Easter Morning Pull Aparts

Growing up my mom would ALWAYS make this meal on Christmas morning.  As an adult I've continued this tradition and always look forward to that little reminder of home on Christmas.  Not only is this meal special and delicious - but all the work in done the night before.  All you have to do come Christmas morning is pop both of these dishes in the oven while presents are being opened.  After all the paper has been strewn about and all the packages have been opened you'll have a hot yummy breakfast to sit down too.

The first part of this mean are the Butterscotch Pull-Aparts.  The original name of these gooey delicious rolls is Easter Morning Pull-Aparts...but since we're eating them on Christmas let's just go with butterscotch. :)

These really are a little piece of heaven.  They are sticky and sweet and gooey and warm and oh so delicioso!  

1/2 package of Butterscotch pudding mix (the cook and serve kind NOT the instant)

pinch of cinnamon

16 frozen Rhodes rolls (The Rhodes brand works the best - I've tried other brands and they just weren't as big and fluffy and yummy)

3/4 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup brown sugar

Grease your bundt pan WELL.

Mix together your dry pudding mix and cinnamon.

Place 16 Rhodes frozen rolls evening in your bundt pan and sprinkle with the pudding mixture.

Stir together your butter and brown sugar until thick and well combined.  Drizzle over the rolls.

Cover with foil and let sit on your counter overnight to rise. (6-7 hours)

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Turn over onto a plate and devour.

Mary Morrison's Homemade Rolls

***You make notice that I am re-posting some recipes that have been on here for a while.  As I make them I am trying to update them with better pictures - and remind you all how good they are!!!

My Mother-in-law Mary makes the BEST rolls.  I mean THE BEST.  I have been to numerous dinners where she served these rolls and if you were to ask ANYONE what their favorite part of the meal was they would tell you, without hesitation, the rolls!  Mary was kind enough to share the recipe with me and I have made them for special dinners and at Thanksgiving when we visited my side of the family.  They were loved the same by my family.

If you ask Mary what the secret to her rolls are - she will tell you that it is the butter, and letting them rise for 2 1/2 hours.  I think the fact that they are crescent rolls rather than the traditional parker house shape makes them extra special too!

2 TBSP (one of the small packets of yeast = 1 TBSP) dry yeast

1 cup barely warm water

pinch of sugar

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 cube butter

1 cup boiling water

3 beaten eggs

6 cups flour

In a bowl combine the yeast, warm water, and pinch of sugar.  Set aside.  It will foam up a little bit.

Meanwhile combine 2/3 cup sugar, salt, butter, and boiling water in a large bowl.  I put it directly into my kitchenaid mixer bowl.  Stir until the butter melts and the water is cooled.

Add the beaten eggs to your yeast mixture and then add the yeast mixture to your butter mixture.  Add about 6 cups of flour.  Dough will be sticky.

Transfer to a gallon sized ziplock back and refrigerate overnight.  This is my FAVORITE part (other than eating them) about making these rolls.  I love that making the dough is done the night before.  If gives you time to whip up another delicious side dish.

The next day roll out the dough onto a floured board.  I usually do it in 2 batches.  Roll the dough out so that it is about 1/4 inch thick and into the shape of a rectangle.  Using a pizza cutter cut the rectangle in half length-wise and then into triangles.

Roll the triangles up, starting at the wide end.  Place the rolls with the point down so there are no "ear" sticking while they rise or bake.  Place rolls on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray.  Let rise for 2.5 hours.  Rolls will double in size.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.  Optional: brush with melted butter when they come out of the oven.

Serve warm or at room temperature.  Store in an air-tight container.  These also freeze great!  Just place them in a freezer ziplock and throw them in your freezer.

Who doesn't love a big basket of warm rolls?  Perfect for Thanksgiving or with homemade soup!

A favorite way to eat these at my Mother-in-laws house is with homemade strawberry jam...

Cheesy Corn Muffins

A few years back my husband and I were having dinner at a friends Tommy & Sarah's house.  She whipped up these yummy cornbread muffins and ever since I've been hooked!  She told me that she loved them and served them all the time with dinner.  This is a semi-homemade recipe because it uses the Jiffy Mix as the base.  The muffins are moist and flavorful, and the recipe is so easy!  There are perfect alongside any dinner, but pair perfectly with chili!

1 cup milk

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

2 eggs

1/2 cup packed shredded cheddar cheese

2 pkg (8.5 ox each) corn muffin mix like Jiffy

Preheat over to 400 degrees.  Line your muffin tin with cupcake liners - recipe makes 24 muffins.

Combine milk, cottage cheese, and eggs in a large bowl.  Using an electric mixer - blend on medium speed for one to 2 minutes until combined.

Stir in muffin mix, but don't over mix.  Stir in cheese.

Using an ice cream scoop fill the muffin tins with about 1/4 cup of the mixture.  By using an ice cream scoop you will be sure to make all of your muffins the same size.

Bake for 13-15 minutes until center springs back.  Cool on a wire rack.

Can be served warm out of the oven (my fav) or room temperature.  Store in an airtight container.

yummmmm....these are so good!

Try them with a little butter on a warm one...

Or maybe a drizzle of honey?  This is my favorite way to eat them.  So good!