Grandma's Zucchini Casserole

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When I was a child, I ate like a child.

Meaning, I avoided anything green, and stuffed myself with sugar, carbs, and ice cream.  It was an awesome existence.

I remember fighting my mother on eating my vegetables.  Many a night, I would be left at the table, alone but for a plate of grown cold vegetables.  Steadily refusing to eat, likewise my parents refusing to let me down until I ate them.  To this day, I can't handle winter squash because that is the one I remember the most.  Cold slimy winter squash on my plate, trying to force it down with my little fingers pinching my nose, gagging the whole time.

There was one veggie, I loved to eat, though.  It was zucchini.  I loved it when my mom fried it.  I loved it breaded.  I especially loved it in my grandmother's casserole.  Which is saying something, because I am not normally a fan of casserole!

In my mind, it wasn't summer until I had a steaming hot plate full of her casserole, grinning as I waited for the family to sit around the table.  I remember sticking my tongue out, thinking I was sneaky, and trying to lick it. I burned my tongue and couldn't figure out how everyone knew I was licking my food before the prayer.

And now, since Summer is on its way out, I thought I would celebrate by sharing this dish, with a big thanks to my sister for posting the recipe on her blog so I could easily find it.

6 c. cooked and drained zucchini (or crook necked/summer squash)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
1 package stove top stuffing
1 c. chopped onions
1/2-1 c. dried bread crumbs (or crushed croutons)
Butter
Grated cheddar cheese

Saute onions in butter, then add to zucchini, sour cream and soup. Set aside. In the same pan used for the onions, melt 1/2 c. butter. Add stuffing, seasoning, & dried bread crumbs.

In a casserole dish, layer zucchini, bread crumbs, cheese, zucchini, bread crumbs, cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350* until bubbly.

Kale Chips

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It is that time of year again, or very nearly so. The time of year when candy gets all up in yo grill, and there is no escaping it.  The time of year for football barbecues and parties.  The beginning of the time when food gets the centerpiece in all of our celebrations.

Never fear, fond friends.  I have found a delectable delight that will send your mouth all a quiver with joy.  Ignore those pesky bags of chips.  Put away the Doritos that seem to be mocking you with that haunting beckon.  Push it all aside and make room for kale chips!

A few years ago I bought some kale.  I put it in my pasta.  It was bitter.  I hated it.  A little while after that, I decided to try it in salad.  Again, it was bitter and it ruined my salad.  I didn't want to eat any more of it.  So, when I stumbled upon the recipe for kale chips, I was skeptical at best.  How on earth could kale be made in a way that didn't make you cringe?  That didn't send your taste buds running for cover?

I decided to suck it up and try it anyway.

Goodbye forever potato chips.  Sayonara corn chips and dip.  And you, the ever beckoning giant of temptation; fritos, to you I bid adieu.

The best part of all is the simplicity of these chips.

What you need:

a bunch or two or five of kale.

olive oil

kosher salt 

foil

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350*  Line baking sheet(s) with tinfoil or parchment paper.  Wash the kale thoroughly.  Place in salad spinner and spin, or pat dry with towels.  Make sure it is completely dry.  Next, put olive oil on your hands.  Gently rub the kale to coat with olive oil and place it on foiled baking sheet.  When baking sheet is full, sprinkle on some salt.  Put in oven and bake 10-12 minutes.  It is ready to come out when the leaves are slightly brown on the edges.  Be careful not to burn.  Repeat.  

Over and over again, repeat.  Your body will thank you for feeding it such delicious and healthy vegetables.  Your mouth will thank you for indulging in something it thinks is equivalent to fat filled chips.  You will be thrilled with the fact that you have once again fooled your body into loving something oh so good for it.  It is a win win for all involved.

For more info on the health benefits of kale, go here.

Overnight Oatmeal

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I remember being a kid and waking up to the house full of breakfast smells.  When I moved out and went to college, I had two guy friends who came over to the house we were renting, while we were asleep.  They cooked us up a fabulous breakfast!  I remember waking up to the smells and thinking that it was heaven.  I nestled down in my covers for a few minutes, breathing in heavily the delicious scents of pancakes, maple syrup, biscuits and gravy, ham and eggs, hash browns, and orange juice.  It was a breakfast fit for royalty.  And that is exactly how they made us feel.  Like royalty.

Since getting married, that hasn't happened so much.  I am looked to for breakfast.  Which is as it should be. The only problem is, my kids always wake up before I am.  They are not greeted by the magical scents of a wonderful new day complete with hot breakfast.  More often then not, they suffer with cold cereal.  And in my mind, cold cereal is just that.  Cold.  No sign of love in that bowl.  No promise of a wonderful day, just quick and cold.

I decided that needed to change.  And quick!

Which is where the genius of overnight oatmeal comes in.

You put it in the crock pot, and when you wake up in the morning, your house smells delicious, and your breakfast is ready.  Slide your feet into some slippers, pull that bathrobe around you, and indulge in sweet cinnamony oatmeal.  Perfect, right?

And it is easy, too!

What you need:

1 cup steel cut or regular oats (NOT Quick Oats!) 

4 cups water

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1  TBS butter

1/2  tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

What to do:

Combine all in crockpot and cook on low for 8hrs.  Serve with milk & cinnamon sugar.

Variations:

Add up to 1 C raisins/dried fruit before cooking.Add 1 chopped fresh apple before cooking.Top with fresh fruit (in season) or canned fruit (drained).Add a pat of butter or a dollop of jam/preserves.

Drizzle with honey.

***If wanted, you can probably substitute the steel cut oats for some hard red wheat kernels.  I haven't tried this yet, but I am absolutely going to.   I love wheat mush!  I will let you know how it goes when I do try it.***

You and your kids will love it.  You can thank me later.

Buen Provecho!

Vegetarian Cannoli

Vegetarian Canaloni

1 onion finely chopped
few tbsp olive oil in hot pot.
slowly fry the onions.
3-4 cloves of garlic finely chopped and add to onions.
fresh sweet marjoram taken off of the stock.  Finely chopped or bashed up in a pestal and mortar.
fresh nutmeg (1/2) grated.
1/2 cube butter sliced up.
Mix it all together.  Let it bubble, mix it together until fragrant
Add a bunch of washed spinach until bright green.
Add a good pinch of salt and pepper, mix it together.

Buy fresh pasta squares, put the spinach mixture in the middle, open it out so it is nice and thin, so when it is rolled up it is all over.

Get some ricotta cheese (or buffalo) and crumble on top of spinach.  SPrinkle a bit of salt and a bit of pepper above.  Shred some parmesean cheese on top of it all.

Get some nice vine tomatoes.  Bosch them in a food processer.  Whiz them up with a few handfuls of basil it will be fresh and delicate, and the perfectly compliment to the pasta.  Season it with a little salt and pepper. 

Pour the tomato sauce in the bottom of a pan. 

Rolll up pasta and set in tomato sauce pan.  Squeeze them on. 

Get the lovely bits that have fallen out and sprinkle it on top.

Slice up some fresh buffalo mozzarella and put on top of each pasta.  Then grate a bunch of parmesean on top.

Cook for about half an hour at 250.


** Again, no pictures.  Just try it and love it, though, okay?**

Curry

Wicked Southern Indian Red Curry

Get a casserole type pan.  Add about 4 Tbsp of sunflower oil and heat.

Get some ground coriander.  About a heaping cereal spoon.  Add that to the oil.
Get another spoon of fenegreek and add it.
Also, 4 Tbsp of paprika, 1 corriander and some black mustard seeds (2), and curry leaves.  Pull them off the stalks.  Give it a little stir.  The base is one of the most important parts of the food.  Stir continuially.

Take the ends off the onion (2), half it, and peel it.  Toss it into a chopper (or go by hand but a chopper is much quicker.  7 cloves of garlic.  smash them to get the peel off, and cut off ends.  Throw them in with the onions and give them a little whiz.  Add onions and garlic to base to saute them.  But don't cook them too quickly, a medium heat.  If the base is too dry, add a bit of oil and mix it up.

Next, get a nice big bit of ginger.  Cut the ends off and peel it.  Toss into the chopper.  3 thumb sized peices of gingewr.  Get some stalks of corriander and toss those in the chopper as well.  Save the leaves for later.  Whiz it all together, and add some frsh tomatoes.  (6).  To go with the paprika, toss in 2 fresh chilies, seeds and all.  Pour that mixture in with the base and mix it up.

Now put a nob of tamarind, minus the seeds.  (a slight pinch).  Now get a pint or so of water, add it to the pan and bring it to a boil.  Add a bit of salt.  let it simmer for 20 minutes, covered.

get some mixed veggies and fry them up in a pan.  When the 20 minutes are over, add the base to the veggies, add 2 cans of coconut milk and eat up with some good naan.

***I have no pictures for this recipe as of yet.  Trust me.  It is delicious!***

Paneer

4 pints of whole fat milk.  Let it simmer.  Add 1 wine glass of whtie wine vinegar.  The milk will split.  Let it split.  Pass it through a sive.  On top you have lovely curds of cheese.  Let it drip for 30-45 minutes.

Add some sunflower oil to a nice pan.  Get it nice and hot, and coated with the oil.  Sprinkle in a bit of salt, and then knock the cheese out in the pan.  Get a bit more oil over the top, a bit more salt and pepper, and fry it until it is nice and golden on the bottom.  Flip it.

Think of flavors.  Chile, or whatever to cook in the pan with it.  When it is finished, get yourself some nice fresh corriander, chop it and sprinkle it over the top and it is ready to be served.

That with some rice and curry, whew!  you will be sitting pretty.

Bombay Potatoes

Get a hot pan with 3 tbsp of sunflower oil and 1 heap tsp of black mustard seeds, a pinch of ground cumin, tsp tumeric, tsp ground corriander,  tsp gara masala mix,  and tsp chile.  shake the pan around a bit to get the flavors to meet and greet.

Once the spices have melded a bit to eachother, pop in 1/2 cube of butter.  Grate a peeled ginger in, and give it another shake.

Boil some potatoes.  quarter them, then cut them into three.  Let it sit a few minutes, and add the potatoes.  Chop up a few tomatoes (3) and add them to the potatoes.  Chop up a bunch of corriander leaves and toss it into the pan as well.  Sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper.

Grilled mushrooms

Get about 8 field flat mushrooms. chop the bottom off to flatten them up a bit.  Put them on a really hot griddle pan that has been pre heated.  Put them so the top side is facing up, just to get the heat going.

Next, get a bunch of fresh thyme, tie it up, sprinkle in a bit of salt, and bash it in a pestle and mortar.  What is going to happen is it is going to leave the stalks on, and all the lovely soft leaves are going to fall off.  Add about 5 Tbsp of olive oil, a bit of vinegar, some salt and pepper, and mix that around.  Turn the mushrooms over, dip the stalks of thyme in the marinade and dab the mushrooms with the mixture.  Just dab it.  Turn it over and dab it again.  You might have to do that three or four times, just to get the lovely flavor.

While that is going on, finely slice some fresh parsley stalks and parsley, some fresh chile, and then when the mushrooms are done and cooked, get them on a plate, lay them out flat, and sprinkle the parsley and chile over the top.  Next, put a little lemon zest over there, squeeze in some juice, and then, just to finish it, pour a bit of olive oil over just for a bit of seasoning.

Caramel covered Rosemary Spiked Strawberries

I have no pictures of these dishes right now.  Just trust me.  Oh so yummy!

For the sweet strawberry dessert, get a bunch of strawberries, and some fresh rosemarry.
Take off the leaves of the rosemarry, and spike the strawberries onto the stalks, making a bit of fruit kabob type thing.  Set aside.

Get a pan and add about 8 Tbsp of water.  Bring to boil with just over a cup of sugar.  That is going to make your caramel.  Mix it slightly, but don't mix it much.  It will start to bubble and then to a lovely caramel color.  When it is golden brown you put it over the strawberries. 

To go with it do a mascarpone cream.  Sweeten it to taste.  Whissk it up.  It will go really shiny with the sugar in there.  Add a bit of lemon to it, or vanilla i you want.  You want it to be a subtle flavor. 
Finely slice the rosemary leaves that you previously took from the stalks, add it to the cream.  If you added the lemon flavoring, throw in a bit of lemon zest. 

Add a dolop to the top of the strawberries, and chill until you are ready to eat it.

Disappearing Bread

This bread is so good, and so simple, you will have a hard time keeping it around.  And this is the simplest and quickest bread recipe I have ever encountered.  Seriously, easy.

What you need:

5 Cups HOT water
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
2 Tbsp salt
3 Tbsp yeast
11 1/2 cups bread flour

What you do:

Put your HOT water in a large bowl.  Add sugar, oil, and salt.  Mix for about 30 seconds.  Add 1 1/2 cups bread flour and whisk again for 30 seconds.  Your mixture should be smooth and creamy looking.  Add 1 Tbsp yeast and mix for ten seconds.  Add another Tbsp yeast and mix for ten seconds.  Add another TBSP of yeast and mix for ten seconds, thus totaling 3 TBSP yeast and 30 seconds of mixing. 

Add remaining 10 cups of bread flour and prepare to get messy.  Lightly mix everything together, creating a lumpy sticky lump.  Wash your hands and cover bowl for 20 minutes. 

After it has sat for 20 minutes, oil your counter and dump the mixture out.  Seperate into 4 equal peices.  For each piece, shape into a rectangle "loaf."  Then roll out following the length of the dough.  You just want to stretch it out a bit.  Starting at one end, roll the dough onto itself to create a loaf shape.  Put the loaf into a pan coated with cooking spray.  Repeat with other three lumps of dough.  Place in non preheated oven.  Close the door and turn oven on to 200*.  Let dough rise for 20 minutes.

When 20 minutes are up, without opening oven door, turn up the heat to 325* and cook for another 30-35 minutes.  The bread is done when the top is gorgeous golden.  Leave it in the pan a few minutes before dumping onto cooling rack.  Slice and enjoy.

Barbecue Cake

Jeffrey said he wanted a barbecue for his birthday.  So I decided to go all out.

Not only did he get a T-bone steak, corn on the cob and grilled pineapple, he got a barbecue cake.

It was very simple to make.  The hardest part was finding a rack small enough to go on top of the cake.  Next time I think I will just make my own out of wire.

I made two cake mixes.  Once they were cooled down a little, I popped them in the freezer.  A frozen cake is always easier to frost.  Once they were good and frozen, I pulled them out.  I plopped one cake on a tray (I just used a large piece of cardboard with tin foil over it) upside down, and frosted the top.  I then plopped the other cake, right side up (so the two bottoms were touching), measured where I wanted my "pit" and then cut it out, cutting down to the top of the first layer.  I set the cut out part aside.  I then proceeded to frost the top layer and the sides.  I then crumbled up part of the saved cake, and spread it in the bottom of the hole.  I placed marshmallows on top to act as the coals.  I got a pastry brush and wet them.  I the sprinkled black, red and orange sprinkles on top of the marshmallows.  The water made them sticky so the sprinkles would stick.  I also had some white crystal sprinkles that I spread all over in the "pit" so as to look like ash.  I placed the cooling rack over that.  I then got some water, and added red food coloring to it.  I again used a pastry brush, and brushed the red all over some rice cakes so as to look like raw hamburger patties.  Place them on the rack, and you have yourself a barbecue.

Hamburger Cookies

I made these for Jeffrey's birthday. He said he wanted a barbecue for his dinner, and I found these and decided to go all out.  Besides, they are just too cute, and so easy!

What you need:

Vanilla Wafers

Grasshopper cookies

Frosting

Coconut 

What to do:

• Scoop out frosting into three bowls.  Leave one bowl white and add red food coloring to one, and yellow food coloring to the other.
• Take a vanilla wafer and spread white frosting on the bottom.  Make it sloppy.  You want the white to spill over the edge a bit.
• Put one of the grasshopper cookies on top of the white frosting.
• Spread yellow frosting on half the grasshopper cookie.
• Spread red frosting on the other half of the cookie.  Remember, you want it to be sloppy and spill over the edges.
• Put your shredded coconut in a bag with green food coloring and mix it all around to coat evenly.
• Sprinkle some of the coconut on top of the red and yellow frosting. 
• Put another vanilla wafer on top of the whole ensemble. 
• Eat.
• Repeat.

See?  Easy peasy.  Now go make some for your next barbecue!

Banana Bread

 

I have been on a quest for a great banana bread recipe.  It was a long time of searching and tasting and being slightly dissapointed.  I just couldn't find one that made me happy.

 

Until now.  And boy oh boy did I find it!  I love this recipe.  It is sweet enough, and bananay enough and it sort of melts in your mouth.  Try it and you wont be disappointed.

 

Banana Bread

What You Need:

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
1 cup plus a little more mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
3 T milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 350*. Cream sugar, egg, and butter together in large bowl. Beat until fulffy. set aside. combine bananas, milk and vanilla in small bowl. Set aside. combine flour, baking powder, and bking soda together in small bowl. Alternate adding flour and banana mixutre into reserved creamed mixture stirring by hand until flour is just moistened. Do not over stir. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans if desired. Grease one 9x5x3" loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Horchata

While in California on my mission, I fell in love with a little drink called Horchata (pronounced Or-cha-ta).  It is a Mexican rice milk drink that is absolutely delicious!

When I am feeling ambitious, I sometimes make it.  It is so soothing and delicious on a hot summer day.

What you need:

• 1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup white sugar

What you do:

• Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours (or overnight)

• Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water.  Let sit for three hours and then strain through a coffee filter.  Chill and stir before serving over ice.

Cinco De Mayo Meal, Baby!

Today is Cinco de Mayo. What that means is the Mexicans beat Napolean's army and drove the French from their lands on this day in 1862.  Pretty amazing since the French army had not been beaten for over 50 years!  Go Mexicans!

As it is well known, I find any reason I can to celebrate.  No, I am not Mexican, but I do love the people, culture, and food. 

Today in honor of the Mexican holiday, we ate in style.

We had Cafe Rio style burritos.  They are Jeffrey's favorite and I quite like them as well.  I found the recipe at Favorite Family Recipes and adapted it a little to suit our tastes.  Enjoy!

CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it's not "traditional Cafe Rio")


CILANTRO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

I also bought some enchilada sauce and poured it over the burritos, sprinkling Tapatio hot sauce and cheese over the top and popped them in the broiler (the oven turned to broil).  When the cheese was melted, they were done.  Add some pico de gallo and a little bit of crema and it is ready for the eating!

Chayote Soup

I received a few veggies in my Bountiful Baskets a while back, and I had no idea what they were.  After much research, it was discovered that they were chayote squash.

Not knowing what to do with them, I followed a friend's advice and made this soup.

Love.

It is so yummy! 

The only change I would make would be to add less pepper flakes.  Other than that, it is delicious, and I may buy chayote regularly just so I can make it again.

This recipe was found on All Recipes.

Enjoy.

What You Need:

• 2 cubes chicken bouillon, crumbled
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 chayote squashes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

What To Do:

1. Dissolve the bouillon in the hot water.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion, garlic, and red pepper in the butter until the onion is soft. Add the squash, 2 tablespoons cilantro, salt, and pepper and stir continually for 5 minutes. Stir in the bouillon mixture and 1 tablespoon cilantro; cover. Simmer about 20 minutes.
3. Pour the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into bowls and garnish with a sprig of cilantro to serve.

Resurrection Rolls

I guess we have a sort of carbo loading theme going on here.  But that is what you get with my boys.  They sure love their carbs!  So, since Easter is tomorrow, we did the baskets today, wanting to have a more spiritual day tomorrow.  So, I found this recipe from I Am Mother Hear Me Roar and since I couldn't link up to it, I just copied and pasted.  I know, super lame and bad, but I did it anyway.  I just wanted to be able to find it quickly.  And since this blog I use all the time for cooking, I need it here.  Justified?  A little.  :)

Resurrection Rolls

These hollow dinner rolls-that represent Jesus' empty tomb-are not only an Easter tradition in my home, they are the highlight of our Easter celebration meal.  They are expected so much that when my kids saw me making these for this tutorial they were confused and kept asking if today was Easter.  You can imagine the bliss on their faces as I explained I was making them to share with you and they realized they would get to enjoy them twice this season.  

Here is what you need...

Frozen dough for dinner rolls - found in the freezer section of your grocer

Marshmallows - regular size

Melted Butter

Sugar and Cinnamon Mixture - I recommend about a 4:1 ratio.  (4 being the sugar...mmmmm)

1.  Thaw rolls - Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange dough balls, leaving about 2 inches between each ball.   I usually plan on 3-4 rolls per person (we snack on them later in the day) so I place about 16 per cookie sheet. Spray some plastic wrap with non-stick spray (so the wrap doesn't stick to your dough) and cover them as they thaw.  This will keep the dough from drying out and getting a hard crust.  My house was fairly warm the day I made these and it took about 1 and 1/2 hours for them to thaw.

2.  Add Marshmallow - Before the dough rises, flatten it to a 3" diameter circle.  Place your marshmallow in the middle and pinch the dough closed around the marshmallow to completely cover it up.  Roll the dough ball in the palm of your hand to smooth out the closure and seal it.

3.  Roll dough covered marshmallow in butter. (Or brush it on.)  

4.  Sprinkle on cinnamon & sugar mixture.  Or you can do like my family does and roll it on. We like them super flavorful, sweet and yummy.  (By the way...I typically use raw unbleached sugar which is why mine has a darker color and a more coarse texture.  You can use whatever style sugar you keep on hand.)

5.  Place them on a greased cookie sheet, cover them again with your non-stick coated plastic wrap and let them rise until they double in size.  This takes approximately 30-60 minutes depending on how warm the environment is.  And not to worry...if they don't rise they'll still taste yummy.  I'm not sure why yet...but it isn't often that I actually get my rolls to rise as they should.  This particular time would be one of those times.  They barely rose but left one of the better 'tombs' I've had in my rolls. 

6.  Don't forget to pre-heat your oven during the last 10 minutes of your rising step.  When they are ready to bake, place them in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

7.  When they are done baking, remove them from the pan and cool on a wire rack.  

8.  Enjoy them together.

"The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay."
Matthew 28:5-6 

Res

Yumm-diddly-umptios Cinnamon Rolls

General Conference Cinnamon Rolls

A lady in Orem makes these for the Apostles every conference! Start the night before because the first part needs to refrigerate overnight then in the morning you make them into the rolls & put in dish to rise for about 2 hours. Baking is mere minutes.

2 pkg dry yeast
1/4 C warm water
2/3 C instant (dry) milk
1 3/4 C hot water
3/4 C melted butter or margarine
add
1/2 C sugar
2 t salt
(let mixture cool)
5 1/2 C flour (start with 2 then add the rest)
4 well beaten eggs

Layer ingredients: (I double the recipe on this part ’cause I like goop)
1/2 C melted butter
2 T cinnamon
6 T sugar

Frosting: (or sub cream cheese frosting, but this is the general conference version)
4 C powdered sugar
1/2 C soft butter
2 t vanilla & water

Put yeast in the 1/4 C warm water. Combine instant milk, the hot water and 3/4 C melted butter. Add sugar and salt; let mixture cool. Blend in 2 C flour then add yeast and eggs. Stir in rest of flour. Dough will be soft.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Turn 1/2 out on well floured surface (coat with flour to handle). Roll out into rectangle. Spread with the layer ingredients: first butter then sugar and finally cinnamon add raisins/nuts at this point if desired. Roll up and cut slices with clean dental floss (put floss underneath then criss-cross upwards to make a clean slice without squishing). Put in baking dish/pan.
Raise 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes (watch that they don't burn).

Frost while warm.

Baked Spaghetti

 

This is such a delicious dish and certainly a family favorite.  Yumm!

It is convenient because Jeffrey's favorite food is spaghetti, and I get tired of having it the same way over and over and over.  This way, I get some variation, and he gets his spaghetti.  

*Note* I leave out the meat.  Of course.  :)

 

 

Baked Spaghetti 

 

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 lb. ground beef

28 oz diced tomatoes (w/liquid)

2tsp. oregano

6 c. cheddar cheese, shredded (i never measure this, i just buy the big cheddar and mozarella bags of shredded cheese from costco and put on as much as i want, i like it really cheesey!)

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c. water

4 oz. can mushroom (w/liquid)

1 c. shredded parmesian (same as other cheese, i don't really measure)

1 can olives, crushed (i break them up with my fingers as i put them in)

12 oz spaghetti, cooked

 

Boil spaghetti, set aside with oil drizzled to keep from sticking, sautee onion, bell pepper, and meat, drain. add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, and oregano, simmer uncovered 10 minutes. grease pan (needs to be bigger than the standard pyrex baking rectangular dish, it will overflow in that one. i bought a bigger one from my specialty section at the grocery store. it's red, so cute, harmon's do have harmon's?). add 1/2 pasta, top with 1/2 veggie/hamburger mix, 1/2 of cheddar cheese (or as much as you want!), and repeat the steps again (pasta, veg/ham, cheese). then mix two cans of cream of mush soup with 1/2 c water, pour over top, spread evenly. top with parmesian cheese. bake 350* 30-45 minutes.

And there you have it.  A huge scrumptious meal, easily prepared.

Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

Jeffrey loves crescent rolls.  But since I am trying to swear off white flour, it seemed we couldn't have his favorite rolls anymore.  Today he was having a bad day, so I decided to try and make them for him.  Whole Wheat style.  Yum!

What you need:
2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup pure dehydrated cane sugar
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
5-6 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup ground flax seed


What you do:
Combine water and yeast.  Let sit for ten minutes or until yeast has dissolved.  Add sugar milk oil eggs and salt.  Mix well.  Add flour.  I use six always, and it seems to be perfect.  Combine.  Cover in warm area for 45 minutes.  Punch dough down.  Cover and let sit another 45 minutes.  When 45 minutes are up, divide in half.  Roll out on a floured surface.  Spread more olive oil (or coconut oil) over the top.  Cover.  With a pizza cutter, cut into equal "slices."  Roll from the outside in making sure to tuck the end underneath when you set it on the lightly greased pan.  Bake at 400* for 10-15 minutes.  They are done when golden brown. 

So delicious, and so much better for you!  Enjoy!