Worlds Greatest Cinnamon Rolls

It's Monday and my husband had the day off, so I had made cinnamon rolls and refrigerated them as to have hot ooey gooey cinnamon rolls this morning for breakfast and to butter him up to help pick blackberries today to freeze and make jam tomorrow. There is nothing better then throwing some rolls in the oven and 30 minutes later a life altering event will occur to your taste buds, I love refrigerating the dough so all I have to do is turn on the oven and throw in the rolls, my eyes don't even need to open yet. My Granny would make cinnamon rolls at least a few times a month growing up and it still brings back warm fuzzes with every bite, yet I was never able to have her recipe as she had passed before I was of age to ask. I usually make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning and have been working on the ultimate recipe for years and I feel confident enough to share this luscious recipe finally! Here is goes. Please enjoy!

Zucchini Carrot Pineapple Cake with Walnuts and Cream Cheese Frosting

Oh my, zucchini carrot cake, what more can I say? This cake turned out so moist. I just wished I would have been able to get a better picture. I guess it's time to start thinking about a nicer camera. I am so envious of some of the blogs and the way they can control the background and picture.  Colt seems open to the idea so maybe for Christmas he will think of me. Until then we or me will just have to deal with my mediocre pictures. I have a ton of zucchini in the back yard right now and wanted to put it to a good use, what better way then a cake. Colt ate about half the cake in the first day, it was so delicious. It defiantly is a denser cake not like what you find in the grocery store, with a nice crumb. I can't stand a store bought carrot cake, I find the cake rather dry and the the frosting to sweet. I know sometimes I'm a food snob what can I say, I'm a brat! The frosting is a little on the soft side due to less powdered sugar but if you place it in the refrigerator it will firm up and become more manageable.

Take a 2 (8 inch) cake pan and either trace around the bottom on a piece of parchment paper with a very sharp knife or use a pencil and cut with scissors. 

 Place parchment paper disc in bottom of the cake pan and trim to fit.

Remove parchment disc and butter bottom and sides of both cake pans. Place parchment bake into cake pan and butter the parchment.

 Flour both pans lightly.

 Gorgeous carrots and zucchini.

 I shredded carrots and zucchini in the food processor I like the texture as they are slightly thicker then if I did them by hand. I also like the ease of use. But the old stand by grate the carrots and zucchini works well too especially if you have cheap child labor like we do at our house .2 cups of each.

 Place 2 cups brown sugar in a bowl or a mixer fitter with a paddle attachment.

 Add 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce.

 Add 1/3 cup canola oil, 3 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

 Mix on medium until well blended.

 Add 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose.

Mix until blended and then scrap down sides and blend until incorporated.

 Add 2 cups zucchini, 2 cups carrots, 1 cup chopped walnuts, and 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple drained, let the kids drink the juice!

 Mix until well incorporated.

 Split evenly between 2 pans. Bake for 55 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 5 minutes and then remove from pan and finish cooling. When room temperature it is ready to frost with cream cheese frosting.

Me oh my!

Ingrediants

___Cake___

• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
• 1/3 cup Canola Oil
• 3 Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 3 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg (optional)
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or All Purpose
• 2 cups Carrots, Shredded
• 2 cups Zucchini, Shredded
• 8 ounce can Crushed Pineapple, Drained

___Frosting___
8 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 cup Butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/4 -4 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cook Time about 55 minutes

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

___Cake___
Take 2 (8 inch) cake pans and line with parchment paper, grease and flour.

In a bowl or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add brown sugar, apple sauce, oil, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Mix on medium until well blended.
Add flour and mix until well incorporated.
Add carrots, zucchini, walnuts, and drained pineapple. Mix well.

Split evenly between two pans and bake for 55 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let rest in for 5 minutes and then remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool until room temperature. Frost and refrigerate, flavor intensifies as cake refrigerates. See Frosting recipe below.

___Cream Cheese Frosting___

Cream butter and cream cheese in mixer until well incorporated.
Add Vanilla and mix.
Slowly add sifted powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to improve work ability. This recipe makes a softer frosting with 3 cups of powdered sugar. But refrigeration improves handling. I personally prefer my frosting not overly sweet. But you can adjust to your preference. Frost cake and enjoy!



Odds And Ends Breakfast

This breakfast came about the other day as our fridge was almost empty as I had been avoiding the dreaded trip to the grocery store, I love to cook but hate to go to the grocery store. I had 5 eggs, 2 potatoes, 3 pieces of bacon and a few other odds and ends. This ended up being so delicious I will defiantly be making this again. It would also be great over the campfire for a one dish camping breakfast. I usually avoid cooking breakfast and leave anything more then oatmeal, muffins or the occasional hard boiled egg to my husband. But I new he would find a bit of frustration this particular morning when he went to look in the fridge and saw my lack of trip to the grocery store. So ahead I forged to create something healthy and delicious. The best part was when the kids asked me to make it again.

I love you all!

Well today there is no pictures but I must say I love all of you out there who take the time to check out my blog! I was so super excited today because  I have had over 1300 views! I know I am a dork! I also love seeing people coming to visit to check out my blog and recipes from all over the world! I think you all ROCK! This blog has helped me to write recipes down I have just done by sight for years. It brings me such a little giddy feeling, like being a kid again when I realize someone took the time to look at my little old blog. I also have been super excited as I had another review of a recipe on tasty kitchen and I just think that is soo awesome when someone lets me know they love a recipe I had created! Again you all are awesome!

Tempting Teriyaki Chicken

This is so delicious and easy! That is all I have to say you should make it! I promise you will love it! This is a regular rotation in our house.

An Amazing Adventure to Silverwood



The start to a 4 day long adventure! The cars packed and crammed, ready to go camping! We headed to Round Lake State Park in Idaho, it was a very nice camp ground and spent our last full day at Silverwood. I was surprised  by silverwood it was almost a mini Disney Land with a water park! Such a great time!