Roll out Sugar Cookies

I realize that Valentine's Day has came and went, so this post is a little late, but this recipe can be used to make any type of roll out sugar cookies. St. Patty's Day Shamrocks anyone :)? Anyways, I've gathered quite the collection of cookie cutters within the past few years, So I make sugar cookies for pretty much every holiday, or just when I really need a cookie. This recipe is easy to put together and easy to use.

Roll Out Sugar Cookies

Recipe makes 5 dozen

Ingredients

. 1 1/2 cups butter

.2 cups sugar

.4 eggs

. 1 tsp vanilla extract

. 5 cups flour

. 2 tsps baking powder

. 1 tsp salt

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight). Preheat oven to 400 degrees . Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Back to reality

My blog is working again! I'm able to make new posts! Is this real life?!

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

We've finally started to have some cool fall weather over here. And I was craving something warm and sweet, that would make my house smell delicious so I decided to make cinnamon rolls for the first time, and they came out great!

Cinnamon roll ingredients

1 Cup milk

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

Cinnamon sugar filling ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

Icing ingredients

1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Combine milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute, then remove and stir. Continue heating in 20 second intervals, pausing after each to stir, until the butter is melted and the milk is warm to the touch but not HOT. 

Add 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt to a bowl. Stir by hand to combine. Add the egg and milk mixture, continue to stir until combined. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until incorporated.  Knead by hand until the dough begins to form a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, you have added enough flour. Continue kneading for 5-7 minutes, over the dough with a damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

While dough is rising, make your filling by whisking together sugars and cinnamon in a bowl until combined.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Then use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 14 x 9 inches in size.  Spread the softened cup of butter generously on the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Beginning at the 14-inch edge, tightly roll up the dough. And then give the final seam a little pinch so that it seals. Use a knife to cut the rolls, About an inch between each roll, you should get 11-12 to fit into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

Then cover dish with a damp towel, and leave the dish in a warm place to rise for 25 minutes. I turn on my oven to 200 degrees, then turn it off and place the dish in the oven with the door cracked open. 

While the dough is rising, make the icing

Whisk together butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until combined. I used a hand mixer. If the icing is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin. If the icing is too thin, add a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar to thicken.

When the rolls have risen, uncover the dish. Then place on the center rack of the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. Drizzle with icing while still warm then serve!

Thinking

Starting to realize that sometimes I need to put myself first, and start taking better care of myself so I can be a better person for my family.

Citrus oven roasted chicken

I found a roasted chicken recipe that I liked, so I tweaked it a little bit to fit my needs. Some of the seasonings I used, I also used on another chicken recipe but this one is a little different.

Recipe serves 5

Ingredients

1 package chicken drumsticks, bone in skin on

1 package chicken thighs bone in skin on

2 lemons

 2 oranges

fresh parsley (for garnish)

1 small yellow onion, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

Directions

Add 1/4 cup olive oil to a bowl

Add sugar, dried parsley,garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to bowl

cut lemon in half, squeeze juice into bowl

cut orange in half, squeeze juice into bowl

whisk together, this will be the marinade for the chicken

Add chicken to the marinade and let sit for 15 minutes

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Slice remaining oranges and lemons

In a 9x13 pan arrange a few lemon and orange slices, as well as onion

Place chicken skin side up in the pan on top of citrus, scatter remaining onion and citrus slices on top

Bake in oven for 1 hour, then remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes to retain the juices.

Sprinkle fresh parsley over top for a garnish, This goes really great served over white rice.

Easy slow cooker classic chili

It's September! That means fall, football, and hopefully cooler temperatures. While it's still 90 degrees here, I made chili tonight anyways for the first game of the regular season. I don't like beans in my chili, so I loaded it with other veggies instead. This is my go to recipe when I'm just wanting a classic chili with just a little kick of heat. 

Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 small onion, chopped

Two 8 oz cans tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

1 can rotel

1/2 c water

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

green onions

shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

Directions

Brown ground beef in a pan until pink is gone

Drain the fat from the beef

Add beef to crock pot 

Add corn, onion, bell pepper, and rotel

Add tomato sauce and tomato paste

Add 1/2 c of water, stir together if chili looks to thick you can add more water

Add pepper, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and pepper flakes

If you want a spicier chili feel free to add more chili powder and pepper flakes

Cook on low for at least 2 hours, I find the longer you let it sit the more tender the beef gets.

When it's finished top with cheese, sour cream, green onion

Easy burrito bowls

You know those burrito bowls they make at Chipotle? Sooo good right? But kind of expensive, and I don't have one in my town. So here's a recipe I came up with to try to replicate the taste and I think it came pretty close. Also I bought pre-packaged already cooked meat, it speeds up the process that much more but feel free to cook your own meat as well.

Ingredients

1 bag tyson grilled and ready chicken strips, or steak strips

1 cup white rice

1 lime

salt

bunch of cilantro

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 onion 

leaf lettuce

olive oil

tomatoes

salsa

sour cream

queso fresca

Directions

Pour 1 cup of rice into pan, add 2 cups of water

Cover pan, and bring to a boil

Once boiling, turn burner on low and let rice sit for about 10 minutes

While rice is cooking chop peppers and onions

Rice is done when all the water is soaked up, and fluffy

Spoon rice into bowl, add 1 1/2 tsp salt, juice of 1 lime, and a handful of cilantro

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan, and saute peppers and onions until soft and onions turn golden. 

These are basically the only things you need to cook, after this you just assemble your burrito bowl with the cilantro lime rice, and then any ingredients you want! I listed the ones I usually use in the ingredients. See? Pretty easy right? And an easy way to satisfy your craving. Enjoy!