Egg Nog Taste Testing Challenge

 Try it yourself and share your favorite ;0) 

Breakfast Yo! - Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

1. Dissolve 1 package of active dry yeast in 1/2 cup warm water (not hot because that will kill the yeast)
2. Add 1 tbsp brown sugar and let sit 5 min (this helps feed the yeast) 
3. Scald and cool 1 cup milk - heat milk in a saucepan until you start to see steam, don’t let it boil, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. (This helps weaken the whey protein that can inhibit the yeast. Also, When cooled to around room temperature, it works much better in the recipe than cold milk to combine the shortening and activate the yeast) so don’t skip this step 😊
4. In a mixing bowl mix together 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup shortening and 1 egg, add to the cooled milk, mix.
5. Add that to the yeast and mix
6. add 2 cup flour and mix
7. Add another 2 cups flour and 1 tsp salt, mix
8. Knead dough for 5 min. (it will be a sticky dough)
9. Place in a greased glass bowl and allow to rise to double (about an hour)
10. Turn out dough on a well floured surface and roll out into a rectangle 
11. Cover dough with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Carefully roll dough up (long side of the rectangle) then slice about 2 inch thick (about 12-15 rolls)
12. Place rolls in a greased baking dish an allow to rise (double in size) 
13. Bake at 375 for about 15-20mins.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Whip the following ingredients in a mixer - 2 oz softened  cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and water to make it the consistency you desire (Start with 1 Tbsp)

Lettuce Eat Salad: 4 Easy Vinaigrettes

(Creamy Vinaigrette) 

Easy Vinaigrettes

Forget the added ingredients and preservatives of store bought vinaigrettes.  These simple dressings taste amazing and are so easy to make. 

Red Wine Vinaigrette   

        1 Tbsp honey

        1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

        2 Tbsp oil

        Salt and pepper

White Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp Honey

        1 Tbsp white vinegar

        2 Tbsp oil

        Salt and pepper

Creamy Vinaigrette

        1 Tbsp honey

        1 tsp sugar

        1 Tbsp white vinegar

        2 Tbsp Mayo

        Salt and pepper 

        (Mix until smooth)

Fruit Vinaigrette 

2 Tbsp fruit jam (strawberry, peach, raspberry, etc)

3 Tbsp oil 

2 Tbsp vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste 

(Mix until smooth)

I ham what I ham -Sandwiches

Yummy Ham Rolls

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree

2. Melt 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter and add 1/2 Tbsp mustard, 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tsp onion powder and 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds

3. Place sandwich rolls on a baking sheet and layer ham and cheddar cheese

4. Brush some of the butter mixture on the top of each roll and place on the ham and cheese

5. Brush the remaining butter mixture over the tops of each sandwich

6. Cover in foil and bake for 15 min

7. Remove more and bake for another 10 min

Serve immediately

Ham Salad Sandwich 

1. dice ham into cubes and pulse in a food processor until finely minced

2. Add 1/4 cup miracle whip and mix

3. Serve between 2 slices of bread

Finger lickin' Chicken - Fried Chicken with German Cole Slaw

Fried Chicken

1. Thaw chicken breasts, butterfly and cut into smaller pieces

2.  Flour chicken pieces in ½ cup flour mixed with ½ Tbsp seasoned salt

3. Dip pieces in milk then back in the flour

4. Place the pieces in a frying pan with ¼ in oil heated to medium heat

5. Leave pieces undisturbed for several min.

6. Turn pieces when bottom edges turn golden brown

7. Fry on the other side for same amount of time

8. Remove chicken pieces and place on a paper towel to absorb extra oil

Gravy

1. Add 1 tablespoon flour to the oil in the pan and stir to make a rue
2. Add 2 ½ cups milk and whisk
3. When bubbles occur add salt, pepper and chicken bullion crumbles to taste
4. Allow to boil until desired thickness is reached

German Cole Slaw

1. Shred ½ head of cabbage
2. Mix together in a lidded container ¼ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 6 Tbsp white vinegar, ¼ cup oil.
3. Pour dressing over slaw and toss
4. Chill slaw for several hours before serving

Plum Good Chicken

 

Ingredients

4-6 Bone in- Skin on Chicken Thighs

1/2 cup plum jam

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 T grated ginger

1 T honey

2 sliced green onions

1 T corn starch

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. place thighs in a glass baking dish

3. In a mixing bowl mix jam, soy sauce, ginger and honey until relatively incorporated 

4. Pour sauce over thighs and sprinkle with green onions

5. Bake at 350 for 20 mins, then turn heat up to 425 and bake for 15 min

6. pour sauce into a skillet, place chicken back in oven under the high broiler (to crisp up the skin)

7. Add 1 T corn starch to sauce and whisk until smooth, bring to a boil and let thicken.  Remove from heat and pour into a serving dish. 

8. Place thighs on a serving dish and pour a little sauce over each. 

9. Serve with cooked veggies and rice (for best Asian rice add 1-2 T rice wine vinegar after it has cooked)

**The sauce is great on the veggies and rice as well 

 

Roast with the Most - Classic Beef Roast

Classic Roast

Your favorite beef roast cut (or which ever is on sale ;0)

Salt and pepper

Several carrots

Several potatoes

1 onion

2 cups water

2 beef bullion cubes

1 tsp kitchen bouquet

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
2. Peel and cut carrots potatoes and onions
3. Put some oil into Dutch oven or skillet and turn heat to medium high
4. Put salt and pepper on the roast and rub into the meat
5. Sear both sides of the roast for a couple of min.
6. Add your vegetables and bullion cubes
7. Pour in 2 cups water
8. Cover and place in oven for 3 hours
9. Half way through check to make sure you have enough liquid, add more water if needed. 

10. Transfer your drippings to a skillet

11. Remove a small amount of the hot liquid and mix together with a couple of Tbsp of cornstarch.  Add that mixture back into the skillet and stir

12. Add 1 tsp kitchen bouquet, gravy will boil and thicken

13. Serve with bread and butter and enjoy!

**This could easily be cooked in a crockpot.  Just make sure to sear your meat and then cook low and slow all day.

 

Sweet Sweets - World's Best Sugar Cookies

The World’s Best Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

½ cup powdered sugar                        
½ cup white sugar

½ cup butter                                        
½ cup oil

1/2 tsp vanilla                                           
1 egg

¼ tsp almond extract                           
2 ½ cup flour

½ tsp salt                                               
½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cream of tartar

Directions

1. cream sugars, butter, and oil until light and fluffy
2. add egg, vanilla and almond, beat until combined
3. Sift in dry ingredients
4. Mix until dough forms ball and pulls away from sides of bowl
5. Turn out onto plate, cover and place in refrigerator for 2 hours to chill
6. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes
7. Bake at 350 degree for 9 min
8. Let cool and frost
9. Store in an air tight container for up to a week, makes about 2 dozen cookies

Basic Buttercream Frosting 

*Cut recipe in half for sugar cookies

*Make full recipe for cupcakes

*Double for a cake (that you frost down the sides and in between layers)

½ stick softened butter

3-4 cups powdered sugar

up to ¼ cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract, clear

food coloring

1. Mix butter, vanilla and powdered sugar in mixer with whisk attachment
2. Add small amounts of water until you reach desired consistency
3. Add color and mix until dispersed

Color Flow Icing Recipe 

*For Flowing Icing that Hardens but still tastes great use this recipe. 

*It's basically the Wilton Recipe with a few improvements 

4 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp Wilton Meringue Powder (Pictured above)

*1 tsp clear vanilla extract

*1/2 tsp butter extract 

2 tbsp -1/4 cup water

Mix in stand mixer on low for 5 min until smooth.  Add more or less water to get the consistencies you desire (thicker for outlines, Thiner for easier low)

Divide and color and decorate! Allow to harden for several hours before touching

Store in air tight containers 

*Add more water as you decorate if icing starts to get too thick