Cinnamon Buns

I love making these buns each weekend. The kids like a late breakfast and since this has to rise it’s perfect for making while they are still pulling themselves out of bed in the morning. It’s not hard to make, and be sure to let the dough rise properly. Don’t put it in a cold area, or a hot place, draft free out of reach from little hands and you’ll be fine.

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1 1/2 cups warm water

1 teaspoon yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup oil

1 egg

4  cups flour

Filling:
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Raisins if you want

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, sugar, and salt, along with oil and egg, if using. Let sit five minutes. Stir in first cup and a half cup of flour with a heavy spoon. Add more flour a little at a time as needed, stirring until dough becomes too stiff to continue stirring easily. Add a little more flour and begin kneading. The amount of flour is approximate. Continue adding flour and kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let dough rise in a greased, covered bowl until doubled. (about an hour.) Uncover bowl; sprinkle in a little more flour and knead again. Roll out onto a floured surface into an approximately 15 x 8 rectangle.Brush with melted butter.Sprinkle the filling over it, get it right to the edges. Roll it up & seal the edges, cut about 1in (you’ll get about 15 rolls)
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Starters & Sides: Made Easy Book Review

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“Starters & Side: Made Easy”  was provided to me for my review. All opinions are my own and I am being 100% honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

Starters & Sides: Made Easy Promises “Favorite triple-tested recipes” that are easy to make. All the recipes are Kosher and include plating and serving suggestions. There is even a spice guide for those of you that are “spice shy”.

The Good:

I enjoyed the full color photos for nearly every recipe in the book. They looked appetizing and delicious. I also enjoyed the spice guide. I know quite a bit about spices and I am definitely not spice shy when it comes to cooking, but I enjoyed the in-depth explanation of each spice from peppers to types of salt. I also enjoyed the serving suggestions in the book as well as suggestions on how to make each dish a main dish rather than a side.
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How To Make Home Made Caramel Apples

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Ingredients
6 apples
Craft or Popsicle sticks
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped , unwrapped
2 tablespoons milk
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DirectionsRemove the stem from each apple and press a craft stick into the top. Butter a baking sheet. Place caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes, stirring once. Allow to cool briefly. Roll each apple quickly in caramel sauce until well coated. Place on prepared sheet to set. They can be rolled in chopped nuts for an added touch of flavor (we didn’t, as my son is a “purest” haha).
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Adult Beverages from Old World Gourmet

Disclosure: The below mentioned beverage items from Old World Gourmet were provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.
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Who doesn’t enjoy having a drink every now and then?  I am not a big drinker, but I do enjoy having a drink with friends here and there, as well as at celebrations. I am so happy to have found Old World Gourmet. They have a wide variety of drinks and some gourmet snacks as well.

About Old World Gourmet:

Old World Gourmet began as the dream of Deanna Sullivan in 2001. She wanted a mid life career change and a better work life balance, so she decided to find something of her own. She began with the original wine ice frozen wine mix and built Old World Gourmet to where it is today. They now have over 50 products that span from frozen wine, liquor, cake, and cracker mixes.

All of their products are hand assembled in the USA and the company is women owned and operated.

You can find their products in retailers in all 50 states, as well as online.

You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter to make sure you stay up to date on their products.

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Enjoy some Soup! The Soupmaker’s Kitchen cookbook Review

 

I grew up in a large family, and we all know it’s not easy to shop or even cook for large families. We find ourselves eager and creative to put dinner together with what we have on hand. I have used this method after watching my mother do it when I was a child. One of my fondest memories was the soups she made, stews or gumbo. They were thick hearty and I really thought for the longest time she went out of her way to buy all this exotic food to create it all. Did she?

No. No my mother did what is shown in The Soupmaker’s Kitchen cookbook- a must for any family but I highly recommend it if you find yourself unsure of what you do with those left over scraps and items you don’t ‘have much of.  So you have a little of this and that, don’t think you can use it up? Wrong, don’t toss them, don’t ignore them –  Use them, all of them to make some wonderful soup! photo (1)

Green takes you through easy steps to stock up the pantry with items ( even small)  to create an entire heart warming soup with ease. Techniques on preparing, when you can sub frozen verses fresh and even how to make some flavors bursts are given throughout the book. Time savings tips, best used pots and other basic tools that will get you through soup season.
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Win a Key Ingredient Recipe Reader Tablet

Some of the newest of soldiers in the digital army are digital recipe tablets, these are tablets which are specially made for usage in the kitchen.  At first thought the idea of a tablet in the kitchen may sound absurd, but the pluses I feel far outweigh any minuses at all.
In my kitchen it makes things a lot easier.  There are many benefits to having a kitchen tablet and a great example of one is the Key Ingredient Recipe Reader.

The number one best feat this tablet does is: clear up counter top clutter.  That pile of cook books in the corner of your kitchen will now become a much used tablet which can be tucked almost anywhere, or even a drawer.

The recipe reader’s recipes are varied and quite delicious.  One of our favorites was the pork chops with Guajillo spice rub.  Spicy and meat are always a good combo in my book.  In regard to its durability everything is built to be used ina kitchen and cleaned even the power button which is large and rubber making it easy to power on even with dirty hands.  If/When you get the recipe reader dirty it is easy to wipe clean with a towel and glass cleaner as well.
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Apple Pie Parfaits Recipe

One of my favorite things about fall is the apple harvest. To me, nothing says, “Autumn” better than the crisp air and warm scent of apples filling the home.

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Here is a super easy recipe you can make in a short time to bring home the taste of the season! It can be made and assembled in less than an hour so it is perfect for a quick dessert and is sure to impress kids and company.

 

To make Apple Pie Parfaits, you will need:

3-4 Granny smith (or other tart apple) apples

1 Cup oats, instant

1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar

3 Tbsp flour

1 Stick of Butter, unsalted + 4 tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

1/2 Lemon

Whipped Cream

 

Directions:

1. Start by cutting up the apples into eighths. Slice off the core areas and make sure to remove the seeds. You can remove the peels if you like, but I leave them on, personally.
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Candy Apples Recipe

 

How To Make a Home Made Candy Apple

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Ingredients

Unsalted butter, for parchment paper
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
6 medium apples

Directions

Step 1

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment, and set aside. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, 3/4 cup water, corn syrup, and food coloring, if using. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Insert candy thermometer and continue to boil until temperature reaches between 300 degrees and 310 degrees (hard crack stage), about 20 minutes.
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