Tuesday, May 18, 2010

A Face Lift



How are you guys enjoying the new face lift? I love it! I don't think I have ever said this but, Gateau means Cake in French, and while this blog is not "Just Cake" It seemed fitting :) My grandma is coming up here and we are going to be making some delicious food! Like homemade applesauce, buttermilk brown sugar muffins (She is the only one that can make them! i'm not even joking I tried to make them and they exploded in the oven! See I have Kitchen Error's to!! Among other things, I will be making tea sandwich's, cookies, ambrosia salad, scones, and a multitude of other things! It's going to be a fun 2 weeks with her!! I can't wait! now I'm signing off to finish a scholarship essay! Have an Amazing Week
Hope this picture makes you smile :) And not think that it's crawling up your leg as you look at it like me! ( Did I ever mention my extreme aversion to all things crawly!)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

If there is one thing I can't stand, it's a chewy cookie. I love crunchy cookies :)
One of my friends brought these cookies to drama on friday. These are called Mary's Chocolate Chip Cookies. The. Best. Chocolate. Chip. Cookie. You. Will. Ever. Have! (I felt the periods were necessary for getting the point accross.) They were crunchy and buttery and most importantly chocolaty! Where have you been all of my life? But You should try these! My friend also said that they taste very good with white chocolate and dried blueberries! I can't wait to try them that way! You could aslo add nuts or other dried fruits.

Ingredients:

3 sticks butter (This is very good for you, I promise)
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups brown suagr
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
24 ounces chocolate chips


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla



Add the flour, baking soda and salt


Mix



add the chocolate chips and mix well


Bake 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.


Bake for 12-15 minutes


ENJOY!!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls



ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FROM http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/

Oh Pioneer Woman, how do you do it! These are the BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever had! EVER! So Buttery and cinnamon-y and sugary and just Oh, So Good! The bottom of the cinnamon roll was soft and gooey and the top was brown and crisp, the perfect combination, if you ask me. I made these for bible study and everyone gobbled them up including my toughest food critic Tim! I about died of shocked, I watched him with baited breath as he took his first bite; waiting to see what the verdict would be. And low and behold they were a hit!

Did I mention that there are 40 pictures in this post! So that's why it took so long to update!


Ingredients:

Dough:
1 Quart whole milk
1 Cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 packages (4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 Heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon salt (I only added 1 teaspoon)

Filling:
2 cups melted butter, plus more as needed
1/4 cup of ground cinnamon for sprinkling
2 cups sugar, plus moras needed

Maple Icing:

2 pounds powdered sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee
dash of salt
1 tablespoons maple extract

Directions:


Mix 1 quart of whole milk, 1 cup of vegetable oil, and 1 cup of sugar in a pan. "Scald" the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point.) Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. Go fold laundry or sculpt or play Twister with your mailman or something.
When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in 2 packages Active Dry Yeast.Let this sit for a minute so the yeast gets all warm and moist .




Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour.


Stir mixture together. ( POP IT IN THE BREAD MIXER!! Which is what I did!)


FOR BREAD MACHINE!!!

Divide the dough into two balls. Put one ball in the mixer, and add 1/2 a cup of flour a heaping 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and a 1/2 scant teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Do this for each dough ball and let it raise in the bread machine.

Sprinkle surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle.


Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Rectangle should increase in both width and length as you roll it out.

Now drizzle 1 1/2 to 2 cups melted butter over the dough. Embrace the butter!



…now add the cinnamon, lay it on thick. Don't be afraid!


Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter…


Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Some of the butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture may ooze out toward the end, but that’s no big deal.



Next, pinch the seam to the roll to seal it.


Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in seven round, foil cake or pie pans. Then begin cutting rolls approximately 3/4 to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.


Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. This recipe makes approximately seven pans of rolls.





Let the rolls sit for 20 to 30 minutes to rise, then bake at 375 degrees until light golden brown, about 13 to 17 minutes.
While the rolls are in the oven, make the deliciously sinful maple frosting.
To a mixing bowl, add 1 bag of powdered sugar.




1/2 cup milk...


1/4 cup melted butter…


…and 1/4 cup of brewed coffee.

Now mix it all together




Add 2 teaspoons of Maple Extract!

The mixture should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed.

Generously drizzle frosting over warm rolls after you pull them out of the oven. And take a walk on the wild side. Don’t be afraid to drown them puppies. Be sure to get frosting around the perimeter of the pan, too, so the icing will coat the outside of the rolls.





ENJOY