Award-Winning Rolls

 

courtesy of google

Julie has made these rolls a couple of times and they are so amazing.  Perfectly salted, texture and taste are perfect.  She says this came from Jennefer Tasker's ward cookbook.  So, here you go...just in time for Thanksgiving!

Award-Winning Rolls

Lynette Wettstein

2 Tbs. dried yeast

1 1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp salt

5 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in the warm water by stirring slowly with a mixer. Add to the yeast mixture, the melted butter (make sure it's not too hot!), sugar, and eggs.  Mix well in mixer.  Add salt.  Add flour, one cup at a time.  Dough will be sticky.  Scrape dough from sides into the middle and sprinkle with approximately 1/4 cup of flour.  Cover mixer bowl with towel and rise until double in size.  

Roll on well-floured surface and cut into shapes.  I usually use a regular drinking cup with a rounded top to cut the rolls.  Place on greased pan and let rise again 15-25 minutes.  Melt additional butter and brush rolls with butter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes until rolls are slightly browned.  Brush with additional butter after removing from oven.  Makes about 24-30 rolls.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Sometimes chocolate bread is a little dry...not this one!! So moist and rich.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

recipe and photo courtesy of smittenkitchen.com

3 medium-to-large very ripe bananas
1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, melted
3/4 cup (145 grams) brown sugar (I use dark here; either light or dark work)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional; I skip it)
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup (about 6 ounces or 170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips

Heat your oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or spray it with a nonstick baking spray.

Mash bananas in the bottom of a large bowl. (You’ll have a little over 1 cup mashed banana total.) Whisk in melted butter, then brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Place baking soda, salt, cinnamon (if using), flour and cocoa powder in a sifter or fine-mesh strainer and sift over wet ingredients. (My cocoa is almost always lumpy, so this is essential for me.) Stir dry and wet ingredients with a spoon until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks or chips.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. (A melted chocolate chip smear is expected, however.) Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert it out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The banana bread will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature. I keep mine wrapped in foil. It goes without saying that it has never actually lasted that long.

Mom's Moist Banana Bread

I've been using this recipe that a friend here in NYC gave me and it never disappoints. It makes a moist, big loaf and is super easy.  The trick is to mix as little as possible to keep the moisture and lightness of the loaf.

Mom's Moist Banana Bread

Becca Mattoni

1/3 c. shortening or ¼ c. oil ( I always use oil)

½ c. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 c. sifted flour 

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 c. mashed ripened bananas (about 3 bananas)

½ c. chocolate chips  

2 Tbs. white chocolate chips (optional) 

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease  9½” x 5”x3” loaf pan. (You can also use mini loaf pans or muffin tins; you’ll probably want to check for doneness a few minutes early for the mini loaves and after about 25 min for the muffins.) . Mash bananas well.  Mix all ingredients together in one large bowl and then add bananas and chocolate chips with rubber spatula.  Mix only until chips are evenly distributed and no more- don't worry about it being perfect!!

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

I've always used my old stand-by banana bread recipe (the Cinnamon Swirl one on this blog), but I've officially switched b/c that one hasn't worked for me the last few times.  This one is amazing!  Its super moist and has awesome flavor.  Really easy to make and we still swirl our cinnamon into it and make muffins.  

Sour Cream Banana Bread

This Week for Dinner Blog

• ⅔ cup butter
• 1⅓ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract (either are delicious!)
• 1½ cup mashed bananas (about 4 bananas)
• 2¾ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ c sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add vanilla or coconut extract then add eggs, beating well after each egg.
4. Add mashed bananas and mix well.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Beating on low, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients until just combined. Add ¼ cup of the sour cream, beat on low until just combined. Repeat with ⅓ of the dry ingredients, then the rest of the sour cream, then finishing with the last ⅓ of the dry ingredients, making sure to mix until just combined with each addition. (I just threw it all in together and it didn't make a difference)
7. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. For muffins, bake 20-25 minutes, or until muffin springs back when you lightly push the center.

Divine 1-Hour Breadsticks

Pic Courtesy Google

These are the yummiest breadsticks and they only take 1 hour!! Amazing!

Divine 1-Hour Breadsticks

from Mel's Kitchen Café

Ingredients

Dough:
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 4 cups flour, about 15-20 ounces (see note above)
Butter and Topping:
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (for the baking sheet)
• Dried herbs, garlic salt and grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or in a large bowl by hand), mix together the water, yeast, sugar, salt and one cup of the flour.
2. Continue adding the flour until the dough just clears the sides of the bowl; knead for about three minutes. It should be soft and slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers.
3. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
4. While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the melted butter onto large, rimmed baking sheet (about 11X17-inches).
5. On a lightly greased countertop, pat the dough into a long rectangle, about 16-inches by 7-inches or so. Cut the dough every 1-inch (more or less) into strips with a pizza cutter.
6. Twist each strip slightly and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with dried herbs of choice, garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.
7. Let rise for 20 minutes (you can cover with greased plastic if you want to, but it's not necessary). Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

Turkey and Zucchini Burgers with Green Onion and Cumin

Amy sent me this recipe a couple of weeks ago and I made them last night- they were seriously the TASTIEST burgers I have ever eaten.  I could have eaten them all day long b/c they tasted so unique and refreshing.  They are a bit labor intensive, but I promise they're worth every single second. You have to make the sauce too- its incredible.  Sumac is a common spice used in Middle Eastern cooking.   I actually doubled the burgers, but not the sauce and still had lots of leftover sauce- it made 12 big burgers. Amazing!!

courtesy

Turkey and Zucchini Burgers with Green Onion and Cumin

Yotam Ottolenghi

SOUR CREAM and SUMAC SAUCE

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp lemon zest 
• Fresh lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon) of half a lemon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon sumac (found in spice aisle or on amazon) 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

TURKEY BURGERS

1 lb. ground turkey

1-2 large zucchinis, coarsely grated (scant 2 cups)

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 large egg

2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Sunflower oil for searing

First make the sour cream sauce by mixing all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Stir well and set aside or refrigerate until needed (can be made a day ahead of time).

Preheat oven to 425F.  In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the burgers, except the sunflower oil.  Combine meat mixture with your hands and shape into burgers.  Pour enough oil into a large non-stick frying pan.  Heat over medium heat until hot, then sear the burgers in batches on all sides.  Cook each batch for about 4 minutes, adding oil as needed, until golden brown.  Carefully transfer burgers onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper and place in oven for 5-7 minutes, or until just cooked through.  Serve warm, or at room temp with the sauce spooned over, or on the side for dipping.  Enjoy!

Homemade Tortillas

I made these tonight with this chicken for tacos and they were so delicious.  We can't get yummy tortillas around here so this was my last resort and I'm so glad I tried it.  They were super easy and fun to make.  Plus, there's something so fulfilling about making something from scratch.

Homemade Tortillas
A Bountiful Kitchen

2 cups flour (more if needed)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup warm water
3 Tbs. olive oil

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl or mixer, knead for about 3 minutes by hand or mixer. Scrape sides of bowl down.  Add additional 1/2 - 3/4 cups flour until dough isn't that sticky.  Break off 8-10 pieces and roll out to desired thickness on floured surface with rolling pin.  Grease griddle. Cook each tortilla for about 2 minutes per side on hot griddle.  Serve warm.

Perfect White Bread

courtesy

This bread is absolutely amazing.  Perfect taste and texture.  I also made some into cinnamon bread and it was so delicious.  AND, its soooo easy to make.  You must try it.

Perfect White Bread

From Jenny's Gatherings

2/3 c. sugar
2 c. very warm water
5 tsp. active dry yeast
5 c. bread flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. oil

In a stand mixer bowl, add sugar and water. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let rest until it gets foamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add both kinds of flour, then salt and oil. Turn on mixer and knead for 6 minutes. Turn dough into a well greased bowl. Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray and proof until double in size, about 30-45 minutes.

Punch down risen dough and divide into 2 pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle about 12 x 8 inches. Fold the sides in about 4 inches or so.  Roll up keeping the top nice and rounded and place in a greased loaf pan with the dough seam side down. Let rise until the dough is 1 inch above the rim of the loaf pan.

Bake in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Turn loaf out of the pan and let cool on a baking rack. Brush tops with butter while the bread is hot, if desired. Bag after the bread is cool to keep the bread moist. Freezes well.

*Cinnamon Bread Option:

When you roll it out as stated above, spray with water bottle and then generously sprinkle a mixture of 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 Tbs. of cinnamon to within 1/2 inch of edges.  Roll bread into a loaf, pinching the end and sides together to seal the cinnamon in.  You must remove this bread from the pans 5 minutes after cooking and cool completely before slicing.

Panzanella Salad with Spinach

I made this salad recently and it was so delicious.  Its fancy and maybe a little time-consuming, so its great for a fancy dinner or when you're asked to bring a salad to a get-together.

source

Panzanella Salad with Spinach

From Jenny Evans Gatherings

For the bread:

1 crusty loaf of multigrain bread (I used Kroger's PS brand multigrain bread)

2 Tbs. olive oil

Salt and Pepper to season bread

For the Vinaigrette:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 1/2-in cubes

1 red bell pepper, chopped small

1/2 red onion, chopped small

3 large garlic cloves, minced

15 large basil leaves, chopped or julienned

8 oz. container of small, fresh mozzarella balls each cut in half

4 cups baby spinach leaves, cut into 1/3 inch slices

salt and pepper to taste

For the bread, heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the loaf into 1-in cubes and toss with olive oil.  Lay single layer on a baking sheet  and sprinkle with with salt and pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes and let cool. 

For the vinaigrette, put all ingredients into a blender and puree.  For the salad, in a large serving bowl, combine all of the ingredients and pour the vinaigrette over everything.  Salt and pepper and toss well- allow to sit for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Whole Wheat Bread

After trying several whole wheat bread recipes, this is the one I like best.  It's incredibly soft and makes 4 loaves, so that will usually last our family for about 10 days (if I can keep everyone's hands off of it when it comes right out of the oven, otherwise one loaf is gone in about an hour).  I love it because it's 100% whole wheat healthy!

Whole Wheat Bread
from my sister-in-law, Cathy Ostergar

4 cups lukewarm water
1 tablet crushed or 1/4 tsp. ascorbic acid (or Vitamin C powder)
2 Tbs. yeast
1/2 cup gluten flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
5 cups whole wheat flour

Mix above together and let rise 10 minutes.

Then add:
1/3 cup of oil
1/3 cup of honey
1 Tbs salt
3-4 cups whole wheat flour

Knead in mixer for 10 minutes or by hand 15 minutes.
Let dough rest 10 minutes.
Divide and shape into loaf pans, then let raise 'til beautiful.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Easy Artisan Bread

I love this bread, and it's about the easiest thing in the world to make!  Perfect for Sunday afternoon when you have a little time.  I forgot to take a picture of the finished product, but you get the idea!

Easy Artisan Bread
from the book "Artisan Bread in Five minutes a Day" by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois

Makes 4 one pound loaves, unused dough can stay in the fridge in a lidded container for up to 14 days.

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tbs granulated yeast (any kind)
1 1/2 Tbs Morton's kosher salt
6 1/2 cups (2 pounds) unbleached all-purpose flour

Mixing the dough:
In a 5 quart bowl, dump in the water and add the yeast and salt.  Because we are mixing in the flour so quickly it doesn't matter that the salt and yeast are thrown in together.

Dump in the flour.  Stir until all of the flour is incorporated into the dough, it will be a wet rough dough.

Put the lid on the container, but do not snap it shut.  You want the gases from the yeast to escape.

Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about 2 hours to rise.  When you first mix the dough it will not occupy much of the container.  But, after the initial 2 hour rise it will have doubled in size  Do  not punch down the dough!  Just let it settle.

The dough can be used right after the initial 2 hour rise, but it is much easier to handle when it is chilled.  It is intended for refrigeration and use over the next two weeks, ready for you anytime.  ( iIt gets a little iffy around day 13-14, so use before then).

About 1 1/2 hours before dinner:
Pull the dough out of the refrigerator.  Dust the surface of the dough with a little flour, just enough to prevent it from sticking to your hands when you reach in to pull a piece out. You should notice that the dough has a lot of stretch once it has rested.

Cut off a 1-pound piece of dough using a serrated knife and form it into a ball.  (Don't handle the dough too much, just shape it into a ball and smooth the front of the dough by pulling dough to the back).  Place the ball on a silpat (or some parchment paper) and let it rise for about 40 minutes.  No big deal if it sits for 60 or 90 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Place a metal cookie sheet/roasting tray on the bottom rack (never use a glass vessel for this or it will shatter), which will be used to produce steam.  Let it preheat for 20 minutes.

Cut the loaf with 1/4 inch slashes using a serrated knife in a tic-tac-toe pattern.  (If your slashes are too shallow you will end up with an oddly shaped loaf and also prevent it from splitting on the bottom).

Before you place your bread in the oven, dump a cup of hot water into the cookie sheet/roasting pan you placed on the bottom rack (be forewarned, sometimes this causes the pan to warp).  Then place your bread in the oven (on it's cookie sheet or silpat) on an upper or middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a deep brown color.

Allow the loaf to cool for a bit before serving.

Matooz' Rolls

I have never cooked rolls (or even bread for that matter) in my life but I was really craving some yummy homemade rolls so I stole this recipe from my sis-in-law Suzanne's blog. She has made these rolls for lots of family occasions including thanksgiving and christmas and they never disappoint and are requested often. I was nervous to try them because last time I tried baking bread it ended horribly but I'm happy to say these were a success! Even I (the baker) was raving about how good they turned out :) I halved this recipe and got about 2 pans worth of rolls which was plenty for us but it is a great amount if you're cooking for a large group.  Taken from http://www.suzmatooz.blogspot.com/2009/02/for-jo-ive-been-promising-bryans-very.html

My Family's Roll Recipe
In a medium/small bowl combine 2 Tbsp. yeast and 1 Tbsp. Sugar into 1/2 cup warm water. Set in a warm place. The yeast needs time to rise and become active. (maybe 10-15 mins.)

In a large bowl combine:
1 Cup butter (melted)
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Boiling Water

Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the ingredients from the first bowl (yeast, etc) to this mixture.

Add: 4 eggs, beaten
1 cup cold water
2 tsp. salt
7 1/2 cups Flour  ( I needed more flour at sea level, dough should be a little shiny and just barely too sticky to roll out)
in the order they are listed and mix with a spoon.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. About 2 to 3 hours before baking remove from fridge and form rolls.

For crescent rolls, divide dough into fourths and roll each part out into circle and spread with melted or softened butter. Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter and roll up each piece, beginning at wide end of triangle.

Cover (we just usually use a clean dish towel) and let rise for 3 hours.

 

Bake at 425 for 8 to 12 minutes. Altitude and humidity seem to affect these a lot, so check them often to see how long it takes where you live! (I barely needed 8 min at sea level)

Banana Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting

photo from kuki's kookbook blog

 These were good the first day, better the second, and divine the third.  They were like Pringles, once you pop one you just can't stop!

Banana Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting

From kuki's kookbook blog

·                     1 stick butter, at room temperature

·                     2 cups sugar

·                     2 eggs

·                     1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

·                     1 teaspoon vanilla

·                     2 cups flour

·                     1 teaspoon baking soda

·                     1/2 teaspoon salt

preheat oven to 350 degrees. cream together butter, sugar, eggs, banana and vanilla until light and creamy. add flour, soda and salt. pour into an 11x13 inch jelly roll pan. bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake bounces back when pressed on. cool completely and then top with frosting.

brown sugar frosting:

·                     1 stick butter, softened

·                     8oz cream cheese, softened

·                     1/2 cup brown sugar

·                     2 cups powdered sugar

·                     2 teaspoons vanilla

·                     1/4 teaspoon salt

·                     milk, if needed

in a medium bowl with an electric mixer, whip all ingredients together until light and fluffy. if frosting is too thick, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

Perfect Whole Wheat Bread

What makes whole wheat bread "perfect"? Fluffy, moist, light, soft, delicious bread that you would prefer over a piece of cake during your late-night-after-the-kids-have-gone-to-bed-sugar-binge. Yes, this is the one. You will absolutely LOVE it.

courtesy google images

**A Few Notes before you begin: I grind my own whole wheat flour- I cannot guarantee a similar result of perfection with store-bought whole wheat. If you have a Bosch, you can buy a wheat grinding attachment (I have it and love it). I grind 20 cups at a time and store what I don't use in a ziploc in the refrigerator. If left out at room temp., it will go rancid in less than a week. Vital wheat gluten is found in the baking section of your grocery store- I also refrigerate this after opening. And, of course, I keep my yeast (Red Star brand from Costco) in the freezer at all times.

Perfect Whole Wheat Bread

Amy Foulger

*Makes 2 large loaves, or 3 small

3 cups warm water

3/4 Tbs. salt

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. powdered milk

1 1/2 Tbs. yeast

1 Tbs. vital wheat gluten

1/2 c. slow-cooking oatmeal

4-6 c. whole wheat flour

(see recipe for below for eggwash and oatmeal- optional)

Mix all ingredients in your Bosch until blended. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Then, mix it again for 5 minutes. If needed, add flour for desired consistency. Dough should be slightly sticky. Place dough in a greased, oven-safe bowl and rise in 185 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until doubled in size. Punch down your dough, pinch off 3 loaves (or two large loaves, depending on your loaf pan size). Shape dough into greased loaf pans**(see below) and put back in 185 degree oven to raise for 20 more minutes (don't go over this time around as loaves will raise fast as they bake). Remove from oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

**For a straight-from-the-bakery look, you can apply an eggwash (2 Tbs. water+ 1 egg) and oatmeal on top of your loaves right before raising the second time (while in loaf pans). Mix the egg and water, spread on loaves with a pastry brush, and then sprinkle oatmeal on top. Raise in oven.

Pretzel Bites

photo from getoffyourbuttandbake blog

Oh wee!  So, so divine.  So, so good.  So, so easy since you just use Rhodes rolls.  I made both the cheddar dip and the cinnamon sugar ones.  Oh my goodness, so good!

PRETZEL BITES

Recipe from getoffyourbuttandbake.com

Texas size Rhodes Frozen roll dough

*as many as you like – each roll makes four bites

coarse salt, parmesan, garlic, cinnamon & sugar

Vanilla glaze (optional)

Take a thawed roll.  Cut it in four equal sections.  Place dough bites on greased sheets. I placed five across and five down on large baking sheets.  Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and let dough rise until double in size. (about 35-45 minutes) Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil.  When dough has risen, plop about 10 pieces into the boiling water, tossing gently for about 45 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon, and place bites on paper towels to drain slightly.  Move bites to greased baking sheets, and bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until done and golden brown. 

Brush bites with melted butter, sprinkle with Kosher or Sea Salt, garlic and toss in Parmesan cheese.  You can also make Cinnamon and Sugar bites. Make a mixture of Cinnamon and sugar:  About 1 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, and mix together well. After you butter the pretzel bites, toss in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

You can serve the Parmesan Pretzel bites with a cheddar dip, and the Cinnamon and Sugar Pretzel bites with Vanilla glaze.  So yummy . . . so simple!

VANILLA GLAZE

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Combine sugar, milk, butter and vanilla and mix well. 

CHEDDAR DIP

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 1/2  to 2 cups of grated Cheddar Cheese.

Melt the butter in a med. size saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour and stir until blended, and

butter has turned lightly golden brown.  Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until thickened slightly.  Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar Cheese until smooth and all of the cheese has melted.  Season with salt and pepper.  Shake a few red pepper flakes into sauce for added zing!

Breakfast Pockets

photo from budgetgourmetmom.com

I am not gonna lie.  These were to die for...and so versatile!  You can put anything in the middle!  I froze about 20 of these and they were delicious just nuked in the microwave a little bit.  The dough is DELICIOUS!

Breakfast Pockets

Recipe from budgetgourmetmom.com

Dough

§  1 1/2 tblsp yeast

§  1/2 c warm water (110 degrees)

§  3/4 c evaporated milk (110 degrees)

§  1/2 c vegetable oil

§  1/4 c sugar

§  1 egg

§  1 tsp salt

§  3 1/2 c flour

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in the water. Add milk, oil, sugar, egg, salt, and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough flour until it makes a soft dough but do not knead. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Once the dough is done, punch down. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 7 in circle on a floured surface. Top with 1/3 c filling, fold, and pinch shut. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

Filling

§  1 lb bulk sausage

§  1/2 c onion, chopped

§  1 1/2 c frozen hashbrown potatoes, thawed

§  7 large eggs

§  3 tblsp milk

§  1/2 tsp salt

§  1/2 tsp pepper

§  1/2 tsp garlic salt

§  pinch of cayenne pepper

§  2 c cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook the sausage and onion over medium heat until browned. Drain. Add the hashbrowns, eggs, milk, and spices. Cook and stir until set. Sprinkle with cheese and keep warm.

To Freeze:
Allow to cool on the baking sheet. Once cooled, place in the freezer until frozen. Store in a ziploc bag in the freezer for 3-6 months. To reheat, place on a paper towel and microwave for 1 1/2-2 minutes.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

Pic courtesy How Sweet It Is

I saw these a few weeks ago and instantly knew I had to make them. A way to feel good about eating chocolate chip cookies? I'm sold. And, they were every bit as good as they sound. They almost tasted healthy. Christian went nuts over them.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

from How Sweet It Is

makes 12 muffins

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose) (I used all-purpose)

1 cup rolled oats (I used quick oats)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup milk (any kind will do)

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Add oats to a bowl and add 1/2 cup of milk. Let soak for 5-10 minutes, while you prepare the first few steps of the muffins.

In a large bowl, combine egg and brown sugar and whisk until smooth and caramel in color. Add in vanilla and butter, whisking well. Try to smooth the batter as much as possible – there still may be some small butter chunks. Add flour, oat mixture, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix. Add remaining milk and combine until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Line a muffin tin with lines and pour about 1/4 cup batter into each line. Optional: Sprinkle the tops with raw turbinado sugar. (I didn't do this and I loved them plain.) Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with butter!

Strawberry Cheese Danish

photo from life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com

So danishes are one of my weaknesses whenever I stay in a hotel and have breakfast there.  When I saw this recipe it immediately stuck out to me.  Here is what I would do differently: I don't love strawberry jam, especially when it tastes fake!  So I would do just cream cheese or use blackberry or blueberry preserves--but that's just me! 

Strawberry Cheese Danish

From Life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com

Strawberry Cheese Danish

·                     1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

·                     4 ounces cream cheese, softened

·                     1/4 cup sugar

·                     2 tablespoons lemon juice

·                     8 teaspoons Strawberry preserves

Glaze:

·                     1/4 cup powdered sugar

·                     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

·                     2 teaspoons milk

Directions:  Seperate dough into four rectangles. Seal perforations. In a small bowl whisk together cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Spread 1/4 of the mixture onto each rectangle. Roll up from long side; pinch edges to seal. Holding one end, loosely coil each.

   Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Top each coil with 2 teaspoons preserves. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or golden brown.

   For glaze, in a bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Stir until smooth and drizzle over each danish. Makes 4 danishes.