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Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting….

Posted by on December 26, 2010
Cinnamon rolls…..I don’t think there is a more delicious treat on the planet!  They take some time to make, but they’re sooooo worth it.  Try making them up until the second rising (right before baking) and put them in the refrigerator until morning.  Then right into the oven to bake.  Top the hot rolls with cream cheese frosting….your people with sprint out of bed when they smell them!  Here we go:
Step #1
In a large mixing bowl add yeast to warm water, sugar, salt, and a small amount of flour, whisk to blend.  Allow these ingredients to get acquainted for about 10 minutes.  (The water should be warm, not hot.  Use water the same temperature you’d give to a baby to drink)
Once the water and yeast ingredients are well acquainted, add the beaten eggs, warm milk, and cooled melted butter.  Whisk to blend.
Step #2
Add the whole wheat flour and some of the all purpose flour.
Beat until smooth, without lumps.  Add additional flour and continue to mix….
Step #3
Dump onto board when it looks like this.  Knead with your hands to bring all the ingredients together for 2-3 minutes.  Use enough extra flour to do so without the dough sticking to your hands.
Once you have a nice ball of dough, generously butter a medium size bowl and plop the dough into it.

Butter the top of the dough with soft butter as well.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel.  It being Christmas time, I thought red appropriate.  Allow to rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Step #4

 Once doubled, press your fingers into the dough. 

If you leave imprints, it’s ready.
Punch down the dough to release most of the air.
Plop onto floured board….
Roll into a large rectangle.  I had to take the picture from this angle because it was so wide!
Smear the entire piece of dough with butter…generously….In the video, I brush melted butter over the dough.  I find you can get more butter onto the dough by smearing softened butter.  Either way is good.
Now a good sprinkling of cinnamon….
and brown sugar….
Step #5
Roll from the bottom edge up to the top….

Pinch the seam to close.  Pinch the ends closed as well.  Slice into 1″ pieces and into two well buttered 9″ cake pans or a 9″x13″ pan.

Aren’t they pretty?  Now cover with the clean kitchen towel to rise for another 45-60 minutes.  If you want to bake in the morning, you would cover and refrigerate at this point.
They have risen….you can see that they have filled the pan nicely.  Bake in preheated 350′ oven for 25 minutes.  While baking, prepare the frosting….
Step #6
Add the softened butter and cream cheese to a deep small bowl. 
Beat until blended.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. 
The frosting should be thick and rich….
Step #7
Ah, can you imagine the smell in my house????  Cool for a few minutes and invert onto a plate, then onto a serving plate.
Ice the hot cinnamon rolls.
Enjoy immediately!
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 package dry yeast, about 2 ½ teaspoons
1 cup warm milk (microwave 30 seconds)
2 beaten eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
¼ cup whole wheat flour
4 ½ to 5 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons softened butter
1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 tablespoons softened butter
4 ounces softened cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1) In a large mixing bowl, add warm water, salt, sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and dry yeast, whisk to blend. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, melt butter in microwave and cool until warm. (no hot ingredients can go into the yeast mixture, it will kill it!) Add to yeast mixture. Add warm milk and beaten eggs as well.
3) Add whole wheat flour and 3 cups of all purpose flour. Beat so there are no lumps. Add 1 ½ cups flour to the bowl. Stir until most ingredients have moistened.
4) Dump onto lightly floured board or counter top. Knead for about 2 minutes or until the dough has come into a soft ball of dough.  Use enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the board.
5) Grease a medium size bowl with butter and place the dough ball into it. Butter the top of the dough with one teaspoon of softened butter. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in a draft free, warm space. Allow to rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Press with fingers and when you leave fingerprints in the dough it’s ready.
6) Punch down the dough to release the air. Plop the dough onto a lightly floured board. Roll into a large rectangle, about 16”x 24”.
7) Smear the two tablespoons of softened butter over the dough, distribute evenly.
8) Generously sprinkle the rectangle with cinnamon. I do not measure the cinnamon, just be sure to have an even coating of cinnamon.
9) Evenly distribute the brown sugar over the rectangle.  If you like, add chopped walnuts or pecans.
10) Starting at the bottom of the rectangle, roll to the top, rolling as tightly as possible. Punch the ends together and the seam down the roll.
11) Generously butter two 9” cake pans. Cut the log of dough into 1” pieces and place into pans. Cover with the kitchen towel and allow to rise again for 45-60 minutes.
12) While the rolls are rising, make the frosting. In a small and deep bowl, beat the softened 3 tablespoons of butter and 4 ounces of cream cheese until blended. Add powdered sugar all at once and 2 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla. Beat on lowest speed. Add the last tablespoon of milk, scrape down the sides. Add a little more milk if necessary. I dare you not to taste!
13) Preheat oven to 350’. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cool for about 5 minutes. Invert onto a plate to get it out of the pan and then onto serving plate so that the cinnamon rolls are right side up. Ice with the frosting. Enjoy!
*do not allow to cool for long in the pans, the butter/sugar mixture will harden and make the rolls stick to the pan.
*If you’d like the rolls in the morning, right after you shape them into cinnamon rolls, cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towels. Refrigerate overnight. Go right from the refrigerator to a 350’ preheated oven. They may take a few minutes longer to bake. Cinnamon Roll Demonstration

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Fruit and Cream Cheese Kringle…..Detailed Instruction…..

Posted by on December 18, 2010
As promised, Kringle!  I’ve been blustering and blustering about it.  Be warned,  you will not be able to stay away from it.  It’s a delicious butter/yeast dough with a cream cheese and fruit filling…..It stays moist for up to three days, if it lasts that long!  This is one of the easiest pastries I’ve ever made.  It is a yeast dough but it isn’t made the typical way yeast is used.  You mix the dough the night before, refrigerate overnight, then shape and bake the next morning.  Shaping takes only 20-30 minutes.  This will be your go to recipe for any holiday going forward.

You MUST try this!  It is so beautiful and you will be so proud to bring it to gatherings with your family and friends.  Here we go….

Step #1:

To begin you blend the butter with the flour and a little salt.  I use the food processor but you can use a hand pastry blender.  Be sure to really incorporate the butter into the flour.  It should look like coarsely ground cornmeal.

Step #2:

Add the liquid.  This is so interesting, you mix cold milk, eggs, and yeast in a measuring cup and beat with a fork to blend.  Then you dump these ingredients into the flour/butter mixture.

Step #3:

Mix so most of the ingredients have moistened  it should look like this.

Step #4:

Empty the bowl onto your counter or board.  Now the fun part.  Knead this mound of dough into a ball.  This should take only a minute or two.  No need to add more flour here unless absolutely necessary.

Step #5:

Are we having fun yet???  I love the feel of a lovely dough such as this on my hands, it’s very therapeutic.  Divide that large ball into two.

Step #5:

Wrap each ball loosely with cling wrap and put into a large zip bag.   You’re done until morning.

Step #6:

The first thing to do in the morning is beat softened cream cheese with sugar.  Get your fruit preserves out as well.

Next, on a lightly floured board or counter, roll out one of the dough balls into a large rectangle.  About 12″ x 18″ or so.

Step #7:

Using half of the cream cheese/sugar mixture, spread evenly over the rectangle of dough, leaving about a one inch boarder.

Step #8

Spread the preserves evenly over the cream cheese.  Ok, can you even imagine how delicious this is going to be???  Cream cheese, fruit preserves, butter dough…..

Step #9:

Start to roll one end of dough towards the center.  Once you get about half way, roll the other side towards the center.  Once both ends are rolled inward, pinch the ends together.  Place on a large parchment lined cookie sheet. 

They should look like this.  I did one raspberry and one apricot.  Into the oven at 350′ for 25 minutes.  While the Kringle is baking, make the icing…

This icing is very simple, just powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.  This is the consistency you want.  Not too loose but will cling nicely to the warm pastry.

When they’re finished baking, simply slide the paper with the kringle right onto the cooling rack.  Cool for about 10 minutes and they’re ready for drizzle.

Drizzle back and forth with the icing.   Every try drizzling a Kringle with one hand and taking a picture with the other???

I originally found this recipe in a Penzey’s catalog but made some slight changes to the recipe.  Ever since I first made it, it has been my absolute favorite for Christmas morning.  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family!

Kringle

Dough:

4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 package of dry yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons

Cream cheese filling:

1 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons your favorite fruit preserves or filling

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4-6 teaspoons milk

1) Add flour, butter, sugar, and salt to your food processor. Blend until the flour resembles coarse corn meal-or-blend in a large bowl with a pastry blender.
2) Measure out 1 cup of milk in a two cup measuring cup. Add yeast and eggs. Beat with a fork to combine.
3) Add liquid to the dry ingredients. Mix well with a fork until the dry ingredients are moistened.
4) Empty bowl onto counter and knead with your hands to make a soft dough. Divide into two pieces and shape into balls.
5) Wrap in plastic wrap and put into a large zip bag. Refrigerate overnight.
THE NEXT MORNING:
6) Preheat oven to 350’. Line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Set aside.
7) Roll out one of the dough balls into a 12” x 18” rectangle. Spread half of the cream cheese over the dough, then spread 2 tablespoons of the preserves evenly over the cream cheese.
8) Roll both short ends of the dough towards the center. Pinch the ends together. Place on the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 4 teaspoons of milk. Mix well, add more milk if necessary to get the right consistency.
9) Remove from oven and slide the kringles right onto a cooling rack. Cool for 5-10 minutes before drizzling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Corn Bread with Fresh Sage….

Posted by on November 21, 2010

 This bread is absolutely fantastic!  The fresh sage very gently flavors the entire bread.  This is a lovely and dramatic presentation, dont’ you think?    This one bowl recipe goes together in minutes and bakes for only about 22 minutes.    Serve this with your Thanksgiving dinner, your family will be very impressed!

Corn Bread with Fresh Sage

1 small bunch fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons softened butter to grease pan
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup oil

1) Preheat oven to 350’. Grease a 9” round pan generously with butter. Arrange the sage leaves on the prepared pan. Set aside.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until combined.
3) Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the yogurt, milk, eggs, and oil. Mix until just blended.
4) Carefully pour into prepared pan. Bake for 21-23 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness.
5) Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.  Cool completely and cover with saran wrap.

Enjoy!
Angie

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Zucchini & Banana Chocolate Chip Bread…..

Posted by on October 27, 2010

My friend Kathleen mentioned that she used to make a very moist bread with these ingredients and could not find the recipe…wha-la…I did it.  OMG it is so incredibly moist!  Another “One Bowl” recipe.  You MUST try this one.

Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

2 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups mashed banana
3 eggs
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi sweet or milk chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350’. Coat 7 small loaf pans with cooking spray, set aside.
2) Into a large mixing bowl, add shredded zucchini, mashed banana, eggs, oil, and sugar, mix well.
3) Mix flour, soda, *chocolate chips, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Add all at once to wet mixture. Mix until just blended, do not over mix. Pour evenly into prepared loaf pans.
4) Bake for 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven onto a cooling rack. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely.

*when you add chocolate chips to the flour, they won’t all settle to the bottom of the bread.
**If you buy bananas on a weekly basis, you will have a couple that get too ripe to eat.  Peel and put into a heavy zip bag, freeze.  They will be a bit watery when you thaw them out, but they work just fine in any recipe.
***I bake quick breads in small pans because it drastically cuts down on baking time.  The end result is much more moist as when the bread bakes over an hour in a large loaf pan it dries it out.

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Garlic Bread….

Posted by on October 21, 2010

Ummmm, this is incredibly simple and so, so good.  PLEASE do not buy those frozen garlic breads, they’re loaded with bad fats and ingredients you can’t pronounce.  They also take 20+ minutes in the oven.  Make this when your pasta is boiling, it literally takes minutes.

Killer Garlic Bread

1 large baguette, cut in half
4 tablespoons softened butter, or half butter and half olive oil
2 large cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Dried parsley for garnish, optional

1)  Preheat oven to 350′.  Foil line a cookie sheet.
2)  In a small mixing bowl, mix softened butter and crushed garlic.
3)  Spread garlic butter evenly over baguette.  Sprinkle cheese over bread.
4)  Bake for 7-9 minutes.  Sprinkle with dried parsley.  Enjoy immediately.

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Glazed Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes…..

Posted by on September 6, 2010

Can you imagine the smell in my house?  I took advantage of this cool day and made these mini poppy seed cakes.   They take only 30 minutes in the oven.  Glaze while they’re still warm.  Lemon zest gives this cake a nice gentle lemon flavor.  The fresh juice from the lemon makes for a delicious and true lemon tasting glaze.  Serve for dessert, also fabulous with brunch.

Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes

2 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1/3 cup poppy seeds
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
¾ cup canola or vegetable oil
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1) Preheat oven to 350’. Coat 4 mini loaf pans with cooking spray. Mix flour through salt together in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
2) In a medium size mixing bowl, measure out milk, oil, and add eggs. Add zest  from the lemon. Juice the lemon into a small mixing bowl and set aside.
3) Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture. Mix well. Divide batter among 4 pans. Bake for 30-33 minutes.
4) Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Place on cooling rack with a layer of wax paper underneath. Add powdered sugar to the bowl with the lemon juice and mix well. Drizzle over warm cakes and allow to set up before you store. Store in cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon. Enjoy!

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Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread, Coffee Talk!

Posted by on July 29, 2010

Good morning!  I’ve had requests for zucchini recipes and the first thing that came to mind is zucchini bread.  This bread is hearty, made with whole grain, and freezes well. 

Imagine a nice visit with your girlfriend on the deck, a hot cup of coffee and a delicious piece of homemade zucchini bread…. (try to block out all the interruptions from the kids, fighting, crying, and questions)  Just be in the moment….

Back to reality.  Make this bread, you and your family will LOVE it!

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
4 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1) Preheat oven to 350’. Spray 7 mini loaf pans with Pam for Baking. Set aside.
2) In large mixing bowl, mix oil through zucchini, set aside.  Mix all remaining dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture all at once and mix until dry is just incorporated into wet. Divide evenly among mini loaf pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean. Cool 15 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely and wrap tightly in cling wrap. Place into labeled and dated large freezer bag to freeze.

*you may add raisins, chocolate chips, or nuts if you wish. Add them to the dry ingredients. This will prevent them from all settling to the bottom.  You may need an additional pan depending on how much extra ingredient you add.

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Blueberry Streusel Muffins…..

Posted by on May 17, 2010

What’s not to love about fresh blueberry muffins with streusel no less?  These are very moist, delicious, and easy to make.  Use fresh or frozen blueberries.  Great for breakfast, brunch, or after school…come to think of it, great at anytime of the day!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

For the muffins:
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fresh blueberries, or frozen blueberries, thawed

For the streusel:
¼ cup flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons softened butter

1) Use muffin cups to line muffin pans, coat with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350’.
2) In a small mixing bowl, combine all streusel ingredients well with your hands. Set aside.
3) In a large mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients, blend well with a whisk. Make a well in the center. Add wet ingredients and mix until just blended, do not over mix.
4) Scoop about a tablespoon of batter into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Top with about 5 blueberries, use them all. Evenly distribute the rest of the batter over the top of the blueberries.
5) Top with a good amount of streusel topping. Bake for 17 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Allow to cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm.

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Best Irish Soda Bread

Posted by on February 26, 2010

I love this bread!  It is slightly sweet and has a very tender crumb.    It does not stay fresh long, freeze right after cooling if you won’t be using in a day or two.  If you are lucky to have any left after a couple of days, it makes excellent french toast, bread pudding, or croutons…..YUM!  The recipe is simple and comes  together in minutes.

3 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup white raisins
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¾ cups buttermilk (or add 1 teaspoon vinegar to 2 cup liquid measuring cup, fill cup with milk to 1 ¾ cups)

1) Preheat oven to 350’. Prepare 5 mini loaf pans with Pam cooking spray with flour. Set aside.
2) In a large mixing bowl, measure flour through raisins and mix well.
3) Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients all at once. Mix until just blended.
4) Divide among 5 pans. Bake for 25-27 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean.
5) Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove and cool completely. Wrap in cling wrap or put into decorative bags. Freeze immediately if you will not be using within a day or two.

*tip*when you add an ingredient like raisins to a batter, add it to the flour to coat, the raisins will not all settle to the bottom when baking.

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Vanilla Yogurt Whole Grain Pancakes

Posted by on January 30, 2010

Don’t you just LOVE breakfast?   This is very, very simple and has a wholesome ingredient list.  You could mix all dry ingredients the night before and simply add the wet in the morning if that’s easier for you.  For leftover batter, refrigerate and use within a few days, or,  make the rest of the pancakes and freeze for another morning.  I would freeze them in single serving portions for easy microwave heating, defrost for 3 minutes then on high for a minute or two.  The yogurt in this recipe gives it a very light & fluffy texture.  I use a cast iron griddle but you could use any non stick pan, just be sure it’s heated and oiled before you start.  Enjoy with fresh berries or bananas and real maple syrup…..need I say more?

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

3 cups milk
1 6 oz. container Dannon all natural vanilla yogurt
¼ cup canola oil
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

1) In large mixing bowl, blend all dry ingredients.
2) In medium mixing bowl, whisk all wet ingredients together.
3) Make a well in dry ingredients and add all wet ingredients at once. Mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated. Over mixing will give you a tough result.
4) Pour about 1/3 cup batter onto hot, lightly oiled griddle. Carefully flip when you start to see bubbles. You can check to see if pancake has browned with a spatula before flipping.

Makes about 15 six inch pancakes

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