Lion House Dinner Rolls

I love these rolls and I'll be honest I have bought them at least a dozen times from our local Deseret Bookstore just so I don't have to do the work. I do still love making rolls from scratch though and wanted my girls to learn this method so we made them for Easter. These instructions are the traditional Lion House rolls where they are rolled up. This takes a bit of practice so just play with it until you find what works. Just make sure you line them all up on the pan the same with the edges all facing the same side. It just helps when they bump into each other rising and baking. MMMmmm MMMmmm!

Lion House Dinner Rolls

Yields 2 dozen

2 tablespoons active dry yeast or instant w/no proofing

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk

5-6 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes (unless you are using instant yeast – just add the yeast and water together with the other ingredients). Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat together until very smooth. Add remaining flour gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time) until a soft but not sticky dough is formed. Knead the dough for at least five minutes if using an electric mixer and for at least 10 minutes if mixing the dough by hand. When the dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a lightly greased large bowl covered with greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled. Separate the dough into two portions. Roll each section out to an 11X14-inch rectangle. Brush the top with melted butter. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into two pieces, the long way.  Then slice the dough into five or six strips across so you end up with 12 small rectangles. I use my hand to measure. Using your left hand make a "L" with your thumb and pointer. This is about how big you want each roll piece to be. As wide as your thumb and as long as your finger. Use that as a judge when you cut your dough. Then roll each small rectangle up like a snail (butter on the inside) and place in a lightly greased 9x12 glass with the roll resting on it’s open edge. (If you don't have 2 glass dishes you can also use a greased rimmed baking sheet.) Repeat with the second portion of dough. Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes until they are nicely browned.

Baked French Toast

This recipe is the best baked french toast out there. And given that its from The Pioneer Woman you shouldn't just take my word for it. I only bake it once a year for special occasions just for the not-so healthy factor, but I really need to make it at least in the monthly rotation because it's amazing. And plus it bakes while I'm at the gym early in the morning and breakfast is ready for the family when I walk in the door. Another reason why I'm going to have to start making it more often is because this time I used all my extra crusts and ends from when I was making my bimonthly uncrustables and it worked like a charm. So that was a huge win because I always feel bad throwing away so many crusts. Okay back to the recipe. Make sure you top it with Mom's butter syrup while you're at it! Heaven!

Baked French Toast

Recipe by The Pioneer Woman

1 loaf french bread (or day old bread clippings to the equivalent)

8 whole eggs

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp vanilla

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

syrup and berries for serving

For the french toast: Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter. Tear the bread into chunks, or cut into cubes, and evenly distribute in the pan. (Should fill up the pan to the top). Crack the eggs in a big bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover the pan tightly and store in the fridge until needed. (overnight preferably). Or you can make it and bake it right away. 

For the topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Stir together using a fork. Add the butter and with a pastry cutter, mix it all together until the mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat the over to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from fridge and sprinkle the topping over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture, or for 1 hour-plus or more for a firmer, crisper texture (that's how I like it). Scoop out individual portions and top with berries and a drizzle of syrup.

Spinach Chicken Stomboli

I have made this dish twice now and it is delish! Not to mention you can use up leftover rotisserie chicken and other things you have around. This time I added some fresh basil from my garden. Yu- um!

Oh and here's a shout out to to library! If you are at the library a lot with your kids, go find the cookbooks! I check out cookbooks ALL the time from the library to try new recipes, which is where I got this one (plus then you don't take up space in your kitchen with recipe books you don't ever use!)

Spinach-Chicken Stromboli

Recipe from Our Best Bites Cookbook

1 Recipe of Breadstick dough (I use the one below) or you can buy a refrigerated pizza crust

2 tsp olive oil, divided

1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

3 1/2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast

2 roma tomatoes, diced 

any other flavorings you want to throw in...ideas are fresh or dried basil, rosemary, mushrooms, anything your family likes

If you want some pasta sauces for dipping but I personally like it by itself with a salad

Preheat the oven to 425 (or follow dough recipe). Working on a floured surface, roll pizza dough into a 12 x 15 inch rectangle. Brush 1 1/2 tsp olive oil over the entire surface of crust. Evenly sprinkle Italian seasoning and 2 Tbsp Parmesan on top.

Keeping remaining toppings one inch away from all edges, evenly spread the spinach, chicken, tomatoes and mozzarella over the dough. 

Working from the long end of the rectangle, roll up from one end to the other (like a cinnamon roll). Pinch seam shut and then pinch each end shut and tuck under toward seam.

Place seam-side down on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Brush remaining 1/2 tsp olive oil on top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese. Gently cut 3 slits along the top of the Stromboli.

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing into 1 inch slices. Serve with marinara and/or alfredo sauce if desired.

Easy Breadsticks/Stomboli Dough

Recipe from Our Best Bites

Mix 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 Tbsp active yeast with 1 1/2 cups warm water and let stand 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 cups flour and mix. Then gradually add 1 1/2-2 1/2 cups more of flour (for 3-4 1/2 total). Cover and let rise 45 minutes.

*Updated Cinnamon Rolls/Twists

I originally posted these cinnamon twists about 18 months ago. After a sweet reader noted a mistake on the water measurement, and I have made them time and time again with easier steps, I decided it was time to re-write the instructions. So where the original recipe has your divide the dough in half and double the cinnamon paste, I have been working with all the dough at once and keeping the paste at the half amount. (I was finding half of it oozed out anyway so halving it just works better) You can still divide the dough out into 2 if you want to make half cinnamon rolls, half dinner rolls. But 2 dozen cinnamon rolls disappear quickly around here with 4 kiddos.

The reason these are still my favorite is that where traditional cinnamon rolls take a few hours to make with all the rising, these only take an hour start to finish. They are also topped with a glaze instead of frosting-so they are light and melt in your mouth!

Cinnamon Rolls/Twists

Recipe adapted slightly from Sharon West

Makes about 2 dozen

In your mixer bowl, proof your yeast by adding the hot water and waiting to get bubbly: 

2 Tbsp quick rise yeast 

2 1/4 cups hot tap water

Then add:

1 cube butter, melted (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2/3 cup powdered milk

2 beaten eggs

3 cups flour

Mix until well blended with your paddle attachment. Then add

3 cups additional flour (this makes 6 cups total)

Now you can switch over to your dough hook if you want to. Set your timer for 10 minutes and let the machine knead the dough with the dough hook. (If you don't have a dough hook no worries just use whatever attachment you have and knead it up)

After the 10 minutes-lower your bowl down or lift your mixer arm up, take the hook out, and cover it. Let it sit and rise for 30 minutes in the bowl. 

While it is rising you can mix up your cinnamon/sugar paste. 

In a small bowl mix together: 

1 cube butter

1 cup brown sugar

4 tsp cinnamon

After your dough has raised 30 minutes, dump the dough out onto a very thoroughly floured counter.  Now with floured hands and a floured surface, roll out the dough into a very large rectangle. Mine today measured 30 inches wide (hip to hip) and 15 inches deep (going away from me).  Now spread the cinnamon/sugar mixture onto half of the dough- the half closest to you. Spread out the paste until it's all evenly distributed. Then fold over the top half so you have a sandwich with the paste in the middle. My scraper works really good for scraping that other half to fold over.

Here are some pictures. I know this seems funny but if this is a new method to you it will help. My actual pictures were not good. One of these days I will take some as I'm doing it, but since I'm usually by myself in the kitchen that will have to wait. Also if your rimmed cookie sheet is 12 x 18 like mine, lay one long wise and the other upright and you can get an idea of how long to roll your dough without actually measuring it. 

Now that you have your "breadsticks" take one of them and twist each end opposite to make it nice a twisty. Now take that twisted stick and wrap it around your thumb. There is a correct direction to twist around your thumb. If the twisty starts to unravel flat, then you need to go the other direction (counterclockwise vs clockwise). You should see the twists even rolled up.

Now put them onto a rimmed greased cookie sheet. (Make sure it's rimmed or your oven will be a mess) I usually fit 12 onto each sheet. Bake them @ 350 for 8-10 minutes. Don't let them "brown." Take them out when just the tops and edges are starting to look "golden". Take them out and glaze the tops

While they are baking- make the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp melted butter

2 Tbsp milk or water (I use water)

splash of vanilla

Mix together with a fork until it's nice and smooth.

Now you are going to stick your hand into a ziplock bag, grab a handful and start rubbing that glaze over the top of the hot rolls. I do this right in my cookie sheet because it tends to be quite messy. Then after the glaze sits a minute, I take them off and put them onto a cooling rack (where they are mauled by hungry children!)

ENJOY!! I promise they are easy- don't let the detailed long directions scare you away. Just trying to be helpful ;)

Date Muffins

Hailey picked these muffins out of her recipe book today and I was just excited to use the dates that I bought and have never tried lol. So yummy, moist and have a great flavor! You could use any fresh fruit puree or even other dried fruits like raisins, cherries, appricots, or prunes, but we wanted to try something new with the dates. Next time I'm going to double this recipe because they disappeared way too fast!

Sticky Date Muffins

Recipe adapted from Kids' Fun & Healthy Cookbook

Makes 12

1 2/3 cup flour 

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup ready-to eat dried chopped dates

1 Tbsp orange juice

3/4 cup milk 

1 large egg

1 1/4 sticks butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 and spray the muffin tins (or use liners). Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir the sugar, cinnamon and salt into the flour and baking powder bowl.

Put the dates and orange juice in a blender (or use a food processor if your blender is as horrible as mine) and whiz until they form a smooth(ish) puree. To the puree add the milk, egg, melted butter and beat together lightly with a fork. Pour the date mixture into the flour mixture and fold the ingredients together gently and evenly with a wooden spoon until the flour is just mixed in. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin filling almost to the top dividing equally between the 12. Bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden.

My little chef- love this girl! 

Bruschetta with Balsamic Drizzle

So on a trip to Chicago with my husband, we ate at this great resturaunt called Weber Grill and ordered their bruschetta bread. It was amazing and I was determined to find my own recipe. This is like heaven! I used the leftovers I had from last night and made some more for myself for lunch today and I felt like a queen....might need to do that more often for myself! :)

A few notes: I used a grande ciabatta baguette from Sams Club, but any of those baguette type of breads will work. Last night for dinner I sliced the entire baguette, but for the leftovers today I cut off a 6 inch piece and then sliced it lengthwise. I'm telling you this because if you like your bread really thick-do it this way, and if you like thinner bread and heavy on the tomatoes-slice a bunch of thin slices. (If you are confused I have a pic at the end to show the difference). Also only make as much as you will eat because the bread will go soggy. So make what you want and then put the rest of the tomato mixture in the fridge and when you want more, pull it out and slice up more bread. The drizzle is quite rich so use it sparingly (but it is amazing!), and next time I'm going to half the below recipe because I had way too much, and even though it says to drizzle before you toast, next time I will drizzle after so that it looks fancy on the serving platter. :)

Bruschetta with Balsamic Drizzle:
Recipe from Neighbor Julia

Bruschetta:
6 roma tomatoes- chopped (firmer tomatoes are better for this recipe)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cloves fresh garlic (use the real thing! minced)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 T. Balsamic Vinegar
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 long skinny baguette sliced thinly (I used chibata, but sour dough or any would work)

Mix all ingredients (except for bread) in a medium sized bowl. Allow to chill in fridge for at least 2 hours for best flavor. (I like to make mine a day ahead if I have time). When ready to serve slice bread and toast bread slightly in oven. Top each piece of toast with bruschetta, drizzle recipe below, and toast again. 

Balsamic Drizzle:
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T. corn starch

Stir all ingredients together in a small saucepan. Boil until slightly thickened (add extra corn starch if needed). Let cool 5 min. or until thickened to consistency you would like (don't let it get too thick). Drizzle over bruschetta and toast. Enjoy!

Hopefully you can tell the difference between the slices- the first is for a thinner, more traditional bruschetta

 This one is for a thicker bread- slicing the baguette lengthwise and opening it up

Pumpkin Muffins or Bread

Update: I have been making these a lot lately and putting them in the freezer for a quick breakfast for the kids (just throw them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so). Also I changed the recipe to be able to use canned pumpkin easier since 1 (29 ounce) libby can is only 3 1/2 cups of pumpkin and you need 4 cups. (Just add 1/2 cup applesauce). 

I also wanted to make a note that you can use applesauce in place of the 1 cup vegetable oil as well, so if you do that you will have 1 1/2 cups applesauce in total along with 1 29 oz can pumpkin, or you would use just 1 cup applesauce in place of the oil along with 4 cups pumpkin. Very adaptable this recipe, that's why I love it!

Pumpkin Bread

Recipe from college (some roomate I'm sure)

makes 2-3 loaves or 2-3 dozen muffins

2 eggs

4 cups pumpkin, fresh or 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin + 1/2 cup applesauce

4 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

5 cups flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg

4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Combine the eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil together. Mix the spices together with the flour and add one cup at a time to the egg and pumpkin mixture. Gently fold in the chocolate chips if you choose to add them. Pour into 2-3 greased loaf pans and bake @ 325 for 1 hour, or in muffin tins for 15-20 minutes. 

Note: This bread freezes really well. Wrap in tin foil or saran wrap and then put in a freezer ziplock bag. For muffins just put the cooled muffins in freezer ziplock bags. 

Hamburger Buns

 These buns are amazing (like most homemade bread is) and the best part is you can make them to suit you whether you want them to be whole wheat, green for St. Patricks Day (just add the food coloring to the dough mix), or whatever :) 
My kids are not big hamburger eaters, but I made these when I grilled hamburgers last time and the comments I got were "These are the worlds best burgers!" "Mega good!!" and they even asked for seconds. The problem is now I have to make them from scratch they love them so much. :) Made them again last night. They really are amazing, you have to try them.

Hamburger Buns

Recipe adapted from Rosa's Yum Yums

1 c warm water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Egg

3 1/4 c flour

1/4 c fine granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp Instant yeast

1 Egg yolk + 1 Tsp water (for tops)

Sesame seeds (for tops)

Sprinkle the yeast into the water and leave for 5 to 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir to dissolve. In a big bowl, combine yeast/water, egg, butter/margarine, sugar, salt and flour. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured working surface or use mixer and knead for about 10 minutes until you've made a soft, smooth dough. Place the dough in a clean and lightly greased bowl and cover it with a towel and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a flattened ball. Place the buns on greased baking sheets, cover and let rise 30 to 40 minutes, until they're quite puffy and doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Glaze the buns with the egg yolk and water mixture, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the buns for 12 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oven, cool them on a wire rack and cut in half.

10 Minute Breadsticks

My neighbor gave me this recipe a while back, and I just love how they take just a few minutes to throw together. I have a lot of bread stick recipes around that are really yummy, but 10 minutes, really? I can get these finished at the same time as my pasta cooks...pretty awesome! Because who has time to wait for things to rise when there are hungry children involved right?

Ten Minute Breadsticks
from my neighbor Tonya's sister Nicki :)

In a mixing bowl or your standup mixer:
2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
Stir together and let sit for a few minutes

Add:
2 tsp salt
4-5 cups flour (white or wheat)

Just mix it until it forms a nice dough and then roll it out right onto a greased cookie sheet. Add butter and garlic salt and anything you want. I always add rosemary to mine. Then take your pizza cutter and cut them before popping them into the oven. No rise time or anything, they will come up in the oven. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.
(This picture shows how I cut mine after I roll it onto the cookie sheet)

Applesauce Muffins

These muffins are still our go-to muffin recipe because they are super easy and really moist and tasty! They are a bit on the more mild side, so mom usually doubles the cinnamon. I like mine with just a 1/2 tsp ;) Oh and these are dairy free as well!

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins

Makes 12

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1 rounded cup applesauce (so do a little more than 1 cup)

1/4 cup veggie oil

Preheat to 375. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the egg, applesauce and veggie oil and stir only so that everything is moist and mixed evenly. Grease 12 muffin cups and divide the filling between the cups. Bake in a 375 oven for 15 minutes....or 20 if you need to, but don't over cook! Mine are always done at 15.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

OH my goodness this was so yummy! I have had this recipe in my kitchen drawer for over a year now (along with many others) and keep forgetting about it. I don't make bread a lot, but I love cinnamon french toast, and I'm tired of being disappointed at the selection of cinnamon bread at the store. This bread is super yummy by itself, but it was PERFECT for french toast! Especially when you cut the slices really big and serve with some strawberries. Yu-um!

The instructions are really detailed, but I liked that since I'm not the greatest bread maker!

Cinnamon Bread

Recipe adapted from King Arthur

makes 1 loaf

Dough:

1/4 ounce packet "highly active" dry yeast; or 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast; or 2 1/2 tsp instant yeast

*7/8- 1 1/8 cups lukewarm water 

2-3 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp sugar

6 Tbsp butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes

*use the lesser amount in the summer (or in humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in dry climate), and somewhere in between the rest of the year, or if your house is climate controlled

Filling:

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp flour

1 large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water, to brush on dough

Directions:

If you're using "highly active" or active dry yeast, dissolve it with a pinch of sugar in 2 Tbsp of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step. (I used quick rise dry yeast so I did this step)

Combine the dissolved yeast, with the rest of the water (I used 1 cup water including the water I used to proof the yeast), salt, sugar, butter, dry milk and potato flakes together. Mix and knead everything together- by hand or mixer adding the flour until you have made a smooth dough. Adjust the dough's consistency with additional flour or water as needed; but remember, the more flour you add while you're kneading, the heavier and drier your final loaf will be. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take about 7 minutes at second speed and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. (I used the 1 cup water and only used 2 cups of flour and it was barely sticky at all. Also make sure you knead it for the amount it says ...my bread use to never turn out until I started timing the kneading time!)

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl (I just pick it up out of my mixer bowl, spray it and put it back in). Cover the bowl with a towel or greased plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, until it's nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Rising may take longer, especially if you've kneaded by hand. Give it enough time to become quite puffy.

While the dough is rising, make the filling by stirring together the sugar, cinnamon and flour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat it into a 6" x 20" rectangle (I actually measured it with a tape measure, again because I always mess up bread)

Brush the dough with the egg/water mixture, and sprinkle it evenly with the filling.

Starting with the short end, roll the dough into a log

Pinch the ends to seal, and pinch the long seam closed.

Transfer the log, seam-side down, to a lightly greased 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" loaf pan.(measuring the top of the pan if it's slanted) and tent the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap.

Allow the bread to rise till it's crested about 1" over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour. Make sure it's 1" over the rim of the pan, even if it takes longer than an hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350. (If you bake this bread in a 9" x 5" loaf pan, it'll be flatter and not as nicely domed and will have to rise to about even with the rim, not above the rim)

Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after the first 15 minutes. The bread's crust will be golden brown, and the interior of the finished loaf should measure 190 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Remove the bread from the oven, and gently loosen the edges with a spatula or knife. Turn it out of the pan, and brush the top surface with butter. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

Funky Monkey Banana Bread/Muffins



So the new fad for a while has been gluten/grain/sugar free foods, so I decided to try one because we have been trying to go that route a little in our household. This recipe is amazing!! My 2.5 yr old loved them!

 

  (Gluten/grain/sugar/dairy-free)

Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour or almond meal (I used almond meal)
1/4 cup flaxseed meal (grind it fresh for bonus points)
1 TBSP cinnamon
4 packets of Stevia or Truvia (I don't like my stuff really sweet, so more or less.)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup (225g) of really ripe mashed up banana (2 med bananas)
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
** Optional: dark chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or pecans, or whatever else makes your monkey the funkiest. I used dark choco chips.

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease two mini loaf pans (5.75 x 3.25 x 2.25) or a muffin tin.

In one bowl, mix together all wet ingredients.
In another bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.
Dump the wet stuff into the dry stuff and mix.

Spoon the batter into the two greased mini loaf pans or into a muffin tin that holds 12.

Throw it into the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes for muffins, or 25 - 27 minutes for mini loaves, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove. Cool. Slice. Top with nut butter, real butter, coconut butter, or whatever you want.

Macros are for the batter without chocolate chips, nuts, or any of the optional extras
Servings: 12
Per serving:
Protein: 6
Fat: 10
Carb: 8
Fiber: 3
Calories: 150ish

recipe taken from www.jencomaskeck.com

Blueberry Steusel Muffins

I can hardly pass the blueberries at the grocery store without my daughter grabbing them and putting them in the cart. This time she did it at Sams, so needless to say we've been eating lots of things blueberry! Today while her brother was at a friends, we made these blueberry muffins. I've been making them since college and I love them, especially the streusel topping! These aren't super sweet like the ones full of preservatives at the bakery, but the topping adds just the perfect amount of sweetness. So yummy!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Recipe from Shawna Shirley
Makes 12 Muffins

1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 cups flour
1 cup frozen (thawed and drained) or fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Steusel Topping:
2 Tbsp firm butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon

For the Streusel: In a medium bowl cut butter into flour, brown sugar and cinnamon using a pastry blender until crumbly

Preheat oven to 400 and grease the bottoms of muffin cups. Prepare streusel topping and set aside. Beat milk, oil, vanilla and egg in a big bowl. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt all at once just until flour is moistened. Fold in blueberries. Divide batter evenly among 12 cups and sprinkle each with 2 tsp topping. Bake @ 400 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Braided Spaghetti Bread

Carbs, Carbs, Carbs! YUM! I think everyone in my family knows how much I LOVE spaghetti. I would beg my mom to make it for me when I lived at home and when I went to see my sister (who is the best cook) that's what I wanted her to make me too!!! I could really eat it a couple times a week! So I saw a recipe on Pinterest for braided spaghetti bread and I thought YUMMMY and had to try it. All the recipes I saw I didn't really LOVE so I decided to just make up my own and you can do the same!!

Braided Spaghetti Bread

recipe by: Brooke Salcido

Cooked Spaghetti (however much you think your family will need & that will fit in the bread) I used about a handful of uncooked for just me and Chris.

Jar of Spaghetti Sauce- and you will need the WHOLE jar, even if you don't have a lot of spaghetti

Italian Spices

Mozzarella Cheese (optional)

Bread Dough- If you are crafty (Nicole) you can make your own yummy dough, you can really use any dough for this. I just used Pillsbury Pizza Crust dough, which made it taste more like a calzone (yum)

One egg whipped

Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Bread Crumbs (optional)

Directions: Cook the spaghetti and while you are cooking it spray your cookie sheet and lay down the dough on the cookie sheet. Spice up the dough with some yummy Italian spices (garlic powder, oregano, etc). When the spaghetti is done cooking put the sauce with it and mix it good- you will want A LOT of sauce, because when you cook it-it kind of dries out the sauce. Then spread the spaghetti in the middle of the dough, add the mozzarella cheese if you want it (I opted out) and braid the bread. See http://foursisterskitchens.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-and-broccoli-braid.html for how to do this. Then brush some egg on the top and season it some more. I put the really fine Parmesan cheese on top, bread crumbs, garlic salt, etc (you can really get creative) Cook the bread on 425 for 12-15 minutes.



Chicken and Broccoli Braid

A friend from work a while ago introduced me to this recipe and I have to say that I am SOOO glad she did because it is AMAZING!! The fun thing about it is that you can really alter it however you want, whether you want it with ground beef, or you want to add more veggies.. it's really up to you and it will be delicious regardless!!

Chicken and Broccoli Braid

Recipe from Allrecipes.com
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
1 cup fresh chopped broccoli
½ cup red chopped peppers
1 clove crushed garlic (I just used garlic powder)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use more because my hubs is a cheese lover)
½ cup mayonnaise or miracle whip
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup diced onion
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg white, beaten

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, toss chicken, broccoli, peppers, garlic, cheese, mayo, salt, and onion. Unroll crescent roll dough, and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet. Pinch together to form a single sheet of dough. Using a knife or scissors, (or I used a pizza cutter!) cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the chicken mixture along the center strip. Fold the side strips over chicken mixture, alternating strips from each side. Pinch or twist to seal. Brush braided dough with the egg white. Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown.

On a side note: the first time I made this I was sooo confused with the braiding, I had to call my sister and have her explain it to me! haha. So for those people out there here is a picture so you can see how to do the cutting/braiding. I stole it from someone else. So thank you whoever you are;)

Cinnamon Rolls or White Dinner Rolls

My mom made these all the time when I was growing up, and I carried on the tradition in our family.

Cinnamon Rolls Or White Dinner Rolls

I'm going to go through this recipe step by step.

1- take 2 yeast cakes (packages) add 2 t sugar add 2/3 c. water mix well (put in a good size bowl because it's going to raise up good)

2- while yeast is raising, start to heat 2 c milk, in large bowl put 1c. crisco shortening, 6 heaping T sugar, 2 t salt. Add scalded milk and beat until shortening is melted.

3-add 2 eggs; mix

4- add raised yeast; mix

5-add 3 c. flour; mix well, now let the dough rest a little while, you will see little bubbles appear.

6- add 2 c. flour; mix well, now the dough is still sticky so just add 1 more cup a little at a time until the dough is soft and nice, sometimes I add a little bit of cooking oil on my hands to knead. cover and let raise, should raise twice the size. Pour out on floured surface.

Roll out for cinnamon rolls rectangle shape.

Cover with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon. Roll up the dough carefully. Ok now it is in a long

snake, get your pans ready, (spray oil, butter, whatever on pans)

take a piece on string and slide under 1" dough pull up twist and cut through (cool huh)

fill your pans, cover and let raise again

cook at 350' for 20 minutes, you want them to be a nice brown, cool and frost. YUM,YUM

Grandma Lil's Banana Bread

It seems like every time I get bananas lately, they get brown

very quickly, so why not make banana bread. This is my grandma

Lil's recipe and it's delicious!

1 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

4 eggs

4 mashed bananas

2 cups flour

1 t soda

1 t vanilla

1/2 t salt

1 cup nuts (optional)

Directions: Mix all together and put into greased bread pan

bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes

makes 2 loaves- cut in half for one loaf

Recipe from: Grandma Lil

Moist Zucchini Bread

This recipe is one of my favorites growing up living on the farm. Fresh Vegetables are the best!

Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe

1 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

1 c oil

3 eggs, beaten

2 c packed zucchini (finely shredded)

3 tsp vanilla

3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp nutmeg

3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend the first set of ingredients together. Mix the second set of ingredients together and then add to the first; mix. Put into 2 loaf/bread pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour. You can also do muffins or mini loaf pans too. Freezes well in a airtight container or Ziploc bag.