resurrection rolls.

i've seen these rolls all over the internet these days, and i'm always looking for new traditions to do with the girls.  plus, when you're trying to explain the resurrection to little ones, visuals help.  and besides, they're just really delish!  the perfect accompaniment to quiche for our easter breakfast.  buttery, slightly sweet and gooey... how can you go wrong, especially if you can tie that in with jesus?!  all good things, all good things.

here's how we made them.

resurrection rolls

* 1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
* Large marshmallows
* melted butter (about 3 T.)
* cinnamon (about 2 T... can you tell I didn't really measure anything??)

- preheat oven to 350.
- take a triangle of crescent roll dough and roll it out a bit.
- roll a marshmallow in butter, then in cinnamon.
- place marshmallow at the biggest part of the triangle, tuck sides in and roll, pinching seams together.
- place in a muffin tin (the pampered chef stone one is best...just sayin).  repeat with remaining 7 triangles.
- brush tops with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon.  bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

some will probably have marshmallow that oozes out... it's not a big deal, really.  it just adds to the ooey  gooey goodness.  allow them to cool before lifting them from the pan.

my plan was to have the girls help me do this, but they were a bit distracted with coloring goods they got in their easter baskets.  so, instead, i had them come watch me assemble one (this was still a bit of a stretch because we got really hung up on the marshmallows and upset that we couldn't have one... when i say "we", i mean two little girls i know).  i told them that the marshmallow was jesus's body after he had died on the cross.  before he was buried, his body was anointed with oil (dipped into the butter), and then prepared with burial spices (dipped into the cinnamon).  then, he was buried in the tomb (wrapped in the crescent dough).  it held their attention long enough for them to be fascinated for the assembly of one roll, and then they went on their merry way.

when it was time to serve the rolls, i reminded the girls of how jesus was "buried", and when they broke them in half it was hollow inside.  emmy yelled out "he's GONE!!!  but where did he go?!" so we talked about that, in as much as a two year old can understand... but bella thought it was really cool.  and they both thought they were as delicious as they were fascinating.

these will definitely be an easter tradition for us!

what's for breakfast this morning {christmas morning bread pudding}.

i am huge on traditions.  as i've said before, it pretty much runs in my blood.  growing up, my family had the same exact meal on just about every holiday.  it was a little ridiculous, however, i am a firm believer in traditions being a really wonderful thing for families.  and for children.  they help foster stability and security, a sense of belonging and promote family togetherness.  i totally believe that.  

right down to christmas breakfast.

i'm the mom that wants to find one recipe to make christmas morning, and that recipe is forever dubbed christmas breakfast for the next twenty years.  and alas, my friends... i found it.  i mean, i found it.  

(thank you, pinterest.  you delivered in a big way to me this christmas and i will be forever indebted to you)

our family loves nutella.  it goes way back to my college days when i used to sit out in the hall at two am with all of my besties stuffing our faces with pretzels and animal crackers and pretty much anything else that we could find to dip in some nutella.  ahhh, those were the days.  i was hoping to find some sort of nutella breakfast recipe to try christmas morning, and found this one as i browsed through pinterest one evening.

you guys.

nutella croissant bread pudding.  i mean, what in the world.  it was amazing.  with a little bacon and scrambled eggs on the side, this was the *perfect* christmas breakfast.

and when i say perfect, i mean it's officially-our-christmas-morning-breakfast-for-the-next-twenty-years perfect.

here's the recipe.  you are welcome.

christmas morning bread pudding

* 5 croissants (preferably 1-2 days old)

* 3/4 c. nutella

* 2 eggs

* 1 c. heavy cream

* 1/2 c. carnation evaporated milk

* 2 t. vanilla extract

* 2 t. almond extract

* 1 T. maple syrup

* 1/4 t. salt

* 1/3 c. sugar

- preheat oven to 350.

- slice croissants in half lengthwise.  slather one side with nutella and top with the other half to form a sandwich.  repeat with remaining croissants.

- slice sandwiched croissants into 2 inch pieces and place in a greased baking dish (i used a 9x13).

- for the custard: combine eggs, cream, carnation milk, vanilla and almond extracts, maple syrup, salt and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together.

- pour custard over the croissant pieces.  press down gently to help bread absorb the liquid (i even flipped some pieces to make sure they were coated).

- cover with tinfoil and bake for thirty minutes.  then, uncover and bake for another ten, or until the bread pudding is puffed and golden brown and the liquid has set.

- cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar

let me know if you make this dish; it is truly a treat that would make any day feel like christmas :)

enjoy!

what's for dinner tonight {cornmeal cake}.

it was a cold day here in new england, so i had a big pot of chicken tortilla soup simmering on the stove.  i have a killer cornbread recipe, but it has a ton of butter in it and i felt like something lighter.  so, after a bit of research i found this... cornmeal cake (or, if you want to get technical bolo de fuba, but i can't even pronounce that so i'll just call it cornmeal cake).

oh.my.goodness.  

if you're looking for a typical cornbread, don't try this... but if you want something a bit different (and lighter), this is for you.  the cake is fluffier and sweeter than your run of the mill cornbread and it bakes in layers; the edges and top a bit crispy and the bottom is a delicious custard-like consistency.  just typing this makes me want to run to the kitchen and grab another piece.  

here's the recipe.

cornmeal cake

* 3 c. skim or lowfat milk
* 4 eggs
* 1 1/2 c. yellow cornmeal
* 1 1/4 c. sugar
* 1 1/2 T. flour
* 2 1/2 T. butter, melted
* 1 T. baking powder
* 2 T. parmesan cheese

- preheat oven to 350.  spray 9x13 pan with baking spray.
- place first 6 ingredients in a blender, and blend for about one minute.  add baking powder and parmesan cheese and blend on low just until incorporated (a few seconds).
- pour mixture into greased pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center.
- allow cake to rest for 20 minutes before serving.  it's especially delicious warm.

enjoy!

{sidenote:} this recipe is another great find from the blog skinnytaste!  if you're watching what you eat, this is a great resource.  every recipe is made lighter, and provides all of the nutrition information for you to figure your calories (and weight watchers points!)  check it out; i love it!

what's for lunch today {whole wheat sandwich bread}.

okay so, we eat a lot of sandwiches in this house.

nick eats a turkey sandwich every day for lunch.  pretty much always has since the day i met him.  my girls also eat pb&j's or grilled cheeses almost every day for either lunch or sometimes for a quick dinner.  i started making homemade bread about a year and a half ago and have found some fantastic recipes.  my go to for great tasting bread i posted several months ago, courtesy of a friend of mine; i absolutely love this bread!  it's perfect for toast or a side to go with dinner, it's seriously sooo delish.  because of the oatmeal in this recipe, it's a bit tricky to slice it super thin for sandwiches, so i added this recipe to my "bread file", and it's been a great one of all of our sandwich eating :)  it's super soft and tender and you can slice it perfectly; to the same width as store bought bread, which works great.

i make bread at least twice a week; i know it probably sounds like a pain, but i really love it.  using the dough setting on my bread maker, it's super duper easy and pretty foolproof!  and i know exactly what my family is eating.  both of my girls have eczema and we have noticed it flares when they are eating processed bread and crackers... my best guess is something in the preservatives of those products causes issues for them.  my poor babies!  they love cheezits as much as their mama (they are my junk food of choice), and we hardly ever buy them... which i guess isn't such a bad thing after all!  so we've pretty much cut out crackers (other than triscuits) and i try to make all of our bread products from scratch.  pizza crust, tortillas, hamburger buns, focaccia, naan and french bread are some of my staples.

if you're not a bread maker, don't be intimidated!  it's so easy!  but do yourself a favor and buy either a breadmaker (i got mine for twenty five bucks at a yard sale!) or invest in a kitchenaid with a dough hook.  either of those will change your bread-making-life.

here is the perfect sandwich bread recipe:

whole wheat sandwich bread
(adapted from here)

* 3 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (i use king arthur's whole wheat white)
* 1 1/2 c. warm water
* 1 T. vital wheat gluten
* 2 T. ground flaxseed
* 3 T. olive oil
* 2-3 T. honey (depending on how sweet you want)
* 1 1/2 t. salt
* 2 t. yeast

- dump all ingredients in your breadmaker and put on dough setting (this will mix your ingredients, knead them and do the first rise right in your machine).
- punch down dough.  form into a loaf and place in a greased pan.  cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled (approx 30 min to an hour).
- brush top with milk and sprinkle with oats (if desired.  i just think it feels fancy).
- bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes, covering with foil halfway through so it doesn't burn.  if you tap your bread and it sounds hollow, it's done.
- allow to cool for a bit before slicing so it will maintain it's shape.  then you can dig in... and trust me; you'll want to.

we love making the girls pocket sandwiches with the press and seal gadget from pampered chef... it's only ten bucks and totally worth every penny; they think it's super cool and definitely adds a little pizzazz to the everyday lunch (and sometimes dinner!) sandwich.

enjoy!

what's for dinner tonight {chicken gyros&homemade naan}.

well, folks.  we've found a new summer fav.

chicken gyros on homemade naan.  this is big time deliciousness.  light and yummy freshness wrapped up in a fluffy pillow of warmth.  i mean, have i convinced you to make this yet??

nick&i are big fans of date nights.  we try to stay consistent with having a date night once a week, although most of the time we don't ever leave the house.  once in a while, we'll get all fancy and have my mom or aunt watch the girls and actually go out to a restaurant.  but most of the time, we'll have our "dates" after the girls go to bed.  winter months are a bit tricky; it's usually homemade pizza and our favorite show... but we love our summer date nights!  dinner on the deck, fire in our backyard, or rocking out on our front porch.  all of which are usually accompanied by some wine and good music.  seriously, you can't beat it.

this week, we decided to have dinner on the deck after the girls were in bed.  i had seen this recipe for chicken gyros and have been wanting to try a variation of it for a while.  we loooove homemade naan, so i made the dough the night before (original recipe here). nick marinated and grilled the chicken while i baked the naan and prepared the rest.

the result?  absolute deliciousness.  seriously.  you have to make this!

chicken gyros&homemade naan

chicken:
* 3 chicken breasts
* 2 lemons, cut into wedges
* 1/2 c. vegetable oil
* 8 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 t. italian seasoning
* 2 t. salt
* 1/2 t. pepper

- squeeze lemons into a large ziplock bag.  add leftover lemon wedges to the bag as well.  add rest of the ingredients and shake.
- add chicken, seal bag and turn to coat.
- refrigerate 2-4 hours and then grill over medium heat, until juices run clear.

tzatziki sauce:
* 1 1/2 c. light sour cream (you can also use greek yogurt, i just happened to have sour cream on hand)
* 1/4 c. cucumber (finely grated, squeeze out juice)
* 2 t. garlic
* 1/4 t. salt
* 1 T. olive oil
* 1 1/2 t. vinegar

- mix together and slather onto naan as the base for your gyros.

naan:
* 1 pkg. active dry yeast
* 1 c. warm water
* 1/4 c. white sugar
* 3 T. milk
* 1 egg, beaten
* 2 t. salt
* 3 1/2 c. flour
* 1/4 c. butter, melted

- put all ingredients except for butter in your bread maker and run on the dough cycle (it will mix, knead and allow dough to do the first rise right in your machine; if you don't have one... get one!  mine was $25 at a yard sale and i use it probably three times a week!)
- punch dough down, pinch off small handfuls of dough a bit bigger than the size of a golf ball.  roll dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet.  cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 30 minutes.
- take a ball of dough, roll it out into a circular shape on a floured surface.  brush one side with butter, and cook on a large saute pan over medium heat until golden brown and bubbled.  brush opposite side with butter and flip.  cover cooked naan with a towel to keep warm.

to assemble:
- slice chicken in long, thin strips.  thinly slice one tomatoes and half of a red onion.
- take a piece of warm naan and top with tzatziki sauce.  fill with chicken, tomatoes and onion.  roll tightly and wrap the bottom half in tin foil (not necessary but it does help hold it together!)

the buttery warmth of the naan, the coolness of the tzatziki combined with the fresh crispness of the veggies and the tanginess of the chicken... mouth watering yet?  please tell me i'm not the only one.

perfect summer supper.

what's for dinner tonight {homemade hamburger buns}.

oh my yum.

i told you i'm on a bread baking kick this year.  i absolutely love making homemade bread and all variations of bread or bread-like things. one of my best friends told me she made homemade hamburger buns and ever since then i've been dying to try.  and then i found this recipe on pinterest.  it was a sign.  must.make.now.

yesterday, nick&i celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.  our fav meal when we were dating was cheeseburgers and fries.  i always joke with him because i don't think i ever ordered that at a restaurant before dating him.  i remember on one of our first dates i said something about being anemic a few years back and he told me "you need some red meat" and promptly took me out for a hamburger and fries at like eleven o'clock at night.  i think it was then that he had my heart ;)

ever since, burgers on the grill is one of our favorite meals.  especially if we can get our hands on hormone-free, grass fed beef.  seriously, it makes all the difference in the world.  nick also makes a killer blue cheese turkey burger.  delish.

so we decided to have cheeseburgers and tater tots for our anniversary dinner on the deck after the girls were in bed.  yes, i said tater tots.  that kind of makes me feel like we're second graders eating lunch in the school cafeteria, but it's one of our favorite sides on a lazy not-wanting-to-cook-type-of-night.  accompanied by frank sinatra and a large glass of wine (yes, large) for me and a pbr for nick, that's pretty much the perfect dining experience.  i decided to kick it up a notch by making these homemade buns.  like i said: oh my yum.  now i think i'll be making these every time we make burgers.  or pulled pork sandwiches.  or any sandwiches.  or just to eat fresh out of the oven.

i could be in trouble.

homemade hamburger buns

* 1 c. lukewarm water
* 2 T. butter, softened
* 1 egg
* 3 1/2 c. flour (i used white for this recipe... sometimes you just need some white bread)
* 1/4 c. sugar
* 1 1/4 t. salt
* 1 T. instant yeast

topping:
3 T. melted butter

(i chose to do the butter topping for a richer, golden brown finish... but you could also use an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a bit of water) for a darker/shinier finish, or sprinkling of sesame seeds)

- put all ingredients into a breadmaker and turn onto "dough" setting, allowing the ingredients to mix, knead and rise.
- gently deflate dough, and empty onto floured surface.  using a knife, section dough into eight pieces.
- form each piece of dough into a ball and gently flatten until about 3 inches in diameter.
- place on a greased cookie sheet and cover to rise until doubled in bulk; after about an hour they should be beautiful and puffy.
- brush buns with half of the melted butter.  bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
- brush buns with remaining butter to give a rich, satiny finish.  allow to cool.
- when ready, cut buns lengthwise with a serated knife.

my girls loved these just out of the oven for their dinner, or cut and toasted with cheese for an open face sandwich.  many uses for these delish little morsels.  you'll get stuck making them forever, they're just THAT good.

you're welcome.

what's for dinner tonight {homemade focaccia bread}.

making bread is quickly becoming one of my favorite things.

for a while, i've been wanting to try making focaccia bread.  i absolutely love it.  yesterday i was browsing online when i came across this recipe.  i had most of the ingredients in my cupboard, and i was looking for a good bread to accompany the salads i was making for dinner.  i made a few substitutions, and it was super delish.  my girls would not stop eating it.  it was no problem at all for my family to polish off this entire batch very quickly.

this made for one yummy dinner.  cobb salad + focaccia?  two of my fav things in the whole world.  i was a happy girl.

here's the recipe, adapted from here.  it directs you to use a bread maker for the first five minutes, but i think a kitchenaid mixer with a dough hook would work great, too... or as always, you can use your good ole hands :)

homemade focaccia bread

* 1/2 c. warm water

* 1/2 c. milk

* 3 T. butter, softened

* 3 T. sugar

* 1 1/2 t. salt

* 1 1/2 c. whole wheat white flour

* 1 1/2 c. white flour (or bread flour)

* 2 1/4 t. (or one packet) active dry yeast

topping:

*  2 T. olive oil

* sprinkle: garlic powder, dried rosemary, grated parmesan cheese, course sea salt

- place bread ingredients in bread maker, and mix/knead for 5 minutes until a good dough consistency (may need to add a bit more water or flour).  

- once dough has formed, place on floured surface and cover with plastic wrap.  allow to sit for 15 minutes.

- after dough has rested, knead by hand for one minute.  roll out to 1/2-1/4 inch in thickness and placed on a greased cookie sheet.  

- cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

- using your fingers, press dimples in dough about an inch apart from one another.  

- brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with toppings.  bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

- allow bread to cool slightly before cutting into squares.  serve warm.

this is the perfect bread for summer to serve with salads or whatever is off your grill.  so, so, so delish.  seriously.  you're welcome.

this post was linked to these *lovely* blogs:

rain on a tin roof

what's for breakfast this morning {clean eating homemade bread}.

i love homemade bread.  i love the way it tastes.  i love working with dough with my hands.  and i especially love the way it makes my house smell while it's baking.

i started making my own bread last year.  one of my parents best friends makes the worlds most delicious bread.  so so so good.  i'm not a skilled bread maker, by any stretch of the imagination, and i just couldn't get my bread to live up to hers.  aaaand i was doing it by hand, so i ended up stopping just before i had emmy because i couldn't keep up with it.

enter: my bread maker.

a friend of mine had mentioned on her blog that she used a bread machine to mix her dough.  i immediately began asking her questions, and got her bread recipe to try.  my brother-in-law found a used sunbeam bread machine this summer at a yard sale.  twenty big ones, people.  i was super excited.

i love this recipe because it's super clean and healthy.  and even better?  it's seriously delicious.  i make one loaf each week and it makes the perfect breakfast toast.  we also use it for sandwiches as well.  bella loves it.

my process is super easy.  i throw everything in my bread maker, turn it to the dough setting and that gives me about an hour and a half to forget about it.  then i can bake it off in my oven to get the shape i like, and to allow that heavenly smell to waft through my house.  perfect.

here's my recipe, taken from my friend, amy.

clean-eating homemade bread

* 3 1/2 c. flour (i use half whole wheat white and half whole spelt.  perfect combo)
* 2 c. old fashioned oats
* 1/3 c. ground flaxmeal
* 2 heaping T. vital wheat gluten
* 2 heaping T. yeast (i store my yeast in a mason jar in the freezer)
* 1 1/2 t. salt
* 1/3 c. olive oil
* 1/3 c. honey (i pour mine to overflowing)
* 1 2/3 c. warm water

- throw everything in your bread maker.  turn it to the dough setting.  it will mix and knead the dough and do the first rise for you right in your machine.
- on a floured surface, press dough out into a rectangle using your fingers.  fold dough like a letter; bring bottom up 1/3 of the way, then bring top portion over and all the way down, sealing edges with your fingers.  this makes a pretty loaf shape and i've found it helps prevent holes in the middle of my bread.
- cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes, or until desired height.
- bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.  this is where it's taken some experimenting for me... i found that if i cooked my bread for a full 40 minutes (covering the top with a sheet of tinfoil about 15-20 minutes into the baking process to prevent it from getting too brown) the middle of my bread was less likely to fall and stands up better for slicing.

i store my bread in either tin foil or large ziploc bags in our "bread drawer".  you'll need to use it within a week because it will dry out.  you may find (like me) you'll need to cut it into thick slices so it doesn't crumble (one of the downfalls of an all-wheat bread).

i love making bread for my family.  it's such a simple task but it feels so meaningful and special.  and, let's be honest.  it's just freaking GOOD!  just ask my picky two year old who scarfs it down like it's going out of style.

enjoy!
now i'm looking forward to breakfast.

what's for breakfast this morning {whole spelt biscuits}.

i have a new best friend when it comes to baking.  i've blogged about it before, but i'll blog about it again:

i.love.spelt.

i first had spelt bread years ago and i never forgot it.  i just thought it was so delish.  and i knew it was healthy, which was, like, a double bonus.  now i make my own bread out of half spelt/half whole wheat flour.  i've also found this combination to make a winning pizza crust as well.  i'll post both of these recipes soon, i promise.

we've gotten pretty used to whole wheat flour on this clean eating endeavor, but sometimes it just doesn't cut it for my taste when it comes to baking.  too heavy and prominent tasting.  spelt is much lighter and the flavor doesn't stand out as much as the wheat. {side note:} i bought white flour for the first time in months for my holiday baking the other day since we were hosting our whole family.  i hadn't used it in so long the consistency in my fingers was such a complete shock to my skin.  it felt like silk.

i missed it.  for a second.

but i made these spelt biscuits this morning (adapted a bit from this recipe) with my little sous chef and we gobbled them up.  seriously; they were amazing.  i actually liked them better than my standard white-flour biscuits.  and i liked those a whole lot.

these are buttery, slightly nutty in flavor and still light and flaky.  holy cow.  they are just so delicious.

whole spelt biscuits

* 2 cups organic, whole spelt flour
* 1/2 t. salt
* 1 T. baking powder
* 6 T. butter, cold and diced
* 2/3 c. (maybe a bit more) milk

- preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- add milk, combine until a dough forms.
- turn dough onto floured surface.  knead a few times, roll out to approximately an inch thick.
- cut biscuits with a round biscuit cutter and place in a greased 8x8 pan; bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

slather on some buttah, baby and enjoy!

seriously.  you won't miss the white flour ones a single bit.  my picky two year old was stealing them off the kitchen counter this morning.

and that says a lot.

what's for dinner tonight {pumpkin dinner rolls}.

i have always wanted to make my own bread. like, on a weekly basis. to be able to make my family sandwiches and toast with fresh bread. to have the smell of bread baking wafting through our home. to break from a busy day to taste my handiwork topped with melted butter with a cup of hot tea... ohhhhh yes. sounds heavenly doesn't it?

although nothing on a regular basis, i've made a couple loaves of bread before bella was born, but when i saw this recipe on a blog i follow, i knew i had to make my first attempt at dinner rolls.

{source}

and boy, am i glad i did.

pumpkin dinner rolls may sound like a strange concept to some of you, but if you're anything like me they sound like little gems from heaven. i love pumpkin. and i love fresh bread. so really, to me they are the perfect idea. these little rolls are so moist and tasty that i could sit and eat half of a pan in one day (but don't worry, i haven't). even bella loved them... i couldn't give her halves of the rolls fast enough last night at dinner; i think in total she ate two which is a pretty big amount for our peanut-of-an-eighteen-month-old!

these are the perfect accompaniment to soups and stews for the fall or winter, or a delicious side to your holiday dinners. and i certainly enjoyed them as a while-bella-is-napping-snack :)

here's the recipe:

pumpkin dinner rolls

* 3/4 c. milk (i used skim and these still tasted delish!)
* 1/3 c. brown sugar
* 5 T. butter, divided
* 1 t. salt
* 2 pkgs active dry yeast (1/4 oz each)
* 1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
* 2 to 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
* 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
* 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
* 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice

- in a small saucepan, heat milk, 4 T. butter, brown sugar and salt to 110-115 degrees (i used a candy thermometer to measure temperature). set aside.
- in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in your warm water. stir in milk mixture, followed by 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. beat until smooth.
- stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
- turn onto floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes. pour a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of a large bowl and coat. place dough in bowl, turning over once to coat. cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
- punch dough down. divide into 20 pieces, shape into balls. place in a greased 9x13 pan, cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled.
- melt remaining butter and brush over dough. bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

serve warm with butter and bask in the satisfaction of making your own bread... and just how delicious it is :)