Peach Cinnamon Rolls

A fresh swirl of peach in every cinnamon soft bite.

Peaches

1/4 c sugar
3-4 small peaches, skins removed

Rolls

3/4 cup milk

1/3 c melted butter

2 1/2 teaspoon yeast

1/3 c sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3 1/2-4 c wheat flour

Filling

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup natural sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg, fresh grated or ground

Instructions

1. Chop up peaches, throw out the pits, and cook in a saucepan over med-low with sugar for 10 minutes or until peaches are soft and fall apart. Set aside to cool.

2. Heat milk (either in a sauce pan or microwave) until milk begins to simmer- add butter. Let cool until at warm temperature (about 120˚).

3. In a deep bowl, add milk mixture, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for five minutes to let the yeast do it's work. Add 3 1/2 cups of flour, salt, eggs, 2 tablespoons of the cooled peaches- mix until combined. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time until the dough forms a nice ball and pulls away from the bowl. Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and knead the dough until smooth and elastic- at least eight minutes.

4. Grab a clean separate bowl, lightly spray the dough with cooking oil and place in a warm draft free spot until dough has doubled in size (around an hour and a half.)

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 10 by 14 rectangle.

6. Rub room temperature butter over entire surface and cover with sugar and spice mixture. Top with cooled peaches-reserve 2 tablespoons of peaches for glaze.

7. Carefully roll the dough into a log, some peach filling may want to fall out, just tuck it back in. Cut into 12-16 1 inch thick pieces. Place pieces, cut side down in a sprayed 9x13in pan. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for another hour or until rolls are the size you like.

8. Preheat the oven to 350˚ and bake 20-25 minutes until cinnamon rolls are golden in color. Let cool slightly then slather on your favorite cream cheese glaze mixed with remaining cooked peaches.

Calories calculated using Sparkrecipes Calculator: 262 calories per roll (out of 12)

Quick Apple Cheese Danish

I made this danish on a whim after craving something sweet that would also use up my purchase of too many apples and puff pastry. Result of my whim? LOVE! I simply love this recipe over and over again. I have made this danish about four times now in the last two months. It's addicting. REALLY addicting. 

If you love: Lemon, Cheese, Apples, Cinnamon, or Pastry, this danish will hit the spot in a fraction of the time it would take to make a complicated old fashioned one. 

As for the 'cheese' part of this danish, there are two kinds hidden in here, cream cheese and cheddar. I got the idea of adding the cheddar because I recently heard some people love a slice of apple pie with melted cheddar cheese on top! This is not 'cheesy' in that way, but sweet and tart from the baked apples and lemon. 

Quick Apple Cheese Danish                                   Makes 8 slices

                                                                                            
1/2 package of puff pastry (8oz/250g)
1/2 c cream cheese
1 whole lemon, small
4 tbl granulated sugar
1-2 apples, any kind-the more tart, the better
2 oz? cheddar cheese (I measured by eye and used a piece the size of my thumb, thus the '?')
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon + a dash
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg + a dash
salt
1 tbl white flour for dusting
1 egg

1.  Pre heat the oven to 420F or 220C OR whatever your Puff Pastry Package says to bake at! Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Take out your puff pastry out of the refrigerator and leave on the counter to soften while you make the filling.

Put 1/2 cup of cream cheese in a bowl, mix in 2 tbl of sugar, and zest of entire lemon. Cut lemon and add juice of one half, save the other half for later. Grate the cheddar cheese and join with the cream cheese, add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Combine until mixture is creamy and soft. Salt to taste.

 2. Cut your apples in half and core; I like to cut a 'V' shape out, it's quickest. Then peel the skin and slice to make arches, rainbows, semi-circle, crescents, etc...  I do not recommend you peel first then core, as the apple will be slippery and you may hurt yourself.



































3. Place slices in a container, cover with remaining 2 tbl of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix and set aside. You can add the juice of the other half of your lemon if you want. Set aside.

4. Sprinkle flour on the work space and roll out puff pastry into a roughly 15x10 rectangle. I rolled my puff pastry the length of my cookie sheet and then as wide as it would go. I mean, you're smart people, you can figure it out without using a ruler. Just eyeball it. Don't make it complicated.

5. Using your thumb, start from the side and mark in on the left then right, measure down and mark on both sides of the pastry, cut a diagonal obtuse angle and remove. I scored a little to make my angles as even as possible. You want to end up with sort of a head in the center.

Then using your thumb again for measurement, cut diagonal lines all the way down the pastry. You can cut off the tips of longer braids, but that is just wasteful and the pastry looks good no matter what.

6. Carefully spread your filling down the middle of the pastry and layer the apple slices on top.

Now, Braid! 

Fold down the top pastry flap, then fold one side over the filling, alternating each side to make a pretty braid.

7. Move your danish carefully to your prepared pan. Mix an egg and give the whole thing an egg wash to make it golden brown. Bake 20-25 minutes.

8. Enjoy warm for breakfast or as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Calories calculated using Sparkrecipes Calculator: 282 calories per slice

Carrot Pancakes

I don't know about you, but I have a picky almost 3 year old here at my house. He runs at the sight of anything "veggie" among other things. So this mommy has to be creative when sneaking in those good for you foods, cause with this child it's his foods or starve himself, there is no in-between!

After a long day at work I almost gave in and went to make something fast (ex: hotdog or macaroni) but I thought, "well why not try scrambled eggs with veggies again, maybe he'll like it this time. If not I can always make pancakes and I know he'll eat that." DING! Veggies in the pancakes too!

These pancakes turned out so good. Even the skeptical people in the house that laugh at all my attempts to feed my son healthy food and being turned down each time thought these were great and proceeded to eat 3 of them (without syrup I might add). 

Give these pancakes a try. They stay true to the classic pancake fluffiness and have a yummy suggestion of being a close cousin of the carrot cake family. 

Carrot Pancakes                         makes 20 small pancakes

1 1/4 c Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Saigon Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Salt

2 tsp wheat germ (optional)
4 tbsp Brown Sugar
3/4 c Buttermilk
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Vanilla
2 eggs
1 c Carrot, shredded fine (about 1 large)
butter or non stick spray

1. Place the first five ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. In another bowl, place remaining ingredients (yes the brown sugar goes here we want to dissolve it) and mix.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with butter or spray oil.
5. Spoon one heaping tablespoon of batter onto the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes or slightly bubbling around edges, flip and cook until both sides are golden.
6. Eat! These pancakes are delicious all on their own, or serve with maple syrup.

Calories calculated using Sparkrecipes calculator: 170 calories per 3 pancakes