Spectacular Sticky Buns!

 Today we decided to try two different ways of making sticky buns to see which  was better.
They were both so great, we decided to include both recipes in the blog. They are delicious, but even better, they're 
easy! Because they are made with puff pastry, they only take about 30 minutes to make. For the first kind, we put a butter mixture that turned into syrup  in the pan when we baked them. For the second kind, we made a caramel sauce that we poured over the top after they were done baking. The caramel sauce was great and you can also use it with ice cream, pretzels, brownies, pancakes, waffles, and much, MUCH more!

 For the Sticky Buns

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 sheets of Puff Pastry
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional) 

Roll out the sheets of puff pastry on a lightly floured counter.  Brush the pastry with the melted butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar and the cinnamon. Roll it into a log lengthwise and cut it in half. Cut the halves into thirds. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you are making the kind with caramel sauce, put the pastry pieces in a muffin tin, bake for about 15 minutes and then pour the cooled caramel sauce over them. Then sprinkle with the pecans.  If you are using the butter sauce, put about a tablespoon of the chopped pecans on the bottom of the cupcake pan. Then put a spoonful of the butter mixture over the pecans. Then put the sticky buns over the butter mixture and pecans. When it comes out of the oven, the butter will turn into a sauce. Yum!
             

                              

           Butter Sauce

             12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

              1/2 Light Brown Sugar

              1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans

In an electric mixer, mix the butter and the brown sugar. Make sure the butter is room temperature so it will mix smoothly. Put about a tablespoon of the chopped pecans on the bottom of the cupcake pan. Then put a spoonful of the butter sugar mixture over the pecans. Then put the sticky buns over the butter mixture and pecans. Yum!

                            

                            

           Carmel Sauce
            
  
              3/4 cup unsalted butter
              1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
              1/3 cup honey
              1/3 cup heavy cream
              2 tablespoons water
              1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over a medium flame. Whisk in the brown sugar and stir it until it starts to bubble. Reduce the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Let it cool until it is at room temperature.

               

                         
                           

                           



                                   

Beautiful Buttermilk Pancakes!

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 melted butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt




First, combine all dry ingredients, the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter, and whisk. Batter should be thick.


Heat pan on high to start, then when it is heated up, lower to medium. You can tell if the pan is hot enough if you rinse your hands in water, then flick a little onto the pan. If it sizzles, it is ready. 

Next, use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop batter onto griddle, wait about 30-40 seconds and then flip. They should be golden brown. If you want the pancakes to be speckled, then use a lot of butter on the pan, if you want them to be a more solid color, use cooking spray.

`

So fluffy!

Sabelli's Pasta


This is a family recipe of an aunt with Italian origins. It is so good and so easy! 




3 cups of ripe cherry tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
pinch of sugar
fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil
1 lb. linguini
freshly grated parmesan cheese




Slice tomatoes in half and place in heavy baking dish.  Sprinkle sliced garlic on top.  Drizzle with about a quarter cup olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Roast in a 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until garlic is tender.  Remove from oven and toss with fresh basil.  Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.  

Bruschetta

We love bruschetta! It's a big mound of deliciousness! One bite, and you're in Italy!


Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Fresh Basil
French Bread
Olive Oil
Garlic


First, slice the bread 1 inch thick.

Then, rub each side of the bread with the sliced garlic. You have enough on it when you can smell garlic when your nose is 1 inch away from the bread!


Next, brush both sides of the bread with the olive oil.

Then place the bread on the griddle and cook on high until golden brown.








Crumble mozzarella cheese with your fingertips.

Put the cheese on the bread.

 

Then dice tomatoes.

Then chop basil.

Done! It was so delicious we ate it for dinner!

Kate's tip of the day!

When making sugar cookies, cut out the shapes then refrigerate 

again. If you do this, the cookies will have sharper edges after you bake them. Everyone likes neater cookies!  

Talking to Martha Stewart!


  I just got back from being in the audience of The Martha Stewart Show in New York! It was so much fun! Martha Stewart is my favorite cook and crafter. She has taught me so much about cooking and crafting. At the end of the show, I got to ask her a question. I asked her advice for the blog. She asked me for the name of the blog, I hope she goes on it! It was the best day of my life! My dog Ginger and I sat on the couch and watched the Martha Stewart that I went to. Thank you Martha Stewart for your advice!


-Caroline

Be My Valentine?

Pink Swirl Marshmallows




Ingredients

• 
  
• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup cold water 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract       powdered sugar
• red food coloring
• Nonstick spray
• 
  
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Spray nonstick spray into a 9 x 13 inch pan and coat with a powdered sugar. 

Then, combine the 1/2 cup of the water and gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Combine the remaining 1/2 cup of water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small pot.  Cover and cook on medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes.  Uncover the pot and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and cook until the mixture reaches about 240 degrees. Turn off the stove.  

Turn the mixer on low speed and mix the gelatin and water for a few seconds, and then pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture while the mixer is still running.  After the syrup is added, increase the mixer speed to high. Whip until the mixture becomes very thick - ten minutes or longer.  Add the vanilla and food coloring during the last minute of whipping.  Pour the mixture into the pan, spreading with a spatula to flatten.  Add dots of red food coloring every few inches and swirl with a toothpick or a skewer.  

Cover the marshmallow pan with a kitchen towel and allow to sit overnight.  When ready to cut, coat the counter with a good amount of powdered sugar and put the marshmallow mixture onto it.  Cut with heart cookie cutters dipped in powdered sugar.  Coat the cut sides of the marshmallow with additional powdered sugar and eat!!

Here's how we did it!