Saturday, July 11, 2009

A classic Hamilton treat, Wheels Chocolate chip buns!!!!

Okay I've been asked for the chocolate chip bun recipe recently because I bragged about how good my 1st. attempt was on Facebook.
So for my Hamilton homies it's a lot of work but TOTALLY worth it !!!!!!
I don't have a pic right now BUT I will bake a batch and post asap.
Let me know if it's close Hammer heads.
Erinzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The roll part,

INGREDIENTS
Makes 30.
1/4 cup warm water (115 degrees)
2 packets (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm whole milk (115 degrees)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for bowl and pans
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for work surface


DIRECTIONS
1. Place water in a small bowl; sprinkle with yeast, and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, butter, sugar, salt, and 2 eggs. Whisk in yeast mixture.

2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 6 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, until you have a soft, shaggy dough (if necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour). Turn dough out onto a floured work surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. Butter the inside of a large bowl; place dough in bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 1/4 hours.

3. Butter two 13-by-9-inch baking pans. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 15-inch rope; cut each rope into 15 1-inch pieces. Press each piece into a disk, then shape into a ball. Arrange dough balls in prepared pans. (To make ahead: Wrap pans well, and freeze, up to 2 months.) Cover pans loosely with plastic; let stand in a warm spot until rolls have doubled in size, about 1 1/4 hours (2 hours more if frozen).

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg until blended; brush onto rolls. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Let rolls cool 15 minutes before serving.

Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time (keep the other half covered with plastic wrap), roll dough out to a 16-by-10-inch rectangle on a lightly floured work surface.
Spread 4 tablespoons butter over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around.
Spread 3/4 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips (more if you want or less if you're disciplined).

Leave a border around the filling so it doesn't seep.
Starting at a long end, roll up dough like a jellyroll; with a sharp knife, cut crosswise into 12 equal pieces.
Place buns, cut side down, in prepared pans.
Cover pans loosely with plastic; let stand in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/4 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Bake buns until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Let cool 15 minutes.

Chocolate icing recipe (use your fav or this one)
2/3 cup butter.
4 cups powdered sugar.
3 to 5 tablespoons milk.
1 teaspoon vanilla.
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa.

In large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy.
Blend cocoa into creamed butter. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well after each addition.
Add milk and vanilla. Beat until blended.
(From the recipe book "Cake Decorating for the first time"by Jaynie Maxfield)

Wait until buns are completely cooled to spread the chocolate icing over the pan of rolls. Then add the icing glaze over chocolate iced rolls.

This is Paula Dean's cinnamon white icing glaze recipe.
4 Tablespoons of butter, 2 cups of icing sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 3 to 6 tablespoons of hot water. Mix butter, powdered sugar and vanilla, add 1 tablespoon at a time until glaze reaches desired consistency. Then eat it and send me love!!!!!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

My Million Dollar Invention!

Okay, I love my kids.
I REALLY love them.
I craft with them, I dress up with them, I play dollhouse, camping, we read, write, draw, bike ride, bake, swim, dance, garden, tea party ... you get the idea.
There are times however when I just need to take a dump without the bathroom door swinging open and being hurried along because somebody is going to pee her pants.
Yes we only have one bathroom and yes it's very third world country of us.
I also would like to take a bath without some tiny person swinging that same door open and insisting I play with their bath toys.
I'd like to read a couple of pages from a book or go on facebook or start and finish a cup of tea (before it gets cold). Watch a WHOLE movie without pressing pause 26 times. Ok, if a movie is out of the question, how about one segment of Oprah. Just one segment!

Well folks I've come up with the solution every mother on this planet has been waiting for. A product that let's you have "your time" and no one can get near you.
You can still hear and see those precious offspring but maintain your own personal space. Your little slice of heaven that you can call your own.
Ladies, I give you... The Mommy Crate!
Only 69.99
Wine not included.
Erin...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz