Easy Every Day Rolls

I'm in love with these rolls for so many reasons. They are so simple yet so good. Chewy and light and everything a roll should be. I made them for Thanksgiving and will probably make them again for Christmas, but I could easily make them for dinner any night of the week.

Recipe from here.

Ingredients:
2- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (1 package)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons butter, melted and divided

Directions:
Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast, salt, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and water in the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix well with the paddle attachment until mixture is smooth. Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time until dough is tacky and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Change to the hook attachment and kneed until smooth, about 4 to 6 minutes. (You could also knead by hand).

Grease a bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Punch down dough and divide into 12 balls. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and place the dough balls into the dish. Cover once more with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size again. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the roll for 15 minutes or until the tops turn golden. Remove from oven and brush with remaining tablespoon of butter.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Bread Recipes:
Basic Pizza Dough Recipe
Homemade Bread Sticks 
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Homemade Pita Bread
Parmesan Onion Rolls 
Soft and Chewy French Bread 
Sour Cream Dinner Rolls  

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Apparently Cranberry Bliss Bars are an amazing dessert you can buy at Starbucks. I've never eaten one so I can't say if this copycat recipe taste anything like the real thing. However, I can tell you that these Cranberry Bliss Bars are out of this world! Blondies, cream cheese frosting, white chocolate chips, dried cranberries . . . Eric can't stay away from them. They just might be new annual dessert we make.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Blondies
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of ground cinnamon
3/4 cup dried cranberries (homemade or store-bought)
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Frosting
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
Blondies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and melted butter and allow to cool to room temperature (so it doesn't cook the eggs). Add eggs and vanilla and beat with electric mixer.

In a medium bowl, combine together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and combine. Fold in cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Pour batter evenly into baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the center of the blondies have set. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Frosting
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until well-combined. Pour in half of the melted white chocolate and beat until well combined. Frost the cooled blondies then sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle the top of the blondies with the melted white chocoalte. Place the cookie bars in the fridge to allow the set then cut into bars.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Dessert Recipes:
Michigan Cranberry Brownies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Caramelitas
Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars (Twix Bars) 
Congo Bars, Blondies, or Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
Blueberry Chocolate Chip Brunetties 

Apple Pancakes

These pancakes are perfect for a crisp fall morning. There is no better way to describe them.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
dash of salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweet apple, finely chopped

Directions:
In a medium bow, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl combine milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. It's okay if mix has some lumps; you don't want to overmix. Fold in apple.

Grease a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter on the skillet. Cook until small bubbles form on the edges of the pancakes, about 1 or 2 minutes, then flip. Cook other side until golden brown, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with maple syrup.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Apple Recipes:
Baked Apple Chips
Savory Apples Stuffed with Sage and Sausage
An Apple Cider Birthday Cake
Apple Cider Cookies with Spiced Rum Glaze
Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting
Delicious Apple Pie 
Apple Rings!
Peanut Butter Baked Apples

Pumpkin Mug Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The great thing about mug cakes is that are a generous single serving which means two things: you can't over indulge and you don't have to share. And this pumpkin mug cake is the most moist mug cake I have ever made. It really hits the spot on a chilly autumn day.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Cake
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting

1 ounce cream cheese, softened

1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions:
Cake
Spray the inside of a mug with cooking spray. Add all the ingredients in the mug and mix until well combined. Microwave for 50 to 60 seconds or until the cake is set in the middle. Each microwave works a little different so start at 50 seconds and slowly increase from there.

While cake cools, make the frosting.

Frosting
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and powder sugar. Place on top of pumpkin mug cake.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Mug Recipes:
3-Ingredient Gluten-Free Mug Cake
Brownie in a Mug
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread in a Mug
Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mug Cake
Chocolate-Hazelnut Mug Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Fluffernutter Mug Cake
French Toast in a Mug
Quiche in a Mug

Doggie Birthday Cupcakes

A couple weeks ago, I saw a picture of Eric's cousin, her husband, and their beautiful dog on their wedding day. My immediately thought (other than awww, that's so cute!) was: why didn't we do that? The answer is simple: we didn't adopted Arya until about a month after our wedding. But it feels like she has been with us forever and we sometimes forget that there was a time before her.

October 16 marked 1 year since our little puppy love came into our lives. To celebrate, I baked her doggie friendly cupcakes! Both cake and frosting are made mostly from pumpkin puree. Canned pumpkin has a ton of fiber and beta-carotene and can be used to treat both diarrhea and constipation in dogs. However, don't let your own puppy love eat all (8) of these cupcakes at once. Like everything else, too much of anything is bad and could make your dog sick. (Source)

Recipe from here.

Ingredients:
Cupcakes
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin-pie mix)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water

Frosting
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Kibble/dog treats, garnish, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 8 paper liners.

Combine all of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide evenly between the muffin tins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the center of the cupcakes set.

Allow cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.

Whisk together cream cheese and pumpkin puree. When the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost the cakes.

Remember to take off the paper wrapper before giving it to you pup!

Licking the batter bowl clean!

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Cinnamon Glazed Apple Muffins

This was the third year in a row we missed out on picking apples. The first year it was a bad crop and no one had apples. Last year our favorite orchard closed the weekend before we planned on going at the end of October. This year, we went in early October so not to miss out again. Well, we did. There was a rush of people the weekend before we planned on going and they picked the orchard clean. But they did have some pre-picked apples we could buy. So I've been going apple crazy. Some were sucesses like these muffins and my apple pie salsa. The apple and sausage mac and cheese, not so much.

Next time, I'm going to give these muffins a crumb topping and drizzle them with a cinnamon glaze. A muffin just isn't a muffin without a crumb topping.

Recipe adapted from here.
Makes approximately 2 dozen muffins.

Ingredients:
Muffins
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups diced apples, peeled and cored (about 3 apples--I used Mutsu)

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Muffins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffan pan with paper cups.

In a large bowl, cream sguar, eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. In a second bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ones and mix until well combined. Fold in diced apples.

Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes or until muffins are set in the middle. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Glaze
In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until well combined. Dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze.

Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Breakfast Recipes:
Basic Homemade Bagels  
Blueberry Muffins
French Toast in a Mug  
Homemade Hash Browns 
 Individual Bacon and Cheese Quiches
Monkey Bread Muffins  
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls 
Pancakes with Raspberry Sauce
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes  
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Quiche in a Mug
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Basic Homemade Bagels

Good bagels are soft and yeasty and basically heavenly. Bad bagels are small and tough and bland. There really is no in between. After finally giving up on the bad bagels from the frozen section of the grocery store and spending too much on the good bagels from the bakery, I finally decided to make my own. I'm not going to lie, these took a little practice. You have to get the dough really stiff, and I'm still working on making them look pretty, but the taste is spot on. I go to bed every night looking forward to having one of these bagels for breakfast the next morning.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4-ounce package, active dry yeast 
1 1/2 cups warm water
Cooking spray

Toppings such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or cheeses, optional

Directions:
In the bowl of a standing mixer, add 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Slowly add water and mix with your paddle attachment for 2 minutes at medium speed, scrapping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Switch to your hook attachment. Add 1/2 cup flour, mixing on high for two minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups flour. Dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and be stiff. Add remaining 1/2 cup of flour if needed.

On medium speed, let the hook attachment knead the dough for about 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place dough in an ungreased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough sit in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide into 12 small balls. Poke a hole through the center of each ball with your finger. Hole should be about 1/2 inch in diameter.

Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray, arrange bagel on it, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in a warm place for another 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large, shallow pan, boil at least 2-inches of water. Turn heat to low and add a couple of bagels to the water at a time. Simmer bagels for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.

Remove bagels from water and place back on greased baking sheet. Spray the tops of the bagels with cooking spray. If desired, sprinkle with toppings.

Bake for 30 minutes

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Bread Recipes:
Grandma Betty's Banana Bread
Homemade Bread Sticks 
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Homemade Pita Bread
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls 
Parmesan Onion Rolls 
Pull Apart Pizza Bread  

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

Whenever we've done homemade pizzas, I've always used Jiffy boxed pizza crust. Tonight I hadn't planned on making pizza, but when I opened the fridge, I discovered that we had all the makings for a pizza--except the pizza crust. In truth, it's about time I made my own pizza dough. I have fallen in love with bread making over the last year--I've made tortillas, different types of rolls, breadsticks, and French bread--I should have my own pizza dough recipe, especially considering how much Eric loves pizza.

This is a pretty basic recipe that can easily be personalized to suit anyone's taste. I sprinkled my crust with Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Next time I might add some Italian herbs. But regardless how you season it; the crust is soft and delicious.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 packet active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water

Directions:
Place water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, oil, and salt; combine. Add more flour until dough forms a bowl. Knead 5 to 7 times. Roll into a bowl, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease pizza stone with cooking spray.

Punch dough and place it on the pizza stone. Work it into a crust with a 12-inch diameter. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and add sauce, cheese, and toppings.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.

Raw dough

After first bake

Toppings

Baked

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Pizza Recipes:
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Homemade Pizza Rolls
Ricotta, Basil, and Sun-dried Tomato Pizza 
Pizza Inspired Chicken
The Pizza Quiche
Pizza Zucchini Boats

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Between my husband and the dog, peanut butter has become a staple in the house. So much so that I buy the huge 5 pound jar. A few weeks ago we ran out and it wasn't in the grocery budget to stock up on it. Eric and Arya had to go two whole weeks without their peanut butter, and I got plenty of complaints from Eric and sad eyes from Arya as she tried to give me her Kong toy (which usually gets filled with peanut butter). So when I finally bought a jar, Arya got her Kong full of peanut butter and Eric got these amazing peanut butter pancakes.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup water (or milk, if you prefer. I actually like water better)
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Grease with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, combine water, peanut butter, egg, oil, and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well-combined.Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour 1/4 cup portions onto the griddle or pan. Cook until little bubbles appear, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve with butter or syrup, if so desired.

Peanut butter chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and eggs with cheese, kale, and bacon

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Breakfast Recipes:
Blueberry Muffins
French Toast in a Mug
Homemade Hash Browns
Individual Bacon and Cheese Quiches
Monkey Bread Muffins
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Quiche in a Mug
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
Sweet Buns Three Ways: Cherry, Blueberry, and Cream Cheese 

Sweet Buns Three Ways: Cherry, Blueberry, and Cream Cheese

Every since I got my standing mixer, I've been making all kinds of yeast breads. The mixer does the kneading for me so making breads from scratch got so much easier. When I saw these delicious yeast buns on Pinterest, I couldn't wait to try them. Eric was madly in love with them. I think I only got to try one of each kind, he devoured the rest.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Buns
1 cup warm milk, (about 100 degrees F)
1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3 1/4 cup flour
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt

Fillings (each filling would make enough for a 16 buns--a full batch)
Cherry
64 black cherries, pitted (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (1/2 teaspoon per bun)

Blueberry
1 pound blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar (1/2 teaspoon per bun)

Cream Cheese
8 ounces cream cheese (1 tablespoon per bun) 

Crumb Topping
2 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions:
Buns
In the bowl of a standing mixer, add milk and sprinkle with yeast.  Let sit for 7 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup flour and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using whisk attachment, whisk until combined. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest for 45 minutes.

Whisk in egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, melted butter, and salt. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Add in 2 3/4 cups flour, one cup at a time. Make sure each cupful is fully incorporated before adding the next cup. Your dough should have pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Continue to mix with the dough hook on Low for 15 minutes.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let sit for 2 hours. Dough will triple in size.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Cut dough into 16 pieces and shape each piece into a ball.

Grease a baking dish (either 2 round cake pans or one 9x13 baking dish). Place the balls in your dish. Make a well in the center of each ball. Place 4 cherries (or a healthy tablespoon of blueberries, or a tablespoon of cream cheese) in the well. Sprinkle the cherries or blueberries with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise for 45 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 360 degrees.

Crumb Topping
In a small bowl, combine all the crumble topping ingredients until you have a texture of coarse crumbs.

Generously sprinkle the buns with the crumb topping. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the buns are golden.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Yeast Recipes:
Homemade Bread Sticks 
Sour Cream Dinner Rolls 
Soft and Chewy French Bread
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls 

Drunken Cherry Chocolate Cake

Every year for my birthday, I don't ask for presents, just that Eric bake a cake for me and we spend the day together. He started with boxed cake mixes, last year it was a smores pie, and this year he made his first cake from scratch. He woke up early and only asked for a little help--I more supervised and fetched ingredients for him than anything else. And it turned out absolutely delicious. The cake was moist and very chocolaty and the cream cheese frosting has become my favorite frosting. You can't forget the drunken cherries either--divine. I am so proud of him.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Cake
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk, warmed
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder (we used Hershey's Special Dark)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt

Filling

4 cups black cherries, pitted (about 1 pound)

1/2 cup whiskey (next time I think we'll use brandy)

1/4 cup cold water

Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

4 tablespoons of reserved cherry-whiskey syrup

Directions:
Drunken Cherries
Rinse, drain, and dry your cherries. Pit the cherries and coarsely chop them. Place them in a medium bowl and add whiskey. Let the cherries marinate at room temperature for 1 hour then drain cherries, reserving the liquid.

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans.

With a standing mixer or electric hand mixer, whisk together 4 tablespoons butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Whip on high for 7 minutes or until mixture is light and fluffy. Whisk in warm milk.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the batter is just combined. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of each cake has set. 

Once the cakes are cool enough to handle, remove from pans. Place the cakes on a wire rack and cool completely.

Frosting
In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk butter on low until fluffy, gradually adding powdered sugar one cup at a time until well combined. Add salt. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until mixture is pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes).

Add cream cheese 1 ounce at a time and mix until well combined. Once all the cream cheese is incorporated, whip for about 1-2 more minutes.

Stir in 4 tablespoons of reserved cherry liquid. Reserve the rest of the remaining cherry liquid. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.

Assemble

Remove the frosting from the fridge and allow it to set about for 10-15 minutes. 

Cut each cake in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Place one layer (cut-side up) on your plate or cake stand. 

Add water to the reserved cherry syrup. Brush the layer with 1/3 of the cherry-whiskey mixture. Frost the layer and add 1/3 of the drunken cherries. Repeat with the next three layers, however, do not put any syrup on the top layer. Refrigerate cake for about 20 minutes.

Frost the outside of your cake. Decorate with extra cherries, chocolate curls, or chocolate chips. Instead of using whole cherries, Eric decorated with a few drunken cherries. Cover and store cake in fridge. Allow cake to sit at room temperate for about 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Cake Recipes
Strawberry and Chocolate Checkered Cake 
Three Layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
An Apple Cider Birthday Cake
Chocolate on Chocolate Cake 
Chocolate Swirl Cake (Made with Swiss Cake Rolls)
Honey Cake
Rice Crispy Birthday Cake