Berry Sauce (for Yogurt)

Yogurt with strawberry sauce

I am pretty excited about this recipe. I think I have mentioned that I follow 100 Days of Real Food and love that I can get a little bit of information at a time from blogger, Lisa Leake. I certainly do not follow all of her rules (she cooks 100% unprocessed - pretty impressive!) but I have made small changes that fit our family and this berry sauce is now one of them. We eat a lot of yogurt in our house. Ryan packs it for lunch almost every day and Vaida eats Greek yogurt on a daily basis since we can't get her to eat a lot of meat (Greek yogurt has 45% of your daily protein). Leake pointed out on her blog that yogurt should only be made from 2 ingredients (milk & active, live cultures). I took a look at the Yoplait brand in our fridge and was surprised to see 10 ingredients listed. Since then I have been buying a bulk container of plain, Greek yogurt which is healthier and a whole lot cheaper than the individual cups. Then we top it with this delicious berry sauce using real ingredients. It is so easy. It took Vaida a few times to get on board with this new yogurt but now she asks for it and loves to stir in the sauce to change her yogurt to purple or red. So far we have tried strawberries and blueberries - tomorrow I will make a raspberry sauce!
Note: You could use this sauce on top of ice cream, pancakes, and/or mixed in Cream of Wheat or oatmeal.



Yogurt with wild blueberry sauce

Berry Sauce

¾ c frozen berries

2 Tbls pure maple syrup

¼ c water

 

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a light simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with hand immersion or countertop blender.
Use immediately or store in the fridge for later.

 

Note: This doesn't make a huge batch so feel free to double recipe if needed. One batch seems to be enough to flavor one 32oz tub of yogurt.
 

Original recipe found: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/03/recipe-berry-sauce/

Blueberry Bread

On a blizzardy Monday morning in March, a little baking was required to warm up our kitchen and living room. I found this recipe online and it looked pretty healthy but it did call for white sugar and white flour, so I boldly made two alterations and a little pure maple syrup and whole wheat flour later, we had delicious and nutritious blueberry bread. As a side note, I have found a great all-purpose flour that is unbleached and 30% ultra-grain so it has more whole grains and double the amount of fiber in it as regular all purpose flour. If you look in  your grocery store's baking aisle I am sure you will be able to find something similar.

Blueberry Bread

1 c whole wheat flour
1 c all purpose four
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c rolled oats
-Combine above dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.

1 c real maple syrup
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (I used half a cup of each)
2 eggs
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp vanilla

-In a large bowl whisk above wet ingredients until smooth. Mix dry ingredients into wet and stir until just combined.

1 c frozen wild blueberries
1 tsp all purpose flour
-Sprinkle flour over blueberries and toss until blueberries are coated. Gently fold blueberries into the batter. Do not over mix! Pour in a greased bread pan.

Bake at 375 for 50-55 minutes. Let rest in pan for 5 minutes and then remove loaf and let cool on a cooling rack.

Original recipe found: http://goboldwithbutter.com/?p=3004

Golden Wheat Pancakes

For the past year our daughter's favorite meal has been pancakes. At first I was thrilled to find a meal she would devour. Then I realized there were very few nutrients in the basic pancakes I was making and it didn't sit well with me. I started getting creative and tweaking the recipe every week. First of all, I switched the all-purpose flour to whole wheat flour. I also switched to pure maple syrup instead of the corn syrup based ones I had been buying (without even realizing they didn't contain actual maple syrup).  Next I substituted unsweetened applesauce for the vegetable oil. I use a buttermilk recipe and have found I can substitute regular milk and Greek yogurt, when I have some on hand, for extra protein. I've successfully added pureed pumpkin and beets; flax seed, walnuts, pecans, apples with cinnamon, bananas and blueberries. Use the recipe below as a starting point and get creative. You will be surprised how healthy of a meal pancakes can be!

Golden Wheat Pancakes

(Double the recipe below and stock your freezer with leftover pancakes.)

1 egg, beaten
1 c buttermilk*
2 Tbls unsweetened applesauce
1 c whole wheat flour
1 Tbls sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk until combined. (Batter may still be lumpy).

 - At this point you can add in any of the following ingredients:

• 1/2 c. pureed pumpkin + 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 c. pureed beets
• 1-2 Tbls of ground flax seed
• 1 mashed banana (omit the sugar if you add this)
• 1/2 apple, peeled and diced + 1 tsp cinnamon

Topped with frozen wild blueberries

Let batter sit 5-10 minutes before ladling onto a hot griddle.
(If you are adding chopped nuts or blueberries, I pour about 3/4 c. of batter onto my griddle and then sprinkle each pancake with nuts or blueberries.)
Wait for pancakes to form bubbles and then flip to cook the other side.



 *If you do not have buttermilk you can substitute 1 cup milk + dash of lemon juice. I have also substituted the buttermilk with a 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup milk .



Tip: For pancakes with a beautiful golden color, use a nonstick griddle with NO butter or grease on it. The pancakes pictured below on the left are an example of NOT using butter while the pancakes on the right were cooked on a buttered surface.

Whole Wheat Banana Nut Waffles

There is nothing better than a lazy weekend morning that gives me a little time in the kitchen. This morning I tried a new waffle recipe that was a hit. These are whole wheat waffles with a crisp exterior and a fluffy interior. I only added one banana and a small about of walnuts so the "banana nut" flavor was subtle but sweet enough that they didn't require a bunch of maple syrup. I know this is a hearty, fill-you-up kind of meal since Vaida didn't ask for a morning snack today (small victory)! The best part of this recipe is that it makes a large batch. I put the leftovers in the freezer where we can pull out our healthy version of "Eggos" during the week. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Banana Nut Waffles

2 1/4 c whole wheat flour
1 c all purpose flour
5 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt
4 Tbls sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c finely chopped walnuts

1 ripe banana, mashed
4 eggs, beaten
3 c milk
1/2 c veg oil (I only had a 1/4 cup of oil left, so I used that plus 1/4 c unsweetened applesauce)
2 tsp vanilla

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients and then combine wet and dry just until incorporated. Batter will be a bit lumpy. Cook in waffle iron. Freeze leftovers.

Homemade Granola

I have been playing around with homemade granola for the past couple of months and I think it will be a new staple in our household. Vaida loves the crunchy oats, nuts and dried fruit as an afternoon snack and I love pouring milk over a bowl of it for a hearty breakfast that really sticks with you. I have added flax seed and dried blueberries when I had them on hand. You could also add pumpkin seeds and any kind of nut that you like. When I was out of honey, I substituted real maple syrup which added great flavor.

I hope you enjoy this granola as much as we do!

Homemade Granola

4 c old-fashioned rolled oats

2 c shredded coconut (I like the large flakes)

2 c slivered raw almond (I use Trader Joe's brand)

3/4 c raw sunflower seeds

3/4 c vegetable oil or olive oil

1/2 c good honey

1 c dried cherries

1 c jumbo organic raisins

1 c dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, & sunflower seeds in a bowl. Whisk together oil & honey and pour over oat mixture. Stir until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour on a half sheet pan and bake 45-55 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool granola and stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to pan. Add the dried fruit and store in an airtight container.

Quick Homemade Sticky Rolls

This weekend I finally found some time to be in the kitchen. Wahoo!! I had a very special guest come and visit: 2 1/2 week old Elliana and her mom, my cousin Jessica. I got a call from them in the morning and they said they would be at my house in a couple of hours. I wondered, is it possible to make homemade caramel rolls in two hours?! I did a google search and found a recipe that fit the bill. This sweet dough uses two packages of yeast which must speed up the process. I doubled the amount of caramel sauce listed since it didn't sound like enough and even then it didn't end up very caramely. They were light and fluffy, sticky and sweet, and made the whole house smell good!
Sweet Dough
2 packages of yeast
1/2 c. warm water (105-115 F)
1 1/2 c. milk
7 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt


Filling
2/3 c. sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 stick butter, melted


Caramel Sauce
1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
4 Tbs. corn syrup


In a stand mixer bowl, add yeast and warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes until foamy. Heat milk in microwave (30 seconds or so) until warm to the touch. Add milk and remaining sweet dough ingredients to the yeast and mix on low speed. Add additional flour if needed until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and forms a large ball. On a floured work surface, turn dough over and roll out into a large rectangle about 1/2" thick.


For the filling, brush melted butter over dough and sprinkler with cinnamon and sugar. Starting on a long side of the rectangle, carefully roll up dough into one large log. Using a piece of string (floss works great too!) cut dough into 2-3" pieces by sliding string underneath the log and criss-crossing string to cut through dough.


In a small sauce pan, melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over low heat and stir until combined. Pour caramel mixture into a large cake pan (I used an 11x14). Place cinnamon rolls over caramel sauce cut side down. Cover and let rise for an hour. Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes. Let sit for 2 minutes before inverting over a half sheet pan.
Recipe adapted from http://www.cooks.com/
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Country Omelet

This is the first time we made this country omelet and we loved it!! Smokey kielbasa, tender potatoes and green onions all perfectly baked together in a skillet style omelet. What's not to like?  Since the eggs are baked at a low temperature they are given time to slowly cook which makes for light and fluffy. You could substitute bacon or ham for the kielbasa and any cheese would work well. Next time I make this I'm going to add red peppers for even more color and flavor. Try this Country Omelet with your family tonight - you will enjoy every savory bite.

Country Omelet
8 oz polska kielbasa, cubed
6 lg. eggs
3 Tbs. milk
3/4 tsp. dijon mustard
salt/pepper
3/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
3 green onions (white and green parts), sliced
1/2 c. mushrooms, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 Tbs. butter
1 c. fingerling potatoes, sliced 1/4" thick

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside. In an oven proof omelet pan, cook kielbasa over medium heat until browned (5-8 minutes) remove kielbasa from pan and set aside. Add butter to the pan and let melt. Add potatoes and white onions and cook for 10 minutes, flipping occasionally. Add mushrooms to the potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes are tender (about 5 minutes). Remove pan from heat. Remove potatoes, onions and mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Now butter the pan if needed and pour egg mixture into pan. Sprinkle egg mixture with parmesan cheese, kielbasa, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and green onions. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until eggs are set.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten's, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
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Breakfast Burritos

Breakfast burritos are always a slam dunk meal in our household. I take everything we love about breakfast, cook it up on the stovetop and wrap everything in a flour tortilla. The result is a warm and hearty breakfast that keeps you satisfied throughout the morning. The best part about a breakfast burrito is that anything goes. For us, we always start with a flour tortillas, eggs and cheese. From there we add in whatever we have leftover in the refrigerator. Ham, vegetables, sausage, bacon, etc. For breakfast or for dinner...breakfast burritos are a winner. (Can you tell I have Guy Fieri on the television right now!!)
Breakfast Burritos for Two
2 flour tortillas
4 eggs
2 Tbs. milk
1/2 c. shredded cheese
2-4 slices of cooked bacon
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
3-4 Tbs. butter
2 potatoes, peeled and shredded
salt/pepper
cherry tomatoes, halved
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt/pepper and set aside. In a large skillet, melt butter and add shredded potatoes (aka hashbrowns), onion and green pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until crispy brown, flipping occasionally. In a small pan, melt a little butter and add egg mixture. Cook and stir over low heat until scrambled, add shredded cheese. Take flour tortillas and heat them briefly in the microwave to make them flexible. Spoon hashbrowns, eggs and cooked bacon to tortillas and top with cherry tomatoes. Roll up and enjoy!
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Buttermilk Pancakes

Against my better judgment, I admit that I have purchased pancake mix in a box. The box can be so inviting..."Just add water"...or "Shake and pour for fabulous pancakes in minutes". They are right, you can mix up batter in minutes and have hot pancakes in a hurry. Luckily, most of us cover our pancakes in maple syrup so we do not even notice what these quick pancakes are missing. Next time you are making a special breakfast, my suggestions is that you forego your usual pancake recipe and try a batch of these homemade buttermilk pancakes. This recipe is just how you expect a pancake should taste. Soft and fluffy centers with a lightly crisped rim around the edge. What more is there to say? These pancakes are simply the best. (Sorry maple syrup, you are no longer needed at our table.)

Buttermilk Pancakes
From Martha Stewart
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. sugar
2 lg eggs
3 c. buttermilk
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
orange zest
butter or bacon grease (preferred) for greasing your griddle

Combine all dry ingredient in a medium-sized bowl and set aside. In a separate small bowl, lightly beat eggs and add buttermilk, melted butter and the zest of 1/2 an orange. Get your griddle hot (if you have an electric griddle set temp to 375 F). You do not want this batter to sit combined for too long, so right before you are ready to pour out your pancakes, combine the wet and dry ingredients. Mix until just combined - batter will be lumpy. Using a ladle, pour out pancakes on greased skillet. Do not flip until pancakes form bubbles. (I only flip my pancakes one time to keep them fluffy.)
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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I was picking up a coffee and pastry treat the other day and it hit me - I have completely forgotten about making coffee cake! When I was younger, we made coffee cake all of the time. My family took turns with others in our church to provide the "coffee and bars" (try saying that without a Minnesotan accent!) for after-church socializing. My mom would always try to come up with different coffee cake recipes to keep things interesting. My favorite was a sour cream coffee cake. While my mom made every coffee cake from scratch I am using Bisquick because it makes baking so quick and easy when time is of the essence. The sour cream makes this cake moist and the streusel topping gives it the crumble that you look for in a good coffee cake.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
1 1/2 c. Bisquick baking mix
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbs. butter, softened
1 egg
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla
Streusel (below)
Grease square 8x8 pan and set aside. Mix all ingredients except streusel in a medium bowl until batter is smooth. Spread half of the mixture in your prepared pan and sprinkle with 1/2 of the streusel mixture below. Spread the remaining half of the batter in the pan and top with remaining streusel. Bake  about 35 minutes at 350 F. Cool slightly before cutting.
Streusel
5 Tbs. firm butter, sliced
1/2 c. Bisquick baking mix
1/4. c. finely chopped pecans
4 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
pinch of ginger
pinch of cloves
Cut  butter with the remaining streusel ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
Printable Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Bread

On a quest to find the best pumpkin bread, my mom gave me this recipe. Since pumpkin is best enjoyed in the fall and winter months I am in a hurry to enjoy all of the winter season foods before it starts to warm up. The ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are the perfect blend of spices - use good quality spices and freshly ground nutmeg for the best end-result. This pumpkin bread is complimented best with a hot cup of coffee or latte in the morning. Make this on a Sunday so you can brighten up your Monday morning! 

Pumpkin Spice Bread
1 c. butter
3 c. sugar
4 eggs
3 1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 tsp. ginger
½ tsp. cloves
2/3 c. water
2 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. nuts (optional)
3/4 c. raisins (optional)
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add dry mixture alternately with water and pumpkin. Mix well. Stir in half of the chopped nuts and the raisins if using. Grease two loaf pans and divide batter between the two pans. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c. nuts over batter. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes. (15-20 minutes more)
Tip: Freezes really well!
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Orange Smoothies

I am guessing many people already have the mock Orange Julius recipe but if there is just one person I reach who does not, sharing this recipe is worth the effort. (Also, maybe you have this recipe and have forgotten how great these orange smoothies really are.) We usually have these with breakfast for the holidays and we also like to have them for a night-time treat. I tried to spruce the original recipe up a bit but adding cream and orange zest. My advice to you is not to go there - the original recipe is better and easy. If you keep orange juice concentrate in your freezer than you will probably have all the items you need for a winter-pick-me-up in a glass.
Orange Smoothies
6 oz. frozen orange juice from concentrate
1/3 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1 c. cold water
1 tsp. vanilla
12-15 ice cubes
Add all ingredients to your blender and mix until smooth. (Easiest recipe I've posted thus far.)
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Sweet Potato Pancakes

Like many days, I sat during my lunch break today wondering what to make for dinner tonight. I was torn.  I really felt like breakfast-for-dinner (a meal that seems like a treat when you make it about once a month). On the other hand, I had these sweet potatoes sitting in my pantry and I knew they weren't getting any younger. Then it dawned on me, "could it be...could my breakfast-for-dinner and my pretty sweet potatoes co-exist in one harmonious meal?" A quick google search later and I had sweet potato pancakes (courtesy of Joseph's on FoodNetwork.com). I added pecans to the batter because I love a pancake with a little crunch. These were slightly sweet and simply beautiful. The cinnamon and nutmeg add a warmth that tastes a lot like autumn. Try these pancakes for dinner or a weekend brunch!

Sweet Potato Pancakes
2 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 c. milk
2 eggs
4 tsp. melted butter
1 sweet potato, cooked until tender, peeled and pureed (about 1 cup)
1/2 c. chopped pecans (for topping)
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl blend the liquid ingredients, including the sweet potato. Pour liquid ingredients over dry and mix until just combined. (Batter will be slightly lumpy.) Heat electric skillet to 350 F. Butter skillet and using a 1/2 c. measuring cup, ladle pancakes unto skillet. Sprinkle each pancake with pecans. Wait for pancake to form bubbles on the surface and flip. Cook until golden brown.
Adapted from FoodNetwork.com
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Braided French Toast

While watching Iron Chef I saw a competitor make french toast using a beautiful loaf of brioche. That was two weeks ago and I still can’t get the image of the delicious bread out of my mind. I looked at my regular grocery store but of course they did not carry it. I find it very disheartening that the average grocery store will devote one entire isle to bread yet none of them are anything special. I want to see sourdough and baguettes that are hollow when you tap them and are rich and chewy in the center. Now, I know I could have trekked out into the cold this weekend to find a bakery that would make a suitable loaf, but instead I decided to warm my house and my spirits in a way that only kneading bread can do. I decided to make challah: a rich, egg-y, buttery, braided bread. This lightly sweetened bread worked perfectly for the  french toast I had been dreaming about.

Challah

2 pkg. rapid rise yeast

1 c. warm water (105-115 F)

1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs, plus 1 egg beaten for glaze

5 c. flour

2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter at room temperature

In a stand mixer bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the sugar, 3 eggs, 4 1/2 c. flour, salt and butter. Attach dough hook and knead 5-7 minutes or until smooth. Form the dough into a ball and transfer into large bowl brushed with oil. Cover with towel and let rise in a warm draft-free spot for 2 hours (dough will double in size). Punch down dough and place on a floured work surface. Cut dough into 3 equal pieces. Lightly knead each ball of dough and shape into 3 ropes a little longer than the length of a baking sheet.

Place 3 ropes of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Braid dough and tuck each end under the braid. Cover braided loaf with a towel and let rise again in a warm spot until it doubles in size (45-60 min). Brush the braid with a beaten egg and bake at 350 F 30-35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking

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Braided French Toast

3 eggs

3/4 c. half and half or milk

1/2 tsp. orange zest

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Challah bread

In a shallow bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and seasonings and mix until well combined. Dip thick bread slices into egg mixture and cook in a large skillet or electric skillet that has been brushed with butter. Cook approximately 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. I like to top with honey butter.

Ice Cream Caramel Rolls

I remember being so excited for my first Home Ec class in 7th grade. Cooking at school? How much better could it get? This is one of the recipes that we made in class and one that my family has enjoyed ever since. The ice cream gives the caramel sauce a unique silky texture and a warm vanilla flavor. Since these rolls start with frozen bread dough, they can be assembled in less than fifteen minutes and left to raise overnight. Ice Cream Caramel Rolls are the best thing to wake up to on a Saturday morning.

Ice Cream Caramel Rolls
20 frozen white dinner rolls (dough balls)
4 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. butter
1 c. vanilla ice cream

Combine 4 Tbs. sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Roll each frozen ball into cinnamon and sugar and place in a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture over the top of the rolls. Meanwhile in a saucepan, stir the ½ c. brown and white sugar and butter over medium heat. Bring to boil and then remove from heat. Stir in the ice cream and pour over bread dough. Cover with tin foil and let raise over night.


In the morning bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then flip pan onto a cookie sheet or serving platter.
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Sticky Caramel Rolls

Is there anything better than made-from-scratch caramel rolls? The satisfaction I get from mixing yeast and a couple of basic pantry ingredients together to get homemade bread dough is almost as great as the sweet reward of the finished product. I know making your own dough can seem a little intimidating, but I challenge you to give it a try this week. The secret to yeast success is to use a digital thermometer to test your water or milk temperature. The magic number you are looking for is between 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit. My other tip is to use "rapid rise" yeast since it does cut the time needed for the dough to rise almost in half. This recipe is from my favorite cookbook and I have been perfecting it over the past year. Enjoy them on a Sunday morning - they are perfect to serve to overnight guests!

Dough

(2) pkg. rapid rise yeast

1 c. milk (heated 105-115 F)

1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 lg. eggs

5 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Grated zest of 1 orange

1/2 c. butter (at room temperature)

In stand mixer dissolve yeast in warm milk and let stand until foamy (about 5 minutes) - add remaining ingredients. Attach dough hook to mixer and knead on low speed. Add a little more flour as needed for the dough to come away from the sides of the bowl - knead until dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Form the dough into a ball and transfer into a lightly oiled bowl - cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, 1 - 1.5 hours.

Filling

5 Tbls. granulated sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Combine sugar and cinnamon

1/4 c. softened butter

Punch down dough and turn over onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough in half with a sharp knife. Roll out one-half of the dough into a 10 x 16 inch rectangle. Spread dough with butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Roll the rectangle up along the long side. Slice into approx. 10 rolls. Repeat with the remaining half of dough.

Caramel Sauce

1/2 stick butter

1 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. half-n-half or cream

Combine ingredients in sauce pan until melted. Pour into 9x13 pan and place rolls on top of sauce.

Cover the rolls loosely with a kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place until they have doubled in size, 30-40 minutes.

(Alternatively, place rolls in the refrigerator and let them rise overnight.)

Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. Let the rolls cool slightly in the pan and then flip over.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma "Essentials of Baking"

Eggs in a Nest

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but let's face it, not many of us make time for more than a quick bowl of cereal in the morning. With all of the wonderful breakfast dishes out there, I love an occasional "breakfast for dinner". When I was younger I loved when my mom made eggs in a nest - it always seemed like a special occasion when she did. This is another meal that can be made in a time crunch. Crispy hash browns make the "nest" and eggs are cooked on top of them. Top it off with shredded cheese (and ketchup in Ryan's case) and you have breakfast or dinner that will make any kid smile.

Eggs in a Nest

1 Tbls. olive oil

2 Tbls. butter

3 c. hash browns

1/8 tsp. onion salt

4 eggs

1/4 shredded marble jack cheese

Heat a frying pan to medium heat with olive oil. Add hash browns and top with cut butter. Season with onion salt and pepper. Cook for about 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Flip hash browns and make a 2-3 inch indent for each egg. Place eggs on hash browns and cover to cook eggs approximately 5 minutes. During the last minute add shredded cheese to melt.