Sweet Rolls

If you are looking for the BEST roll ever, you've come to the right place. These are ADDICTING, so watch out! I used a bread machine because it makes my life easier, but you don't have to. Also, they freeze AMAZINGLY! ENJOY!!

• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

1. Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

*Also...* On step 2, before rolling them up, I sprinkle oregano, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni, roll up, and let rise to make pizza rolls. Josh requests these all the time. They are amazing plain, and I have yet to try them with a cinnamon/sugar mix inside.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This is hands-down one of the BEST chocolate cakes I have ever eaten! Don't let the zucchini scare you-- it makes the cake super moist and delicious! Next time I make this, I will try and cut down on the fat by using applesauce instead of oil. FYI- this is my new birthday cake request!

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated zucchini
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

(the batter will look really thick and chunky
until you add the zucchini.. then it will look like the below photo)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. (I used a bundt pan- and always will from now on!!)
   
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (If you are using a bundt pan, you need to add an extra 10 minutes- I cooked mine for 70 minutes and it was perfect.) Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.

I made a vanilla frosting/glaze and sprinkled some powdered sugar on the top. I've made this cake twice so far and its been a big hit. TRY IT!!!!

**Revision 11-4-10** Here is the frosting/glaze recipe I used. (Any would do, but this was a pretty darn good one!)

• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbls milk
• 1 tsp butter
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

-Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the rest and stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Eat it all :)

Orange dreamcicle cookies

This is just the orange version of my favorite cakemix cookies.

Ingredients:
Orange cake mix (I've used lemon, strawberry and devils food cake also)
2 eggs
1 container of cool whip (i also used lite here and it turns out just fine) thawed


Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 350.  Make tablespoon sized balls and coat with powdered sugar.  Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy.  These are great to store in the freezer also - they stay nice and moist/chewy.

NOTE - orange zest can be added to this recipe, i just forgot this time.  Same thing with the lemon cake mix and lemon zest.  Delicious!

Eggplant Parmesan

I saw an eggplant in the supermarket and thought, hmmm why not make some eggplant parmesan, I haven't had that in a long time! So I found this semi healthier recipe online, and tweeked it a little because I only used one eggplant.
I followed some reviewers tips to cup the eggplant, and sweat out some bitterness by salting it with coarse salt for 30 minutes and letting it sit (on some paper towels), then rinsing and drying them, and then you can start the recipe.



It was soo tasty. I put it over some penne pasta with a little extra spaghetti sauce.

Southwest Turkey Burgers

2 lbs ground turkey

2 T. minced garlic

1/2 t. ginger

1 can diced green chilies (4oz)

1/2 fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 t. salt

1/4 c soy sauce

1 t. fresh ground pepper

3 T. paprika

1 T. ground dry mustard

1 T. ground cumin

Mix all ingredients well and form into about 8 burger patties. Cook on the grill or in a pan.

I garnished mine with shredded cheese and cilantro guacamole (Avocado, lemon juice, cumin, fresh chopped cilantro, garlic and onion powder and salt- all to taste). Then I served with a side of sauteed zucchini squash and broccoli. mm-mmm-mmmm good!!!!! Patties freeze well!

Enjoy this delectable burger, cilantro lovers!

May theme

someone cook something already!  I need ideas and new recipes to try!!!!!!   

Lets start a theme - for the rest of May - SALAD month.      Post your favorite salad - pasta, green, vegetable, fruit, whatever, just post it so I can cook something. 

:)

Soft Molasses Cookies (aka, the best cookies you will ever eat!)

I literally could not stop shoving these cookies in my mouth- they are pretty much the best thing I have ever tasted!!!!

2 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 Tbls orange juice
1/4 c. molasses

-Cream margarine and sugar together in mixer. Add egg, orange juice, and molasses and mix well.
- Stir in dry ingredients. Chill for about 1/2 hour. (I chilled mine overnight)
-Shape into balls, roll in sugar, and flatten.
-Bake 8-10 min on 350 degrees. Let cool on pan before moving to cookie racks.

enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!!!!!!