September 16, 2015
by Ashley
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Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls

The moment it starts to get colder, I start thinking about autumn and what I love to make in this season. I have already made a bunch of kidney beans to get ready for chili and different soups are on my mind. But this morning, Isla woke up early and I started dreaming about cinnamon rolls. So, instead of attempting to go back to sleep, I made Isla some hot cereal and started the dough. They were fairly easy and we were able to enjoy them for breakfast by 8:30am.

I always remember my grandmother making different types of rolls and breads. Now that she is older (98!!!) she doesn’t make bread anymore. So sometimes I will show up with her rolls or cinnamon rolls for a surprise.

Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls

2 pkg yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp dry active yeast)
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter
2 eggs
5 – 6 cups flour

2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
Cinnamon
Pecans (optional)

2 tbsp butter
milk
powder sugar

Put yeast into a bowl and pour over warm water. Make sure it isn’t too hot, about 110°F. Let sit until bubbly…about 5 minutes. Scald milk (I cheated and used the microwave. It took about 3 minutes to see bubbles starting on the side of the pyrex.) Add in sugar, salt & butter. Cool.

Add 2 cups of flour to stand mixer. Slowly add in milk mixture and mix well. Then add in 2 eggs. I whisked the eggs up a little before adding them. Add in proofed yeast and mix until smooth. Slowly start adding in the rest of your flour, and mix until a dough is formed. Dough will be soft but shouldn’t stick completely to the bowl. Knead for about 5 – 8 minutes. Cover & let rise in a warm place for an hour or until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Punch down dough and roll out into a rectangle (8″ by 16″) on counter or silpat. Spread 2 tbsp softened butter on the bottle 2/3 of dough leaving the top edge clean. Add the brown sugar evenly over the butter and sprinkle over cinnamon. You may add raisins and pecans if you want to.

Roll dough from the bottom up ending with the clean edge of dough, so you are able to pinch the dough together. Using a dough cutter (or knife) cut the dough into small discs and place in a greased baking pan, cut side down. Let rise for at least 10 minutes. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

To make the frosting, I don’t usually use measurements because just a little too much milk will mean a lot more sugar. So start with your butter, and add in a tsp of milk. Then start spooning in powdered sugar and mix. If it is too dry, add more milk. If too wet, add more sugar.

These are great even after freezing!

September 14, 2015
by Ashley
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Knit Elephant

I love making my baby gifts. Ever since I have been crocheting and knitting, I have made gifts for my friends and family. Most of the time it was a blanket. But after years of making blankets, the same double crochet stitch for all of them, I was ready for a change. As I have said in a previous post, I decided to learn how to knit. After I mastered the basic knitting, I was ready for something a little more. Paul bought me a wonderful knit toy book and I have been using the book to knit gifts for a couple of years now. Now that I have made several in the book, I have started to branch out and create some animals on my own. These have been adapted a great deal from the original book, but I make variations to make them my own.

Toy Elephant

Body
CO 9
split between 3 needles
Row 1 Knit
Row 2 kfb in each stitch
Row 3 knit
Row 4 kfb in each stitch
Row 5 – 7 knit
Row 8 k2, kfb repeat to end
Row 9 knit
Row 10 k3, kfb repeat to end
Row 11 – 12 knit
Row 13 purl
Continue to knit around for 3 inches
Row 1 k3, k2tog repeat
Row 2 – 6 knit
Row 7 k2, k2tog
Row 8-12 knit
Row 13 k1, k2tog
Row 14-18 knit
Stuff body
Row 19 k2tog repeat
Row 20 k1, k2tog, k1 repeat
Stuff remainder of body and close by pulling through loose stitches

Head
Start like body until row 8
Knit every round for 14 rows
Decrease
Row 1 k2, k2tog repeat
Row 2 -3 knit
Row 4 k1, k2tog repeat
Row 5-6 knit
Stuff head
Row 7 k2tog repeat
Row 8 – 20 knit
Stuff nose
Row 21 k1, k2tog, k1.
Cut yarn and pull through stitches

Legs – make 4

CO24
Split between 3 needles
Knit every round for 4 inches
Row 1 k1,m1, k1,m1,k1 on each needle
Row 2 – 10 knit
Row 11 purl
Row 12 knit
Row 13 k3, k2tog repeat to end of row
Row 14 k2, k2tog repeat to end of row
Row 15 – 16 Knit
Row 17 k1, k2tog, repeat to end of row
Row 18 k1, k2tog, k1 repeat to end of ro
Cut yarn and pull through

Ears – make 2

CO11
K1, KP same stitch to end, K1
Split onto 3 needles
1 back, 1 front
Row 1 K1, KP, K6, KP, K1 turn repeat
Row 2 Knit
Row 3 K1, KP, Knit to last 2, KP, K1
Row 4 Knit

repeat until 44 stitches
Knit 4 rows around

Row 1 K19 K2tog K1, K1, ssk, K19
Row 2 K18 K2tog K1, k1, ssk, K18
Row 3 K17 k2tog k1, k1, ssk, k17
Row 4 K 16 K2tog k1, k1, ssk, k16
Row 5 k5 k2tog, k5, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k2, ssk, ,k5, ssk, k5
Row 6 knit
Garter stitch to close ear

Tail
CO5
Knit as you would an Icord. Knit without turning until tail is about 3 inches long. Tie yarn at end, or make a puff ball and attach.

September 14, 2015
by Ashley
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Chocolate Souffles

Making souffles after dinner is a treat. It is easy, but is still such a treat. We are coming into the colder season now, and I am really starting to look forward to the warm desserts that will start following our meals. This is one I haven’t ever tried before, but it is easy and delicious. They fall quickly, so make sure if you aren’t enjoying them the moment they come out of the oven, not to be disappointed. They will still be delicious. I waited about two hours after baking these and they were still wonderful.

Chocolate Souffles

3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
3 eggs, keep 1 yolk and 3 egg whites
1 tablespoon 2% milk
1/2 tsp dried nonfat milk
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and place rack in the middle of the oven. Lightly coat two 8-ounce ramekins with cooking spray; coat the insides of each with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk 1 egg yolk, milk and nonfat dry milk in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk in the chocolate until smooth, then whisk in flour and cinnamon until well incorporated. Beat egg whites and salt in a kitchenaid or in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in four additions, until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture until smooth until no white streaks remain. Divide between the two ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Bake until puffed and firm to the touch, 18 to 22 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Serve immediately, before they fall.

August 29, 2015
by Ashley
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Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Hello again! I know it has been a ridiculously long time since I have posted. I haven’t forgotten about this blog, it is just that summer caught up to me. We have been busy pretty much every weekend since May. Summer is sadly coming to a close, which means I may have more time since the kids are starting school. If we could, we would do the whole summer again. That would be fine by us (maybe not Finnegan). We could load in a few more camping trips, maybe another trip to Door County…alas, it isn’t going to happen.

The summer has been busy with cooking, celebrating birthdays, going on trips, making sausage and making beer. The last two Paul has really done by himself, but I like to pretend that I help sometimes. We just haven’t captured many pictures of our meals and I didn’t take much time to sit down and write.

Since the summer bounty is at its height with tomatoes coming out of our ears. I thought I would make some enchilada sauce to freeze for later use. My brother was so kind to offer his garden up as well since he is out of town, so I had a lot of tomatoes to play with.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

4 cups tomatoes (about 10 tomatoes)
1 onion, quartered
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt

3 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp cumin, ground
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp brown sugar

Half tomatoes and add quartered onion on a baking sheet with sides. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle kosher salt over. Roast for about 45 minutes to 1 hour on 375°F. Transfer tomatoes, onions and drippings into blender and blend until smooth.

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Saute garlic cloves until golden, about 1 minute. Add in cumin, chili powder, oregano and cayenne and saute another minute. Pour in crushed tomato mixture and stir until everything is mixed well. Add in 1 tbsp brown sugar and let simmer for 30 minutes until thickened.

Use immediately, refridgerate for up to one week, or do as I do and freeze until a later date. I love digging in the freezer for those lovely summer harvest to brighten up the winter months. It reminds me that we will be able to enjoy the lovely summer again.

July 7, 2015
by Ashley
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Red Cabbage & Tofu Spring Rolls

We have been incredibly busy this summer going camping, traveling to Door County, visiting family and basically having a great time. But once we had a full day at home, Paul decided to grill. And not just grill…but smoke country pork ribs. The smoking recipe I did not copy down, nor did we wait to take any pictures of our lovely meal. But during the smoking process (which takes usually about 5 hours), I created a simple lunch and actually remembered to take a picture. With dinner of smoked country pork ribs in my near future, I knew we should try to keep things somewhat light for lunch.

Don’t let the spring roll wrappers scare you off, these are super easy to work with. All you need to do is let them sit in a little water on a plate and you are good to go.

Our lunch date with Galan & Rebecca on Skype. As promised Rebecca, here is the recipe!

Red Cabbage & Tofu Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

2 cups shredded red cabbage
Juice from 1 lime
1 tbsp agave syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 ripe avocado
6 oz extra firm tofu, sliced into 8 equal pieces
¼ cup do’ah (follow link for recipe) or sesame seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
8 Spring Roll Wrappers
¼ cup cilantro leaves

3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sriracha
2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Shred cabbage and add lime juice, agave syrup and salt. Mix together and set aside.

Cut and prepare avocado by slicing lengthwise into large strips.

Slice tofu the long way, making large strips about 3/4 inch by 3 inch pieces. Roll in do’ah or sesame seeds. Add sesame oil to a pan and heat. Carefully add encrusted tofu pieces and slowly fry until nice and brown on all sides.

To create the spring roll, prepare one at a time. Wet spring roll wrapper in water. Once softened (about 1 minute) pull onto your work surface carefully so you don’t rip the wrapper. Add in cilantro leaves (about 8 leaves or so), 1/4 cup red cabbage mixture, a slice of avocado and one slice of tofu into the center of the wrapper being careful not to spill over the edges. Make sure to place ingredients in a small rectangle of space because you will need to close wrapper. To close, fold over one side the long way across, fold in both sides and then roll over the left over side. Carefully move to serving plate. Repeat until you have 8 spring rolls.

Mix together the spicy peanut dipping sauce by adding the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha (or hot sauce you have on hand) and peanuts.

July 7, 2015
by Ashley
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Do’ah

Do’ah is a sesame based spice mixture that Paul was brought up eating. It is wonderful and he was brought up having a spoon full if his stomach hurt. This is a wonderful mixture to dip into, eat in a pita, on hummus, added into guacamole or used as a coating to chicken and now tofu. It is easy to make and store as well.

Do’ah

2 lb sesame seeds
1/2 lb coriander seeds
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch ground cumin

Toast sesame seeds and coriander in a dry skillet over medium high heat. Be careful not to burn. Place in an herb grinder or food processor. Grind until your desired texture, mix salt, pepper and ground cumin in and taste. Seal in an airtight container and add to your spice cupboard.

July 6, 2015
by Ashley
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Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is a special dessert. In French, it means “burned cream” and is just that. Custard topped with crystalized sugar. Just the crack on top of the sugar makes my mouth water. Truly a wonderful dessert.

Creme Brulee

2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean OR 1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar

1 tbsp sugar (for top)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine yolks and sugar in a bowl. Whisk together well and set aside.

Pour cream and vanilla milk into a medium saucepan and whisk together. Heat mixture over medium heat until it just starts simmering. Turn off the heat and cover. Let sit aside for 15 minutes. Strain the vanilla bean.

Pour about 1/4 cup of hot milk mixture into egg while whisking continuously, to temper the eggs. Add another 1/4 cup while still whisking. Then transfer the egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk thoroughly.

Prepare a 13x9in baking pan with 4 ramekins placed inside. Pour the cream mixture into the ramekins evenly. You can possibly use 6 ramekins. Add hot water to the pan to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Center should hardly move. Remove ramekins from pan and cool commpletely on a wire rack. Cover and chill until you are ready to use.

Lightly dust the top of the creme Brulee with about a spoonful of white sugar per custard. Broil or use a torch to burn/melt the sugar.

June 27, 2015
by Ashley
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Chicken Tikka Masala

Indian food, or I should say Indian inspired dishes, I didn’t discover or even think to try until I was in my early 20s. I definitely am a child of the midwest; roasts, grilled chicken, steaks, mashed potatoes and corn. I still make all of these comfort foods from my childhood, but am incorporating new items into our daily menus as well. My craving for this spicy, creamy sauce has changed my menu planning, and found its way into my kids lives. Finnegan begs for this meal, asking me to make him the “orange” sauce.

Pictured here is Tikka Masala, grilled veggies (peppers & onions) and Tofu Balti. I usually make a mild version of the Tikka Masala when I make spicier dishes for Paul and I. Then the kids have something to eat that is a similar style dinner to ours.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp cayenne pepper (I skip this when I make this for the kids)
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp minced ginger (fresh or jarred)
2 tsp kosher salt
6 – 8 boneless chicken tenders or 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sizes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 habanero, except ribs & seeds (skip if for kids)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 oz crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream (I sometimes substitute with milk but cream is much better)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, peppers, ginger and 2 tsp kosher salt. Mix this in with the chicken. Cover & refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat high sided saute pan. Lightly oil pan and saute chicken, carefully spooning out marinade as it cooks off of the chicken. Once chicken is cooked through, transfer to a dish and set aside covered with foil.

Add in butter into saute pan and saute garlic for a minute or less. Careful not to burn the garlic. Add in the habanero, cumin, paprika and salt and saute another minute. Add in crushed tomatoes and cream and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cooked chicken back to sauce and simmer until thickened; about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with basmati rice.

June 20, 2015
by Ashley
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Strawberry Prosecco & Lime Jam

It is June in Wisconsin! This means strawberry season is finally here! We have been waiting for the strawberries to ripen, so we could make more jam. The kids ate all of my last years batch, so I made them eat plum jam while we waited patiently for strawberry season to arrive.

I took the kids strawberry picking at a local farm with some of our friends. It was pretty fun and an experience I think they will remember. I have fond memories of picking fruit with my grandparents and going back to their house to enjoy the “fruits” of our labor. This time, we came back and enjoyed the strawberries Isla picked, and then as the kids played in the pool, I hulled all of the strawberries I picked. Finnegan was a help, but didn’t seem as interested in the picking process.

Once I had washed, chopped and measured…I was ready to start the boil. So I ended up making three batches of jam. Here is my recipe, decreased by three. It makes a lot, but hopefully will keep us fully stocked with strawberry jam until this time next year.

Strawberry, Prosecco & Lime Jam

5 cups chopped strawberries
1/2 cup prosecco
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp butter
1 box of pectin
7 cups sugar

Chop strawberries and place into a dutch oven. Add in prosecco, lime juice, butter and pectin. Stir well to combine. Bring to a rolling boil for 1 – 2 minutes. Measure sugar out before adding. Add in sugar slowly while carefully stirring. Stir well and bring back to a rolling boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute (I set a timer). Turn off heat and get clean jars set up. Fill clean jars with hot jam. Carefully wipe the top of the jars off and place canning tops and rings. Process for 10 minutes in boiling water. Let set over night and check tops to make sure jars are properly sealed.

I use an iodine solution to clean my jars (like my husband uses to clean his brewing equipment) but make sure to properly clean your jars before you begin. There are many websites out there describing the canning process. I want to keep my jam safe to eat, so I take great care in keeping everything clean before I begin my canning.

Also another hint…when boiling water to process jars, add a little white vinegar to the water to help keep the jars from clouding.

This is definitely a process, but totally worth the work.

June 18, 2015
by Ashley
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Pizza Roll

Here is a play off of a calzone. I was trying to come up with something different, yet awesome for our picnic dinner last week and thought of this little beauty.

Pizza Roll

1 roll Pizza Dough
1/4 cup onion
16 pepperoni
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 450°F. Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle. Place onions in a line along the lower middle of the dough (see picture). Top with pepperoni and then cheese. Finish with tomato paste sprinkled with garlic & basil and then drizzle olive oil. Fold over dough and cinche sides so closed. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes. Check to see if browned on top…bake longer if needed. I was intending to cut this into rolls, but ended up cutting in half and wrapping the halves in foil to stay warm. I served this with pizza sauce to dip. I will definitely make this again.