Bread Machine Cinnamon Buns! AKA Clone of A Cinnabon!

AMAZING! I made these for my step dad on Fathers day & boy was he pleased. These turned out so good. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com & it's the clone of a cinnabon, which I never had before. These weren't that hard to make since much of the work is the actual dough making. But you use a bread machine to do that part & it's easy. So if you own a bread machine MAKE THESE, seriously heaven on a plate.

*The dough after I took it out of the bread machine to rise a little longer*

*Iced & ready to go*

*OMG SOOOO GOOD*

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt




Directions
1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tandy Cake!

This tastes just like a The peanut butter tandy cakes made by Tasty Cake. So yummy & will be sure to please. Plus it's super easy.

1 c. milk
2 tbsp. butter
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder

1 (12 oz) bag of Hershey's or other milk chocolate morsels.
1 cup Creamy peanut butter

Scald milk and butter; set aside. Mix sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla and baking powder. Mix milk and flour mixture together. Grease an 11"x17" jelly roll pan ( I used a 11" by 13" baking dish because that's just what I had & it turned out great). Pour batter in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. As soon as cake comes out of oven, spread peanut butter to cover. Let cool. Melt milk chocolate. Spread carefully over cooled peanut butter. Cut in squares before chocolate hardens. Let cool ( You can also use cookie cutters to cut, it makes super cute shapes or any occasion.

Swiss Chard With or without green garlic.

So after visiting my favorite Local farm I was introduced to Swiss chard & green garlic. They gave me some for free to try & it went over great with the family. The Swiss chard tastes a little like spinach so if you like spinach almost positive you'll like Swiss chard. Green garlic I have never heard of or seen in my grocery store. They have it at the farm & it is awesome! So if your able to find it anywhere it goes great with the Swiss chard.

•2 bunches fresh Swiss chard, washed well, cut off bottom stems.
•2 tablespoons butter
•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•4 tbsp red or white onion, chopped
•3 cloves garlic, chopped
•1/4 cup heavy whipping cream\
•1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Chop Swiss chard then Add the Swiss chard to boiling water and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain the Swiss chard  in a colander. Press down on the Swiss chard with a clean kitchen towel to release all of the liquid. Remove to a cutting board and roughly chop.

Heat a large saute pan, over medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the onion and garlic and saute until fragrant and tender. stir in spinach. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute briefly, then add the heavy cream, and Parmesan. Reduce the Swiss chard mixture until it has thickened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

My Mac-n-Cheese (low fat version)

3 Tbs Butter
3 Tbs Flour
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups reduced fat Cheddar cheese ( you can use full fat cheddar cheese also)
1 lb cooked whole grain pasta ( I like to use medium shells) * you could use regular pasta if you like*

Melt butter, stir in flour and seasoning. Add milk and cook on medium heat stirring constantly until thick & smooth. Add Cheddar & stir until melted. Once melted pour over hot drained pasta & enjoy.

*Yes it's that easy & so good. My kids love "Moms Mac-n-Cheese". You can also just make the cheese sauce & pour over veggies or potatoes*

BlueBerry Muffins!

These from Scratch blueberry muffins are sure to please, so light & fluffy  they melt in your mouth. & with a taste test with the kiddos these will vanish from site, they just loved them.

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk ( you8 can also use buttermilk, but I never have that on hand)

1 1/4 cup fresh blueberries - rinsed, drained and patted dry ( I used frozen blueberries, because that is all I had, I put them in frozen, no need to defrost)

2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Position rack in the middle of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray the top of a muffin pan with non-stick coating, and line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1 1/4 cups sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix together 1 3/4 cup of the flour and baking powder. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated.  Mix the blueberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of the flour, and fold into the batter. Scoop into muffin cups. Sprinkle tops lightly with sugar.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, and tops spring back when lightly tapped.               
4. *This made about 18 regular size muffins*

Strawberry Cake!

This is a great summer dessert that is sure to please. Especially with strawberries that are currently in season. I made some homemade whipped cream to go with this & it was delicious.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons, granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, I used an 8 by 8 deep dish. 

Whisk flour or flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer (though I had to overlap a few to get them all in). Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Fresh Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella!

Want something that is super easy, looks pretty & will be loved by many at any gathering? Then this is for you!!

1 lg Tomato, cored & sliced into circles
1 handful of fresh Basil leaves ( I grow my own in the garden, that way I have it on hand all summer long. You can also buy fresh basil at your local grocery)
PKG Fresh Mozzarella ( I used the kind that comes in a bag, but it can also come in a container or can be purchased at the deli counter at most grocery stores)

Clean the basil & pat try with paper towel.
Slice fresh Mozzarella, or you can buy it already sliced.

Place Tomato, basil & mozzarella on a platter. You can also stack them together a piece of each in a row. I just stuck mine on a plate. I Like to put a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar on my salad but really this dish it great all on it's own. Enjoy