Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Rolls

I had leftover pumpkin from when I made my pumpkin cream cheese muffins and I knew i had to use it up so it didn't go bad, but I hadn't been inspired by anything, and I didn't want to make muffins again. So I started peeking around online and found an amazing idea. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls! What could be better?! So here's the recipe I found and I hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Rolls
(find original recipe here.)

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 T granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Cooking Spray
3 T granulated sugar
3 T brown sugar
2 T flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Glaze:
3/4 cup powered sugar
1 T hot water
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

To prepare the buns, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour, pumpkin, and next 5 ingredients (pumpkin through nutmeg); beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of the remaining 3/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If an indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)

Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Roll up the rectangle tightly, starting with a long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place slices in a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bake the rolls at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and vanilla extract in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over buns. Serve warm.

These cinnamon rolls came out great! They were quite easy to make. The longest process was letting the dough rise and then letting the rolls proof once in the pan, but besides that, I felt they were super simple to make. These don't have much of a pumpkin flavor as I expected but there is only 1/2 a cup of pumpkin in them, but they have a nice spice and flavor to them. The pumpkin gives these a lovely orangey color. They are really moist and the cinnamon sugar filling is really delicious. I think these are totally worth the effort and they are really, really good!!! Perfect for a nice fall morning, to go with your cup of coffee or tea.

Fresh out of the oven, waiting for the glaze

Eat, Drink and Be Merry!

-BellaRosa

Snickerdoodle Blondies

I had my eldest brother and fam. coming over for dinner and I saw this recipe posted from Brown Eyed Baker (who adapted it from My Baking Addiction) and knew I had to make them for my dinner guests. I was glad I was having dinner guests cause I really wanted an excuse to make this blondies and not have a whole pan of them to myself and Hubsie...we don't need that!

These bars were really easy to make and didn't take any time at all. I was making them while my hands were burning from handling some jalepenos, so they were easy enough I could make them while in pain...*sigh*

Snickerdoodle Blondies
(original by Brown Eyed Baker here.)

2-2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup (8 oz.) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 T vanilla extract2 T granulated sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease your 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Beat together butter, brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla. Beat, scraping the bowl, until thoroughly combined. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Give the dough a final stir in rubber spatula or wooden spoon to make sure flour is incorporated.

4. Spread dough evenly in your prepared pan. Batter will be think an off-set spatula works great here. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top springs back when pressed (I checked with a toothpick. Inserting it and seeing if it came out clean.) Cool completely before cutting. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Crunchy Cinnamon-y Sugary Tops :)

These were freaking delicious!! I think I totally forgot to add baking powder...but they were fine! The had a nice sweetness and went great with a nice hot cup of jasmine green tea. I love the density they had, but that could be because I forgot the baking powder...hahah :) I'm a "middle piece" kinda girl, but I had an end piece and it was equally delicious. It had great flavor and a nice crunchy top from the cinnamon sugar...I will definitely make these again! Oh and my 3 year-old nephew devoured his! He is pretty picky so that is a big feat!! Auntie did a good job!

Avan hugs for Auntie

Eat, Drink and Be Merry...and check out some great food blogs for recipes!

-BellaRosa

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Wow...haven't posted since middle of April!! Apparently I have made nothing exciting and haven't' read any books worth mentioning. That is kinda sad. But anywho, tonight I made a grilled pork tenderloin that I spiced up and some mashed sweet potatoes.

I have fallen in love with grilling pork tenderloins. Normally I would just roast them in the oven, but now that it is getting nice out and grilling season, I have fallen in love. We have an electric George Foreman grill out on the balcony, it's one that Dan grabbed from his parent's house when we moved. We never really use it all that often but I find myself thinking of things to grill, and now I am grilling pork. We use it for brats and hot dogs like once in a blue moon, but we will be using it more often I think.


I was gonna make a spice rub for the tenderloin but I am afraid of it burning and then just tasting burnt and not good so I just seasoned it up.

Spice Blend on Pork

Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder
Cinnamon
Cumin

My spice "jars" have different numbers of holes you can use to season with, the more holes, the more that comes out of the jar. So I mean, I just sprinkled them on until it looked good to me, no exact measurements. Like for the cumin and cinnamon I used either one or two holes where with the chili powder I had 3 holes open.

Then I drizzled it with olive oil and threw it on the grill. It said to cook for 25 minutes per pound (mine was 1.51 pounds) I had mine on the grill for about 40 mins cause my thermometer sucks and was giving me hardly a reading. It was cooked perfectly. I have to say though I was a little disappointed that I couldn't really taste any of the spicing I put on it...but it was still great.

For the sweet potatoes I just used a large can of canned yams, I should have use 2 cans maybe, but we are both full and there weren't any left overs. Here is how I make my mashed sweet potatoes. Sorry I don't really have exact measurements, cause I taste and add as I go.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1 large can sweet potatoes/yams in syrup, drained and mashed
Brown Sugar (about 1-2 T)
Honey
Cinnamon (I have no idea how much, I just kept adding it)
Salt (a pinch, just to bring out flavors)
Vanilla Wafers

I mash the canned yams in the pot then add all but the vanilla wafers. Turn heat to medium-low and heat, mixing it up once in a while to distribute heat and prevent burning.

The vanilla wafers are a new addition. I wanted to try them out, maybe add some crunch and texture. They added a nice flavor but they got mushy in the mixture. I added them toward the end and they were still mushy, so nice idea but maybe just to add on top as garnish, that way they would stay crunchy?

I thought the sweet potatoes complemented the pork very nicely and it was a great dinner!! It was really good and the hubsie loved it!


Eat, Drink and Be Merry...and grill something up for dinner!!

-BellaRosa

Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread couldn't be easier. And what's better than sugar, dough and butter...nothing! This is a great dessert or party food because its just pulls apart and everyone can take however much the want. And it's so delicious!

Here is the recipe I used, I have one other one and one for mini monkey breads, but the mini calls for making your own dough and this one just uses store bought biscuit dough in the tubes. And yes it uses a stick and half of butter. Get over it. It's butter. It's delicious and you won't be eating this all the time. :)

Monkey Bread

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cans (16 oz.) Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits (should be 8 in a tube)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350. Grease a fluted tube or bundt pan.

In a storage baggie combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Separate the biscuits so you have 16 biscuits. Quarter each biscuit and place in the baggie with the cinnamon sugar.

Toss to coat each biscuit piece with the cinnamon sugar.

Arrange the biscuit pieces in the greased bundt pan.

Melt the butter and add the brown sugar and combine. Pour over the top of the arranged biscuit pieces in the bundt pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy. Let stand for 10 minutes in pan. Turn out on to a serving dish (I like using a pie pan cause it's gets gooey and messy and the side on the pan help keep it all contained) and serve warm.

It will be ooey and it will be gooey...that means it's good! I love that fact that it is all pull-apart, I think that is so fun! You get a little messy and it just easy going and comfortable. It's a great warm, comfort dessert. I hope you try it and enjoy!
Eat, Drink and Be Merry!

P.S. Please don't judge my pictures...I am gonna have to work on the whole lighting thing *argh*

*Note: You could really add anything you want to this recipe. Adding rasians or nuts would be good or even dried cranberry. Maybe try chocolate chips and they could melt and make it all chocolatey!