Cinnamon Rolls

Basic Roll Recipe:

1 egg + enough warm water to equal 1 1/2 cups

2 1/4 tsp yeast

4 c bread flour

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c vegetable oil

2 Tbsp dough enhancer

2 tsp salt

Cinnamon mixture:

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/4 c sugar

Brown sugar

Icing:

1/4 c butter

1/4 c cream cheese

Powdered Sugar

vanilla

milk

For the rolls, dissolve yeast in water for 5-10 minutes then let the bread maker do the work! My bread maker kneads for about 30 minutes then raises for an hour. When dough is ready, roll out into big circle on clean counter. Cover dough completely with super thin layer of melted butter then layer of brown sugar. Sprinkle with cinnamon/ cardamom combination. Roll up and cut into rolls. Let rise and bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes.

Carrot Cookies

A healthier treat for the New Year!

Probably still lots of calories but at least there's a little veggie in it!

Carrot Cookies with Orange Icing

1 c sugar

1 c butter

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 c cooked mashed carrots

Cream butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Spoon (or pipe through ziploc baggie with corner snipped) onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cool then frost.

Orange icing/ glaze:

1/3 c butter

3 c powdered sugar

3-4 Tbsp orange juice

1 tsp grated orange rind

Cooks notes: The first few times I made these cookies I was under the assumption that they would be better with less vegetable. Not So! In fact without at least 1 cup carrots, they are just a sugar cookie. It seems the more carrot in them, the better they are. Last night I made them with 2 1/2 c carrots!(That's a whole 2 lb bag!) Still good though I think I'll stay between 1 1/2 and 2 cups.

Also, the way you mash your carrots will determine the color/ texture of your cookie. If you blend them with a wire whisk/hand mixer, they will be less orange but have more chunks. If you puree the carrots in the blender, the cookies will be more orange in color and have a smoother consistency. The cookies pictured above were mashed with a hand mixer.

My rating? 5 - I think I could probably eat the whole batch. Favorite cookie, hands down. My kids love them too. K1 prefers them without icing. Go figure.

Funnel Cake

So my sister was talking about the state fair the other day and how much she likes all the deep fried food that can be found there, especially funnel cakes. After she left, I thought to myself, what's a funnel cake? So I looked on the internet and this is what I came up with. I rate this a 3.5. It was good but didn't knock my socks off. If you have a fabulous funnel cake recipe, will you please email it to me?

Funnel Cake

from momswhothink.com
Ingredients:

1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Funnel Cake Directions:

1. In a deep skillet, heat about two cups of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Test the temperature by dropping a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, it's perfect.

2. Beat egg and milk. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to the egg mixture, beating until smooth.

3. Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards in a web pattern. (You can use a gallon sized freezer bag instead of a funnel by pouring the batter into the bag, snipping off a small corner of it, and squeezing the batter into the oil.)

4. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy.

5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Light and Refreshing! This recipe came from PC Casual Cooking. It is so yummy! I'll give it a 4.

Dressing:

juice from 1 lemon (also add 1/2 tsp zest)

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1/3 c sugar

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp. poppy seeds

Salad:

1/4 c toasted almonds

8 oz. strawberries

1/2 cucumber, sliced and cut in half

1/4 small red onion, sliced thin

6 oz. baby spinach

I didn't have any lemon or poppyseeds the first time I made it and it still tasted fine!

Other things I've added that have been tasty: Craisins, candied walnuts

The dressing can be assembled ahead of time but I wouldn't suggest combining the salad and dressing until just before serving. The vinegar seems to make the lettuce wilt.

Marinated Kebabs

Holy Smoke! This recipe is so good! Both meat and veggies are so juicy and full of flavor. It gets a 4 or maybe even a 4.5. I will surely make this again, maybe tomorrow. I wonder how often we can eat it before my husband gets sick of it.
1 lb steak or chicken, cut into 2-inch cubes (I used sirloins)
2 yellow bell peppers, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
cherry tomatoes

Marinade:
1 c red cooking wine
1/2 c olive oil
1/3 c lemon juice (less if using bottled)
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
3 Tbsp chopped parsley (fresh is better)
2 Tbsp Worcestershire
1-2 Tbsp dry mustard
dash liquid smoke (optional)
Salt/ Pepper

Mix marinade and reserve 1/2 c for basting. Refrigerate.
Marinate meat and vegetables for 2-4 hours. Cook on grill. During the last few minutes of cooking, baste with saved marinade.

Other vegetable options: zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, mushrooms, green or red bell peppers

Orange Julius

My mom used to make this for us when we were kids. I always remember it tasting good but it just doesn't satisfy my tastebuds like it used to. I rate this a 3 and if you don't eat it immediately after fixing it rates at more of a 2.

6 oz can orange juice concentrate

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

12-15 ice cubes

Blend in blender all ingredients except ice. Add ice cubes one at a time to mixture. Serve immediately.

Grilled Chicken & Asparagus Pasta

This is a wonderfully refreshing pasta dish. It was on one of the morning talk shows last year and I just had to try it. We all instantly fell in love with it! I rate this a 5!


2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
1-1/2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed
1 pound bow tie pasta
¼ cup butter
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken stock
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
Salt & Pepper
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Boil water, add asparagus and cook to tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Rinse with cool water, set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions. In large skillet over low heat, combine butter, garlic, cream and stock. Stir in salt, lemon zest, and juice. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add chicken, cheese and drained pasta. Cut asparagus into 1-2 inch pieces on diagonal. Toss ingredients together. Turn off heat and allow sauce to thicken and ingredients to heat. Season with salt and pepper.