Cinnamon Rolls Extraordinaire

These are so good, they should be illegal.  It's got some CRAZY ingredients, but trust me, they're amazing.

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup hot mashed potatoes
1-1/2 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
7-8 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:
1-1/3 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Vanilla icing, optional

In a large bowl, combine sugar and mashed potatoes. Add water and yeast; mix well. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.


Meanwhile, combine filling ingredients and set aside. Stir dough down; beat in the butter, eggs and salt. Pour into mixing bowl with dough hook attachment. Gradually stir in flour. Start with 7 cups and slowly add 1/4 cup at a time until flour is no longer sticky. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll each portion into a 12 x 15" rec square. Spread half the butter to within 1 in. of the edges of each square.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle with walnuts if preferred.  Roll up jelly-roll style. Cut each roll into 12 slices. Place in a greased 9 x 13" baking pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. For the first 30 minutes, I cover the pans with foil to make sure they don't get too dark on top before the inside is baked. 

Drizzle with icing if desired.

Chocolate Cupcakes that may be the best thing I've ever eaten!!

I follow a fun little blog called A Cup Full Of Cake.  Last month she posted this recipe and they were incredible.  I was blown away.  You must try them.  I used my Vanilla Buttercream recipe to top them.  I double the buttercream to get enough for the 30 cupcakes this recipe makes.

Best Chocolate Cupcakes Ever

By a Cup Full Of Cake
Makes 28 cupcakes (I got 30)

Dry Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( Dutch process like Droste or another GOOD brand)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled (cooled for about 15 min make sure its still melted though don’t want it to harden back up)
½ cup plus 1 tbsp water, heated to boiling ( have a kettle of water on the stove boiling ready to go)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs room temp
2 tablespoons vinegar (not wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions :
This can be done with a stand mixer or by hand with a hand mixer or whisk but it is more of a 2 bowl method than one if going the hand mixing route.

1. Preheat oven to 350F with rack in the center.
2. Place paper baking cups in regular sized muffin tins, spray edges around
cup slightly with cooking spray. If you have a small 6 cup muffin tin and you only
get 27 or 28 cupcakes fill the rest of the wells halfway with water and no baking
cup
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt)
in a large bowl.
4. In a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer whisk eggs till slightly thickened and a pale
color
5. Add in the milk, vanilla, oil and vinegar and whisk/beat well
6. Add in the melted and cooled chocolate and whisk/beat until combined well
7. Either add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients OR the wet into the flour and mix
just to combine. Add in the boiling water and mix again just to combine. Scrape
down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure all the dry ingredients are
incorporated
8. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups
9. Bake 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and free
of crumbs or the cupcake tops bounce back when lightly pressed. Mine baked for
18 minutes.
10. Let cool for 5 min in pans and then remove carefully to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting

Mmmmm, Donut Muffins

These are so darn good, I can't even stand it.  The recipe does make 24 mini muffins and they'll last about 24 minutes, literally.  It will seem like a lot of nutmeg, but use it.  It makes a huge difference, for the better.

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 mini-muffin cups.


Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, then mix in the baking powder and flour until just combined. Fill the prepared mini muffin cups about half full.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.  I always like mine extra crispy on top, so I go the whole 20 minutes.

While muffins are baking, place 1/4 cup of melted butter in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon. Remove muffins from their cups, dip each muffin in the melted butter, and roll in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Attempt to let cool and serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookies for my Jeffrey

These have become his favorite cookie. After 11 years of playing with a basic chocolate chip cookies recipe, I perfected it for his tasting. They really are yummy.

1 stick butter, room temp
4 oz shortening
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
2 extra large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 c bread flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 c walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheets with partchment. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda.

Cream butter and shortening until smooth. Add sugars and cream until very fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.

Dump in flour and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Place 1T dough 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes.

Swedish Visiting Cake

This morning, I received an email from a blog I subscribe to with a recipe for a "Swedish Visiting Cake".  The recipe comes from an amazing baker by the name of Dorie Greenspan.  I couldn't wait to make it. I'm such a sucker for almonds. All I can say, is yum. It is a simple, yet elegant cake and you will love it.

Here's a little lemon zest shortcut....

When I have a bunch of lemons, I zest them all at once.  I take the zest and put it in ice cube trays, add a little juice to it and freeze.  Once frozen, I put it in a ziplock bag.  When I need some zest for a recipe, I remove it from the freezer, place it on a paper towel and let it thaw.

Voila.  Lemon zest.

Ok, so here's the list of ingredients for the cake.

1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
Grated zest of 1 lemon, or 1 cube
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sliced almonds (blanched or not)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch cake pan or even a pie pan.

Pour the sugar into a medium bowl. Add the zest and blend the zest and sugar together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic.

Whisk in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Whisk in the salt and the extracts.

Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour. Finally, fold in the melted butter.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar. If you're using a cake or pie pan, place the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden and a little crisp on the outside; the inside will remain moist. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the sides and bottom of the cake to loosen it. You can serve the cake warm or cooled, directly from the skillet or turned out onto a serving plate.

The best granola bars EVER!!

I bought this at Costco a month ago. It has several different kinds of dried fruit slices in it. I just cut the slices into bite size pieces.





I have to say, when you make these, you will love me forever. They are SO easy and SO yummy. I originally found this recipe in a magazine. I tore it out and couldn't tell you what magazine. Over the years I've made quite a few changes to it.

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup dried fruit (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey, I use Miller Brand Honey, creamy style, but any will work
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. I usually line it with parchment, but most recently found a 9x13 inch silpat that I've been using.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

Peanut Butter Chewies

These are amazing. That's all can say.... amazing. They come from a cookbook entitled Favorite Brand Name Bake Sale Cookbook. This was a gift from my sister the first Christmas I was married. It has been used and used and used. The recipe sounds bizarre, but just go with it. You'll agree. Amazing.

1 stick (cup) butter flavored shortening
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine shortening, peanut butter and sugar in mixing bowl. beat on medium speed for 5 minutes. Wipe down sides of bowl. Add eggs, 1 at a time, then add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Dump into batter and beat on low just until blended. Stir in nuts.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls (I used a small ice cream scoop) of dough 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. I used my silpat for all cookies.

Bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets, then remove to cooling rack.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Breakfast Muffins

At the request of my sweet hubby, I tested a breakfast muffin. He usually doesn't eat breakfast, but these disappeared very quickly. The original recipe called for 1 cup oil, but that seemed like a lot, so I only used 3/4 cup and they turned out just fine. Also, I skipped adding the raisins. He's not a big fan of them.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the carrot, raisins, nuts, coconut, and apple.

In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into the carrot/flour mixture, just until moistened. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Hot Cross Buns

This photo is of the dough brushed with egg wash, ready for baking.




I had never made these before. I'd only heard how amazing they were. Evidently, they're more readily available in the midwest/east coast area. I had never seen them before out here. I figured I'd give them a try and I LOVED THEM!! And with them being made in the bread machine, they're super easy.

3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon instant powdered milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, 2 separated
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup dried currants
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons water

Frosting:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons milk

Put warm water, melted butter, skim milk powder, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, egg, egg white in the machine first, then add flour, and yeast in bread maker and start on dough program.
When 5 minutes of kneading are left, add currants and cinnamon (my machine beeps when 5 minutes is remaining, so it makes it easy to remember). Leave in machine till double.
Punch down on floured surface, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.
Shape into 12 balls and place in a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double, about 35-40 minutes. Depending on the temperature, it can take longer.
Mix egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Brush on balls.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.

To make crosses: mix together confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk. Brush an X on each cooled bun. I do the mixing in a ziplock bag. I sqeeze and mush it around until it's all combined. I snip the corner off and squeeze on the crosses.

Lemon Cupcakes

I saw this recipe baked on the Recipe Showdown on Food Network the other night and knew I had to give it a try. I changed a few things to my liking, but they are wonderful. This recipe calls for lemon curd, which is hard to find and when you do find it, it's terribly expensive. I've had a lemon curd recipe that I've used for years and is SO easy to make. I also used the Trefoil Girl Scout cookies. They're my favorite for shortbread like cookie crumbs.

Lemon Curd:

1 cup white sugar
3 extra large eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice

3 lemons, zested
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. Cook in the microwave for 30 second intervals, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Store for up to a month in the refrigerator.

For crust and topping:
1 1/2 cups Trefoil cookie crumbs (1 1/2 sleeves of cookies)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Combine the cookie crumbs, sugar and butter until moistened. Set aside.

For the batter:
8 ounces cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup sour cream
2 extra large eggs, room temp
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 small box (3.4 ounce) instant lemon pudding
1 (18.25 ounce) box lemon
1/2 cup lemon curd

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.

In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time and mix just until combined. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add vegetable oil, water, and the box of lemon pudding. Mix until combined. Add cake mix and beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. The batter will be very thick.

Place a heaping tablespoon of shortbread cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup and press in firmly. Reserve remaining crumb mixture for topping. Using an ice cream scoop, fill 3/4 of the way full. Set aside.

Dip a wooden spoon in water and make a thumb size well indentation in the center of each cupcake. Pipe 1 teaspoon lemon curd into each indentation. Sprinkle tops of cupcakes evenly with remaining cookie crumbs.

Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden on top, rotating pans halfway through baking.

Double Vanilla Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 1/3 c all purpose flour

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 stick butter, soft

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, separated

1/2 c whole milk

1/4 c sour cream

1 T white vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean

Frosting:

1 stick butter, soft

2 c powdered sugar

1 vanilla bean

1 tsp white vanilla extract

1 T milk

For the cake, preheat the oven to 350. Place the milk in a small saucepan. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seed and add to the milk. Also add the scraped vanilla bean. Heat milk on stove, but don't scald. Let bean and seeds steep and cool.

Beat the butter for 1 minute. Add sugar and beat for another 3 minutes until fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat another minute. Scrape down bowl.

Meanwhile, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Remove vanilla bean from saucepan. Add sour cream and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk mixture and end with the remaining flour mixture. Don't over mix. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Fold into the batter just until combined.

Fill muffin cups to 3/4 full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden. Let cool on a baking rack. I usually get between 16 and 18 cupcakes.

For the frosting, whip together the butter, powdered sugar, scraped vanilla bean seeds and vanilla. Add milk if needed. Whip for 5 minutes. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.

A Baking We Will Go!

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, along with flour, sugar, etc. Since, I can't seem to stop cooking and baking on a daily basis these days, I've decided to start keeping track of my favorites here. Maybe I can even learn how to take pictures of my masterpieces and post those as well. Please enjoy and if anyone has any recommendations, I'd love to hear them!