Cinnamon rolls via Carly Steward

And here's the cinnamon roll recipe:

Sweet Roll Dough—Phyllis Mason
3 ½ C. warm water
2 T. instant yeast
½ C. powdered milk
3 eggs
1 T. salt
½ C. sugar
½ C. oil
½ C. butter, melted
6 C. bread flour
4-6 C. all purpose flour

Mix together all ingredients in order given. Let rise until double. Roll out for rolls. Yield: 36 rolls

Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls—Phyllis Mason
Filling:
1 C. butter, melted
2 C. granulated sugar
1 C. brown sugar
¼ C. cinnamon

Mix butter, sugars, and cinnamon. Spread on sweet roll dough. Roll dough up tight. Cut in 1 1/2” lengths. Put 12 rolls per pan in three 9x13” pans. Let rise until double. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. Let cool. Spread glaze on top.

Glaze:
1 C. butter
½ C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. Maple flavoring
3 C. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese

Melt butter and milk together. Mix with rest of ingredients. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze.

Caramel Pecan Rolls—Phyllis Mason
2 C. butterscotch chips
1 C. corn syrup
1/3 C. butter
1 C. pecans

Melt chips, syrup, and butter together. Add pecans. Spread evenly in 2 9x13” pans. Make cinnamon rolls. Put on top of caramel pecan mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. When baked, remove from oven and turn upside down. Remove from pan while hot. Let cool. Yield: 24 rolls

Orange Rolls—Phyllis Mason
Filling:
¾ C. sugar
2 T. orange juice concentrate
¼ C. butter

Mix sugar and orange juice together. Butter rolled out sweet roll dough. Spread mixture on top. Roll up tight. Cut 1 ½” thick lengths and place 12 rolls per pan in 2 9x13” greased pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. Glaze while still hot. Yield: 24 rolls.

Glaze:
¾ C. sugar
½ C. sour cream
2 T. orange juice concentrate
¼ C. butter
Put all ingredients in sauce pan. Boil for 3 min.

(Crockpot) Dulce De Leche

Dulce De Leche

by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

2 (14-ounces each) cans sweetened condensed milk
1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste, optional
3 (1/2 pint each) canning jars with lids and rings
Water

Open the cans of sweetened condensed milk and portion them equally into the three canning jars. Wipe the tops and sides of the canning jars, if needed, in case any of the sweetened condensed milk spilled down the sides. Place a lid and ring on the canning jar and screw tightly to seal. Put the three canning jars in a slow cooker and cover with water by one inch. It doesn’t matter whether the jars are laying on their side or standing up straight – do what works best for the size of slow cooker you have. Place the lid on the slow cooker and set to low for 8-9 hours, until the dulce de leche is deep golden brown. Carefully remove the jars from the hot water and let them cool. If desired, open the jars and stir in 1/2 – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into each jar. Replace the lids and rings and store in the refrigerator.

(Crockpot) Hot Fudge Cake

Photo by Taste of Home

This cake is very rich.  To me the vanilla ice cream was a must!

Hot Fudge Cake 
by Taste of Home

1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons baking cocoa, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1-3/4 cups boiling water
Vanilla ice cream

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup brown sugar, flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the milk, butter and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Spread evenly into a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. In another small bowl, combine the remaining brown sugar and cocoa; stir in boiling water. Pour over batter (do not stir). Cover and cook on high for 4 to 4-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Serve warm with ice cream.

"Carrots" - Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I saw this idea on Pinterest and knew we had to recreate it.  I used white chocolate and orange food coloring.  Next time I think we need to use a little more orange for a deeper color.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight

photo by Taste of Home

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight
by Taste of Home

1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
3 cups cold 2% milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

Chopped nuts and chocolate curls, optional

Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in 1-3/4 cups whipped topping. Spread over crust. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls if desired. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until firm. Yield: 15 servings.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Yesterday I made these Candy Corn Cupcakes for our Ward's Fall Festival (aka Trunk or Treat).  I pinned this idea from two different bloggers... Your Homebased Mom and The Girl Who Ate Everything.  I used the recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything, but wasn't crazy about it.  I think I will try a different method of "doctoring" up boxed cake mix the next time.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have seen this particular recipe on 3 different blogs in the past 2 weeks, so I thought I'd better try it! It did not disappoint. Hannah said "These are SO delicious!!!", which made me feel pretty good!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
found here, here, and here 

2 cups plus 2 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 TBSP) butter, melted & cooled until warm
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg plus 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the dry ingredients. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and the egg. Mix well. Add the vanilla. Incorporate the flour mixture. Add the Chocolate chips. Put big scoops onto a cookie sheet. Space a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-14 minutes (in my oven, I baked them 14 minutes). Don't overbake! They will appear underdone, but they aren't. They are working their magic to become chewy. Cool for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Microwave Smores (Hannah's Cooking Classes)

Microwave Smores

8 regular or chocolate graham cracker squares
3 TBSP chocolate-hazelnut spread
3 TBSP marshmallow creme

Spread 4 squares with chocolate-hazelnut spread. Spread remaining graham crackers with marshmallow creme.  Place graham crackers, marshmallow sides down, on top of chocolate-hazelnut spread.  Place on a microwave-safe plate.  Microwave, uncovered on 100% power for 30 seconds.  Serve at once.

Berry Parfait (Hannah's Cooking Classes)

Berry Parfait

2 1" thick angel food cake slices, cut into 1" cubes
3/4 cup fresh strawberries (sliced) and/or raspberries
4 oz container vanilla pudding
1/4 cup whipped cream

Gently stir vanilla pudding and whipped cream together.  Place 1/4 cake cubes in the bottom of each glass.  Add 1/4 of the berries and top with 1/4 of the pudding mixture.  Repeat each layer.  Serve immediately.  Makes 2

Perfect Pie Plates

Perfect in every way!

Now the pies below are not a special recipe, in fact they are pies from a can. The special part is the pie pan. They are from my mom. I remember my mom baking with these and always loving the edges and how perfect they made the pie look. On my recent visit to Hawaii my mom gave these to me. I can't tell you how grateful I am and how excited I am that Hannah will (hopefully) have the same memories of these that I do. Of course when Jeff saw them, he immediately wanted a cherry pie. Even though it was from a can, it was great! Thanks mom!! I love you!!

Ernest's Birthday Cake (Deep Dark Chocolate Cake)

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
by Hershey's

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan, if desired.) Frost with Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.  8 to 10 servings.

Pumpkin Pie (from Scratch!)

I thought this tasted better than using pumpkin from a can. It was easier than I thought too :)

"Real" Pumpkin Pie

Cut pumpkin (must be a sugar pumpkin) in half without stem. Scoop out seeds and strings. Place cut down on foil lined baking sheets. Cover with foil. Bake 350 until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool. Scoop out flesh and mash with potato mash or food processor until smooth. Drain if too watery.

1 1/3 cup smooth pumpkin

1 1/3 cup sweet condensed milk (or 1 can)

1 egg

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1 cup hot water

Beat together until just smooth. pour into 9" pie shell. Bake @ 375 for 55 to 65 minutes. (center will still move slightly) Cool for 2 hours and enjoy (mashed pumpkin will hold 5 day in refrigerator)

Cheesecake Cookie Cups

This recipe was on the back of our Visiting Teaching Message this month. Jeff and I loved them as is, Hannah loved them without the cherries on top and Ernest thought they were too sweet. I think my vote is the one that counts!

Cheesecake Cookie Cups
by Nestle

1 pkg (16.5 oz) Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 can (14 oz) Nestle Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 325° F. Paper-line 24 muffin cups. Place one piece of cookie dough in each muffin cup. BAKE for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookie has spread to edge of cup.

Beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and vanilla extract in medium bowl until smooth. Pour about 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture over each cookie in cup.

Bake for additional 15 to 18 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Top each with level tablespoon of pie filling. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (aka Congo Bars)
by Bakerella

2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 lb light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
11.5 oz package milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Set aside. Stir brown sugar into softened (not melted) butter in another large bowl until butter disappears. You can use the back of your spoon to help incorporate the two together. Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture and stir well after each egg. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well. Add dry flour mixture and stir until well combined. Coat a 13 X 9 pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Make sure you don’t over bake.

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This was SO much better than store bought frosting, or any other buttercream frosting I have made before. I found myself eating the bottom of the cupcakes first, so the frosting would be my last bite! It is a little more work than opening up a can of frosting from the store, but it's worth it. I'll never buy ready made frosting from the store again!

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
by Food Network

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 TBSP whipping cream (I didn't have any, so I used half-n-half)

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

One Color Mochi

This is one of the boys favorite treats from Hawaii. Mochi is a traditional Japanese food that's soft and chewy. I made two batches of this in a two day period and Takeshi at one 9 x 13 pan all by himself!

One Color Mochi
by Dianne Naehu

1 lb Mochiko (sweet rice flour; found in asian section)
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups water
13.5 to 14 oz can coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp red or blue food coloring
potato or corn starch for dusting

Preheat oven to 350. Mix first 3 ingredients together. Add water, coconut milk, vanilla and food coloring to dry mixture. Pour into 9x13 pan. Cover with foiland bake 1 hour. DO NOT OVERBAKE! Cool completely. Turn onto potato corn starch dusted surface and cut with plastic knife. Dust top and sides with potato or corn starch

Mother's Day Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake
by Mary Nolan

1 ½ lbs strawberries, stemmed and quartered
5 TBSP sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
2 TBSP sugar
¾ tsp salt
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Whipped Cream, recipe follows

Mix strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar and refrigerate while juices develop, at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Place mixture in an ungreased 8-inch square pan and bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove shortcake from pan and place on a rack to cool slightly. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally. Spoon some of the strawberries with their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Spoon more strawberries over the top and serve.

Whipped Cream
1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilled
3 TBSP sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest (I left this out)

Using a mixer, beat the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until soft peaks form, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

At our ward party last Friday, someone had made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ernest loved them, and so I started asking people to try and find out who made them. I never found the baker, so I searched on the internet for a recipe to try. I found this one and we all loved the cookies. Hannah kept saying (with disbelief) "These are really good! I can't believe how good these are!" I guess that means I'll be making these again.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Food Network

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges (I only cooked mine for 14 minutes). Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Chocolate Fondue

Since Strawberries were on sale for only .67 a pound, I decided to splurge on a Fondue Pot (something I've always wanted!). I used this recipe from Tyler Florence and it was amazing! Everyone loved it!

Chocolate Fondue
by Tyler Florence

16 ounces chocolate (milk, dark or semisweet), broken in pieces (I used Nestles Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips)
1/2 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup caramel topping

Place all ingredients in a ceramic fondue pot over low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is melted and smooth. Do not allow to bubble. Arrange an assortment of bite-sized dipping foods on a lazy Susan around fondue pot. Some suggestions are strawberries, bananas, apples, grapes, cherries, pound cake, marshmallows, raisins and shelled nuts. Spear with fondue forks or wooden skewers, dip, swirl and enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yummy!

My best friend from High School came into town and had dinner with us last night. It was wonderful to see her again, and to meet her beautiful family! Of course, I used this as an excuse to make one of my "to try" recipes. I used the cake recipe from Bakerella and the frosting recipe from Your Homebased Mom. The cupcakes were very moist and tasted great! Of course the cream cheese frosting didn't hurt either :)

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (10.625 oz or 10 5/8 oz)
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 oz. red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside. Place all the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together really good with another wire whisk. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined. Using an ice cream scoop, fill cupcake cups with cake batter (they should be 2/3 – 3/4 full). It will make 24 cupcakes. Place muffin tins on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check early and don’t overbake!

For Cake:
Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans. Pour into cake pans and then drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. After about ten minutes, remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover in plastic wrap while the cakes cool. Then make the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 sticks (1/2 cup) butter, slightly softened
8 oz cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until everything is combined, then add the vanilla.

I've also used this frosting on them and it's equally as delicious!!

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
by Food Network

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 TBSP whipping cream (I didn't have any, so I used half-n-half)

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Ice and enjoy!