best rolls....quick, yummy, and easy!

http://www.somethingswanky.com/quick-bread-dough/

cinnamon rolls...my go to!

http://www.somethingswanky.com/cinnamon-rolls/

Berry Cobbler

For 5 cups berries

Filling
5 cup berries
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp corn starch
4 pats of butter
dash of salt

topping
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 stick softened butter
dash or salt
1 tsp vanilla

For 8 cups berries

Filling
8 cups berries
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 TB corn starch
dash of salt
6 pats of butter

Topping
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
14 TB softened butter
dash of salt
2 tsp vanilla

-mix fruit and sugar, corn starch, and salt in either a greased 9x9 or a 9x13 pan. place pats of butter on top.
-place in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
-mix the topping ingredients together into a nice crumble
-remove berries from oven and gently stir then sprinkle the top with the crumble topping
-return to oven and bake at 375 degrees until topping is golden brown and the berries are bubbling and hot

Pumpkin Pie

1 15oz. canned pumpkin
1 14oz. sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 TB pumpkin pie spice
Deep dish pie crust

preheat oven to 425 degrees
place pie shell on a foil lined cookie sheet
mix pie mix and pour into pie shell
place pie oven and bake for 15 minutes
reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 40 more minutes
cool on wire rack

Hawaiian Butter Mochi Cake

So I have been really bored in my life lately...I am one of those that has to be doing something challenging or I get restless...I have to be working hard or I get depressed. So in an effort to feel more fulfilled I have started Culture Nights at our house. Once a month we eat, learn, listen to music, dance, and look at maps and stuff of a different culture. To kick it off I am doing Hawaiian culture first...it is summer after all! This is a classic cake from Hawaii that I happened to have all the ingredients in my cupboard for. A+ for ease! 

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups sweet rice flour (Mochiko) - I buy this on Amazon
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
5 eggs
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cans evaporated milk
1 can coconut milk
1 stick butter (melted)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13″ pan. Whisk together the sweet rice flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat the eggs and vanilla extract together until smooth. Add the evaporated milk, coconut milk, and butter and beat on low until combined.

3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low the whole time, until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Use a plastic knife to cut into small pieces.

Hawaiian Style Slow Cooker Kalua Pork

Hawaiian Style Slow Cooker Kalua Pork

Hawaiian Style Slow Cooker Kalua Pork. Easy to prepare and no hands on cooking make this pork recipe a breeze to make and turns out perfect every time.

Ingredients

1 4-6 lb pork shoulder or Boston butt roast

1 Tbsp liquid smoke, Hickory flavor is best

2-3 tsp red Hawaiian Sea salt (for a smaller roast, 2-3 tbsp for a larger)***

Banana leaves - optional (I personally don't use them)

Instructions

Wash and pat dry the pork roast and place in the slow cooker

Pierce all over with a fork, pour the liquid smoke evenly over the roast and sprinkle liberally with the sea salt.

Place the lid of the slow cooker on and set the time for 8-12 hours on LOW.

Check at about 8 hours for doneness. If not done let go the full 12 hours, checking every hour.

Either remove the pork from the pot and shred with a fork and return to pot or shred in the pot when its done. You can remove some of the liquid and shred then add some back in to keep the pork from drying out.

Notes

1.If using banana leaves, which can be found at any Asian grocery store, place some leaves in the bottom of the pot reaching up the sides. Place the roast on top of the leaves, then add the liquid smoke and salt and wrap tightly with the leaves tucking them back under the roast. you can tie with cooking twine if wanted but its not necessary if the leaves are wrapped tightly enough. Cook the same as a non wrapped roast. This will give the pork more of a Lau Lau style flavor. 2.The reason the roast is pierced with a fork is to get the flavor from the salt and smoke deep into it, it won't dry it out. There is no extra liquid needed since this is made in a covered crock pot. 3.If making in an oven instead, place the roast on a large piece of foil, pierce all over, add the liquid smoke and salt and wrap tightly with foil, place in a roasting pan and pour ¼ water in the pan. Roast at 325 deg F for about 5 hours for 3lbs of pork shoulder, and longer for bigger pieces up to 8 hours. Checking every 30 min for doneness This is excellent with sticky rice, sweet potatoes or steamed veggies like bok choy or cabbage. !

**** I have had so many comments on the amount of salt used and my typos regarding tsp/Tbsp. IF the roast is smaller, 4-6lbs use less salt, 2-3 TSP (tsp) as in teaspoons. UP to a tablespoon if desired. If you have a larger roast say up to 10lbs use 1-3 TBSP as in tablespoons. The only seasoning the roast gets is from the salt and I personally like to err on the side of saltier. If you don't want it as salty, use less. Another way to keep the fat amount down is to trim the roast before placing it in the crock pot, or once the roast is getting close to done, drain as much of the fat out as you can ( I use a ladle and a measuring cup) and reserve the liquid, then shred the pork and add some of the liquid back into keep it from drying out.

- See more at: http://www.pineappleandcoconut.com/recipes/hawaiian-style-slow-cooker-kalua-pork/#sthash.BpGLitcy.dpuf

Horchata - Stew's favorite drink

Served this a party this weekend. It was a big hit. 

1 c. rice
1 quart milk
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
ice cubes

Soak rice in hot tap water overnight. 

The next day, drain rice. Place 1/2 cup rice and 1 cup milk in blender. Blend until rice is finely ground. Add 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Blend thoroughly. Strain liquid through fine sieve into a pitcher. Repeat with remaining ingredients. 

Let it sit over night to let all the fine grainy rice fall to the bottom. 

To serve, pour into a new pitcher without stirring so all the fine rice powder stays in the old pitcher. pour over ice cubes.

Makes 6 servings.

Tres Leches Cake

The idea of tres leches was always better to me then the reality. But once upon a time I did eat a tres leche that was worth eating. Recently I was throwing a fiesta and I wanted to make that once upon a time really actually good tres leche cake. I got the recipe from the wonderful baker and what do you know its my favorite because its gringo style lol. This is yummy! Enjoy! 

1 yellow cake mix
1/3 c. oil
3 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 tsp rum extract

Bake cake according to box baking directions - but as a general rule mix and pour into
greased 9X13 pan, bake at 350 degrees for 33-38 min, etc.

1 c. heavy cream
1 c. milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. rum extract, diluted with water to equal 1/3 c.

Mix together. When cake has cooled 5 min., pierce cake with
fork and pour milk mixture over entire cake very slowly. Refrigerate 3 hours.

1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
powdered sugar to taste

Beat until stiff. Spread over cake. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Harry Potter Theme Park Copy Cat Butterbeer

This was the recipe put out by AP, FoxNews, and just about every other site after the Wizarding World of Harry Potter park opened. I have altered it a tiny bit. Their butterscotch recipe was not very good so I used my tried and true butterscotch recipe which is delicious. I also chilled the soda after being the fridge over night even by by putting it in the freezer for a half an hour before mixed it and serving it. At the park reviews say it is almost slushy in consistency. That sounded really yummy so I tried to get it as cold as possible. Its sweet no doubt but it was yummy and really fun to try out. The kids loved it. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 8 TB butter (1 stick) 
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 TB light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 liters of cream soda

1. Make the butterscotch sauce. Cook the brown sugar and butter in a medium sauce pan over med-high heat stirring often. Cook until the mixture bubbles and becomes lighter in color about 3 - 5 minutes. Off the heat slowly add the cream while whisking the mixture. Mix until smooth. Stir in the corn syrup. vanillia, and run extract. Cool to room temperature.  
2. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the butterscotch sauce and 3/4 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Scoop large spoonfuls of the remaining butterscotch sauce into large cups that you will be serving the drink in and set aside. 
4. To serve, add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass with the butterscotch sauce, then stir to combine. Then fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the butter scotch whipped topping over each. serve and enjoy. 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

I made this for Christmas dinner to sort of pay homage to our English heritage. It was a huge hit. I love caramel. So I loved it. The kids even loved it. Its is rich and perfect for the holidays. Enjoy. also I made it eggless because I cant have eggs so my changes are next to the original.

Ingredients 

Pudding:
2 cups pitted dates (I bought the already chopped dates)
3/4 cup dark spiced rum (I just used water)
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups brown sugar
1 stick butter, at room temperature, plus extra for baking dish
3 eggs (I used canned pumpkin 1/4 cup for each egg)

Toffee Sauce:
3 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 brandy (I used water)
1 TB vanilla extract
Heavy cream, for whipped topping

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.

For the pudding:in a small saucepan, combine the dates, rum and 3/4 cup water. Bring the liquid to boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and ass the vanilla extract. Let the liquid cool, and then puree the dates with their liquid in a food processor. Reserve.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Combine the brown sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed. Beat the butter and sugar together until they are a homogeneous mixture. beat in the eggs one at a time. Gently mix in the flour mixture in thirds over a low speed. Stir in the date puree.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

For the toffee sauce: Make this while the pudding baking. Combine the butter, sugar, brandy and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking frequently. Cook the sauce until it thickens to a sauce consistency, about 15 minutes.

To finish the pudding: Remove the pudding from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. using a skewer or chopstick, poke hole in the pudding about every inch or so. Pour half the toffee sauce over the cake and let it soak in for at least 20 minutes.

Serve the pudding in a warm pool of the remaining sauce, Garnish with whipped cream and if you are like me a scoop of ice cream.

The Banana Cake that Stole the Show

So I made this on a whim because I had a ton of over ripe bananas and I needed something to take to our ward picnic. It made a ton and I am glad it did they were a big hit and I had over five different people ask for the recipe...the problem is that I changed the recipe. I was careful to write down the changes I made but then the paper got thrown away. Bummer. So this is what I think I did if I remember correctly, which I am pretty sure I am remembering this right. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 TB vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 generous cups mashed ripe bananas

Frosting

• 1 cup salted butter, softened
  
• 2 -4 TB sour cream
  
• 1/2 package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  
• powdered sugar to liking
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 10x15 inch jellyroll pans.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana. Spread evenly into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting with the cream cheese frosting.(mine took 20 minutes)
4. While the cake is cooling mix the frosting. With a standing mixer cream the cream cheese until smooth, then add the butter, when that is all smooth and getting whipped nicely add the sour cream and the vanilla sour cream. Whip until light and fluffy.
   
5. While the mixer is going slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding it until it is the the consistency you like best. I think I adjusted the frosting a little with a bit more sour cream to give it a bit more creamy taste and a bit more tang. I like my frosting fluffy but still thick enough to hold its shape.
   
6. When the cake has cooled completely frost it and then refrigerate them until you want to serve it...not necessary but something about a cold banana cake is just delightful on a hot summer day. This is a great recipe to feed a crowd. The cake is light and fluffy but has a rich taste and the frosting is a hybrid of butter cream and cream cheese frosting. Yum.
   

Magnolia bakery Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

• 1-½ cup Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• 9 ounces, weight Semisweet Chocolate, Melted And Cooled To Lukewarm (See Note)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2-¼ cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted

Preparation Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes or until creamy. Add the milk carefully and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 minutes. Gradually add in the sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and of desired consistency.

Yields enough frosting for a 9-inch 2-layer cake or about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Note: To melt the chocolate, place it in a double boiler over simmering water on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely smooth and no pieces remain. Remove from heat and let cool 5-15 minutes or until lukewarm.

Root Beer Float Cookies

These were a big success. They are a really fun cookie that is really yummy. Great to bring to a summer BBQ. Everyone will want to try one for a taste adventure and then everyone will take another because they are so dang good.

Ingredients

• 1 cupUnsalted Butter, At Room Temperature
• 1 cupGranulated Sugar
• 1 cupPacked Light Brown Sugar
• 1 wholeLarge Egg
• ½ cupsVegetable Oil
• 2 TablespoonsMilk
• 1 teaspoonVanilla Extract
• 4 teaspoonsRoot Beer Extract
• 3-½ cupsFlour
• 1 teaspoonCream Of Tartar
• 1 teaspoonBaking Soda
• ⅛ teaspoonsSalt
• 2 cups White Chocolate Chips

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place butter and sugars in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, cream. Beat in egg. Continue to beat until mixture is fluffy. Beat in oil, milk, vanilla and root beer concentrate.

2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined. Fold in white chocolate chips.

3. Drop about 2 tablespoonfuls of dough at a time onto ungreased cookies sheets. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the cookie sheet and them remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

My favorite BBQ Chicken Marinade

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (vinegar works too)
  
• 2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring (optional if you are using a Charcoal BBQ)
  
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 TB sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 4 - 7 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• favorite grilling veggies chopped in large chunks to be skewered
  
• * I like to add herbs to match the flavors of my meal: Asian night I add a little ginger, Italian night I add basil and oregano, Mexican night I add a little cumin....
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, liquid smoke, mustard, pepper, and garlic powder. poor 1/5 of the marinade in large bowl, toss the veggies with it and sprinkle with tiny bit more salt cover and set aside. Place chicken in the bowl, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and allow chicken to marinate a maximum of 4 hours in the refrigerator. I would shoot for at least 2 hours if the breast are large.
   
2. Preheat the grill for high heat. Skewer the veggies.
   
3. Oil grill grate. Discard marinade, and place chicken on grate. Cook 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.Throw on the veggies and cook until desired done-ness.
   

Your chicken will look beautiful and taste great too! We have served this to five different dinner guests and everyone raves about it. Itis really super good!

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine hash browns, 1/2 cup melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chopped onion, Cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Place mixture in a 3 quart casserole dish or 9x13 pan.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute cornflakes in 1/4 cup melted butter, and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the casserole.
4. Bake covered in preheated oven for 40 minutes.