Absolutely Sinful Cinnamon Rolls

***Alrighty, here are the cinnamon rolls that I mentioned in my previous post. I put these together on Christmas Eve, and then baked them on Christmas morning. Let me just tell you...there's nothing quite like the smell of yummy cinnamon rolls wafting through the house on Christmas morning...ahhhhh...so wonderful! This is going to be a new tradition for us...fresh, homemade rolls on Christmas. I thought that I might try this recipe, and then maybe try a new one next year...until I found one that I really loved. However, I hit the jackpot on the first try! This is THE recipe that I'll always use.

UPDATE:  Since originally writing this post in 2008, I've  made these cinnamon rolls every year for Christmas!  They are a holiday tradition that my family looks forward to all year!  You can see my other posts here, with lots more photos of these sinful cinnamon rolls:
CHRISTMAS 2009
CHIRSTMAS 2010
CHRISTMAS 2011

The great thing was that I could prepare them on Christmas Eve. Just put them together...all the way until the step where they're ready to go into the oven. Instead of popping them into the oven, just put them in the fridge and let them rise for the 2nd time in the fridge overnight (they'll rise VERY slowly in the fridge). Then, in the morning let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then pop them in the oven as directed.

I looked and looked online and in my numerous cookbooks for the perfect recipe. I think the thing that got me about this particular recipe was the coffee glaze drizzled over the rolls...omg. You had me at coffee! I didn't look much further after that.

I found this recipe over on Pioneer Woman's blog. She's got a great story that goes along with them, so be sure to check out her post.

I will say that I decreased the ginormous amount of butter that she called for in this recipe. I also halved the recipe to suit my needs. I didn't need 7 pans of rolls...neither do my hips! :)

Try these today...you won't be sorry! I promise!!!***

ROLLS:

Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman
Note:   The original recipe makes about seven 8" round aluminum tins of cinnamon rolls.  After cutting the original recipe in half, you'll end up with 3 - 4 tins full of rolls, with 7 - 8 rolls per tin...depending on how large you cut them.

Ingredients: (This is 1/2 the original recipe)

DOUGH:
2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 pkg active dry yeast

4 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tablespoon salt

FILLING:

1 cup melted butter, plus more as needed

1/8 cup ground cinnamon for sprinkling
1 cup sugar, plus more as needed

Directions:

Mix milk, vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup of sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point.) Remove from heat and let it cool 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in package Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute and then add 4 cups of flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

Next, add 1/2 cup flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir mixture together. From here, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it—overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to rise out of the pan, just punch it down. Or, of course, you can just go ahead and make the rolls.

Sprinkle surface generously with flour and roll the dough into a thin rectangular shape, about 1/4" thick. Brush melted butter on top, then sprinkle sugar over the butter, and finish with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Starting with the wide end, roll the dough tightly towards you in a neat line. Next, pinch the seam to the roll to seal it. Spread 1 tbsp of melted butter in each pan/dish. With a sharp knife, begin cutting the dough into 1 inch slices, and laying them in the pans. Let rest for 20-30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 - 17 minutes, or until golden.

IF MAKING AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS MORNING:   Instead of popping them into the oven, just put them straight  into the fridge and let them rise for the 2nd time in the fridge overnight (they'll rise VERY slowly in the fridge). Then, in the morning let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then pop them in the oven as directed.

FROSTING:

Ingredients:

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. maple flavoring

1/4 cup milk

1/8 cup melted butter

1/8 cup brewed coffee

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients, and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don't skimp on the frosting!

Fabulous Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

***Well, how was your Christmas??? I hope that you had a wonderful, wonderful day and got to spend it with your loved ones. I made some absolutely SINFUL cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Don't worry...I'll be posting about those within the next few days. I'm starting a new Christmas tradition this year...I plan to make these cinnamon rolls every year now....they were THAT good!

I'm sharing one of my secrets with you today...these cookies are quite possibly one of the best, and EASIEST cookies that there is. I can't tell you how many times I've made these cookies over the past couple of years. The secret is a box of cake mix...other than that, you're only 4 ingredients away from a delicious batch of homemade cookies.

You might remember THIS post where I originally shared this recipe with you a little over a year ago. All I did was add some cocoa powder to the cookie batter and the result was chocolately goodness! You'll notice that I also used a different kind of cake mix. Honestly, this particular brand/kind was on sale at the grocery store, so that's how I ended up with this kind in my cart. I'm not sure if it makes a HUGE difference, so feel free to use your favorite brand. I always use either the "Butter Recipe Golden" or "Classic Yellow Cake" mixes. I will say that these cookies puffed up beautifully...I've made them again already!

Enjoy!***

Ingredients:

1 Box Pillsbury Moist Supreme "Classic Yellow" Cake Mix

1/3 c. vegetable oil

2 eggs

4 heaping tbsp. cocoa powder

1 cup or more chocolate chips

Directions:

Empty cake mix into bowl of stand mixer. Add eggs and oil. Mix until well blended, using paddle attachment. Add cocoa powder and continue to mix until cocoa is completely incorporated into cookie batter. You may need to add a tiny bit more oil if mixture seems too dry.

Use an ice cream scoop to scoop batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Using an ice cream scoop will ensure that all cookies are the same shape/size. Bake for approximately 12-13 minutes at 365 degrees. Keep an eye on the cookies and remove them from the oven a little bit before you usually would...this will make them nice and chewy. If you let them get too brown, they will not be as soft.

Cool cookies on the pan for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack another 10 - 15 minutes.

Chewy Chunky Blondies - Dorie Greenspan

***These blondies are seriously the.best.dessert that I've had in a long, long time. They were fabulous ...scrumptious ....delicious ....amazing ... yumolicious ...there just simply aren't enough adjectives to describe them! Everyone wanted seconds. In fact, I gave one to my Mom-in-law as she was walking out of the door, and she told me the next day that she almost turned around and came all the way back to our house for another one...haha. They are THAT good! Really, the ONLY thing that could have improved these blondies would have been a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. And really it's no surprise, because any Dorie Greenspan recipe is always wonderful. If you love to bake and you don't own her cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours I highly recommend putting it on your Christmas list. It's a large cookbook with 513 pages of yummy goodness and pretty photos.

I can't wait to make these again tomorrow...I'm taking them to our Christmas party at work. I bet they won't last long! :)

Enjoy!***

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips or Heath Toffee Bits (I left this out!)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (I used pecans)

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan and put it on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until well incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chips, nuts and coconut. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and use the spatula to even the top as best you can.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the blondies comes out clean. The blondies should pull away from the sides of the pan a little and the top should be a nice honey brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for about 15 minutes before turning the blondies out onto another rack. Invert onto a rack and cool the blondies to room temperature right side up.

Cut into 32 bars, each roughly 2-1/4 x 1-1/2 inches.

Source: Dorie Greenspan's "Baking: From My Home to Yours"

All I Want for Christmas...

***That's our tree! Isn't it pretty? I love, love, love this time of year!

So, as you may have guessed, cookbooks are one thing that I love to collect. When Christmas rolls around each year, there are usually several that I've had my eyes on. This year is no exception...Especially with our trip to France, Germany, and Italy coming up in just 2 months. I've found myself obsessed with French cuisine. I love it. So naturally, some of these cookbooks are by French chefs or about Paris in general...and there's even one by a Birmingham, AL chef about Italian cuisine! Honestly, I'm probably just as excited about sampling all of the gourmet food as I am about seeing the sights! Haha. Our 2 week-long adventure in Europe, will be here before we know it. We've got *almost* everything we need before we go...cameras, passports, new coat...check! There are only a few more things we'll need, like some comfy walking shoes. The good news is, I plan to blog about our entire trip right here on Sugar & Spice. I want to write about everything from the food we eat to all of the amazing things that we see and do. I hope you'll come along with us in February. :)

The following cookbooks are at the top of my Christmas list this year. I've included links to each cookbook on Amazon.com. What's on your wish list???***

1. "Paris Sweets: Great Desserts From the City's Best Pastry Shops" - By Dorie Greenspan

I recently bought Dorie's "Baking: From My Home to Yours", and I absolutely love it. Dorie Greenspan never fails to deliver a delectably perfect recipe. So, the first two cookbooks on my list are no-brainers. I've read nothing but rave reviews for "Paris Sweets". I can't wait to try out some of the recipes.

2. "Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme" - By Dorie Greenspan

I first heard about this cookbook during one of my favorite Daring Bakers challenges - The Chocolate Eclair. Not to mention, Pierre Herme is considered the top pastry chef in France...and even in the WORLD! Being the chocolate lover that I am, I must have this cookbook! :)

3. "The Complete Rubuchon" - By Joel Rubuchon
The New York Times recently declared this book the "Joy of Cooking" for French cuisine. After flipping through the pages, I certainly believe it! The only drawback to this great cookbook is the fact that there are no photos...which is usually something that I love. However, Joel Rubuchon is the man, and I cannot wait to try some of his recipes. He includes precise techniques and teaches you the correct preparations for classic French dishes. This is a book you can rely on for any occasion! The recipes are also less fussy than you would expect, which is something else that I love about this book.

4. "Bottega Favorita" - By Frank Stitt
Frank Stitt is a local chef here in the Birmingham, AL area, and he has received accolades from Gourmet magazine, the Discovery Channel, The New York Times, the James Beard Foundation, and he was recently named one of the culinary "Legends of the Decade" by Bon Appetit magazine...pretty darn impressive, huh?? I have an autographed copy of his first cookbook, "Frank Stitt's Southern Table", which is equally as fabulous as this companion book.

Here's a great review from Amazon.com:

"There are some places worth traveling to just for the food: Rome, Venice . . . and now, Birmingham, Italy.

In this companion to his first, best-selling cookbook, the beloved Southern chef Frank Stitt travels to Italy and brings the best of Mediterranean cuisine back home. To Stitt's mind, the two regions—Italy and the American South—share commonalities. Both native cuisines have a tradition of turning humble ingredients—ground corn, bitter greens, cured pork, the daily catch—into poetry on the plate. And as the chef points out in his lively introduction to the book, this is elemental cooking based on the purity and simplicity of the freshest and finest ingredients."

5. "Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen" - By Clotilde Dusoulier

I first happened upon Clotilde's food blog, Chocolate & Zucchini about a year ago. I loved the name and I love the blog even more. She's authored several awesome books, and I would love to have a copy of this one. Be sure to visit her blog...you'll be impressed!

Yummy Blueberry Muffins

***Brad and I had a craving for something yummy last Sunday morning. I had some fresh blueberries hanging out in the fridge, so these blueberry muffins sounded perfect. If you don't have any fresh blueberries on-hand, frozen blueberries work just fine. The lemon zest in these muffins were the secret ingredient...they add the perfect little zing to each bite. And just look at that blueberry goodness! ;)

I used a trick that I learned from Giada De Laurentiis when making these muffins:

- Place blueberries in a fine mesh strainer over your mixer bowl. Add flour to blueberries and shake until all flour makes it into the mixer bowl below. A thin layer of flour should remain on all blueberries (see photo below). This will prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins during the baking process! This will also result in nice, sifted flour in the mixing bowl...you can then proceed with the recipe, adding the sugar, baking powder and salt to the flour.

One more thing...I sprinkled a little sugar over each muffin before baking. This just makes them extra yummy.

Enjoy!***

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour (180 g)

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg beaten

3/4 cup milk (180 ml)

1/4 cup cooking oil

3/4 cup blueberries (120 g)

1 tsp lemon peel (5 ml) (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center. (See note above regarding the flour trick!)

In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture, all at once, to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Yes, the batter should be lumpy. (If you try to stir all the lumps out, your muffins will be very tough.)

Carefully fold in blueberries and optional lemon peel.

Grease muffin cups, or line with paper bake cups; fill each 2/3 full. Bake at 400°F for 19 - 21 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from pans; serve warm with butter.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook