Make-Ahead Breakfast Porridge

If you own a crockpot, it is really very easy to make ahead a hot breakfast for the next morning.  You can put this together in ten minutes before you go to bed and wake up to a spicy, aromatic, creamy and delicious bowl of oats.  Use a combination of fresh apples and dried cranberries or raisins for the perfect sweet and tart combination that pairs perfectly with the creamy oats.

Let's get started!

The first step is to gather your ingredients and prep them.

• Crockpot (for one or two people, use a small one)
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 c. water
• 1 apple, with skin, chopped
• Handful of dried cranberries or raisins
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Place ingredients in the crockpot.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir.  Turn on low and cook overnight.

Serve with milk or cream, butter, and honey or brown sugar.  Use the extra time you saved by preparing ahead to sit down and enjoy some quality morning time with the family.  

I hope you are blessed by this recipe. Thanks for stopping by!

Breakfast Porridge

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. water

1 apple, with skin , chopped

a handful of dried cranberries or raisins

Place ingredients in the crockpot.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir.  Turn on low and cook overnight. Serve with milk or cream, butter, and honey or brown sugar.  

Southern Chili

Nothing satisfies on a cold winter day like a bowl of chili.  A few techniques will take your chili from ordinary to extraordinary, rich and memorable.  Let's get started!

First, gather all ingredients.  

Then, brown the ground beef in a large 5 qt. dutch oven.

Next, dice the onion and green pepper and mince the garlic. Add both to a large skillet with the olive oil and cook over medium heat until they are soft and transparent.

Add the tomato paste to the skillet mixture and saute until it begins to brown.

Add the spices to the tomato mixture and saute a few minutes, stirring frequently.  Do not let this mixture burn.

Deglaze the  skillet with water or red wine. Then add the skillet mixture to the dutch oven. Enjoy the wonderful aroma that this step creates!

Add another cup of water to the skillet to get all the delicious bits of tomato mixture. Pour into the dutch oven with the beef.

 Add the beans, stewed tomatoes, beef broth and brown sugar to the dutch oven.  Bring to a boil and then let simmer for about an hour.  Cover and let stand 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the chili with chips, guacamole bits, shredded cheddar cheese, apple slices. For a special occasion, finish the meal with fudgy brownies.

Cheer up your family and friends with this wonderful bowl of chili!  Thanks for stopping by!  

BAsic, Beefy Chili

iNGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 yellow onion 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 lb ground beef 
• 15 oz can kidney beans 
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes 
• 6 oz can tomato paste 
• 1 c. water or red wine
• 2 c. beef broth 

CHILI SEASONING

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder 
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/2 tsp onion powder 
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp Freshly ground pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS

Brown the ground beef in a large 5 qt. dutch oven

Dice the onion and green pepper and mince the garlic. Add both to a large skillet with the olive oil and cook over medium heat until they are soft and transparent. 

Add the tomato paste to the skillet mixture and sauce until it begins to brown.

Add the spices to the tomato mixture and sauce  a few minutes.  Do not let this mixture burn.

Deglaze the tomato mixture with water or red wine. Then add to the dutch oven.  Add another cup of water to skillet to get all the bits of tomato mixture.

Add the beans, stewed tomatoes and beef broth to the dutch oven.  Bring to a boil and then let simmer for about an hour.  Cover and let stand 30 minutes.

Simply Cinnamon Rolls

I'm sharing with you, dear reader, a very easy dough that can be put together as you are cleaning up from lunch.  Give it a few hours to rise and bake.  When your family walks in the door to the aroma of these rolls baking, they will throw their arms around you for joy.  Just watch. And when you take the first bite of these, your eyes will "roll" up into the back of your head.  :)

Take it step -by- step. Start after lunch and you should easily have them in the oven by supper.

Ok!  Let's get started.  First....

Gather, measure and prep all ingredients (Mise en place)

• 4 and 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour
• 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pkg. or 1 tbsp. yeast
• 1/2 cup  water
• 1  cup  milk
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp.  brown sugar
• 2 c. confectioners sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional)
• 1 rectangular jelly roll pan or two square pans, generously buttered
• Dental floss

Soften the yeast.
1 pkg. or 1 tablespoon yeast (I used fast rise,Red Star is my favorite) 
1/2 c.  water
Dissolve the yeast in one half cup of water.  Let it soften while you prep the other ingredients.

Scald the milk.
1 c.  milk
3 tbsp butter, melted in the scalded milk
4 tbsp. sugar

Scald the milk by heating it just until it begins to steam.  Do not let it boil.  Add the butter and sugar.  Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Make a sponge.

1 c. flour
Yeast/water mixture
1/2 c. of scalded, cooled milk

In the mixing bowl combine the yeast mixture with 1 cup of flour.  Stir  with a wooden spoon or whisk until it is smooth.  Let this sponge set for  a few minutes until it begins to rise.



Make the dough.

3 c. plain flour
2 tsp. salt
1 egg, well beaten
Remaining scalded milk/butter/sugar

Add the egg, remaining milk mixture, salt.  Then begin to work in three c. of flour.  Add enough flour to get the dough nice and soft. Your dough is ready to knead when it begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and has an elastic consistency.

Knead the dough.

Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured counter or continue with the kneading attachment of your mixer 3-4 minutes.

Dough will be ready when it gently pulls away from the side of the bowl and has an elastic consistency.










First Rise

Let the dough rest about 10 minutes, then shape into a smooth ball and place it in an oiled bowl.  Let it rise until doubled about 1 1/2- 2 hrs.

Prepare the filling.
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tbsp. cinnamon

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.



Make the rolls.
Sprinkle some flour on your work area and then roll out the dough into a 14x8 inch rectangle.  Spread 4 tbsp. softened butter on the rectangle.  Then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Roll up the dough tightly lengthwise.  

Take the dental floss and  place it under the roll.  Pull the ends of the floss upward then together and cross over to make even cuts through the dough.  You should end up with 18 slices.  

Place the rolls in the pans and brush with melted butter.

Second Rise
Let rise 60-90 minutes, loosely covered in a draft- free place.  A warm oven is a good spot if the weather is cool.  Turn on the oven until it heats to 200 and then turn it off.  Place the pans in the oven.  When the rolls have doubled in size they are ready to bake.










Bake @ 400 degrees, 10-15 minutes.

After the rolls are lightly brown, remove from the oven and let cool.  I usually have to sample them at this point, however. ;)

Glaze the rolls.

Combine the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and almond flavoring until smooth.  When the rolls have cooled a few minutes, pour the glaze over the rolls.

These rolls are fluffy, soft, buttery, sweet and irresistible.  They will turn a  dreary winter day into a sweet delight.

Simply Cinnamon Rolls

• 
  
• Dough
• 4 and 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour
• 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pkg. or 1 tbsp. yeast
• 1/2 cup  water
• 1  cup  milk
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• Filling
• 4 tbsp. softened butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon
• Glaze
• 2 c. confectioners sugar
• 2 tbsp. milk or cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional)
• 
  
• 1  rectangular jelly roll pan or two square pans, generously buttered
• Dental floss

You can freeze these for up to three months.

Make ahead/overnight: This dough can be made the night before.  After mixing the dough,  cover  with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise at room temperature, about 1 hour.

So Easy Rolls

So Easy Rolls

Ingredients (Mise en place)

• 1 pkg or tbsp. active dry yeast, dissolved in ½ c. water

• 1 egg, well-beaten

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 stick butter, melted

• 1 1/2 c. milk

• 1 tsp salt

• 4-5 cups plain flour

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients well and let rise for 2 hours

2. Cover with greased wax paper and let rise in refrigerator overnight or longer.

3. Shape into balls about the size of a small egg. Place in greased pan. Let rise until doubled. 1-2 hours

4. Bake 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size, in preheated 400°F oven.

5. Remove from pan and set on rack; brush with butter.

@mtnhousewife

Very Easy Refrigerator Rolls

Very Easy Refrigerator Rolls  @mtnhousewife

1 pkg or tbsp. active dry yeast

½ c. lukewarm water

2 eggs, well-beaten

¾ cup sugar

¾ scant cup shortening (may use part butter)

1 1/2 c. milk

4-5 cups plain flour

1  tsp salt

Instructions:

1.      Dissolve yeast in water in small bowl.

2.      Melt Crisco and  butter in small saucepan.

3.      Combine in large bowl:  yeast, milk, melted Crisco and butter, sugar and salt . 

4.      Stir in the flour one cup at a time until it makes a soft batter.

5.      Cover with  a towel and let rise 2 hours.

6.      Punch down, then cover with cellophane and refrigerate.

7.      Refrigerate no more than 3 days for best results. Punch down dough every 30 minutes for the first few hours until it is chilled, then once a day.

8.      When ready to make rolls, take only as much dough as is needed at the time. Cover and return rest to the refrigerator.

Shape rolls: 

1.      Roll out into a rectangle on a piece of wax paper sprinkled with flour.

2.      Cut out with a large biscuit cutter.

3.      Make an indentation down the middle of the roll with your finger Brush with melted butter.   Fold over along the indentation.

4.      Place on a greased baking sheet.

5.      Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

6.      Bake 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size, in preheated 400°F oven.

7.      Remove from pan and set on rack; brush with butter.

For cinnamon rolls: Roll ⅓ the dough to a 9x18-inch rectangle. Brush with 1 TBSP butter, and then add ½ cup light brown sugar mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon. Roll up, starting at wide side. Seal by pinching edges of dough into roll. Stretch roll to 20 inches. Tie off (see below) into 20 slices, and place in buttered 9x13x2-inch pan Cover and let rise until indentation remains after touching. Bake about 30 minutes in preheated 375°F oven. Brush tops of rolls with milk and sprinkle with sugar. To "Tie-Off" dough, take a piece of strong thread or dental floss, about 16 inches long, slip under roll of dough and cross on top to cut slices smoothly and quickly.