Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Since today is the last day of November I figured it's probably nearly time to say farewell to pumpkin until next year.  There are too many delicious Christmas flavors to be wallowing in pumpkin.  These babies are the perfect farewell. Plus your kids will think you're magical because you can make donuts.  Who does that, anyway?

These are baked in a donut pan so they come out perfectly every time and you don't have to worry about disfiguring your hands with boiling oil and ending up in the emergency room.  Great right?  To make them healthier, you can roll them in the cinnamon sugar coating while still warm, but I highly recommend dipping them in butter first like the recipe states.  It truly does something magical.
(I am a closet-butter-hater, so this is serious business.)

My hubby is participating in a Biggest Loser competition at work (Really, I have no idea where that need came from... We basically just eat vegetables at our house all the time), and this is one of the treats I am going to go back and make just for him when it's over.  I realize that sounds completely backwards, but these are yummy enough that it's just on the must-list. 

Happy Last Day of November!!

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Raspberry Swirl Rolls {& Sweet Roll Tips!}

I used to not be a good sweet roll maker.  Mine always turned out dense and dry.  After lots of trial and error I discovered I was adding WAY too much flour, especially in the rolling out process. My mind-frame of what the dough should look and feel like was totally wrong. I thought if it was sticky at all I hadn't added enough flour.

Lately I've discovered the secret to good sweet rolls is actually adding the least amount of flour possible.  This is what will make your rolls tender and moist.  Your dough should still be very sticky when you put it in a bowl for it's first rise.  After the first rise it loses some of it's stickiness and you can get a better idea of whether you need to add a little more flour or not.

One of the best things you can do to help you use the right amount of flour is use a kitchen scale to measure it.  I've included flour weight below for this recipe like I always do for my cookies.  This really takes a lot of guesswork out of baking sweet rolls.  Especially if you're at a high-altitude.

The other thing I do is use Pam spray instead of flour when rolling out my dough.  Sometimes you will have to add a bit more flour to get your dough to rolling consistency, but rolling the dough on a flour covered surface can really drown your dough in flour unnecessarily.  By spraying your rolling surface and rolling pin with Pam you can keep the dough from sticking, while avoiding adding excess flour.

Finally, make sure you take your rolls out of the oven when they're just barely done.  You don't want raw dough but you really don't want to overbake either or your product will be dry. 

For these raspberry swirl rolls I used raspberries from my garden and the filling was a bit tart.  Taste your berries before beginning and if they're tart add some extra sugar to your filling.   These are best the day they're made.  After that they will begin to dry out like most sweet rolls. These are tender and yummy but I think they would be even better with a cream cheese frosting, so feel free to substitute that for the glaze if you want.  

Happy carbohydrate inhaling!

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Spiced Apple Cider Streusel Muffins

It's officially Fall.  I know because I caught my first nasty illness of the season.  I'm not sure if it's strep or just a monster sore throat but it's preventing me from eating and that just makes me grumpy.  Boo.  My secret cure to a sore throat is that Alpine sugar-free hot spiced cider that comes in little packets.  Seriously nothing cures a sore throat better than that.  Try it out! 

Turns out cider is also great in muffin form.

My secret to this recipe is to condense the apple cider nearly in  half to give it a distinguishable cider flavor.  Be sure not to mix the batter more than necessary or the muffins will be dry and dense.  These aren't super sweet so if you go slightly heavy on the sugar I won't snitch.  ;)

Happy Fall!!

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Raspberry Turnovers

Have you been staying up as late as I have watching the Olympics every night?  I swear I'm a walking zombie these days.  I've been putting milk away in cupboards instead of the fridge and finding my husbands socks with the cleaning supplies.  It's been worth it though.

Gabby Douglas?

ADORABLE.

And know what really weird?  Watching the Olympics and realizing one of your good friends from elementary school thatyoumightatotallyforgottenabout is an Olympian.  And looks exactly the same as she did in 4th grade.


While we're on the topic of the Olympics, I give you these turnovers, also known as:

Breakfast of champions!

Really, I'm pretty sure they probably serve these at the Olympic training center cafeteria. All those swimmer and gymnast guys with 8-packs obviously eat these daily.

These are so easy peasy but people will think you're all fancy for making your own pastries.  Probably your children will fall all over themselves complimenting you on being able to do what the woman at Safeway does.  Feel free not to shatter any of these illusions.

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Fourth of July Donut Hole Fruit Skewers

We decorate WAY in advance for holidays around here.  Partly that's because I have no idea how to decorate "normally" (as in, not by theming around a holiday.)  So our house looks really bare if there is no holiday decor up.  I usually pull out the 4th of July decor on June 1st and leave it up until September when I start decorating for Halloween.  (It's okay for you purists to be cringing right now.  Just don't come over to my house, um, ever.) 

I've thought about this a lot, and I think probably this is entirely not my fault and is due to a gaping hole in our education system. Obviously they need a major in college that's like Adulthood 101, where they teach you how to argue with cell phone companies, set up retirement accounts, make curtains out of bedsheets, put together a decent-looking flowerbed and make a PB&J that won't get soggy within two hours. (Annd decorate your house, of course.)

These are the real things one needs to know in life.

Due to the lack of this major at my college I have successfully kept the "For Dummies" book series in business single-handedly for the last five years. But since there's no pictures I haven't really learned much.

I've gotten way off track but the point is that my world pretty much revolves around holidays and I couldn't wait to share this 4th of July breakfast idea with you.  I saw donut hole fruit skewers on Pinterest and thought all the red and blue fruits would be perfect for the 4th of July.   I cut some stars out of strawberries to be extra patriotic.  If you have kids, these are so easy they can even make their own.

 

We went to the zoo this morning, so excuse me while I go shower off elephant smell.

Happy Wednesday!

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Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake was always my favorite dessert growing up.  But we never made it with angel food cake or frozen strawberries.  In my fam it was the real deal.  My mom baked these sweet biscuit-like old-fashioned shortcakes, and topped them with sugared strawberries and fresh whipped cream.  The great part is these shortcakes are made from Bisquick and take all of two minutes to whip up and throw in the oven.  The recipe has been tinkered with quite a bit and adapted from Bisquick's original recipe.  It is not at all the same as the one on the box.  These shortcakes are thick and much heavier than angel food cake shortcake so know that before starting so you won't be disappointed.  I so prefer this version and hope you will love it as much as we do.

This is my definition of the perfect breakfast. (Pumpkin pie comes very very close.)

It has fruit and dairy in it so your dietician would probably approve.

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Lemon Pull-Aparts (& a Key Lime version)

In honor of my mom, the biggest citrus lover I know, I thought I'd post these sweet glazed lemon/key lime rolls today.  I really wish I could send you some of these through the computer.

(Seriously... we can send people to the moon, but we can't figure out how to send food through the internet?  Come on now. 

Some smarty pants from Harvard better be inventing *that* in his dorm room right now.)

Mom, Thanks for changing my diapers, letting me wear my shoes on the wrong feet, and teaching me it's okay to change your name. (Also for constantly watching my children who love you to PIECES.)

Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all moms! May your children be grateful and your husbands not forget lest they all be sleeping on the couch next week.

(Based on the flowers, cards, and candy practically barfing out of Walmart's Enter/Exit doors for at least a month in advance can you believe anyone forgets??  I so don't understand.)

These rolls are great for brunches and holiday breakfasts and since they use Rhodes rolls as the bread base, they are easy peasy.  I have tried an orange version of these and didn't care for them much, so stick with lemon or lime.

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White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

I want you to know I like you.  Like really I do. I so appreciate everyone who reads and follows and leaves sweet comments or lets me know they've tried my recipe.  It feels good to be able to share something I am so passionate about.

I love these white chocolate raspberry scones and hope you can consider them a big (super late!) Valentine's THANK YOU from me for being part of my life.

(Yes, they turn out looking like freaky alien brains, but hopefully you can overlook this because they are super delicious and only taste a TINY bit like freaky alien brain.)

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Cinnamon Scones

Normally I quite like where I live. But I have two major pet peeves that get me all fired up about Utah.

Number one- pictures of Jesus with blue eyes.

*NEWSFLASH*   Jesus was Jewish.

Number two- the use of the word "scone" referring to Indian fry bread.

It's really disappointing to go to a place called SCONECUTTERS and find out that all they sell is Navajo tacos. Really, I think I might be emotionally scarred from that experience.  I know this is a difficult concept, but scones are supposed to be sweet little British biscuits that are usually triangular and served with tea.

I'm sorry, I just die a little inside every time I hear Indian fry bread referred to as a "scone".

Anyway.  These English scones are delicious and rich and triangular.  You could probably make them half this size.  Also they don't turn out a freaky deeky yellow color, I just added that effect to see if I could make them look jaundiced.

Maybe they need a bili-bed.


Hahaaaa.


It's ok if you don't get my joke... Let's just move right along to the recipe so things don't get awkward, shall we?

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Graham Streusel Coffee Cake

I am a fan of coffee cakes.  To me they are just an acceptable way to eat cake to eat for breakfast, so what's not to love?  This is even more true for this recipe, because it uses a spice cake mix as the base.  Just ignore the fact that you're adding even more butter and sugar to it and calling it breakfast.  Your tummy with thank you.  (But in spirit of full disclosure, your thighs probably won't.)

I think it's pretty obvious from the ingredient list that this is a sweet coffee cake, so if you can't handle sugar in the morning, you can feel free to eat it for snack or dessert instead.  

I on the other hand do not function properly without massive amounts of sugar, so I have no problem having a slice for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and afternoon snack.  And maybe a teeeensy slice for midnight snack.  

This is because I am actually an alien and my blood has been replaced by extraterrestrials with pure glucose.  

Which, of course, I need to keep regenerating by constantly consuming sugar.

duh.

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Gingerbread Waffles with Cinnamon Syrup and Whipped Cream

Favorite. Breakfast. Ever.  That's all you need to know.  Every time I run out of dinner ideas- we end up eating these. I actually prefer them topped with whipped cream alone, but some of my family can't live without the cinnamon syrup.  If we ever have leftovers (rare), I freeze these for quick breakfasts and snacks and they are a hit.  These are a bit time intensive, so I don't recommend them for first thing in the morning when you're starving. 

Also, be aware, when you take the waffles off the iron they will be very limp.  Be careful not to tear them, but don't worry, they will crisp up as they cool down. 

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Super Citrus Smoothie

I hate it when I'm making a milkshake and boys just start showing up in my yard.


(I totally found that on Pinterest, but whatev. I thought I would share the laugh with you.)

These aren't milkshakes.  Actually, they're kind of  *gasp*  healthy. Maybe the healthiest thing I will ever post, since this blog IS supposed to be about chocolate. I've had a bad cold lately (which probably explains why I haven't posted any delicious treats lately- I do apologize. It's rare that food leaves me disinterested.)

These are *kinda* like Jamba Juice Coldbusters.  Which are pretty much the center of my universe.  Well, really these aren't all that much like Coldbusters, except they both taste citrusy, but if you like those, I promise you will like these too.

By the way... Jamba should totally deliver.  Who's with me?

Enough rambling.  I have a date with Mr. Nyquil anways.

Let me know if your smoothie brings any boys to the yard.

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Pumpkin Waffles with Apple Cider Syrup

 

Just indulge me for a few days here and embrace my abundance of Fall recipes. I have a little bit of an obsession with the season and since everyone and their chia pet is having a "Christmas in July" sale, I'm pretty sure I can have a letspretenditsfallandnot5000degreesoutside post. Am I right?  Thank you very much.

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Peach Cobbler Muffins

Because everybody needs a peach cobbler muffin for breakfast now and again.

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Triple Berry Coffee Cake

When I was a kid I thought being an adult would be awesome because I could do whatever I wanted. Party until all hours. Eat ice cream for dinner. (For the record- a strawberry cheesecake ice cream cone, dipped in nuts, totally covers 5 of the 6 food groups. And in my opinion vegetables shouldn't be a group at all so we can just pretend that group doesn't exist.)

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