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)

*Sourdough Discard Alternate Recipe

(In a bread maker dough setting) 

1. In a bread maker add the following ingredients in the following order

• 1/2 cup discard. 
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp salt

2. Mix together on the dough setting

3. Roll out dough into large rectangle

4. spread butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon

5. Roll up and cut 12-15 cinnamon rolls 

6. Allow to rise in a greased baking dish

7. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 min. 

*I’ve also had great results in a bread maker on the dough setting (even without warming the milk)

Meal Planning

 Dinners around the table with family don't need to be a thing of the past.  Watch this video for a simple plan to cook at home and enjoy family dinners.  

Shopping List 

Meal Planning Sheet 

My cookbook is available 

https://mascotbooks.com/mascot-marketplace/buy-books/cookbooks/all/homemade-the-american-family-cookbook/

Soup, There It Is! - Chicken and Noodles

Chicken and Noodles

Your favorite cut of bone-in skin on chicken (I used a 1/2 chicken)

A couple stalks of celery with leaves attached

a couple of un-peeled carrots

1/2 large dice onion

1 cup water 

1 chicken bullion cube

1 package of your favorite egg noodles

Seasoned salt

Extra chicken stock (if needed)

Directions

1. Add chicken (sprinkled with seasoned salt) vegetables,  water and bullion cube to a crock pot and cook for 6 hours on low. 

2. Strain liquid into a stock pot

3. Discard the vegetables 

4. Remove all the bones from the chicken and shred chicken with a fork

5. Bring your liquid up to a boil and add the noodles, boil for about 20 mins

6. Add the chicken and more stock if needed. 

Serve and enjoy!

You say tomato, I say tomato: Canned Tomato Recipes

Courtney's Chili

1. Brown 1/2 lb ground beef (remove and discard grease) and add 1 Tbsp steak seasoning

2. In a dutch oven saute 3 sweet peppers and 1/2 small onion until tender

3. Add 1 can pork-n-beans, 1 can of red kidney beans, 1 jar of tomatoes and the ground beef. 

4. Stir in the following spices: 

2 Tbsp Chili Powder, 1/2 Tbsp season salt, 1 tsp cumin, 1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano

5. Cover and let simmer for at least 10 min. 

6. Then serve with your favorite fixin's 

Chicken and Tomatoes

1. Using your choice of bone-in/skin-on chicken place in a glass baking dish, dot with butter and sprinkle with season salt. Bake at 275 degrees for an hour or until the internal temp reaches 165 degree. 

2. Remove the skin and remove bones. Dice chicken

3. In a dutch oven add 1 package of dry onion soup mix and 2 cups of water

4. Add 1 can of home canned tomatoes and 1 can of store bought canned tomatoes

1 tsp basil and the diced chicken

5. Cover and simmer for about 45 min or until the liquid reduces to form a stew consistency

6. Serve over rice. 

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

1. Cut 1 lb or more of round steak into portion size piece, salt and pepper each side. 

2. Dredge in flour and brown for a couple of min on each side in hot oil. 

3. Thinly slice 1 medium onion and 2 bell peppers. 

4. In a crock pot layer steak, peppers, onions and tomatoes until all in in the pot. Salt and pepper

5. Allow to cook for 6-8 hours

6. Serve over mashed potatoes 

For a how to video on Mashed Potatoes see my Easter Feaster video

here

 Hats (Aka Macaroni and Tomatoes) 

1. Cook 1/2 lb of pasta to al dente, drain and put back in the pot

2. Add 1/4 cup butter and stir until melted

3. Add 1 jar of canned tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste

4. Can be served with or without shredded mozzarella cheese 

Soup, There It Is! - Broccoli Cheese Soup

1. Finely chop 3 stalks of celery and between 1/2 and 1 onion (depending on how much you like onions)

2. Saute in the bottom of a dutch oven or stock pot in 1/4 cup butter until tender (5-10 min) over medium heat. 

3. Add 1 carton of either chicken broth or chicken stock and 2 bunches of broccoli heads cut into small pieces (or 1 bag of frozen broccoli). Cover and cook until broccoli is soft (about 10 min)

4. Add 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of half-n-half.  

5. Cut 16 oz of Velveeta cheese into small cubes and add to the pot, stir until all the cheese is melted. 

6. To thicken the soup remove about 1/2 cup of the liquid and mix in 2 Tbsp flour then stir back into the pot. This is supposed to keep lumps from forming but it they do just whisk away ;)

7. Let thicken and serve with sourdough bread. 

Homemade Ramen

Ramen Broth

1. In a very large stock pot place: beef bones, pork bones (ham bone works as well), bony part of chicken (wings), celery, carrots, onion, 2/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, fresh ginger, dried mushrooms, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp salt, 6 quarts water and 1 Strip of dried seaweed (Kombu) 

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 2 or more hours (remove Kombu after about 30 min)

3. When meat is cooked, skim of fat and strain liquid. Discard solids. 

4. Cook and serve ramen immediately or divid broth in quart size bags and freeze for Ramen anytime

Ramen Assembly

Cook Ramen Noodles in boiling water until soft. 

In a bowl combine ramen, broth and desired toppings

Some common ones are

Cooked strips of beef, green onions, dried mushrooms, bok choy, bean sprouts, napa cabbage

marinated eggs

Marinated Eggs

1. Steam 4-6 eggs for 10 min, immediatley place in ice water to cool

2. Peel eggs

3. In a bowl combine 3/4 cup Mirin, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp rice wine vinegar and 1 Tbsp water

3. Add egg and let soak for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight. 

Video Here 

Honey Wheat Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread

 

1. In a bread Machine place

1/2 cup sourdough discard

1 cup water

2 cups white flour

1 cup wheat flour

1/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp oil

2 tsp salt

2 tsp yeast

2. Start Machine 

3. Let cool and slice

4. Store in a ziplock bag for several days