"Cinnabon" Cinnamon Rolls

Ok guys- I finally got around to taking pictures of these. Most of the time they are never around long enough to do that- so yesterday I made it a point to get some pictures. Luke was the main photographer here. He regretted he couldn't capture the smell for you. :-)
Anyway, for those of you who keep asking if it's on my blog yet: this is for you!

These are so yummy- and do taste like Cinnabon. We don't have a Cinnabon in our mall, though I heard we were going to get one again- after 5 years or so without it. I really missed having one, so found a recipe online, though I have changed it a bit, so here's mine:
This makes 16 large rolls- two 9" x 13" pans full.

"Cinnabon" Cinnamon Rolls
2 c. warm milk
1 c. sugar
2 T. yeast
3/4 c. butter (room temp)
2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
6 c. white flour
2 c. whole wheat flour
Combine everything in the mixer (kitchenaid, bocshe, etc) and knead for 10 minutes. Let sit with the lid on and rise until it reaches the lid (this might take 45 minutes to an hour), then knead the dough for a minute or 2 and roll out on floured surface.

Filling:
2/3 c. butter (room temp)
Spread the butter onto the rolled out dough.
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
--mix together then add:--

1/3 c. saigon cinnamon*

1/4 c. flour

Mix the sugar, cinnamon and flour together and sprinkle/spread over the butter.
Roll up Jelly-roll style and mark 16 even marks for the cuts on the roll. Cut out 16 pieces and put 8 in each 9" x 13" greased baking dish. (Two 9" x 13".)
Let rise until doubled and bake in 375 degree oven for 22-25 minutes. The tops will be brown. Frost while warm.

Frosting:
1 c. butter (room temp)
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 c. (4 oz) cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
blend thoroughly and then spread over warm cinnamon rolls.


*Or another high quality- don't use the generic that is just labled "ground cinnamon", this makes a big difference. I buy mine at Costco: $3. for a large container.

This counter is 21" x 25".

Spread the warm butter on the dough.

Mixing the sugar and molasses.

Mixing the cinnamon and flour into the sugar.

Spreading the sugar/cinnamon mixture over the buttered dough.

Start at one of the longer edges and roll the dough.

Mark out 16 even marks where you are going to cut.

Cut the roll.

Set 8 cinnamon rolls into each 9" x 13" greased baking dish.

Let rise until doubled before baking.

Rolls will be brown on the top, but still the soft doughy-ness we love in the middle, and not uncooked.

Mix the icing and spread over warm rolls.

These are really best served warm-- oh yummy!

Now I think I'll go eat the leftovers...

Lentil Chili

I've posted this recipe before, here, but have changed it enough from HBHW's recipe, I figured I would tell you what I do. (And I see I angled the camera in such a way that it makes the bowl of chili seem quite small under Brian's hand... but it was a normal size bowl, really!)

Lentil Chili
1 lb. package lentils
Water to cover with about 1 to 2 inches above the lentils. Bring to a boil, then turn down and let simmer with a lid slightly cocked on the pot. Simmer until the lentils are soft- about 30 minutes.
Add:
4 c. freshly chopped tomatoes
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 heaping Tb chili powder
4 to 5 shakes of tabasco sauce
Simmer for approximately 30 minutes and serve with chips and sour cream.

Meal Cost:
Lentils: $.72
Tomatoes: free- from garden
onion: ?? cheap
Chips: $1.
Meal Total: $1.72

This feeds our family of 5 big eaters with 1 bowl leftover.

Zucchini Pizza

This was a big hit last night. I think next time I'll put on more artichoke heart- but even without much of it, it was great.



Zucchini Pizza
4 c. grated zucchini
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8-1/4 tsp. garlic salt (I just shook it over, so not sure on exact amount)
3 eggs, beaten
Mix all together and spread into well greased/oiled skillet*. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
Add whatever toppings you want and then stick back into the oven to heat through and melt the cheese.
We put on:
Pepperoni
Artichoke hearts
chopped fresh tomatoes
grated cheddar cheese (just a thin layer- to hold it all together)

* a 12" skillet worked best- the 10" one is more 'quiche-like', as it is thicker. If you are going to use pie pans, I would probably put it in two 9" pie pans. This sticks a little- it comes off the cast iron best.

This is a really inexpensive meal- if you have a garden, the only real cost is the cheese and toppings.

Chokecherry Jelly

About a month ago Brian's mom called and said there were some chokecherries where she takes her dog walking. I was ready to head out the door right then- but she said they weren't ready yet. So, since I didn't remember what chokecherries looked like, I asked her to call me when they were ready.
A couple weeks later she did. It happened to be a weekend we were going to be out of town, so I ran out and picked a big bowl full that Thursday when she called. They were in clusters, so pretty easy to pick.


This picture was taken about a week later, when I went back to get more- unfortunately, it was already passed the season and these are a bit wrinkled and dry. So I guess you really have to grab them when they are ready!


I brought them home, filled the bowl with water and let all the leaves, bugs, dried berries to float to the top so I could skim them off.
Then I put the rinsed berries into a large pot and filled it with water so it covered the berries. I brought it to a boil and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. I set another bowl in the sink with a strainer over the top and poured the berries into it so all the juice went into the bowl. I let it sit for a while, dripping and stirred the berries a couple times.
I probably could have boiled them a second time to get more juice (from what I've read online, that's what our grandmothers did) but didn't think of it.
I measured out the juice to see how many batches of jelly I could make.
The chokecherries apparently have plenty of natural pectin.

I found this Ball pectin at Walmart for $1 cheaper than the Sure-Jell and they each had a $.50 coupon inside- so the next one was only $1./box. It was in the canning section, rather than the baking section where the Sure-Jell is.
It's a basic pectin- 4 c. fruit or juice, pectin and then whatever amount of sugar you want, up to 3 cups.
I think I used 8 c. juice, 6 c. sugar and one box of pectin.
I've used it with other juice now and cut down the sugar more, but chokecherries are pretty tart, so I used the maximum amount with them.

Cost-wise, this was great:
Juice: free
Pectin: $1.
Sugar: $1.
Yields 8 jars @ $.25/per jar (pint jar)

I got 4 batches of jelly = 16 pints of jelly.

Do you make jam/jelly?

Oven Dried Strawberries

Last year I dried some apples in the oven and they turned out nice. I use dried fruit in granola and thought I would try some strawberries this time, as I had quite a few. I really need a dehydrator though- it took way too long in the oven.
I found a good article on dehydrating fruits and veggies. I cut the strawberries to about 1/4" think and laid them on parchment paper which I had directly on the oven rack. I set the oven to 170 degrees (because that's the lowest it will go) and stuck a wooden spoon in the door to hold it slightly open.
Some of the strawberries dried faster than others- it depended on how thick they were. But the were all done after about 5 hours. I ended up with enough for one batch of granola- so not really worth it for me, but I had to try. I did turn them over once so they could dry on both sides. It was a time consuming job.

Peanut Butter Granola

I have to try this one out on Jesse... he doesn't like oatmeal or granola, but he loves peanut butter, so we'll see how it goes. Anyway, I think this is good.

Peanut Butter Granola
4 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. additions

Heat the peanut butter and honey, so it's not so thick (microwave or heat over medium until warm). Mix in salt, vanilla and oats, coat thoroughly and then spread onto parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before adding dried fruit, or if you don't want chocolate to melt, etc.
I store this in the freezer if it's not eaten up right away.


Notice how this one browns more on top and on sides. I don't stir it while it's baking.







This variation has 1 c. Heath Toffee pieces added after it was cool.





This one I added:
1/2 c. Heath bar toffee pieces
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
While it was warm so the chocolate melted and it formed clumps of chocolate granola.

Breakfast "Cookie"

This is actually similar to Baked Oatmeal but easier to pick up and eat with your hands.

I've been trying to make alot of things for the freezer so when baby comes I won't have to cook much... and neither will Brian. :-) So I have quite a few different batches of this in the freezer now.


Breakfast "Cookie"
4 c. oats (rolled or quick)
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 TB. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. milk
1 c. applesauce
2 eggs
1 tsp. vannilla
1 c. additions
Mix all together, bake in greased 9" x 13" baking dish at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Makes 12 square cookies.


Here's a few of my variations:

1 c. milk chocolate & peanut butter chips






1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. craisins







1 peach, chopped
1 plum chopped
a handful of strawberries, chopped
decrease milk to 1/2 c.