Gramma's Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:
6 T sugar
6 T shortening
2 t salt
1 cup warmed milk (or 1 cup warm water mixed with 1/3c+3T powdered milk)
1 cup warm water
2 T yeast
2 1/2 cups wheat flour
1 1/2-2 1/2 c white flour

Cream sugar, shortening and salt. In a liquid measuring cup warm the milk to 120*, then add to shortening mixture. In liquid measuring cup warm the water to 120* and add 2 T yeast and let dissolve. Once the yeast is dissolved add water to the mixing bowl and mix slightly with the shortening mixture. Add the wheat flour and 1/2 cup of white flour. Mix well. Add enough remaining white flour to form a soft dough. Place in lightly greased bowl and let raise until doubled.
Shape as desired. These are rolls that easily pull apart. To do this, grease a muffin tin. Roll 3 small balls to fit in each spot. (This picture shows them after they have raised a bit. The balls were smaller when I had JUST rolled them.) These ones are fun because you can just pull them apart and enjoy!
Of course, a good 'ole round roll works GREAT for leftover turkey salad sandwhiches! I made some of both. We'll have the pullaparts with our Thanksgiving dinner. And when we finally feel like eating again later that evening we'll have leftovers on the round ones! I will never understand why my rolls don't look just like Gramma's! I mean, yah, they still look good...but there's just SOMETHING about a Gramma's cooking...

*Super Easy* Peanut Butter Cookies

...perfect to make with little kids!!!

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix together. Plop on a pan in whatever size you want. Score with a fork or pastry blender...and bake at 350* for 10ish minutes.

DONE.

Ok, these may not sound amazing. But they are a true melt-in-your-mouth goodness. And who needs to deal with flour, baking soda, and all that needless calorie adding junk?

I'm thinking you could add chocolate chips or peanut butter chips and it would add to the fantasticness!

TRY THEM.

Peanut Butter Brownie Dessert*

*Definitely not diet-friendly.
Definitely worth it!

Ingredients:
1 box family size brownies (chocolate chunk is an excellent choice for this recipe!) + ingredients to make brownies
1/2-2/3 cups reese peanut butter chips
1 (8oz) block cream cheese
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1 (8oz) tub whipped topping
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T mini chocolate chips

Mix brownies as directed on back. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter chips and mix well. Spread into 9x13 (or large round bakeware). Bake until middle is set. Cool completely.
Meanwhile beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Fold in whipped cream. Spread mixture over brownie. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. (Peanuts too, if desired). Chill for an hour before serving.

This is my new very favorite "pie" (I call it pie because i bake it in a round pan so it doesn't get called cake. It will be served at Thanksgiving this year. Guaranteed.

Ho Ho Cake (AKA Anchor Cake)*

This cake was a specialty of my Gramma's. She made it often, and it came to be known as "Anchor Cake" in our family because it is so filling. My twin brother has requested this cake every year for his birthday since the first introduction to this cake! When I was little I used put it on my plate frosting side down, then eat the cake off, and finish just by eating the cream/frosting part. It is truly a fantastic cake, and it really doesn't take any ingredients that are normally not on hand! It's making me hungry just THINKING about it!

Cake Ingredients:
1 chocolate cake mix (any flavor chocolate will do)
+ ingredients need to bake cake.

Mix and bake cake in 9x13 pan according to package directions. Cool completely.

First Topping Ingredients:
5 T flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1 c sugar
1 stick (1/2 c) margarine
1/2 c crisco
1 t vanilla

Mix 5 T flour with milk. On stovetop, heat -stirring constantly-until thick. Cool. Meanwhile, cream sugar, margarine and crisco. When flour mixture is cool add to sugar mixture adding vanilla as well. Beat until it looks like whipped cream (at least 5 minutes or more). Spread over completely cooled cake. Refrigerate to cool completely (I often refrigerate it overnight!)

Second Topping Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 c) margarine, melted and cooled.
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
3 (1oz) unsweetened chocolate squares, melted
2 T hot water

Mix together margarine (melted and cooled), egg, vanilla, sugar, and chocolate squares (melted) and 2 T hot water. Mix well then pour over the whipped cream layer. Cool completely before serving.

Store in refrigerator.

I don't even want to know how many points this is. SO, we are gonna count this as a day-off splurge! Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, and other such excuses.

"Low Fat Yet Loveable" Banana Bread

Ok, so I'm in LOVE with banana bread-but NOT with how many points (translate: fat) it is! I am skeptical of any and all "low-fat" recipes but when I tried this one (and made some revisions) I fell in love! I think I might even like it better than my full fat recipe! I've already made 5 loaves since I found this recipe! So, if you are like me and think that no low-fat version of banana bread could possibly compare...TRY THIS ONE.

Ingredients:
1/4 c applesauce (obviously, home made is best)
2 T sugar
2 T honey
2 T spenda
2 egg whites
1/4 c water
2 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
1 c mashed banana (2 bananas)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 T milk

Mix together the applesauce, sugar, honey, splenda, egg whites, cinnamon, vanilla and water. Mix in mashed banana, baking powder, soda, and salt. Then mix in the wheat flour. Gradually add milk and mix until moist.

One slice = 2 pts

Grilled Rosemary Garlic Bread*

*Once again, I find myself needing forgiveness for a recipe that is not necessarily helpful toward weight loss. (2 out of 2... I promise a healthy recipe soon!) However, this one isn't terrible and it tastes amazing. Soon I hope to try it with some whole wheat flour! I will let you know how that is asap!

~Serving tip: This bread goes well in the summer on the grill! I grill a 3oz steak (bigger for my hubby!) and butter the bread with a LIGHT butter or margarine. When the steak is almost done on the grill I put the bread on butter side down until it is just toasted. (Watch it carefully!) I serve the steak and bread with a toss salad and some Crystal Light lemonade. It is amazing and fits right in with my Weight Watchers Diet!!!

2 whole garlic bulbs
1 t olive oil
1 1/2 t dried rosemary, crushed
1 T chicken broth
6-6 1/2 c bread flour
1/3 c sugar
2 T (or pkgs) yeast
2 t salt
1 c milk
2/3 c water
1/2 c butter divided
1 egg
garlic salt

Remove papery outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves!) Cut the top off the garlic heads, leaving the root end intact. Place cut side up in a small baking dish. Brush with the oil; sprinkle with rosemary. Cover and bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes or until softened. Cool for 10 minutes; squeeze softened garlic into a bowl. Add broth; lightly mash.

*Note: I was very hesitant to try this recipe because I thought that baking whole garlic bulbs would stink my house to high heaven! Fortunately, I braved it, and was surprised to find that it doesn't seem to smell a whole lot at all! How exciting!!! Also, I usually do 6 garlic bulbs at a time and then freeze 2 containers worth and use one. It doesn't take much freezer space, but that way I don't have to do this first step EVERY time I want to make this bread!

Combine 2 cups flower, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk, water and 1/3 cup butter to 120 or 130 degrees. Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Beat in egg and garlic paste until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough (it will be somewhat sticky). Knead for 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into half. Divide each half into 3 balls. Make each ball into a "rope". Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid. Pinch ends together and tuck under. Cover and let raise until doubled.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Melt remaining butter and mix in desired amount of garlic salt (I do about a teaspoon) and brush over the bread. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

If you are wanting to grill this bread sometimes it works better to just make it into a round loaf (like on a pizza stone) and cut it in half. Butter the flat side and grill it butter-side-down.