Warm, Gooey, Cinnamon Rolls

YUM! The house is full of the warm, sweet scent of these freshly baked deliciousness. My Mom sent me this recipe, and I altered it just a little. Homemade cinnamon rolls, ones you bake from scratch, are not complicated, but do require a little effort and some patience. The waiting periods for the dough to rise are great for cleanup of the kitchen between steps, but tough when you have to wait to taste them!

These are worth waiting for, believe me!

Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 15-20 Rolls 375degrees

2 pkg dry yeast, mixed into 1/2 c. warm water- until foamy

Meanwhile, scald 1 1/2 c. milk in saucepan and cool

Mix together and add:

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp salt

2 eggs

add:

1/2 c. butter, softened.

Mix together, slowly adding the 7 1/2 cups of flour.

Knead for 5 minutes

Rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2- 2 hours.

Split the dough in half.

Roll out each half on a lightly floured surface, into a rectangle shape. Grease liberally with softened butter, and then layer with the filling (recipe below)

I also like to add finely chopped pecans inside the roll.

Pinch the edges closed with butter, cut evenly with a serrated knife into uniformly sized rolls. Place on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Space several inches apart.

Rise again, another 45 minutes before baking. I like to spray with oil, pam or butter and loosely cover with either a damp clean towel or saran wrap as they rise, to avoid sticking and drying out.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp Molasses

5 Tbsp Cinnamon

3 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp good quality vanilla

Mix together well

The best Cream Cheese Icing

1- 8oz package of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter,softened

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk

Mix together well until blended. Frost the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm for best results.

ENJOY!

Blackberry Oatmeal Scones

On a rainy day, my thoughts turn toward warm tea and scones. Our family loves scones, not the super dry crumbly kind, but the ones with a little texture and softness. This recipe turns out a delicious oatmeal scone, with a total of 1/3 cup of sugar in the recipe, allowing the sweet blackberries to seep through.

These are simple to mix up, and have never lasted long enough at my home to know how well they keep.

Oatmeal Blackberry Scones

Preheat Oven 400 Degrees

1 egg

1/2 c. cold buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 2/3 c. flour

1 1/3 c. old fashioned oats

1/3 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 stick plus 2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 pint blackberries

Line baking sheets with parchment

Stir the egg, vanilla and buttermilk together and set aside

Whisk the flour, oats, sugar, baking soda and baking powder, salt and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Drop in the cut butter and toss. Quickly working with a pastry blender or fork cut and rub the butter into the dry mixture until it is pebbly. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the dry mixture and stir until a dough forms..wet and sticky.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and fold the berries in. Drop scoops of dough onto the baking sheet.

I like to add a slight sprinkle of cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg on

top, either before baking or fresh out of the oven.

Bake 20 minutes until edges are golden brown.

The Blondie vs. The Brownie

The Blondie Vs. The Brownie.

As a blonde my entire life thus far, this question was a common childhood and teen years debate. Is it more fun to be a brunette or a blonde? Hours are spent each year in bars and rocking chairs telling jokes about blondes. Im thinking up a good brunette joke to even up the score!

Today I will let you answer that question. Make up a batch of these wonderfully rich and sweet blondies, and weigh in on the debate.

Blonde Brownies

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Measure 1 cup sifted flour. Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift again. Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts. I like to mix it up. Sometimes I used chopped almonds or macadamia nuts, but pecans or walnuts are just as good.
• Mix well and set aside.
• Melt 1/3 cup butter. Add 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar and mix well.
• Add egg (beaten) and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, mixing well.
• Spread in 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Sprinkle 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips on top. I like to use the mini chocolate chips- a little less sweet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
• 
  
• It is really simple to double the recipe and use a glass 13x9 pan.

Chocolate-Chip Cookie Cupcakes

I love baking cupcakes. For one thing, they are pretty. And portion controlled. And can be filled with suprises. And the flavor combinations are endless. And friends, neighbors, family and co-workers love them.

These Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes are one of my most requested recipes. And very easy to make.

All you need is:

One batch of chocolate chip cookie dough ( I use the store bought roll of refigerated dough when Im in a pinch) frozen
I box of yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup veg. oil
1 cup water

Put the dough in the freezer for at least one hour prior to making the cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper- recipe makes 20-24 cupcakes

Combine the cake mix with the eggs, water and oil. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into tins. Make balls of cookie dough with the frozen dough and drop one ball in each cupcake tin.

Bake 20 minutes, let cool and frost with either fluffy white frosting or choclate frosting.

At the bottom of each cupcake will be a golden, crispy cookie chunk as you bite in the middle of your cupcake!

Enjoy~