Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

Rolls:

3 1/2 C Warm water
3/4 C Sugar
1/2 C Oil
6 T. Yeast
1 T Salt
3 Eggs
10 1/2 C Flour

Filling:

1/4 C Butter (or margarine)
1 C Sugar
1 T Cinnamon

Icing:

1/2 C Butter (or margarine)
2 Dashes salt
2 t Vanilla extract
6 C Powdered Sugar
Almond milk (or milk of your choice)

Directions:

Mix warm water, sugar, oil, and yeast and let sit for 15 minutes.

Add salt, eggs, and flour. Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes.

Oil a flat surface, dump out dough. Divide in half. Roll one half out into rectangle. Spread with melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up tight, but not too tight.

Cut into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough.

Let rise (it will rise while baking as well).

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400.

While the rolls are baking put your powdered sugar in a mixing bowl, along with melted butter, salt, and vanilla.

Slowly add milk until the frosting is the consistency you want.

Serve rolls warm and top with icing or cool and top with icing. Enjoy!

*Adapted from http://valleyridgerecipes.blogspot.com/2010/04/cinnamon-rolls_17.html

Sweet Potato and Bacon Hash

Ingredients:

3 Bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 T Olive oil
2 Medium Sweet potatoes (about 8 oz each), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 C Diced red onion
1/2 t Garlic powder
1-2 jalapenos, minced (optional, do not include for Nightshade-Free)
1/2 t Ground cumin
L4 large eggs
2 T Chopped parsley

Directions:

Add the bacon to a large skillet set over medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain most of the fat from the pan.

Add the olive oil and when it's hot, add the sweet potatoes. Spread them in a single layer to the extent possible. Let them cook undisturbed until they start to brown on the bottom. Toss the potatoes then again let them cook undisturbed until they begin to brown. Repeat this process until most sides of the potatoes are golden brown and they are tender.

Add the bacon back to the pan, along with the onion, garlic, jalapenos and cumin and cook until the onions have softened slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the eggs over-easy in another pan. Remove the pan from the heat and keep warm.

Serve the fried eggs over the hash. Garnish with parsley and season with salt and pepper.

*Adapted from http://traceysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2012/11/sweet-potato-and-bacon-hash.html

Salmon Florentine

Ingredients:

1 Package (12 oz) frozen spinach, thawed 

1 t Olive oil

1/4 C Minced shallots (or onion)

1/4 t Garlic powder

5 Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (or 1 large tomato, diced)
1 Red bell pepper, roasted and chopped

1/2 t Salt, plus more to taste 

1/4 t Red pepper flakes 

1/4 t Ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 C Goat cheese

4 Skinless salmon fillets (6 oz each), rinsed and patted dry 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°. Squeeze spinach of all excess liquid. Set aside. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots (or onions); cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic powder, spinach, tomatoes, roasted red pepper, salt, pepper flakes and pepper; cook, stirring, 2 minutes more. 

Remove from heat.

Add goat cheese; stir to combine. 

Pack about 1/2 cup spinach mixture on top of each fillet, matching the shape of the fillet. Place fillets on a rimmed baking sheet or in a glass baking dish; bake until cooked through, 15 minutes.

*Adapted from http://www.self.com/fooddiet/recipes/2009/11/salmon-florentine?mbid=enws_row0326&mobify=0

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken Breasts (about 2 lbs)
1 Large can of pineapple in juice (tidbits, chucks, rings, whichever you want to use)
1 Large onion, chopped
2 T Soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free)
½ C Chicken broth
1 C Chopped green bell pepper (optional)

Directions:

Place onion in bottom of crock pot.

Place Chicken Breast on top of onion.

Dump the can of pineapple (juice and all) over the chicken.

Dump the soy sauce and the chicken broth on top of everything.

Cover and cook on HIGH in the crockpot for 4-5 hours or on low for 6
hours. Note: If adding green pepper, add in one hour before end of cooking time.

Serve over rice and with a steamed veggie.

*Adapted from http://momswithcrockpots.com/2011/08/crockpot-pineapple-chicken/

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Ingredients:

Vegetable Oil

Kosher salt

1 1/2 Pounds Angel Hair pasta

6 T (3/4 stick) Unsalted butter

5 T Olive oil

3 T Minced garlic (9 cloves)

2 Pounds Large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 t Ground black pepper

3/4 C Chopped fresh parsley

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1/2 C Freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)

1/2 Lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds

1/4 t Crushed red pepper flakes

 

Directions:

 

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, 1 tablespoon of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

 

*Adapted from http://ourrecipeclub.blogspot.com/2008/04/linguine-with-shrimp-scampi.html

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Linguini Alfredo

Ingredients:

2 Whole Red bell peppers
1 Medium onion
1 t Garlic powder
1 C Almond milk
6 oz Goat cheese
1/2 cup artichoke hearts (optional)
1 lb. Linguine, cooked to al dente
1/2 t Herbes de Provence
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place red peppers and onion on baking sheet and bake 20-30 minutes until peppers are charred. Remove from oven and cover with foil 10 minutes.

In the mean time, combine almond milk, goat cheese, garlic powder, Herbes de Provence, and salt and pepper in a pan. Stir to melt goat cheese into sauce and keep warm over low heat.

Uncover peppers, peel off skin and remove stem and seeds. Chop into large pieces and place into sauce along with onions.

Pour sauce into blender and puree. Place back into hot pan and toss with cooked pasta (and optional artichoke hearts). Taste and adjust seasonings. Top with parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and parsley, if desired.

* Adapted from http://www.laurenslatest.com/roasted-red-pepper-goat-cheese-alfredo/