Easy homemade Soft Pretzels

I was on the hunt to find a pretzel recipe that was easy, but definitely had the taste factor as well.  I tried this recipe out with preschoolers!!!! and it turned out amazing.  Super easy.  Alot of pretzel recipes require you to cook the pretzel in hot water/baking soda solution.  This recipe uses that method, but you just put the water and baking soda in a shallow dish.  Super simple, and flavorful.  As with all "bread" recipes, it is recommended to enjoy this the day of.  You could do so many options for toppings on these pretzels.  I did cinnamon and sugar, and also pink Himalayan salt (from Costco).  Both were equally good.  Get creative and have fun with this. Recipe and picture credit here.

Easy Homemade Pretzels

• 1 cup milk
• 1 package active dry yeast (not rapid rise yeast) (1 package contains 1/4 oz. or approximately 2 1/4 tsp.)
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (2 tablespoons for the dough; 3 tablespoons for brushing on finished pretzels)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/3 cup baking soda
• Coarse salt, to taste*

1.  Warm milk in the microwave until very warm; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup of the flour with a wooden spoon. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 ¼ cups flour and fine salt to make a sticky dough. Add more flour if necessary (you'll probably need a few tablespoons) to form dough into a ball. Either knead doygh by hand or use your kitchen aid mixer and knead for 5 min, adding a little bit more flour to prevent sticking on the sides.  Shape into a ball, place in a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each into a pretzel shape (form a U-shape, then holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press firmly onto the bottom of the pretzel).
3. Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on a prepared baking sheet (re-shaping if necessary) and sprinkle lightly with course salt. Bake until golden, 10 – 12 minutes. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter and brush on baked pretzels. The pretzels are best enjoyed fresh on the same day.
4. *If you prefer a cinnamon sugar topping, omit the coarse salt. Brush with butter after baking and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar plus about 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon)

 

Artisan Bread (Fool Proof)

I again got this recipe from my friend Jenny J.  She makes homemade bread for her family a ton.  Number one because they are picky eaters and she knows they will eat bread, and number two is because she is a rock star and cooks for her family every night.  This recipe is so easy because there is no kneading involved.  Because of that it's more of a bread to enjoy right when it comes out of the oven.  I usually cut the leftovers up and freeze it in the freezer and use it for toast.  The texture is chewy, with a crispy outside.  The bread is super flavorful. 

   

 Artisan Bread (Fool Proof)

1 1/2 tbs yeast
2 tsp sugar
3 C warm/hot water

Combine these ingredients in a bowl, and let yeast activate.

6 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 Tbs kosher salt
Any other mix ins (dried herbs, garlic, etc)

Add these ingredients to the yeast mixture.  Stir all together to combine and form a ball in the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, and let sit on the counter for 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place a glass loaf pan or 9x13 pan on the lower rack filled with 1-2 cups water.  (This creates steam in the oven for optimal texture).

Pour dour out onto a well floured counter, form into 2 large rounds or 4 smaller rounds.  Place on a jelly roll pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Cut slits using a serrated knife on the top of bread for design.  Let dough rise for another 20-30 min. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven. Remove to a cooling rack. 

30 Minute Pizza Dough/Bread Dough

I love this recipe for my pizza.  It's fast and flavorful.  You can also make a quick loaf of bread with it.  But don't expect super fluffy bread.  It's denser than a dough that takes twice as long.  But when you are in a pinch, this does this trick without sacrificing flavor. 1/2 the recipe for one pizza dough crust.

30 minute Pizza Dough/Bread Dough

3 c. warm water
2 1/2 Tbs Dry active yeast
1 Tb. sugar
1 to 1 1/2 Tbs salt (depends on how salty you want it)
3 Tbs Honey (not necessary but I like the flavor)
5-6 C flour

Put warm water, yeast, sugar and honey into mixing bowl.  Add 5-6 cups of flour and the salt.  Adding more flour if needed.  Knead with the dough hook on the kitchen aide mixture until the mixture is smooth and elastic.  Let dough rise for 20 minutes or so.  Bake at 400 degrees for a loaf of bread for 20-30 minutes.  Or bake at 500 degrees for a pizza with all your toppings on it, until it is nice and golden brown.

Donut Muffins

I'm sitting down at my computer, and my brain wants to explode with how good these are.  I tried these on Sunday, when my friend Jenny brought them to church.  I saw them, and thought, "oh, its just a cinnamon and sugar coated muffin".  But, when I tried one, I felt like I was eating an actual donut.  The texture, and flavor make these muffins unbelievable.  This is for sure my new fav.  Thanks Jenny J!
Tonight I tried rolling the donut in powdered sugar, and it was off the charts good.  The cinnamon and sugar coating tastes like a churro donut and you get a good texture from the sugar crystals (Lana you will love this). 
Make this for breakfast this year on Easter morning, YOUR FAMILY WILL, (as my 4 year old son Cameron likes to say when something is good) "DIE OUT".
DO NOT OVERCOOK these babies, keep a close eye on them as oven temps vary.

Donut Muffins

1/3 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg (a must)

6 tbs butter, melted
powdered sugar (1 cup or so)
cinnamon and sugar mixture (1/2 cup or so)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine sugar and shortening, add egg.  Mix until creamy.  Add milk, combine well.  Add flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.  Stir until dough comes together.  Spray a 12 muffin tin with cooking spray.  Divide dough evenly among 12 muffin tins.  Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until tops are just set.  Tops of the muffins should still be white. 
Remove each muffin one at a time, dip into melted butter, and then coat with cinnamon and sugar or powdered sugar.  Let cool on a cooling rack. (Makes 12 muffins)

Picture courtesy of Sugarcrafter

Pumpkin Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Swirl

It's fall.  It doesn't feel like fall in Hawaii, except for a little bit more rain here and there.  Thank goodness for Pinterest to snap me into reality that the seasons are in fact changing.  I absolutely LOVE pumpkin.  I stocked up last year at the end of the season, so I have had 4 large cans in my pantry that are good thankfully until 2014.  I think pumpkin in general is pretty expensive given that it is a canned food, but pumpkin in Hawaii...super pricey.  What isn't here though, right?  So this bread is a true treat.  I did some research on this recipe, and decided to pair it with my pumpkin bread recipe, and tweak the swirl to have more of a unique flavor.  Hence, you've got the cream cheese mixture flavored with orange zest.  It's awesome.  Not only is this a new twist on pumpkin bread, but it looks amazing.  I love a good presentation.  Of course if you wanted to add nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips, by all means it's your call.  If you don't want to flavor it orange, leave out the zest.

      Pumpkin Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Swirl

1/2 c oil
1 1/2 c pumpkin
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda

Swirl:
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
zest of an orange
1/4 sugar

 Preheat oven to 340 degrees. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, sugar, and vanilla, mix well. Combine dry ingredients to the wet ones until well combined. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, egg and orange zest together until well blended. Spray loaf pans with cooking spray (2 medium loaf pans or 4-5 small ones).  Spread a thin layer of the pumpkin batter on the bottom of the loaf pans.  Divide cream cheese mixture among the loaves, then top with remaining pumpkin batter.  Take the end of a knife and swirl each loaf around.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set. Let sit for 10 minutes, and then remove from pans.

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

I'm usually not one to get excited over pancakes. They are pretty ordinary, and I usually buy the pre-made buttermilk pancake mix. Those taste good and get the job done, but if you want something extra special, this a recipe for you. Granted the batter has some butter in it to make it decadent, but the extra addition of sugar send these over the top! I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The buttermilk gave these cakes a great texture and flavor, and they are light and fluffy. I LOVE THESE PANCAKES...my eyes were rolling when I ate them. I poured real maple syrup over them and they were incredible. The kids didn't notice the difference, but the food snob that I am did, and that's all that matters, right?

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

3 c flour
4-5 tbs sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 c buttermilk
1/4 c milk
3 eggs
1/3 c butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk eggs in measuring cup, pour into batter. Add buttermilk, milk and melted butter. Stir just until combined....don't whip and over mix. Cook pancakes on a preheated griddle. I use my 1/4 cup measure to pour my pancakes on. Cook until golden on each side.

Flour Tortillas (Gorditas)

It's been awhile, I know. Life has not been abnormally busy, but I just needed to take a break from recipe experimentation. But, I'm back and have some new recipes coming your way! I'm thinking about publishing all the recipes on this blog into one cookbook, including some bonus recipes. However, I wanted to know from my followers/friends if this is something worth putting time into. Answer the poll question to your left! Thanks!
I have another flour tortilla recipe on this blog, but it has alot more shortening in it. While it's good, this recipe is awesome! The tortilla has body to it, kind of like a gordita that you would get at Taco Bell. These tortillas are super good for wraps, tacos, and a replacement for pita bread or any flat bread. They are super flavorful, soft, and make any meal TDF! They store very well in the fridge, you just need to reheat them in a dry skillet on high until warmed. Don't worry if you can't roll out a perfect circle. My tortillas are not perfectly round, they are much more rustic looking.
You could try substituting one cup of whole wheat flour to these a little more healthy. However, I like white and not wheat....and can't we all agree white tastes better anyways?

Flour Tortillas (Gorditas)

2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp oil
3/4 c lukewarm milk (2 percent is fine)
2 tbs shortening

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening. With your hands, mix the ingredients, incorporating the shortening into the flour. Stir in milk and oil until combined. Pour mixture onto the countertop (it will be dry and crumbly at first, but after kneading, it will come together) and knead until smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes). Return kneaded dough to bowl, cover and let sit for 30 minutes (this is to let the gluten relax, the dough will NOT rise). Using a knife or kitchen scissors, cut large dough ball into 8-10 pieces. Preheat a pancake griddle or a large skillet to medium high heat. Roll out small dough balls until very, very, thin and at least 8-10 inch wide. (the dough will shrink once placed on the griddle). Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until done.

Mango Muffins

We have a mango tree in our backyard. Mango season in Hawaii is in the summer, so we have been enjoying amazing mangos! They taste so incredibly good straight from the tree. They are slightly warmed from the sun (I know warmed mango sounds gross, but it's so good). We have probably had about 50 mangos from our trees so far, and probably another 50 to go. My husband eats 3 a day!
We have breakfast for dinner at least once a week in our family. I decided to make these muffins to go with our eggs and bacon. Muffins are a great way to have something sweet on side, when you don't want to make pancakes. Plus, we eat the leftover muffins the next day for breakfast. I think this muffin base is good for any fresh fruit. I packed mine FULL of mangos. My husband said they tasted like mango/peach cobbler. I guess that's a compliment??? if you do not have or like almond extract, leave it out. But, you know how I love anything almond!

Mango Muffins

2 mangos, peeled, and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 c shredded coconut
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c oil
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 tbs vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)

In a separate measuring cup, measure milk and vinegar, stir, and then let sit. (You are creating your own buttermilk) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray, set aside. In a medium bowl combine sugar, oil, and eggs, mix well. Add vanilla and almond extract, mix. Combine salt, baking soda, and flour in a bowl. Add milk and flour a little bit at a time, until combined. Stir in chopped mango and coconut. Fill muffin tins to the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Living in Hawaii presents a dilemma when it comes to obtaining items for Mexican food...my favorite. Bread/tortillas are very stale by the time they get to the island, since they have been on a boat for who knows how long. So, I decided I would make my own. Intimidated the first time? Yes. But, after trying this recipe out, it was so stinkin easy, I probably would be making my own even if I still lived in California. I used my pancake griddle to cook these and turned the temperature up to 400 degrees. It worked beautifully. You are not looking for these to get crisp, you will be able to tell when they are done. They will bubble up on each side. You can divide the dough up into 8 portions for bigger burritos (or cafe rio salad bottom), or make 10-12 smaller ones for soft tacos.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

3 c flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c shortening
3/4 c very hot water

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs. Add hot water, and mix until dough form a ball. Knead dough until smooth (about 1-2 minutes). Place in a bowl and let rest for 1 hour. (The dough will not rise). Divide dough into 8 equal portions, and roll out very thin. Cook on a hot pan or griddle on each side, until bubbly. (Note: my tortillas were very rustic and were not perfect circles, so don't stress)

Moist Pumpkin Bread

This recipe is so easy, very pumpkinny, and makes alot! This is probably the most moist sweet bread recipe I have and I got it from my Aunt Kym years ago. You don't really need butter unless you are feeling sinful. I love to make this anytime during the year. I make mine in mini loaf pans (you can get them at the grocery store). These are perfect for bringing to brunch, or giving away to friends and family. You can leave out the nuts and raisins if you do not like them...the bread has enough flavor on it's own. Also, you may need to adjust cooking times depending on the size of pan you are using. If you are using a large loaf pan, turn the oven temp down 10 15 degrees to insure even cooking.

Moist Pumpkin Bread

1 c oil
3 c pumpkin (large can)
1 c walnuts, chopped
4 c. sugar
1 c. raisins
4 c. flour
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 340 degrees. In a very large bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, sugar, nuts, vanilla and raisins, mix well. Combine dry ingredients to the wet ones until well combined. Spray loaf pans with cooking spray (4 medium loaf pans or 8 small ones) and evenly divide batter between each pan. Bake for 1 hour. Let cool for 20 minutes, and then remove from pans.

Easy Dessert Bread Sticks

I made my Fast and Easy Bread Sticks recipe the other night, and had a lime in my fridge, and decided to make savory and sweet bread sticks at the same time. I grated the lime zest of one lime and combined it with a 1/2 of a cup of sugar. I stirred the sugar and the zest together so that they were combined. When rolling out the breadstick dough, prepare as listed in the recipe, brush with butter, and then generously sprinkle with lime sugar. Bake according to recipe. Prepare citrus frosting by combing the juice of one lime, 1 tbsp softened butter, a pinch of salt, and powdered sugar to desired "drizzle" consistency. Drizzle frosting over hot bread sticks when they come out. These came out incredible! I think I ate a dozen of them. I also like to make cinnamon sugar bread sticks, omitting the lime, and using a cinnamon and sugar mixture instead. Enjoy!

Orange Poppy Seed Bread

Many of you have probably tried this or maybe you haven't. Sometimes I'm timid in posting certain recipes, because I feel like it is not the latest and greatest recipe out there. But, with baking season around the corner, I felt this recipe was fitting. So, if you already have this one, just check back in a couple of days for a new recipe.
I love how incredibly moist this bread turns out. What makes this bread so good is the glaze that goes on the bread while it is still warm. A sugary combination of almond and orange soaks into the bread. I say anything that has frosting is delicious. It's funny, growing up I HATED frosting, and now I love it...(this isn't a good thing by the way). Sometimes I make these in mini loaf pans so that there is less surface area for the glaze to cover, YUM. (Adjust cooking time if making it in a mini loaf, fill mini loaf pan till about 1/2 full).
Make some for your friends, you will love this one, and so will everyone around you.

Orange Poppy Seed Bread

3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 c sugar
1 tbs poppy seeds
3 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1 tbs water
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
For the glaze:
1/3 c orange juice concentrate
3/4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

Grease 3 loaf pans and dust lightly with a mixture of flour and sugar. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl until combined then stir in poppy seeds. Blend together remaining wet ingredients, until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until Incorporated. Pour into pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from the oven. Make glaze, and then while the loaves are still hot, prick loaves several times with a fork, making sure to get all the way to the bottom. Pour glaze evenly over the top of the loaves. Allow loaves to cool before slicing.

Hamburger Buns

I know what your thinking..."why would I make my own hamburger buns when I could buy them?" Well here are some reasons. They taste WAY better homemade, they do cost less, and you feel like you are eating a gourmet/snazzy meal even though you are just eating hamburgers for dinner. I found this recipe, and modified it slightly to provide more flavor in the dough. My family LOVES eating hamburgers or chicken burgers on these buns. They taste awesome, and don't get soggy or crumbly. I usually make up the batch and freeze half, so that I can pull them out of the freezer when I need them. If you are afraid of making bread or working with yeast, you are not alone. It has taken me some major practice to feel comfortable. Back in the day, cinnamon rolls were mistaken for hockey pucks. I have a Kitchenaid mixer, and I love it.
I really wanted to conquer making bread, and so I told myself that I would start with pizza dough, because it is very forgiving. Then I moved on to a basic roll recipe from my mother in law (I will post that recipe soon). Once making these 2 bread recipes, I finally got to the point where I no longer needed a thermometer to check the temp on the water, and my bread comes out fluffy and a good texture every time. I swear that if I can do it, you can do it. It just takes practice.

Hamburger Buns

1 c. milk
1 c. water
2 tbs. butter
1 tbs. sugar
2 1/2 tsp salt
5 1/2 c. flour (more or less)
1 pkg instant yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tbs. water

In a glass measuring cup, combine water, milk, butter and sugar. Microwave until liquid is warm/hot and let the butter melt in the milk mixture (let mixture cool till very warm). In a mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour, salt, and yeast. When milk mixture has come to a very warm temperature, add to dry ingredients. Mix until combined, add more flour to desired consistency. Knead for 8 minutes, adding flour if dough become too sticky. Placed dough in a greased bowl in a warm draft free place (in the oven works best). Cover and let dough rise for 1 hour. Punch down dough, and divide into 12 pieces. Grease a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Roll each piece on dough into a ball, stretching it to make a smooth top, place in cookie sheet. Cover, and let rise for 25-45 more minutes or until almost doubled. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl combine egg yolk with water, and mix. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Fast and Easy Bread-sticks

This recipe rescued me when I made tortellini soup and needed some good bread to go along with it. I didn't have time or patience to make homeade rolls or bread, these were so fast to put together and so good. My 4 year old ate 2 bowls of soup and 4 breadsticks all by himself! He LOVED them. I flavored mine with fresh garlic, dried basil, salt and pepper,(mixed these in with the melted butter) and a sprinkling of parmesean cheese. These remind me of the bread-sticks they serve at Pizza Factory, they turned out TDF, and I will be making these on a regular basis. The recipe makes between 20-25 breadsticks, depending on how thick or thin you cut them. I cut them about and inch wide, and then twisted them, but you can lay them flat if that's what you prefer. They would also make fabulous sweet bread-sticks if you sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar, and then once they are out of the oven, dip them into some frosting....don't get me started!

Fast and Easy Bread-sticks

1 1/2 c. warm water
1 tbsp instant yeast
2 tbsp sugar
3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter, melted

Mix all ingredients except for melted butter in a large bowl or mixer, and then knead for about 3-4 minutes when dough comes together. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and melt butter into a small bowl. Roll dough out into a rectangle about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Cut dough into 1 inch strip with pizza cutter or knife. Grease jelly roll pan or cookie sheet, and twist each strip, and brush with butter, seasoning, cheese, etc. Cover dough with a cloth or pastic wrap, and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place (on top of the preheated oven works best for me). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Just Like a Restaurant Pizza Crust

I'm always on a search to make homemade pizza that would taste like you got it from a restaurant. I thought I had found a great pizza crust recipe, until I tried this one. I was watching Tyler's Ultimate this weekend on the Food Network, and he made pizzas. He whipped this pizza dough up very quickly, and I liked the technique that he used of heating the pan you are cooking the pizza on in the oven, before placing the dough on it. This technique is what makes the dough slightly crispy, chewy and soft. I also like that the dough is very flavorful, so you want to eat the crust. This recipe whips up in no time, and now it is my new favorite. The recipe makes 2 crusts, so if you only need one crust, cute the recipe in half. If you don't have stand mixer, just use your hands to mix, and knead.

Just Like a Restaurant Pizza Crust

2 pkgs active dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
2 c. warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
2 tbs. kosher salt or 1 1/2 tbs of table salt
6 c. flour, plus more for dusting
2 tbs olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water and stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.

If you're using a stand mixer, combine the salt and flour to the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Add the yeast mixture, at the lowest speed, until the flour incorporates. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough gathers into a ball. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough as you're making it by squeezing a small amount together between your thumb and fingers. If it's crumbly, add more water, if it's sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead with dough hook until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Form the dough into a round and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it over to coat the dough entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e., over a gas pilot light) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Place jelly roll pan in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Stretch dough with hands on a lightly floured surface until it's big enough to cover the pan. Remove hot pan from the oven, and put about 2 tbsp. of olive oil on pan, tilting it until the oil coats the whole pan. Place dough on hot pan, this starts the cooking process, and place sauce/toppings on pizza. Cook at 450, until golden brown on the bottom.

6 Week Buttermilk Bran Muffins

So, last year my sister Lana and I were obsessed with these incredible muffins. It is so nice to have fresh muffins in the morning, and we liked them because they were so moist, and you don't get hungry at all morning after eating these. The recipe we used calls for bran flakes, and these bran pellets that looked like rabbit food. I decided to try this recipe, and you get the same results, but it is not as expensive, and you don't have to deal with the rabbit pellets.
Lana likes these with honey butter, I love them with just butter, have them however you want! They are good muffins!

6 Week Buttermilk Bran Muffins

1 (15 oz.) Raisin Bran cereal
3 c. sugar
5 c. flour
5 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 c. oil
1 qt. buttermilk

In a large bowl, put cereal, and then pour buttermilk over the cereal and let sit until cereal become somewhat soggy. Combine dry ingredients, mix well. Combine wet ingredients, mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mix very well. Add buttermilk cereal mixture, and mix well. Put batter into an airtight container and put into the refrigerator 12- 24 hours before you make them. Take out what you need and put into muffin tins. Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. This batter will keep 6 to 8 weeks in the refrigerator.

Corn Muffins

I LOVE these corn muffins! They are so fast, and yummy. I have tried many recipes for cornbread, and I like these because they are muffins, they are sweet, the recipe doesn't make too much, and you don't need to add any butter or honey to make them moist after they cook. I got the recipe from Barefoot Contessa originally, and made a few adjustments. They really are worth making the next time you have soup or chili!

Corn Muffins

3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. cornmeal
2 tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. whole milk
1 c. butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs

Preheats oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk, melted butter, and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir just until blended. Spoon batter into paper liners, filling each one to almost the top. Bake for 3o minutes, until tops are crisp and toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from pan.

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls

I'm officially giving these the TDF factor...they are simply to die for! I got this recipe off another food blog, and tried it out. I modified it a little, to fit the ingredients that I had, and surprisingly I couldn't imagine that there is anything missing. The original recipe called for a cup of softened butter spread on the dough before topping it w/ the cinnamon and sugar, and I used 1/2 c. butter, and it was buttery enough!
The vanilla pudding is actually prepared,and then added to the dough! The results of this recipe was an incredibly moist, flavorful, fluffy, large cinnamon roll. Honestly, this recipe was better than anything I have had at a bakery. Try it...you will LOVE it...pure decadence!

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:
½ cup warm water (115-120 degrees)
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
6+ cups flour

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk

In a small measuring cup combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl (kitchen aid mixing bowl), take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well with paddle attachment. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Add 3 cups of flour. Remove paddle attachment, and attach dough hook. Add remaining flour slowly as needed, knead for 8-10 minutes on low. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place towel over the bowl, and let rise until doubled (I turned my oven to the lowest temp, and then shut it off, and put the bowl into the oven to rise, so that it would be nice and warm, and draft free).
Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Use as much flour as you need to help you roll the dough out. Take 1/2 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and 3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. (Do the same oven/warm place as described above).
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t overbake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency). Makes about 24 very large rolls.