Interests

15 of the Most Controversial Books in the Western Canon. The Vanilla Tulip: Two Way Cinnamon Rolls. These cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite things my mom made growing up! We grew up with the caramel variety. Not until a few years ago did she begin making the butter cream kind! One of my favorite memories is on Christmas morning my mom would make these and place a maraschino cherry in the middle of each cinnamon roll! It was such a treat :) If you've never baked with yeast before do NOT be intimidated!

Cinnamon Rolls 2 Tablespoons (or 2 package) Yeast 1 Cup Warm Water 1 Cup Warm Milk 2/3 Cup Sugar 2/3 Cup Butter 2 teaspoons Salt 2 Eggs 7-8 cups of Flour Put your milk and butter in a saucepan on the stove. Stir until the butter has melted into the milk. Dissolve your yeast into warm water. You want your water to be hot enough to activate your yeast, but not too hot or else it will kill it. I then add about a tablespoon of sugar to the water and yeast mixture. Now...here's how I know I've activated my yeast correctly. Set your bowl aside for a few minutes. Beat until smooth. This may take awhile. Mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com.

How to Get a Complete Workout with Nothing But Your Body. Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. Updated 9/22/11 to Add: If you’re coming here to sample these delicious Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, you just might like the latest recipe that I’ve posted for Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes too. And Gingerbread- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes too. Enjoy! Here’s a short video sharing how to make these delicious pancakes: If you’ve ever thought you needed a reason to eat pancakes, today is the day: National Pancake Day! Eat a short stack for breakfast, enjoy them for lunch, or make a dinner out a manhole-sized pancake… guilt free… because you’re merely celebrating their existence.

How do you like your pancakes? But recently I started dreaming about mixing cinnamon rolls and pancakes together… and this is what I came up with- my new favorite pancake: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. I have a wonderfully fluffy pancake batter that I like to use (recipe below) so I swirled a bit of cinnamon roll filling into the pancake. It’s like eating a cinnamon roll, and no one needs more than one cinnamon roll for breakfast. 10 Life-Enhancing Things You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less.

Banana Boats BBQ Recipe. Meatloaf Cupcakes. Remember when I posted these, and wrote about the instant aversion my kids have towards meatloaf? They can’t get enough meatballs, but when I use that same recipe and make a loaf out of it, something happens. Well, I just solved the problem for all the mothers out there looking to get their kids to eat meatloaf. MEATLOAF CUPCAKES!!!! The other week a friend of mine at work came by to tell me about this awesome bakery in Chicago, called the MeatLoaf Bakery. She described the meatloaf cupcakes and instantly my mind went racing – mostly to the decorations. So – for all your Moms out there – this one is definitely for you. Ingredients Meatloaf 1 teaspoon olive oil1 cup finely chopped onion1/2 cup finely chopped carrot1 teaspoon dried oregano2 garlic cloves, minced1 cup ketchup, divided1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw)1 cup bread crumbs2 tablespoons prepared mustard1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 large eggsCooking spray Mashed Potatoes Garnish.

Mom’s Scones. My mom has made “scones” my whole life. If you ask any of my siblings what favorite foods they think of when they think of mom and scones will be high on the list. They are family tradition that brings back many warm memories. Even today, Nan still makes her famous scones that are a favorite with all of the grandchildren. So imagine my surprise when I found out that the “scones” we love to eat are not what the rest of the world calls a scone. In fact, the scones I grew up with are a very regional creation… they are sometimes called Utah Scones or Mormon Scones. What!? The scones in Utah are a raised white bread dough deep fried in hot oil, much like Sopapillas or Navajo Fry Bread.

But whatever you call them, I call them divine. Here’s how to make them: Combine 1 cup of warm milk and 1 cup of warm water. Add one tablespoon of yeast. Give the yeast a quick stir. Allow the yeast to activate about 10 minutes. Add one tablespoon of salt. And flour. The more you make bread, the more it makes sense. Homemade Snickers Bars. Insanity. That’s what this is. Pure In.San.It.TEEEEE. You know those days when you’re in desperate need of sugar and you’ve already downed more gummy vitamins than recommended while seriously considering how many more you can ingest without causing severe harm to your internal organs? They’re just so gooooood.

Well… in that case you should make some homemade snickers bars. And I KNOW you know what I’m talking about. I spent the majority of my pre-pubescent and adolescent years scheming just how I would be able to steal my brothers’ Halloween candy. Then I went through a SERIOUS phase of those Snickers ice cream bars. And that you can eat a million of them. These days, it’s rare that I crave actual candy, often preferring some chewy cookies or super rich cheesecake or a bar of amazing chocolate that costs thrice as much as the recent organic meyer lemons I purchased. They are the peanut butter to my jelly. The salt to my pepper. The broccoli to my… wait, no. And the fabulous part? Nougat layer. Better-Than-Crack-Brownies. I’m sorry for doing this to you.

I really am. But see, last Friday while I was on a 10-hour road trip heading for vacation, I received this recipe from a reader named Liz. Liz, I love you. That’s all I have to say. I was tortured by this recipe for a full 8 days before I could make it. I wanted to make it while I was on vacation, but couldn’t drag myself up off the couch to do so. So it was the first thing I made when I returned home. These are an absolute sin. I really don’t have any words, other than you must try them. They may also change your waistline too. But that’s okay. It’s all in the name of chocolate. Better-Than-Crack Brownies 1 batch brownies (boxed mix or oooey gooey brownies) 1/2 cup salted peanuts (if don’t have salted, add sea salt) 1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups 1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 tablespoon butter 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Mr. S'mores Bites - Two Ways. With a Kiss… or with a Rolo, take your pick! Seriously, dessert doesn’t get any easier than this! This definitely has got to be one of my easiest recipes yet, and cutest =). They can be made in 5 minutes or less and they taste just like a S’more, or upgraded S’more if you use Rolo’s. These are the perfect way to be able to enjoy a S’more in the comfort of your home even in the winter time. For best results just be sure to eat them right after toasting to get that gooey, toasted, authentic S’mores goodness. Ingredients 6 graham cracker sheets*, or 12 Saltine or Ritz Crackers 6 large marshmallows 12 Hershey's Kisses or Rolos, unwrapped Directions Break graham cracker sheets in half, then cut each half into a circle using a 2 1/4" circle fondant cutter or metal cookie cutter (if using Saltine or Ritz Crackers no cutting needed).

Notes. Healthy Cookie Dough Dip. If you received an email from Pinterest saying I didn’t want you to pin my recipes, this is NOT true! I am so sorry for this and have no idea why they would send such messages out! Please accept my apologies… I’m so honored when people pin things from my site or follow my Chocolate Covered Katie Pinterest Board. Healthy Cookie Dough Dip… it’s like an unbaked form of those popular White Bean Chickpea Blondies. I don’t know about you, but when I make the blondies, quite a bit of the raw dough gets consumed in the process! But will “normal” people like it? Often, I’m unsure if a recipe with which I am in love will be a hit with the general population of people who aren’t used to healthy food. The following is directly from my About Chocolate Covered Katie page.

I refuse to believe one must give up delicious food in order to be healthy… Healthy food can taste incredible when it’s prepared the right way. I brought this healthy cookie dough dip to a party. Something amazing happened… Ingredients. Thousand Layers Spiral Mooncake | The Waitakere Redneck's Kitchen. My last trial of this mooncake was back in 2006. Yes, it took me a good 2 years to get over the 'trauma' and give this another go. Not a mooncake for the fainthearted to attempt. What is tedious is sealing the dough without destroying the spiral pattern.

But the end result is very rewarding. The pastry is very very crispy, crunchy and light. Apparently the secret to getting the mooncake to bloom like a snail shell....' The traditional filling for this is yam but there is nothing to stop you from putting your own spin into this by using a lotus or bean paste or whatever takes your fancy. Makes 6 mooncakes IngredientsWater dough75g plain flour20g shortening10g (fine) sugar35g water + 2-3 drops white vinegar Oil Dough65g plain flour40g shortening Method1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Note :These mooncake cannot be kept for long and should be eaten within 2-3 days. Tip :1. Detox Smoothie « Drinks. Yep, that’s a healthy green smoothie? I realize things like these are rather scarce over here, at this little place of mine. But before you start wondering whether I’ve overcome a head injury recently, let me explain what’s going on… I made this smoothie yesterday. That allowed me to tick off my first New Year’s resolution – to bring a little more health into my life. Then I did three (3) sit-ups. I was feeling amazing. A new person was born. Today I made a batch of cookies and had two glasses of wine. So everything is back to normal. The new person has grown up rather quickly, it seems. Still I wonder what made me feel better, the alkalizing smoothie or the lovely wine.

Need to think it all through. Here’s what you need to prepare this healthy beverage. 1. 2. Minus the seeds. 3. They have rather mild flavor so they won’t affect the final taste of your drink substantially. 4. 5. Fresh ginger is beyond healthy but very flavorful. A little goes a long way. We need just about 1/4 teaspoon. 6. 7. Chunky Chocolate Cheerios. This is one of the most delicious if not the greatest chocolate dessert of all time. Really. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer knocked on Santa’s front door. Santa: “Who’s there?” Rudolph: “It’s me, Rudolph.” Santa: “What do you want, Rudolph?” Freezing in the cold Rudolph replies: “Ch-ch-ch…” Santa: “You want WHAT?” Rudolph: “Chunky Chocolate Cheerios!” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I don’t normally tell any jokes because they tend to be terribly lame!

It all started rather innocently on a day that I had this whacky idea to add some Cheerios to the White & Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunks recipe of mine. I posted the recipe along with this by now familiar photo and that was that. Not quite. Always a bit stumped when it comes to gifts I wondered whether gifting these delightful nibbles would work.

People went bonkers for it! Chunky Chocolate Cheerios sold out week after week when I ran a stall at the local farm shop. Adds crunch. If you can find another cereal that can do that, go ahead! Homemade oreos. Just before I left for the airport Monday morning, I stopped short and ran back inside, not because I forgot my power cord or business cards or anything normal like that, but to make myself a turkey sandwich. My flight left late, of course, and by the time I had time to unwrap my semi-smooshed last bit of home-cooked anything, I was so hungry, I was ready to ask the 18-month-old next to me to share one of his drooled-upon teething biscuits. Proust may have had his madeleine and my husband may have his pickled green tomatoes, but I had that turkey sandwich and in the one bite I allowed myself before the drink cart finally brought me something to wash it down with, I had found a happiness I didn’t know could exist at the front end of a much-dreaded three day business trip to a nine-acre enclosed glass pod.

It was the best thing I ate for days. What followed were stale, overly-sweet muffins falsely advertised as bran, potato chips I’d found myself eating because they were “free!” Japanese Cheesecake. There are cakes which look absolutely stunning and gorgeous on the outside, but when it comes to the taste, it disappoints, and you just wished that it tasted as good as it looks.

I've had a lot of those experiences, and in fact, I think I've made a few of cakes like that myself! What I love about a good Japanese cheesecake is that while in appearance it resembles a humble (and perhaps, plain or boring?) Sponge cake, but the minute you put it into your mouth, you want to close your eyes and go 'hmmmmmmmmmmmmm'. We all go through phases, don't we?! Right out of the oven...hmmmmm. Japanese Cheesecake Recipe from The Cookbook Chronicles300g cream cheese 45g unsalted butter 57g egg yolk (this equals to 3 yolks)20g sugar11g cornstarch150g milk95g egg white (3 egg whites)55g sugarUse an 18 cm (7 in) cake pan with a fixed bottomCut a strip of parchment that is 3 cm higher than the height of the cake pan.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, melt the butter over a double boiler. Raspberry Balls. Here is a flashback from the 70'sEvery Holiday season my Grandmother would make these wonderful raspberry balls.It took me years and years to figure out the recipe, but I got it!! It's incredibly simple and uses only 4 ingredients! Jello Gelatin, coconut, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract. And... You don't have to make them Raspberry.You can use any flavor Gelatin.The balls in the picture are cranberry balls. Yummm! Raspberry Balls1 large package flaked coconut.1 large box jello gelatin. 1 small box Jello gelatin (for coating finished balls.) Mix first 4 ingredients.Roll into small balls.roll to coat in the small package of jello.refrigerate in an air-tight container.Enjoy! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles. Oh. My. God. If you could take perfection, roll it in a ball, and dip it chocolate, this would be it. I’m not joking here folks.

I’d strongly advise you to put down the mouse and get your butt to the kitchen, stat. Even Taylor firmly declared these the best thing I’ve ever baked. My apologies to the New Years’ resolution folk. The cookie dough itself is egg-free, and potentially dairy free AND vegan if you get picky about what you coat them with. Take it or leave it (but I strongly suggest you take it. Update: Since it was first posted in 2010, I’ve updated this recipe and included it in my new cookbook, The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook (Quirk Books, 2012).