Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls!

I just got this recipe this morning from Joann one of my Cooking Thursday Participants on my main blog "Diary of a Stay at Home Mom".

I read the recipe and immediately got started, this is going to be the kids after school snack and I bet, I'm going to get thumbs up all around.

Cinnamon Rolls

* 1 cup of warm milk
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1/4 cup of butter, melted
* 3 tbsp warm water
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 3 1/3 cups of flour
* 3/4 tsp salt
* 3 tbsp white sugar
* 2 tsp yeast

Combine the milk, egg, butter, water, and vanilla together and pour into your bread machine pan.



Mix the flour, salt and sugar together then pour on top of the milk mixture.



Make a small hole on top of the flour mixture and pour the yeast into it. Turn your bread machine on to the dough cycle, close the lid and leave alone until your machine beeps at you - mine takes 1 1/2 hours.



Once the dough is done, put it on a floured surface and roll out into a large rectangular shape (about 1/4 inch thick) using a rolling pin. Make sure you have enough flour on the counter so the dough doesn't stick when you roll it out.

Filling:

* 1 cup of brown sugar
* 4 tsp cinnamon
* 3 tbsp butter, softened

Combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Spread the softened butter all over the entire surface of the rectangular shaped dough. Next sprinkle the filling over the dough.



Carefully roll up the dough as tightly as you can. If it sticks to the counter, slowly ease the dough up with your fingers - be careful not to tear the dough.

Use a piece of thread to cut the dough. Carefully slide the thread under the dough then cross the thread so it cuts the dough into 1 inch thick pieces.



Place the cut cinnamon rolls into a glass baking dish that is thoroughly coated with butter.



Cover the rolls with a dish towel and set in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the cinnamon rolls in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until light brown on top - don't overcook.

Glaze:

* 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
* 1/2 tsp vanilla
* 3-4 tsp milk

Combine the ingredients together and mix thoroughly making sure to remove any lumps.

Once the cinnamon rolls are finished baking, remove from the oven and drizzle with the glaze. Serve immediately. Enjoy.



I was able to get two pans out of it, a big one and a smaller round pan.

Chicken Poulet

Oh yeah, it's all about the comfort food here lately, the weather is cold and dreary and I like nothing more than to sit down with a plate of delicious Chicken Poulet.

You may be wondering what it is, and some of you already know what I'm talking about, but for those that don't, imagine chicken and stuffing and cheese and mayo and all those other goodies that make your hips scream for joy.

CHICKEN POULET

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 C Mayo
1/4 C Green Onions
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 stick margarine
1 cup water
16 ounce pkg Peppridge Farm corn bread stuffing mix
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Sprinkling of salt
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese


Butter casserole dish. Make chicken mixture in one bowl and set aside.

Melt water and butter together in the microwave. In a large bowl, add stuffing mix, butter and water mixture, chicken broth and 2 eggs. Stir until well combined.

Add half of the stuffing mix to the bottom of the casserole dish....layer with chicken mixture and then top with the remaining stuffing.

Beat 2 remaining eggs and add milk. Pour over casserole (do not pack or smooth down, leave loose). Let chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

Before baking, pour cream of mushroom soup over top and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Take out and sprinkle cheese over top of casserole. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chai Concentrate

I love coffee, but I'm also a tea lover and for me there's nothing better than a hot cup of tea on a cold rainy day.

We've had nothing but rain here for days on end and I was in the mood for some tea, but wanted a little kick to it and I do love a good Chai Tea.

Problem is that it can be quite expensive when bought at Starbucks or anywhere else, so I went in search of the perfect homemade Chai Tea and I found it. So easy and SO SO good.

CHAI CONCENTRATE

* 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg



Empty condensed milk into a jar or plastic container with tight-fitting lid. Stir in the sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Store in refrigerator.

To use: Brew a cup of strong black tea, such as Assam, then add two heaping teaspoons of concentrate or more to taste. Stir well until concentrate has fully melted.



To keep: Store in refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Fudge Brownies

So after my wonderful husband got me the KitchenAid Mixer, I wanted to start cooking and baking right away, so the first thing I made were these delicious brownies, they're SO good and were gone within two hours LOL

Fudge Brownies
KitchenAid Cookbook

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 squares (1oz each) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Melt ½ cup butter with chocolate over low heat; cool. Place remaining butter, sugar, and vanilla in bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater.

Turn to Speed 2 and mix for 30 seconds, then increase to Speed 6 and cream for 2 minutes. Reduce to Speed 4 and add eggs, one at a time beating 15 seconds after each addition. Stop and scrape bowl.

Add cooled butter and chocolate. Turn to Speed 2 and mix for 30 seconds. Reduce to Stir Speed and add flour, salt, and nuts; mix until well blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour into greased and floured 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Cool in pan and cut into 2-inch squares. (we like big brownies, so I cut mine into big squares)

Yield: 2 dozen brownies

Roast Beef & Mozzarella Sandwiches

Saturday was a super busy day for us, we were out running errands and getting groceries etc, by the time we came home it was late afternoon and I knew I had to get dinner on the table fast.

No one was too hungry, we just wanted something quick and light so I made these super easy Roast Beef and Mozzarella Sandwiches.

ROAST BEEF AND MOZZARELLA SANDWICHES

1 pound of roast beef lunch meat
1 or 2 cups mozzarella cheese
Hoagie buns
Medium onion, sliced
1/2 stick of Butter
Worcestershire sauce

Chop up your roast beef a bit.

Melt 1/2 stick butter in skillet, add onions and Worcestershire sauce. (it depends on how much you want, start with about 2 tablespoons and go from there)

Cook over medium heat until onions are cooked through, stirring often.

Add roast beef ( I slice mine up, just roll it all on the chopping board and run your knife through), stir well and cook until roast beef is warm.

At this point you can add more worcestershire sauce if you like.

Add the shredded Mozzarella cheese, turn off the heat and allow the cheese to melt, once it's done, spoon onto the hoagie buns.