Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

Rolls:

1/3 cup warm almond milk (regular milk works too)

1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoon yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon wheat gluten

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 medium sweet potato, mashed (about 2/3 cup)
1 egg
3 tablespoons applesauce

Filling:
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey

Frosting:
1/2 cup light whipped cream cheese
1-2 tablespoons honey (until desired sweetness)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Mix warm milk, yeast and sugar together and set aside.  Chop and boil the sweet potato until fork tender. In a large bowl combine flour, wheat gluten and salt.  In a medium bowl combine mashed sweet potato, egg and applesauce.  Add yeast mixture to sweet potato mixture. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  

First mix with a wooden spoon, then transfer to a flat, floured surface and knead with hands for about 10 minutes.  Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm area and rise for an hour, or until dough has doubled in size.  

Transfer dough to a flat, floured surface and punch down. Roll out to a rectangle. Spread butter over entire surface. Sprinkle cinnamon over the butter. Sprinkle brown sugar. Lightly drizzle with honey. Roll the dough up and pinch both ends. Slice to desired thickness. The easiest way to slice dough is with string (or dental floss).

Transfer each roll to a lightly greased pan. A 9"x13" works great or 2 pie dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for another 45 minutes to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep in mind, smaller rolls will need less cook time and larger rolls will need a longer cook time. 

While the rolls are baking, mix together cream cheese, honey and vanilla. Add more or less honey depending on you desired sweetness. Spread frosting over cinnamon rolls, serve and enjoy!

*If you plan on freezing the cinnamon rolls, cook until almost done, but not golden. Freeze without frosting. When ready to fully cook them, remove while oven is preheating and bake until golden brown. Top with frosting at the end.

Cinnamon Swirl French Toast

Ingredients:
Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Eggs (1 for every 3 slices of bread)

Milk (1 Tablespoon for each egg)

Toppings of choice: powdered sugar, jam, syrup, fresh fruit etc.

Instructions:
Crack open eggs and place in a small, flat dish. Add a tablespoon of milk for each egg used and whisk together. Heat a medium pan to medium-medium high heat and lightly spray with oil. Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture, flipping over to coat both sides. Cook for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve with toppings of choice and enjoy!

Balsamic Glazed Asparagus

Ingredients:
Asparagus

Garlic salt 

Pepper 

Balsamic glaze

Ice

Water

Instructions:

Heat a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for a few minutes or until desired texture. Directly place in an ice bath of water and ice. Let chill a few minutes. Remove from the water and toss in garlic salt and pepper. Drizzle balsamic glaze on top.

Works perfectly with refrigerated, leftover asparagus as well. 

Roasted Chicken Drumsticks & Thighs

Ingredients:
3 chicken drumsticks

3 chicken thighs

2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 cups chicken broth

salt & pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a dutch oven to medium-medium high heat. Lightly coat the chicken in salt & pepper. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the dutch oven and add the chicken, skin side down first. Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip. Add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the bottom of the pan with a flat, wooden spoon. Bring the broth to a boil then add the rosemary & thyme. Cover and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.

To use the remaining broth for a gravy start by removing all the broth from the pot. Bring the pot to a medium-medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of broth and 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk. Slowly add more and more broth and continue to whisk. Only add more broth when there are no chunks of flour left. Once all the broth is added, continue to simmer and whisk until thick.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Ingredients:
1 box of devil's food cake

1 10 oz package of mint chips

2 eggs

2/3 cup plain greek yogurt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix cake mix, yogurt and eggs until fully combined. Add chips. Drop tablespoon full amount of dough onto a cookie sheet. Cookies will spread when baking, place 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes. Enjoy!

Rum Balls

I got this recipe from The Joy of Baking.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons honey

1/4 rum

Instructions:

Finely crush vanilla wafers in a food processor or blender. Chop nuts. Combine vanilla wafers, nuts, powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add honey and rum and mix until fully combined. Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Roll the dough into balls and roll in topping of your choice (powdered sugar, cocoa powder, chopped nuts, sprinkles, etc). Place each ball in a mini muffin liner or a cookie sheet. Place the rum balls back into the fridge until serving.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

I got this recipe from a vegan blog called Lunch Box Bunch.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon ginger powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped candied ginger

1/3 cup softened butter

1/3 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, ginger powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt). In a separate bowl mix candied ginger, butter, molasses, vanilla and water together. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until combined. You may need to add a Tablespoon or 2 more of water. Dough will be difficult to mix, may be easier to use hands.

Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in a cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Gently press down with a spatula after done baking to get a flatter cookie.