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 This delectable recipe is one of my son's favorites! He'll devour 2 or 3 before he's satisfied!

ROLLS
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1 cup warm milk 
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3-1/2 to 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp grated orange peel

GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
5-6 tsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp Orange Juice
4 to 5 tsp milk

Dissolve dry yeast and warm water in a large bowl.
Add milk, shortening, sugar, salt, egg and 3 cups of flour.
Beat until smooth.
Stir in remaining flour, enough to form a soft dough.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease all sides.
Cover dough and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Should take about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all filling ingredients; set aside until ready to use.
Punch dough down and roll into long rectangle.
Spread your filling and roll up, starting with a long end.
Cut into even pieces, about 12-14.
Place cut side down onto a greased 10x15 inch baking pan.
Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375°.
Always check during baking. Rolls should be light golden brown.
Combine the powdered sugar, butter, and juice in a small bowl.
Add enough milk to achieve desired consistency; spread on warm rolls.

 This cake is so easy and filled with scrumptious goodies! Start with baking a plain chocolate cake and smother it with deliciousness! Warning- this cake disappears if you don't watch it closely! 

1 box chocolate cake mix
water, oil and eggs (called for on back of box)
1 - 16 oz. jar caramel sauce
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 medium tub of cool whip
1 cup toffee bits.

Make cake as directed on back of box.
While warm, poke holes in the cake.
Pour sweetened condensed milk over cake and into holes.
Pour caramel sauce over cake as well.
Chill cake for 2-3 hours.
Right before serving, top with tub of cool whip.
Sprinkle on Toffee bits.

 This is seriously the most superior queso dip I've ever made!! Nothing can compare!

4 green chiles 
2 jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon cornstarch
16 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
8 ounces monterey jack cheese, freshly grated
fresh cilantro, for topping
homemade tortilla chips, for serving!

To roast the peppers, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Rub the peppers with a bit of oil and place them on a baking sheet.
Roast until the outside skins begin to blister and char, about 30 minutes.
Remove the peppers and place them in a resealable plastic bag for 20 minutes to steam.
(To shorten this process, you can grill or roast the peppers over your gas stovetop until charred, then steam in the resealable bag.)
Once the peppers have "steamed" in the bag, remove the blistered skin.
Slice off the tops and remove the seeds (unless you want tons of heat), then dice the peppers.
Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the oil and butter.
Stir in the peppers, onions and garlic.
Season with the salt and pepper.
Cook until the onion softens, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Slowly stream in 1 cup of the half and half, whisking the entire time.
In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup half and half and cornstarch until no lumps remain to create a slurry.
Stir the slurry into the saucepan and cook for a minute until the milk thickens.
Reduce the heat to low.
Stir in the grated cheese, one small handful at a time, until melted.
Transfer the mixture to a crock, larger bowl or a small crockpot heating on low.
Top with fresh cilantro if you'd like.
​Serve immediately with chips!

  This book is unlike any other! The storyline is completely new and original and absolutely unpredictable! Every time I thought I had it figured out, a plot twist would come out of nowhere and take me on a new spin. I was completely enraptured and found myself unable to put down the book until I finished it- I just had to find out what would happen next! While slightly confusing at first, once you grasp the world and it's "normal" daily life, it's absolutely absorbing. The concept is completely unique and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

 These are the absolute best shortbread cookies I've ever had! 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup cane sugar (also called turbinado or sugar in the raw)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup macadamia nuts, finely crushed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Line cookie sheets with baking mats or parchment paper.
Make sure you've crushed your macadamia nuts very small. Use a food processor to make it easier.
Mix butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer.
Add vanilla, flour, and salt and mix until combined.
Mix in finely crushed nuts and chocolate chips and stir combined.
Scoop 1 tablespoon balls of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets.
These don’t spread much so you can place them closer together than a normal cookie.
Press dough balls down slightly with the palm of your hand.
Chill cookies on cookie sheets for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. 
Bake chilled cookies for about 12 minutes, until they start to get golden around the edges.
Let cool completely before removing from cookie sheets.
Cookies are crumbly and buttery.
​Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

 In my opinion, these are the perfect brownies! They're fudgy, yet still cakelike and can soothe all my chocolate cravings!

4 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla (use the real stuff)
3 lightly beaten eggs
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Optional: 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
Optional: 1 cup lightly toasted nuts &/or chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9 x 9 pan.
Melt chocolate & butter in microwave for 2:15 minutes and stir.
Stir in sugar, then vanilla, then eggs, then salt, espresso powder (optional) & flour.
Stir in nuts &/or chocolate chips if you so desire.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 33 – 36 minutes (until center is just set).
Cool & cut into squares.

  This is a truly cherished family favorite of mine! Don't be scared to throw extra cheese and toppings in there- the more the merrier! (I'm guilty of going overboard on the cheese most times!)

5 or 6 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed
water
1 cup Whole Milk
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 green onions, trimmed and sliced thin (use green and white), reserve 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese (or double it if you're a cheeseaholic like me!)
Healthy handful of bacon bits!

Slice potatoes into 1/4" wide slices and then boil for about 25 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork. 
Drain and set aside for now.
Preheat oven to 375F and grease a large baking dish. (I use a standard 13x9)
Whisk together the milk and flour in a large bowl until well combined.
Add the sour cream, salt, pepper, and whisk to combine until smooth.
Stir in the green onions; set aside.
Add potatoes to the milk-sour cream mixture, and gently stir and toss to coat.
Allow potatoes to sit and soak up some of the cream mixture for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the potatoes and any leftover cream mixture to prepared baking dish, making sure the potatoes lay mostly flat because edges or corners that are jutting up will be prone to burning.
Evenly top with cheese and bacon bits and bake for about 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and lightly golden browned.
Garnish with reserved green onions before serving. 

  The glaze on top really sets these scrumptious muffins off! 

MUFFINS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from approx. 2 lemons)
2 lightly beaten eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, or 8 tablespoons), melted and cooled
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from approx. 1 1/2 lemons)
2 teaspoons vanilla

GLAZE:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice



Preheat oven to 400° and grease a muffin pan.
In a large bowl, whisk all dry ingredients (including lemon zest) and set aside.  
In a medium bowl, whisk wet ingredients together and then pour into dry mixture.  
Stir until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
Pour into prepared muffin pan.
Bake mini muffins for 10 minutes, and regular muffins for 18 – 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool pans on a wire rack.
Make glaze by combining sugar and lemon juice until you reach the consistency of honey.  
Drizzle over mostly-cooled muffins and enjoy!
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