Amazing Yeast Rolls, bread machine

1 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp yeast
4 TBS sugar
2 TBS Melted margarine or butter
3 Cups Bread Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup dry powdered milk

Place ingrdients in bread machine... set to dough cycle... once complete turn to lightly floured surface...  pat dough into a rectangle shape... with a pastry cutter cut in half then cut each section into 6 squares... giving you 12 total...  you may round them slightly while moving to a cookie sheet... space them evenly apart to fill your cookie sheet. cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled...  45-60 minutes.

bake on 350° about 12-15 minutes or until browned

Depending what I am serving these with sometimes I will drizzle with honey before baking... or add 2 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic to the dough cycle.  or you can brush with butter after they come out... these are divine!

Soft Pretzels

makes 8 large pretzels

1 Cup Warm Water
1/4 Cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1 egg
2 TBS softened margarine or butter
3 1/4 Cups all purpose flour

put ingredients in bread machine on dough cycle.  Once finished turn out to a floured surface.  Divide dough in half... then cut each half into 4 sections.   Roll into 8 long ropes.  then shape as pretzels or cut for nuggets...  place on a greased cookie sheet, cover with damp towel, let rise in a warm spot until doubled... about 30 minutes.

preheat oven to 400°

once they have risen boil some water in a shallow pot... at boil add some baking soda...  i didn't measure... somewhere around 1/4 cup though...  cook about a minute on each side and remove each pretzel with a slotted spatula back to the cookie sheets.  Bake about 15 minutes until browned.

if you like you can add course salt before baking...  or my kids like these brushed with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar...  do that after baking :)

Sweet Honey French Bread

1 Cup water
1 TBS honey
1 TBS olive oil
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp sugar
3 Cups bread flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast

Put in bread machine in order listed...  when it gets to the bake cycle you can also drizzle on more honey if you'd like... and I think you will like :)

Strawberry Stuffed Cupcakes

After a visit to Paul's Pastries this past weekend, and having only a bite of my friend's cupcake....  They lingered on in my mind...  I just knew I would have to come up with something comparable... a basic white cupcake filled with jelly... but th e icing.... ooooh the icing... i was whipped creamy, lighter than air... not too sweet, pure goodness...

If I had a white or yellow box cake mix.... well, I'm not going to lie... I would have used that... but I did not... I came up with  this recipe Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

so, take the easy route with a box... or try my amazing recipe... either way your friends and family will love you... Promise :)

Bake cupcakes, and cool

You will need the following for the filling and icing... (for 24 cupcakes)

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2/3 cup sugar

strawberry extract

plus strawberry jam or preserves for filling

With a paring knife core a small circle in the top of each cupcake... remove the cone add a teaspoon of jam, cut off the "point" portion of your cupcake cone.. then place the cupcake piece back on top.

You can make this ahead and store at this point if needed...

For the Whipped Cream Icing.... with whisk or mixer beat cream until soft peaks begin to form.... then add sugar and either extract or jam, or puree... (this is best done the day of serving, and must be stored in the fridge or it will collapse on ya)

now... it has been years since i have worked with heavy cream... and let me tell you.... I whipped it a little too much.... and it began to seperate... I thought oh no... what did I do wrong here?  let me mix some more.... well low and behold I had done whipped my cream into butter!

batch # 2 then followed... this time I was sure to not over beat... keep it cold and pop it in the fridge a while to make sure it did not collapse on me....

pipe the icing onto your cupcakes.... for a pretty effect use a 1M tip and garnish with a strawberry or 1/2 of one....

I was short on my icing due to the butter incident so I whipped up a strawberry buttercream for my remaining 12 cupcakes...  Wilton has an easy buttercream recipe here that I have used for years... for 12 cupcakes you only need 1/2 the recipe... and I substituted the vanilla extract for strawberry extract which also gives you the pink color :)

Sugar Cookie Cupcake Recipe

The name says it all! While experimenting with a basic white cake recipe I came up with this.... now these have all kinds of possibilities and I may never buy another white cake mix again! I absolutely LOVE sugar cookies.... and this tastes almost like eating one :-) I am using these for the base of a strawberry stuffed cupcake... more to come on that.... here is the recipe.

2 sticks margarine (room temp or softened)
2 cups sugar... (yes... I know... they are divine though)
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 Tbs plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°

Cream margarine and sugar... then add eggs 1 at a time. Beat very well until smooth and creamy... I did 4-5 minutes in my kitchen aid mixer... add flour, and baking powder... mix on low until blended... then switch to medium for a few minutes... add milk and vanilla... and beat well until your batter is fluffy.... scoop 1/3 cup of batter into each cupcake liner... bake about 20 minutes until slightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cinnamon Rolls OMG!

1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water (warmed together)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 stick margarine

Ooey Gooey Topping
3 ounces cream cheese softened... (*do not use fat free of any sort... trust me... it will be a yucky chunky mess... why they even sell it is beyond me :-)
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt


Place all ingredients in bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer. Select DOUGH cycle press Start. My dough cycle takes about 1 1/2 hours... I usually stop it at 30 minutes though... of course you can also knead by hand... or I have also used my kitchen aid mixer with dough hook... either way you will want to make them... if doing by hand proof your yeast first (warm milk, water, add white sugar and yeas... let sit 5 minutes or so til foamy)

In separate bowl soften margarine.. then add cinnamon and brown sugar. Mix well with a rubber spatula...

Now to the good part... if you want to make dough ahead or find you need to stop you can pop your dough in the fridge at this point... cover in bowl with saran wrap sprayed with nonstick spray.

Next turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and roll into a 16x24 rectangle. Spread dough with margarine/brown sugar mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise until almost doubled (depending on temp 30 min 1 hour). Have patience.... these are well worth it! At this point you can also flash freeze for baking later... I am experimenting with this so will update...

Preheat oven to 400°F

Bake rolls for 20-30 minutes. Time may vary based on your baking dish used. I have only baked in a deep dish and it requires close to 30 minutes... just watch them when they start to brown on top pull them out... if you baking dish is more shallow the baking time will be less than 30 :-)

Optional Topping.....
Mix softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on rolls hot out out the oven. If you have picky children like I do you can just cover 1/2 with the topping.... all the better for MY HALF... enjoy

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb Ground Beef (or sliced steak can be used) (browned, drained)
8 oz Sour Cream
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cube beef bullion
1/4 Cup water
(salt, pepper, garlic , onion powder to taste)

serve over 1 lb egg noodles


Brown ground beef.... drain... Add sour cream, cream of mushroom, & seasonings... mix & heat to a low boil... mix bullion with water then add and stir.... Serve over cooked noodles :)

frustrations...

I question this journey.... I have many unanswered questions at the moment, yet I have a peace about me that can only be from God. This is not my journey; but His. I am trying my hardest to be strong and full of hope. Suddenly my priorities have shifted... I want my energy back, I want to do so many things still. I pray for peace, I fight back tears... but I know I'm not myself. I know my patience is being tested... I know I have no choice but to be patient and I am trying not to worry... that is easier said than done... 8 years and my fears must be faced. I can no longer push this under a rug, hide this like I did something wrong. I am ready, I am strong, I will fight whatever fight I need to fight. I am humbled completely.