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Cinnamon Rolls With a Twist

posted in faith, family, food, recipe by Sara on
 Stripes and Polka Dots // Cinnamon Roll Twists
Happy Monday, I hope everyone had an awesome weekend! Since my work schedule has changed, I’ve been able to enjoy four day weekends! I love having four full days home with the little one! However, my days off last week were hardly a break. Sometimes I feel more exhausted after a day home then after a day at work. I was so busy chasing after my daughter, catching up on housework, and running here and there that I hardly had a chance to breathe. Come Sunday, I was more  than ready to sit down, relax, and be uplifted (both physically, mentally, and spiritually).
For those of you who did not know, this weekend was General Conference for my church (not sure what General Conference is?…click HERE) and I must say that I was definitely uplifted! There were so many inspiring and hopeful messages; I simply loved every minute of it! Apart from the wonderful talks, one of my favorite things about conference time are these yummy cinnamon roll twists– our family tradition. It is one of the many recipes I’ve adopted from my mother-in-law, which I loving got permission to share it on the blog today.
Stripes and Polka Dots // Cinnamon Roll Twists

Cinnamon Roll Twists (Makes about 30 rolls)

Mix together:
3 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp yeast

Let raise for 10-15 minutes.

Add:
4 cups flour (one at a time)
1 Tbsp salt
3 eggs (one at a time)

**If you are using a Bosch or Kitchen Aid, change your beaters to bread hooks, then mix in an additional:

6 cups flour (one at a time)

Roll out dough right away in a big rectangle leaving the dough about 1/2 inch thick. Spread 1 cube of softened butter over the top of the dough, then cover with brown sugar and cinnamon. Fold the rectangle in thirds, and seal the edges.  Cut the dough in 1 inch strips, twisting each piece. Place the twisted dough on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. When finished baking, frost immediately. (Icing recipe below)

Stripes and Polka Dots // Cinnamon Roll Twists
 
Stripes and Polka Dots // Cinnamon Roll Twists
Stripes and Polka Dots // Cinnamon Roll Twists
Now for the cream cheese frosting…my favorite part. Simply frost these rolls right out of the oven so the frosting can melt and seep into every crack and crevasse; then eat and enjoy!
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cube softened butter
1 8 oz cube of softened cream cheese
powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp of milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
Stripes and Polka Dots // Cinnamon Roll Twists
Stripes and Polka Dots // Cinnamon Roll Twists

These always make WAY more than our little family could ever eat by ourselves, so we like to divide them up and take them around to our friends and neighbors for all can enjoy. I’ve never tried freezing them…if you should try it, let me know how it turns out.

The Pinterest Challenge: 6 Pins in 6 Weeks

posted in crafts, diy, inspiration, money saving tips, recipe, sewing, women's fashion by Hanna on
We love Pinterest. It is by far the best place to get inspired, no matter what your point of interest is. The hours seem to fly by scrolling through the endless supply of pictures that we fill up our inspiration boards with. But, for all the time we spend pinning various projects and recipes, how much of those pinned items do we actually complete? My answer… probably less than 10% of them.  In realizing this outrageous statistic, Hanna and I thought we’d bring back an idea that circulated through the blogosphere a couple of years ago; it’s called the Pinterest Challenge. Basically, you choose 6 pins to complete in 6  weeks. Pretty straight forward right? We’ve rounded up 9 awesome bloggers to join in on the challenge with us and invite everyone (not just bloggers) to join in too! 
Here is what we both have planned to complete over the next 6 weeks:

As I mentioned before, we have some great bloggers who are also taking on the challenge. They are:
Corey @ Tiny Sidekick
Megin @ VMG 206
The Sisters @ Sisters What!

Keep tabs on our progress over the next 6 weeks and get inspired by following our “Pinterest Challenge” board on Pinterest! There will be many awesome crafts, recipes, projects, and inspired ideas completed over the course of the challenge, so don’t miss out! Join in on all the fun by participating in the Pinterest Challenge with us! Send us a picture of your completed pins to share with everyone! 

Healthy Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins

posted in food, health, recipe by Sara on
Healthy Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins: Full of nutrients and goodness!
Ok, my sugar consumption has been off the wall as of late! It started during the holidays and has just spiraled out of control. All I want to do is eat, eat, and eat! Maybe it’s the public health major in me, or the fact that I am suffering from the results of too much junk food, but I came to the realization that I needed to make a change. Over the weekend I went to the grocery store and bought a slew of healthier snack options that I can eat in place of all the sweets (carrots, almonds, pretzels, etc.) My sister also sent me her recipe for these yummy chocolate chunk banana muffins. Not only are they delicious, but they’re good for you too. 

This recipe uses whole wheat flour and substitutes calorie-laden Crisco with raw honey, unsweetened applesauce, and coconut oil. There is also the addition of flaxseed which provides extra nutrients. And for all you chocolate lovers out there, you’ll definitely get your fill! I know dark chocolate isn’t for everyone, but I personally love it. Plus if you’re like me and can’t give up chocolate all together, dark chocolate is a much healthier option opposed to regular milk chocolate. 

Anyway, with a busy work schedule this week I decided to whip up a batch that I could take with me for breakfast or snacks. These muffins are also a great and nutritious snack for kids. My daughter loves them! I will say that I had a terrible time trying to find ground flaxseed at the store. I wandered the store for about 15 minutes before I finally asked someone for help. Here’s a tip: it is usually stored in the refrigerated section of the healthy/wholefoods isle. You can also just buy whole flaxseeds and grind them yourself with a food processor.

Healthy Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins: Full of nutrients and goodness!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal
pinch of salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
2 egg whites
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate (or dark chocolate chips)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda,
cinnamon, flaxseed and salt.

2.  In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat bananas until smooth. Add egg whites and beat until combined. Gradually mix in applesauce honey and coconut oil.

3.   Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture; stir in chocolate chunks and nuts.

4.   Spray muffin pan with cooking spray. Fill each cup to the top with batter and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned on top.

Makes a dozen muffins.






Linked To:
http://www.create-with-joy.com/2014/01/inspire-me-monday-week-107.html
http://www.callmepmc.com/2014/01/marvelous-mondays-link-party-1-19-13/
http://marelize-ries.blogspot.com/search/label/Linky%20Party

Homemade Fall Scent

posted in diy, family, home, recipe by Sara on

Growing up, home was my sanctuary. Sure, it wasn’t perfect but it was a place I always felt safe, welcomed, and loved. Even though I am all grown up and have a family of my own now, I still love going home and the special feeling I feel when I walk inside the front door. I especially love going home during this time of year and walking in to my mom’s homemade fall scent simmering on the stove. It is one of those scents that takes me back to my childhood when everything seemed more simple and carefree.

Here is how you can create this natural and fresh fall scent in your own home!

Ingredients

3-4 Sticks of Cinnamon
3 Bay Leaves
1/4 cup Whole Cloves
1/2 Lemon, halved
1/2 Orange, halved
1 quart Water

Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer as long as desired. Keep adding water so it does not burn on the bottom and as long as the scent will last.

And there you have it, easy right?!