CHEESY BAKED LEMON CHICKEN (EASY)

4 chicken breasts, uncooked
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. lemon pepper
Grated parmesan cheese (enough to cover top of chicken)

1.  Put all except parmesan into a ziplock bag.

2.  Put in refrigerator for 2-3 hours to marinade.

3.  Put in baking dish and cover with parmesan cheese.

4.  Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

TO FREEZE…

Place the prepared ziplock into freezer.

To prepare, thaw overnight in the fridge,

then follow above instructions from step #3.

This is great served with garlic parmesan rice and sautéed spinach.

1 HOUR CINNAMON ROLLS (KINDA)

This recipe really takes me about 90 minutes to 2 hours start to finish depending on how long dough takes to rise.  I've broken down time frame in instructions.

Makes 12 but doubles nicely.

Dough

1 3/4 cups warm water 110 degrees

6 TBL sugar

1/4 cup oil

3 TBL active dry yeast

1/2 TBL salt

2 large eggs*

5-6 cups flour

Capful of vegetable oil

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

1/3 cups white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 TBL cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese softened

1 tsp vanilla

2-3 cups powdered sugar

1-2 TBL heavy whipping cream or milk

15 MINUTES

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.  In mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, oil, and active dry yeast.

3.  Stir it a few times, then let it sit for a full 15 minutes.

10 MINUTES
4.  To the yeast mix add: salt, eggs and flour. (Start with about 4 cups, and mix, gradually adding the last 2 cups (might not use it all) until it is mostly pulling away from the side of the bowl.

5.  Mix together for 10 minutes on setting 4 or kneading.  The dough should only slightly stick to your finger. 

10-30 MINUTES

6.  Cover until doubled in size (10-30 minutes)

5 MINUTES

7.  Spread the oil onto the counter

8.  Using your hands, press it into a rectangle 18" long.

9.  Pour melted butter onto the dough, then cover with cinnamon/sugar mix.

10. Tightly roll into a log and cut into 12 even sized pieces.

11. Place on greased jelly roll pan, or on parchment. Don’t let rolls touch.

10-30 MINUTES

12. Let rise 10-30 minutes.

15-18 MINUTES

13. Bake 15-18 minutes.

5 MINUTES

14. Mix all of the frosting ingredients.  While rolls are in the oven.

15. Let rolls cool for 5 minutes, then frost so some of the frosting melts into the rolls.

*if you double recipe, use 3 eggs, not 4, still put on jelly roll pan and if rolls are touching, may have to increase cooking time slightly.

CARAMEL APPLE CIDER

1 Gallon Cider or apple juice (128 oz/16 cups)

2 & 1/2 TBL mulling spice* (substitute 2-3 tsp pumpkin pie spice)

16 Caramels or 1 & 1/4 cup caramel sauce

Whipped cream & caramel sauce for serving (optional)

1.  Put everything in a slow cooker (5-6qt).  If using mulling spices, put them in

     a tea infuser or just strain before serving.

2.  Cook on low 4-6 hours, high 2-3 hours.

3.  Serve and top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce if desired.

The caramel sometimes separates when the cider is very hot. Just stir before serving.

*see recipe for Williams Sonoma Kopy Kat on this blog.

MULLING SPICES - WILLIAMS SONOMA KOPY KAT

For 5.75 oz of mulling spices:

1 c (2.25 oz) dried orange peel

1/2 C (1.5 oz) cinnamon sticks (pulverized)*

1/4 c (1 oz) whole allspice

1/4 c (1 oz) cloves

To mull cider, gently simmer 1 quart apple cider with 2 TBL mulling spices for up to 20 minutes.  (use a tea ball infuser or just strain before serving)

*To break the cinnamon sticks into chunks I popped them into a ziplock bag then used the flat side of a meat tenderizer to pulverize them.

GARLIC BREAD (THE BEST)

Ingredients

1 loaf Italian or French bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried parsley

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.  Slice the bread loaf in half lengthwise & put on baking sheet. Set aside.

3.  Mix butter, cheese, garlic, and parsley.

4.  Spread butter mixture over the cut side of both loaves of bread.

5.  Bake 8-10 minutes.

6.  Switch oven over to broil. Broil 2-3 minutes or until the tops of the bread are

      golden brown. Watch carefully so they don't burn!

7.  To serve, cut into slices.

SMOKED TURKEY

Smoke @ 300 degrees @ 15 minutes per pound until 165 degrees at thickest part of breast.

Baste every hour

DRY BRINE (optional)

1/3 cup salt

1 TBL pepper

1TBL sugar

Rub in cavity and over exterior and place in fridge for 2-4 hours

Rinse off brine prior to smoking and prepping bird

PREP THE BIRD

BUTTER RUB:

In a ziplock baggie, combine --

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1 TBL pepper

1 TBL garlic powder

1/2 TBL paprika

Loosen the skin

Cut a small hole in the corner of the ziplock bag and squeeze butter under and over the skin.

STUFF THE CAVITY:

1 onion quartered

2 carrots quartered

2 celery stocks quartered

1 lemon quartered

1/2 tsp thyme

Make tin foil balls for the bird to set on so it is not sitting in juices.

Put bird in roasting pan with 1 cup stock in bottom of pan

"SOUP"ER RICE

Bring to boil:
1 can cream of . . . soup
Dash of pepper

1.5 cups stock


Add:
1.5 cups minute rice
1/4 cup cheese (parmesan, cheddar, pepperjack, etc.)


Remove from heat, cover and let set for 8 minutes.
Stir and serve!