Monster Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is amazing - nothing like a fresh baked cinnamon roll!

• Monster Cinnamon rolls
• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• 7 ½ tbsp yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• 5 large eggs
• 8 ½-9 ½ cup all purpose white flour
• 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• ⅓-½ cup butter, softened
• 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
• ½ pound cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar

For the dough, heat the butter with the milk, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl (I use the Bosch) sprinkle some flour over the milk and water, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Mix. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. Add the flour a cup at a time, stirring and using enough flour to form a stiff dough, until the sides of the mixing bowl are clean. Knead approximately 5-7 minutes. Place the dough in a very large, oiled bowl, turn to oil the top and allow to rise, covered loosely with a towel, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and roll out to a large rectangle, 24 inches by 36 inches.

Spread the softened butter on the dough and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Roll up lengthwise and cut to make 12-18 rolls. Cover loosely with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350. Bake the rolls for about 20 to 30 minutes or until puffed and browned. Cool to room temperature on racks.
For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, cream and vanilla until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and soft, not stiff. Frost the cooled rolls and serve immediately.

I usually double the recipe, but it makes tons. But you could freeze them too!

Pasta Dill Salad

I didn't even think to check if Steph has posted this already. We both love it and love to make it...and espeically love eating it! (call me lazy to not go back and check) This is a KEEPER...it's the first menu item that comes to mind when I think of bar-b-que up the canyon. LOVE IT!

Pasta Dill Salad
1 C. Mayonnaise
2 T. Cider Vinegar
1-2 T. fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 C. chopped tomatoes
1/4 C. sliced green onions, chopped, seeded
1 C. cucumber, cut in 1/4 slices
8 oz. pasta shells, cooked, rinsed & drained (and cooled)

Mix all ingredients together. Toss, cover and chill for a few hours. (Can make night before)

Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad

Have you eaten at Pei Wei's before? It's the P.F. Chang's guy...a casual restaurant...not one here in Utah (that I know of) Anyhow, this is a salad from there. I've had it...and I've made this, both are unbelievable! I found this recipe online somewhere, can't remember...but I'm sharing it with you for selfish reasons. I NEVER want to lose this recipe again (I've lost and found it about four times). So, consider yourselves LUCKY!

Salad
1-2 heads Romain lettuce
2 tomatoes (chopped)
sugar snap peas (halved)
1 carrot (chopped)
3 sprigs basil (chopped) -*I actually didn't use basil, I used Cilantro...Yummers!
1 bunch green onions (chopped)

Spicy Chicken
Frozen Orange Chicken (can be found at Costco) Cook chicken according to package directions. Use the orange sauce provided in the box (it mixes nicely with the dressing to create the ultimate dressing)
Hot Sauce (totally optional. I did NOT use it...which made this salad not so spicy but totally delicious still)
Lime Vinaigrette
Juice from 2 limes
2 T. water
1 T. sugar
salt & pepper to taste
Oil

Combine lime juice, water, sugar and salt and pepper. Slowly add desired amount of oil while stirring.

As you can see the instructions are vague. But I'm sure you all can put together a salad. TRY THIS! You'll LOVE it! Next time I make it I'm going to add crushed won tons to it too!!! You'll have to let me know what little changes you make when you make it so as to perfect the salad!

Cashew-Curry Chicken Salad

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! Honestly, it's the yummiest light meal. I think I might make this TOO often and I have yet to get sick of it yet! I got it from my Sister in-law, Liz

12 oz. uncooked Rotini (spiral pasta)
2 C. cubed cooked chicken
1 C. halved red grapes
1/2 C. chopped red bell pepper
1/4 C. chopped green onions
2 oranges, peeled and chopped (I use a can mandarin oranges)

Dressing:
1/2 C. mayonnaise
3 T. orange juice (can use the juice from mandarin oranges)
1 t. curry powder
1/4 C. sour cream
2 T. honey
1/4 t. salt

Cook rotini as directed on package. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Combine cooked rotini and all remaining salad ingredients. In small bowl combine dressing ingredients, blend well. Add to salad. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving time. Makes 8 servings.

I like to make this and split it in half to make two meals. I don't put the cashews on it until it's READY to eat because I don't like the soft nuts. And I don't put it on the stuff I'm keeping in the fridge for later (until I eat it).

Jessica...You guys like Curry right? You'll LOVE this!!!

THE cookie recipe

I don't know where this originated BUT I'm the pickiest cookie eater. Most cookies don't even get ONE bite from me because they don't look good enough. These...are good enough! PROMISE!

1 C. Butter (softened)
1 C. Brown Sugar
1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour
2 1/2 C. Oatmeal, blended (I don't blend mind to a powder, I like the little oatmeal chunks)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1-12 oz bad of chocolate chips (semi or milk)
1-4 oz. Hershey Bar (grated, FREEZE it first to avoid the big chocolate mess)

Mix Sugars and butters, add eggs and vanilla...then the flour and oatmeal. Then the Chocolate Chips..(you knwo the drill). When you put the chocolate shavings in, don't mix it too much. You don't want the shavings to MELT and then it will just become chocolate cookie dough. That's not what this is. I like to 'freeze' the shavings while I make the rest of the dough to make sure it's cold and has less chance of meltage.

Bakd at 350 for 8 minutes. This is an awesome cookie recipe where you can freeze your little cookie dough balls and have cookies on hand. If you do that, then bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Yummers!

Ruby Tuesday Potato-Cheese Soup

I know for all of you living in warmer climates, soup season is over. But this soup is yummy, easy, and great for those occasional rainy days. And the ingredients are things you probably have on hand so good to make if you don't want to go grocery shopping. It is a favorite in our house-hold, and easy to modify and make your own if you want.

Ruby Tuesday Potato-Cheese Soup

2 large russet potatoes
2 Tbsp finely minced celery
1 Tbsp finely minced onion
1 Tbsp grated carrot
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 tsp salt
2 tsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 slices bacon, cooked
1 Tbsp chopped green onions

Peel potatoes and chop them into bite-size pieces (you should have about 4 cups). Make sure the celery and onion are minced into very small pieces. The carrot should be grated into very small pieces, not shredded. Combine the veggies with the chicken stock, salt, and vinegar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring the stock to a boil, then turn down the heat. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Whisk together the flour and milk in a medium bowl. Remove the saucepan of vegetables from the head and add the flour and milk mixture. Put the pan back on the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until the soup has thickened.

Add cheddar cheese to the soup and simmer until melted. By then, the potatoes should be tender and falling apart. If not, continue to cook until the soup is as thick as you like it.

To serve, spoon the soup into bowls. Sprinkle cheddar and monterey jack cheese's on each soup. Crumble the bacon on top of the cheese and sprinkle each bowl with chopped green onions.

Creme Brulee

This is for Tara. If anyone hasn't had this before, make it. It is DIVINE!!



2 cups heavy cream
3 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Line the bottom of a baking pan with a damp kitchen towel before adding the ramekins and the boiling water. Preheat oven to 300F and have a pot of boiling water ready.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until steam rises, 5-7 minutes. In a bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Pour hot cream into yolks, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until blended. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, and divide mixture among 4 6oz. ramekins. Place ramekins in the ready baking pan and add boiling water to fill pan halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover loosely with foil, then bake until custard is just set, 25-30 minutes (if your ramekins are extra deep, like mine, you may need to cook much longer. Sometimes it takes 45 minutes for mine to set up). Chill 2-3 hours in fridge.



Sprinkle 1 Tbsp sugar evenly over each custard. With a kitchen torch, move the flame continuously in small circular motions just above the surface until the sugar is evenly melted, bubbly and browned. Melt the sugar just before serving. They will keep for a few days, but the sugar will go soft if you keep them after melting the sugar.

Serve with mixed berries.