Carmelitas and Caramel

 Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 3/4 cups quick-cooking oats

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 cups Salted Caramel Sauce, recipe follows

2 1/2 tablespoons flour

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Grease a 9 by 13-inch pan.

Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and softened butter in the bowl of a mixer. Mix on low until crumbly. Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions.

Press half the crumb mixture in the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and cool slightly.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips, and chopped pecans over the cooled crust. Mix the salted caramel sauce, and flour together, and drizzle over the chocolate chips, and nuts. Top with the remaining crumb mixture.

Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust starts to brown. Allow the pan to cool, and refrigerate it until the caramel filling is set.

Cut into bars and serve.

Notes: I have mixed the caramel with flour and not, and I did not see much of a differnce in consistency, but I didn’t like the taste of the caramel with flour, so I wont do that in the futer.

For The Caramel

I tried a few recipes and I royally suck at making caramel, this one was the 'best' out of all of the ones I tried, I know it was user error. I got it from Preppy Kitchen, he has a great video on how to make it.

Ingredients

For the Caramel

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

1 cup cream room temp

5 tbsp butter unsalted, room temp

1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Add the sugar and water into a medium saucepan and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place over medium-high heat and brush the inside of the pot with a wet pastry brush so crystals do not form.

Cook until sugar mixture becomes a golden amber color, then remove from heat and whisk in the cream vigorously. Add butter and bring back to a medium low heat. Continue whisking and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Mix in salt, transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature. Caramel can be made in advance and refrigerated.

Annie's Macho Nachos

 INGREDIENTS:

Tortilla chips

Refried black beans (refried stick to the chips better than regular beans)

Shredded chicken or pork (cooked carnita style is soooo good)

1 jalapeno (or canned, to taste)

Corn kernels

Shredded cheese

¼ c sour cream

1 Tbs fresh lime juice (1 lime)

Diced avocados 

Diced tomatoes

Cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 500.

2. Spray jelly roll pan so cheese comes off easier during cleanup.

3. Arrange chips on pan.  Cover with beans, meat, jalapeno, corn, and cheese.

4. Bake until cheese is melted, and chips are lightly browned, about 5-10 min.

5. Meanwhile, stir together sour cream and lime juice in small bowl.

6. Remove nachos from oven; sprinkle with avocado, tomato, and cilantro.  Drizzle with sour cream mixture.

Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25 – ounce) box cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• mix ins- chocolate chips, m&ms etc

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix together cake mix, eggs, and oil until smooth. Alternately you can do this step in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mixing ingredients on low until combined.
3. Mix in add-ins, if wanted, until evenly incorporated.
4. Using a medium (2- tablespoon) cookie scoop portion the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet 2- inches apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until lightly golden at the edges.
5. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes:

My favorite are devil's food, with chocolate chips... and they are best on day 2

Annie's Winger's Sticky Finger Salad

 

INGREDIENTS:

• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Avocado
• Cilantro
• Black beans
• Corn
• Peppers
• 1-2 c marinated, cooked chicken OR *1 bag Tyson breaded chicken tenders (1.5 lbs)
• Sticky Finger Dressing (recipe below)
• Ranch Dressing
• Nacho Cheese Doritos, opt

STICKY FINGER DRESSING:

• 3 Tbs Frank's buffalo hot sauce                       
• 3/4 c brown sugar                                        
• 1/4 c water                                                    

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix dressing ingredients together in small pan and heat on stove until dissolved.  
2. Put salad ingredients together in large bowl.
3. When ready to serve, drizzle sticky finger dressing and ranch over salad.
4. Crumble chips on top, if desired

Notes:

Instead of ranch dressing on top, I add cilantro ranch from the Cafe Rio dressing, soooo good!

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

KASHINA LINNE DO NOT DOUBLE THIS RECIPE!!! 

IT DOES NOT FIT IN YOUR BOSCH, HA HA!

INGREDIENTS

ROLLS:

 4 cups scalded milk 

 1 cup (2 sticks) butter

 1 cup sugar

 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

 1 3/4 tablespoons instant yeast *

 4 large eggs

 11-13 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

FILLING:

 1 cup (2 sticks) butter

 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar

 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

FROSTING:

 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

 2 teaspoon vanilla

 Pinch of salt

 2 pounds powdered sugar

 Cream or milk for consistency

INSTRUCTIONS

For the dough, heat the milk in a medium saucepan until the milk is scalded (which is basically heating it until right before it simmers - it will start steaming and little bubbles will form around the edge of the pan). Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or you can do this by hand with a large bowl, wooden spoon and lots of elbow grease).

Add the butter, sugar and salt. Mix until the butter is melted and let the mixture cool until warm but not hot.

Add the yeast and eggs and mix until combined.

Gradually add the flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. The exact amount will depend on the temperature, humidity and how you measure flour. I usually end up adding just under 13 cups of flour. The dough should be soft and just slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers. Let it knead for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each portion of dough (it's soft enough to be patted and stretched with your hands) into an 18-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Spread one stick of softened butter over each rectangle.

Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of it over each rectangle. Pat it in slightly with the palms of your hands. Starting with one long end, roll up the cinnamon rolls as tightly as possible, pinching the seam lightly to seal.

Working with one long log of cinnamon roll at a time, using a serrated knife, cut it in half. Then cut each half in half again (forming four equal portions). Cut each of the four portions into three rolls - twelve cinnamon rolls total. Repeat this with the other roll - you'll have 24 cinnamon rolls total.

Place the rolls evenly spaced on a parchment-lined large, rimmed baking sheet about 11X17-inches (or 12X18-inches). I space the rolls 3 across, 4 down. If the ends have come free, carefully tuck them under the cinnamon roll.

Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until double. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the rolls for about 18-22 minutes until only very slightly golden on top. Let the rolls cool almost completely in the pan before frosting.

For the frosting, in a large bowl, whip together the cream cheese and butter. Add the vanilla, maple and salt and mix until combined.

Gradually add the powdered sugar (if you add it all at once, be prepared for a huge snowstorm in your kitchen) and mix until thick and creamy. Add cream or milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable to your liking.

Spread the cinnamon rolls with frosting.

To freeze, once the cinnamon rolls are completely cooled, use a spatula to carefully transfer a single cinnamon roll to a quart-sized ziploc bag. Seal the bag with as little air inside as possible and freeze for up to a month. To reheat, remove the roll from the bag (it's easier than it seems - it will pop right out!) and warm on a plate in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Start at 45 seconds 

NOTES

Milk: these rolls turn out better with whole milk 

*Yeast: also, if you don't have instant yeast and want to use active dry, up the amount to 2 1/2 tablespoons and dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup water with a pinch of sugar. If doing this, you'll need to add a bit more flour than if following the recipe using instant yeast.

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

 

Ingredients 

10oz cooked Bowtie Pasta

1 pkg frozen broccoli (or 3 C cooked fresh)

4 oz cooked cubed Ham

1-1 1/2 lbs cooked cubed Chicken

For the Rue:

3 TBsp Butter

4 TBsp Flour

1/2 TBsp Garlic Salt 

1 1/2 C low fat Milk

1 1/2 Chicken Broth

1 C low fat Sour Cream 

2-3 TB Dijon mustard (I added 1 TB of regular mustard)

1 tsp Paprika (I only added a few shakes)

6 slices of lite Baby Swiss Cheese

Method:

{reheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Be sure your chicken, ham, pasta, and broccoli are cooked/ prepared as per instructions.*

To make your rue melt butter, add flour until they form a paste, after they form a paste slowly add the milk followed by the chicken broth. The liquid should be a thicker consistency. Then add your garlic salt, sour cream,** mustard and paprika. 

Add chicken, ham, bowtie pasta, broccoli, to a casserole dish*** pour rue liquid over, add baby Swiss cheese to the top, cover with tinfoil and bake for 15-20 minutes, then remove foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is slightly browned and bubbly. Enjoy! 

Notes:

*I cooked the pasta and the broccoli together

** I think next time I will skip the sour cream and see what it tastes like without it. 

***I used a 9x13 dish 

Melissa Morgan’s Bread

The directions for this bread are a little vague sometimes, but the bread is amazing!

Ingredients 

3 C Warm Water 205-215 degrees F

3 C Warm Apple Juice 205-215 degrees F*

2 TBsp Yeast (slightly rounded)

2 TBsp Brown Sugar (rounded)

3 TBsp High Gluten Flour (heaping)

1 Container 6oz Orange Yoplait Yogurt**

10 C Whole Wheat Flour

4 C White Flour

1 C Honey

2 TBsp Salt

2-3 TBsp Dough Enhancer 

Method:

Pour warm apple juice and warm water into a large mixing bowl (Bosch). Add yeast, sugar, high gluten flour, yogurt, and whole wheat flour and mix for about 15 seconds. Let it sit (to sponge or proof) until it reaches the top of the bowl. 

Add white flour, honey and salt, begin a 13 minute knead. At six minute mark add dough enhancer. *** At the end of the kneading dough should pull from sides and be moist and silky. 

Place dough on an oiled surface (Olive oil works). Using a food scale divide the dough into 5 separate loaves. Mostly my loaves end up weighing 1 lb 11 oz.

Press them or roll them into a rectangle, then roll up the rectangle, fairly tightly and shaping the ends, then place loaf in bread pan. Spray the tops with Pam, water or something similar, then cover with a cloth and put them somewhere warm to proof or rise until doubled in size. 

Once loaves have doubled in size, place them in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Turn out the first loaf, if the bottom is a rich brown color take the other loaves out. Let bread ‘rest’ in the pans for 3-5 minutes then take them out and let them cool completely on a cooling rack. Let cool 20 minutes before slicing, for best results. 

I would read the image at the end if you want all of the notes that she/ or rather her Dad has. I haven’t ever done the water in the oven trick. 

Notes:

*Melissa makes her own apple juice, I just find one that says ‘not from concentrate’

** I think it can be any flavor, I don’t notice a difference between vanilla, orange, or peach, really whatever I have on hand, Melissa said she has even used sour cream before

*** If dough is really sticky I add more white bread flour at this point, a few tablespoons at a time