Frozen Hot Chocolate

 I found this recipie on Pintrest it is soooo good!! I know it sounds crazy and that is probably why we tried the second we found it (even before we pinned it). It really tasts like frozen hot chocolate. Mess with your mind CRAZY!!

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• 1 package Hot Cocoa Mix (about 3 Tablespoons)
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• ⅓ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• ⅓ cups White Chocolate Chips
• 12 ounces, fluid Can Evaporated Milk, Divided
• 4-½ cups Ice
• Whipped Cream, To Taste
• Mini Marshmallows, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Combine sugar, cocoa mix, and butter in the top of a double boiler that is set over gently boiling water. Stir often until melted and a smooth paste forms. Add semi-sweet & white chocolate chips; stir. When chips begin to melt, slowly stir in 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Combine the chocolate base mixture, the remaining evaporated milk and ice in a blender (you can do this in batches) and cover. Blend until smooth. Pour into frosty glasses. Top each with whipped cream. Sprinkle with additional chopped chocolate chips & mini marshmallows, if desired.

Clone of Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Another one of Christy's amazing bread machine recipes! 

Dough (Bread machine recipe):
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 c warm milk
1/3 c melted margarine
1 tsp salt
1/2 c granulated sugar
4 1/2 c bread flour
2 1/2 tsp. bread machine yeast ( I used regular yeast and it worked just fine)

Filling:
1 c packed brown sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/3 c softened butter

Cream Cheese Icing:
(I doubled this, but I think you can't never have too much frosting)

4 Tbsp softened butter
3 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

*Note: These are moist like the original when using Cinnabon's own brand of Makara cinnamon - available at any Cinnabon Stand.

Dough: Add ingredients in order listed to bread machine baking pan.  Insert pan into bread machine and mix on dough setting.  When dough is done, turn out onto floured rolling board and allow dough to rest for ten minutes.  Roll dough out into a 16 inch wide and 12 inch long rectangle, with a dough thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Filling:  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl until well mixed.  Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough and sprinkle sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough surface.

Roll dough jellyroll fashion along the 16in wide side of the rectangle.  Cut dough roll into 12 slices (I have found using dental floss works really well for this.  Run the floss underneath the rolled dough, wrap each side up and around dough and pull in opposite directions.  This will give you a smooth even cut).   Place 12 rolls into a 9x13 inch pan.  Let rolls rise for approximately 20 minutes.   Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until light brown on top.  Remove baking pan and allow to cool.

Cream cheese Icing: Combine in a mixing bowl until well blended.  Frost cinnamon rolls with icing while rolls are still in the baking pan.

Chicken Soup from Rotisserie Chicken

I found the perfect feel good now, chicken soup.  Recipe adapted from this recipe. 

1 rotisserie chicken 

2 1/2 tablespoons Better then bouillon (my new favorite)

1  teaspoons ground thyme

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I double this because I like it with a little kick)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, minced

1 sweet potato or yam, cut into chunks of various sizes

4-5 large carrots, washed, trimmed and cut into chunks of various sizes

1 cup egg noodles

First, eat as much of the rotisserie chicken as you want.  I usually start this soup with a carcass that looks nearly bare.  The amount of meat you leave is entirely up to you.  If you like your soup meaty leave it all on, if you like it more heavy on veggies,  use some of the meat for chicken salad or something else.

Place the chicken carcass in a pot that is just large enough to fit it.  Then, fill the pot with enough water to mostly cover the carcass.  Simmer for at least an hour.

Remove the carcass from the pot into a large bowl and relocate to the refrigerator. 

Add the remaining ingredients to the pot (except noodles) and continue to simmer.  Cutting the sweet potatoes and carrots into various sizes gives the soup amazing texture.  The smaller pieces will soften and fall apart and help to thicken the soup, while the larger pieces will remain a little more firm, making the soup a little heartier.

As the soup continues to simmer, add 3-6 cups of water.  Add the water 1 cup at a time, tasting as you go.  Once the broth has the depth of flavor you're looking for, and the liquid to veggie ratio is what you're looking for, you've added enough.

Add noodles and when the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick off all the meat you can, and add it back into the pot.

Christy's Whole Wheat Bread

Christy got this recipe from Wendy Bollard, who is known for her amazing bread.

2 1/3 c - 2 12 c water
1/4 c oil
14 c honey
4 1/2 (aprox) wheat flour (grind 4 cups of unground wheat to equal aprox amount)
2 tsp salt
1/4 c powder milk
1/4 cup wheat gluten
4 tsp of dough enhancer
1 tbsp instant yeast (make a well in dry ingredients, then add yeast)

Put into bread mixer in above order.
Mix on dough setting.
Put dough into 2 bread pans
let rise until doubled (apron. 10-20 min.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

Makes 2 loaves

Bosch type dough mixers, add all ingredients, mix on speed 2-4 (assist with mixing with a rubber spatula), for 4-6 minutes.  Let dough rise in mixing bowl with plastic cover until doubled.  Mix again on speed 2-4 for 1-2 min.  Divide and put into 2 loaf pans.

Wingers (Copy Cat Sauce) for Sticky Fingers

After trying this recipe, I thought it tasted pretty close to the real deal.  I shared it with Witney, who at the time was away at college.  It was a big hit with her and her roommates.   

Best part, this is all it takes:

*Covers about 8 sticky fingers

3 tbsp Franks Hot Sauce (it has to be Franks)

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp water

Heat up hot sauce, brown sugar, and water in a sauce pan until all the sugar dissolves (bring it to a boil and let it boil for a minute or two).  

Coat precooked (cooked as per package) wings, popcorn chicken, or chicken fingers.

Put chicken and sauce in container with lid and shake.

enjoy! 

Dad's Fantasy Fudge

You will always find it around my dad's house at Christmas time.  Funny story about this recipe...I called my dad to get this recipe  to make as part of my holiday baking.  This is how the conversation went.  Me "Hey Dad, can I get your fudge recipe?"  Dad "yeah, you go into your pantry and fetch a jar of marshmallow cream.  Look on the back of the label for the recipe."  It made me smile to know that my dad always has on hand the ingredients to make his fudge, it's a staple in his house!  So here ya go, the Jet-Puffed marshmallow creme recipe ;).

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
1 can (5oz) evaporated milk
1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) BAKER'S semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 jar (7oz) marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped walnuts (I omit this, just give me the chocolate ;)
1 tsp. vanilla

Line 9in square pan with foil.  Bring sugar, butter, and milk to a full rolling boil in large saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly.  Boil 4 min. or until 234 degrees F on candy thermometer, stirring constantly (careful not to over cook, I burnt my second batch).  Remove from heat.  Add chocolate and marshmallow creme.  Stir unil melted.  Stir in nuts and vanilla.  Pour into pan.  Cool.

Apple Crisp

2 Cups Flour

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Oats

3/4 Cup Butter

 

*Mix all ingredients together

 

5 Apples

1 Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 Cup Flour

 

* Mix ingredients together

 

1/4 cup Butter

 

 

In a 9x9 pan put 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture down first. Then add all the apple mixture and last put the remaining  oatmeal mixture on the top. Lastly add the melted butter sprinkled on top. Put in the oven at 375 degrease for 45 min, then turn up the oven to 450 for the remaining 10 min.