Itty Bitty Cinnamon Roll Bites

 

 

 

1 can Pillsbury “Simply” refrigerated biscuits, 10 count

5 tablespoons softened butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
5 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream, or just milk if that's what you have on hand

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Unroll biscuits onto a clean countertop and press out with fingers to about 3 inches wide.
3.Spread each biscuit with 1/2 tablespoon of butter then top evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon. 4.Starting at the bottom of each round, roll up jelly roll fashion with seam side down on countertop.
5.Use a sharp knife and cut 1/2 inch slices and place onto prepared baking sheet. I cut 6 slices per biscuit making 60 small cinnamon rolls.
6.Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until light brown and cooked through. Remove from oven.
7. Place powdered sugar and heavy cream into a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over hot rolls. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Best served warm with a tall glass of milk!

Makes 60 itty bitty bites
http://picky-palate.com/2011/04/18/itty-bitty-cinnamon-roll-bites/

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (use the clear if you have it)
• up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

1. Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed.
2. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
3. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/

Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter

4 TBSP cocoa

1 cup water

½ cup Crisco

½ cup buttermilk or reg. Milk

1 tsp soda

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

ICING

1 stick butter

3 TBSP cocoa

6 TBSP milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 box powdered sugar (I use about 2/3; icing is very rich) ½ cup chopped pecans, optional sprinkle on 1/2 half of cake

Mix sugar, flour and soda together in bowl. Heat butter, cocoa, water and oil in a pan, bring to a boil. Pour hot mixture over dry ingredients and add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Bake 30 – 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

ICING - Heat butter, cocoa and milk in pan, bring to a boil. Pour over powdered sugar, blend well. Add vanilla.  Add a little milk until you reach the consistency desired. Pour over hot cake and let cool for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle nuts on half the cake.

Recip from Diane Davis, NASA book club

Mini Blueberry Pies

Ingredients
cooking glaze (blog)
1/8 c tapioca
1/2 c sugar
2 cups frozen blueberries, microwaved a couple of minutes to defrost a bit
zest of half a lemon or lime

coursely ground sugar for topping, optional

1 already prepared pie crust recipe (blog)

Directions
Apply cooking glaze to each cupcake tin.
Mix all ingredients and let it rest for 15 minutes. This allows the tapioca to soften.
Roll out dough and cut into circles large enough to cover the inside of a cupcake tin. I used a large drinking glass. Cut little circles to drop on top of the filled pies.

Fill each cupcake pie about half full, then place smaller circle on top.
Sprinkle with sugar.

Cook 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Just watch to make sure they don't overcook.
 Makes 9 mini pies.




http://www.barefootkitchenwitch.com/the_barefoot_kitchen_witc/2008/03/mini-blueberry.html

Creamy Caprese Pasta

serves 4-6
1 pound whole wheat pasta (noodles such as penne work best)
1 cup of your favorite pasta/tomato sauce
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for garnish
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
1 pint of grape tomatoes (I cut some in half and left some whole)
1 bunch of fresh basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Boil water and cook pasta according to directions.
While pasta is cooking, heat tomato sauce over low heat in a large saucepan. Once warm, stir in heavy cream and grated parmesan. Once pasta is done cooking, drain and dump into the sauce, mixing to coat and turning off heat. Fold in mozzarella cubes and tomatoes, then chop 3-4 fresh basil leaves and add them in too. Once combined, spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and pour the entire pasta mixture into the dish. Top with fresh mozzarella rounds. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Top with additional fresh basil and grated cheese. Serve with garlic bread. You can also add in chicken, steak or seafood for some protein.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/howsweeteats/smSp

Bean, Cheese, Beef or Chicken Burrito Casserole for the Slow Cooker

 

Ingredients

1 small onion, peeled and diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (4-ounce) can roasted green chiles, undrained  OR  a single of can of rotel tomatoes & chilis

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

8 flour or brown rice tortillas (brown rice tortillas are GF; read packing carefully)

4 cups cooked pinto beans (three 15-ounce cans, drained)

 

optional: 1 cup of ground beef or cooked shredded chicken

 

4 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

optional garnishes: sour cream, sliced avocado, etc.

 

Directions:

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. If you only have a large one, that's okay--but reduce cooking time a few hours.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, chiles, and spices. 

Put a layer of tortillas into the bottom of your cooker---you may need to tear them a bit to get good coverage. Add a scoop of the onion/tomato mixture and layer on a big spoonful of beans and then a layer of cheese. Repeat layers until you've run out of ingredients. Top with a healthy dose of cheese.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours (if using a 6-quart, do 3 to 4 hours on low, then let it click over to warm--there's nothing really to cook--you're just heating thoroughly and getting the cheese to get that yummy crust).

Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, jalepenos, avocado, etc.

 

Southern Skillet Corn

6 ears corn
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
Shuck corn and pull off silks, then rinse under cool running water. In a large bowl, cut the corn from the cob with a sharp knife. Scrap up the cob with a spoon to get the milk. Combine flour, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then add to 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir with a fork or whisk or combine. Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Add corn and flour mixture and cook over medium-low heat for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/side-dishes/southern-skillet-corn.html#ixzz1LNgkmvy2

Almond Cherry Pie

Recipe courtesy Sue Stephens, Gordon's Mom

Cook time: 48 min     Level:Intermediate  Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

Crust:

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• Cold water to make 1 cup liquid
• Filling
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) pitted tart red cherries, packed in water, drained and 3/4 cup liquid reserved
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring

Topping :

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions

Crust:

In large bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in shortening. Break egg into a liquid measuring cup. Add vinegar and enough water to make 1 cup. Beat with fork to mix. Add liquid to dry ingredients, stirring lightly with fork until moistened. Divide into 5 equal parts. Shape into flat 6-inch disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 2 disks; freeze the rest. After 30 minutes, roll 1 refrigerated disk into a 10-inch round. Fit into 9-inch pie plate. Leave dough over edge of plate (do not trim off excess).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Filling:

In medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in reserved 3/4 cup cherry liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with whisk. Cook 1 minute. Whisk in butter, almond extract, food coloring and remaining sugar. Remove from heat. Fold in cherries. Set aside. In small saucepan, combine milk, sugar and almonds for topping. Bring to boil, stirring and cooking 3 minutes.

Topping:

For lattice top, roll dough disk into a 10-inch round. Cut dough into 1/2-inch wide strips. Pour filling into bottom crust. Weave strips in lattice design over filling. Trim strips even with bottom crust. Moisten strips with water, fold under with bottom crust and pinch rim to make fluted edge. Brush strips with sugar almond topping.

Bake until crust is golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.