2015 Here we come...

Hi all!
  I will be dusting off this blog in 2015. I am excited to share new recipes and stories with you all in the coming year. If there is anything you would like to see me attempt to make please feel free to comment or shoot me a message on Facebook and I will see what I can do. :)

  To give you all an update I am now a proud Mama of 2. Carter will be 4 in February and Julia just turned 1. Having two kids has definitely kept me busy this past year, but has in no way slowed me down from cooking. I have a few new recipes to share with you all already, and I can't wait to find more!

  I wish you all a very happy, healthy and delicious 2015!

Sunday Cinnamon Rolls

Shortly after my hubby and I moved into together we started this tradition of having cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Sundays. (I know I know not the healthiest thing, but stay with me :) ) It started with the kind you get from the store, but one day I decided I wanted to try and make them myself. After a few horrific test runs I finally found an amazing, delicious every-time recipe. It comes from The Pioneer Woman (I love her!). The only thing I changed is the yield size and the icing. You can find the recipe here

 

 

 

Cinnamon Rolls

Prep Time:

2 Hours

Cook Time:

30 Minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

8

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Milk
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 package Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
• 4 cups (Plus 1/2 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1/2 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
• _____
• VANILLA ICING:
• 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 Cup Milk
  

Preparation Instructions

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.
Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.
To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal.
Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.

Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 10 to 15 rolls.Spray your pan with non-stick spray and arrange rolls on it.

Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the counter-top for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the vanilla icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Whisk until very smooth. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.
Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor.


Mangia!

Oven Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

I made this recipe a while back and it was a huge success. I love Chinese food, but we've been trying to spend less so eating out had to go. When I friend of mine shared this recipe from Pinterest I just had to try it. You can find the recipe here.


Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Fried Rice (adapted from Life as a Lofthouse)
For the Chicken:

3 boneless chicken breasts

1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

1 c. cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

3 T. olive oil

For the sauce:

1/3 c. sugar

4 T. ketchup

1/2 c. vinegar

2 T. honey

1 T. soy sauce

1 t. garlic salt

1 t. black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.   Rinse the chicken breasts and cut into cubes. Season with the salt and pepper.  Pour the cornstarch into a shallow dish and the beaten eggs in another shallow dish.  Dip the chicken into the cornstarch and then dip into the eggs.  

3.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Cook the chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. 

4.  Mix all of the ingredients for the  sweet and sour sauce in a bowl. Whisk until well combined and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for 30 minutes turning once.  Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Turn the chicken again and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with rice.

 

In truth I liked this even more then the take-out version, I hope you enjoy it too.

 

Mangia!

Mama's Meatloaf

Ahhh meatloaf, this was by far my father's favorite meal that my mother made (it was also the very first thing I remember my mom showing me how to make). Although he always said whatever she made that night was his favorite meal. :) We had this typically once a week and I always remember my father taking the left overs for lunch the next day. So this is something I tend to make when I am thinking of him.

Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 2lbs ground beef (although you can use turkey or venison as well)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 to 3/4 a cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbs soy sauce (mom's secret)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl mix all ingredients together until well combined. Grease a 9 by 13 dish and drop meat into the pan forming into a loaf shape. Cook uncovered from 45 minutes to 1 hour. Slice and serve with any side dishes you like. 

Mangia!

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

I tried this recipie tonight and it was awesome, even the hubby like it and he is not a huge cabbage eater. I forgot to take a picture but I will the next time I make it. I found it here

I used green cabbage instead of red but it came out great anyway.

 

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 2-pound green or red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 12 cups)
• 6 Tbsp sugar
• 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Method

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add cabbage and sauté until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, toss to coat evenly. Add vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, simmer until cabbage is tender, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 6-8.

It's an awesome side dish, try it tonight!

Mangia! :)

Brown Sugar Banana Pancakes

Heaven on a Saturday morning!

Hi Foodies,
  So this is yet another Pinterest find that I have fallen in love with. We love pancakes at our house and I am always looking for something new. This recipe is wonderful!! The website it comes from also has a few other variations that I am looking forward to trying. You can find the recipe here

Here is my take on it. :)

Brown Sugar Banana Pancakes
Makes 6 good size pancakes
2 cups all purpose  flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Measure out the milk and add the vanilla extract to it. Whisk together the dry ingredients and add in milk and vanilla, stirring to combine. The mixture will still be dry. Add in mashed bananas and mix. Add in melted butter and stir until batter is somewhat smooth.
Heat a skillet or grilled on medium heat. Using a 1/3 cup measure, spoon batter into rounds and cook until bubbles form on top – about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for a minute or two more. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with butter and syrup, or the vanilla maple glaze.


Vanilla Maple Glaze
1/2 cup warm maple syrup
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in a small pot and stir until smooth. Pour over pancakes.

I think I am going to make this pancakes and the glaze again this weekend, they were that good! :)

Cheeseburger Soup... who knew?

Cheeseburger Soup

Hey Foodie Friends,
I know it's been a while since my last post. But in the aftermath of the holidays I have been sticking to the old favorites and haven't been trying out anything new. That is until tonight. In an effort to get out of my recipie rutt but still make something easy and delicious I yet again turned to Pinterest and found a recipie for cheeseburger soup. I was slightly skeptical but I figured what the heck. It was so awesome!!!

I found the recipe here







Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground beef or ground venison
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 cups beef broth
• 4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (8 ounces) American or Cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup Daisy Brand Sour Cream

Directions

In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/4 quarts).

Mangia!!

Yum!