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.

New oatmeal idea...

Caramel

Ooo, next time I'll try it in apple cinnamon!

Bald Eagle & Oatmeal

I was sitting on my little back porch this morning eating my oatmeal* & heard some freaky cawing coming from the front(?) of the house.  Craning my neck, looking for a weird new bird in the trees & a bald eagle flew across the side yard about 20' above the ground and then soared over the trees on the side yard  (For those of  you unfamiliar with my yard that put him about 100 feet away from me!)

Oh yeah:  the 4 mile run didn't happen yesterday :(   but I did get my sewing area organized enough to start a small sewing commission :) 

Check out the marathon website:

  www.leoruntoremember.org

So far I've raised $35!  Thanks Dad & TXWildflower!

*Oatmeal 

DISCLAIMER:  I have a really hard time eating oatmeal, it's kinda gross.  But it's (supposedly) good for you <insert eye roll>.  And before you send me notes telling me I need to eat the 'real' kind or or the steel cut or the rolled or whatever, let me say that I've tried them all and the only thing that makes oatmeal worse is having to stand over the stove stirring & smelling the mess. 

Anywho, here's my recipe for making it edible & if you already LIKE oatmeal, then this oughta knock your socks off... :D

One pack instant maple & sugar
milk (to the dotted line on the pack)
handful of pecans
3 or 4 tablespoons of coconut milk