Oatmeal

I finally broke down and tried the Oatmeal found at the yellow hamburger joint.  I wasn't crazy about the crunchy apples, but loved the taste.  So my new favorite breakfast is oatmeal.  Lucky for me I can make this easily from my food storage and I don't have to spend $1.99 a cup.

1 cups Water
1/2 cup Quick Oats
1-2 tbsp Brown Sugar
3/4 oz Berry blend (golden raisins, dried cranberries & cherries)
Half n Half (milk will get you by, but I only have cream in my fridge)

Make oatmeal according to directions.  Garnish with sugar, berries, and cream.

Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 cup margarine
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 pkg yeast dissolved in ½ cup water
3/4 cup potato flakes
7 cups flour (about)

 

Filling

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, softened

Cream Cheese Frosting 

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix margarine in hot milk. Add sugar, salt, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in flakes and 2 or 3 cups flour to make smooth batter. Add dissolved yeast and rest of flour a little at a time and knead to make a soft dough. Let rise until double in bulk.  After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

 

***Remember to be gentle with dough for rolls (use your fingertips when kneading.) Keep dough ball soft, not sticky. I also use BREAD flour, but they taste good if you use regular flour too.

Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting, sprinkles, colored sugar, decorations

Beat together butter and sugar. Add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla; beat well. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Dip cookie cutters in flour then cut dough into desired shapes. Place cookies 1-inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes (cookie will be a very light tan on bottom - tops will still be pale). Remove to wire cooling rack. Frost when cooled.

Saucy Italian Rump Roast

1 beef rump roast or bottom round roast (3 to 3-1/2 pounds)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 jar (14 ounces) spaghetti sauce (I used green pepper & mushroom spaghetti sauce)
1/4 to 1/2 cup red wine or beef broth
1 lb cooked pasta (I used Mezza Penne)

Cut the roast in half. Combine the salt, garlic powder and pepper; rub over roast. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with mushrooms and onion. Combine the spaghetti sauce and wine or broth; pour over meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat is tender. Slice roast; serve over pasta with pan juices. Yield: 10 servings.

***I thickened the juice with cornstarch and water before serving.

Macaroni & Cheese

1 pound pasta

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheese

Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain. In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well. If desired you can garnish with a three cheese blend and bake at 350 until melted.

Hotcakes

1 1/3 cup Pancake mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Sprite

Preheat an electric griddle to 375°. Mix hotcake ingredients with a wire whisk until smooth. Apply about 1 teaspoon of shortening to the griddle, spreading evenly with a paper towel. Pour the hotcake batter on the greased, preheated griddle, forming 5 inch hotcakes. Cook until dry around the edges, (about a minute) then turn. Allow to cook about 40-50 seconds after flipping, and remove.

**I used Aunt Jemima's Pancake mix, you could also use Instant Bisquick.

Dinner Rolls

I watched this video from the Lion House. I found the method fascinating so I tried it last night and had fun making rolls this way.