Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Cinnamon Rolls

Alan decided he wanted to make Cinnabon-like cinnamon rolls this morning so this is the recipe we tried. It is from www.thedailymeal.com and was really good! They were pretty time consuming to make so that was the only negative, otherwise- well worth the effort! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

For the frosting:

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cream cheese
  • 3 tablespoons light butter from a stick, softened
  • 1/2 tablespoon fat-free milk 

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the buns:

  •  Butter-flavored cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoons light butter from a stick 

  • 1 cup fat-free milk 

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup artificially sweetened fat-free vanilla yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg white
  •  One 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
  • 4 cups unbleached flour, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:

For the frosting:

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer fitted with beaters or stir with a spoon until combined, about 1 minute. If using a mixer, increase the speed to high.
Beat or stir vigorously until smooth, about 30 seconds. Allow the frosting to set for at least 10 minutes. Place in an airtight plastic container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Just before using, stir well with a spoon. 

For the buns:

Lightly mist a large bowl with cooking spray. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the butter to soften.
In a large microwavable measuring cup or a medium-sized microwavable bowl, combine the milk, granulated sugar, and the remaining butter. Microwave on high power until the milk is hot (130 degrees), 2 minutes.
Add the yogurt. Whisk until the sugar dissolves (some small lumps of yogurt may be visible). Add the egg and egg white. Whisk to beat well. Add the yeast. Whisk until dissolved.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or in a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the salt.
Mix or stir by hand with a wooden spoon to blend. Add the milk mixture. Mix on medium power or stir vigorously to blend. (The mixture will be very sticky.) Add the remaining flour, mixing or stirring until absorbed.
Lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough onto the work surface. (A plastic dough scraper or brittle plastic spatula is helpful for getting out all of the dough and starting the kneading.)
Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add scant amounts of flour as needed. (The dough should be soft but not sticky.) Place in the reserved bowl. Lightly mist with cooking spray. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the corn syrup, brown sugar, the remaining cinnamon, and the vanilla extract. Stir to blend well. Set aside.
When the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down and place it on the lightly floured surface. Knead for about 1 minute. Dust lightly with flour. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Lightly mist a 9x13 inch nonstick baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Using your hands or a floured rolling pin, press or roll the dough into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle.
With a butter knife, evenly spread the softened butter over the dough. Drizzle on the filling. With a knife or spatula, spread it evenly to the edges. Starting at one shorter side, roll the dough, jelly-roll fashion, into a tube, ending seam side down. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Place, spiral side up, in the reserved dish.
Cover the dish with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm spot. Let the rolls rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bake until very lightly browned but slightly doughy in the center, 22-28 minutes. Using a butter knife, frosting over the top.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie

My contribution to Thanksgiving this year was Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie. This is one of my family's favorite holiday recipes and it was fun making this yummy dessert. Here is the recipe if you want to try making it yourself! Enjoy!
  • unbaked pie shell
  • 6oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup Kahlua
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • Kahlua Cream
Melt chocolate in small saucepan, add Kahlua. Stir until smooth. In large mixing bowl hand beat eggs lightly. Stir in brown sugar, salt, vanilla, syrup, and chocolate mixture. Then stire in buter and 1 cup of pecans. Turn into pie shell . Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup pecans on top. Bake slightly below center of oven at 350 until barely set in center and pastry is light golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Remove and cool. Make Kahlua Cream right before serving:
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 Tbs. Kahlua
  • 1 Tbs. powdered sugar
Beat together with hand mixer until soft peaks form. Top each serving with cream.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Happy Fall Y'all!

I can't believe it is "officially" fall today! Where has the summer gone?! This is definitely my favorite time of year for so many reasons, here are just a few:

Great Outdoors of East Tennessee: views that take my breath away

UT Football: Saturdays don't get much better than this

Scarves and Boots: favorite accessories ever

Pumpkin Bread: all-time favorite snack (it's a problem, now it can be your problem too- see below)
-2 cups white sugar
-1 cup brown sugar
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
-1 teaspoon ground allspice
-1/2 cup water

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch loaf pans.

2.Mix white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs in a large bowl; stir in pumpkin and mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, cloves, and allspice in a bowl; add alternately with water to pumpkin mixture. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

3.Bake in preheated oven until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Happy Fall Y'all!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a fantastic friend and family filled Memorial Day weekend. The festivities kicked off with a BBQ pot-luck at our sweet friends Becky and Mike's house. Mike smoked delicious pork and chicken and everyone else brought sides. Becky made homemade ice-cream to complete the meal, it was perfection.
the ladies...
 the gents...
Monday, we grilled out with Alan's family and ended the night with Banana's Foster. If you haven't ever made this you should definitely try because:
1) It is delicious
2) It is so much fun to make!
 igniting the liquor...
 the finished product
Here is the recipe if you want to attempt!
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 4 ripe bananas, peeled and split length-wise
  • cinnamon
  • ½ cup white rum
  • ¼ cup banana liquor
  • vanilla ice cream
Melt butter and brown sugar in pan. Add bananas and sauté turning bananas over after about 5 minutes until tender. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour in rum and banana liquor. Ignite and remove from heat and baste until flame burns out. Serve with ice cream and enjoy!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Southern Living Chocolate Truffle Cake

My contribution to Thanksgiving dinner this year was a Chocolate Truffle Cake from one of my Southern Living cookbooks...it was a huge success! It was a sweet (and pretty) treat if I do say so myself!
It took a little while to make and decorate, so I would advise planning ahead for plenty of time to try it out!
The finished product before...
...and after! Enjoy!
Cake Ingredients
  • 8 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1¾ cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1¾ cups buttermilk
  • unsweetened cocoa
  • Chocolate Truffle Filling
  • Ganache
  • 2 (14 ounce) containers of Pepperidge Farm Pirouline hazelnut rolled wafer cookies
Microwave chocolate in medium glass bowl for 1 minute or until melted. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar together at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and then chocolate and vanilla and mix until blended. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until blended after each addition. Pour batter in 3 greased 9-inch cakepans dusted with cocoa. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then transfer to cooking racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Truffle Filling
  • 4 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
  • 6 TBS. butter
  • 6 TBS. whipping cream
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar
Microwave chocolate and butter for 1 minute or until melted. Stir in whipping cream. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until blended and smooth. On cake stand, place first cake and then spread truffle filling between each layer as you stack.

Ganache
  • 10 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
  • ½ cup whipping cream
Microwave chocolate for 1 minute or until melted. Add whipping cream and stir until smooth. Spread ganache on sides and top of cake. Break cookies into long pieces and and line the sides of the cake with them. Decorate with thick ribbon and tie or hold in place with a long pin.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Rocky Top & Pumpkin Carving

Alan and I had a super fun weekend with our family and friends. Patrick and Elizabeth came in town on Friday night and we celebrated Patrick's birthday with my whole family and had a great time catching up. On Saturday we all tailgated together on FIJI Island before the game.
Elizabeth and Patrick
Wyatt and Caitlin came in town too and it was super fun getting to hang out with them :)
Maggie stopped by our tailgate too for a little while as she was making her way throughout campus...such a fun day!
On Sunday, Alan and I decided we were long overdue for some pumpkin carving, but not too late since we still had one more day until Halloween! Here are our pumpkins before:
During...Alan's whole family got involved!
Mitchell said that Alan, Katie, and I "cheated" since we used a pattern on our pumpkins, that's a pretty harsh word, what do you think?
Alan was the last to finish, but I will say I do think that his pumpkins looked the best!
Finished! From left to right is: Alan's, mine, Katie's, and Mitchell's
They all looked so great lit up once it got dark!
And one last treat that I'll share with you if you decide to do a little pumpkin carving yourself is to save the seeds, rinse and dry them, lay them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with Lawry's seasoning salt and garlic powder, and bake at 400 for 10 minutes, delish!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Strawberry Cake & Amy's Birthday

For Amy's birthday celebration at Girls Night I made a Strawberry Cake. The recipe belongs to Alan's grandmother, Nonnie, and it was a huge hit so here it is:
-white cake mix
-small package of strawberry jello
-1 Tbs. flour
-1/2 C. water
-3/4 C. oil
-4 eggs
-small package of frozen strawberries, thawed and mashed up
-2 C. powdered sugar
-1 stick butter, softened
-fresh strawberries
Combine cake mix, jello, and flour. Add water, oil, eggs, and half of frozen strawberries. Pour into 3 well greased 8 inch round pans. Bake 25 minutes at 350. To make the icing, beat together powdered sugar, butter, and the rest of the frozen strawberries. Wait until the cakes are completely cool before icing and stacking. Garnish with fresh strawberries and enjoy!
Happy Birthday Amy!!!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Cinco de Mayo

Happy fifth of May friends! I love any good reason to get together and throw a party! Why shouldn't the celebration of Mexican heritage be one of them?! The sangria was made last night so it could chill and I get off work early today so I can go home and finish the rest of the preparations with my mom. I'm sharing my sangria recipe because it is DELISH! Happy Thursday!
• 1 bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Rioja, Zinfandel, or Shiraz)
• 2 shots of Triple Sec
• Splash of orange juice or lemonade
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 orange, cut into wedges
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 cup raspberries
• 4 12oz cans of Sprite

Mix all ingredients to
gether and chill overnight. Serve in really fun glasses!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Oatmeal Cookie Cream Pies

These are the most delicious cookies and the perfect thing to make if you’re staying inside trying to keep warm and busy. I got the recipe from a good friend of mine, Lacy Stegmann. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookies
1¼ cups butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
Beat the first 3 ingredients together. Then add:
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
Beat well.
In a separate bowl combine:
1½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
Add to mixture. Add:
3 cups uncooked quick oats

Drop by rounded tablespoon 2 inches apart onto non-stick baking sheet. Bake at 375º for 10 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies or 18 cream pies.

Cream Filling
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in mixer and beat on low. Then, beat on high until light and fluffy. Spread about 2 Tbsp. of cream filling over the bottom side of a cookie, and then top with another cookie to make into cream pies.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

You've asked for the recipe, so here it is! A Rockwell Christmas tradition and delicious treat for any holiday gathering. Enjoy!

2 cups peanut butter
4 sticks butter, melted
1 Tbsp. vanilla
8-10 cups powdered sugar
24 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 stick paraffin
Christmas M&Ms
toothpicks

Mix peanut butter, butter, and vanilla in mixer. Add powdered sugar 2 cups at a time mixing well between each addition. Roll peanut butter mixer into small balls and put on tray. Put tray in freezer for about 30 minutes. On stove, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and paraffin in double boiler (you may use a regular pot just make sure the chocolate doesn't burn!) Take the peanut butter balls out of freezer and stick toothpick into each one in order to dip into melted chocolate. Place on wax paper to dry. After about 5 minutes, take toothpicks out and cover hole with a Christmas M&M. (I put a little bit of the melted chocolate on the underside of each M&M in order to get it to stay in place) Recipe makes about 100 chocolate peanut butter balls!

Friday, October 22, 2010

White Cheddar-APA Soup

You know it's October when the weather starts getting colder, and you start longing for the perfect Fall comfort food...soup! This is a delicious recipe from Schlafly Bottleworks' chef Josh King. Schlafly is a local St. Louis Brewery, but if you can't find it in your own grocery store, any APA beer will still work for this recipe. Alan and I enjoyed this a couple nights ago. Hope you do too! Happy Fall Y'all!

White Cheddar-APA Soup
INGREDIENTS
2 sticks butter
1 cup flour
½ cup olive oil
1½ cups diced carrot
1½ cups diced celery
1½ cups diced onion
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 cups Schlafly APA beer
5 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. ground white pepper
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
¾ lb. sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 cups heavy cream
PREPARATION
• In a large pan, make a roux: Melt the butter and then add in the flour. Stirring constantly, cook over medium-low heat until the roux smells slightly nutty. Set aside
• Place the olive oil, carrots, celery, onions and garlic in a stockpot and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are soft. Do not brown.
• Add the beer, vegetable stock and all spices and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the roux in small amounts until the mixture coats the back of the spoon, stirring well after each addition. (You might not use all the roux. If you prefer a thicker soup, add more roux, but remember that the cheese will also thicken the soup.)
• Add the shredded cheese a little at a time, stirring after each addition until completely melted.
• Add the heavy cream, remove from the heat and stir well.
• Serve warm. Enjoy!