pumpkin spice caramel pecan rolls

Rich, decadent, gooey caramel pecan rolls, laced with an cozy hint of pumpkin and spice...  these are easy, delicious and a perfect treat for fall!

Fall is in the air, even though it has been in the 70s here this week, and I am so so ready for it.

I just adore the fresh, clean change in the air.  School starts again, routine is put back into place, home is welcoming and cozy, coffee is sipped, candles are burned, treats are baked...

This particular treat is one more hit for my pumpkin obsession...  these were actually inspired by my favorite fall treat, Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

I got this original caramel roll recipe from my sweet friend, Amy, and it has been a staple in our house ever since.  I can't even begin to count how many times I have made these!

I especially love that I can make these the night before and let them rise in the fridge to bake off fresh in the morning.

Whenever we have company, it's one of my favorite ways to spoil them - without killing myself in the process!

Pumpkin Spice Caramel Pecan Rolls Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped pecans
2 loaves frozen bread dough (rhodes brand works well), mostly thawed
1 1/4 cups butter
1 large package vanilla pudding mix (cook, not instant!)
1 regular package butterscotch pudding mix (cook, not instant!)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
Grease a 9x13" or larger baking dish with lots of butter. Sprinkle the chopped pecans into the bottom of the dish. Cut the thawed bread dough into small chunks (scissors work really well for this!) and spread out on top of the pecans, filling the pan evenly.

In a medium saucepan, melt together the butter and the pudding mixes, brown sugar, pumpkin, spices and cream until smooth. Pour the caramel mixture over the dough in the baking dish.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, remove the pan from the fridge to warm up to room temperature and raise a bit more while you preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Place the rolls into the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until a piece taken out of the center (or just a peek if you don't want to mess with the prettiness!) is cooked through and no longer doughy.

If you'd like, place a large platter over the top of the baking dish and gently flip the caramel rolls out onto the platter so the caramel sauce and pecans can pour all over the buns.

a few of my favorite things...

I was looking through some past recipes yesterday and I realized I definitely have some favorites when it comes to food that I share here and with friends.

Specifically mac & cheese, fruit crisps/crumbles, and brownies!

I have several variations of these in my recipe book, I never get tired of them, and I'm always excited to try new variations!

I decided to do a count for fun, and I have 9 Mac & Cheese recipes...

          pasta dogs with cheese sauce
          spicy baked mac & cheese
          baked buffalo chicken mac & cheese
          super-creamy stove top mac & cheese
          3-cheese baked mac & cheese
          baked quinoa 'mac & cheese'
          creamy stove top mac & cheese for two
          baked butternut squash and bacon mac & cheese
          & almost Beecher's famous mac & cheese!

9 fruit crisp/crumble recipes...

          raspberry rhubarb crumble
          rhubarb crumble & make-ahead crumble topping mix
          berry peach crisp
          cardamom peach blackberry crisp
          apple crisp yogurt parfaits
          fresh peach raspberry cobbler
          almond berry crumble, gluten free
          peach blueberry crumble
          & peach raspberry crumble pie!

and 12 Brownie recipes!

          fudgy dark chocolate brownies
          mexican hot chocolate brownies
          caramel peanut butter Snickers brownies
          fudgy York peppermint patty brownies
          pink & brownies, for my love
          fudgy chocolate chip cookie dough brownies
          candy bar brownies
          mocha fudge brownies
          fudgy Andes mint brownies
          triple chocolate peppermint brownies
          chewy lemon bars (lemon brownies)
          & toasted coconut Samoas brownies!

Have you tried any of these?  Which are your favorites?

Or even better, do you have a favorite mac & cheese, brownie or fruit crisp recipe I should try?  Like I said, I never get tired of trying new kinds!!

fresh peach raspberry cobbler

Fresh, juicy peaches...  sweet, bursting berries...  summer really is here isn't it?!

I know some of you have been having summer for quite a while now, but here in the dreary NW, our sure-to-be-short summer has just begun.

The berries are ripe and ready for picking, the peaches are showing up at the markets, and corn on the cob is calling to us everywhere we turn!

I got some beautiful peaches last week but for some reason I kept forgetting to eat them.

(Ok, maybe I was just a teeny-bit distracted by the 20 pounds of sweet cherries I got at the same time!)

Well, the ignored peaches all ripened at exactly the same time on my counter and needed to be used and fast!

My first thought, of course, was a peach crisp, crumble or pie...  like I always do.

Then, I thought about it a bit more and decided to step out of my comfort-zone and try making a peach cobbler with them!

I know that's not all that far away from my comfort zone, but considering the fact that I have never actually even eaten a cobbler, let alone made one, this was an adventure for me.

And it was a fun one!

Although this didn't quite surpass my love of a brown sugary, oats & butter-topped fruit crisp, it was delicious and I'm sure I'll be venturing into the world of cobblers again!

Fresh Peach Raspberry Cobbler Recipe
adapted from Three Many Cooks

Ingredients:
for the batter:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
for the fruit:
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups raspberries, frozen for prettiest results
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Place the stick of butter into a 9x13" baking dish and place the dish into the oven until the butter is melted.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, gently toss together the peaches, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon almond extract.  Gently fold in the raspberries and set aside.

In another large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar & powder.  Whisk in the milk and almond extract until smooth.

Once the butter has melted in the oven, remove the hot pan and set it on a rack.  Pour the batter into the hot butter-filled pan and then gently spoon the peaches and berries all over the top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the batter is nice and golden brown all over.  Serve warm with lots of fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

'eat your greens!' smoothies

Yep.  That's what I'm calling these.  Because my kids won't eat leafy greens any other way.

They're toddlers, they're picky, and greens are just not on the list of 'acceptable' foods in their minds.

But I refuse to give up, which is where these smoothies come in.

Fresh leafy greens, yogurt, oats, fruit...  These smoothies do the trick every time.  I can fill them with as much green stuff as I want, and the kids have yet to turn them down.

And that makes this mama-heart happy!

(Especially when I am very pregnant, very tired, and really not wanting to cook...  which seems to be the case more and more these days.)

I use the oats primarily to bulk up the smoothie so I feel better about serving it to my kids as a meal.  Feel free to leave them out if you want, but you won't even know they're in there!

And if you think you're kiddos (or yourself) will be turned off by the color, use mostly dark berries for a nice purple smoothie.

*By the way, these smoothies freeze great...  so if you don't drink them all up at one sitting, throw the rest in the freezer and thaw overnight in the fridge the next time you want them!

'Eat Your Greens!' Smoothie Recipe
serves 3-4

Ingredients:
2-3 cups frozen fruit (strawberries, berries, banana, mango...  whatever you like!)
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2-1 cup juice or water
3-4 handfuls mixed greens or spinach

Directions:
Place the fruit, yogurt, oats and 1/2 cup of water/juice into your food processor.  Process until very smooth, streaming in more liquid if needed so it's not too thick.

Take off the lid and add in the greens, filling the processor as full as possible...  it will blend down into nothing, don't worry!  Puree again until as smooth as you'd like, adding more greens if you couldn't fit them all in at first.

Taste for sweetness and thickness and add a bit more juice or water and a touch of honey if needed.

Serve to your kids and smile when they ask for more!

cardamom vanilla strawberry freezer jam

I have been stocking my freezer with jam ever since strawberry season opened a few weeks ago, and made my last few batches of strawberry yesterday.

I usually make a simple Fresh Strawberry Freezer Jam...  but I wanted to try something a little more fun with my last beautiful berries.

And since cardamom is one of my favorite spices to pair with fruit and a good vanilla bean never hurts anything...  I thought that would be a great place to start!

I loved the results and now I'm almost thinking about running out and getting some more berries from our local berry farm so I can make more.

Fortunately for my wallet, I am just too tired to do that...  so we'll have to wait until next year's crop, and I will have to ration out what I have for as long as I can!

Cardamom Vanilla Strawberry Freezer Jam Recipe

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons instant freezer jam pectin
2 cups sugar

1 vanilla bean

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

5 cups smashed strawberries* (from about 1/2 flat or 4 pounds berries)

Directions:
Wash and dry your freezer-safe containers.

*The easiest way to smashed fruit, after you have rinsed, dried and hulled:  Place in a large bowl and gently smash with a potato masher until mostly smashed with lots of small chunks of berries still visible. Measure out from this bowl... you will likely have a tiny bit extra.  (Or if you have snacked on the berries a bit, just the perfect amount!)

Split the vanilla bean down the center lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.  (Stick the scraped out pod into a small jar and fill with sugar...  homemade vanilla sugar!!)

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, pectin, vanilla bean seeds and cardamom until combined. Measure in the 5 cups of smashed berries, stir to combine and then continue stirring for 3 minutes.

Pour the jam into your clean, dry containers, leaving 1/2" of headspace to allow for expansion in the freezer.  Cover and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes or so before transferring to the freezer.

Store in the freezer for up to a year. Once you open one and put it in the fridge, try to use it up within 3 weeks.

fresh cherry almond yogurt parfaits

I am a huge fan of fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits.  Something about the combination of flavors and textures just always makes me happy.

And this is one of my favorite combinations yet!

Fresh, juicy, sweet Bing cherries just couldn't be any more perfect right now and I love the hint of almond complementing the cherries.

(I also discovered some amazing granola recently in our short visit to the Gluten Free world.

Udi's has a great variety of all-natural gluten free granolas, and since they are still just as wonderful as any other non-gf granola, we are happily eating through our stash...  even though we aren't trying to have Bjørn eat gluten free anymore.)

Of course a generous topping of delicious granola is crucial for a great parfait!

Give this a try next time you've got a parfait-craving, or want to impress some breakfast or brunch guests.  So fun!

Fresh Cherry Almond Yogurt Parfaits Recipe

Ingredients:
plain yogurt
pure almond extract
fresh cherries, pitted & halved
your favorite granola

Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together some of the yogurt with a splash of almond extract.

Layer in a mason jar or a pretty glass:  cherries, almond yogurt & granola.  Repeat layering as often as you'd like!

Serve immediately or store for up to several hours in the fridge.

perfect, extra moist banana bread

Do you have a signature recipe?

A treat or meal that you have been making for years, over and over again...  so often that you could practically make it in your sleep?

This banana bread is mine.  In fact, I think my husband will be a little bit upset with me for sharing this with you...

He thinks this should be one of those 'kept under lock and key forever and ever' recipes.

But you know what?

I love you.

And because I love you, I want to share this special treat with you.

And since I can't make you all little loaves of banana bread and sit with you and visit, I'm going to share this recipe with you and hope that you'll try it.

I love a good slice of fresh banana bread with my morning coffee, and since I can get this bread into the oven in about 10 minutes (or pull it out of the freezer...  it freezes beautifully!), it's a quick and delicious treat for those 'banana bread days'.

Maybe someday we can all slather some butter on our warm banana bread, pour ourselves a cup of coffee (or tea!) and have a chat!  Wouldn't that be lovely?

Perfect, Extra Moist Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (or nutmeg)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Butter a 9x5" loaf pan.

Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in the eggs.  In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda & salt.  Add to the creamed mixture and mix until just combined.

Mix in the bananas, sour cream & vanilla.  Pour into the pan and bake for about 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This bread does not need extra butter on top, it's so moist.  But, that has never stopped me from putting butter on my slices!  :o)

strawberry freezer jam

Fresh, farm-ripe strawberry season is finally in full swing, even for us late-bloomers out here in the dreary Pacific Northwest!

In my house, that means freezer jam.  Lots and lots of freezer jam, storing up the beautiful fresh berry harvest for the rest of the berry-less year.

Now, we definitely eat our fair share of the berries just as they are...  fresh, sweet, juicy, red to the core and bursting with flavor.  Sometimes the whole lot of it gets no farther than our mouths.

But we are so lucky to live close to a beautiful berry farm.  We can pick berries to our hearts content (or buy 1/2 flats picked for us, which happens much more often!) until the season is done.

Strawberries come first, and then raspberries, blueberries and marionberries.  All beautiful.  All perfect.  All my favorites!

There is just nothing more simple and pure to do with berries this perfect than making homemade freezer jam.  You just can't beat it, as long as you have access to really good fresh berries.

(I'm sorry, but store-bought conventional berries just aren't going to give you great freezer jam.  You'll taste what's lacking...  Freezer jam is only as good as the berries that it's made out of!)

Give this a try the next time you get a chance to go berry-picking.  Or knock on my door and I just might be willing to part with a pint or two!

Strawberry Freezer Jam
adapted from Ball
makes 3 pints (or about 6 cups!)

Ingredients:
5 cups smashed strawberries* (from about 1/2 flat or 4 pounds berries)
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons instant pectin

Directions:
Wash and dry your freezer-safe containers.

*The easiest way to smashed fruit, after you have rinsed, dried and hulled:  Place in a large bowl and gently smash with a potato masher until mostly smashed with lots of small chunks of berries still visible.  Measure out from this bowl...  you will likely have a tiny bit extra.  (Or if you have snacked on the berries a bit, just the perfect amount!)

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and instant pectin until combined.  Measure in the 5 cups of berries, stir to combine and then continue stirring for 3 minutes.

Pour the jam into your clean, dry containers, leaving 1/2" of headspace to allow for expansion in the freezer.  Cover and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes or so before transferring to the freezer.

Store in the freezer for up to a year.  Once you open one and put it in the fridge, try to use it up within 3 weeks (like that's ever a problem!).

Enjoy on your toast, crackers, or stirred into your favorite plain yogurt with some granola on top!

cardamom berry crumb coffee cake

Yesterday was a coffee cake kind of day.

It was a cool, but beautiful spring day outside and we had friends coming over to play...  It doesn't get much better than that!

Now, I really am all about making excuses to make coffee cake, but I think a playdate is actually a legitimate one, don't you?  :o)

And we did a pretty good job of finishing off the whole pan...  even the picky little kiddos loved it!

(And I realized several hours after I made it that I totally baked it at the wrong temperature - preggo brain attack - but it still turned out great, and will be even better for those of you that are not currently afflicted with pregnancy brain and can actually follow directions!)  :o)

I had planned to make this one a blackberry coffee cake, but I realized that I didn't have as many blackberries in the freezer as I thought...

So I opened a bag of mixed berries from Costco and it was their turn to shine!

Cardamom Berry Crumb Coffee Cake
makes 9 servings

Ingredients:
for the crumble topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional
for the cake:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
3 cups frozen mixed berries

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Grease a 9" square pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the topping ingredients, except for the pecans, and mix together with a fork until crumbly; Stir in the pecans and set aside.

In another medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining butter and sugar.  Blend in the egg and vanilla until smooth.  Blend in the flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour).  Fold in the bluberries.  (The dough is quite stiff, so be patient as you're folding in the berries! Don't mush them up!)

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the crumble topping.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool, and cut into 9 large squares.

Serve warm, with extra butter on top, of course!  ;o)

-----

Well, what are you waiting for?

Think up a good excuse and get baking!!

easy no-knead honey oat bread

I have been on a huge homemade-bread kick lately.  Actually anything with yeast and kneading and old fashioned, homey aromas in the house.

It's a pregnancy thing for me...  all 3 pregnancies so far, I have been completely into bread-baking!

And then baby comes out and it all stops until next time.  Can someone please explain this to me??

Anyways, this bread was super quick to throw together and I loved the results.

It's a no-knead dough, so very easy to get into the oven...  perfect for those days when I forget to plan ahead but still want some homemade bread!

I use coconut oil in my bread for the health benefits mostly, but the hint of flavor doesn't hurt at all!  Feel free to substitute oil though, if you prefer.

Do you have a favorite bread (or any yeasty-baking) recipe you wouldn't mind sharing with me?  Or something you've been wanting to try?  I'd love to hear from you!!  

Since bread-baking is not usually my forte, I need some ideas of what to make next!

No-Knead Honey Oat Bread Recipe
adapted from Tasty Kitchen
makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 3/4 cup warm water (105º-110ºF)
1 cup oats, divided (3/4 cup + 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted if solid
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 cups (or so) flour
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water.  Let sit for about 10 minutes, until foamy (proofed).  In your mixer bowl, combine the 3/4 cup oats, honey, coconut oil & salt.  Stir in the yeast mixture until combined.

Mix in enough flour to form a soft dough (start with 4 cups flour and then add the last bit a few tablespoons at a time until the dough comes together...  you may not need the whole 5 cups!).

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, turning once to coat with the grease.  Cover and set in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled...  1 - 1 1/2 hours or so.

Gently punch the dough down and divide it into two portions.  Form each half into a loaf shape and place them both on a parchment lined, lightly floured baking sheet.

Cover the loaves with a towel or plastic wrap and let them rise again for about 20 minutes, while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  When the rising time is up, remove the towel, brush the tops of the loaves with a bit of the beaten egg and sprinkle them evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup oats.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when you tap on the bottom.

Let cool before slicing for best results, and store in the freezer if you are not going to eat both loaves right away!

roasted veggie & ham overnight egg bake

Our Easter was very low-key this year.  Usually we are adjusting back to normal after some or all of us have gotten back from a mission trip to Mexico, but this year we all stayed home.

Then Bjørn got sick, and boy am I glad his daddy was home when that happened.  I can't imagine having had to deal with both boys alone while in the hospital with my pneumonia-boy!  (He is SO much better now, by the way!).

It wouldn't have been pretty, that's for sure.

Anyways, we didn't do much in the way of celebration yesterday...  just a lovely time at church and then a quiet day at home.  But I just couldn't let easter go by without a little something special for breakfast...  specifically an egg bake!

(yes, I realize this is not a picture of an egg bake, but sometimes, pretty

pictures of egg bakes on busy holiday mornings just don't happen!)

I just love a good egg bake.  I mean, really...  who doesn't, right?!  And some holidays, Easter & Christmas morning especially, just need an egg bake to make them perfect.  

Caramel rolls don't hurt either, but that's not what we're talking about here...

I don't especially care for egg bakes filled with bread, potatoes, and other fillers.   I like mine chock-full of veggies, meat and cheese...  just how I like my omelettes and scrambles!

This makes a full 9x9" pan, and if you serve anything else with breakfast (toast, caramel rolls, fried potatoes, fruit!) it will be plenty for 6-9 people!  

If you're not serving anything but this, I would plan on it serving 4-6.

Roasted Veggie & Ham Overnight Egg Bake Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped veggies (I love red bell peppers and mushrooms!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 cup shredded cheese (combination of cheddar & pepper-jack or mozzarella)
1 cup chopped ham or canadian bacon
5 large eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
To roast the veggies:  Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the chopped onions and veggies together with the olive oil and some salt & pepper, coating well.  Spread them out so that they are in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes or so, until the veggies are soft and starting to brown a bit.  (If you don't want to roast the veggies for this egg bake, you can sauté them in a pan!).

Lightly grease a 9x9" baking dish.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the bottom, then sprinkle the chopped ham in an even layer over the cheese.  Spread the roasted veggies evenly on top of that.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, milk and some salt & pepper until smooth.  Pour over the rest of the ingredients in the pan, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, take the egg bake out of the fridge to rest for about 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the eggs are set an a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the egg bake sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving!

brown sugar cinnamon swirl bread

Now this... this was the real celebration of Bjørn's 'getting better' diagnosis!  This beautiful cinnamon swirl bread recipe was just too good to pass up when I saw it, and I had the perfect excuse to make it!

I have been craving yeasty-baking this whole pregnancy.  In fact, that is one thing that has been consistent with all 3 of my pregnancies so far...

All of my yeast and bread-baking phobias disappear and I am a bread-baking nut!  Maybe it's pre-nesting getting back to my roots kind of thing?

Anyways, I saw this bread on Williams-Sonoma, and I just couldn't resist trying it.  Right away actually, since I only saw it yesterday morning and started making it about an hour later!

I am in love love love with this bread!  I can tell you one thing for sure... my family will be seeing a lot of this bread (probably in several variations!) in the next few months!

Delicious!!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe
adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:
for the dough:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cup warm water (105º-115ºF)
1 cup warm milk (105º-115ºF)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
6 1/2 cups, or so, bread flour
for the filling:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:
In a small bowl, dissolve one teaspoon of the sugar into 1/2 cup of the warm water and sprinkle the yeast on top.  Set aside to proof for 10 minutes or so, until foamy.

(If it doesn't foam, that means your yeast is bad - assuming your water temperature is safe! Throw it out and get some new stuff before continuing so you don't waste all the other ingredients!!)

In you mixer bowl, combine the remaining water, sugar, milk, butter, salt and egg with 2 cups of the flour.  Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy.

Add in the yeast mixture and another 1/2 cup of flour and beat on medium for another minute.  Add in more flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (you might not need all 6+ cups.  The dough will tell you how much it needs!).

Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead on medium-low speed for about 4 minutes (adding a bit more flour 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary), until the dough is smooth and elastic.  (If you push two fingers into the dough at this point, the indents should bounce right back).

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, turn it once to coat the dough with the grease, cover and place in a warm, draft-free place to raise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or so, until doubled in size.

Lightly grease 2 9x5" loaf pans.  In a small bowl, stir together the filling ingredients;  Set aside.

Gently punch the dough down and divide it in half.  On a lightly floured surface, roll or press out each half of the dough into an approximately 8x14" rectangle.

Sprinkle half of the filling mixture onto each rectangle, leave a 1" border around the edges of the dough, and press lightly to help it stick to the dough.

Starting at one of the short ends (opposite of what you're used to if you've made cinnamon rolls before!) tightly roll the dough up.  Pinch the seam and the ends together and place the rolls, seam side down, into the greased loaf pans.

Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise on the counter for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the dough has risen to about 1" above the edges of the pans.

Bake the loaves in a preheated 350ºF oven for 35-40 minutes, until they are golden brown and the sides are pulling away from the pan.  Remove the loaves to a wire rack and let them cool completely before slicing.

At this point you can slice and freeze the loaves for another time, wrapped well and in ziploc bags, or glaze them to serve immediately!

overnight cinnamon rolls with perfect cream cheese frosting

Ok, so last week I posted the recipe for this Perfect Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll Frosting, and now I am going to share with you the amazing cinnamon rolls that go with it!

I have been on a quest for the perfect cinnamon roll for years and years.  I keep trying them and keep finding things I don't love about each recipe.

Well, finally this is a compilation of all the things I love from several recipes and I am so excited about the results!!

I adapted my recipe so that the dough can rest in the fridge overnight and I can pop the cinnamon rolls in the oven to bake in the morning...  because let's face it:  Morning is when we usually want cinnamon rolls and morning is not when I want to do the work of making cinnamon rolls!

Get these rolls ready in the evening (or whenever you have time - you can always freeze the pan at the 'refrigerate overnight' point and just take them out of the freezer to thaw overnight before baking them!) and in the morning you have fresh, warm, sweet, gooey cinnamon rolls to spoil yourself with!

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls with Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
serves 12

Ingredients:
for the dough:
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups (or so*) all-purpose or bread flour
for the filling:
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
for the frosting:
6oz cream cheese (approximately...  just eyeball 3/4 of a brick!)
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter together until the butter is melted.  Set aside and let cool to warm (110ºF).

Pour this mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk/butter mixture with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and let sit and get bubbly and foamy for a few minutes.

Mix in the rest of the 1/2 cup of sugar, the eggs & salt until combined. Mix in most of the flour until combined and then switch to your dough hook attachment.

Knead the dough on med-low speed (2 on a KitchenAid!) until smooth, adding the remaining flour bit by bit if needed.

(*Remember, making doughs with flour is not an exact science.  Flour is temperamental... you can bake the same recipe several times and you may need different amounts of flour each time.  The end result of a smooth dough is more important to focus on than the exact amount of flour you ended up using!)

Lightly grease a large bowl.  Place the kneaded, now smooth, but still soft dough into the bowl and turn once to coat the top of the dough.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap (or a lid!) and place in a warm, draft free place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

(I put my dough-bowl under the covers in my bed to rise because my house is quite large and drafty!  If it's very cold in the bedroom, I'll even pile extra blankets on top...  or use an electric blanket on low if I have one!)

Once the dough has doubled in size (eyeball this, but you should also be able to press down two fingers into the dough and it should leave an indent that doesn't pop back out!), punch down the dough gently to deflate it.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, cover with a damp towel and let rest for 10 minutes or so.

Sprinkle a bit more flour on top of the dough and roll it out into a large rectangle (about 16x20" or so!).

In a large bowl (or your clean mixer bowl!) beat together the filling ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Spread the filling evenly over the rolled out dough.

Roll the dough up into a long log and press the seam together (you can use a bit of water on your fingertips to do this if needed!).  Gently cut into 12 rolls with a serrated knife and place the rolls cut side up in a greased 9x13" baking dish.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.  (If you don't want to make these overnight, then just cover loosely and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes before proceeding).

Remove the rolls from the fridge to take the chill off and preheat the oven to 375ºF for about 30 minutes.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the cinnamon rolls are golden on top and no longer doughy in the middle if you peek with a fork.

While the rolls are baking, beat together the frosting ingredients, cream cheese and butter first and then adding the rest, until smooth.

When the rolls come out of the oven, frost and serve!

(Tidbit:  These are LARGE cinnamon rolls!)

Eggstraordinary Spring Entertaining [a guest post]

Shelly from Cookies & Cups is sharing with us a lovely new twist on a breakfast tart this morning sponsored by Land O Lakes eggs!

I can't wait to give this a try soon...  it sounds delicious!!


I have always wanted to be a brunch person.

Here's my romanticized version of a "brunch day:" Wake up on a sunshiney, springtime Sunday morning (without an alarm clock or children jumping on my stomach), read the weekend newspaper in my crisp white-sheeted bed with no obligations to get ready for, lazily look over at my husband and say, "Let's go for a drive today," to which he would say, "Yes, let's go for a Sunday drive right after we have a nice, relaxing brunch."

That's how it goes down in my mind. What really happens is more like this...
Sunday morning 6:45 am I am woken up to "MOMMMMM!!! Can we play Wii?" "MOMMMMM!!! What's for breakfast?!" "MOMMMMMM!!! Can Joey come over today?"

All of that before 7:00 am. No mention of a Sunday drive, no mention of the weekend newspaper, no mention of brunch. Sigh.

What I have discovered is I can marry the romanticized version with the real-life version. Kinda.
Here's how: plan a brunch at home.

I can do that! Have it be for just your family, or invite people over to hold yourself accountable. I suggest the inviting of other people, because Sunday mornings can quickly get away from you if you let them.

What I have found is that brunch, while sounding all fancy and glamorous, is totally doable. Easy, actually. All you need to do is plan your meal around a single main course dish. One that can be prepared in advance is not only recommended but encouraged.

Eggs are a favorite ingredient when making food to share for springtime gatherings and celebrations. A favorite go-to brunch meal in our family is a tart or a quiche. They are so adaptable and easy.

You can make your springtime brunch more special, and more delicious, by using high-quality LAND O LAKES® All-Natural Farm-Fresh Eggs. Using higher-quality ingredients makes every part of your brunch more special, in my opinion.

Here's my favorite Sunday brunch meal...it's fancy enough to serve on special occasions but simple enough to serve to your family on any given weekend.

Start with LAND O LAKES® All-Natural Farm-Fresh Eggs. All LAND O LAKES® Eggs are “eggstraordinary” because they are produced by hens fed a premium, vegetarian whole-grain diet consisting primarily of whole ground corn and soybean meal, with no added hormones, antibiotics, animal fats or animal by-products. These eggs are gathered at the peak of the hens’ egg-laying cycles, which can make the eggs more delicious.



You will need to place a pie crust in a 10" tart pan. Bake the crust for 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack.



While the crust is baking, cook the breakfast sausage and mix the egg mixture...



Crack the eggs in a bowl, whisk together and add some milk and seasonings.



When sausage is cooked, spread evenly on top of the partially-cooked crust. Then sprinkle cheese on top and cover with the LAND O LAKES® Eggs mixture.



Finally, slice a medium green apple into thin slices and arrange on top of the tart.



Bake the tart for 40- 45 minutes until center is set. You will have a gorgeous, completely impressive main course for your brunch. What's lovely about this tart is you can serve it warm, room temperature or even cold.



Now guess what? I want you to have your own brunch. And to do that you will need money, right?

How about $100? That should cover it nicely, I think...

To enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, courtesy of BlogHer, leave a comment on this post telling me:

What is your favorite spring egg dish to make when you’re hosting guests?

SWEEPSTAKES/GIVEAWAY RULES No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries between 3/16 and 3/29 by selecting from the following entry methods:a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via a random drawing, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. Good Luck!

Egg, Apple, Cheese and Sausage Tart

4 LAND O LAKES® All-Natural Farm-Fresh Eggs

16 oz breakfast sausage, cooked and drained

2/3 cup milk

1 (heaping) cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 tart apple, cut into thin slices

1 pie crust (pre-made or homemade)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°

Place the pie crust in a 10" tart pan. Bake for 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack.

Cook breakfast sausage in a medium skillet, drain.

In a medium-sized bowl whisk eggs, then add milk and salt and pepper. Whisk again to combine.

Spoon sausage into partially baked pie crust, sprinkle cheese on top of sausage and pour egg mixture evenly over sausage and cheese.

Finally, arrange apple slices on top.

Bake 40-45 minutes until center is set.

Serve warm, room temperature, or even cold.

*Can be made ahead to serve the next day and can also be frozen.

*Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days