cinnamon

Caramel Apple Rice Cake

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Grocery List Ideas: Caramel Apple Rice Cake! Whether you are looking for a light breakfast, midday snack, or energy-booster…..think rice cakes. They offer a satisfying crunch and are easily digestible. Fruit, nuts, seeds, and protein contain vitamins that are justifiable as well. I like the taste. Be forewarned. You may find yourself at the grocery store standing in front of the packaged display highly impressed with all the varieties. Sure, you can eat them plain, but why would you? 

CARAMEL APPLE RICE CAKE 

Instructions: 

1 apple cinnamon rice cake

2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese 

1/2 Gala apple, cored and sliced 

1-2 tablespoons sea salt caramel sauce

2 tablespoons redskin Spanish peanuts 

Instructions: 

Place one rice cake on a plate. Spread whipped cream cheese evenly on the cinnamon rice cake. Arrange apple slices over the top. Drizzle with sea salt caramel sauce. Sprinkle Spanish peanuts over all. 

Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Yeast Cinnamon Rolls! Don’t you just love modern kitchen appliances? My husband already owned a countertop Bread Machine when we got married four years ago, so today I decided to try it out. (First I had to find it. When combining two households, things get shuffled around.) The recipe booklet boasted the best glazed cinnamon rolls and the photo bolstered my confidence enough to put it to the test. I’m glad I did. The house smelled like a family-owned bakery and the warm, gooey cinnamon buns were phenomenal. The challenge came at only eating one. 

YEAST CINNAMON ROLLS 

Ingredients for Dough:

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

3 cups bread flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Ingredients for Filling:

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

Ingredients for Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Measure all dough ingredients carefully and place in the bread machine in the order they are listed: water, butter, flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Select “Dough” cycle and “Start”.  When the timer rings, remove the dough and flatten with a rolling pin into a 9-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Spread with 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon filling over the buttered dough. Roll the dough up tightly; pinch the ends to seal. Cut the dough into 1-inch slices. Place in a 9″x9″ square pan. Cover with a wet tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until double. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Combine Glaze ingredients mixing powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Remove from pan to wire rack. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls. Serve warm. 

Xtreme Frosting Cinnamon Rolls

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Xtreme Frosting Cinnamon Rolls! Does anyone, besides me, often wish there was more frosting in the prepared tube of cinnamon rolls? I mean, who doesn’t want more of the lusciously rich and fluffy sweet mixture? By doubling the amount of frosting per cinnamon roll, there’s never a debate over who is left craving more. 

XTREME FROSTING CINNAMON ROLLS

Ingredients:

12-ounce tube cinnamon rolls

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter, room temperature 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Bake cinnamon rolls according to package directions. Set aside. While cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the buttercream frosting. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and butter on low speed with a hand mixer. Stir in vanilla extract and one tablespoon milk. Gradually beat in remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Pour over freshly baked cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. 

OMG Pumpkin Spice Squares

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: OMG Pumpkin Spice Squares! It hardly seems fair to have to wait all year before enjoying a pumpkin spice dessert. But here we are…..ready to break the rules. I feel a rainy day qualifies as a justification for making exceptions. Decadent cinnamon, buttery pumpkin, crumbly topping. So I ask you, are you the exception or are you the rule?

OMG PUMPKIN SPICE SQUARES

Ingredients for Cake:

15-ounce box yellow cake mix, divided

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 15-ounce cans real pumpkin 

4 beaten eggs

2/3 cup light cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice

Ingredients for Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup reserve cake mix

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease the bottom of a 9”x13” pan with butter. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, reserve one cup of cake mix for the topping. Set aside. In another bowl, combine remaining cake mix and softened butter. Mix until blended. Press the dough in the bottom of the prepared pan. Smooth into an even layer. In a food processor or stand mixer, combine real pumpkin, beaten eggs, light cream, sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt, and pumpkin spice. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture over the dough. To make the topping, add sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter to the reserve cake mix. Stir until crumbly. Sprinkle over the pumpkin layer. Top with pumpkin seeds. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when tested near the center. Allow cake to cool completely before cutting into squares. 

Double-Shot Espresso Whip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Double-Shot Espresso Whip! Are you tired of the calorie-laden coffee drinks that leave you sluggish from a sugar high instead of energized for your next project? Perhaps it’s time to fall in love with an espresso machine that delivers rich flavor along with a frothy texture thick enough to handle a whipped cream crown. You’ll never find anything better than this. But it’ll cost you in time and money, initially. The challenge lies in finding the right espresso machine for you. The rewards are totally worth it. 

DOUBLE-SHOT ESPRESSO WHIP

Ingredients:

2 double shots espresso roast coffee

Whipped cream

Pinch cinnamon 

Ingredients:

Fill two demitasse cups with double shots of freshly brewed espresso. Top with swirls of whipped cream. Sprinkle cinnamon powder over all. Serve immediately. 

Zested Orange Cranberry Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Zested Orange Cranberry Sauce! Infuse the traditional cranberry sauce with cinnamon, orange, and citrus to reap a perfect blend of holiday flavors. By simmering the mixed fruits together, it transforms ordinary sauce into a fancier version of a popular classic. Elevate your taste buds from semi-sweet to welcome complement. Top off baked Brie, spoon onto a dish of yogurt, or slather across a piece of toast. It’s perfect for now as well as all season long. 

ZESTED ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange marmalade 

2 tablespoons grated orange rind

1/8 teaspoon granulated lemon zest

3/4 cup sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1 cup fresh orange juice, from 2 oranges

1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries 

Instructions:

Combine marmalade, orange rind, and lemon zest. Set aside. Combine juice, sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add cranberries and return to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries pop and sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in marmalade mixture. Cover and chill. 

Judy’s Pumpkin Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Judy’s Pumpkin Sea Salt Caramel Sauce! I always get excited when I receive the gift of food. My friend, Judy, thrilled me beyond measure when she shared this treat from her kitchen. It’s the perfect combination of sea salt caramel and pumpkin purée. It not only transforms a cup of coffee into a pumpkin spice addiction, but it also tastes incredible on a breakfast muffin. If you ask my husband, he’ll say you can eat it over ice cream by the spoonful.

JUDY’S PUMPKIN SEA SALT CARAMEL SAUCE 

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

3/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup pumpkin purée 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat, combine sugar and water.  Bring to a boil, stirring often to avoid scorching. Continue cooking until sugar turns light amber in color and all sugar crystals have dissolved, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter and mix well. Change utensils to a heat-resistant whisk and quickly whisk in the cream and pumpkin. Lastly, add cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, removing all lumps. Transfer to a jar. Cool at room temperature, seal, and store in the refrigerator. 

Glorious Glazed Pecans

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Glorious Glazed Pecans!  Go to any big city or farmers market and you’ll find street vendors roasting sweet and savory candied nuts. The bakery aroma practically has you walking on air. Now you can bring this enticing smell and sugary sweetness right into your very own kitchen. I’ve made it a tradition to bake a couple batches for holiday gift-giving. When mixed with an assortment of smoked almonds, wasabi peas, salty cashews, and honey roasted peanuts, these glazed pecans become a gourmet choice for absolutely anyone on your list. In fact, anticipation creates excitement followed by open delight and thanksgiving. 

GLORIOUS GLAZED PECANS 

Ingredients:

1 pound pecan halves 

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 egg white, room temperature 

1 tablespoon water

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 300°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. In a small bowl mix sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well and set aside. In a large bowl beat egg white and water until frothy. Add one pound of pecans and coat well to cover. Pour sugar mixture over nuts. Stir completely to form a coating over pecans. Transfer nuts to the baking sheet. Form a single layer. Bake 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to form a crystallized finish. Remove from oven. Let cool and then store in an airtight container. 

Easy Energy Balls

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Easy Energy Balls! Do you ever get those mid-morning blahs where all you want to do is go back to bed? Well, here’s a way to get a tasty boost of energy without the guilt of a candy bar.  By choosing pure and organic ingredients, you not only reap the health benefits, but you also gain the satisfaction your tummy needs in order to feel full. Make up a batch in minutes, store in the refrigerator, then Grab and Go! 

EASY ENERGY BALLS

Ingredients:

1 cup organic creamy dark roasted peanut butter 

2/3 cup pure honey

2 cups flaked coconut 

2 cups old fashioned whole grain oats

1 cup organic flaxseed 

1 cup dark chocolate chips

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 cup ground nuts

Instructions:

Warm peanut butter just enough to blend well with the honey. Remove from heat and add coconut, oats, flaxseed, and chocolate chips. Mix well. Sprinkle in cinnamon and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly. Roll into 30 bite-size balls, coat in ground nuts, and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.