Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/04/asian-peanut-noodles-with-chicken.html

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Adapted from Family Favorite Recipes
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 337.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Carbs: 51.4 g • Fiber: 3.7 g • Protein: 21.1 g

Light Peanut Sauce:

• 14.5 oz fat free chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
• 5 tbsp better'n peanut butter
• 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 16 oz chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce (more or less to taste)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 8 oz rice noodles

• 3/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups shredded carrots
• 1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw
• 1 cup bean bean sprouts
• 2 tbsp chopped peanuts
• 1 lime, sliced
• cilantro for garnish (optional)

For the peanut sauce:

Combine

1 cup chicken broth, peanut butter,

sriracha

, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Boil

water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.

Season

chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Heat

a large skillet or wok until hot.

Add

oil and

sauté

chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes;

remove

from heat and

set aside

.

Add

2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt,

sauté

until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.

Drain

noodles and

toss

with peanut sauce and additional chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. When chicken is cooked,

toss

with noodles.

Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don't push them aside!) and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

New Fav Sugar Cookie Recipe

These are still soft a week later!

Summer Citrus Sparkles
Makes 2 dozen
Ingredients

FOR THE CITRUS SUGAR
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

FOR THE COOKIES
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (for vegan/dairy free, replace with 1 tablespoon corn starch)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (for vegan/dairy free version, increase to 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature (margarine for vegan/dairy free)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg (for vegan/dairy free, replace with 3 tablespoons almond or soy milk)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

To make the sugar: Combine the sugar and both zest in a small bowl until the zest is evenly distributed; set aside.

To make the cookies: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined, then stir in both zests and juices, as well as the vanilla. Once everything is combined, sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the top and gently mix in. Add the remaining flour mixture, mixing until no streaks of flour remain. If the dough is very sticky, add more flour, as needed, until the dough is barely tacky. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Once the dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll one tablespoon portions of dough into balls. Roll each dough ball in the citrus sugar to coat it completely, then evenly space the cookies on the prepared baking sheet(s). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges turn light golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

http://bakingdom.com/2011/05/summer-citrus-sparkles.html

Pumpkin Cobbler

1 lg can solid pumpkin
1 lg can evap milk
1 1/3 C sugar
4 eggs
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup nuts (any kind) to sprinkle on top. I use sliced almonds.
1 1/2 sticks butter

Mix all ingredients except dry cake mix and pour into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the top. Sprinkle nuts on top. Melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter or marg and pour over the top.

Bake at 350 for 55 min.

Serve w/ cool whip.

Brownies

Brownies, as They Should Be

Added by rainydaygal on May 28, 2010 in Brownies and Bars, Desserts

Ingredients

• 1-½ cup Flour
• ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ⅔ cups Butter
• 1-½ cup Granulated Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons Water
• 2 packages Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (12 Ounce Packages)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 4 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and mix to combine. In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the sugar and water. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in one package of the chocolate chips and the vanilla extract. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Slowly blend in the flour mixture, and then add the remaining package of chocolate chips and the chopped nuts.

Pour into a greased 9×13″ pan* and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to over-bake, and make sure that your toothpick is coated with uncooked batter and not melted chocolate chips if you’re going to continue baking longer. Let cool at least 2 hours before serving.

Note: To make a half-batch, use a greased 9×9″ square pan and bake for 25-35 minutes.

Prep Time 15 Minutes Cook Time 35 Minutes

Servings 16

Difficulty Easy

Banana Oat Muffins

• 250 g plain flour
• 75 g porridge oats, plus a spoonful
• more porridge oats, for decoration
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• 175 g caster sugar
• 250 ml corn oil or 250 ml sunflower oil
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 medium ripe bananas, chopped small

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 350° Prepare a muffin tin.
   
2. 2 Sift the flour, oats and baking powder together.
3. 3 In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and salt together until pale and fluffy.
4. 4 Fold this mixture and bananas into the flour.
5. 5 Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin. Sprinkle the extra spoonful of oats over and bake for 15 minutes until muffins are risen and golden.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/oaty-banana-muffins-300779#ixzz1CjU51bHM

Chocolate Chip Cookie Topped Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookie-Topped Brownies

From Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, where they are called “Chipster-Topped Brownies.”

These end up being pretty thick in the pan, and I found I needed to keep watching them as they got close to being done, so that I didn’t overbake them (I actually think I did overbake them just a bit.) And, as with most brownies, these are really so much easier to cut into clean squares when they’re cold, so if you can restrain yourself, it helps to let them cool down on a rack, then finish chilling in the fridge before you cut into them.

Ingredients

For the brownie layer
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 2/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

For the cookie layer
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cups (packed) light brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup storebought chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment (use enough so that it comes up and over the sides), and butter the foil/parchment.

To make the brownie batter, melt both chocolates and the butter together in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Melt and stir just until the mixture is shiny and smooth, then remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, beat the sugar and eggs together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) on medium high speed for about 2 minutes, until pale, thick and creamy. Beat in the salt and vanilla, then reduce the speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate and butter, mixing just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the flour, mixing on low speed just until it disappears into the batter. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chopped walnuts by hand with a spatula, then scrape the batter out into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Set aside.

To make the cookie dough, first whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl, and set aside. Wash the bowl of your stand mixer (that you used to make the brownie batter), and then beat the butter and both sugars together using the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. One at a time, add the egg and the egg yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, then reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low, mix in the chopped chocolate.

Drop the cookie dough by spoonfuls onto the brownie batter, then use a spatula to gently smooth out the cookie dough layer evenly over the batter.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the cookie top is deep golden brown and a sharp knife inserted into the pan comes out with only faint streaks of moist chocolate.

Transfer the pan to a cooling rack to cool, then when you’re ready to cut them, just lift them out using the foil/parchment that you lined the pan with. It’s easiest to cut these when they’re cool/cold, if you can wait that long.

Makes 24 bars.

Caramel Apple Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

l tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine,melted

2 eggs

l tsp vanilla

1 apple, chopped

DIP:

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

How to make Candy Apple Muffins

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
In another bowl, combine milk, butter, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
Pour into dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.
Fold in apple.
Do not overmix.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups two-thirds full.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool slightly and remove from pan.
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring honey and brown sugar to a boil.
Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pour walnuts onto a plate.
Spear warm muffins with a skewer or popsicle stick and dip quickly into the honey/brown sugar mixture, then into chopped nuts.
NOTE: You can use a miniature muffin tin and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Dutch Farmer's Cheese Soup

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, diced
• 1 1/2-pound cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets
• 1 pound carrots, peeled, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth

• 6 1-inch-thick French bread slices
• 12 ounces Gouda cheese, wax removed, cheese sliced

Preparation

Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, cauliflower, carrots and onion; sauté until onion is golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add 4 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until vegetables are tender, adding more broth if soup is too thick, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Preheat broiler. Transfer soup to large broilerproof bowl or individual broilerproof soup bowls. Arrange bread slices atop soup. Place cheese slices over, covering bread completely. Broil 6 inches from heat source until cheese melts and is golden, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yummy Carmel Corn

This make a yummy crunchy- sticky treat!  Great to bag up and share for holidays.

6 Quarts popped popcorn (2 bags microwave natural)
1 Cup mixed nuts
2 Cups brown sugar
1/2 Cup lt. karo syrup
2 sticks butter or margarine
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 250'
Pop popcorn and remove old maids.  Spread out on cookie sheets or roasting pan.
Add nuts

Melt butter, add brown sugar, salt and karo syrup. Stirring constantly over med-high heat bring to boil.
let boil 5 minutes without stirring
Remove from heat and add soda and vanilla.
pour over popcorn, stirring to coat.  Bake for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes!
YUMMY!

Chicken Ranch Quesadillas

from stolenmomentscooking.com

Chicken Ranch Quesadillas

• 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb. bacon, diced
• 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 – 3 c. shredded cheese
• Ranch dressing
• 8 tortillas
• Butter or margarine, for cooking

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet until desired crispness. Remove to drain with a slotted spoon. Pour out all but 1 T. of the grease. Add the sliced green peppers and onions to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes, until crisp-tender.

2. Add a handful of cheese to the tops to 4 tortillas. Top each with chicken and bacon, then lightly drizzle some ranch dressing over that.

3. Top each tortilla with the cooked peppers and onions. Then add the remaining cheese on top of each pile.

4. Top each tortilla with the remaining four tortillas. Melt a little butter or margarine in a large skillet and cook the tortilla stacks one at a time over medium heat, about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cheese is melted. Add more butter or margarine to the skillet as needed.

5. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with extra ranch for dipping, if desired.

A few notes about this recipe:

• The veggies are completely optional. In fact, I only added them to the quesadillas that my husband and I ate. Also, we both agreed that a few thin slices of tomato would have been a nice addition inside the quesadilla, if you like tomatoes.
• Lightly frying in a skillet is the only way that I’ve ever made quesadillas. But I am in love with the idea of grilling them and Erin has a great recipe featuring grilled quesadillas over at $5 Dinners. That method would definitely work with this recipe too.
• Leftovers reheat beautifully when warmed in a dry skillet for a few minutes. They taste almost as good as fresh!

Stop by Designs by Gollum for more Foodie Friday.

Nutella Fudge Bonbons

Nutella Fudge Bonbons

• 1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips
• 1/4 c. butter
• 2 T. nutella
• 1 can sweetened, condensed milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 c. flour
• Additional nutella (about 1/4 – 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 2 T. cocoa powder
• 1-2 T. milk

1. Melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat in a sauce pan, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat once fully melted and stir in 2 T. nutella. Add sweetened, condensed milk and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add flour a 1/2 c. at a time until fully incorporated. (If it gets to hard to stir together in the pot, pour onto parchment paper or aluminum foil and knead until combined.) The finished dough should be very pliable, almost like a play-doh consistency.

2. Take about a tablespoon of dough and flatten. Spoon some nutella into the center and form dough around it, rolling into a ball. Repeat until done. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool.

3. Meanwhile, stir together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add milk gradually until desired drizzling consistency is reached.

4. Spoon icing over the cooled bonbons and decorate as desired. Let icing harden completely before storing.

NOTE – The Nutella can be replaced with peanut butter, if desired.

BBQ chicken sandwiches

Directions: BBQ chicken sandwiches

2 whole chicken breasts, boned and skinless
1 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground red hot pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients for the sauce in the slow cooker/Crock Pot, adding chicken last. Try to coat chicken well with the sauce.

Cook on high 3-4 hours, or until chicken is fully cooked all the way through. Then shred or cut up the chicken, and place it back in the Barbecue sauce in the pot; mix well so all the pieces are coated.

You can keep the slow cooker/Crock Pot on low to keep the chicken warm for serving on hard rolls.

BBQ beef sandwiches with homemade BBQ sauce

BBQ Beef sandwiches

• 2 1/2 to 3 lbs lean chuck roast or bottom round
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons spicy mustard or Dijon
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation:

Place beef roast in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Remove roast, shred meat. Place shredded meat back in crockpot; stir to coat well. Spoon barbecued beef onto toasted sandwich buns and serve with extra sauce, if desired.
Serves 6 to 8.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

	Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 muffin)


2/3 cup (5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350�.

Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries and walnuts.

Place 24 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350� 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.

CALORIES 142 (32% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.7g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 19mg; CALCIUM 31mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.6g; SODIUM 138mg; PROTEIN 2.7g; FIBER 1.1g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2003

Crockpot Lasagna

Sorry no picture. But this was SO DELICIOUS! Made it for the first time yesterday. My SIL's family (grandparents and uncle) and us were the guinea pigs. Everyone that is was "damn good". I'd have to agree. We will be making this often!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef - *instead of hamburger i would suggest sausage.
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
• 1 large jar spaghetti sauce (such as Ragu in the 1 lb. 10 ounce jar)
• 1 package (8 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 lb. ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Brown the beef, onion, and garlic in a little oil in a frying pan. Drain off any grease.

Add the spaghetti sauce into the browned meat mixture. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, milk, and egg. Beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Then mix in the mozzarella cheese and the grated cheese, so that all the cheeses are combined.

Grease the slow cooker/Crock Pot with some vegetable shortening on the bottom and sides.

Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Put a layer of noodles on top of that (break or cut them if needed). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of that. Then repeat with sauce, noodles, cheese for another 2 layers. Top with meat sauce. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until noodles are tender.

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

I think we have a new conference breakfast tradition.

Yield: 8-12 large cinnamon rolls or 12-16 smaller rolls

Ingredients:

For the cinnamon rolls:

6½ tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

5½ tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp. lemon zest

3½ cups bread flour

2 tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast

1 cup plus 2-4 tbsp. whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature

For the filling:

1½ tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp. cornstarch

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

Pinch salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

4 oz. cream cheese

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

3 tbsp. caramel sauce

1 tbsp. milk

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the sugar, salt and butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Mix in the egg and lemon zest until incorporated. Mix in the flour, yeast and milk until a dough forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed, about 8 minutes until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. (You may need to add a little extra flour or liquid to achieve this texture.) Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the filling. To make the caramelized apples, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple slices, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix until the apples are evenly coated. Cook about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon to blend; set aside.

Mist a work surface with spray oil. Roll it out into a rectangle with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the dough with flour if needed to keep it from sticking (about 12 x 14 inches for larger rolls or 9 x 18 inches for smaller rolls). Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix to blend. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the surface of the dough. Evenly distribute the caramelized apples over the top of the dough. Starting with the wide edge, roll up the dough into a cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon sugar spiral as you roll. Pinch the seam shut, and with the seam side down, slice the log into your desired number of rolls. Transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, placing the rolls about ½-1 inch apart.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 75-90 minutes, until the rolls have grown into each other and have nearly doubled in size. At this point, the rolls can also be covered and retarded in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Pull the pan out of the refrigerator 3-4 hours before baking to let the dough proof.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool in the baking about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

To make the glaze, combine the cream cheese and butter in a small heatproof bowl and microwave in 15-20 second intervals until it is warm enough to whisk together. Whisk in the caramel sauce, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Swirl the glaze over the top of the cinnamon rolls. Let cool at least 15-20 minutes before serving.

Printed from Annie’s Eats

Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French Bread
• 3 Tablespoons Any Flavor Fruit Spread (You Can Also Use Jelly, Jam, Or Fresh Fruit)
• ½ packages Cream Cheese (4 Oz), At Room Temperature
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
• ½ cups Skim Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Butter

Preparation Instructions

Heat skillet or electric griddle to 325 to 350 degrees.

Cut french bread into 2-3 inch wide slices. Then, with a paring knife, go back and cut halfway into each slice, in the center, creating a ‘pocket’ that your fruit mixture can be stuffed into.

In a bowl, place the room temperature cream cheese and three tablespoons of fruit spread of your choice. (I used all organic blueberry spread in the picture.) Combine well.

In a separate bowl, break 2 eggs; add cinnamon and milk and combine well.

Now, take fruit mixture and stuff into the ‘pockets’ of your french bread slices. Place on a baking sheet.

When done stuffing each piece of bread, completely coat each piece in egg mixture. Make sure all sides are covered. Do all pieces before starting to fry.

Put 2 tbsp (you can use less!) of butter into a hot skillet and melt completely. Add all of the bread to the skillet and cook roughly about 3-6 minutes on each side, until it reaches a nice golden brown. You want to make sure the cream cheese mixture heats through.

When done cooking, serve immediately with butter and syrup.

If you want a step by step picture guide, go here.

Fruit Kabobs

We have been making these all summer. I usually just put an assortment of fruit out and let the kids create. They also like to add in one large marshmallow as well. They are a fun, healthy snack that my kids love!

Granola Bars

My cousin made up this recipe... they are great for a quick breakfast and my kids love them, though I omitted the craisins.

INGREDIENTS
1. 3 Cups Quick oats
2. 1 Cup Sunflower seed
3. 1 cup Peanuts (optional)
4. ½ Cup Flax Seed
5. ½ Cup Millet
6. 2/3 Cup Coconut
7. ¾ Cup Brown Sugar
8. 1 Cup Honey
9. 5 TBSP Butter
10. 1 Cup Peanut Butter
11. ½ Kosher Salt
12. 2 tsp vanilla
13. 6 oz craisins
14. ½ bag White Chocolate Chips


INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the first 6 ingredients and place onto a large cookie sheet and place in oven. Brown stirring every 5-7 minutes for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile place ingredients 7-11 in a pan and melt together until sugar is dissolved on medium low heat. Combine the toasted ingredients with the melted ingredient and stir in craisins and vanilla. Line a large cookie sheet with wax paper and pour mixture into pan. Cover with wax paper and press HARD. Let cool until cool to the touch uncover and sprinkle white chocolate chip on the top, recover and press again. Let cool completely, cut and wrap in plastic wrap.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Definitely worth the effort...

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
Yield: about 32 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¾ cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1¼ tsp. coarse salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2¼ cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature

For the frosting:
14 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
9 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
9 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sour cream

For the chocolate curls:
Large block of high-quality semi- or bittersweet chocolate

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line standard cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and the sugar over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally to combine, until the butter is melted. Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed, 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is cooled. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture and beat until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, beating just until combined.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ of the way full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let stand about 1 minute. With a whisk, gently stir the chocolate and cream together in small circles. When the ganache has become smooth, whisk in the butter 1 piece at a time until incorporated. Transfer the bowl to the freezer or refrigerator to chill and thicken the ganache a bit. Whisk every 5-10 minutes to help it cool evenly. Once the mixture is slightly thickened and no longer runny, you are ready to fill the cupcakes.

To assemble the cupcakes, cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake with a small paring knife. Cut off the pointed end of the cone and discard (or eat) so you are left with a cap of cake to cover the filling. Drop a spoonful of ganache into the center of each cupcake and recover the hole with the cap.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool until just barely warm. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate and then the sour cream. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Frost cupcakes immediately.

To make the chocolate curls, warm the block of chocolate just slightly (heat in 5-second intervals in the microwave - be careful not to melt). Use a vegetable peeler to create chocolate curls. Top cupcakes with curls immediately. Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it workable.

from Annie's Eats