Strawberry Rolls

Okay I found a recipe for blueberry cinnamon rolls.  I don't like blueberries but I had strawberries in the fridge that I needed to use.  So I thought I can switch out blueberries for strawberries and we can just see how it works.  I must say it turned out pretty good.  I am still working on cinnamon rolls to get them just right where there is not so much breading and more gooey filling.  Give them a try, you can change the strawberries to blueberries if you like.

I added some strawberries to the icing too. You can never have too many strawberries.

These are the ingredients for the dough.

1 cup milk. Heat the milk to 95 degrees.  This is harder than you think because it will get hot really quick especially if you heat for a few seconds in the microwave.

2/3 cup sugar in the bowl of a mixer.

Once you get the milk to 95 degrees pour it into the mixer.

Stir it to dissolve the sugar.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast on top.  Stir just a little.  Let sit until foamy for about 5 minutes.

Then add 1 stick softened butter, 2 eggs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups all purpose flour or bread flour.  Mix for about 3 minutes or until a soft dough forms.

This is what it will look like.  Then change out for the dough hook  and beat on medium high for about 10 minutes.  You can add a little more flour if it is too sticky.  Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl.  Cover and place in a warm spot to rise for an hour.  I put mine int he garage to rise this time of year.

While the dough is rising mix 1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch together.

The dough is ready.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface.  I should have rolled it thiner.

Spread the sugar and cornstarch mixture on top of the dough.

Then add chopped strawberries.

Then tightly roll it up, and cut into pieces.

Place in a 9x13 dish that has been sprayed.  Cover and let rise for 2 hours.

Now for the icing.  I took some of the strawberries and pureed them.

I poured some powdered sugar into a bowl.  I didn't mix it.

The strawberries are looking good.

Add them to the powdered sugar and mix well.

The rolls are ready for the oven.  Place in a preheated 400 oven for 20 minutes.

Let cool for a few minutes before adding the glaze.

Pour the glaze on top and enjoy.

Strawberry Rolls Recipe

For the dough
1 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 stick softened butter
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups all purpose flour or bread flour

For the filling
10 or 12 oz package frozen blueberries still frozen or like me about 1 1/2-2 cups chopped strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
or like mine about 1/4 cup pureed strawberries with 1 cup powdered sugar

Deconstructed Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Yesterday I brought you everyone's favorite strawberry pretzel salad.  Today I am bringing you a nice twist to that salad.  I always felt like the regular pretzel salad needed to be made for a party or to take somewhere because it made so much and it wasn't good after a couple of days.  I also think the salad is what people miss most about Victoria's being gone. Now this salad doesn't make as much but it all has to be eaten on the day it is made.  It will not be good the next day!!  Learned from experience.

It makes a really nice bowlful of salad.  You can garnish it any way you like.

This salad is made in stages.  This is the first stage.

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1 cup crushed pretzels.  You can add a little more of both if you like for a snack.

Melt 3/4 cup butter.

Stir the brown sugar into the butter.  Makes a nice caramel.

Add the pecans

And pretzels

Stir, stir, stir until the are all coated really well.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment and pour the mixture out.   Make sure to spread it in a thin layer. Place in a preheated 400 oven.  Bake for 7 minutes.  I was going to stir it about half way through but no need.

It bubbled around and reminded me of making peanut brittle.  I have never made peanut brittle but have seen it made.  Take the pan out of the oven and let cook for a little bit.

Then I laid out some foil and broke it into pieces and turned it over so it could dry out some.  You can sample.  I did this the day before I was going to make the salad so it could be cooled off.  I was worried that it might get soft overnight but they didn't.

Now to make the rest of the salad.

8 oz softened cream cheese.

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix that really well.

Fold in 8 oz whipped topping.  I used light cream cheese and whipped cream.

It is getting folded in nicely.

Now fold in 2 cups diced strawberries.

Mixed nicely.

Now add the pecan/pretzel mixture.

Fold that in well.

Then garnish it however you like.  I sliced a strawberry and then sprinkled some of the pretzels around. Cover and set in the fridge for a few minutes.  I wouldn't leave it too long though.  It is really good and easier than the other salad.  Make sure you sacrifice and eat all of it the day it is made though.

Deconstructed Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

1 cup pretzels crushed
1/2 cup pecans chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter melted
Stir together.  Bake in a preheated 400 oven for 7 minutes.  Let cool.

2 cups strawberries diced
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz whipped topping

Mix all together.

Cherry Pecan Cookies

Normally these would be Christmas cookies, and no it's not Christmas in May.  You remember a couple of weeks ago I told you a story about marachino cherries and my aunt that helped foster my love of them.  Well this weekend the family got together to say goodbye and share some really funny family stories.  I had to make something that had cherries in it.  I must say it pained me to cut these in half.  Make them now to share with family or save this recipe for some holiday baking.  The holidays can't be too far away because Hobby Lobby is putting some Christmas stuff out.  And I know some of you out there are say but it was May!! For crafters it's never too early to start on Christmas.

These were such nice simple cookies that are soft with the nice crunch of the pecans and the sweetness of the cherries. 

 This is an easy butter cookie rolled in pecans.

 Start with 2 sticks of softened butter and 3 oz of softened cream cheese. Whip that well.

 1 cup sugar

 1 egg

 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon almond extract.  Mix well.

 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour.

 Mix well.  The dough is going to be very sticky.  The recipe says to put in the fridge for at least an hour.  I like to keep it in the fridge overnight but didn't have time this time.  You just don't want it to be so sticky.

 While you are waiting on the dough in the fridge chop up about a cup and 1/4 or so of pecans.  I didn't measure them out I just chopped some.  They could even be chopped smaller.

 Then as much as it pains me to have to cut these cherries, cut 36 cherries in half.  I didn't think whole ones would stay on top of the cookies.

 Preheat the oven to 350 while you are rolling the cookies in the nuts.

 Place the cookie on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place the cherry half in the middle of the cookie.

 This sheet is ready for the oven.  Bake for 7-10 minutes.

Cool and then place in a container. 

Cherry Pecan Cookies Recipe

2 sticks softened butter

3 oz softened cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon almond

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

36 cherries halved

Chill dough at least one hour

Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 7-10 minutes. 

This is a picture of all the siblings with their mother.  My cousin said it was hard to find a picture where they all had their mouths closed because they were either laughing or talking.  That's my family always laughing or talking.