Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

from Stephanie

Dough

1 cup warm water—110F
2 pkts (or 4 ½ tsp.) active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup milk, warmed
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
8 cups all-purpose flour


*Note: This recipe uses about 5 sticks (2 1/2 c.) butter total.*
Mix warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar and set aside. Mix milk, 2/3 c sugar, butter, salt, and eggs; stir well and add to yeast mixture. Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to make dough slightly stiff. Dough will be sticky. Knead for 5-10 min. Place in well-greased glass or plastic bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place free of drafts for about 1 ½ hours or until doubled in bulk.


Rolls

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 T ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted


When dough has doubled, punch it down and let rest 5 minutes. Roll out on floured surface into a 15” x 20” rectangle. Spread dough with ½ c melted butter. Mix 1 ½ c sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts, if desired. Roll up jelly-roll fashion (rolling lengthwise so final roll is 20” long) and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12-15 slices. Coat bottom of a 13”x9” pan and an 8” square pan with ½ c melted butter, then sprinkle with ¼ c sugar. Place rolls close together in pans and let rise again until dough is doubled in bulk, about 45 min. Bake at 350 F for 20-30 min or until rolls are browned. Cool slightly.


Frosting

2/3 cup melted butter
4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
6 T milk or water, warmed


(The frosting recipe may be halved.) Combine all ingredients until smooth and drizzle over warm rolls.

Cilantro Rice

from Stephanie

4 tsp. chicken bullion
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 tsp. cumin
1 can diced green chiles
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tbls. Butter
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cups rice

Blend in blender then put in pan on stove. Add 3 cups water (sometimes I add more to make it more moist) and bring to a boil. Add three cups rice, simmer 30 minutes.

Beef Stroganoff

from Stephanie

1-2 lb. grass-fed round steak (cut in cubes or strips)
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1/2 C diced onions
1-2 garlic cloves
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 T soy sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 C sour cream
8 oz. wide egg noodles

Melt oil and butter in pan. Add beef to pan. When beef is browned, remove it from the pan.

Add onions, garlic, mushrooms and sauté until onions are glazed and clear.

Add soups, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce while stirring to combine.

Add sour cream and stir. Add browned beef. Baked covered in 275 degree oven 2-3 hrs. or cook in crock pot on low.

Serve over wide cooked egg noodles.

Monkey Bread

from Melanie

24 frozen rolls
1 small package butterscotch cook n' serve pudding (NOT INSTANT)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cube butter
1 tsp cinnamon
4 oz. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Place half of the nuts, if using, into a greased bundt pan. Place frozen rolls in pan, then pour pudding powder evenly over the rolls. Melt butter and stir the brown sugar into the melted butter. Pour mixture evenly over rolls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and remaining nuts, if using. Cover with a towel and let rise for 8 hours or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, set pan out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min. If the top of the rolls start to burn before it is done cooking, cover the top with a piece of tin foil.

Cheesy Volcano Meatballs

from Melanie

1 lb. lean ground beef, pork, or turkey
6 Ritz Crackers, finely crushed
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup spaghetti sauce, divided
12 cheddar cheese cubes

Heat oven to 400ºF.

Mix meat, cracker crumbs, Parmesan and 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce. Shape into 12 meatballs, using about 2 Tbsp. meat mixture for each.

Place, 2 inches apart, in shallow baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Press 1 cheese cube deeply into center of each meatball.

Bake 14 min. or until meatballs are done (160ºF). Serve with spaghetti.

Fruity Chicken Salad

from Melanie

6 cups lettuce
6-8 oz. chopped grilled chicken
1/2 lb. chopped fresh strawberries
1 can mandarin oranges, well drained
Creamy Poppyseed Dressing

Toss first four ingredients. Top individual servings with dressing.

Asian Chicken and Noodles

from Melanie

8 oz. spaghetti or chinese noodles
3 cups sugar snap peas
1 cup red pepper strips
1/2 cup Catalina Dressing
1 lb. chicken (or well-trimmed boneless beef sirloin steak), cut into thin strips
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts, optional

Cook spaghetti or noodles as directed on package, adding snap peas and red pepper to the cooking water for the last 2 min. of the spaghetti cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat; stir-fry 3 min. or until meat is barely pink in center. Add peanut butter and soy sauce; stir-fry 1 min. or until sauce thickens.

Drain spaghetti and vegetables. Add to skillet; toss with meat mixture. Stir in green onions; sprinkle with peanuts if desired.