Cinnamon Roll Cake

In our family, we LOVE cinnamon rolls.  I have tried a few different recipes but haven't yet found the perfect one- and I don't know about you, but I find the making of cinnamon rolls to just be a bit tedious- wait for the dough to rise, roll it out, coat with cinnamon mixture... let rise again...

This recipe is so much easier! I fell in love the first time I made it.  Perfectly cinnamon-y with a delicious glaze that you just pour on top at the end.  Wonderful.

Rhodes Rolls

Rhodes rolls... Cheating? Maybe. Worth it? Yes!

I have long been a fan of Rhodes rolls.  They are fantastic to eat, fantastically priced, and perfect for days when I don't plan out dinner early enough to make my own rolls and let them rise for 4 hours.  They fit so nicely in my freezer, and one bag will last us 3 different meals.

And they have SO many uses.  We typically eat them as dinner rolls (I love the "speed method", where I pop them in the oven with warm water and allow them to rise for 1 1/2 hours, bake 20 minutes, and am done).  But we have also used them to make pizza crust, monkey bread, breakfast casseroles...  I don't know what I'd do without them.

Tamale Pie (Beef Topping)

A few years ago I decided to try my hand at tamale making.  The tamales turned out wonderfully, but I destroyed my new tamale pot... it was scorched beyond hope of saving... and I haven't been brave enough yet to try them again. 

Which is why I am so excited about this recipe! It combines the delicious tamale crust with a taco-like filling, and bakes easily in the oven.

I have a chicken topping I know would be just wonderful with this- so we'll make this recipe a two-parter.  Here is the beef recipe:

Hawaiian Haystacks

This is a newly re-discovered family favorite.  When I was pregnant with our first daughter, hawaiian haystacks were the only real dish I could stomach for the first trimester.  As you can imagine, dear hubby and I quickly had our fill.  I finally broke this out last week and everyone loved it.  The best thing about hawaiian haystacks is that you can get as creative as you would like to with the toppings. I just put out several little bowls of ingredients and everyone got to choose their own.  The girls loved feeling like mini chefs.

The Mini Rolling Pin

My husband was shocked when for Christmas I asked him for a mini rolling pin.  "But you already have this perfectly wonderful, LARGE, rolling pin!" (He's from Texas, and thinks if it's bigger it's better).  Each time we had this conversation I reassured him that no, I wasn't losing my mind, and yes, I would like a mini rolling pin.

This is another gadget that I discovered in my mother's kitchen, and as the chef in my own home now I couldn't long do without.  I don't know what it is about regular sized rolling pins, but I just feel like they are so bulky and my crusts either end up tearing or jumping all around the place as they stick to my roller... And these little rollers are SO much easier for me to handle.

I love that I can roll out my dough with ONE hand.  I love that if my dough sticks, it's only a very small portion of my dough and it's an easy fix.  (Especially since I have a free hand).  I love that it's not heavy, and can fit easily in my drawer.

So if you are like me and hate wrestling with a rolling pin, there IS another way! Try out a mini rolling pin.  They really are wonderful.

Chicken Casear Pizza

We had a pizza similar to this at a friend's house in Las Vegas.  I love my Pepperoni pizza, and up until that point the most adventurous I had been with my pizzas was to add artichoke hearts at the Olive Garden.  This pizza swept me off my feet and became one of my favorite dishes.

Favorite Pizza Crust

This is a two-part post- I am excited to be posting one of my favorite recipes in the next few days- Chicken Caesar Pizza! But I realized I couldn't post the pizza unless you first had the recipe for the crust, so here is my favorite pizza crust recipe.  (Photo borrowed from the internet). 

Enchilada Casserole

This is one of our recipes that is included in our regular rotation. I love it because the entire family likes it, and it is SO easy to make! Prep time is about 15 minutes, then it bakes for 30 while I whip up a side dish (or sit down to read a book).

Smokey BBQ Roast

This recipe was originally created to be used with a beef brisket, but I prefer beef roasts.  So take your pick of either one.  I'm picky when it comes to roasts, and love the flavor of this recipe.  It has just enough kick and keeps the roast perfectly moist.

Ode to Kosher Salt

Back in dental school we had a friend who made these WONDERFUL pretzels for our BYU football game nights.  (Recipe to come).  The recipe calls for kosher salt.  Up until that point I had no idea what kosher salt was, and I wondered what the big deal was.  Now I wonder how I did without it.  Kosher salt is one of my FAVORITE ingredients.

Why kosher salt? Because it's fabulous.  Because it's larger in size (grain) than regular boring old table salt, but a bit smaller than sea salt which frankly, I feel is often overkill.  (Sorry, you sea salt lovers out there).

What do I use it on?  Pretty much everything.  I just love the texture.  And I love how a light dusting of kosher salt brings out the flavor of nearly any dish.  I use it on casseroles, vegetables, potatoes, rice, chocolate pretzels, pizza and pasta (and possibly surprisingly, it's my secret ingredient on chocolate chip cookies). 

If you haven't discovered the joy of kosher salt for yourself, I recommend picking up a container the next time you're in the grocery.  It's amazing.

Santa Fe Chicken (Crock Pot)

I love this dinner! Not only because it's a crock pot recipe, and so all I really have to do is to combine the ingredients and let them sit all day, and not only because it makes my house smell so wonderfully like a mexican restaurant, but because it can be served so many ways.
On rice, in a tortilla, on a salad... the sky is the limit!

Panko Crumbs... Deliciously Crunchy!

I have in the past been a cooking wimp.  It's a challenge I've been confronting... and usually good things have come from me overcoming my fear.  I don't know why, but I can be browsing the web for a few new recipes, and find one that looks absolutely delicious.  I read through it, mouth watering, until I suddenly am confronted by a MYSTERY INGREDIENT.  By this I mean it's an ingredient I have never used, or possibly never heard of, before. 

This happened to me last year as the same recipe kept coming up in my box of "to try".  The word's "Panko Crumbs" just freaked me out a little.  I know it sounds silly.  But "Panko?"  Where would I find such a thing?  What would it look like? Did I really want to spend extra time in the store with my toddler and my baby looking for Panko crumbs?

Turns out they are super easy to find.  They are right by the bread crumbs, in my grocery they are in the spaghetti aisle.  They look like this (see above) and have been life changing.

I now use panko crumbs for pretty much anything that calls for bread crumbs.  They are a little bit larger, and they are crunchy and delicious.  My favorite uses for them is on chicken (it tastes like fried chicken but it's baked, and much healthier!) and in casseroles that call for bread-crumb toppings.

Really, you just have to try it for yourself.  You won't be disappointed.

Russian Chicken

One of my best friends made this dish for my daughter and me when we were visiting her a couple of years ago.  Ever since then it's been a staple in our home.  The hubby and I love it, and even our preschooler who is very suspicious of anything including chicken gets excited about this dinner with the "candy sauce".