Aunt Lisa's Cinnamon Rolls

1 1/2 T. yeast

1 c. warm water

2 1/4 c. milk

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. crisco

1 1/2 t. salt

5 eggs

9-11 c. of flour

Mix yeast and warm water together. Sprinkle with a squosh (large pinch) of sugar, stir and let set.

Heat in microwave the milk, sugar, crisco and salt until the crisco melts.

Let the crisco mixture cool some then add 5 eggs and beat with beaters.

Add the yeast mixture and beat again.

Add 4 cups of flour and beat again.

Then add enough flour to make proper dough. (Proper dough is when the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl; usually 5-7 additional cups)

Let rise until double in size.

Roll out to about 18x24 inches.

Spread on melted butter.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll up.

Cut in 2 inch thick pieces.

Spray cookie sheets with PAM.

Place 6 rolls on a sheet.

Let raise again.

Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

FROSTING:

1 cube margarine

1 c. brown sugar

6 oz. evaporated milk

1 bag powder sugar (2 lb.)

Boil all ingredients for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and beat in almost (but not quite) the whole bag of powder sugar.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Chasseur

Bryan's critique?... "Unbelievable!"

8 slices bacon, finely chopped
vegetable oil
6 bone-in, skin-on split chicken breast halves (10-12 oz. each or 12 thighs at 6-8 oz. each)
salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed thoroughly and finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced (or 1 t. dried)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

1. Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add bbacon to the crockpot. Reserve the bacon fat separately. You should have at least 2 T. If not, use vegetable oil for the missing fat.

2. Dry chicken with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 t. bacon fat to the skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of the chicken on both sides, about 10 minutes. Put in the crockpot. (Remove the browned skin if using thighs.) Return the skillet to medium high heat and repeat with 2 more teaspoons of fat and the rest of the chicken. Discard any fat left in the skillet.

3. Add the remaining 2 t. fat to empty skillet. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add cremini's, red onion and 1/4 teaspoons salt. Cook until mushroom are brown, 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Cook for 15 seconds. Stir in wine and tomato paste, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Put in crockpot.

4. Add tomatoes, 1.5 cups broth, porcini's, thyme, bay leaves and red pepper flakes to crockpot. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, about 4 hours.

5. Transfer chicken to large serving dish. Tent loosely with foil.

6. Discard bay leaves. Set the crockpot to high. Whisk flour with remaining 1/2 cup broth until smooth. Stir into crockpot. Cover and continue to cook until sauce is thickened and no longer tastes of flour, 15 to 30 minutes longer.

7. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon vegetables and some of the sauce over the chicken. Serve, passing the remaining sauce separately.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

I thought these were AWESOME!
Found in my Taste of Home Baking Book
Recipe is by Debbie Kokes

1 c. butter-flavored shortening
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt

FILLING:
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
3 c. confectioners' sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
5 to 6 T. milk

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

2. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten to 3/8-in. thickness with a fork. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine filling ingredients; beat until smooth. Spread on the bottom of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.

Yield: 4 dozen

Alyssa's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Given to me by a mysterious ghost (aka: Alyssa) during Halloween. Left on my doorstep with a note that said ,"Do it or die!" (meaning, pass on the merriment) Alyssa failed to leave a little smiley face at the end of the threat thereby relieving me of any alarm so I was, for a time, slightly alarmed. I took a great risk and never did pass on the merriment. But to this day I am still alive. Is that not a moving story?

These cookies are so soft they're like eating pure care bear cloud dust. That's the only way I know how to explain it. ( :

1 c. margarine/butter

3 c. sugar

3 eggs

3 c. can pumpkin

12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

5 c. flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

3 tsp. cinnamon

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Makes like 6 dozen. Enjoy!

Valentine Sponge Cake Cubes

SIMPLY DIVINE!!!

Cut a frozen sponge cake into 1-inch cubes.

• Tip: I bought my sponge cake at Harmons for way too much money. I suggest making your own large batch (maybe sheet cakes) because you throw a lot of it away carving it into perfect 1 inch cubes. You can reuse the discarded pieces in a trifle or something. I wish I had a best ever sponge cake recipe to share with ya'all but I don't yet.
• Best to have a really really sharp knife because perfectly straight edges are key.
  

Melt canned frosting in the microwave at 30 second intervals until it becomes the consistency of heavy cream.

• Tip: What the heck is canned frosting? Not sure why they say canned when all the frosting comes in plastic containers. Why don't they just say 'premade' or something so I don't have to wonder whether I got the right thing. For a novice like myself these little inconcistencies cause me stress only b/c I know if you don't follow the recipe exactly it could flop. And I HATE flops. Anyway, the frosting in the plastic container worked great... just be sure it's the normal stuff and not the 'whipped'. (I'm assuming that wouldn't work so great)
• Tip: On the cover of Women's Day their little sponge cubes were pink and white and dark red. Well, so I try to make dark red frosting and I empty my entire little bulb of food coloring and my frosting is still just dark pink. GAH! I still haven't figured it out. I'm thinking I have to buy a really big glass vile of red food coloring and just use it all. I must figure this out.

Dip the frozen cubes in the frosting like you were dipping chocolates.

• Tip: I just plop them in there one at a time making sure they're completely covered with frosting and then gently lift them out with a fork so that the excess frosting drips off.

Then the recipe said to slide them onto tinfoil (not sure why you would use tinfoil instead of parchment paper).

Sprinkle immediatly if you're going to put sprinkles on them. The frosting begins to set immediatly.

They need to set out for quite some time for them to truly set up. I'm guessing because the frozen pound cake continues to defrost which means it releases moisture making the frosting take awhile longer to really set up.

On the cover of WD each cube was in it's own little square white cupcake liner type thing which I thought was SOOOO cute. I think 4 or 6 of those in a cute little box would make for the perfect little valentine gift. One was dark red with white sprinkles (so cute), another was light pink with a red gel frosting heart on it (tried this.... didn't look so cute when I did it).

Parmesan Crusted Sandwhiches

These are from Heidi's recipe blog. They are utterly fantastic. I didn't have Monterey Jack cheese so we used Provolone and Mozzarella which turned out fabulous. I also substituted onion salt for onion powder because I didn't have any onion powder. I suggest cooking on a lower heat so the cheese has a chance to melt before the bread is toasted and the parmesan crusts. And I definitely suggest the Honey Mustard recipe below. It was divine.

Grilled Parmesan Sandwiches – Celeste Gooch

1 loaf – sour dough bread
Softened butter
1 clove garlic - minced
¼ C. freshly grated parmesan
1 packet Italian seasoning
Deli sliced ham
Sliced Monterey Jack Cheese
Tomato
Honey Mustard

In a small bowl, mix softened butter, minced garlic and parmesan cheese – set aside.

Cut fresh sour dough bread in sandwich slices. Spread butter mixture on bottom of bread (grilling side). Spread honey mustard on the other side of bread. Top with ham and tomato. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and top with Monterey Jack cheese. Top with another piece of sour dough bread and spread butter mixture on bottom. Cook the sandwich on a skillet like you would a grilled cheese sandwich OR if you are lucky enough to own a Panini maker (Summer) go to town with that.

I also like to make my own honey mustard – the recipe is below –

Honey Mustard – Sarah Russell

½ C. Dijon mustard
½ C. honey
¼ C. corn syrup
¼ C. mayonnaise
Dash of onion powder

Combine in small bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork.