Saturday, December 18, 2010

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls


Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup margarine
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups flour
FILLING:
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar *
  • 2 1/2 Tb cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup margarine, softened
ICING
  • 8 Tb margarine
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp salt
Directions:
  1. For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.
  2. Add sugar, margarine salt, eggs, and flour, mix well.
  3. Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour.
  4. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
  5. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approx 21 inches long by 16 inches wide.
  6. It should be approx 1/4 thick.
  7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  8. To make filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
  9. Spread the softened margarine over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the surface.
  10. Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge.
  11. Cut the dough into 1 3/4 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan.
  12. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
  13. While the rolls are baking combine the icing ingredients.
  14. Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy.
  15. When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing.

* I substituted white sugar for brown sugar.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Mother-in-law's No-fail Oil Pie Crust


Ingredients:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/4 cup cold water
Directions:
  1. Mix together in mixing bowl with a fork until just blended. Use wax paper on a counter (sprinkle a few drops of cold water on the counter top to help hold the wax paper in place) Place another piece of wax paper on top of your ball of pie crust dough (should still be a bit crumbly...the crumbles will all roll in fine!). Roll out to desired thickness. Pick up rolled out crust and lay over your pie dish (wax paper side up). Peel off wax paper carefully. Makes enough for one double-crust pie.

Eggnog Cranberry White Chocolate Muffins


Ingredients:
  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup eggnog
  • 5 1/3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (I used salted!)
  • 1 tsp almond extract (I used 1/4 tsp b/c we don't like too much almond flavoring!)
  • 1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cranberries
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
Streusel Topping:
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 Tbsp butter, slightly softened
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Directions:

Preheat oven to 400*. Line 14-16 muffin cups with paper liners and grease.

In a bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt and stir to combine. In a larger bowl, add 1 cup of sugar, eggs, eggnog, melted butter and almond extract. Stir until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

Chop the cranberries. Toss them with the remaining 2 Tbsp sugar and fold into batter along with the white chocolate chips. Fill the prepared muffin liners 2/3 full.

Streusel topping:

Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until a coarse, crumbly mixture forms. Add nuts if using. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the muffin batter. Bake for about 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

This delicious recipe was found here. We all loved these. Not being huge eggnog fans, but yet having to have a couple sips every holiday season, this was the perfect way to use up the rest of the eggnog!! Kids & I loved them (and I'm not a huge white chocolate fan), my husband thought maybe a few less white chocolate chips.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger


This is an awesome recipe from the book, A Homemade Life. This is a great read if you enjoy recipes and the memories they can have!

Ingredients:
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (I used salted just fine!)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (from about 3 lg ripe bananas)
  • 1/4 cup well-stirred whole-milk yogurt (I use my low-fat homemade yogurt just fine!)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease a standard size loaf pan with cooking spray or butter.
  2. In a small bowl, microwave butter until just melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate chips and ginger and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla and stir to mix well. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently, scraping down sides as needed, until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick and somewhat lumpy. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
  5. Bake until a deep shade of golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 50 min to 1 hour.
  6. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Then tip out onto a cooling rack to cool.