Flour Tortillas

One of the many benefits of being married to my husband, is that his mom has taught me to make some killer homemade Mexican food-that she learned from her mother in law that is from Mexico. It's so fun to be able to make "real" Mexican food. One of my favorite things she makes is homemade tortillas. They are AMAZING. I still haven't mastered the skill of making a perfectly round tortilla because the flour ones aren't made with a tortilla press, all you need is a roller. But, even if you end up with a rectangle tortilla-the flavor is still amazing!!!

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup shortening

Combine flour with baking powder and salt. Add shortening and mix with fingers until evenly mixed. Gradually stir in enough water to make a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 30 minutes. Preheat an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over med heat. Form balls and and shape each one into a really flat patty-using your hands and a roller (this will take practice!!) Once you have started rolling it out-don't form it back into a ball and try to start over it makes the dough go hard and it's ruined. Roll very thin. Place tortilla on skillet . Cook until bubbles form on top and underside is flecked with brown. Turn and cook until the other side is lightly brown. Stack tortillas and cover with a dry cloth until ready to serve. Serve immediately or store in plastic bag and reheat briefly before serving.

Makes about 12-14 tortillas

Serving Suggestions: Fill with refried beans and cheese for easy burritos. Fajitas. Or chilli. For easy Mexican desserts spread with cream cheese and a little salt. Or Butter and cinnamon and sugar. Also great for breakfast with scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and sausage and salsa for breakfast burritos.

The Best Homemade Rolls Ever

My husband was in HEAVEN all weekend because I made him one of his favorite meals, turkey sandwiches on homemade rolls with chips and clam dip.....I can't even tell you how excited he was when he came home to this meal. I just bought a turkey breast and roasted it the oven for a couple hours, and then made Chris's mom's yummy homemade rolls, they are to die for: here's the recipe:

-1/2 cup melted butter (I used salted)
-2 eggs
-2 packages of active dry yeast (or 2 Tbsp. of active dry yeast if it's in a jar)
-6 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
-1 tsp. salt
-2 cups warm water
-extra butter for dipping

I use my Kitchen Aid for this, it makes it so easy, but you can do it by hand mixer too. In a bowl add warm water, yeast and sugar, combine until all mixed. Add butter. Add eggs, flour, and salt, mix well. Stir in extra flour until it forms a soft dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 min's. Place in a bowl sprayed with non stick spray..let rise 45-60 min's. Punch down and roll out on floured surface. This is a guess, but I rolled it out probably 1/4" thick, you want it pretty thick. I used the biggest circle shaped cutter that I had (the size of a large glass)....cut out, dip one side into melted butter, place on greased sheet and fold top over. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 15 min's, and then continue to check every minute until light golden brown.

I wish I would have taken a picture, but we chowed these down too fast!
Enjoy, these are heavenly!!

Easy Breadsticks and Scones

I thought I would share a couple more of my favorite ways to use Rhodes Rolls. This week I made homemade Chilli, you can get my chilli con carne recipe here. But I like to make breadsticks or scones with my chilli.


To make these breadsticks, defrost your Rhodes rolls, turn the rolls over half way through defrosting so they get evenly defrosted. Make sure you pay close attention to the defrosting, you want them to still be pretty cold, but pliable, anything more than that they get a weird consitency.

Roll the rolls into little long snakes. I used a 13x9 pan, and did 2 rows of 6.
Preheat the oven to 350 and cook for 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
Remove from oven. Using a pastry brush, brush butter over the tops of the breadsticks and sprinkle with parmesan, or your other favorite topping (garlic salt, oregano...anything!)


For the scones, I heat my deep fryer. I flatten my Rhodes Rolls so they look like a mini pizza. Once the oil is hot enough I drop a couple in, I turn them over every 30 seconds to make sure they don't overcook. Remove from oil once golden brown on both sides and serve with butter and honey..yum!

Wheat banana bread with Streusel-Nut Topping

Okay, so last week you may remember that I posted a banana bread recipe, and I mentioned that next time I wanted to try it with a crunch topping? Weirdly enough a few days later I was looking through my BHG magazine and there was a recipe for banana bread with a streusel topping...it was a must try....and it was a definately yummy recipe. I have been wanting to try banana bread with wheat flour and it turned out really good with this recipe, enjoy!!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all purpose and 1 cup whole wheat)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups mashed banana (4-5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine (I used 1/4 a cup of butter which is a 1/2 cube butter and 1/4 cup applesauce instead)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts ( I ommited the walnuts in the bread and left it for the topping)
1 recipe Streusel-Nut Topping

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter.

3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

4. Makes 1 loaf

5. Streusel-Nut Topping: In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.

Cinnamon Banana Bread

I apologize if you want something besides bread recipes, but I have been on a bread kick lately. I don't know if it's because Fall is quickly approaching, and the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg cooking in my kitchen gets me real giddy for the fall. I don't know, either way, here's another recipe for ya!

By the way, this recipe called for 2 cubes of butter, yes, 2 cubes. But, I couldn't bring myself to cook with that much fat. So I used 1 cube of butter and 1/2 a cup of applesauce, and this cake was soooo moist! You are going to love it!

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup of butter (1 cube)

1/2 cup of applesauce (next time I am going to by the cinnamon applesauce to give it even more spice.)

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I didn't add this, but it would be yum!)

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour (next time I am going to try half of it using whole wheat flour)

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream sugars and butter. Add bananas and egg, mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes, or when toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Cool in pan.

PS-when I dumped my batter into the pans, it looked like it wasn't going to be enough batter, don't worry, it bakes fine, it's not a HUGE fluffy bread, but it will rise a little.

EXTRA options:

-Next time I bake this, I am going to try combining some cinnamon, sugar and br. sugar and lightly sprinkling it on top of the bread, and then baking it, to kind of give it a coffee cake crunch

OR

frosting the bread with a cream cheese drizze.......either sounds like heaven

ENJOY!!

Zuchinni Chocolate Chip Bread

I LOVE trying new bread recipes. My neighbors brought me some huge Zuchinni's from their garden the other night, and the only thing I like to do with Zuchinni is make bread!! I grate it up and freeze them in ziplock's and then I can get quite a few batches of bread throughout the year. This recipe is so yummy because it has orange zest in it, and gives it an awesome flavor!!


Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon orange zest


Directions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Note: I didn't mix the pecans in with the bread, I did a nutless loaf for my kids and then I just sprinkled some pecans on top of the adult loaf.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool.

Recipe taken from Food Network-Paula Deen

CranApple Crunch Muffins

I made these for breakfast this morning, and the kids loved them. I served it with Cran-Raspberry Juice, and it's a perfect combination.




CranApple Crunch Muffins

Ingredients
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

TOPPING
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons Martha White® All-Purpose Flour
3 tablespoons old fashioned or quick-cooking oats

MUFFINS
1 (7 oz.) package Martha White® Whole Grain Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup milk

Preparation Directions
1. HEAT oven to 425°F. Lightly spray 6 medium muffin cups with no-stick cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. Combine topping ingredients in small bowl until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
2. COMBINE muffin mix, cranberries and walnuts in medium bowl. Add milk; stir just until moistened. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake 14 to 17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool slightly. Serve warm or cool.

Prep Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Serving size: 6 muffins

Recipe taken from Martha White muffin mix

No Fail Bread/Cinnamon Chip Bread/Cinnamon Rolls

Tuesday night we taught the girls how to make this for our YW's activity. This recipe was given to me by my friend Sharisse. This recipe can make 3 different recipes, and I will include all of them. If you are local and like Great Harvest bread, you have to try this recipe, it's a lot like theirs.






1st Recipe (The no Fail French Bread)



2 1/2 cups WARM water

2 Tbsp. yeast

3 Tbsp. sugar (add a little more for cinnamon rolls)

1 Tbsp. salt

1/3 cup oil

6 cups flour (if you want you can divide this into 5 cups white+1 cup wheat)



Add ingredients in order and mix well. Let stand for 10 min's and mix again. Do this 5 times. Form dough into 2 big loaves, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon chip bread, or 4 small circle loaves (and these are still pretty big). We took these around to our bishopric members, and they make cute gifts!!!



****When I make this bread at home, I am going to frost it with Cream Cheese frosting, yum!



****To make this into the cinnamon chip bread, just add 1/2 a bag of cinnamon chips with the last mixing. You can find cinnamon chips at the grocery store next to chocolate chips, or you can go to Kitchen Kneads or any specialty store and buy them.



****For the cinnamon rolls (after you follow the above items, except for adding the cinnamon chips)....

-Roll into rectangle

-Melt some butter and pour on top of dough

-ADD LOTS of cinnamon and sugar

-Add Dark Brown Sugar

-roll up lenthwise

-cut into cinnamon rolls

-let rise 20-30 min's

Bake 12-15 mins', and then frost with your favorite frosting recipe.

Banana Bread

I have been downing Banana bread everyday like it's going out of style. My mother in law keeps whipping up batches of banana bread and sending a loaf home with me every week. This last week she didn't cook a batch so I thought I would try my Better Homes and Garden "light" recipe for banana bread.....ummmm...lesson learned, some things should not be messed with. So here is my mother in laws recipe for her banana bread......so good!!!

5 large bananas (2 1/2 cups)
4 well beaten eggs
1 cup shortening
4 cups flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat bananas to a liquid in blender or food processor. Add eggs. Cream together shortening and sugar and add banana mixture. Sift together flour, soda, and salt and pour into banana mixture. Pour into 2 well greased loaf pans. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until done.
Makes 2 loaves.


I have found that in my oven 250 degrees doesn't cut it, I do it at 350 for 6o minutes, and then check it with a toothpick, if I need to bake an additional 5-10 min's and check again.

Strawberry Scones

Chris and I wanted to wake up Saturday morning and surprise Isabella with an extra sweet Valentines breakfast. I thought I would try these.



RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup hulled and finely diced fresh strawberries
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar, plus a little for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
A lemon, for zest
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon light cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat your oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, using a few spots of butter or cooking oil to stick it in place. Set the baking sheet aside.

2. Place the diced strawberries on several sheets of paper towel to absorb their juice. Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Zest half of the lemon into the ingredients, taking care to remove just the outermost skin and not the white pith.

3. Cut in the butter with two butter knives or a pastry blender until the flour-coated pieces are the size of peas. Add the strawberries, tossing them gently with a fork to coat them.

4. Make a well in the mixture. Blend the 1/2 cup of light cream and the vanilla extract in a measuring cup and pour them into the well. Using as few strokes as possible, gently stir the dough until it forms a ball. Let the dough sit for 1 minute.

5. Clean and flour your hands and dust your work surface with flour. Place the dough on the floured surface and knead it gently three or four times. Transfer it to the large baking sheet and pat it into an 8-inch circle. Using a lightly oiled pizza cutter or a serrated knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges, as you would a pizza. Use a small spatula or pie server to carefully separate the pieces, leaving at least an inch between them.

6. Brush the tops of the scones with the remaining tablespoon of light cream, then sprinkle the surfaces with sugar. Bake the scones until the outsides are crusty and starting to brown, about 18 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then slide the parchment and the scones onto a wire rack to cool for another 20 minutes before serving.

In the picture they took their fingers and pressed down on the top of each pizza slice, making it resemble the top of a heart.

Taken from Familyfun.com

Pumpkin Roll

This is one of my favorite fall recipes. It makes the house smell sooo yummy!
Note: If the pumpkin roll is too much work, you can leave the cake in the cake pan and add the frosting to the top and eat it just like that.

3 eggs-put in a blender and blend 5 minutes

In a seperate bowl put 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. pumpkin spice or 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. ginger and mix together.

2/3 cup canned pumpkin, 1 tsp.lemon juice. Mix together and add to egg mixture. Spray a cookie sheet and the sides really really good with PAM no stick spray. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Turn onto a dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar and roll up-being very careful as you roll. Cool.

Frosting:
1 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mix together, unroll the cake and spread over pumpkin roll.

Roll bakc up, cover with tin foil and I put in fridge until ready to eat.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I don't know what it is about fall that makes me want to throw away my diet and bake something with lots of flour, sugar and shortening? I made these into mini muffins, using a mini muffin tin, which made 24 mini muffins (and I still had dough left over), or you can put these in regular muffins tins.

3 Lg. or 4 small ripe banans mashed
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
Chocolate Chips (I used jumbo milk chocolate chips)

Cream together first 3 ingredients, don't overmix
Beat egg in
Gradually add last ingredients.
Bake 350 15-20 min's or until toothpick is inserted and comes out clean

Red Lobster Cheese Garlic Biscuits

This one is for you dad!

Okay, so when I go to Red Lobster I swear I get full on these before my meal even comes out. I have an aunt who can go home and mock up a recipe in a couple of days, so here is her recipe:

2 c. buttermilk baking mix

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 t. garlic powder

2/3 cup milk

1/4 c. melted butter

Combine baking mix, milk, and cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon till a soft dough forms (adding more milk if needed). Beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Drop dough by heaping Tbsp. full onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 450 for 8-10 minutes. Combine butter and garlic powder (if you want you can add parsley here too, to make it pretty). Brush over warm buscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Makes 10-12 biscuits.

**CHEATING** and for those of you who don't want to slave away in the kitchen, I found one of those packages (you know the betty crocker/Bisquick things that come in a package and all you have to do is add an egg and water to get brownies or cookies)..anywho..they make one that is called cheese-garlic bisquits. Ummm...so, try that one too!!

Conference Sticky Buns