I Couldn't Make This Stuff Up!

Blueberry Muffins

I had some blueberries that needed to be used yesterday so I made these muffins. I made them a couple of weeks ago for Grandpa and he liked them. I forgot to put the cinnamon sugar on them yesterday so when you make yours it'll look a little different. If you don't put the cinnamon sugar on them I would cook them about 3-5 minutes less.

The Best Blueberry Muffins

35 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 18

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, at room temp
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk

For Topping

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, mixed with
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Heat oven to 375°.
2. Grease 18 regular-size muffin cups (or 12 large size muffins).
3. In bowl, mix butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.
5. Beat in vanilla, baking powder and salt.
6. With spoon, fold in half of flour then half of milk into batter; repeat.
7. Fold in blueberries.
8. Spoon into muffin cups and sprinkle topping onto each muffin.
9. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and springy to touch.

Baby it's cold outside Hot Chocolate

This might be the world's best hot chocolate. Not overly rich but so so creamy and drinkable. It's delicious after playing in the snow and freezing your buns off. This would be a perfect addition to Christmas morning festivities. Enjoy!

Truly Amazing Creamy Hot Chocolate

7 min | 2 min prep

SERVES 8 (or our family of 5) 

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups hot water
• 3 cups hot milk 

1. In a large pot, combine all the ingredients except for the hot water.
2. Place over a medium flame, then slowly stir in the hot water.
3. Heat through, stirring occasionally.
4. I like to top my cup of cocoa with a dash of cinnamon.
5. We sprayed whipped cream on top of ours and added a little kahlua or whiskey is good to for grown up versions.

Cinnamon Swirl Cake

Maddie loves the cinnamon swirl coffee cake at Starbucks. I have to admit I do too. I was looking for a similar recipe for it. This is pretty close but is a moister cake but the kids liked it, especially with the good cinnamon from costco in it. Be sure to save enough batter to cover the cinnamon mixture, don't be like me. I was trying to shove the mixture down into the cake so it wasn't sitting on top of the cake.

Cinnamon Swirl Cake

• 1 pkg butter cake mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional, I didn't add any but they would be good)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a bundt pan. Mix cake mix, sour cream, oil, sugar, water and eggs. Pour 2/3 of the mix into the greased bundt pan. Mix together the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the mixture in the bundt pan, then cover with the reserved 1/3 of cake mixture. Bake 45-50 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes and then remove from pan and mix powdered sugar and milk together to make a frosting and drizzle over your cake. Enjoy!

Monkey Bread and Mother's Day wrap up

A quiet relaxed Mother's Day today. Maddie made me a flower and a card, Benjamin made me a card with his picture and handprint in it. Both lovely things that I will keep forever! Tim made me breakfast this morning and I found this tasty treat below and he made that also. All in all a good Mother's Day. We didn't do much. Tim took the big kids for a bike ride after fixing all of our bikes up. We're going to pick up a baby seat for Natalie to ride in so we can all go together soon. Tim's making dinner and Maddie is my waitress so I will quit for today. I hope you all had a Happy Mother's Day!

Sticky Buns (Gorilla Bread)

3	teaspoons cinnamon
1/2	cup granulated sugar
1	cup brown sugar, packed
1/2	cup butter (i.e., 1 stick)
2	cans refrigerated biscuits (12 oz. ea = 10 count)
1	package cream cheese (8 oz.)
1 1/2	cups chopped walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly coat a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together.
4. In a scaucepan over low heat, melt the brown sugar and butter, stirring well.
5. Remove the brown sugar mixture from the heat.
6. Next, press out each biscuit and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar mix.
7. Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes and place each one in the center of a biscuit.
8. Seal the cream cheese by completely wrapping the biscuit around the cube.
9. Sprinkle ½ cup of walnuts into the bottom of the bundt pan and cover them with half of the prepared biscuits.
10. Sprinkle the biscuits in the pan with the cinnamon sugar, pour half of the brown sugar mixture over them, and sprinkle them with ½ cup of walnuts.
11. Place the remaining biscuits in the pan and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
12. Pour the remaining brown sugar mixture over the biscuits and sprinkle with the rest of the walnuts.
13. Bake the bread for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
14. Place a serving plate on top and invert the pan.
15. Serves 12.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

I found this recipe on Recipe Zaar a couple of weeks ago. Last weekend I failed at it but I was determined to not let it beat me so I tried again this morning. For some reason I struggle with getting dough to rise up here. I have to put it in a warm oven with a wet dishcloth over the top to have it double. So that being said these were delicious! I would definately make them again and wanted to share the recipe. It's a knock off recipe from Cinnabon. I used the yummy cinnamon from Costco and it was delish!

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls Recipe #76864

These are THE BEST cinnamon rolls! The recipe is from Todd Wilbur's MORE TOP SECRET RECIPES. Ooooey, goooey and rich! The dough can easily be prepared in your bread machine, just follow your manufacturer's order of ingredients. I put the ingredients in the night before, and then roll out and bake in the morning.

by ~Elissa~

1¼ hours | 1 hour prep | SERVES 12

1 (1/4	ounce) package dry yeast
1	cup warm milk
1/2	cup granulated sugar
1/3	cup butter
1	teaspoon salt
2	eggs
4	cups flour
FILLING
1	cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2	tablespoons cinnamon
1/3	cup butter, softened
ICING
8	tablespoons butter
1 1/2	cups powdered sugar
1/4	cup cream cheese
1/2	teaspoon vanilla
1/8	teaspoon salt

1. For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.
2. Add sugar, margarine salt, eggs, and flour, mix well.
3. Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour.
4. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour (again it took me a lot longer for these to rise) or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Roll the dought out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approx 21 inches long by 16 inches wide.
6. It should be approx 1/4 thick.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 375 if you're using a dark pan.
8. To make filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Note I added 2 Tbsp of flour so the filling doesn't run out of the dough during baking.
9. Spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the surface.
10. Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge.
11. Cut the dough into 1 3/4 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan. I wouldn't use a 13x9 because the middle ones won't get done. We used a deep dish pie plate or an 8x8 and it would fit 4 to 5 rolls in the pan. They rise a bit during the baking.
12. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
13. While the rolls are baking combine the icing ingredients.
14. Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy.
15. When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing.

Sticky Buns and Danish Puff

These are a couple of our favorite recipes we make again and again. The sticky rolls are great to make the night before and then in the morning just turn the oven on.They are so yummy! A favorite but be sure to use butter, it makes all the difference! Note we make a double batch because the Rhodes Rolls you buy have enough for a double batch.

Sticky Buns

1 hour | 30 min prep | 1 nine x thirteen pan

18	Rhodes frozen rolls, frozen
1	teaspoon cinnamon
1/2	cup chopped pecans
3/4	cup butter
1	package cook n serve butterscotch pudding, dry
3/4	cup brown sugar

1. The night before, grease 10X13 pan and place frozen rolls in bottom combine dry ingredients and sprinkle over top.
2. Melt butter and drizzle over dry ingredients and sprinkle over top.
3. Place pan in oven and cover with a damp cloth and let thaw and rise overnight.
4. In the morning uncover and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Turn out onto serving dish and serve warm.

And this is a recipe my Grandma Anderson used to make all the time. It's yummy also!

Kringla (Danish Puff Pastry) 

1½ hours | 30 min prep | 2 kringlas

Crust
1/2	cup butter
1	cup flour
2	tablespoons water
Topping
1/2	cup butter
1	cup water
1	cup flour
3	eggs
1	teaspoon almond extract
Icing
1	cup powdered sugar
1	tablespoon milk
1/2	teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To make the crust, cut the butter into the flour.
3. Sprinkle with water and form into a dough.
4. Shape into two 3" by 12" strips on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. To make the topping, heat the butter and water to a full rolling boil in a saucepan.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in flour and almond extract.
7. Return to low heat and stir vigorously until it forms a ball (about 1 minute).
8. Remove from heat and beat in eggs.
9. Divide the topping in half and spread over crusts.
10. Bake for 1 hour until brown and crispy.
11. While the kringla is baking, make the icing.
12. Sift the powdered sugar.
13. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth.
14. After the pastries have cooled, top with the icing and let it set.
15. When the icing has set, cut into strips.

Stuffed Blueberry French Toast

Here's a yummy really good brunch recipe that we'll be making for Easter. I made it Christmas Eve morning last year and it was hit. Not overly sweet but great because you make it the night before.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Baked French Toast

55 min | 10 min prep | SERVES 6 -8

1	loaf white bread, no crusts
1/2	loaf French bread
6	cups fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries, rinsed
8	ounces cream cheese
1/2	cup sour cream
1/2	cup sugar
1	teaspoon vanilla
7	eggs
1 1/2	cups milk
1 1/2	cups half-and-half
1/2	teaspoon cinnamon
1/2	teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2	cup powdered sugar

1. Cut white bread into cubes and place into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
2. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over bread.
3. Microwave cream cheese in bowl for 2 minutes.
4. Stir carefully and add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoons vanilla.
5. Spread over blueberries.
6. Cut French bread into 10-1 inch thick slices, place over cream cheese.
7. Beat eggs, milk, half&half, cinnamon, and nutmeg and pour over bread.
8. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes covered, then uncover for approximately 15 minutes.
10. Let set before slicing.
11. Sift powdered sugar over before serving.

Baking Powder Biscuits

We woke up this morning to snow. Maddie was elated," I prayed for snow last night and now we have snow! It worked!" she exclaimed. Then she took a turn when she realized with the weather we wouldn't be driving up to the mountain to go sledding. We tried to convince her that we would sled here now but she wouldn't be convinced so we moved on to breakfast.

We didn't have any crappy biscuits in a can this morning in the fridge when we went to make biscuits and gravy. Maddie started to melt down and so I said I would make biscuits. I had a recipe I got when we got married from The Butler's for Tim's favorite biscuits. I also found a recipe online that was supposed to be good but Tim's favorite ones won the competition. Here's the recipe

Baking Powder Biscuits

• 4 cups flour
• 8 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter (the original recipe called for shortening, we used butter and they were delicious)
• 3/4 buttermilk (or milk)

We made these in the food processor though you can do it by hand. Mix dry ingredients in food processor bowl. Cut butter into chunks and add while pulsing until mixed throughly. Add buttermilk while pulsing. Mixture should be pretty sticky. Don't over mix! Dump mixture out onto floured counter. Roll out to 1 inch thick. Cut with small glass. Grease 13x9 pan with plenty of oil approximately 1/4 cup, we used canola oil. Flip biscuits in pan to coat in oil. Arrange in pan so they are just touching. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until brown. We forgot to flip ours in the beginning so they looked a little wonky but they tasted delicious! Enjoy!