Gary's Cinnamon Rolls

Gary S. submitted by Michael S.

Basic Sweet Dough Ingredients

6-7 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine or butter

Cinnamon Roll Filling Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Frosting Ingredients

1/2 bag powdered sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter
milk

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, the salt, and the yeast. Blend well.
In a small saucepan heat the water, the milk, and the butter or margarine until very warm - about 120 degrees F.
Add the warm liquid to the flour mixture; blend slowly until moistened.
Beat this mixture about 3 minutes at medium speed.
By hand, stir in approximately 3 cups of the flour.
Dump mixture out on a floured surface for kneading.
Knead in an additional 1-2 cups of flour until dough consistency resembles elastic - about 8-10 minutes.
Place dough in a greased bowl; cover loosely with plastic wrap or clean cloth towel.
Let dough rise in a warm place until about doubled in size - about 45 to 60 minutes.

While dough is rising:

Generously grease a large baking sheet and set aside for later.
Set out 1/2 cup of margarine or butter to soften.
Make filling by mixing 1/2 cup of sugar with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and set aside for later.
Make frosting by combining 1/2 bag of powdered sugar with 1/4 cup margarine or butter, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.

When dough has risen, punch down dough to release air bubbles.
On a floured surface roll out dough into a square shape approximately 20 inches by 20 inches.
Spread the 1/2 cup of softened margarine or butter on the dough.
Sprinkle the the sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly onto the dough.
Roll-up the dough in a jelly-roll style roll.
Slice 2 inch sections off the roll and place onto the greased baking sheet.
Loosely cover the rolls with plastic wrap or a clean cloth towel.
Let the rolls rise until about double in size - 35 to 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake rolls for 15 - 20 minutes, or until lightly golden on the tops.
Frost immediately.

Pull Aparts

Jolene P.

18 frozen dinner rolls (not the Texas rolls...they are too big...I know this from experience)
1 3oz package of cook and serve pudding (our favorite is butterscotch, but vanilla is good too)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. melted butter or margarine

Layer rolls in a greased bundt or tube pan. Sprinkle pudding and brown sugar over rolls. Drizzle butter over all. Let sit overnight. The next morning, bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Turn out onto plate and enjoy!

Variations:

Roll each roll in the melted butter and cinnamon/sugar mix and layer in pan. Let rise overnight and bake. Turn out onto plate and drizzle with glaze.

Brown Sugar Muffins

Jolene P.

1/2 c. softened butter or margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour

In mixing bowl cream butter and brown sugar. Add milk, egg, baking soda, salt and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour by hand. Pour into 12 muffin cups and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes

Cinnamon Streusel Breakfast Cake

Jolene P.

Cake:

1 package yellow cake mix
1 package vanilla instant pudding (the larger size box)
2 eggs
2 Tbs. oil
1 1/3 c. water

Streusel:

1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. melted butter or margarine

Glaze:

3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbs. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl combine the cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, and water and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. In a smaller bowl, mix the streusel. Pour half of the cake batter into a greased and floured bundt or tube pan. Sprinkle 2/3 of streusel over batter. Pour the other half of the batter over the streusel then sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top. Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes. Cool in pan for 25 minutes, then turn out onto plate and drizzle glaze over top

Variations:

Add 1 cup applesauce to cake mix and 1 cup chopped apples into streusel for an apple cinnamon streusel cake.

Fruit Salad

Julie A.

1 - 20 oz can Pineapple chunks
1 - 11 oz can Mandarin Orange segments
1 - 1/2 cups seedless grapes
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup Flaked Coconut
3/4 cup Sour Cream
1 Tbs Sugar
1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Drain pineapple & oranges. Combine in large bowl; pineapple, oranges, grapes, marshmallows, coconut & nuts. Mix sour cream and sugar in separate bowl. Add to fruit mixture & stir. Chill for a few hours before serving, makes 4 to 6 servings.

Strata

Julie A.

6 French bread slices, cut in cubes
2 cups grated cheddar or Colby jack cheese
1 cup cooked, cubed ham
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 - 6 oz. can Mushrooms, drained
6 eggs
3 cups milk
Salt & Pepper to taste

Spray 13x9 baking dish with nonstick spray. Mix bread, cheese, ham, bell pepper, onion & mushrooms. Spread in baking dish. Whisk eggs, milk, salt & pepper and pour over top. Cover dish with foil and refrigerate overnight. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 45 minutes. Makes 8-10 servings. Heats up great as leftovers!

Fruit Salad with Banana Cream Dressing

Jennifer S.

6 ounces vanilla-flavored yogurt
1 1/2 medium bananas, cut into pieces
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup pineapple juice, drained from can
1 cup pineapple chunks drained, juice reserved for dressing
1 cup seedless green grapes or combination of red and green
3/4 cup strawberries sliced
1/2 cup blueberries washed

Combine yogurt, bananas and juices in blender until
creamy.
Place fruit (any combination you wish if you would like
different fruits) into large serving bowl.
Toss with dressing and chill for 1 hour before serving.

Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Jennifer S.

Makes 8 servings

30 ounces hashed brown potatoes, thawed
1 pound sausage browned and drained OR use cut up ham OR cooked, crumbled bacon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 large eggs 
2 tablespoons mustard prepared
2 cups milk of heavy cream (I have milk on hand more often)
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
4 small scallions thinly sliced


Place potatoes in 13x9 pan, stir in sausage and 1 c cheese.
Combine eggs, seasonings, mustard and cream or milk in a blender jar, whip up and pour over potatoes.
Sprinkle with cheese and scallions.
Cover with foil
Refrigerate over night.
Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45-60 mins. Until eggs are "set" in the center of pan.
Remove foil for 15 mins more to brown top.

Mix-ins (Optional): 1 cup of bell peppers (diced,and sauteed). 1 4-oz can green chilies. 2 cups sauteed mushrooms. Top casserole with jalapeno slices. 2 cups broccoli florets (steamed and diced). Really almost anything you want to add to it you can.

Buttermilk Syrup

Amy D.

1 cup sugar
½ cup margarine
½ cup buttermilk

Slowly bring to a boil, taking care to not scorch the milk. When it has reached a low boiling, remove from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp baking soda.
This syrup really froths, so only double it in a 3 quart saucepan.

When I am out of buttermilk, I use regular milk and it still tastes delicious, just not quite the same as buttermilk.

Also, don’t worry if you cook it too long, then it becomes a "caramelly" type syrup….still delicious!

Basic Pancakes

Amy D.

This is my basic recipe and then I doctor it up with fruit or squash.

2 cups wheat flour
1 cup white flour
6 Tbs baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
1 cup dry milk

I usually combine this the night before.
In the morning, I stir in the wet ingredients, taking care to not stir too much or they pancakes become tough and flat.

3 cups water and 4 medium smashed soft bananas OR 15 oz. can pumpkin puree OR 2 cups homemade pumpkin puree.

I add 6 Tablespoons of oil ONLY if I didn’t use bananas or pumpkin. If I use the fruit, it doesn’t need any added oil.

Sometimes I add cinnamon to the batch, but, only if we aren’t having cinnamon applesauce for topping the pancakes.

If we’re not having anything to top the pancakes, I toss chocolate chips or cinnamon chips on the pancakes before they’re flipped.

Cook on griddle like normal.

Morning Fruit Salad

Michelle H.

fruit
brown sugar
yogurt in flavor of choice
oats

Cut fruit into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Stir & let macerate. Stir in yogurt and oats. (Enough oats to thicken). Eat within 30 min. of preparation as fruit continues to macerate.

Egg Souffle

Michelle H.

6 slices of white bread
8 oz. Cubed ham
8 oz. Sharp cheddar cheese
¼ c. butter
½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 pint half & half
1 ½ c. crushed potato chips

Break bread up into bit size pieces, crusts too! Cube ham and cheese. Stir together. Pour melted butter on top. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add half & half, salt, and dry mustard and mix. Put break mixture in a 9 x 9 pan. Pour egg mixture over the bread mixture. Cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before baking. Put potato chips on top. Replace foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 6 generously.

*Double the recipe for a 9 x 13 pan.

Swedish Pancakes

Michelle H.

3 eggs
1 ¾ c. milk
¾-1 c. flour
3 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt

In blender beat eggs until frothy. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Cook in heated skillet well coated with oil on stove top. Flip as you would with regular pancakes. To serve: roll strawberries and whipped cream in middle or roll with sausage in middle and drizzle with syrup. Makes 4 large or 8 small pancakes

Sausage Gravy for Biscuits & Gravy

Michelle H.

1 lb. Sage sausage
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
A few tablespoons flour
Few c. milk

Brown sausage. Add garlic, pinch of salt, and pepper. With pan still over med. to medium-high heat, sprinkle with several tbsp. of flour until flour has absorbed the grease and when mixed with the sausage, has a pasty texture. Then add a few cups of milk. Bring to a boil. Sauce will thicken as it comes to a boil and then thicken more as it cools. Serve over Grands biscuits.

Egg and Sausage Bake

Michelle H.

8-10 eggs, beaten
2 c. milk
2 slices bread—no crusts and diced
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Dry mustard
1 lb. Sausage—browned
1 tbsp. Chopped onions, sautéed
1 tbsp. Chopped green pepper
mushrooms

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 325 degrees in 9 x 13 pan for 45-60 minutes.

*Best if made the night before.

Best Ever Classic Waffles

Michelle H.

1 ½ c. flour
4 tsp. Baking powder
2 tsp. Sugar
½ tsp. Salt
1 ¾ c. milk
2 large eggs, separated
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Preheat a waffle iron, and if you plan to hold the waffles until serving time, preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and egg yolks until completely blended. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until firm, but not stiff.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the milk/egg mixture, blending gently only until the ingredients are combined. Add the butter in a slow stream, continuing to blend until the butter is incorporated. Gently fold in the egg whites.
Pour a generous ½ c. batter (or more depending on the size of your waffle iron) into the waffle iron and, using a metal spatula or table knife, spread batter to within ½ inch of the edge. Close the cover and cook approximately 3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Serve the waffles immediately, or place them in a single layer on racks in the preheated oven while you finish with the remaining batter.
Serve with the topping of your choice.

Breakfast Pizza

Christine C.

This is a family favorite. As a little girl, my mom would make this every year for breakfast on Christmas morning. We carried on the tradition in our own family and thought that I would share it with you!

Layer in order:

1 pkg. Crescent Rolls
1 lb. Bulk Sausage - cooked and drained
1 C. Hashbrowns - frozen

Mix and pour on top:

5 Eggs
1/4 C. Milk
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
2 T. Parmesan Cheese - grated

Finish with:

1 C. Cheese - shredded

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, then I broil it for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into it