Cinnamon Rolls

 These cinnamon rolls are to die for! We always make them for conference, Christmas Eve, or just because. The original recipe comes from Over The Big Moon but I made a few changes. 

Submitted by: Jessica 

Ingredients

-1/2 cup warm water 

- 1 1/2 Tbsp active yeast or 2 packages active yeast 

-2 Tbsp Sugar

-3.5oz instant vanilla pudding (prepared according to package) 

-(2 cups of milk for the pudding) 

-1/2 cup softened butter 

-2 eggs 

- 1tsp salt

-6 cups flour

Filling

-1/2 cup melted butter 

-2 cups brown sugar 

-4 tsp cinnamon 

Frosting 

-8 oz cream cheese, softened 

-1/2 cup butter

-1 Tbsp milk 

-1 tsp vanilla 

-2 cups powdered sugar 

Instructions 

1. Mix the water, yeast, and sugar together. Allow it to proof for 5 minutes. 

2. Mix the vanilla pudding according to the directions on the box (no need to let set up), add the softened butter, eggs, and salt. Mix well. 

3. Add the pudding mixture into the yeast mixture and combine. 

4. Slowly add the flour to the dough mixture. Adding about a cup at a time. Knead until combined. The dough will be sticky, add a little bit of flour as needed to make it more manageable. Place dough into a large greased bowl and allow it to rise for an hour. 

5. After an hour punch dough down and roll it out thin onto a well-floured surface  

6. For the filling, melt the butter and spread it over the top of the rolled out dough. 

7. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and spread over the top of the butter evenly. 

8. Cut the dough down the middle to make it more manageable and easier to roll up. 

9. Slowly and tightly roll up the cinnamon roll. Then cut into about 1.5 inch sections. 

10. Place on a grease 9x13inch pan and allow them to rise again until doubled in size. You can also put them into the refrigerator overnight. 

11. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

12. While the cinnamon rolls cook, mix the softened cream cheese and softened butter together. Then add the milk, vanilla extract, then powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly. 

13. Frost your cinnamon rolls generously and while they’re still hot. 

Usually, I get about 26 rolls out of this recipe. I split it into two pans and make one and freeze one. If you choose to freeze some, it is best to freeze prior to the 2nd rise. 

Caramel Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I got this recipes off of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. They were so good! The whole family gobbled them right up.
Submitted by: Jessica

Ingredients:
Chocolate chip cookie dough
-1 cup of melted salted butter
-1 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
-2/3 cup sugar
-1 tsp baking soda
-3/4 tsp salt
-2 large eggs
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
-2 cups chocolate chips

Caramel
-11 to 14 oz of soft caramel, unwrapped
-1 Tbl cream (I used milk because that’s all I had, it worked great)

Cheesecake
-8oz softened cream cheese
-1/2 cup powdered sugar
-1 large egg
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions 
1. Preheat oven to 350° And grease a 9x13 pan
2. For the cookie dough, in a large bowl (or kitchen aid) add the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir together until we’ll-combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
3. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips and mix until combined. Press half of the dough evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. For the caramel, combine the soft caramels and cream (or milk) and microwave for 1 minute intervals. Stirring in between until melted and smooth. Drizzle the warm caramel over the cookie dough and spread into an even layer.
5. For the cheesecake, in a medium bowl (or kitchen aid), add the cream cheese and powdered sugar and mix well until smooth. Spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the caramel layer.
6. Take the remaining cookie dough and flatten into disc shapes, about 1/8- 1/4 inch thick. It’s ok if there are small spaces. The entire top doesn’t need to be covered, just get as much as you can.
7. Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes until lightly browned on the edges and mostly set throughout. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate bars until well chilled, 2-3 hours. These bars taste even better the next day after chilling.
8. Cut into squares and serve!

Navajo Flatbread

From Jessica: This recipe was easy and good. I’m trying to spare my yeast so it was nice this didn’t have any.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons canola oil

Addition 1-2 tablespoons canola oil for frying.

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and oil in mixing bowl and add most of the water. Continue mixing and adding water until the consistency of tacky pizza dough.
Knead for a few minutes.
Let rest in the bowl for 30-60 minutes.
Divide into 6 pieces and roll very thin (tortilla thickness) onto a flour surface.
Heat cast iron skillet or griddle to 350° and add 1 tablespoon oil. Heat oil til hot but not smoky hot. Cook until golden brown spits appear on one side then flip and cook other side. Jessica used some for pizza and some for dessert with cinnamon, sugar, honey, and butter.

Avocado Pita Wedges

From Shelly: Our family loves this recipe. It is simple and delicious. Really we just treat it like tacos—all the ingredients are available and everyone just puts in whatever they want into it.

3 whole wheat pita rounds, cut into halves or quarters
1/3 cup mayo
1 med  avocado, halved then cut into slices.
1/4 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 small tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp shredded carrots
1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts
Put mayo inside pita. Toss together the cheese, tomatoes, and carrots. Spoon into the pita. Top with avocado and sprouts. Secure with toothpick if necessary.

Halloween Beef Stew

From Shelly: Here is a yummy beef stew recipe we love.

We like to have it at Halloween cooked in a pumpkin. The stew is best when cooked in a baking pumpkin (hollowed out), not a pumpkin you use to carve a Jack-o-lantern. Let simmer in a pot for awhile and then cook in the pumpkin at 350° for 30-45 minutes sitting on a cookie sheet covered in foil. 

INGREDIENTS 

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup water 

3 Tablespoons instant tapioca

1 Tablespoon beef bouillon granules

2 teaspoons white sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

4 carrots, cut into 1inch pieces 

2 celery stalks, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 onion, roughly cut

1 slice bread 

DIRECTIONS

To cook without a pumpkin: Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease 9 x 13 baking dish. 

To cook in pumpkin, follow directions at beginning of recipe. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the stew meat; drain and set aside. 

In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, water, tapioca, beef bouillon granules, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir in beef, all the vegetables, and bread cubes. Cook on stovetop for awhile if cooking in a pumpkin of pour into the prepared baking dish if not using pumpkin. Cover and bake for 2 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender or follow directions for cooking in a pumpkin. 

Meatball or Chicken Gyros

These are the gyros recipes Shelly’s kids made for her birthday. Can’t wsit to try them!

Mediterranean Meatballs

1 lb ground chuck
1/4 cup Italians breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsle
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Preheat oven to 425°. Mix all ingredients together. Form into small balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 4 minutes or until no longer pick inside

Greek Chicken
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brush
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon coriander
Salt and pepper, to taste

Tzatziki
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
Freshly ground black pepper

6-8 Greek Pita Flatbread
Diced Roma tomatoes, peeled and diced cucumbers, chopped romaine lettuce, diced red onions, feta cheese, cilantro, kalamata olives (olives optional)

To make Greek chicken
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, chopped red onion, oregano, thyme, coriander, salt and pepper.
2. Place chicken in a gallon ziplock bag, pour marinade over chicken, seal bag while pushing out air, and transfer to refrigerator to marinate for 2-4 hours. Remove chicken from fridge 40 minutes before cooking, leaving in the marinade.
3. Brush grill grates lightly with oil and preheat grill over moderately high heat. Once hot, add chicken and grill till cooked through (internal temp should be 165°), rotating once halfway through.
4. Remove from grill, transfer to plate and brush lightly with olive oil and allow to rest ten minutes. Dice into strips.
To make tzatziki:
1. Place cucumber in a mesh strainer or colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat evenly, and allow to rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
2.  Rinse cucumbers and place over several layers of paper towels. Squeeze some of the liquid out by wringing the paper towels. Place cucumbers in food processor and pulse until desired size.
3. Add in Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, and dill and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pulse to blend (or if you want it chunky you can simply stir it in. Store on fridge in air tight container up to three days.

To assemble:
Layer chicken in a row along center of pita, top with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives, onion, feta, cilantro, and tzatziki sauce.

Healthy Peanut Butter Bites

I got this recipe from Shelly. It’s delicious! Caution: it’s addictive!

Mix:
28 oz natural peanut butter
1 cup honey
1 cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp vanilla

Add:
3 cups oats
1 1/2- 3 cups mini chocolate chips.
Form into discs and freeze.