Apple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

Rolls:

• 1 Package of Active Dry Yeast
• 3 1/4 Cup of Flour
• 1/3 Cup of Sugar
• Teaspoon of Salt
• 3/4 Cup of Milk
• 1/4 Cup of Apple Juice
• 1/4 Cup of Butter (1/2 of a Stick) + 1/4 Cup of Butter (1/2 of a Stick)
• 1 Egg
• 2 Cups of Brown Sugar
• 2 Medium Size Apples (Cored, Peeled, and Diced into Small Pieces)
• 1 Cup of Pecans
• 2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon

Icing:

• 1/4 Cup of Apple Juice
• 3 Tablespoons of Vanilla
• 1/4 Cup of Milk
• Handful of Pecans
• 1/2 Cup of Butter (1 Stick  – Melted!)
• 1 lb (1 bag or 1/2 a 2 lb bag) of Confectioner’s Sugar (Powdered Sugar)

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 325 Degrees

Grease your Pan (s)

In a Medium / Large size Mixing Bowl, stir the Yeast, Flour, Sugar, and Salt together, Make sure it is mixed well, then set aside.

In a Small Saucepan, Melt 1/4 Cup of Butter with Milk and Apple Juice. This should take about 5 -10 Minutes on Low – Medium Heat

Pour this into the Dry Ingredient Mixture

Add the Egg

Stir these all together (this might be hard, or maybe it was for me for my lack of muscles)

Once it’s all mixed and sticky, put it onto your floured surface and knead for 2 -5 Minutes, until the ball is smooth

Cover this with a towel and let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes

While this sits, mix the Apple Pieces, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Pecans together, using your hands, mix it. – Set Aside

With a Floured Rolling Pin, roll this into a rectangle (I have to use my hands a bit when making it a rectangle, otherwise it is ALWAYS  a circle) about 12 – 16 inches LONG and 5 -8 Inches WIDE

Using the rest of the Butter (1/4 Cup  – Softened for Spreading) – Spread with a butter knife all over the dough, leaving about 1/4 Inch around the Edges clear of butter though (If you want to use more than 1/4 Cup, FEEL FREE! 🙂 )

Sprinkle the Apple – Brown Sugar all over the Rectangle

Start rolling this towards you, horizontally, as thin as you can get it (tight rolling)

Once you have rolled it, pinch the dough to close it

Cut it into discs’, about 1 – 3 Inches thick, basically whatever you prefer

Place them into the dishes, about 1-2 Inches apart

Cover them with a towel again – Let them sit for 30 – 40 Minutes

Bake for 25 – 30 Minutes

While they bake, make the Icing:

Melt the Butter in a Medium Mixing Bowl

Add the Apple Juice, Milk, and Vanilla – Stir

Add the Pecans

Add the Powdered Sugar in two parts – Stir from the bottom so it doesn’t go everywhere and SLOWLY, otherwise you’ll end up covered in Powdered Sugar

Make sure it’s not as thin as water but not as thick as yogurt, easy to pour.

Once the Cinnamon Rolls have baked and cooled for 5 – 10 Minutes, Pour the Icing over top.

Enjoy!

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Cinnamon Rolls

These are pure butter and sugar. Melt in your mouth as my Mom put it. I don’t even like Cinnamon Rolls and i’ve eaten two. I used a recipe of Pioneer Woman’s and tweaked it a bit. Her food is always amazing so I was really excited to try them.  They did not disappoint. I can’t wait to let Isaiah try them because he really loves Cinnamon Rolls. As I put at the end of this post, this is a great “start” recipe for them because you can really add your own flavoring to them such as nuts or flavor extracts. Please Enjoy these as much as I do!

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 2 Cups of Milk
• 1/2 Cup of Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Cup of Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla
• 1 Package of Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 Teaspoons)
• 4 1/2 Cups of Flour
• 1  Teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 1  Teaspoon of Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon of Salt

Filling:

• 1 Cup of Butter (1 Stick, Melted)
• 1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon
• 1/2 Cup of White Sugar
• 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar

Icing:

• 2 Cups of Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 Cup of Butter (1 Stick, Melted)
• 2 Tablespoons of Vanilla
• Sprinkle of Salt
• 3/4 Cup of Milk

Directions:

Makes 12 – 16 Cinnamon Rolls (Or double it so you can freeze more)

You need to make the dough first because it has to set out for at least 40 Minutes after mixing it

Over Medium Heat in a Medium – Large Saucepan mix together the Milk, Vegetable Oil, Vanilla, and Sugar for about 10 Minutes, until Sugar is dissolved then move it away from the heat, let it sit for 5 Minutes

Sprinkle the yeast overtop the Mixture  and let it sit for 1 – 2 Minutes

Add 4 Cups of the Flour – Stir Well

Cover the pan with a towel and let is sit for 40 – 60 Minutes (In the kitchen, so it’s warmer, not the fridge)

Towards the end of waiting for the dough to rise, melt the butter in a glass pouring dish

Once the dough is risen, add the rest of the flour (1/2 Cup) and Baking Soda and Powder. Mix it thoroughly

On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle as evenly as you can. (I’m not very good at it… mine was more of a circle)

Pour a little bit of Butter in the pans you are using (I used mini pans so I could use them on mornings for myself) and make sure the bottom is covered

Pour the Butter over the dough once it’s rolled (spread it with your fingers if you need to), sprinkle the cinnamon and sugars all around. Make sure you get the sides and ends, not just the middle. Let it set in for a couple minutes. ** You can NEVER have too much butter or sugar, BUT you can make it hard to roll if you put TOOOOO much butter on, so make sure it’s coated well but not overflowing like grass in a hurricane**

Roll the dough towards you, horizontally, in tight rolls

Cut the Cinnamon Rolls from your log, about 1 – 2 Inches each

Place them into the Pan (s) waiting for them, pretty closely together

Put a towel over them AGAIN, for 15 – 25 Minutes, letting them rise more (and I like to think, let the flavors gain intensity)

Bake them for 15  Minutes on 375 Degrees

Take them out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack

While they’re cooling, mix together the Icing ingredients. This should be thicker than water, but still EASILY drizzable. You can add more powdered sugar if you want it thicker, I like mine more glaze like. You can also add flavoring such as mocha or maple and pecans to the rolls. These are pretty basic (not in flavor!) so please feel free to add your own little tastes and let me know how it goes!

Pour the Icing over the Cinnamon Rolls while they’re still warm. Serve once they’ve cooled a touch

Also you can freeze them from this state, then reheat at 300 Degrees for 10 – 15 Minutes

Enjoy!

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Zucchini Pecan Bread

I tried to make  Zucchini Chocolate Chip Pecan bread today…

I forgot the chocolate chips.

It’s been that type of day.

Either way, the bread is delicious, and my friends are going to love it. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 3 Eggs (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup of Applesauce (handy little to -go cup size)
• 1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla
• 1/2 cup of Butter (1 stick)
• 2 cups of Shredded Zucchini
• 1 cup of Pecan pieces
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (Which i’m sure would be amazing in it…)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Use either 2 small bread loaf pans (9 x 5 x 3) or a larger, but still small pan, whichever you prefer (I’m guessing and you’re probably better than me, so just go with your gut 🙂

Shred zucchini (I use a cheese grater)

Mix first 6 ingredients (Flour  to Baking Powder)

Mix together Eggs, Applesauce, Oil, Vanilla, and Butter. (Electric Mixer is best)

Stir in the Zucchini, Pecan pieces, and Chocolate Chips…

Bake for 55-60 minutes.

(P.S. You can add shredded carrots or walnut pieces to add variety)

Enjoy!

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