10.23.2016

sweet stuff Sunday: cinnamon rolls!

This morning's sweet treat was meant to be a nice and easy thing for Christian to take to work.... however, these were super gooey but deeeeeelicious! 

I made these with sour cream  and a little extra milk - instead of buttermilk (like my original recipe seen HERE), because I didn't have any buttermilk. They turned out just as good!

They are pretty easy to make, but leave you with a lot of dirty dishes... wah! Oh, well, here is the recipe I used this morning... If you have buttermilk, you can use the recipe I linked above.

what you need:

1 glass pie dish
2 large bowls for mixing
a pastry cloth

Filling:
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C sugar
4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tb softened butter

For the dough:
2 1/2 C  Cup 4 Cup flour OR just regular All Purpose flour
2 Tb sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C sour cream
1/2  C reg milk  (I used raw goatmilk)
2 Tb melted butter
 (then 2 more Tb butter for the tops of rolls)

For the icing:
3 Tb melted butter
4 oz cream cheese
1 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425.
Prepare filling by mixing ingredients (brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, & butter) in a bowl, set aside.
In the other bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients for dough.

Add melted butter, then sour cream and milk.
Mix with a fork until all dry ingredients are incorporated into the dough - the dough will be very, very STICKY!!
Lay down your pastry cloth and sprinkle generously with Cup 4 Cup (or flour) and spoon your gooey dough ball onto the cloth. Fold over and work the dough about 10 times and press out into a rectangle about  12x8 inches.
Spread a little softened butter onto the dough, and then dump your filling on top, evenly distributing it and gently pressing it into the dough.
Roll up the dough - the long to long ends get rolled (so your roll ends up being about 12 inches). Cut off the ends, and cut pieces about 1 1/2 inches thick. I got seven rolls.
Place the first roll in the center and then put the rest around that roll. Melt 2 Tb butter and dip your fingers in it and dab the tops of the rolls before popping the rolls in the oven for 15 minutes at 425, then lower oven to 350 and continue baking another 9 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool while you prepare the icing.....
For the icing, mix all ingredients together vigorously with a fork, until the right amount of gooey-ness for topping the rolls.
.....then, devour. Mmmmmmm-mmmm!

10.19.2016

Ohhhhhhh, happy days! Champ's story...

Since 'sweet stuff Sunday', life for me as been a rollercoaster ride ending in such happiness! You see, October 8th,  I was helping out at a local shelter when I noticed this old dog that reminded me of my Eddie Ray. Old golden - he was a mix, but still he caught my eye and I asked about him. His story goes like this...

He was a recent intake. His name was Champ...An owner surrender, 13 years old and had to be shaved because his fur was so matted. He was heartworm positive....and he looked sooooooo sad. He was stinky, but asking for some affection with those sad eyes, and at first I would just stick my hand through the fence and give him some pets, and talk to him, but after a few days, I was spending time with him on the floor of his kennel making promises to him that I would get him out of there.....

Last Friday, another volunteer was at the shelter and I asked her if she would snap a picture of me and Champ. I posted it on Instagram and Facebook and within a few hours of posting, there was some interest in him!! I was torn between being hopeful and anxious. I am always getting my hopes up too high sometimes, and of course that puts me in the position to be let down, but nonetheless, it never stops me from getting super duper hopeful...

Saturday & Sunday there were plans being made by my friend, Renee, (who recently lost an elderly pup)  to come visit and then see if her dog and Champ would hit it off.... I was sending pics and video throughout the weekend and made sure to let her know of all his ailments before she fell in love with him. He was the kind of dog that one look and your heart would melt....and he sure did not need to be spending anymore time in that kennel. 

Monday came around and she visited with him. Ohhhhhh, I was so happy but still so worried that maybe Champ might not do well with her dog. You see, no one knew his history or whether he was good with other dogs. I was so hopeful, but still a nervous wreck. I went up to see him Monday night and someone had thrown a bone in there for him and he was enjoying that while I told him once more that I would try my best to get him out of there and soon! 

Tuesday was the big day.... The day that Renee was to take her dog up there to meet Champ. If all went well, Champ would be going HOME!! I was at work when I got a picture from her... There she was....with Champ .... AND Rex (her dog)!!! Then was the picture that I was so overcome with joy that I lost it right there at work and just started crying.....Champ in the car. 

This was it!!  I mean uncontrollable tears of joy and relief. And the tears just kept coming..... a part of me was still hesitant in believing this was meant to be until Champ was at his new home.... How would he do? Would Rex and Champ get along at Rex's house? Then, I started getting pictures and video of Champ at his new house, and realized that Renee was indeed the most perfect person in the world for ol' Champ. 

Throughout the evening I was getting updates of how mischievous and bold he was. He had absolutely NO MANNERS, but she was OK with that. Eddie was the same way - and actually still is to some degree. When they are that old, and have never been taught anything, it is easier to just make a few changes to our lifestyle, rather than try to teach an old dog etiquette!

One of her last texts to me was how Champ was like a lazy puppy. Bold and adventurous, but not the energy of a pup. I went to bed with a heart bursting with happiness from this day. It was absolutely perfect... Congrats, Champ! You hit the jackpot with Renee!!! <3

xoxo

-s

10.16.2016

sweet stuff sunday!! pecans GALORE!

 I have been craving a pecan pie like nobody's business the last few weeks.... Well, today, in between shelter visits and puppy breath and my melting heart for an elderly golden retriever mix... I satisfied my craving. 

I didn't have enough time to make a proper pie crust, so I took a shortcut and went for an easy crust that turned out surprisingly flaky and perfect!

Here's the recipe -

For the crust:
1 Cup flour (I used Cup 4 Cup GF flour, but all-purpose is fine if you are going full on gluten)
1 stick of cold butter
just enough milk to make it stick together (I had some raw goat milk on hand - mmmmmm!)

For the filling:
1 Cup sugar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Cup corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 C melted butter
3 eggs
1 1/2 C chopped & pecan halves

First, let's  make the crust...preheat the oven to 375. In a medium bowl, add the flour and then grate the butter into the flour. mix with a fork until its all combined and looks like small pea sized balls. Add just enough milk to make it all stick together - you don't want it wet, just able to be like a dough ball. Flour your surface to roll out the crust. I just put down some parchment paper and floured it well....

then fold it over in half, then again and transfer it to your pie dish.

Now, for the filling:

combine all the ingredients EXCEPT for the pecans. Mix well. 

Pour your pecans onto the crust, then top with the golden gooey goodness (pie filling) - ha!

Place foil over your pie and put in oven for 30 min. After 30 min, take the foil off and bake for an additional 20 minutes. 

Unfortunately this will have to be cooled, I stuck mine in the fridge then headed out to do my animal chores and then headed over to the shelter to help out for just a bit. When I got back home, it had been in the fridge for an hour and was almost perfectly set....

....and it was sooooo good.....
 Ahhhhhh - and of course I am not ready for Monday and the work week to begin... but... gotta pay the bills, right? Have a great week! 

xoxo

-s