Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

for the dough-
3/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast {use the fast acting kind!}
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 cups all purpose unbleached flour
for the filling-
1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
for the frosting-
2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon maple extract
1/2 tablespoon corn syrup
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
for the topping-
8-10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

Making the Dough- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, pour in water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir and proof 5 minutes. Once mixture looks bubbly and frothy, pour in remaining sugar and salt. Stir on low for 15-20 seconds. In a small bowl, measure buttermilk, oil and egg. Whisk ingredients together until egg is incorporated to other two ingredients. Pour contents into the water and yeast mixture. Stir another 20 seconds in the mixer. Pour 2 cups of flour into mixer and stir on low until incorporated. Sprinkle flour in by 1/4 cup increments until dough cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl. Dough should be sticky but not sticky enough to stick to your hands when touched. Once it has reached this stage, turn mixer on and knead for 5 minutes. Remove dough from bowl, grease and replace back into same mixing bowl {since it's practically clean anyway.} Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Rise 1-2 hours or until dough has doubled in size.

Filling and Cutting Rolls- In a medium size bowl, stir brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch together until combined. Set aside. Roll dough out to be a 20x30 rectangle {or as close to that as possible} while moving dough around to ensure it's not sticking to your work surface. Spread softened butter over dough, being sure to go right to the edges leaving a 1-inch strip untouched on one of the longer sides of dough. Dump brown sugar mixture onto the middle of the dough and spread with your hands, creating an even layer over top of the margarine, still leaving that 1-inch strip of dough untouched.. Lightly press the sugar mixture into the butter using a rolling pin. Roll the dough up into a tight log, finishing with the plain dough on the bottom to seal the entire thing together. Cut off the uneven ends to even out the log. Score log every 2 inches and then slice your rolls using those marks. Place into parchment paper lined, or greased pans. 12 into a 9x13, 3 remaining into a loaf pan, or 8x8 with the small ends. Cover pans with plastic wrap and dish towels. Let rolls rise another 1-2 hours or until they are touching and have risen almost double. My rolls always spread out more than up, so just be aware that they will most likely spread out more than up. Bake in a preheated 350 degree for 17 minutes, or until tops start to brown. Watch them carefully!!

For the Frosting- While the rolls are baking, whip cream cheese and butter together. Stir in maple flavoring, and corn syrup. Scrape sides and mix again. Pour in powdered sugar and stir slowly until it starts to incorporate. Then mix on high for 5 minutes or until frosting starts to lighten in color. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. 

Hot Chocolate Dark (sticks)

Hot Chocolate Dark (sticks)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 1/2 cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips
   Line a 9x9 pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper and lightly spray with non-stick spray.  Set aside.  In a saucepan combine the heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk.  Place over low-medium heat and whisk continuously while heating the milk mixture until it just barely starts to steam. Turn the heat to low, add the chocolate chips, and stir until melted and combined with the milk.  Remove from the heat.  Pour the ganache into the lined and sprayed 9x9 pan.  Set aside until firm before cutting.  Using a knife cut the set chocolate into 1 1/2 inch squares.  Cut the marshmallows into the same size squares.  On a stick place one marshmallow and one square of chocolate. Wrap in plastic wrap and tie on a ribbon.
To make the hot drink: Add one stick to one cup of hot water, let melt, then stir to mix.

If you want to make these as gifts and you want the tag I made for the front of the bag... here you are:
:) Hot Chocolate Dark gift label

January Sunday School: The Godhead - How can I learn to see Heavenly Father's hand in all things?

I am going to start this class in the church kitchen, where I will have a pot of boiled water on the stove.  I am going to teach the kids how to make 3 Musketeers Cocoa.  I will give them each a disposable hot liquid cup with a lid and 3 Musketeers candy bars.  1 big candy bar, cut into pieces, OR 3 funsize, OR 8 mini sized plus 1 1/4 cup boiling water equals one serving of 3 Musketeers Cocoa. After they unwrap the candy bars and put them in the cup, we will pour the boiling hot water over them and let them sit for about 10 minutes while we move on to the first part of the lesson.

(From the lds.org outline):
Invite the youth to sing, listen to, or read the hymn “How Great Thou Art.” Ask them to make a list or draw pictures on the board of things in this hymn that indicate the greatness of God (they could also read the scriptures cited at the end of the hymn). What are some other things the youth could add to this list that testify to them of God’s power and love? Invite the youth to think of creative ways they can express their testimonies of Heavenly Father. For example, they could use their lists to write a short hymn of their own, or they could take photographs and prepare a slide show.

We will listen to the song and then we are going to go for a walk around the building.  Most of these kids, if not all, have phones with cameras.  I am going to ask them to choose a buddy and together take a picture or two of something that they can see the hand of God in creating.  I am going to ask them to stretch their minds a little and think beyond the obvious.  For example: A tree.  This falls into the "kind of obvious" category. However, how do we see the hand of God in them?
 
Trees give off oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, both of which are essential to humans.  They provide shade form the hot sun.  Some varieties grow fruits and nuts that we can eat to sustain life.  Some drop their leaves which then return to the soil and provide nutrients back into the earth to enrich the soil for more growth of plants. We know that He created the earth and all of the vegetation in it.

An example of the "not so obvious" might be:  A car. How can we see the hand of God in this?

God created of the base materials that are used to build cars.  Somewhere along the way in history he inspired people to use those materials to build and create.  Many experiments and trials were done to create the materials we have to use for making car parts.  The knowledge and curiosity had to be given to individuals to do this.  God gave certain people ideas and inspiration to get those ideas to the modern day cars we now have.  Why?  With cars we are able to travel farther than walking or with horses and buggies and we can get places more quickly and safely.  We can more easily get to churches and temples to do His work.  We can also use them to help with out day to day temporal needs as well.

I will share these ideas and examples with the class and then give them the assignment to take a picture of something that they can see the hand of God in. Afterward, we will return to the kitchen to get our now melted 3 Musketeers, ready to be stirred into cocoa.  We'll add a scoop of ice cream to cool it off (I know right? This is the funnest cocoa ever!!) We'll put the lids on the cocoa and head up to our classroom. When we get up to the classroom I will have the take turns sharing their pictures and observations.
  
Next:
From the talk by Henry B. Eyring, "O Remember, Remember" (see the lds.org lesson outline)

"When our children were very small, I started to write down a few things about what happened every day. Let me tell you how that got started. I came home late from a Church assignment. It was after dark. My father-in-law, who lived near us, surprised me as I walked toward the front door of my house. He was carrying a load of pipes over his shoulder, walking very fast and dressed in his work clothes. I knew that he had been building a system to pump water from a stream below us up to our property.

He smiled, spoke softly, and then rushed past me into the darkness to go on with his work. I took a few steps toward the house, thinking of what he was doing for us, and just as I got to the door, I heard in my mind—not in my own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”

 I went inside. I didn’t go to bed. Although I was tired, I took out some paper and began to write. And as I did, I understood the message I had heard in my mind. I was supposed to record for my children to read, someday in the future, how I had seen the hand of God blessing our family Grandpa didn’t have to do what he was doing for us. He could have had someone else do it or not have done it at all. But he was serving us, his family, in the way covenant disciples of Jesus Christ always do. I knew that was true. And so I wrote it down, so that my children could have the memory someday when they would need it.

 I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.

More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.

The years have gone by. My boys are grown men. And now and then one of them will surprise me by saying, “Dad, I was reading in my copy of the journal about when …” and then he will tell me about how reading of what happened long ago helped him notice something God had done in his day.

My point is to urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness. It will build our testimonies"

Has there been a time that you have seen the hand of God in your life?
Has he helped you to recognize a trial as a potential blessing?
Do you recognize it when he does this?
 (Let the class think about these questions and share examples if they wish.  Always give them enough time to think!  Be prepared with some examples from your own life.  I find that once I share some of mine with them, it helps break the "ice" and then the youth have lots to share!  We always fill the time.)

Hand out and explain the "Count Your Many Blessings" page for the week.  (I typed up this page for the youth to take home and write down the blessings they recognize coming from Heavenly Father each day for a week.)

Count Your Many Blessings

Hot Strawberry - Hot Chocolate

Hot Strawberry
6 cups powdered milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1 16 ounce can Nestle Strawberry Quik  (or Nestle Chocolate Quik, for Hot Chocolate)
1 16 ounce container non dairy creamer, powder
   
       In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and stir together with a whisk.  Store in an airtight container.
 
       ** To make the hot strawberry drink: Stir 1/4 cup of the mix into 1 cup hot water.**

Marshmallows

Marshmallows
4 packets unflavored gelatin (3 Tbsp.)
1/3 cup cold water
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

     In a small bowl combine the gelatin and 1/3 cup cold water.  Set aside for 10 minutes. 
     In a very large pot dissolve the granulated sugar and 1 1/2 cups water over low-medium heat, stirring constantly until it makes a syrup, about 10 minutes.
     Add the gelatin which has absorbed the water in the small bowl, stir it into the syrup and bring to a steady boil over medium heat, without stirring.  You do not want to have this mixture at a rolling boil, just small simmering bubbles.  This is a soft ball stage of candy making. Watch it carefully!  The bubbles have a tendency to rise!  You may need to adjust the heat occasionally to keep it from overflowing if you did not use a big enough pot. ( I do this often which is why I give this warning! :)) Let is simmer for 15 minutes. 
    Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool down to lukewarm temperature, about 15-20 minutes.
    Pour the mixture into a mixer bowl.  Using a whisk attachment, turn the mixer on high and let it beat the liquid until it turns white and very, very thick, like the consistency of the marshmallow cream that comes in a jar.
     Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.  Pour the white marshmallow cream into the pan.  Set aside to set up, approximately 20-30 minutes.
     In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar with the cornstarch with a whisk.  Using a sifter, sift over the top of the marshmallow in the pan.  Sift some onto a cookie sheet or cutting board.  Turn the pan over onto the dusted surface and ease the marshmallow onto it.  Dust the top of the marshmallow, which was the bottom in the pan. Using a pizza cutter cut the marshmallow into squares.  The squares will appear to still be stuck together but as you pick them up and pull them apart, they easily pull apart into the nice squares you cut.  For easy storage, put the marshmallows in a ziploc bag with a little of the sugar/cornstarch mix and shake the bag to coat them.

Red Curry Shrimp and Rice

Red Curry Shrimp and Rice
1 1/2 cups cooked Jasmine rice (follow package directions)
1 lb. raw jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced OR 4 mini red bell peppers, sliced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbsp. red curry paste
1 -12 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 -12 ounce can chicken stock
1 lime, juice
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

    In a large skillet melt the butter and saute the shrimp for about 1-2 minutes per side until pink.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add the garlic, onions, and red bell peppers to the pan and saute them until soft, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the ginger and cook for one minute.  Stir in the red curry paste until it coats the vegetables.  Pour in the coconut milk and the chicken stock and stir until combined.  Turn the heat to medium and let everything simmer for about 9-10 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens, stirring occasionally.  Turn the heat off.  Add the lime juice, cilantro, and cooked shrimp to the pan and stir everything together.  You can serve it over the rice or you can stir the rice into the pan and serve it more "soup" style.  Both are good!

Thai Salad with Curry Dressing

Thai Salad
Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
kale, chopped
red, yellow, orange, bell peppers, thinly sliced
cilantro, chopped
carrot, matchstick size cuts
mango, cubed
peanuts, chopped

Curry Dressing (this makes enough for about 4 salads the size shown)
1 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. yellow curry powder
juice of 1/2 lime
9 drops Tabasco sauce
     Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender jar and blend until smooth.

     I like to arrange my salads with all of the ingredients showing for presentation, but the best way to eat this salad is to pour the dressing on and mix everything together to coat.  It's even better if you let it sit for about 5 minutes before eating it... If you have that much self control, congratulations!  :) It's that good!  Hard to wait.  P.S. The Napa cabbage is the base of the salad and fills up the bottom half of the bowl.  I love this cabbage!

KFC Bowls

KFC Bowls
popcorn chicken, baked according to package directions
mashed potatoes
corn
shredded cheese
brown gravy
green onions
     That's it!  Layer everything in a bowl. 

January Sunday School: The Godhead - How can studying the scriptures help me learn about Heavenly Father (and Jesus Christ)?

 
Teaching tip

“Often a lesson will contain more material than you are able to teach in the time you are given. In such cases, you should select the material that will be most helpful for those you teach” (Teaching, No Greater Call [1999], 98–99).
(This tip was included in the lesson outline on lds.org.  I am taking this tip and applying it to this lesson this week.  The lesson I have prepared will be a short discussion and then will lead into a writing activity.)

From the lesson outline:
Invite the youth to list on the board some truths they know about God. Ask them how they learned those truths. Show them how to use the Topical Guide to find scriptures that teach the truths about God they have listed (for example, they could search “God, Love of” or “God, Wisdom of”). Invite them to write on the board the references they find. Encourage the youth to share any additional truths they learn about Heavenly Father as they read these scriptures and write them on the board. Why are the scriptures important in helping us understand God?

Invite the youth to read individually the entry “God” in the Bible Dictionary and write down one thing they learn about God the Father from what they read. Encourage them to look up any related scriptures referenced in the entry. When everyone is finished, invite each class member to find someone in the class who wrote something different, and ask them to share with each other what they learned (including any scriptures they found). Share how you have come to know Heavenly Father through reading the scriptures, and invite a few of the youth to share their own experiences.

For the rest of the class time we will be learning and writing about the names Jesus Christ is known by in the scriptures. This is a great way to learn and understand His nature as well as His Father's.  There are over 150 names listed in the scriptures for the Savior. Wow!  Did you know there were that many?  I didn't before I put these booklets together. I first made these a few years ago to give to my visiting teaching sisters.  I have since made two different versions.  This has been a great study aid for me and I hope it will be of value to the youth.  I don't have these pages on my computer anymore to be able to link, I'm sorry! I am using copies that I have had in a file in my desk. Hopefully you can read the names on the list if you are interested in making your own.  I have a booklet for each member of my class.

This is the version I made for my Relief Society visiting teaching sisters.  I printed the names on paper and glued them onto colored cardstock and put them into an envelope half that was glued onto the front cover.  

I also typed each name in a box at the top of each page of cardstock to make the booklet.  The one pictured below is my personal booklet.  I alphabetized the names and have done several myself.  I still have more to do.  It has been a fun study project!  I kind of have scripture studying ADD.  I like to jump from project to project.  It takes me years to finish them all. :)

This is another version of this booklet.  It is a little easier to put together in larger quantities.

The front is a 5x7 cardstock picture of the Savior.  They can be ordered through the Distribution Center online at lds.catalog.org.  They are fairly inexpensive, I think they were around 10 cents each the last time I ordered them.The names are listed on one page and glued onto the back of the picture.

The inside study pages are left blank at the top.  The user can write which name they are studying for each page in the box.

The whole thing is put together with comb binding. 

To end the lesson, from the outline:
Ask the youth to share what they learned today. What feelings or impressions do they have? Do they understand how studying the scriptures can help them learn about Heavenly Father? Do they have any additional questions? Would it be worthwhile to spend more time on this topic?