Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 5, 2014

One Hour Cinnamon Rolls




 My sons were in the mood for some cinnamon rolls this past weekend so I headed on over to Pinterest to find a cinnamon roll recipe that wouldn't take me all day to make. That's where I found the recipe from Life Made Simple. It's super simple and only took about an hour to make. Definitely worth the time!

This recipe makes a 13x9 dish of rolls so you will have a lot of them. It would be a great recipe to make for a sleepover or family get-together. Or if you just have a sweet tooth. 

If you have a recipe that you feel tops this one, I'd love to try it out. 





One Hour Cinnamon Rolls                      
Prep time
Cook time
Total time

Yield: 12-15
Ingredients
  • 2¾ c. all-purpose flour (I use unbleached flour for everything)
  • ¼ c. sugar
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 package yeast (or 2¼ tsp.)
  • ½ c. water
  • ¼ c. whole milk
  • 1 tsp. salt

  • Filling:
  • ⅔ c. brown sugar
  • ¼ c. (½ stick) butter, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. almond extract (optional - I just used the 3/4 tsp of vanilla and it turned out great)

  • Vanilla glaze:
  • 1½ c. powdered sugar
  • ¼ c. (½ stick) butter, melted
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tbsp. milk
Directions
  1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast and salt.
  2. In a small microwave safe bowl (or glass measuring cup), combine the sugar, butter, water and milk. Heat in the microwave until the mixture is hot and the butter is almost melted (it took about 1 minute 30 seconds on HIGH in my microwave). Gradually add the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and mix until a soft and sticky dough forms.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
  4. If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and set on the lowest mixing setting for 4 minutes or until the dough becomes elastic or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3-4 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest on the counter for 5 minutes.
  5. Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it measures a 16x9 inch rectangle. Prepare the filling by combining all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl except for the butter. Spread the butter over the top of the rolled dough, then cover with the filling. Tightly roll the dough and cut into 12 portions. I like to use dental floss for this... I also cut it in half, then fourths etc. That way my pieces are all uniform in size (you may have a few smaller pieces from the ends, just arrange them around the larger rolls).
  6. Place the rolls into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish and gently press a piece of aluminum foil over top. Turn OFF your oven and place the covered rolls inside to rise for 25 minutes.
  7. Remove the rolls from the oven and turn ON your oven to 375 degrees. Once heated, bake the rolls for 15-18 minutes or until the centers are lightly golden brown in color.
  8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before frosting. While rolls are cooling, prepare the frosting by combining all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and beating by hand or with a hand mixer until smooth. Spread over the tops of the rolls.


Notes from Life Made Simple:
-I always add a "hint" of almond extract to the filling. Feel free to use only vanilla extract, or only almond extract.
-If you live in a dry place or have trouble with baked goods drying out quickly, you may want to fill a separate 9x13 inch baking dish with boiling water and put in on the lowest rack in your oven right before you proof the rolls (place them in the warm oven to rise). This will ensure that the rolls stay moist and elastic. You will keep the water in the oven until they are baked.
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Okay, there you have it. Easy and delicious cinnamon rolls. Please share this recipe with your friends so they can enjoy them as well. Don't forget to send me your cinnamon roll recipes to try.

As always, thanks for reading.

Take care,
NB
Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Taco Tuesday: Egg Roll Taco


We love taco nights in our house. That being said, I found a great recipe on Pinterest for Egg Roll Tacos. These things are fabulous and a nice little change from the regular old taco shells. 

Here's how to make them:


 Taco Egg Rolls
Originally posted on awkwardkitchenette.com

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
8-10 egg roll wrappers
1 package Mexican shredded cheese



Step 1: Brown and drain ground beef.


Step 2: Season according to taco seasoning instructions.

Step 3: Turn off heat, and mix in shredded cheese with taco meat.

Step 4: Fill egg roll wrappers.

Step 5: Brush egg rolls with olive oil. 

Step 6: Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, flipping egg rolls at 8 minutes.

Step 7: Serve hot with sour cream!

These things are really good! I think you could even add some re-fried beans and other diced up veggies to really make these things plump. I want to try adding a little rice the next time around. 

Do you have an amazing taco Tuesday recipe to share? I'd love to give it a try. 

As always, thanks for reading.

Take care,
NB 



Monday, July 21, 2014

Product Review: Chef's Planet Cruet

I'm always on the search for items that I find indispensable. I recently came across one on Amazon that I use for my olive oil. It's made by Chef's Planet and it's an eight ounce glass cruet. Let me tell you, I love this thing!

I went to college for genetics and I am drawn to anything that reminds me of science experiments. When I saw the Chef's Planet cruet, I knew I had to have one for my kitchen. I was going to go with the Rachel Ray cruet, but I had seen one in the store and it seemed too large for what I needed. I just wanted something that I could sit in my baking cabinet and it would not take up too much room, but it had to look cool too.

So, I ordered the Chef's Planet one. When it arrived I was a little worried that my clumsy banana hands would break the thing. The glass is thin and I'm sure if I dropped it on the floor I'd be taking an olive oil bath. However, the glass is made from break-resistent Pyrex glass. It's actually really sturdy.  I think my favorite feature would have to be the "drip-less" pour spout. Once you pour some oil in your pan and go to set it on the counter, you don't have to worry about oil dripping down the side of the bottle.

I can't say enough positive things about this cruet. You can use for it syrups, dressings, and many other liquids as well.  It would make a great gift for anyone, even for that man cave chef out there. It's neither feminine nor masculine. It's just . . . awesome!

I'm including an affiliate link here so you can be directed straight to the same cruet on Amazon. You don't have to buy it there, obviously. I just wanted you to get the full idea of what it is and read other reviews about it. I am also giving you the link to Chef's Planet here.

I'm not being compensated for writing this post. This is just one of those things that I think is a great product!

Okay, well I hope you purchase one and love it as much as I do. If you do, stop back by and tell me what you think. I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Thanks for reading!

Take care,
NB