Cinnamon Rolls w/Sweet Salty Spicy Nuts

I made these my dutch oven class and they turned out amazing!

Cinnamon Rolls w/Sweet Salty Spicy Nuts

2 - cups warm water
2/3 - cup nonfat dry milk
2 - tablespoons dry yeast
(2 tablespoons =2 packages)
1/4 - cup sugar
2 - tsp salt
1/3 - cup butter
1 - egg
5 to 5 1/2 - cups all purpose flour

In your mixer combine water and dry milk. Stir until dissolved. Add yeast, sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 2 more cups flour, and mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, and 2 minutes on medium speed. Add remaining flour (I only add one more cup, and leave out the last 1/2). Once combined, knead with hands, or turn on your kneading function on your bread mixer. Place dough in a oiled bowl. Turn over once so dough is covered with oil. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until double in size. Place dough on floured surface. Roll out dough, and brush with melted butter. Add cinnamon and nut filling. Roll back up like a jelly roll. Use a sharp knife of twine to cut the long roll in to 1 inch pieces. Place on a greased or parchment paper lined baking pan. Let rise in warm place until rolls are doubled in size. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter while hot.
For Dutch
Oven Melt the two sticks of butter in the bottom of two Dutch ovens. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar (1/8 cup in each Dutch oven). Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1/2 hour.
Bake in Dutch ovens at 375 (for 12” Oven 17 on top and 11 on bottom) for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cinnamon Filling:

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

Nuts optional:
Sweet Salty Spicy Nuts

(this make a large batch you will have left overs)

1 Pt Pecan, Halves
8 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
Kosher Salt to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste

Blanch Pecans in boiling water until they look soft and puffy, about 5-7 Minutes; Drain.
While Pecans are Hot, Toss them with sugar in a large bowl until well-coated.
Fry pecans in batches in Deep Fryer until they are slightly Darkened and Smell toasty.

• Be Careful, the oil will bubble up a lot because of the water and sugar on the Pecans

Turn Pecans out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment and sprinkle generously with salt and cayenne while they are still very hot. Stir them around with a metal spatula to coat them evenly with seasoning.
Let pecans cool completely before storing them in a airtight container—if it is very humid they will get stick and soft if left out.

Glaze:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For glaze:
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Homemade Tamales

4-5 Pounds of Pork, Chicken, or Beef
Salt and Pepper
4 cloves of garlic minced
Corn Husk (we used just over a bag)
5 dried New Mexican chilies
5 dried (ancho or Negro) chilies (we used ancho)
2 quarts of water
1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
2 teaspoons ground Cumin
1 Knorr Tomato Bouillon cube (we use the with chicken flavor)
First we cooked 4-5 pounds of cook Pork, Chicken, or Beef and shredded it . (We cooked ours in the crock pot with enough water to cover it. Grinned plenty of salt and pepper over meat and and minced garlic. We had about half chicken and half pork.) keep the liquid for the dough.
While the meat is cooking you need to soak you Corn Husks for 2 hours in hot water to make them soft and pliable.
Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chilies. Rinse them in a colander then put in a pot with the 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and shimmer for 20-25 minutes.
Pour chilies and water into the blender with Mexican oregano, and cumin. Blend until smooth.

For the Dough:
2lbs Corn Masa (1/2 the bag)
3 Tbsp. Paprika
3 Tbsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Ground Cumin
3 Tbsp. Chilli Powder
3 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

In a large mixer mix all ingredients for dough. Heat 2 Cups of Corn Oil and pour into the dry mix while the mixer is going on low/ stir. (I used the dough- hook on my Kitchen Aid) Now you will need about 2 quarts of liquid. Use a half and half mixture. half of the liquids from cooking your meat and half of the chilies mixture. ( we used 3/4 liquid from meat and about 1/4 from chilies). Pour in about a cup at a time mixing well in between each addition. When done the mixture should be about the consistency of peanut butter or play dough. If it gets too thin and more Masa.

Pour the remaining chilies mixture over the meat and mix well.

No to assemble them and steam them.
Drain the water off the corn husk. Smear about 1/4 of the dough onto the husk. Covering about 2/3 of the husk toward the wider end of the husk. Now take some meat in your hand and squeeze. Put the meat down the center of the dough. (we also added some shredded cheese) fold right side over and then the bottom up and then roll the rest. the top will be open. Don't worry if the husk tears just add another to it. You can then take strips of husk and tie around to hold it together. (we put cheese in some and not in others and we used the tie to tell them apart)
After rolling all of the tamales you will want to place them in a large steaming pot. You want the water to come close to the top of the rack in the inside but you don't want it to touch the tamales. The opened end of the tamales should go to the top of the pan.

Steam tamales for at least 2 hours. Keep an eye on the water level to make sure you don't run out.When removing use a pair of tongs they will be hot.

Leftovers are great and can be frozen and reheated in the microwave or in the oven.

MAPLE PORK (or Chicken)

For Dinner tonight I borrowed a recipe from Mama Chocolate. I changed a few things. And would suggest if you want a little sauce to triple the water and syrup.

Ingredients:

• sliced/chopped pork or chicken breast
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• water
• maple syrup ( used Pecan Syrup)
• 2 cloves minced garlic (I added this during)
  

1.) Saute pork or chicken in a frying pan on medium high heat with a little olive oil until nicely browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I added the garlic at this point)

2.) Add 1/3 cup water to de-glaze the pan and then add 1/4 cup maple syrup.

3.) Continue to cook until the pork or chicken starts to caramelize.

Served over wheat (egg) noddles

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Bikini Cake

So lately, the last several years really I've had the want I guess you could say to create :) So here is the fun Bikini Cake I made

This cake was for my step Dad's birthday. My mother called me at 11o'clock and asked me to make this cake for her because her oven wasn't working.

This was my first Bikini Cake. I think the best part was trying to explain to my kids what I was doing :) My son just didn't understand why I was making a girl cake for a boy.
But I'm really proud of it "she" turned out better than I thought.
The "boobies" were made out of Jello.
The comment was they felt life like....
So the base was just made with 2 13x9 cakes and then I carved them to the shape.
After that I did what I've heard called a dirty frost and stuck it in the freezer while I made my Fondant.
I like to use Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)

• 2 to 5 tablespoons water

• 2 pounds powdered sugar (use a new unopened bag for better results)

• 1/2 cup shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

Directions:

First I use a microwaveable bowl and coat the inside with shortening this will make it easier to transfer. Add marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water to the bowl. Then microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 1-2 minutes.

At this point I then transfer the marshmallows into my kitchen-aid mixer bowl. Then slowly start adding the powdered sugar in to the mixture. I usually can mix in 1/2 to 3/4 of the bag with the mixer.

Then you want to dump about a 1/2 cup to a cup of the powered sugar on to the counter and then place the ball of fondant on top and Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers).

Start kneading like you would bread dough.
If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add greasing your hands will help with this. when you are done you want a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.
To add color to the fondant I use Wilton cake coloring and just keep kneading till it's well mixed.
When rolling the fondant I have found that rolling it on to a piece of plastic wrap helps when transferring it to the cake. (Just my opinion :) Next time I make fondant I will try to take step by step pictures for my blog.


For the "boobies" I just two small glass bowls. Sprayed them will with oil.
and I used the recipe from here as a guide.
Except I use twice the jello in hopes that it would set firmer. This was what I ended up doing.

1 cup boiling water

2 pkg. (4-serving size)JELL-O Gelatin, any flavor

1 cup cold water

1-1/2 cups (1/2 of an 8-oz. tub) thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Stir boiling water into gelatin in medium bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 1 hour 15 minutes or until slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites). Gently stir in whipped topping. Pour into 4-cup mold or individual molds sprayed with cooking spray.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

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Basic Stir Fry

1 ½ c .mushrooms

1medium onion (diced)
I small bag of Snap peas (whole)
2 whole cloves of garlic (minced)
4 medium carrots (12’ long and 2’ round)( julienne cut)
1½ lb. pork (julienne cut)
1 red pepper (julienne cut)
1 green pepper (julienne cut)
1 small can of water chestnuts (drained)
1 Head broccoli chopped (florets)
1½ lb. pork (julienne cut)
1 medium can of baby corn (optional)
1 can of bamboo shoots
2 tablespoon of Ginger (Fresh Ginger minced Optional)
2-3 packs of Yakisoba stir Fry Noodles

In large skillet or Dutch oven, brown pork with Teriyaki seasoning from package w/ Several splashes of Soy Sauce, then combine vegetables and return to heat, cook for about 5- 10 minute or till vegetables are tender but still firm, add noodles and Cook for another 1-2 mins. Add enough sauce to cover/coat meat and vegetables, simmer for about 3-5 min. Top with nuts of choice. We like cashews.