Gifts In a Jar - Friendship Tea

We have some family friends that don't have a kitchen.  I'm serious.  They had an incident with a house fire more than a year ago and the kitchen still hasn't been completed.  Due to this situation, gift giving on our end was a little more difficult.  I wanted to make them some of the various Gifts in a Jar the girls and I have been gifting to friends and family.  Unfortunately, a kitchen is required for the baking or partial prep of the chosen gifts.

So, while brainstorming for ideas, Dad mentioned that their friends both drink tea and not coffee.

WOOT!

I HAVE my idea!

Friendship tea!  This yummy tea would be perfect in a jar, and only needs hot water - something I know our family friends DO have in their home!

And, due to the friends having given my girls many gifts and treats over the year, this would be a cute gift my girls could make for them as well.

There are many, many recipes for this tea online - Search for Spiced Tea, Christmas Tea, Friendship Tea and even the poorly named Russian Tea and you will be bombarded with recipes.  Some have sugar, some have none, some have lemonade, some only lemon flavoring, the combinations are endless.  Find a few that interest you.  Give a little and take a little.  Make it your own!  Then, make another batch, toss it in a jar and give it as a gift.  Your friend will love you for it!

Our batch of tea was the perfect size for one of my now emptied and run through the dishwasher Jewelry In Candles jars.  Due to the candle being soy, the recycled jars are perfectly acceptable to be used for food storage!

Friendship Tea
1 cup Tang
1 cup Lemonade (presweetened)
3/4 cup unsweetened, decaf tea crystals
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves

In a food processor, place all ingredients in bowl.  Pulse until mixed.  Store in airtight container.

When ready to serve, place 1 - 2 Tablespoons of mix in hot water.

This can also be made by placing all ingredients in a bowl and stirring.  I use the food processor as it makes the mix a little more fine and powdery and less of a mess when there are helpers in the kitchen.  Just imagine an open bowl, a spoon and a fight between a five and seven year old over who gets to stir.  Yes, pressing "pulse" on a food processor is a lot less mess!

Again, the sugar is 100% optional.  And if you can't find the presweetened lemonade, go ahead and buy two packets of unsweetened kool aid (the kind that will make 2 quarts a packet).  Then, just add some sugar to your liking, up to a cup, I would say.

Frosted Ice Box Rolls (Cinnamon Rolls)

Some of my favorite memories of growing up were from our family's Pizza Nights.

My Aunt Marilyn, Uncle John and their son, Craig would come out.  Sometimes, Dad's cousin Joe would join us.  We'd rent a movie from the local movie rental . . . I remember the excitement of knowing we had a movie reserved that we'd been wanting to watch for weeks! 

Rolled out dough all covered in cinnamon sugar goodness.

The pizzas were homemade - and we got to choose the toppings.

Then, every-so-often, we'd have cinnamon rolls.  My memories don't lend to there having been special reasons for the delicious goodies, but those rolls made our weekly pizza night into a Special Occasion.  I loved watching them roll out the dough with Mom's gold colored rolling pin, usually on her Tupperware mat.  Then, there was the sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.  The yeasty smell would scent the house, cinnamon would then mix in.  Soon, our mouths were watering and though the homemade pizzas of our creation were good, we were all eagerly anticipating the minute those rolls would be pulled from the oven and the icing drizzled over them.

We liked the evenings Mom and Aunt Marilyn would get side-tracked and the rolls would kinda do a little more than "DOUBLE" in size.  They would puff up to the top of the cake pans, and you just KNEW they were going to be a little doughy in the middle, even when done baking.  SIGH.  YUMMY.

Jump ahead a few years and to the Holiday season when cooking commercials and family togetherness overwhelm.  A very popular national brand has been telling us that baking and cinnamon rolls are necessary to be part of the perfect family demographic. 

This message not-so-subtly got my 91 year old Gramma thinking.  She started hankering for a cinnamon roll.  With the usual Thanksgiving and then Crhstimas backing, neither Mom nor I got around to baking them. 

The week leading up to Chrismtas led to Mom and Aunt Marilyn discussing Christmas Dinner.  Aunt Mariyln would be hosting at her beautiful house - my girls absolutely LOVE the Christmas Eve Tradtion of visiting there - especially as their magial elf knows we typically have dinner in there and has left their Christmas Eve PJs under Aunt Marilyn's Tree before!  I was wrapped up in getting work (we were on overtime), Christmas Projects, Christmas Presents, Christmas Parties and Christmas Programs completed, so I didn't really join in on any plans.

Until Mom mentioned how Gram G wanted cinnamon rolls.

Not ready to bake yet!

Oh, heck ya!  Let's forget Chrismts Eve Dinner and just go straight to the Cinnomon rolls was my thought.  Sadly, Mom didn't agree.  Something might have been mentioned about me being close to 40 and acting wose than the two under 10 year olds.

So, I did back down from the all cinnoon roll meal plan, but wouldn't let the subject drop. 

It was worth being called a pest.  It rewally was!

Aunt Marilyn made homemade cinnamon rolls.

Gram G had one after dinner.  I still think we should've checked under the table or in her pocket because I have NEVER seen a cinnomn roll disappear so quickly, and that's saying a lot growing up with my brother and boy cousins and my sweet-freak Dad and Uncle John! 

My Aunt Marilyn shared the recipe - and I tried it at home today.  They turned out PERFECTLY.  After making them, some thoughts (well, ***suggestions*** from my Dad) are double the icing amount that is drizzled over the rolls and maybe the same for the filling.  If not double it, maybe 1 and 1/2 times it.

Additionally, do not let it rise in your Kitchen Aide mixing bowl.  This will need to double - and I had to dig out my Gigantor Tupperware bowl (I don't know the size right now, but I will check it out). 

Also, because I don't keep cow milk in the house, I was a smidge worried, but using unflavored, unsweetened coconut milk didn't affect this in any way that I could notice.  And the homemade butter was PERFECT in these!

Frosted Ice Box Rolls
(makes 24 rolls)

2 pkg dry yeast (or 3 T if you by in bulk as I do)
1/2 c warm water (105-115 degrees, hotter will kill the yeast)
2 c lukewarm milk (scalded) (I just let milk warm in small pan on stove while I let yeast proof)
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil or shortening
3 t baking powder
2 t salt
1 egg at room temperature
5-7 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Let proof 5-10 minutes, until bubbly. 

Stir in lukewarm milk, sugar, oil, baking powder, salt, egg and 2-3 cups flour.  Beat until smooth.  Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easty to handle.  Turn out onto well-floured board and kneed until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes).  (Here, I just had the dough hook on my kitchen aide and let it continue to mix on medium for about that length of time due to being sidetracked with Christmas presents). 


Grease Gigantor size Tupperware bowl and place dough in bowl.  Cover and let rise in warm place until dough doubles in size (this was around 1 1/2 hours for me, with the dough sitting in front of the burning fireplace).  Dough will be ready when indentation remains when touched.

Grease 2 13x9 cake pans.

Punch dough down.  Divide in half.  Roll into 12x10 rectangle. 

Put filling of choice on top of rolled dough   Starting at wide side, roll dough.  Cut into twelve even pieces.  Space slightly apart in cake pan.  Wrap pan tightly with foil.  Repeat with remaining 1/2 of dough.



*** This next step is optional - you can simply skip the Fridge step and let rise again. ***  Refrigerate at least 12-48 hours.  Remove foil before letting rise and then baking.  - If skipping the fridge step and baking immediately, do not wrap in foil. -

*** Now, back to the mandatory steps either after removing from fridge or after placing in pan and skipping the fridge step.*** 
Let rise in warm pan until double (around 1/2 hour).

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes..

Frost with powdered sugar frosting.

Cinnamon Filling
4 T butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1 T and 1 tsp cinnamon

Spread softened butter on rolled out dough.  In small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture over buttered dough.

Caramel Pecan Filling
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 c butter
2 T light corn syrup

Heat brown sugar and butter until melted  Stir in corn syrup.  Spread over rolled out dough.  Sprinkle with pecans.

Icing
1 c powdered sugar
1 T milk (almond milk works well)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Frost while warm.

Granola!

I enjoy granola in my yogurt.  Not all of the time, but as a treat.

Then, one day a few years ago, I was reading the ingredients of one of the more highly recommended "healthier" granolas and was confused - WHY did they feel the need to add salt?  The company, who shall remain nameless, had listed each item:  oats, honey, almonds, salt, etc.  So, I knew the salt was added on its own and didn't get listed simply because it was already on the almonds or another ingredient.

So, like I always do, I decided to jump on the 'net to see what I could find about this little treat.  Seriously, it couldn't be too hard to make a granola . .  could it?

Checking out pinterest and Allrecipes and a few other sites, I realized that making granola might be a little time consuming, but would come together quickly.  As a bonus, I had every ingredient on hand to make my first attempt.

And, that attempt was devoured in no time flat!  Miss Mia became a convert and started requesting it as her "dessert" after dinner.  Aisey . . . well, they were like her Scooby Snacks.  There were some larger clumps, and she took to requesting those as special treats when she was being good or celebrating successes (potty training bribes, I will admit).

I've slowed down making it . . . not because it isn't good, because it is GREAT, but because I have to watch how I "spend" my energy.  I highly recommend tying this at least once!  Plus it's always fun to show the kids how we can make something at home instead of driving to a store and buying something that may have ingredients you don't necessarily want as part of your life. 

Granola
~ adapted from wallflourgirl

6 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup almonds, chopped (walnuts and pecans would work as well)
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c water
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 T cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300F.

Spray roasting pan (or anything 9x13 or larger) lightly with Pam.  Dump the oats and almonds into roasting pan.  Set aside.

Heat brown sugar nd water in a medium saucepan until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil.  turn off heat and stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour mixture over oat mixture in roasting pan nd still until oats are evenly coated  Ensure that oat mixture is even in height by patting down gently so there will be no uneven browning.

Bake at 300F for 45 minutes, until a deep golden brown.  Stir every 15 minutes.  Remove roasting pan to cooling rack and let baked granola cool completely.  After granola has cooled, crumble to size of your choice (as I said, there were some larger bite sized clumps mixed in with mine, but the girls liked it that way because it was like getting a "treat" with the larger clumps).

Stir in airtight container (wide mouth canning jars with reusable plastic lids are great to use . . . . or the large plastic nut containers - I LOVE the squareness of those containers - and the fit nicely in the pantry).  I cannot tell you how long this can last - our granola usually disappears within a week of being made.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Cinnamon Honey Butter

*** WARNING ***

THIS IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!!!

My friends and I made this goodie while all of the burners on the stove were in use during our latest "Jam Session".  This was also a great way for my four year old to be "one of the Canning GIRLZZZZ".  It is a very yummy recipe, and very addictive.  

Today, my Mom made us pancakes for breakfast and we enjoyed this on the pancakes in place of our usual maple syrup!

Cinnamon Honey Butter

2 sticks butter, at room temperature (we used 1 salted and 1 unsalted stick)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup honey (we used cinnamon honey)

2 tsp ground cinnamon (or more to taste)

Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, start whipping the butter.  Add in the powdered sugar and continue to whip.  Continue whipping after adding in the honey and the cinnamon.  Stop mixer and scrape bowl one or two times during the process and then continue to whip.  Spoon the flavored butter into 4 oz jars - Yields 6 jars.

Store in refrigerator.  No hot water bath!  Enjoy on breads, pancakes, waffles or straight out of the jar on a spoon!

Spinach Breakfast Casserole

I needed some foods for the week that would be easy for the Husband to make.  This one fit the ticket as I made it the day before and let it "chill" in the fridge for 24 hours.  All he had to do was pop it in the oven.

This one, although listed in the cookbook as a breakfast casserole, was a GREAT dinner.  I do think I will add more carrot next time . . . and maybe a little onion.  Both Miss Mia and Aisey enjoyed this meal!

Spinach Breakfast Casserole
~ adapted from BH&G 9x13 The Pan That Can

4 cups seasoned croutons (I made my own from a loaf of garlic Parmesan french bread I snagged off the reduced rack at the local super grocery)
1 lb bulk pork sausage, cooked and well drained
1 10 oz package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 cup coarsely shredded carrot (I think I'll make it a full cup next time)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk (we used 1%)
1 10 3/4 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 tsp dry mustard

Spread croutons evenly in an ungreased 9x13 baking dish.  Spoon sausage evenly over croutons.  Layer the spinach and carrot evenly over sausage.

In medium bowl, stir the eggs, milk, soup, cheddar cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese and dry mustard until well mixed.  Pour egg mixture evenly over ingredients in baking dish.  Cover and chill 8-24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325.  Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.  Sprinkle with additional cheese.  Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until edges are bubbly and center is heated through.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 

Makes 12 servings.

Pumpkin French Toast

I'm finally getting all the new recipes from Thanksgiving posted. Yay!

Loved this recipe. Only problem, the sugary bottom can solidify if cools down - but the little piece we had left was great when microwaved the next morning for breakfast.

Pumpkin French Toast

18 slices bread (I used whole wheat)

2 1/2 cups milk (I used 1%)

1 T flour

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 T sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (I used fresh)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/4 cup butter

2 T sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

Grease 9x13 pan.

In large bowl, combine everything from milk to eggs. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, corn syrup and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until bubbly - stir constantly (this will take around minutes).

Pour the butter, syrup and sugar mixture over bottom of greased 9x13 pan.

Place one row of bread slices over caramel syrup. Pour 1/3 of milk mixture over first layer of bread. Place second row of bread over first. Pour second third of milk mix over bread. Place last 6 pieces of bread in 9x13 pan and pour remaining milk mixture over top.

Cover 9x13 pan with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight (at least 8 hours).

To bake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top of French Toast. Bake for 50 minutes. Let stand for minutes prior to serving.

Warning: This can get quite puffy, do not place to close to top of oven or another shelf. As the French Toast cools, the bread will sink back into pan.

Original version of recipe is located at: www.dana-made-it.com

Slow Cooker Apple Butter - Diabetic Version

This recipe is so simple and so yummy. I made it Saturday and it's about gone today! Be prepared to have a heavenly smell throughout your house while making this.

7 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sugar substitute

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on high 8-10 hours. Remove lid during last hour. Stir occasionally.

I usually use the 6qt slow cooker and make 1 1/2 of this recipe. If your slow cooker doesn't have a vent, use a chopstick under the lid. Each time I remove the lid to stir, I drain the condensation into the sink.

Old margarine containers work well for freezing this yummy treat!

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Turnovers

I've been cold the last few days and unable to get warm. Plus, was having a bout of PMS. What does that mean???? COMFORT FOOD! And this recipe is, for certain, a comfort food! Please forgive the photo as we were racing to get dinner on the table prior to heading out the door for an appointment.

4 Servings

Ingredients
1 T butter
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
8 ounces sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1/4 tsp salt
pepper
8 large eggs
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks, at room temperature
1 sheet packaged frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the butter over medium heat until melted, 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, salt and a few pinches pepper and cook, breaking up the meet with a wooden spoon, until lightly golden, about 8 minutes. In a large bowl, beat 7 eggs. Add the beaten eggs to the sausage mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked but not dry, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese until just combined. Let cool to room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 16 inch square. Cut into 4 equal squares. Divide the sausage-egg mixture evenly onto each square, just slightly off center. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1 T water. Brush the edges of each pastry square with the egg-water mixture and fold over to form 4 triangles, crimping the edges with the tines of a fork to seal. Brush the turnovers all over the tops and edges with the egg-water mixture. Transfer the turnovers to a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

- adapted from Rachel Ray's magazine.

Now, when I was making this, I realized our puff pastry was wrong - we only had shells instead of the roll out square. So, I baked the cups for a few minutes and then pulled the lids off, placing them at side side of cups. I filled the bowls with the sausage-egg mixture. I also used crescent rolls.

AND this made 8 nice-sized servings.