One Hour Cinnamon Rolls

My boys and I love to bake for the neighbors and family.  My youngest son is only 8 years old, but he hates to make cookies.  He would rather spend his time in the kitchen making rolls.  Last year, he perfected the Pecan Rolls So Easy A 7 Year Old Can Make Them. This summer he made the pecan rolls along with these yummy 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls for the fair and got a Grand Champion ribbon on a basket with the 2 of them.

I found the recipe in the Oklahoma Wheat Commission cookbook. It is full of great recipes just like the one from Kansas that I love. I love it so much that I am giving away copies of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission cookbook.  Leave a comment with you favorite food gift item that you like to give or receive and I will have the boys pick 5 winners.

Making goodies for friends and family is so much fun and I like these rolls because they can have them for Christmas morning breakfast. In the past we have made Christmas Snickerdoodles, 2 Cheese Braided Wheat Bread, Easy 5 Minute Microwave Fudge,  Pecan Praline Crunch, 30 Minute Oatmeal Pecan Squares, Hello Dolly Bars, Cherry Cheese Pie, Pecan Pie Cheesecake, Cinnamon Roll Muffins, Cream Cheese Christmas Snickerdoodles and Nut Free No Bake Cookies. 

One Hour Cinnamon Rolls

-2013 Best of Wheat Cookbook from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission

Mix and let set for 10 minutes:

                3 ½ cups warm water

                ¾ cup sugar

                ½ cup vegetable oil

                6 tablespoons yeast

Then add:

                1 tablespoon salt

                3 eggs

                10 ½ cups flour

Mix together for 10 minutes, then let sit covered for 10 minutes.  Oil counter top and turn out dough.  Divide in half.  Roll one half into a rectangle (about 15 inches by 20 inches). 

Spread with:

                ¼ cups melted butter

Sprinkle with a mixture of:

                1 cup sugar

                1 tablespoon cinnamon

Roll tight starting on the long side.  Cut into 12-16 rolls depending on what size you want.  Place on greased cookie sheet or 2-9x13 inch pans.  Repeat with other half of dough.  Let rise 20-30 minutes until to desired size.  Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown. 

Let cool before frosting with:

2 tablespoons butter

                2 dashes salt

                2 teaspoons vanilla

                6 cups powdered sugar

                Milk or apple juice to achieve desired consistency.

What is your favorite recipe to give to friends and family over the holidays? Comment to win!

Pecan Praline Crunch

Woohoo!  Spring Break is next week!  The boys and I love spending time together in the kitchen and here is one recipe that they absolutely love to make and dad likes to eat.  :)  For more ideas of what to cook with your kids check out this post.

Of course, next week we will have to make The Best Corned Beef Ever for St. Patrick's Day as well.  Do you make any special food for St. Patrick's Day?  I'd love to know.

Pecan Praline Crunch

8 cups oat squares cereal (Quaker Oat Squares)

2 cups pecan pieces

½ cup light corn syrup

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup margarine

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix cereal and pecans in shallow baking pan.  Combine corn syrup, brown sugar and margarine in medium glass bowl.  Microwave on High for 1½ minutes; stir mixture.  Microwave for an additional ½ to 1½ minutes longer or until mixture boils.  Stir in baking soda and vanilla.  Pour over mixture; mix well.  Bake at 250* for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.  Spread on foil and let cool.  Break into pieces.

-A Kansas Farm Mom 

Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie was always a staple for my family at the holidays.  I know it had to be a staple in my husband's family.  My father in law has been collecting pecans for the last several weeks.  He has tons of trees that he has grafted and has these amazing pecans.  This year was a great harvest for him.

I was at the grocery store last week and overheard someone ask if they still had the "Pecan Pie Mix."  I was speechless.  I mean even my kids can mix a pecan pie.  (This recipe is on my Cooking with Kids List.)  The ingredient list is actually quite simple and staples that most people have in their pantry if they bake very much at all.

This recipe is one that my mom has made as long as I can remember.  If you are on low sugar or low calorie diets, this is not your pie.  My husband even likes to put whipped topping on top of his pecan pie.  Yeah, he doesn't have to worry about calories.

Mocked Pecan Pie

1- 9 inch unbaked pie shell
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pecans, my husband adds more
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix butter, sugars and eggs together and mix well.  Then add remaining ingredients.  Pour into unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 350* for one hour.  Let cool completely before serving.

-A Kansas Farm Mom

Cooking With Kids

I am a firm believer that all kids should learn how to cook (just ask any 4-H'er that wasn't enrolled in foods before they met me).  Everyone has to eat everyday and eating out can be super expensive and not very healthy.  Both of my boys are very handy in the kitchen and I have taught at least 3 girls that I can think of how to bake some amazing bread. 

Why Teach Kids how to Cook?

The will take a lot of pride in making something for the whole family.
They will be more likely to eat what they make.

It teaches them to read and follow directions in order.
They learn about fractions and additions without realizing it.

If you think about it, cooking and baking is really edible chemistry and biology.  They can learn about different reactions, sugar feeding yeast, changes of state of matter and so much more.

The boys have also baked me so many things that we have donated them to baked food sales and learned that they can help other kids struggling with illness with their talents.

It is a great time to teach kids about food safety.  The earlier we learn something, the more it becomes a habit of a lifetime.  Why not teach them how to keep themselves safe when it comes to food handling at a young age.

My question is Why wouldn't you teach your kids to cook? 

The following are all recipes my boys have helped make at one time or another.  Some they required some assistance and others they are fully capable of themselves. 

Appetizers

Cheese Crisps
Hot Dog Snacks
Pork Meatball Appetizers
Taco Bites
Touchdown Taco Dip

Breads

Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Two Cheese Braided Wheat Bread

Main Dishes

Barbecue Meatballs
Crispy Strips
Easy, Beefy, Cheesy Burritos
Italian Beef Roll
No Boiling Lasagna
Porcupine Meatballs
Steak Roll Ups
Taco Soup

Sides

Baked Beans
Country Barbecue Potatoes
Freezer Slaw
One Step Mac and Cheese

Salads

Cherry Tomato Salad

Snacks

Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles
Hello Dolly Bars 
Henry Ford Chocolate Chip Soybean Cookies
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Trail Mix Bars
Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies

Desserts

30 Minute Oatmeal Pecan Squares 
Banana Bars
Chocolate Chip Cranberry Milk Bars
Frozen Apple Rolls
 Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Pecan Pie 
Pecan Praline Crunch
Pecan Rolls