Mini Cinnies - Bite Sized Cinnamon Rolls

Here's another quick and easy recipe that's sure to please this holiday season.

Wait, what? You're wondering why all of a sudden there's a bunch of "quick and easy recipes"? Well, it's because I have a whirlwind of a schedule leading up to Christmas. I figured everyone was as busy as me and would enjoy quick recipes. Maybe not everyone was singing the mezzo solos in Handel's Messiah (Christmas Part) like I was, but probably equally as busy.

Yep, you heard right. That's me "all dolled up" for the concert. It was a blast! So was eating tons of these mini cinnies!

Mini Cinnies - Bite Sized Cinnamon Rolls (adapted from You Made That?)

Recipe:

Ingredients

1 can of Pillsbury crescent rolls

4 T brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

1 T butter

1 T flour

1/2 C powdered sugar

2 t milk

Directions:

Use half of package at a time so the dough stays cold.

In a small bowl mix together a tablespoon of slightly melted butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and flour. Open crescent rolls, take half of dough and separate at the vertical seams. Press the diagonal seams of dough together so that the dough is smooth. Spoon half of the cinnamon mixture onto dough, roll short side up then continue with the remainding dough. Cut 2 inch slices and place all the rolls on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

When rolls have cooled, mix powdered sugar with  milk. Add more sugar/milk to get frosting to the consistency of your liking. Drizzle the sugar over the rolls then let dry. 

Erika's Extras: I found that this made a lot of brown sugar/cinnamon filling, so add according to taste.

Bake well and prosper!

Rolo Pretzel & Pecan Bites (and a Bollywood Movie!)

While walking home from the subway a couple of nights ago, I noticed something extremely different about my block where I live. The difference made the apartment across my way light up.

That's because the difference on my block was a movie set!

Right outside my window was the camera. Seriously. This was the view from my window.

 And this was the main light that was illuminating my block. 

I had asked some street gawkers about what was filming and found out that a new Bollywood film titled Happy New Year was shooting and Shahrukh Khan was starring in it. I snapped a picture in case there are any fans out there that wanted to see him. :)

As exciting and so New York as this was, I couldn't help but grimace when the "ACTION!" was stilled being yelled at 10pm. Thankfully, it was all done by 11pm and my usually quiet street was brought back to normal.

Speaking of late nights (or almost late), in case you find yourself with the midnight munchies and need a quick fix, check out this easy and yummy recipe.

Rolo Pretzel & Pecan Bites(found at Glorious Treats)

Ingredients

Mini Pretzels (square of twist)

Rolos

Pecan Halves

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees. Place the pretzels on wax paper that's on a cookie sheet. Unwrap Rolos and place one on each pretzel. Bake in oven for 4-5 minutes only.

When removed them from the oven, the Rolo will still be in the same shape as when it went in the oven. Place a pecan half on top of each Rolo and press down a bit. Place the entire baking sheet in the freezer for about 5-7 minutes to allow the Rolos to cool. Remove from freezer and enjoy! (Will also keep in a container for many days.) 

Bake well and prosper!

Ritz Bark Cookies (with Holiday Pizzazz!)

Some of you might remember that I posted this Ritz Bark Cookies Recipe last year along with pictures of my kitchen "friends."

Well, I just HAD to make them again since this is one of my favorite cookies during the holidays (or any time of year). I had a fun idea to give them a little Christmas pizzazz.

I made them like usual...

And then decorated with some candy coating on top.

Now, I've never been able to color within lines and drawing is not my forte. So please, can some really great artistic person make this recipe and do a good job designing with candy coating and then send me a picture? That would make my day. As will eating one of these cookies. Right. Now.

Ritz Bark Cookies (from My Mother's Best Recipe Book)

Ingredients needed:

Ritz Crackers
Peanut butter (creamy, not chunky)
Chocolate Bark (chocolate candy coating can be a substitute)

Melt chocolate bark in a double boiler. Spread a dab of peanut butter between two crackers and then coat with chocolate. Place on wax paper to cool. Melt candy coating and decorate tops of cooled cookies.

Erika's Extras: Prep by making all the cracker and PB "sandwiches" first. Using two forks to move and flip the crackers around is quite helpful. Put in freezer to cool faster.

Bake well and prosper!

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Muffins

This is the 4th recipe out of a promised 12 before Christmas. That leaves me 12 days to make 8 more desserts. Mmmm...I love a delicious challenge.

I know I did a whole "An Apple a Day Recipe" back when it was more fall than wintery outside. BUT, I found the recipe for these delightful muffins on a great newbie food blog, Bake for Happy Kids. (It's fun following a blog from all the way around the world -Australia.) They looked too good not to try for a holiday treat (and ended up being a hit at my morning choir rehearsal!)

Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Crunchy Walnuts Toppings  

2 eggs

1/2 cup (110g) brown sugar

1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil (I use a stick (125g) butter, melted)

1/2 cup (125ml) apple juice (I didn't have any apple juice but these still worked fine)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cup diced apples (2-3 depending on size of apples) (I used 2 Pink Lady apples)

1 cup (160g) wholemeal plain flour

1 cup (150g) plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup (90g) roasted nuts (I use raw walnuts instead)
1/2 cup (85g) raisins

Crunchy topping
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar (I used normal white sugar)
1/2 cup (70g) roasted nuts (I used raw walnuts that ended up "roasting" in the oven)
1 1/2 ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Line or butter a 12 hole muffin tin.
2. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, oil, apple juice and vanilla extract. Then, stir in the diced apples.

3. Combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into another bowl. Whisk all together for a min. Add nuts and raisins and toss them so they are completely coated in flour mixture.

4. Pour the apple mixture into the flour mixture and site them together into a chunky batter. Do not overdo the mixing. Divide the batter equally between the muffin holes.

5. For the crunchy topping, mix together all ingredients and sprinkle the topping evenly onto each muffin.

6. Bake for 20 min or until skewer inserted come out clean. Let the muffins rest in the tin for 2 min and then transfer them to cool further on wire rack. Great to eat while they are warm either as is, or with butter or Ricotta.

Note: I made 12 standard sizes muffins and 8 mini ones from this recipe. The mini ones are extra nice to pop into your mouth when still warm.

Bake well and prosper!

"No Pressure" Blondies

I know you aren't going to believe me, but I've never made blondies before. (Don't worry, I've eaten my fair share of them so I was well acquainted with their awesomeness.) Seeing I bake a lot, there should be no pressure for the first time I make them, right? RIGHT?!

Wrong. Enter my boyfriend. First of all, his last name is Baker! Then, to make things even more pressure-y, he sent me his grandma's recipe for blondies. A recipe he grew up loving. Blondies he says are the best. He begged his Grandma for the recipe. And little ol' me gets the duty of recreating them.

So, last night I rolled up my sleeves and "dug in" to the making of "THE blondies."

Ha! Just kidding. The pressure didn't drive me to drink. In fact, I really enjoyed making these. I DID have to question my boyfriend about the lack of chocolate chips. I'm used to chocolate chips in my blondies but he informed me that they are so good that no chocolate is needed.

He was right. I had 4 pieces last night alone. These are great and I was super relieved and happy that they turned out so well!

Grandma Baker's Brownies

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
8 tblspn of butter
2/3cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tblspn light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with tin foil. In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a large saucepan melt the butter and bring to a slight boil stirring constantly (about 4 minutes.) Remove from heat and stir in the brown and white sugar until completely blended. Let the butter mixture cool until barely warm and then add the egg, egg yolk, corn syrup, and vanilla all at the same time. Once blended, add mixture to the flour mix and add pecans. Stir until blended and pour into the prepared pan and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before eating.

Bake well and prosper!