Ooey Gooey Pull Apart Danish Rolls

I modified an online recipe to fit what I had in the pantry and it turned out amazing! This is the link to the original recipe 

http://shopgirlmaria.blogspot.ca/2012/09/raspberry-swirl-rolls.html 

The following is how I made the rolls 

Dough

1 1/4 cup milk

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons active dry yeast

1 stick butter, softened

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Make sure the milk is lukewarm. Pour it into your mixer bowl, and add the sugar and yeast. Flip the mixer on for a few seconds, then let sit until the mixture is frothy, usually a few minutes. Turn the mixer on low, add in the softened butter, eggs and salt. Add the flower slowly until a soft dough forms (if the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour). Using the dough hook attachment, beat the dough on medium-high speed for about 8-10 minutes. Cover and let sit in a warm place for about 1 to 2 hours, until it doubles in size.

Filling

I cheated on my filling :) I used a can of cherry pie filling and it turned out AMAZING! You could use what ever canned pie filling you prefer for this recipe. It was the perfect amount of filler and just the right amount of sweet ooey gooey goodness for this recipe.

Glaze / Icing

You can either make your own glaze with the following recipe:

3 cups confectioners sugar

3 tablespoons milk

stir together sugar and milk until smooth

Or you can use about a ½ container of white or cream cheese pre-made store bought cake frosting. I heat it up in the microwave until its warm and smooth but NOT hot and bubbly.

Directions

Roll out your dough on a flowered surface until it forms a very large rectangle. Spread the filling over over it and roll up until it resembles a jelly roll. Just like you would if you where making cinnamon rolls. I like to cut them thinner into about 14-16 thin slices and place them in something about twice the size of a cake pan, make sure it has been greased well – a cookie sheet with nice tall sides or a large Pyrex dish would work well.

Let rise about 1 hour

Bake at 425 until nice and golden – about 25-30 min.

let the rolls cool till warm and and drizzle glaze over the top of warm (not hot) rolls.

Buttermilk Substitute > Make your own!

Buttermilk Substitute

I hate when a recipe calls for something that I don't have on hand. Buttermilk always seams to be the one that I need.

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

one cup or larger measuring cup

Milk

Place a tablespoon of Lemon Juice in a measuring cup. Fill with milk to the one cup mark. Let stand for 5 minutes and you have your buttermilk substitute

Backyard chickens in BOISE!

We LOVE our backyard chickens! 

I had wanted chickens for YEARS but was worried about city codes. I live in a small subdivision with close neighbors and figured we just couldn't have them in the city. I WAS WRONG! You may need to look up individual code in your town or county but Boise City Code says that we can have 6, yes SIX chickens! That is plenty for a medium sized family to benefit from.

This is a link to the new updated city code:

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/04/18/2079570/love-bees-chickens-and-ducks-youre.html

I had been asking my husband to build me a coop for the last 6 months with ZERO success. He is a construction guy that can build anything and make it look beautiful. However, its like the mechanics wife that drives the clunker.... when he gets home he is exhausted and the little things don't get done. So I started it with the help of my 3 year old daughter! We scavenged the scrap wood that has accumulated on the side of the house and begun construction! I honestly thought that it would turn out better :( My hubby calls it the "leaning box".... oh well! The chickens love it! I will also be painting the coop this spring when I paint our fence.

 

Since its colder out I installed a red heat lamp for egg production

The girls who where shy at 1st great me at the gate when ever I am near the coop. They are very quiet and don't bother anyone. 

I have been getting about 5 eggs a week out of the one hen that is of laying age. 

Fresh Eggs are Yummy!

Farm fresh eggs have seven times more beta carotene, twice as many omega 3′s, three times more Vitamin E, a 1/3 less cholesterol, AND 1/4 less saturated fat than store bought eggs! I almost forgot to mention that the flavor is so much better then store bought eggs!

Bet you can guess what egg is from the hen house. The man who slacked on the coop building gets great omelets now! 

Original and Crispy my Leghorns 

Fluffy my Silkie

Lucy and Ethel my Silver Laced Wyandottes 

We are getting one more to complete our Brood! 

The girls found the garden :) This spring I will be putting up a gate so they cant get in. I don't always let them out of the run but when I do they love to investigate! 

My husband was tired of the girls roaming the back yard so he actually constructed a run gate out of scrap from a few of his jobs. I designed it and he built it just like my drawing. He is wonderful and it turned out amazing. 

Now when I stain the fence in the spring I will stain the coop and this beautiful run fence/gate that he made. 

Baked Bay Scallops with Artichoke Hearts

Baked Bay Scallops with Artichoke 

This is a VERY rich dish and can be served with Garlic Toast, over Pasta even over a green such as arugula or spinach!

2 Cups Bay Scallops - Be sure they are drained of water. Place them in a dish with a few paper towels under them to soak up as much moisture as possible. 

1 can quartered Artichoke hearts drained

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup Mayonnaise ( I always use the Olive Oil based Mayo)

3 minced Garlic cloves

1 tablespoon fresh chopped Parsley  

1 tablespoon white cooking wine

Mix all this together until it has the consistency of tuna fish

Put in a greased dish

You can use a variety of different dishes depending on how you will be serving the dish. It will change the baking time depending on the size of the dish. A smaller dish will take less time.

Cook until the edges and part of the top are golden. In a larger dish 30 min or so is about more then enough time. 

Bay Scallops do NOT take long to cook. 

This is a wonderful dish! It also makes a GREAT appetizer served with toasted garlic croutons :)