The best rolls ever - Fast Rising Rolls

My mom makes these on Sundays. They are my favorite:

Dissolve together in small bowl:

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

Mix in large bowl:

6 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 Tbsp salt

For a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, then pour the following into the well:

2 cups warm water

the yeast mixture

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

Mix until moist (dough will be sticky). Let rise 1 hour. Divide in half. Roll into circle approx. 12 inches wide. Cut into 12 sections. Roll each into crescent shape. Place on parchment paper covered baking sheet. Preheat oven to 375. Allow to rise 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes.

You can also make fantastic cinnamon rolls with this dough!

Fresh Cranberry Apple Tarts

2 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box. (or use 2 frozen pie shells)

4 small granny smith apples

1 cup cranberries

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 dash nutmeg

1/2 tsp lemon juice*

Preheat oven to 400. Thaw pie crusts at room temperature 20 to 30 min. Roll out pie crust and cut into 4 inch circles. I used a 4 inch round cookie cutter. Press the dough in a cupcake pan.

Core and peel apples, cut into cubes. Place cranberries, lemon juice, maple syrup, sugar, salt, and flour in saucepan and bring to boil on high, stirring constantly. Turn heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Add apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place filling in the pie crusts. Cut remaining pie crusts into small strips and make a lattice top. Bake at 400 for 18 minutes.

If you wanted to make this into a pie, use 6 small granny smith apples instead of 4 and bake for 45 minutes.

Crock Pot Creamy Italian Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts

1 can campbell's Healthy Request (98% fat free) cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

8 oz pkg light cream cheese (neufchatel cheese)

1 packet (dry) Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix*

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms (optional)**

Place ingredients into crock pot and cook on low 6-7 hours. High 3-4 hours. Serve with brown rice or egg noodles and a vegetable.

*DO NOT use fat free. Fat Free isn't supposed to be cooked.

**Crimini mushrooms are heartier than white mushrooms, they remind me of a cross between portabello and white mushrooms.

Healthy Banana Oatmeal cookies (sugar-free)

3 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup pecans (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup oil (substitute applesauce)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mash bananas in bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes. Place spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

(I cookie using applesauce is 52 calories)

Nuts about Berries

Ingredients: 

1 cup romaine lettuce

1 small handful blueberries

1 small handful raspberries

4 strawberries (sliced)

1 small handful blackberries

poppy seed salad dressing (optional)

6 cinnamon sugar almonds crushed

If you visit the street fair in Huntington Beach on Tuesdays, you can pick up a snack pack of cinnamon-sugared almonds for $3.

Pasta Putanesca

I came across this recipe the other day and realized it was also a vegan recipe, so I thought I'd try it out and see how it tasted. It's good and it had just the right amount of spice to it.

Group 1:

1/4 c. olive oil
2-3 tbsp. coarsely chopped garlic
1 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

GROUP 2:
1/2 c. chopped black olives (kalamata best)
1 tbsp. capers
Optional: Sliced artichoke hearts

GROUP 3:
1 c. chopped plum tomatoes
1/4 c. tomato puree (tomato paste)
*asparagus or any other vegetable you want

Saute group 1 in heavy skillet. Add group 2. Saute briefly. Add group 3. Cook 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook spaghetti. Toss cooked spaghetti and sauce in a serving bowl. Serve with grated cheese and chopped parsley.

The Best Chocolate Frosting Ever

4 squares unsweetened bakers chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 16 oz pkg powdered sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

1 pan ice water*

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat (warm setting if your stove has it). Combine everything else in a bowl. Set bowl in pan of ice water. Blend all ingredients and slowly add chocolate mixture to bowl. Beat until stiff (this takes between 5 and 10 minutes).


*I use a large cooking pot that my mixing bowl fits into perfectly.