Egg Nog Cinnamon Rolls

This morning the kids asked for cinnamon rolls.  We use canned biscuits: flatten them out, smear with 1/4 C melted butter, 1/4 C cinnamon & 1/2 C sugar, roll them up, slice & cook.  After getting them in the oven I realized we didn't have powdered sugar to make icing :(  

TIP:  Always check your ingredients BEFORE starting.

 hmmm, sugar & milk = icing....what can we substitute?   syrup was a no-go...

!! Egg nog ??  YES!  It's delicious!  put a little eggnog over the cinnamon roll, throw it in the microwave for a few seconds & yummy Christmas snackage!

My first successful batch of pralines!

I can't tell you how many times my mama tried to explain the soft ball stage, guess it finally sunk in with the help of a YouTube video, haha.

The shiny ones came out first, the scratchy looking ones were the last. Now to lick the bowl!

 

Pronunciation Guide for folks who aren't from around here ;)

pecans = puh cahns

pralines = prah leens

technically speaking you don't have to say 'pecan pralines', if there aren't pecans in them they are a different kind of candy :)

 

The recipe is from the 2012 'A Country Christmas' put out by the Lauderdale County MSU ExtensionService

 

Easiest Pecan Pralines

1 lb box brown sugar

1 c. whipping cream

2 c. pecan halves

2 T. butter

 

Stir together brown sugar and whipping cream in a 4-quart micorwave safe bowl.  Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes; stir well.  Microwave one more minute.  Remove mixture from microwave; stir in pecan halves and butter.  Stir one minute or just until candy starts to lose its luster.  Working rapidly, drop by rounded teaspoonful's onto waxpaper; let stand until firm.  Makes about 3 dozen.

 

TIPS:

*I had to put the mix back in the microwave for about 6 more minutes for the candy to harden.

*I've used dark brown sugar and light brown sugar, both are yummy.  Dark brown has a little more intense molasses flavor. 

*You can use evaporated milk instead of whipping cream. 

*You're cooking to the soft ball stage.  That's when you drop about half a spoonfull of the syrup into icy cold water and it can be formed into a soft ball that will hold it's shape but is still squishable.

Red's moving in!!

I saw you pull up with that noisy trailer, where are we going this time? 

 

 

 

Are we there yet?

 

 

 

I wouldn't show my face either if my mane looked like yours.

 

 

 

Home at last!

Can somebody shut this dog up?  She's harshing my meadow.

 

 

 

Christmas tree hunt

Make your own travel mug

fixer upper: fast forward about 18 years...

Our crooked little house

 



 

 Like the bricks?  They're hiding an ugly secret....

 Please notice how someone cut a hole in the front of the house to install the A/C.  Beats a fan, I guess :D


but this is the real reason we are here....

Fixer Upper: The story of Sugar Daddy & me

        You know that thing about hindsight being 20/20?  hahahahhahaha 
                I
Before Sugar Daddy & I were 'we', I was on Active Duty and lived WAAYYYY out in the woods in a rented trailer (super cheap rent, btw).  A handsome, young Engineer Officer (before he was Sugar Daddy) kept urging me to 'build a house'- 'don't rent if you can own' -  He wanted to get into the construction business but being young and needing practical experience, offered to act as my General Contractor for the OJT/work cred. 

          footnote:  Does everyone know what a General Contractor does?  He is the person who works for the homeowner, in charge of the workers that build your house; he makes the HOME OWNER's wishes a reality:
     HomeOwner, "I wish my kitchen had an artsy, mosaic tile backsplash"
     GC:    "OK, I can make that happen!  How much do  you want to spend?"
     HO:  "I wish my house had 14 doors opening onto a back patio with a heated inground lap pool with palm trees, a cabana & a monkey"
     GC:   "OK, I can make that happen! How much do you want to spend?"
     HO:  " I wish _________________________...."
     GC:  " your wish is my command, write the check"

 Having long lived the life of a wanderer, I couldn't imagine being tied to a house and SO NEVER TOOK HIM UP ON THE OFFER  <hindsight: significant decision>.