating) until it sizzles
4. Pour batter into pan & bake for 15-25 minutes.

Top with powdered sugar, syrup or whatever you usually put on pancakes!

How to boil the perfect egg

Put eggs and a splash of EVOO (olive oil) in saucepan and fill with water until eggs are covered. Put saucepan on high heat burner until water comes to a boil. When the water boils, turn OFF the burner and cover the saucepan with a lid, but DO NOT REMOVE THE PAN FROM THE HOT BURNER. Wait 10 minutes, then the eggs are perfect! To stop the cooking process, you must get the eggs out of the hot water into cold, icy water. After the eggs are cooled, peel them! The olive oil helps the egg-shell come off smoothly without taking chunks of the egg with it.

I learned this from Rachael Ray (I guess I'll give her the credit).

I know this isn't a real recipe, so maybe we could have a new label called "cooking tips."

Whole Wheat Brown Sugar Muffins

1 cube of butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

Cream first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a smaller bowl and mix well. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the brown sugar mixture.

Put into greased muffin tins and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake for 13-15 minutes at 375

(Cairen's recipe) 

Swedish Pancakes

Mix:
2 eggs
1 1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. Wesson oil (any vegetable oil will do)
add:
1 t. baking powder
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 C. flour

Stir well, until there are no lumps. Pour 1/3 cup of batter into heated pan and swirl pan to form flat circle. When edges start to curl and bubbles appear flip and cook on second side until golden.

Top with whatever your heart desires. I love Raspberry jam with fresh bananas and strawberries, finish with a dab of cool whip.

Healthy Bran Muffins

A healthy, fiber and carb packed snack or pre-run breakfast!

*Warning* This makes a big batch!

2 cups water
1 cup grape nuts (boil water and soak grape nuts)

1 qt. buttermilk
2 cups All Bran Cereal
3 cups 100% Bran Cereal
1 cup oil
2 1/2 cups honey
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. salt
4 tsp. baking soda
5 cups whole wheat flour

Mix oil and honey, add eggs, and beat. Add buttermilk, dry ingredients and cereals. Add grape nuts and water, and mix well (don't beat). Chill for 8 hours or overnight.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 cups milk (or rice milk)
4 Tbsp. oil

Makes 16 4" pancakes.

Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

4 english muffins, split

8 eggs, poached with salt and pepper to taste

4-8 slices Ham, or Canadian Bacon

8 ounces velveeta cheese (the kind you find in the box, that is the cream-cheese consistency)

8 ounces evaporated milk

Directions: Toast English muffins. Poach eggs. Warm ham/Canadian Bacon in microwave or frying pan. This recipe is usually made with a "hollandaise sauce" that is difficult to make, and not as good as this "velveeta" sauce. To make the cheese sauce, combine cubed velveeta and evaporated milk, stir constantly over medium to low heat in saucepan. When all lumps are gone, and sauce is warm, take it out and put into a "gravy boat".

To assemble, place the toasted and split english muffins center-side-up. Top with ham, egg, and drizzle cheese sauce over it. Serves 4. It is SOOOOOO good. Thanks to Shauna and Randy for teaching me how to make it!

Rice Pudding

2 C. Cooked Rice (short grain/sticky is best, but really any rice is OK)
2 C. Milk
1 small can Evaporated Milk
Raisins if you want them, I never use them
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 C. + 2 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla

In a small saucepan, scald the Milks together. (That means to warm them constantly stirring right before the boiling point, do not let it boil however, just warm until it is steaming but not bubbling.)
In a heavy 2- or 3- quart saucepan combine Cornstarch, Salt, and Sugar, and blend well. Stir in hot Milk mixture, stirring constantly over medium heat until thick and smooth. Add Rice; reheat to a FULL BOIL. Remove from heat. Crack two Eggs into a small bowl and gently whip. Add hot mixture a few tablespoons at a time while whipping eggs. Then add egg mixture to hot mixture being careful to do it slowly and stirring the whole time. (This is so you don't have little pieces of cooked egg in the mixture. You have to slowly warm up the eggs without cooking them.) Stir until thick over heat for just a minute more. Remove from heat. Stir in Spices and Vanilla. Chill.

This is great warm or cold!