Cinnamon Rolls (with Caramel Option)

This recipe is one we often use for Christmas or for the children’s breakfasts as they head to summer camp. They are easy to turn into caramel rolls by a simple step that I included.

If you prefer to make the dough early, you can form the rolls, place in pan and then cover with heavy aluminum foil. Place in the refrigerator at least 12 hours, but not longer than 24. Then, when ready to bake, place unwrapped pan in cold oven and bake until golden brown (35-40 min).

Cranberry Sauce

I grew up on canned cranberry sauce. I was never fond of it even though I enjoy the tart taste of cranberries. Then one day, I discovered homemade cranberry sauce!

After much experimenting with different recipes, Andrea and I settled on this one as an easy favorite. Feel free to make it a few days early and store tightly covered until needed. We almost always double the recipe and rarely have leftovers.

Chili Soup

This is just a very simple chili recipe with a beef and tomato soup base. It is easy to do in a stock pot, but if you prefer a crock pot, set the settings to low and cook all day.

The seasoning are on the very mild side. Be sure to adjust to your preferences.

Angel Food Cake

This last weekend, we were able to buy a bunch of eggs on sale. Once I returned home, I realized that I already had a few dozen in the refrigerator. Not wanting to waste eggs, I asked Andrea to please make this recipe, twice.

When I was first given this recipe, by another para I worked with, I did not make it. I had been told that angel food cake was hard to make and finicky. A few years ago, Andrea and I started making it together. It is not a super hard recipe to make, but works best on dry days and when you have a little extra time to let it cool properly. Be sure not to get any yolk in with the egg whites and the pan you use is not greasy.

We almost always use an angel food pan for this recipe. If your pan does not have a removable bottom, line your pan’s bottom with parchment paper. We have also made this with a small lined bread pan with success.

This cake is good plain, for strawberry shortcake, with custard and with ice cream. It also freezes well if you have extra.

Cowboy Cookies

Allan and I discovered this recipe in Grandma Reble’s collection when I went to Colorado with the McGuire’s for the first time. Since getting married, we go to Colorado every few years and usually make at least one recipe from Grandma’s collection.

As you can see from the notes, Grandma thought they were “very good”. We still make them often because they have always been one of our favorite cookies. Years later, Oma gave Andrea a very similar recipe.

In our family, we do not use butterscotch chips. If we use chocolate chips, they are “Cowboy Cookies”, but if we use M&M’s they are “Cowgirl Cookies”. I can not remember who insisted on that name change, but it was probably Andrea.

MCCC Scones

These scones were a favorite treat at Allan’s coffee shop. They are super easy to make, but also super easy to mess up.

Be sure to start with cold butter and cold whipping cream. The less the dough is handled, the better the scones will be. Feel free to make the dough and place in the refrigerator a few hours or over night before baking. Remember that a cold dough and a warm preheated oven help these scones stay nice and flakey.

Chicken Nuggets

Other than birthdays, we rarely have chicken nuggets. For birthdays, the kids enjoy dinosaur nuggets eaten in a very specific way. Make them some dinosaur nuggets one day and ask if you are curious.

The other day, Andrea really wanted some nuggets, so she made some along with homemade chips. Thank you camp Patmos and Career Center for teaching Andrea the proper way to deep fry 🙂

Cow Chip Cookies

We discovered this recipe many years ago in a cookbook at Grandma Reble’s house. I do not know the name of the cookbook, but it has a bright pink cover and it is a collection of recipes from different people in CO. We try new recipes from this book every time we visit Grandma’s house.

These are larger cookies, so we usually make a half batch.

Andrea showing off a cow chip before our cow chip throwing contest.

Backpacking Upside Down Pineapple Cake

It is always nice to have some sort of treat while backpacking. We usually save this treat for an extra hard day on the trial or the very last night out. It does not make a lot, we usually make two batches for the seven of us, but it is enough for something special.

This also works at home. Use canned pineapple slices and skip the step for re-hydrating.