Old Timey Butter Rolls

Wheeewwww girl! This stuff is cool! If you've never been fortunate enough to have someone make you some old timey butter rolls, you need to set down those coupons you're clipping, put away the vacuum, because that ain't happenin' today! March yourself right into that kitchen and start baking. Just have one, and give the rest away. It's safer, trust me.
These butter rolls are like a biscuit combined with a cinnamon roll combined with a vanilla custard-y sauce. Go with it. I borrowed this recipe from Christy Jordan at SouthernPlate.com, I swear you'll fall in love in minutes, she's the best! Anyhow, when you're baking, you might want to stick a foil covered pan under your baking rolls, mine cooked over a little in the oven and smoked up the whole kitchen while I was in the shower ~sigh.
Alrighty, on with the baking!

2 cups self-rising flour (if you forgot to pick up a bag, add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt to each CUP of self-rising flour you need)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter, room temp
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

milk sauce:
2 cups milk
2/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Grease an 8x8 baking dish, turn that oven to 350. Put your flour in a bowl and cut in your shortening with a fork, nothing magical, just make sure it's consistent sized pea balls. Stir your milk in gently, don't overmix, or your mama will call and tell you you've got tough biscuits. Form it into a ball gently and place onto floured surface. Roll into a rough rectangle, it's going to be looking pretty rustic. Spread your room temperature butter evenly over the dough, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon ( I like using brown sugar, I think it gives it more oomph). Roll into a log and slice into 1 inch pieces. Place into a greased 8x8 baking dish.
Next, combine ingredients for milk sauce into a medium pot, over medium heat. Stir until lightly bubbly. Pour the sauce (the house smells goooood now) over the sliced rolls, I know you're thinking I'm crazy by now with these rolls covered in a milk bath..... trust me. Bake at 350 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve warm and spoon with extra milk sauce.
Eat one piece and exercise moderately for 30 minutes. Yes, dishes count. Tell me what you think!!

chocolate pudding. AKA heaven.

Alrighty, so I begin this post by admitting that this creation had it's challenges. That's right. Pudding: 1 Katie: 0. The recipe called for the use of a double boiler. WHAT? I happened to have one, it was my grandma's; and it probably hadn't been used since she cooked with it. We'll say circa 1983. Other than the goofy contraption, it was very easy, 3 ingredients, 3 steps (one of which being "chill")..... but it never set up. So I was left with runny chocolate soup; still a tasty dish I might add. So what does a lucky girl do when in a pickle? Call Mom. Mom didn't see the need for a double boiler, and also postulated that it may not have set up because I substituted cream for part of the milk, or perhaps I accidentally over-measured? Whaaaat? Me? Never. 

Well mom was right. I gave away my chocolate soup, to the delight of my guinea pigs, I mean taste testers . So yesterday I made batch two. Scrapped the double boiler, cooked it in the pot, used all whole milk (a trip to the grocery store), and HAVE SINCE CREATED (is everyone listening) THE BEST, EASIEST CHOCOLATE PUDDING IN THE WOOORRLLLDDDDD. 

I might add, for the record, that Mom still prefers her chocolate pudding with the addition of the egg, but I like my 3 step, 3 ingredient recipe better. She still uses a paper clip to pit cherries. Who does that?

Not only was this photograph hard to take while holding a spoon 

with one hand and camera in the other, but if you squint, 

you can see my reflection in the top of the spoon. But hey, it's clean!

One final note, in this recipe, you have the option of straining your pudding through a fine mesh strainer. But, I decided to leave the few in number, tiny lumps in my pudding so that you wouldn't feel bad if yours had lumps too. Thoughtful, right? Plus, I wanted to taste it, and who has time to strain pudding? 

So, on to the recipe:

1/4 c cornstarch

1/2 c sugar

dash of salt

3 cups whole milk

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (half a bag)

1 tsp vanilla

Where did I get 3 ingredients from? It has 6! Anyways...

Mix the sugar, salt, and cornstarch in your pot, slowly add milk and stir, all over medium heat, standing on one leg with your tongue out. Just kidding. 

Ok, cook this until it thickens, about 15-20 minutes, it should lightly coat the back of the spoon. This is not the time to get distracted people, this is where lumps form. Do not change the channel, or check on the kids, JUST STIR CONSTANTLY.

When thickened, add your chocolate chips. Stir 3-4 more minutes, until melted. Take the pot off the heat and add your vanilla.

THAT'S IT!!! Then pour into cute little ramekins, bowls, cups, whatever you have, and chill. Which I might add is the hardest part, plus I like mine still a little warm. Store the rest in the fridge, and you can warm it right back up the next day if you'd like. Now, if you don't like your pudding with a "skin" on it, place saran wrap directly over the surface of the pudding.

That's it! This should serve 6. After each serving, please complete 30-45 minutes of moderate exercise. Thank you and good night. :)

cheery cherry cobbler

YUMMMMM.
I hate gadgets. Don't tell mom but I bought a cherry pitter. She uses a paper clip. This never worked for me and left my favorite white tee stained red, so cherry pitter it was. It was SO easy! Popped those suckers right out! The pits! So then.....
Cook 2 pounds pitted cherries (yaaay) stovetop with one cup water, one cup sugar (a little less) and 2 spoonfuls of cornstarch. I cooked it about 20-30, low, until thick and the fruit was tender. Then just top with, DON'T TELL MY MOTHER, a store bought pie crust. Sprinkle with sugar! Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.
I made mine in a square baking dish, perfect size. ohhh and beware, there may be a couple pits in there, at least there were in mine :) but it adds character!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

My picky peter spouse LOVED this soup, thank you Mrs. Dowdle and our teacher potlucks. It's soooo easy and looks so professional! I need a pic of this too, but it's B-E-A-U-tiful with it's creamy, thick soup goodness. I convinced the hubs this could qualify as a stew. Plus, it's one of those greats that you can add what-EVER is in the freezer, zucchini, corn, beans, whatever tickles your toes.

Ingredients:
serves a generous 8

3-4 cooked chicken breasts
(I like to bake them 30 min with salt/pepper in a foil covered glass pan, 350, then shred while hot with two forks; it's a pain, but SO worth it!)
1 qt chicken broth
10-12 corn tortillas ... cut into small pieces
1 can hot red enchilada sauce
1 can mild green enchilada sauce
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp cumin

Bring chicken broth to a low boil. Add corn tortillas and simmer on low until the tortillas melt (approx 15 minutes). Add both cans of enchilada sauce and cumin, let simmer for 15 more minutes. Then add chicken and milk (make SURE it does not boil after you add the milk, I don't know why but Mrs. Dowdle told me)

Garnish with tortilla strips, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, jalapenos, etc.
Finger lickin'... wait it's soup.... so slurpin' good?? you get it. ENJOY!

Apples in a Blankie

I didn't get a good picture because natural light was lacking!! I'll snap one next time, but some people asked me for the recipe. Such an easy, quick dessert!
Ingredients:
1 can crescent rolls
1 granny smith apple
cinnamon, sugar

Slice your apple, toss slices in a ziploc bag with a handful of brown and white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg.... whatever. Then I throw the sugary slices in the microwave for 3- 4 minutes or so to soften them. Then roll each slice up in one crescent roll and put it to bed! Bake according to the crescent roll directions... about 350 for 13-14 minutes. YUM! I even drizzle the sugary leftover from the microwaved bowl over the little dumplings. yummy in that tummmy!

I know this pic isn't the greatest.... natural light does wonders, but you get the idea!