Cinnamon Rolls in Carribean Blue

Eventually I'll get tired of this I suppose, but it's too fun right now. Here is my next dish in the dish.

Cinnamon Rolls

1 c. sugar
2 c. warm milk
2 c. mashed taters (reconstituted dry flakes work fine)
2 eggs
1/2 c. shortening
2 pkgs. yeast
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
7-8 c. flour

Beat sugar, milk, potatoes, eggs and shortening until smooth. Separately, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 c. warm water with 2 T. sugar. Then add it to mixture and mix. Add salt, flour and vanilla and mix like bread. Let rise and mix down. Let rise again. Then roll out on floured board and brush with softened butter, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll up in long roll. Cut in 1 or 2 inch slices and place in greased pan. Let rise and bake at 350^ for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Frost with burnt butter glaze:

2 cubes of butter, melted
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. canned milk
powdered sugar

Heat until clear and dissolved. Add enough powdered sugar for a thin frosting (not glaze). Frost rolls while hot.

I used my leftover mashed potatoes that were seasoned with garlic, onion, etc. and it was just fine. Also, I made the dough the night before and let it rise all night. Then just let them rise in the pan in the am. I made two large cookie pans of these along with the special pan.

But really, this recipe is really all about the frosting.
mmmmmmm

Easy Lasagna in Carribean Blue

Just because no one else is really posting anything and I feel like being obnoxious, here's another recipe that I made in my new pan.

Easy Lasagna

1 lb. hamburger
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 c. water
3 c. mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
16 oz. cottage cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. parsley
8 lasagna noodles

Brown hamburger. Drain oil and then add spaghetti sauce (I like the one with sausage flavoring) and water. Let simmer. Mix rest of ingredients together. (except noodles, duh) Put 1 c. sauce on bottom of special pan. Layer uncooked noodles (I hate cooking the noodles) 3 down 1 broken one across bottom. Then 1/2 of sauce on top. Then 1/2 of cheese mixture on top of that. Then layer the noodles again (just switch the bottom one to other side if you know what I mean). Sauce, then cheese. Cover with foil and cook at 350* for 1 hour. Remove foil and cook for another 10 minutes. And yeah, I know my pan looks used. Bummer. But I swear the lasagna tasted better this time - must have been the pan!

7 Layer Bars in Carribean Blue

I thought I would post a picture on our recipe site of my awesome new baking dish and the 7 Layer Bars we made. It arrived just in time for our ward talent show. We dutifully washed it and started cooking immediately.

1. 1 cube butter
2. 1 1/2-2 c. graham crackers, crushed
3. chocolate chips
4. butterscotch chips
5. coconut
6. 1 can sweetened condensed milk
7. chopped nuts

Melt butter in pan. Mix the graham crackers in to form crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, then butterscotch chips, then the coconut. Pour condensed milk over all. Top with chopped nuts (I used almonds, of course). Bake at 350^ for 30 minutes. Yummy. Thanks Julie.

St. Patrick's Day Recipes

Okay ladies, I need your help. My daughter is SUPER excited about St. Patrick's Day. I have never done much for this holiday, but this year I was thinking about making a special dinner. Does anyone have suggestions for Irish or green food? Thanks!

Blueberry Lemon Scones

I am in love with these scones! I got this recipe from here. My mother-in-law gave me some dried blueberries so I used those instead of cherries. Also, I do not have a zester in my life yet, so I just used a potato peeler to peel the lemon and then chopped it up really small. I love the glaze on it.

Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Mix together:
2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Cut in 1/2 c. butter to flour mixture until it looks crumbly. Then stir in:
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 c. (or more) of dried blueberries

Add 2/3 c. buttermilk (I just used 1 tbsp of lemon juice in 1 c. milk) and just stir till dough barely comes together. Don't overmix.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle about 7 inches round and 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut this circle into 3-6 pie shaped wedges (or more).

Place scones on the baking sheet and brush tops with an egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp milk). Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Drizzle with glaze:
juice of one lemon and 1/2 - 1 c. of powdered sugar; should be kind of runny.

I made 12 scones but they weren't big. And next time I'm definitely doubling the recipe since it's just not enough for us.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

One more recipe for Lorien...

3.5 ounces good quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (chocolate chips are fine)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Microwave the chocolate until melted. (microwave in 1 minute increments and stir between - the chocolate won't look melted until you stir it, and it is easy to burn if you heat for more than 1 minute at a a time) Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir using a small rubber spatula or whisk, starting from the center of the bowl and working your way out till combined and smooth. Add the corn syrup (if using) and vanilla. Stir into the chocolate mixture well. Using a hand mixer, beat the chocolate mixture for 2-3 minutes until it becomes softer and light and fluffy.

You can also just allow the chocolate mixture to cool for a few minutes and then pour it over the cake as a glaze.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Lorien....this one is for you! Truthfully it's for anyone who wants to make sugar cookies but doesn't want all the work.

This cookie is spread out into a baking sheet to cook - so no rolling it our or cutting different shapes.

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 cup butter; room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. (or, if you are lazy, like me, just add the dry ingredients and sprinkle the soda and salt all around before mixing!) Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased 13 x 18 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and then frost.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter; room temp
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Spread over cooled cookie.