Jamie J's Wonder Rolls (Light and Puffy as Little Clouds) plus low work...

1/2 cup sugar
2 cups hot water
2 TBSP yeast
3/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
5 cups flour

Add the sugar, hot water and yeast together.  Let them bubble for a couple of minutes (3-5).

Put the melted butter, eggs and salt into a kitchenAid and mix them together.  Add the yeast mixture followed by the flour.  Stir until combined.  Dough will be very wet and sticky.

Dump a very generous heap of flour onto the counter.  Pour the dough onto the flour.  Turn the dough once to coat.

Leave it alone and let it rise for 3 hours.

After 3 hours have passed, use a round glass or biscuit cutter to cut the dough into rounds.  Fold the rounds in half and put them on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake them at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes watching closely.  Serve blonde and warm.

These are fantastic!  They really are just puffy clouds of happiness and they disappear as fast as clouds in the desert.  Thanks for sharing Jamie J!!!

Chocolate Hot Fudge Pudding Cake or Heaven In A Cake Pan

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2/3 cup butter melted
1 TBSP vanilla
plus
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups hot water

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, because that is what this cake will bake on, obviously.

Stir together the 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  Once they are sifted nicely, add the milk, butter and vanilla; beat until smooth.  Pour this beautiful batter straight into your mouth - or into a 9x13 pan (if you actually have self control - because this will make a DANG good cake as well).  Stir together the "plus" ingredients; 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 1/2 cups hot water.  When that mixture is nice and crumbly sprinkle it evenly over the batter (if it made it in the pan - otherwise, you might need a cold glass of milk to help wash this deliciousness down).  Then (this will seem weird but trust me and do it) you will pour the hot water over the top of all of this goodness - like a blanket.  DO NOT STIR!!!

Place in your previously heated oven.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center is almost set - and by "set" I mean that the beautiful chocolate crust on top is um... crusty? It seems like an ugly word for what it is -  but this cake will never be "set" because it has a POOL of delicious, hot, liquid heaven underneath its crusty exterior (like some people you  might know).

Let it stand for 15 minutes.  Spoon it into dessert dishes (I won't even recommend straight into your mouth, unless you enjoy 3rd degree burns) and ladle the sauce from the bottom of the pan over the top.

This is delicious garnished with freshly whipped cream.

Jamaican-Me-Crazy Chicken Chili (or Fair and Delightsome Chicken Chili as Emily calls it)

When it looks like THIS outside...

That means it's time to bring THIS INSIDE...  

This is my invention and is now an "AWARD WINNING" recipe (about the only one I can say has won an award - and the award was "hottest chili" which isn't true - so I'm not sure I should brag - but hey! it was an award!!!)

whole chicken (no giblets or innards)

chicken stock (or water mixed with chicken base) to cover chicken

3-4 large stems of thyme

2-3  stems of rosemary

2 TABLESPOONS (true - it seems a lot but true) allspice

1 large onion largely chopped

3 cloves garlic

1-2 large dried Anaheim chili peppers

several smaller (hotter) chili peppers to your taste 

1 pound cooked white northern beans

2 cups heavy cream

Begin by cooking a whole chicken in your crockpot, pressure cooker, or a large stockpot on the stove with fresh thyme, rosemary, and allspice (I like to buy it whole and crush it with a meat mallet in a ziplock so it's fresh) onion, garlic, peppers, and chicken base.

When your chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and let it sit until it is cool enough to bone.  In the meantime remove the stems of thyme and rosemary as well as most of the chili peppers.  Use an immersion blender to blend the garlic, onion, spices and peppers together better.  Next, add your cooked beans (I cook my own beans and add garlic and allspice to them so that they have more of those flavors saturated into the actually bean).  Bone your chicken, then add the bite-sized pieces of chicken and stir.  Just before serving add your cream and any salt, and heat you may want to the chili.  

Our WHOLE family eats this dinner - and I have some SERIOUSLY picky children, so you KNOW it's good.  We love this chili with fresh herb bread.  I am actually making myself hungry!  Time for lunch...

High Protein Waffles

High Protein - and Waffles???  Oh yeah baby!  I do have to say, you can almost feel virtuous eating this breakfast classic.  Just read the ingredients - and think - "what could be bad about oats and cottage cheese?"  Yes, I said cottage cheese...

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (if  you buy these bulk  you can even feel like Ma Ingalls!)
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose four
1/4 cup (heaping 1/4 cup) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs (lightly beaten)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups milk

combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Stir to combine dry ingredients.  Add the lightly beaten eggs, oil, cottage cheese and milk one at a time until the mixture is combined and smooth.

After you are done making the waffle mix, plug in your waffle iron and let your batter rest (for about 5 minutes). Bake according to your waffle iron directions.

Fresh fruit on these (and a storm of powdered sugar) will make you want to dance and sing.  High protein, fresh fruit?  Your grandmother would be so proud!

Banana (w/ or w/o Walnut) Waffles

There is a monkey in our family who thinks bananas are like water - you need to eat 8 a day to live!  Because of this, rarely do I have the banana stash that is forgotten on the counter until it needs to be turned into a baked good - BUT - sometimes, if I buy a ton and hide some, I can make a banana-baked-beauty.  These waffles are at the top of the list of things to do with "leftover" bananas...

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs lightly beaten

3/4 cups vegetable oil

2 cups vanilla yogurt

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups mashed banana

(optional) 1 cup chopped walnuts ( I have also substituted pecans, which give them more of a rich woodsy flavor - deluxe!!!

Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt) in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs and oil and whisk until blended.  Stir in the yogurt and milk-mix until smooth.  Stir in the bananas and nuts, if using, stir until they are incorporated. 

After you are done making the waffle mix, plug in your waffle iron and let your batter rest (for about 5 minutes). Bake according to your waffle iron directions. 

These are banana-licious!  Even my monkey is impressed with this application of her favorite food.  I love my homemade maple syrup poured over these (make SURE you get it in every waffle square!!) and then sliced bananas (add whipped cream if you are feeling celebratory) with a freezing cold glass of milk.  ...think of the potassium you are getting!!!

Luscious Lemon Waffles

Perfect for spring, summer, fall or winter.  I love sunshine (have I EVER said that before???) and these waffles are sunshine in a warm, chewy, delicious way.

3 cups unbleached flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh is better but not always practical)
2 tablespoons lemon zest
3/4 cup butter melted and cooled till near room temp
2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt

Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt) in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk until blended. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Finally, fold in the butter and yogurt.

After you are done making the waffle mix, plug in your waffle iron and let your batter rest (for about 5 minutes). Bake according to your waffle iron directions. 

Top with your favorite syrup, jam, or creamy topping.  You will love the taste of fresh sunshine in your mouth.  Hooray for lemon!  Hooray for waffles!  And SUPER HOORAY for lemon waffles!!!  By the way, this is my adorable little Meyer Lemon Tree, Sunny.  She will one day be the mother of the fruit that makes these waffles... grow Sunny, GROW!!!