Sweet Dough Dinner Rolls

Mmmmmm.... fresh baked bread. My weakness is sweet dough. I use it to make Dinner Rolls, Sticky Buns, Herbed Bread, Hot Cross Buns and Perishke (meat filled buns). I actually use my bread maker to make the dough which follows a 20 minute knead, 1 hour rest cycle. I then turn it out, make it into whatever I'm baking, let it rest again for 10 minutes, then bake. If you don't already have a sweet dough recipe in your repertoire, I highly recommend it!

I'm sure you can modify to mix in Kitchen Aid or by hand if you ensure you use luke warm milk, room temperature egg, and even warm flour.

Add the following in this order:
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2-4 tablespoons water (as needed, add as you knead dough if dry or stiff)

- Knead 20 minutes, rest 1 hour.
- Turn dough out and shape into rolls. (I like large rolls for dinner)
- Place in greased baking dish and brush with melted margarine.
- Let stand 10 minutes.
- Bake @ 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Recipe Swap Thursday #5

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! It's fall and I can definitely tell the seasons are changing with all warm and comforting recipes being swapped!

Recipe Swap Thursday's most popular recipe last week was Delicious Autumn Soup @ 21st Century Housewife. If you haven't already, be sure to check out this recipe!

To kick things off this week I've posted a new recipe - my Sweet Dough Dinner Rolls. These buttery buns are perfect with any meal!

How to swap:
1) Link directly to your recipe. Scroll down and click on the "Add your Link" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.
2) Visit the other recipe links!!
3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

A big thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

Paper Pumpkins

Aren't these cute! I made these Paper Pumpkins from scrap craft paper I had. They were fun and easy and perfect for fall decorating. I first saw these at Holiday Haven. Rather than using paper for the stem, I actually used wine corks, some felt and twine.

Visit Holiday Haven to see her version and the link to the full tutorial.

Quick Eggs

I'm a fan of poached eggs... BUT I seem to have issues making them the traditional way. They never turn out for me. So after a little bit of experimenting, I have found this easy and quick way to make eggs that are pretty close to poached, by simply using a small ramekin and microwaving.

1) Spray the ramekin with some cooking spray or grease with a little margarine.

2) Crack and add egg. Add salt and pepper if you like.

3) Cover with saran. The eggs can pop and splatter and make a big mess.

4) Microwave for 30 seconds. Check, and depending on size of egg and your preference to how soft it is you may need to nuke for another 15-30 seconds. Also, the egg will continue to cook for a bit after you removed from microwave.

5) Use a knife or spoon to coax the egg out to serve!

These eggs are the perfect size to make a breakfast sandwich and fit in an English Muffin along with some ham and cheese. I also use these eggs to make Eggs Benedict!

Need to make more than one Quick Egg? No problem. I've fit as many as 6 egg filled ramekins in my microwave and calculate cook time based on 30 seconds / egg. Quick and easy!

Watermelon Mixer

This is the most refreshing juice that I've made in my juicer. Of course it's great in summertime, but it's also quite fantastic to mix with some spirits (for example vodka or gin). Mix and serve over ice!

1/4 watermelon
1 apple
1 lime

Watermelon is a rich source of potassium, and with their high water content they are an obvious thirst quencher.

Apples contain malic acid which helps digestion, and are high in pectin that helps lower cholesterol.

Limes are an excellent source of free citric acid, natural sugar, vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus.

Inspired by Wendy, Kathryn and Natalie, encouraging us all to Live A Balance Life.

Be sure to check out all my Let's Get Juiced! posts.

Recipe Swap Thursday #4

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! There have been so many mouth watering, taste bud tingling, and scrumptious recipes shared in previous weeks. I love seeing all the recipes and visiting your blogs!

Recipe Swap Thursday's most popular recipe last week was Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake @ Finding Joy in my Kitchen. If you haven't already, be sure to check out this recipe!

To kick things off this week I've posted a new recipe - French Toast with Maple Peaches. I've been on a bit of a maple kick this week!

How to swap:
1) Link directly to your recipe. Scroll down and click on the "Add your Link" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.
2) Visit the other recipe links!!
3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

A big thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

French Toast with Maple Peaches

I love French Toast, and I have to admit we eat it any time of the day, not just for breakfast! My little tip is to use frozen bread slices. I find you can get a good amount of egg on the bread with out having it go soggy while cooking.

3 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
6 slices thick bread / Texas toast
butter

2 cups peaches
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

- Heat pan on medium.
- Beat eggs and milk very well together.
- Add generous amount of butter to pan. Coat bread with egg mixture, then cook until each side is golden brown.
- While bread is in pan, warm peaches, maple syrup and cinnamon together on low.
- Serve french toast with peaches, additional syrup and powder sugar.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

An old prairie friend and neighbor sent me this recipe. She serves this dressing over organic spring mix greens, topped with hot, caramelized pecans (quickly toasted in a frying pan with a dash of sesame oil and a bit of white sugar), oodles of feta cheese and bits of fresh mandarin oranges on top. Beautiful salad! Thanks Carla!

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

- Whisk together and let sit for at least 1 hour prior to serving.

I actually ended up dressing a Roasted Beet Salad I made last night - baby arugula, spinach, spring mix, roasted beets, chevre, walnuts and the Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette. YUM!

Bucket O' Pumpkins

Our neighbors were picking pumpkins yesterday! I guess reality is hitting... summer is over. The good news is that our fall weather has been beautiful so far!

Strawberry Sunrise

This is one of my favorite juices! It's a great way to start any day. Juice fruit in juicer (be sure to peel orange first, or squeeze instead). Mix and serve over ice!

10 strawberries
1 apple
1 orange

Strawberries are rich in pectin and ellagic acid which is good for cleansing and detoxification. Lots of vitamin C for boosting immune system.

Apples contain malic acid which helps digestion, and are high in pectin that helps lower cholesterol.

Oranges are a great source of folic acid and often used as a cold and flu remedy.

Inspired by Wendy, Kathryn and Natalie, encouraging us all to Live A Balance Life.

Be sure to check out all my Let's Get Juiced! posts.

Let's Get Juiced!

For whatever reason, I am challenged at eating raw fruit and veggies. I just don't like biting into them or something. I like them when they are warm and cooked, roasted or baked, just not raw. However, I have found that I love juicing and can chug back shot after shot of raw, fresh goodness!! So, let's get juiced!

First, meet my juicer. Yes, it's the Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer, and I picked mine up on sale at Walmart.

Juicing Tips:
- Serve juice on ice. It always tastes better!
- Peel all citrus fruits. The skin is bitter if you juice it. Sometimes I simply squeeze citrus rather than putting it in the juicer so I don't have to spend any time peeling.
- Your juicer is so much easier to clean if you immediately place in sink with hot water after you use. Then into the dishwasher.
- Juice is best fresh. It doesn't store well in fridge for more than a couple hours, however I have placed extra in an ice cube tray to use later to fancy up water or other beverages! Popscicles work as well to use up extra juice!

Inspired by Wendy, Kathryn and Natalie, encouraging us all to Live A Balance Life.

Be sure to check back - I will be posting many of my tasty juice concoctions!

Recipe Swap Thursday #3

Thank you for coming to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! There have been so many mouth watering, taste bud tingling, and scrumptious recipes shared in previous weeks. I love seeing all the recipes and visiting your blogs!

Recipe Swap Thursday's most popular recipe last week was Grandma's Mud Cake from Kori @ [Refresh]. If you haven't already, be sure to check out this recipe!

To kick things off this week I've posted a new recipe - French Onion Soup. As the season change to Fall, I seem to make good pot of soup most weeks.

How to swap:
1) Link directly to your recipe. Scroll down and click on the "Add your Link" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.
2) Visit the other recipe links!!
3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

A big thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

French Onion Soup

I've been making this Onion Soup for years. I guess it's my version of French Onion Soup. It's ridiculously simple, yet is full of flavor and will warm you on a cool day.

2 tablespoons margarine
4 large onions, sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
8 cups vegeatable stock
8 cups beef stock
croutons
mozzarella

- In a 5 quart soup pot, saute onions with margarine on medium until soft and turning brown (be patient 15-20 minutes).
- Then mix in flour and seasonings until combined.
- Add in vegetable and beef stock. (I usually just use OXO.)
- Simmer for at least 1 hour.
- When serving, add croutons and and top with shredded mozzarella.

Flatware, Utensils and Wrap

Back in July, My Kitchen was one of my more popular posts, so I've decided to start to share more about how I organize it! Isn't it fun peaking into someone else's space?

The three top drawers in my island are probably the most used and opened. They are right in the middle of everything. Here's what's in them!

Drawer #1: Flatware - My flatware is in the left drawer primarily because it is closest to the sink and dishwasher (easy to unload). I use a Rubbermaid organizer and my flatware is Martha Stewart.

Drawer #2: Utensils - I prefer all my spatulas, flippers, whisks, spoons, scoops to be in a drawer rather than in a container on the counter. First, I'd need a really big container and secondly I find that I can see and grab what I need much much easier this way. Also, this drawer is directly behind my stove so I can access when cooking, but also in the island so if I'm serving food buffet style, easy to grab a serving spoon. At the front of the drawer I keep some very important used tools - can opener, bottle opener, peeler and tongs.

Drawer #3: Wrap - Cling wrap, foil, sandwich and freezer baggies, brown lunch bags and twist ties are all in the right drawer. I actually have more stored in pantry, but wanted these items to be close to fridge and freezer to wrap up leftovers or pack lunches. It works well for me!

Spiced Carrot & Pineapple Loaf

This recipe makes wonderful loaves and even better muffins! The cinnamon and nutmeg really enhance the flavor, the pineapple helps keep it all moist and the top of the loaf gets a little crispy. Soooo good!

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

- Mix together ingredients in order given.
- Divide batter evenly to fill 2 loaf pans.
- Bake @ 350° for 75-80 minutes.
Note: To make muffins, adjust cooking time down.

P.S.: I adapted this recipe from one my mother-in-law gave us. Thanks Ellie!

Homemade Wasp Trap

Ok... this is kind of gross, but clearly it works. Once the wasps go in the bottle they can't figure out how to get out so they get trapped and die. This will minimize wasps, but the only way to eliminate them is to remove their nest or kill the queen.

1) Cut the neck off a plastic pop bottle.

2) Remove the bottle cap and flip the neck upside down and place it in the bottle opening that you just cut.

3) Tape together using packing tape or duct tape.
4) Bait the trap. The easiest is sugar and water, but I've also read that meat works well in the spring and early summer because wasps are attracted to protein, or other options are sugar and water, water and vinegar, beer, soda, even laundry detergent. Adding petroleum jelly or cooking oil along the steep edges of the trap can cause them to lose their footing and fall into the hole.
5) Hang the trap by either taping a string to it, or affixing a screw that you can use to hang.
6) Empty the trap - but first make sure the wasps are dead by pouring boiling water in or freezing. Personally, I'll just dispose of entire trap and make a new one.

One last note, be mindful where you place the trap as living wasps will be attracted to it. Place a distance from where your kids or pets will be spending time. Our son's school place these on the perimeter of the play yard.

Recipe Swap Thursday #2

Thank you for coming to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! I love visiting all your blogs and learning new recipes, food combinations, kitchen tricks and regional products.

Recipe Swap Thursday's most popular recipe last week was Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins from Retro Housewife The Remix. If you haven't already, be sure to check out this recipe!

To kick things off this week I've posted a new recipe - Tuna Noodle Casserole. It's a perfect week night meal!

How to swap:
1) Link directly to your post. Scroll down and click on the "Add your Link" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.
2) Visit the other recipe links!!
3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

A big thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

My family seems to all of a sudden love tuna when it is in this casserole!

1 package No Yolks Noodles (340g)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans flaked tuna, drained (184g each)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 1/2 cup cheese, grated
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup milk
pepper

- Boil noodles, drain.
- Combine rest of ingredients in large bowl, save 1/2 cup grated cheese for top.
- Mix in noodles and place in large casserole.
- Top with the remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese.
- Bake 350° for 30 minutes.