"Cinfully" Cinnamon Rolls

Okay, I was asked to make cinnamon rolls for a non profit organization where I volunteer. I was experimenting with a recipe that I already have on the blog for yeast bread. For those who have not read my blog for a long time or are new to it, I will repeat the recipe.

• 6 cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 Teaspoons salt
• 4Tablespoons soften butter
• 2 1/2 Teaspoons yeast (or 1 Packet)
• 2 cups warm water (90 - 110 degrees)
• 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk Slightly beaten (save the white for a later use)

1. Place the flour, sugar, salt butter and yeast in a mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on to stir so the ingredients will incooperate.
2. Slowly add the water and allow it to mix with the dry ingredients. Add the eggs and mix
   
3. When it is mixed together turn up the speed level to 4.
4. Let the dough mix for about 10 minutes ( this better than the old fashion way - kneading by hand).
5. Place the dough in a well greased bowl ( I use Pam Spray); cover and place in a draft free area ( Like the oven, but make sure that is not turned on.) If your oven has a warm and hold button, turn it on while making the dough; then turn it off before you put the dough in the oven.
6. Allow the dough to rise til it has doubled in size ( about 1 hour)
7. Punch down the dough and place it on a floured surface area. Knead the dough until smooth.
8. Now you have a choice of making regular bread or cinnamon rolls. If you choose the rolls, then this is what you need: Cinnamon, Brown Sugar and butter. The reason I am not putting the amount for this is because I love cinnamon and will cover the rolled out dough with a lot of cinnamon, butter and sugar. If you like raisins and nuts, you can put them in too.
9. okay, I got ahead of myself. divide the dough in half. place 1/2 back in the bowl and cover while you are working with the other half. It is easier to work it in halves.
10. Roll the dough out in a rectangle (20X14) I used a cutting board that size. Make sure that it is flat. Now the dough is going to be very springy, and you might be thinking that "I'll never get it that big"; but it will, and you don't have to be exact.
11. Now that you have it the way you want it, you may spread the melted butter on the dough (it is better to spread if it is melted). You can use a pastry brush to do the spreading.
12. Sprinkle the cinnamon all over the dough, then add the brown sugar. At thispoint, you can add whatever you would like to your rolls.
13. Start from the back, and start rolling the dough towards you; when you get to the end, pinch the seam together and the ends also.
14. With a knife, cut the dough at 1 inch intervals, and place the roll on a greased or sprayed pan. The rolls can be touching for it gives them a better texture.
15. Allow them to rise a second time.
16. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Now, a word to the wise; some ovens are differnt than others, so it is best to keep an eye of them. You would like for the rolls to be golden brown.
17. While the rolls are baking, you can make the glaze: about 1/4 cup confectioners sugar and 2 teaspoons milk. Mix together and when the rolls are out of the oven, drizzle the glaze over them.
18. Enjoy with a nice cold glass of milk.

Ripen Banana Muffins

I had some very ripe bananas that I just had to use up because I didn't want to throw them away. Because we are trying to eat more vegetables and fruits, I decided that I would make something with them. I also had some praline walnuts that I made for Valentine's Dinner, so I threw some of them in the recipe.I also thought that I better write it down before I forgot how I made them.

• 5 ripen bananas
• 1 stick of butter, soften
• 1 cup brown sugar
  
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
• 1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Use cooking spray and spray the muffins pans.
   
3. Cream the butter and brown sugar.
4. Add eggs, one at a time.
5. Add the flour, oats, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon; beat until well mixed.
6. Add walnuts and raisins; stir until well mixed.
7. Fill muffin pans to 2/3 full (I used an 1/4 cup to fill the individual muffin holes)
8. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Now, I forgot to add baking powder or soda, but the muffins did rise a little. They are going to have a heavier texture than your normal muffins, but while they were cooking, the aroma was so aromatic that you could smell them baking outside. A lady came to the door to inspect the outside of the house for the insurance company, and she said that the smell was making her hungry; I wonder if it is making the roofers hungry? I will give them one when they come out of the oven.

Okay, I tasted the muffins and they have a good flavor to them, but would be lighter if I had remembered to put in the baking powder.

If you would like the praline walnuts, here is what you do.

• 1 12 ounce bag of walnut halves
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup of honey

1. put all three ingredients in a skillet, and bring the water to a boil. Cook until all of the moisture is gone; use a low to medium heat and keep an eye on it so that the walnuts do not burn.

Like I said, I just threw some stuff together to make something out of the bananas, and now I have to come up with a name - if you can think of a good one, let me know.

Happy Valentine's Day

Last evening, I prepared a wonderful Chinese dinner for my loving husband and six of the sweetest people who I cherish. On the menu was Honey Walnut Shrimp; a recipe that I found online and tried at a restaurant. For those who really know me, I changed the recipe just a little. I went by the recipe for roasting the walnuts in honey and water. There was some of the juice left over so I added that to the sauce for the shrimp. I also made Hot and Sour Soup, which was really easy.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE.

Eat More Veggies

I am constantly thinking of ways to eat veggies because most don't have any taste to them. Take squash and zucchini for instance, by themselves, they have not taste; heck, they don't have any taste together. I was messing in the kitchen one day last week, and decided to do some experimenting with these two vegetables and this is what I came up with. So if any of you followers or readers can think of a good name for this recipe, please let me know.


4 yellow squash or 1 package of frozen
4 zucchini
1onion diced
2 garlic cloves crushed
salt and pepper to taste
2 heads escarole (Italian Lettuce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter

1. Wash and slice the squash and zucchini. Wash the escarole and let it drain.
   
2. Place in large frying pan the oil and butter and turn on low heat; add the vegetables ( do not add water for these veggies are mostly water).
3. Add onion and cloves and seasoning.
   
4. Cook until they are very mushy
5. Slice the escarole and add to the vegetables, let it cook down.
6. Now, if you would like, you can add cheese and anything else you would like to add.

Believe it or not, it is very good as well as healthy. There might be something that I left out for I am very bad at creating something, but forget to write it down. Try and let me know what you think.

What do You do When You Don't Have Oatmeal

I was hungry for Apple Crisp, and we had a bunch of apples that needed to be used up before they go bad. So I got out some of my trusted cookbooks to look for a good recipe. I found one in my Betty Crocker Cookbook that I got for a wedding present from my Mother-in-law 32 years ago. Anyway, as I collecting all the ingredients, I realized that I did not have any oatmeal; What am I going to do? I didn't want to go to the store just for one item, so I looked around in the pantry to see what I had. I then saw Oatmeal to Go in several varieties, so I decided on the Oatmeal Raisin. I place 4 of these bars into the microwave to heat them for 1 minute, then crumbled them in the flour sugar mixture. So, if you don't have oatmeal around, you can almost improvise and use something else. Just use your imagination.

Comfort Food

Growing up, I remember my mother making a pot of beans with ham or bacon. Man were they good. But being a diabetic, I have to watch my carbs. However, this recipe is a good meal because I add lots of veggies to this. Sometimes, I leave out the ham or bacon and just make it vegetarian meal. You get your protein from the beans, and vitamins from the veggies - therefore it is a healthly meal.

So here is the recipe that I improved from my mother.

Ham and Navy Bean Soup

• 1 pound navy beans rinsed
  
• 1 cup of chopped ham or 6 slices bacon cooked
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1cup chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  
• 1Tablespoon olive oil
• 1Tablespoon butter
• 8 cups of chicken broth ( you can use chicken bouillon, 8 cups water with 4 bouillons)
• salt and pepper
• two escarole lettuce (this is an Italian lettuce)
  

I never soak the beans overnight , just rinse them and put them in cold chicken broth and cook them.

1. Melt butter in olive oil. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic; cook until tender.
2. Add the veggie mixture to the beans.
3. If you want this to be vegetarian, don't add the ham or bacon, but if you want meat, this is a good time to add it.
4. Bring the beans to a boil, then turn down to a simmer (on an electric stove, that would be a 2. On a gas stove, you have to judge it). If you are using a slow cooker, just put it on high for two hours, then turn it to low.
5. It usually takes about 3 -4 hours for this to cook.
6. Now, I like to make mine spicy so I add about 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and sometimes 1 small can of green chiles.
7. Just before the beans are done (about 1/2 hour before) chop up the escarole lettuce and put in the soup. It will cook down. If you don't have escarole, you may use spinach, which makes this very good.

This meal is great on a cold day and you can serve cornmeal and a salad or fruit to make this meal complete. Enjoy.

Lost Another Bet

Well, I did it again- when will I learn? I think I like betting so I can cook. I made another bet with Andy, but this time I lost (Stupid Giants). So, For Valentine's Day, I am planning an elaborate dinner for my favorite people. The menu is going to be a surprise. I notice all our bets involve food; but that is a good thing because you have really good fellowship.

I haven't posted to many recipes, but I am going through my files and trying to find some good comfort food recipes, and ones you can take camping with you. I have found out by camping with our good friends the Williams and Ruffetts that you can cook anything while camping as you do at home. We went camping with Sharon and Mike (we missed you Andy and Susan), and Mike made a Mexican pot roast while Sharon fixed tortilla soup. Both was great considering that it was colder than usual when we go camping. I must get Mike to post that recipe.

Well, I promise to do another recipe the next time I write