Da Bomb Cinnamon Caramel Rolls

I have made countless cinnamon rolls, and they are always hit or miss, and usually miss. I have made these three times... this week, which is to say they are a huge hit with my family and of course most importantly... me!
I found these via a FB post, and I tried them the way the author wanted the first time, and I didn't love the 'bread' part of the dough so I used my favorite bread dough recipe and kept their caramel sauce part of the recipe... SO stinken good!!!
I think I might add a bit more cream to this sauce at some time and put it on pancakes, or crepes.

I start by making the caramel sauce. You will need to double the bread recipe for this amount of sauce, or leave the leftovers in the fridge for the next time you feel like pancakes, crepes, or waffles!!

Find the bread dough part here...

Caramel Sauce
3 Cups Brown Sugar
2 Cups Heavy Cream
2 TBsp Light Corn Syrup


To avoid crystallization I put the cream in the sauce pan first, followed by the other two ingredients. While stirring consistently, slowly bring to a boil. After the mixture has begun to boil let it boil for around 3 minutes ( I am still tweaking this, you want a thicker syrup but not to soft ball stage). Then leave to to cool and thicken while you make your bread to the first rise.

I put around half of an inch of caramel sauce in the bottom of my 9x13 cake pan

Roll out you dough into a rectangle (around 12x16), then
Layer of Softened Butter
Layer of Cinnamon
Layer of Brown Sugar
Layer of White Sugar
( I go pretty light on my layers)
over the top of your dough. Tightly roll your dough into the traditional roll. Cut, or if you're like me you use unflavored dental floss, and pop them into the caramel sauced pans. Let them rise again for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven at 350, and cook them between 20-30 minutes. Tops will be brown and they wont be doughy. Let them 'set' for 5-10 minutes and then flip them upside down onto a cooling rack... and then marvel at the deliciousness  you have just created!

So to sum up
1. Make caramel, and pour into 9x13 pan about .5 inch full
2. Make bread to first rise
3. Roll out dough, cover with softened butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, white sugar
4. Roll up and cut into cinnamon rolls, place rolls into caramel sauce
5. Preheat oven to 350
5. Let rolls rise for 30 minutes
7. Cook for 20-30 minutes
8. Let set 5-10 minutes, and place upside down on a cooking rack with a cookie sheet under it
9. ENJOY THAT GOODNESS!

Dyenelle's Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These were super good, and really easy. I love all things Pumpkin!!

1 Box of Spice Cake Mix
1 Bag of Cinnamon Chips
1 Can of Pumpkin (small can)

Mix it all up, and then scoop onto a cookie sheet, cook at 350 for 8-12 minutes. Just watch them, they are a cakey cookie so they don't/shouldn't be too brown on the bottom.

Caprese Chicken with Avacado

Corbyn liked the chicken, l liked all of it, and Todd put up with it. The others never eat, so they don't count. 

Ingredients

• 2 (10 - 11 oz each) boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and halved
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 slices
• 4 avocado slices (from a firm but ripe large avocado)
• 2 medium vine ripened tomatoes, sliced
• 3 Tbsp balsamic glaze
• 1/3 cup chopped basil ribbons

Directions

• In a bowl mix together garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Sprinkle mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken cutlet. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken (cover pan with a splatter screen if you have one) and cook until golden brown on bottom, about 4 - 6 minutes. Rotate and cook opposite side until chicken has nearly cooked though, reducing burner temperature just slightly if needed, about 4 - 5 minutes (it should be nearly 160 in center on an instant read thermometer) then add two slices of mozzarella to the top each cutlet, followed by one avocado slice, and 1 - 2 tomato slices. Cover pan with lid, return to heat and allow to cook 1 - 2 minutes longer until cheese has melted and chicken registers 165 in center.
• Sprinkle chicken with pepper, drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve warm.

Orange 'monkey' Bread

When I was pregnant with Corbyn and basically ever since, I have loved all things orange. This is done like 'monkey bread' but it's orange!! I think Kason liked it, but the rest of them prefer the monkey bread... I prefer these!

Mixture 1

3TBsp OJ
3 TBsp Sugar

Mixture 2

Zest from Orange
Sugar

A homemade dough (I usually leave a bit out after I make bread)
or
Pillsbury or whatever brand Biscuits cut into thirds or fourths


Set up your assembly line, plop biscuit pieces into Mixture 1 and then Mixture 2 then put two-four pieces into each place in a muffin tin.

Cook as per your bread/biscuits instructions.

ENJOY some Orangey Goodness!!

Kaleen's Pumpkin Cookies

I love all things pumpkin, and these are total yum! I even baked up the dough as doughnuts too! Super yum!

2 cup sugar

2 cup butter 

-thoroughly cream together 

1 16oz pumpkin (about 2 cups) 

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla 

Add next and beat well

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

(Do a heaping tsp/1/2 tsp of all your spices)

4 cups flour

Add all dry ingredients and mix again

*optional*

2 cup raisins 

1 cup nuts 

Scoop doing into rounded teaspoon onto greased pan and bake @350 for 12-15 mins. Until tooth pick comes clean. It's suppose to be soft like a cake so don't over bake

Icing ****

1/2 butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 milk

Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute and let cook slightly. Add 1 tsp vanilla and keep adding small amounts of icing sugar while whisking to the right consistency.  Pour loonie size of icing onto slightly warm cookie

*** Notes: I tried these with chocolate chips and I didn't like them as much as I liked them with just nuts or plain! I made my own cream cheese icing  and they were delish!

Cream Cheese Icing

1 8oz Cream Cheese

2-3 Tbsp Butter

Powder Sugar Add until you like the consistency and taste. 

Milk added by the tsp to get the consistency you like if it's a bit thick.

Brittany Mitchell's Santa Fe Chicken & Rice Cooker Lime Cilantro Rice

This stuff is really good! Todd loves it and could eat it every day. 

Santa Fe Chicken
1 1/2 lbs Chicken Breast
14.4 oz Can Diced Tomatoes with Mild Green Chilies
15 oz Can Black Beans
8 oz Frozen Corn ( I just added a can of corn, drained)
1/4 C Chopped Fresh Cilantro
15 oz. Can Chicken Broth (I just did a bullion cube and 2 C of water)
3 Scallions Chopped ( I did green onions)
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper ( to taste )
1 tsp salt

Combine everything into the crock pot, add chicken last. Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over lime cilantro rice or in a tortilla. Top with cheese, sour cream, or guacamole.

Lime Cilantro Rice

(in the rice cooker)

2 Cups Rice

2 1/5 Cups of Water with a bullion cube OR

Chicken Broth

1 tsp butter

2 Cloves of garlic

1 tsp Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

1 TBSP Lime Juice

2 tsp Sugar

3 TBSP Fresh Cilantro

3 Tomatillos (Optional)

1/4 Onion (Optional)

Place first six ingredients in rice cooker, set and WALK AWAY, wahoo! While rice is cooking combine last four ingredients. When rice is finished, fluff rice with sugary lime juice goodness. 

IF USING TOMATILLOS and ONIONS
Preheat oven broiler and husk tomatillos and cut in half. Place onion and tomatillos in oven and char. remove from oven and place in food processor and blend up. Set aside to mix with Lime Juice mixture.

Home Made Ice Cream

I bought an old fashion ice cream maker... and with this recipe I wasn't disappointed at all! So very good!

Ingredients

1. 1&1/4 cup sugar
2. 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
3. 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4. 1 pint heavy whipping cream
5. 2 tsp pure vanilla
6. dash salt (about 1/8 tsp)
7. 2% or whole milk (to fill line)
8. ice and rock salt

Instructions

1. Mix sugar and evaporated milk in mixing bowl until sugar appears dissolved, then add all ingredients except fresh milk.
2. Mix with wire whisk until incorporated.
3. Pour some of your milk into the mixture and stir.
4. Pour into freezer canister.
5. Add fresh whole or 2% milk to fill line. Whisk to incorporate.
6. **Don't forget to insert the dasher before freezing!**
7. Follow these directions to freeze...
8. You will need about 12-15 lbs of ice and a box of rock salt.
9. **Start your freezer before adding ice and salt!**
10. Pour a layer of ice into the bucket followed by about 1/3 cup of salt. Repeat layering until the bucket is full, ending with salt. As ice melts, add more ice and salt. It should take about 1/2 box to make one freezer of ice cream. Most electric ice cream makers will stop turning when the ice cream is ready, at which time you want to switch off or unplug.

Annie Bodily's Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas

6 Tbs honey
5 Tbs lime juice (or 1 large lime)
1/2 Tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 c cooked, shredded chicken
3 c. montery jack cheese/or cheddar--2 c in the mixture, and 1 c. for the top.
16 oz. green enchilada sauce
1 c. heavy whipping cream
about 9 flour tortillas

Mix the honey, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl.  Place the chicken in a medium bowl and marinate with the sauce at least a half hour.

Stir in 2 c. of cheese to the chicken mixture.

Pour 1/2 c. enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Fill tortillas with about 1/2 c. chicken mixture and roll up.  Place in pan.

Mix remaining enchilada sauce with whipping cream.  Pour over enchiladas.  Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese on top.

Bake at 350 for 30 min. uncovered until brown and crispy

***Annie made hers with small corn tortillas. The way that she kept them from breaking was to get your hand wet, rub it over both sides of the tortilla then pop it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds until it becomes malleable. These are really good! 

Healthier Peanut Butter Coconut Granola Bars

THESE are super yummy! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

o    1 cup peanut butter (or a favorite nut butter)

o    1/2 cup honey

o    1/2 cup coconut oil

o    2 1/2 cups rolled oats

o    1 cup shredded coconut

o    1/4 cup chocolate chips (or mini chocolate chips)

Directions:

1.    In a medium pot, melt together nut butter, honey, and coconut oil over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from stove and stir in oats and coconut.

2.    Spoon mixture into silicon baking cups, I tried to put this in a baking dish the first time I made them and it was a pain to get them out. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

3.    Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm, then enjoy!

4.    Store granola bars in the refrigerator or freezer, individually wrapped in baggies. Or if you don’t plan to pack them in lunches, you can simply store them in an airtight container with wax paper separating the layers. These are SO GOOD! They may be some of my favorite things ever, and they are relatively healthy for you.

Boxed Cake and 'Sugar Cookie' Icing

T and I aren't the hugest cake/cupcake fans, but this actually tasted pretty good. So here are a few TIPS when making a boxed cake to make it better, and here is a 'sugar cookie' tasting icing to go with it.

Boxed Cake Tips
Hot Water- nearly all boxed cakes call for water, if it is chocolate cake, use hot water and it will help the coco powder 'bloom' therefore becoming more flavorful
Add 2-3 more Eggs- I didn't say it was healthy cake
Use Butter instead of Oil- Oil isn't very flavorful... Butter is, this should have been a duh to me
Line Cake Pans with Parchment Paper. Helps those cakes come right up
Add a bit of sugar to the top of the batter in the pan to help the cake not rise so much. If you are going to be stacking your cake.


Now this icing tastes like sugar cookie dough before it is cooked, and don't ask me how I know

5 TBsp Flour
1 C Milk (whole or high fat tastes best)
1 tsp Vanilla
1 C Softened Butter
1 C Sugar

1. In a medium sauce pan place the 5 tablespoons of flour into 1 cup of milk. Once mixed well turn on stove to medium high heat, whisk as it heats up it will thicken, stop when the mixture is very thick. COOL COMPLETELY. The first time I made this I was in a bit of a hurry and the icing fell apart.

2. After the flour mixture is cool add 1 tsp of vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl whip 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of softened butter. Whip it good! Whip it REAL good! ;-) I turn on the mixture for a couple of minutes.
4. When the flour mixture is COMPLETELY cool and the vanilla is added to it, mix the flour mixture with the butter mixture, whip it hard for about 45 seconds but not for much longer than that. The molecular consistency of this icing is pretty fragile. It isn't the same consistency of buttercream frosting but we all thought it was good here.

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

This stuff was good! When we make it again I think I will double the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced and chopped into 2 inch pieces*
• 1 cup beef broth
• ⅔ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (I used vegetable)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons corn starch + 4 tablespoons cold water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grease the inside of a slow cooker. Add steak, beef froth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low 4-5 hours.
2. 25 minutes before serving, uncover the slow cooker. In a small bowl whisk corn starch and water until dissolved. Add to slow cooker and stir. Cover and allow to cook another 20-25 minutes.
3. Just before serving, boil broccoli for 3-4 minutes. Drain, stir broccoli into slow cooker, and serve.

* If you can't find any sliced, just buy a roast and freeze it for a couple of hours, then slice it yourself. 

Butterbeer

Ever since Todd and I went to Orlando and tried legit Butterbeer from Universal Studios we have been craving it ever since. The real deal is AMAZING stuff, this will get us by until I either find a better recipe or we get to go back. 

I actually looked through a bunch of different recipes and none of them used caramel sauce they all just used butterscotch, and I am not a huge fan of the taste of butterscotch, but I loved the Harry Potter World butterbeer,and I didn't think it had an over powering butterscotch taste to it, I thought it had a warmer caramelish taste to it,  so I decided to add a bit of caramel sauce as well, and I thought it was closer to the taste. 

We aren't huge soda/sugar fans here so the recipe only makes enough for two 

Butterbeer:

3 C Cream Soda 

2-3 Table spoons Butterscotch Ice Cream Topping

1-2 Table Spoons Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Mix all ingredients and place half in freezer (I used ice trays, and dixie cups) and half in the fridge. After ice is hard place cubes into blender, use the stuff you had in the fridge to help give it the 'Canadian slurpee' texture. 

Froth

This isn't what the froth in universal was like, but it did taste pretty good! This makes a lot you could probably half it for the two drinks, but we ate the extras

1 C Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 C- 1 C Marshmallow Cream

2 Table Spoons Butterscotch Ice Cream Topping

1 Table Spoon Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Mix marshmallow cream, butterscotch topping, caramel topping together first, after they have a smooth consistency (that mallow cream is tough stuff) mix in the whipping cream. Mix until you have soft peaks. Top your butterbeer with the froth... yum!! 

Toasted Coconut

The coconut popcorn I made a few days ago called for toasted coconut, one of the recipes I read told you how to toast it, but after two burnt pans and my fire alarm going off all morning I came up with a better way. So this is how I did it, I am not sure if it is legit or not, I don't care it tasted amazing and it worked for what I was doing it for. Cheers!

1-2 Cups Shaved Coconut*


Preheat oven to 300 degrees, on a large cookie sheet spread your coconut evenly. Place coconut into the oven for 3-5 minutes. I start at three minutes and then I check on it every minute after. When the coconut turns the color of brown you want take it out. It makes the house smell amazing and it tastes just as good!
* You could put more, that is just how much each of my batches was.

Amy's Amazing Popcorn

Amy brought this over for Super Bowl Sunday and her stuff was amazing! When I tried her recipe it is good... but it is always better when someone else makes it. This isn't a chewy caramel corn it is crunchy, but still totally yummy!

Coconut Caramel Popcorn

Growing up I hated the taste of coconut, I could taste it in anything even if it was a very small amount. With each pregnancy my love of coconut grows, this last pregnancy being the strongest. I have tried a peach coconut smoothie, coconut cookies, and coconut popcorn all in the last three days, although (sadly) the first two didn't make it to the blog the popcorn is amazballs!!! 

I looked at quite a few recipes to get to this one. So it may be jumbled all together, sorry! 

Ingredients 

8 C Popped Popcorn

3/4 C Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt (I just sprinkled in one shake)

6 TBsp Butter

3 TBsp Light Corn Syrup

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Coconut Extract

1 1/2 C Toasted Coconut

1. After your popcorn is popped, grease a cookie sheet, and turn your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Bring sugar, salt, butter and light corn syrup to a boil. Let boil for 1-2 minutes. 

3. Take mixture off of the heat and add baking soda, coconut extract, and toasted coconut to mixture.

4. Pour coconut mixture over popcorn. Pour popcorn mixture onto well greased cookie sheet. 

5. Place in oven for 6-7 minutes, take popcorn out and stir, then place back in oven for another 6-7 minutes. Take out, let cool... if you can... enjoy! YUMMERS!

I also tried it on puffed corn... I could taste the butter too strongly, but if you like the taste of butter and coconut, try it out! 

Amy and Kelby's Brazilian Lemonade

Oh my goodness! This stuff is SO good! I am not a huge fan of limes and this drink made my taste-buds sing, ha ha! Cheers!

Ingredients

1 C Sugar
6 C Cold Water
4 Juicy Limes
6 TBsp sweetened condensed milk

Method:

1. Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

2. Wash limes thoroughly with soap (just hand dish-washing soap or regular hand soap can be used) you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off the limes, because you are using the whole lime. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into eighths.

3. Place half of the limes in your blender, add half of the sugar water, pace the lid on your blender and pulse 5 or so times.

4. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you will serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and residue from the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water.

5. Whisk in sweetened condensed milk.

6. Server immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so while you can mix the sugar and water ahead of time and slice the limes don't mix them in the blender until you are ready to serve. (It gets really bitter)

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Yields 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup White Sugar

1 small pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding mix

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 pkg ( 12 oz) Milk Chocolate Chips

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat the butter, both sugars, pudding mix, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat until creamy and fluffy. Then slowly mix in flour and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls, onto an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for ONLY 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes before eating. 

Cafe Rio Copy Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp cumin

a dash (or two) cayenne

1/2 tsp. chili powder

5 c. chicken broth

3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

Pepper, to taste

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. taco seasoning

1 Tbsp. paprika

Vegetable oil (to taste)

Pico de Gallo

2-3 avocados, diced

2 c. pepper jack cheese

Tortilla strips (Click HERE)

Cilantro (for garnish)

Lime wedges (for garnish)

Method

In a small skillet, sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. oil until onions become slightly soft. Stir in cumin, cayenne, and chili powder and sauté an additional minute or two.

Transfer seasoned onions to a small crock pot (or medium-sized saucepan). Add chicken broth, cilantro, lime juice, pepper and pinto beans to onions and simmer on low-heat for at least 2-3 hours.

In the meantime (when you are close to serving), combine taco seasoning and paprika. Brush chicken with oil and rub with taco seasoning/paprika mixture. Grill chicken over medium-heat until cooked through (try to turn only once during the grilling process). Remove from grill and shred.

In individual bowls layer chicken, about 1/3 c. Pico de Gallo, 1/3 c. diced avocado, and 1/3 c. pepper jack cheese. Ladle about 1 cup of chicken broth directly over the layers. Top with tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Cafe Rio Crunchy Tortilla Strips

Ingredients

10-12 corn tortillas

Oil (for frying)

Salt

Method

Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Place strips into hot oil and fry until they become crispy, you can season with salt as they cook. When nice and crispy, remove from oil and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt (if you want) after each batch.

Kaylie's Cookie Salad

1 large cool whip
2 cups milk
2 small or 1 large instant vanilla pudding
1 can chunk pineapple
2 cans mandarin oranges
2 SLICED bananas wink emoticon
1 package fudge strip cookies, crushed

Method: In a very large bowl mix vanilla pudding and milk, then add cool whip followed by pineapple, and mandarin oranges. For best taste chill for an hour or so before you add the sliced bananas and crushed cookies. Enjoy!