Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

As the rain is falling outside, I'm sitting in a warm, cozy Daily Grind with friends drinking my Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte. I think this is what they call a great day. 

Speaking of pumpkin, I have a pumpkin recipe today that you will NOT want to pass up. I made these last Friday morning, and they turned out exactly as I had hoped. Here. You. Go.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Pumpkin Spice Glaze

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Pumpkin Spice Glaze 

Buns: 

2 1/4 teaspoons of dry active yeast

1/4 cup warm water (not hot or boiling) 

3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup milk 

1/4 c butter, melted

1 tablespoon granulated sugar 

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cooking spray 

3 tablespoon of granulated sugar

3 tablespoon of brown sugar

2 tablespoon of all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoon chilled butter 

Glaze: 

3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1.5 tablespoon hot water 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Preparation:

To prepare the buns, dissolve yeast in warm water in your stand mixer or large bowl. Let this proof for 5 minutes. If the yeast doesn't get foamy, throw out and start over. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour, pumpkin, and next 5 ingredients (pumpkin through nutmeg); beat with your mixer, paddle attached at medium speed until smooth. Then change the paddle for your dough hook and add the additional cup of flour. Knead until smooth and elastic. This dough will be sticky, be forewarned. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough on a flat surface adding the additional flour slowly.) 

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts, for 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes has passed, press a finger into the dough, if it bounces back, it's ready. 

Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or use two knives to cut it in. 

Punch dough down and roll it into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture to cover. Make sure you reach each end, not leaving any surface without the mixture. Roll up the rectangle tightly, starting with a long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Cut roll into 1-inch slices. Place slices in a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. At this point you can refrigerate overnight or bake right away.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes in a pan on a wire rack.

To prepare the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, vanilla extract, and pumpkin spice mix in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over buns. Serve warm. 

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of this rainy Monday! 

Mangio Italiano!

Ciao!

Today, I have a couple of delicious Italian recipes for you. Well, technically, it's one Italian recipe and one bread recipe. But they're BOTH wonderful. Also, please excuse my Italian post title if it's incorrect. I took two semesters of it at Georgia last year, and I've already forgotten most of it. Isn't it so sad how that happens? If ya don't use it, ya lose it.

Now for the recipes. First up is a pasta recipe. Then, some of the TASTIEST bread you'll ever eat. For those of you who automatically run at the word "yeast", don't fear! It's not as hard as it sounds, and when you subtract the time it takes to rise, the prep time is super short. So I challenge you...try it out with your next Italian dish! Maybe some Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce? :)

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce 

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

1 (20 oz) package refrigerated four-cheese ravioli

1 (16 oz) jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce

2 tablespoons white wine

2 medium-size fresh tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Garnish; fresh basil strips

Directions: 

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, pour Alfredo sauce into medium saucepan. Pour wine into sauce jar; cover tightly, and shake well. Stir wine mixture into saucepan. Stir in chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped basil, and cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Toss with pasta, and top evenly with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish, if desired. 

Copycat Macaroni Grill Bread 

Copycat Macaroni Grill Bread 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Place yeast, sugar, and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly.

2. Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour. 

3. Add 1 tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary.

4. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

5. Add more flour if necessary.

6. Oil a bowl, put dough in it, and cover with a towel.

7. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.

8. Punch down dough and divide in half.

9. Let dough rest about 5 minutes.

10. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.

11. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.

12. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

13. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

14. Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired). 

Labor Day Lounging

It has been yet another rainy, gloomy labor day. Doesn't it seem that way every year? It's supposed to be the last hoorah of summer, and we spend it sitting inside. Oh well. Though we didn't get to go to the pool as planned, we enjoyed an afternoon of yummy eating and movie watching. We rented Blue Like Jazz, a movie based on the Donald Miller book, and I really, really enjoyed it. The book is subtitled "Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality" if that gives you a little bit of an idea of what it's about. I think it paints a really accurate, eye-opening picture of the way some people see Christians. I would really encourage everyone to watch it. I can go ahead and tell you this- it's not at all how you're imagining it.

Anyway, this post is more about my thoughts on the movie than anything else, as I only have a few pictures to show you. First, here's the fish cake I promised you when I posted the farm animal cake a couple of weeks ago.

Next, here are some Atlanta Braves birthday cupcakes.

And lastly, some "just because" cupcakes with a glimmer.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their Labor Day holiday!

The Legacy of a Grandma

This past Friday, my sweet, sweet Grandma passed away. 

So many of you were so gracious to us. You brought us food, prayed for us, and even came to the viewing and funeral. My family and I are SO thankful for everything y'all did. She was the BEST Grandma I could have asked for, and she will be so missed here. However, I'm absolutely positive she's with the Lord right now...and loving every minute of it!

One of Grandma's staple desserts was dirt cake. She made it every Easter, always being sure to top it off with some gummy worms and plastic eggs (filled with money, of course). So, what would have been more appropriate than making dirt cake for my family and I to eat at the funeral home?! Unfortunately, I couldn't find the exact recipe she used. I had to turn to the internet. But, according to my cousins, it was just as good. Phew! 

We have an old, old picture where all of the grandchildren have gummy worms sticking out of their mouths, so we decided to reenact it. I wish I had that picture, but it's scrapbooked away somewhere in someone's house. The odds of me finding it, scanning it in, and posting it before Christmas (let's be real, probably more like next summer) were slim to none, so I decided to go ahead and do without. 

The best part of the story is the fact that we still have the bowl she used to put it in. It's a pretty crystal bowl with a handle that makes it look like an Easter basket. So, into Grandma's bowl the dirt cake went!

Also, since I love my readers, y'all get the recipe! Enjoy...it's a Smith family favorite :) 

Dirt Cake

Dirt Cake

Ingredients:

2-3.4 oz packages vanilla instant pudding

3 1/2 cups milk

12 oz cool whip

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1-15.5 oz package Oreos

Gummy worms (if desired)

Directions:

1. Combine instant pudding and milk in a large bowl. Whisk for 5 minutes, or until pudding is soft set. Fold in cool whip then set aside. 

2. In a separate bowl, stir together cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Add to pudding mixture and stir to combine.

3. Crush Oreos to fine crumbs.

4. Spoon 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs into the bottom of a large bowl. Top with 1/2 the pudding mixture, then 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs, the remaining pudding mixture, then the remaining cookie crumbs. Chill for at least 1 hour, then top with gummy worms before serving :) 

Old McDonald Had a Farm

Ee-I-ee-I-oh! (Get it? Check the post title.)

This is a farm animal cake I completed today for a little girl's birthday party. The cake is covered in regular frosting, and the animals, barn, tree, and fence are all made out of fondant. It took for. ever. BUT, it's what I love, so I really don't mind spending the time on it.

I also made some Kennesaw State cupcakes for my cousin who just started school here.

Check back next weekend for another animal cake. It may be a liiiiiittle bit different than this one, though :)