Cinnamon Roll Twist

Something quick and easy you can try the next time you make cinnamon rolls. This is fun to make, and you can serve it like a coffee cake. I failed to get finished photos of this, but you get the idea. :) Drizzle with Cream Cheese Icing and serve warm!

Cinnamon Roll Twist

Use your favorite whole grain sweet dough recipe (sweet breads are featured in the new Winter issue of Seasons at Home). Roll out a rectangle of dough, 20" x 10" and about 3/8" thick.

Spread with 1/4 cup melted butter, and sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up cinnamon roll-style.

Use kitchen scissors to cut the roll down the middle. 

Let the ropes fall open a bit, and take pieces of them and begin wrapping in a circle. Continue until all of the pieces are used up. You can make this large or small, however you like! Add a little more if you would like a coffee cake for a crowd. Don't make it too large, or it won't bake properly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes. Drizzle with this cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

In a small bowl, combine: 

3 tbsp. butter, softened

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. half & half

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Whisk together until very smooth. Add a little more half & half if you would like a thinner icing. 

~ Makes about 2 cups ~

Easy Double Chocolate Cream Pie

I love creamy pies, especially yummy chocolate ones like this...

I made this pie for company last Saturday. We are not gluten-free, but sometimes we have company who is. I have found that pies with a gluten-free crust option are a perfect go to recipe when you need to make a GF dessert - and I don't think we've ever had company without making a dessert! I also wanted something quick and easy, which makes this recipe doubly appealing.

Easy Double Chocolate Cream Pie

Gluten-free if you use gluten-free cookies, but if this is not necessary for you, then just substitute regular chocolate sandwich cookies. One package is plenty for one pie. 
~ Recipe Makes one 9" pie ~

Crush 25 chocolate cream sandwich cookies to fine crumbs - you can use a plastic freezer and beat them with a spoon, or you can crush them in a food processor.

Remove 3/4 cup of the crumbs and set them aside. Place the remaining crumbs in a bowl and add:
     1/4 cup melted butter
     1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix with a spoon until the the crumbs are moist and sticky. Press mixture into a 9" pie plate. Set aside.

The Filling 

In a large bowl, combine:
     2 4.5 oz. packages instant chocolate pudding mix
     2 1/2 cups cold milk

Whisk for 3 minutes until well combined and smooth. Pour one half of the pudding mixture into the bottom of the pie. Now to the remaining half, add 3/4 of an 8 oz. tub of whipped topping (reserve the remaining 1/4 for the top of the pie). Gently fold the whipped topping into the chocolate pudding until completely combined and smooth. Mixture will be like a chocolate mousse.

Spread the mixture over top of the first layer in the pie. Carefully spoon the remaining whipped topping on the top center of the pie and smooth into a large circle, not coming to the edges. Sprinkle with the reserved cookie crumbs. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours before serving.

Isn't that pretty? Enjoy! 

~ Jessica ~

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday ~ January 1st | Hot Chocolate Cups

Happy New Year!

We have had a lovely Christmas, and hope yours was the same. We are feeling very ready for a new year! So many plans already. :) We are currently very busy with getting the winter issue of Seasons at Home out though... can hardly wait for everyone to get their issue in the mail!

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday was put on Christmas break last week, but this week I was so happy to post January 1st's Blog Hop Wednesday, I decided to post it a day early. Along with a little treat... 

Hot Cocoa Cups  

I had never really wondered before if there was a difference between "hot cocoa" and "hot chocolate", until I did these hot "chocolate" cups. There is indeed a difference - and if you do a little Google search like I did, you will find that hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder mixed with hot water or milk and sugar. Hot chocolate is melted chocolate mixed with warmed milk. So, here is my easy recipe for a fun and quick hot "chocolate" treat you can make up and save for later, make immediately, or give as a New Year's gift!

~ Recipe makes about 1 1/2 dozen hot chocolate cups ~

You will need: 

2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy (optional)

paper muffin liners

1. Melt 2 1/2 cups semi-sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave. Don't burn, just heat until the chocolate is warm enough to stir smooth.  

2. Line a muffin pan with pretty muffin liners. 

3. Spoon about 2-3 tbsp. of melted chocolate into each cup (create a little swirl with the spoon to make it pretty!)

4. Sprinkle each with mini marshmallows and crushed peppermint candy if desired. You could also use crushed toffee pieces for a little bit more of a grown-up treat... 

Chill in the refrigerator until firm. Put a few in some pretty winter treat bags for a gift (perhaps with some extra marshmallows!) Keep extras stored in an air-tight container. 

To Make Hot Chocolate: 

Single Serving ~ Pop one hot chocolate cup into a mug. Pour 1 1/4 cups of very hot milk into mug. Stir until chocolate is melted. Top with extra marshmallows or whipped cream!

Enjoy! ~ Jessica

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday

The Featured Hopper!

Each week, we are going to be picking our favorite link or links of the previous week's link-up and featuring them as the Featured Hopper!! Share your best blog posts with us and you might get featured!! :)

This Week's Featured Hoppers

JES at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth has posted a wonderful recipe for a homemade orange sugar scrub! And I saw a lemon sugar scrub on her blog as well. :) We are so glad that she has started sharing here on the blog hop, we have really been enjoying her blog! 

Make an Orange Scrub - Citrus Series

And Angela from Gallimaufry Grove shared a sweet post on hospitality and entertaining that I enjoyed reading. Thank you Angela for sharing!

Entertaining vs. Hospitality

Thank you for sharing, ladies!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Participate in the Blog Hop!

Have fun sharing in this week's blog hop, and have a blessed week, Ladies! 

~ Jessica ~   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One thing we love to do in our work is encourage ladies in making their homes... we are so pleased to host this Homemaking Blog Hop each week! Please join us, and share your links!

Topics can include... crafting, homemaking, encouragement, recipes, homeschooling, sewing, quilting, organizing, anything that has to do with making our homes! 

At the bottom, use the link tool to share your link, title and pick your image, it's so simple! And yes, you can share multiple links. =) 

Grab our Blog Hop button to add to your blog to share the fun! *Required to participate*

<a href="http://www.joyousnotions.com/search/label/Blog%20Hops"target="_blank"><img src="http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x208/Starbuckschick20/homemaking-bloghop2_zpsa53885b3.png"></a>

An InLinkz Link-up

Christmas Rum Cake

Something from my sewing this week... 

and a recipe too! Lots of baking for Christmas going on this week... what are you making? :) ~ Jessica ~

Christmas Rum Cake

We made this for Thanksgiving, but it's so good, we might just make it again for Christmas! ~ Makes 1 Large Bundt Cake

To prepare your cake pan: Place 1/2 cup pecan halves in a food processor (or Bosch blender) and blend on high until nuts are very fine. Toast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper at 350 degrees until lightly toasted, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

Spray a Bundt pan with baking spray. Sprinkle toasted pecans in the pan and turn to coat. Tap out some of the excess. Set aside while you prepare the batter. 

~ Cake Recipe ~

In the Bosch mixer with batter whisks, or a standing mixer, combine the following:

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 3.56 oz. package of instant vanilla or instant white chocolate pudding mix

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sea salt

Mix on low speed for one minute to blend the dry ingredients. Then add:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup milk

4 large eggs

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until batter is smooth. Scrape the sides and mix again for a few more seconds. Add 1/2 cup light rum and mix on medium speed just until blended and smooth. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly in the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set cake aside to cool while you make the sauce. Leave the cake in the pan!

~ The Sauce ~

In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Then add:

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

Bring to a boil over high heat, boil for 2 minutes. Syrup will thicken slightly. Stir in 1/2 cup light rum, and continue to cook for another minute or two. 

Poke deep holes into the cake with sharp knife. Pour hot sauce evenly over still warm cake (still in the pan!), a little at a time, until all of the sauce is absorbed. 

Cover cake with plastic wrap and in the refrigerator (yes, still in the pan!) overnight. Before serving, loosen the edges by running a sharp knife around the outside of the cake, then invert cake on to a pretty cake plate.

Have a wonderful week! ~ Jessica

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

This is our basic muffin recipe from our April Tea Times, 2012. Makes 12 muffins.

Take this base recipe and change the add-ins any way you’d like. Substitute different berries for the cherries, or even leave out the fruit and make cinnamon streusel muffins! When you make muffin batter, your goal is to mix the batter as little as possible; this will make high, tender muffins. Use a fork to mix! Never mix the batter until it is completely smooth, you will ruin the texture of the cake and they may not rise as much.

I made this morning for a friend because she was having trouble with the recipe. Remember, this recipe uses soft white wheat flour. I mill my own. If you are using white flour - I would experiment with 2/3 cup less. I haven't made them with white, so I'm not exactly sure of the measurement for it! Sorry!

First, prepare your muffin pans and either grease
or use a paper liner each cup. In a large bowl, sift
together:

• 2 2/3 cups soft wheat flour - 2/3 less if white flour is used
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. sea salt

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, into
the well, add:

• 2 large eggs, beaten well
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
• 2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Use a fork to gently start pulling the flour mixture into the liquid ingredients in the middle. Combine just until the flour mixture is wet and still lumpy. Before you finish moistening the batter, stir in 3/4 - 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit. (Berries, chopped apples, etc.)

Use a spoon to fill each muffin cup 3/4 full; never fill to the top. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with sugar. Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes, until golden and firm. Serve with butter! Enjoy!

Whole Grain Orange Sweet Rolls

I was looking through some recipes and found this delicious treat! You can even try this recipe with lemon instead of orange, and perhaps a cream cheese filling...

Whole Grain Orange Sweet Rolls

In a small saucepan, melt 2/3 cup butter over medium heat. Then add:
2/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. orange zest

Continue to heat, stirring constantly, until warm. In the Bosch mixer with the dough hook, combine:
warmed mixture
        1 cup warm water
1 large egg
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. SAF yeast
3 cups freshly ground hard wheat flour

Mix on medium speed until smooth. Cover bowl with lid and let mixture sponge for 35-40 minutes. As the mixture rises to the top of the bowl, turn on the mixer for a few seconds to jog it down. Once done sponging, add:
1 tbsp. sea salt
enough wheat flour to clean the sides of the bowl

Add flour one cup at a time, mixing a little after each addition. Stop adding flour when the dough is soft, but not too sticky, and is cleaning the sides of the bowl. Knead on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into two portions. On a greased surface, roll out each portion into a 10" x 20" rectangle. Brush with 3 tbsp. melted butter and sprinkle with ground cinnamon (as much as you like!) Sprinkle generously with brown sugar.

Roll dough up lengthwise and cut into slices with either scissors or string (string works the best!). *See our cinnamon roll recipe here for step-by-step photos. 

Place slices in a greased glass baking dish. Let rise for 15 minutes in a warm place. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown and spring back when touched. 

Cool for 20 minutes before serving. Drizzle with orange glaze! 

Orange Glaze

In a small bowl combine: 

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. finely grated orange zest

1/4 cup orange juice

Whisk together until smooth.

Enjoy the recipe! Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday is tomorrow, come by and share your links with us! Have a blessed day ~ Jessica

Shared on:

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday ~ October 30th

Good Morning Ladies!

We have a special whole grain recipe for you today along with the blog hop this week, and another fun tidbit...

Joyous Notions's Twisted Almond Wreath was featured in Solo Foods e-Cookbook - No Kid Hungry.

Please leave links for the blog hop! Have a wonderful day!

~ Jessica

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One thing we love to do in our work is encourage ladies in making their homes... we are so pleased to start this Homemaking Blog Hop each week! Please join us, and share your links!

Topics can include... crafting, homemaking, encouragement, recipes, homeschooling, sewing, quilting, organizing, anything that has to do with making our homes! 

At the bottom, use the link tool to share your link, title and pick your image, it's so simple! And yes, you can share multiple links. =) 

Grab our Blog Hop button to add to your blog to share the fun! *Required to participate*

<a href="http://www.joyousnotions.com/search/label/Blog%20Hops"target="_blank"><img src="http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x208/Starbuckschick20/homemaking-bloghop2_zpsa53885b3.png"></a>

And don't forget to watch for...

An InLinkz Link-up

Pumpkin {Sweet Potato} Spice Bars

We have been enjoying a quieter week, finishing up some projects, and starting new ones. Family is coming into town and plans need to be made for the Christmas season, it's all going to go by so fast, as usual - trying to enjoy every bit of the season as it comes!

The fall color change is beautiful and we have been seeing the first bits of snow, including more snow today. Yesterday was windy and cold - a baking day!

I intended to make these with pumpkin, but found I only had sweet potatoes available... so you can also make sweet potato spice bars with this recipe. Either way, these are delicious! I know what I'm having with my coffee tomorrow morning... 

Pumpkin {Sweet Potato} Spice Bars

In a small bowl, soak 1 1/2 cups of raisins in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, combine: 

     2 1/2 cups soft wheat flour

     1 1/2 tsp. each of baking soda and baking powder

     1 tsp. sea salt

     2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

     1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Whisk together. In a separate bowl, combine: 

     1 cup butter, melted

     1 1/2 cups brown sugar

     2 large eggs

     1 tbsp. vanilla extract

     

Whisk together until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree` or 1 1/2 cups of cooked, mashed sweet potato and stir until smooth. Add this mixture, drained raisins and 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) to the dry ingredients and stir well. A little bit of rum, 2 tbsp. or so, does not hurt the batter here either! So, perhaps add some? I did. 

Pour into a greased and floured 18" x 13" jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then turn out on to a rack to finish cooling, or leave in the pan to cool. Frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting and cut into bars. Serve and store leftover bars in the refrigerator.                                                                                 ~ Makes about 32 bars

     

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

In a small bowl, combine:

     1/4 cup butter, softened

     1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

     1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

     2 tsp. vanilla extract
     2 tbsp. half & half

     2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

     

Beat on high speed with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Add a little more half & half (one tablespoon at a time) if the frosting is too dry. Spread over cool bars.

Happy Fall! ~ Jessica ~ 

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of the tricky things with whole wheat is how to exchange white flour out. This recipe works great - you can use hard white wheat such as Prairie Gold with this, or soft white wheat. NO white flour! We use freshly milled flour.

See Joyous Home - Nutrimill for a great grain mill if you don't have one!

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large mixer:
1 1/2 c. butter (3 sticks) - softened
2 1/2 c. brown sugar
3 lg eggs
1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Cream together until well blended and fluffy.

Add: 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
         2 tsp. sea salt
         5 c. soft wheat flour
         1 c. finely chopped almonds

Mix until blended and stir in: 
         2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Drop by rounded spoons onto parchment paper. Baking time is 8-10 minutes. Check after 8 minutes. These are great with vanilla ice cream!
 

Strawberry Crumb Bars

Shortbread is a true tea and coffee treat! Whenever I mix shortbread with strawberries, I always think of My Fair Lady... "Those strawberry tarts are first rate. I wonder where Mrs. Pierce gets them?"

Strawberry Crumb Bars

Grease a 9" x 9" baking pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper 9" wide (to fit the pan), with a few inches of overhang on the other two sides. These will be the handles you will use to lift the bar out of the pan. Smooth the paper into the pan and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together:
     2 cups flour {You can do a half-and-half mixture of freshly ground wheat flour and unbleached white flour, or all freshly ground soft (pastry) wheat flour, or all unbleached white flour}
     2/3 cup sugar
     1 tsp. baking powder
     1/2 tsp. sea salt
     2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

Whisk together. Add 3/4 cup butter, slightly softened and cut into small pieces. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Press a little more than half of the crumb mixture in the bottom of the pan. Cover with about 1 1/4 cups of strawberry preserves; you can adjust this as you wish, more or less. I used about 1 cup of strawberry jam, but I think I will use 1 1/3 cups next time!

Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, just until the top is lightly golden brown. Don't over bake these; the lighter they are, the better.

Cool completely in the pan. Lift bar out of the pan by the parchment paper handles and cut into small squares.

I loved these bars, and they are so easy to make. I thought of some yummy substitutions to try next time!

~ Raspberry Cheesecake Bars: substitute 1/4 cup of the butter for 1/4 cup of cream cheese. Use raspberry jam instead of strawberry.

~ Chocolate Coconut Bars: add 2/3 cup of chopped toasted coconut to the crumb mixture. Sprinkle 1 cup of dark chocolate or butterscotch chips over the pressed crumb mixture. Top with the remaining crumb mixture.

Jessica

April Tea ~ lemon Cream Sandwich Cookies

High time we posted our tea recipes for April! Sweet and simple this month... 

 Lemon Sandwich Cookies

These lemon filled cookies are quick to make, tender, sweet and tangy... perfect for tea. We love the special baking ingredients available from King Arthur, and this recipe uses something they offer, lemon juice powder!  

• Directions: 

In a large bowl combine the following: 

•    1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
•    1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
•    1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
•    2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice powder (available from King Arthur Flour, here)
•    1/2 tsp sea salt
•    1 cup unbleached white flour
•    2 cups freshly ground hard white wheat flour

   1/4 cup milk

1. Cream together the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix with the mixer just until flour is moist and the dough is just starting to come together. Use your fingers to finish pressing the dough together. 

2. Divide the dough into two portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a log, about 1 1/2" in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. This dough can be made up to three days in advance, but if you would like to freeze the dough longer, wrap with additional plastic wrap and place a in a freezer bag. 

3. When ready to bake:  Let frozen logs sit out for 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice dough into 1/4" slices. Place slices 1" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until cookies are golden brown on the edges and set in the middle.

Let cookies cool completely. Time to fill them! 

Lemon Cream Filling

 In a bowl combine the following: 

   6 oz. cream cheese, softened

   2 tsp. lemon zest, finely grated

   2 tbsp. lemon juice powder

   2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

   2 tbsp. half & half

Use a hand mixer and mix on low speed until ingredients are combined. Then continue on high speed for 2 minutes, until the filling is fluffy. The filling should be thick, but if it is too stiff, add one more tablespoon of half & half.

Spread 1 1/2 tsp. of filling on the un-sugared side of the cookie, and top with another. Finished! Store cookies in the refrigerator for up to one week. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. 

Raspberry Honey Lemon Tea

The weather is warming, we are ready for cold teas again! Our family loves raspberry herbal tea, specifically the Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Zinger that we used for this recipe. 

In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add 6 Raspberry Zinger tea bags and steep for 6-7 minutes. Remove tea bags and add: 

fresh lemon juice from one lemon, strained

1/2 cup 

1/2 cup honey

Chill in a glass pitcher until cold. You can serve this with fresh leaves in glasses, and ice cubes made from fruit juice or lemonade. Enjoy!