Cast Iron Skillet Cinnamon Rolls (without yeast)

My mom and I had big plans for Christmas cinnamon rolls. We've always just kinda used the Pillsbury canned kind and this was the first year we were going to make them from scratch. I suggested the Pioneer Woman's version but then we decided on a recipe that just made one batch. Well, Christmas Eve came and we discovered that despite multiple trips to the grocery store in the preceding days, there was no yeast in the house. So, after some quick research we found this recipe which does not require any yeast! That means there's no crazy steps of letting the dough rise and then kneading and then waiting for it to rise again. Which was just fine with us :)

Now these were a little less fluffy than your typical cinnamon rolls, but were still soft, bathed in ooey-gooey cinnamon sugary butter, and reheated really well. Plus the icing is basically a cream cheese frosting... which I love. Oh, and better than the canned, processed kind if you have a few minutes to put them together. 

What You'll Need:

for the rolls:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for the counter
2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the filling:

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

for the frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 cups confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon milk

What To Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously coat your cast iron skillet with vegetable oil spray. You could also use a 9" round cake pan.

2. First make the filling. Combine together the brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and the 1 Tablespoon melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.

3. Then, make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour; 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and 2 Tablespoons of the melted butter together.

5. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until absorbed, about 30 seconds. 

6. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute.

7. Press the dough out into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle using your hands or a rolling pin.

8. Brush the dough with 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Press the filling firmly into the dough.

9. Loosen the dough from the counter using a bench scraper or a metal spatula.

10. Starting at a long side, roll the dough, pressing lightly, to form a tight log.

11. Pinch the seam to seal. Slice the dough into 8 even pieces. (The more even each roll, the more evenly they will cook!)

12. Place the slices in the greased skillet.

13. Brush with the remaining 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

14. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer combine all of the ingredients for the cream cheese icing until fully combined and smooth. 

14. Let cool for 10 minutes before frosting with cream cheese icing. Serve warm!

recipe adapted from Moms Who Think

and because I'm a little weird, this is a little video I took as I oohed and aaahhhed over the yummy smell and bubbling deliciousness

I know that Christmas is over, but this is the perfect breakfast treat for any cold Saturday morning. You have to leave a little wiggle room in your New Years Resolutions, and there's a lot of winter left :) These completely fill your home with a delicious cinnamon sugar fragrance and warm happiness. I'm not even kidding. These fill your home with happiness. 

Christmas Traditions

hello loves! i'm linking up with Ashley at 5ohwifey and Kerrie at The Williams Post for this month's Girl Behind the Blog link up. This month's prompt was to share our favorite holiday traditions. My vlog is a little scattered and rambly but hope y'all enjoy. Be patient if I'm not able to comment on everyone's videos right away- I will be away from internet access for a few days!

Merry Christmas, y'all!

Fun Holiday Playlist

There are some songs this time of year that I cannot stand. The Christmas Shoes, Last Christmas, Santa Baby. BUT I really do love Christmas music. 

For your listening pleasure, here are my cross-genre, classic and remixed, favorite songs of the season. Some are distinctly Advent- related. Some are simply songs for the winter. But each song comes together for a fun and festive celebration of this Christmas season. In  no particular order, here are some of my favorite songs this year!

1. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm STUHR Remix by Kay Starr
2. Oh Come All Ye Faithful by Johnny Cash 
3. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow by Dean Martin
4. Christmas Tonight by Dave Barnes with Hilary Scott
5. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by The Civil Wars
6. You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch by CeeLo Green ft Straight No Chaser
7. Wonderful Christmastime by The Shins
8. Winter Song by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson 
9. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree by She & Him 
10. All I Want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey 
11. Do You Hear What I Hear by Carrie Underwood
12. White Christmas by Michael Buble with Shania Twain
13. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear by Frank Sinatra 
14. Sleigh Ride by Relient K
15. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
16. Christmas Eve/Sarajevo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
17. The First Noel by Josh Groban with Faith Hill
18. I Saw Three Ships by Sufjan Stevens 
19. Santa Claus is Coming to Town by the Jackson 5 
20. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by the Glee Cast (don't hate.)

What are your favorite songs this season? Which ones drive you crazy? You can check out my complete Christmas playlist here

Crock Pot Peppermint Mocha

I made a batch of this Peppermint Mocha for a day-long finals study session. I loved that I could whip it up the night before, refrigerate and then keep it warm in the crock pot the next day. I also loved that I had most of these ingredients on hand, saving me some serious money that I could have spent at a coffee shop. I made double this recipe and adjusted flavors by taste. I used instant coffee, 2% milk and heavy cream, and a mix of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips. SO GOOD.

It is creamy and sweet, with a hint of refreshing peppermint. A reminder of this sweet, refreshing season. Christmas in a cup. 

One of my favorite family traditions is our Christmas Eve brunch. We go all out with bacon, sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, scones, quiche, kolaches, French toast, and/or cinnamon rolls. This peppermint mocha would be a fantastic addition to our traditional feast (if any of my other family members would drink it, that is)

It would be great for Christmas mornings too!

What You'll Need:

• 4 cups milk
• Either 4 shots of espresso, 4 rounded teaspoons instant espresso powder plus 1½ cups water, or 2 cups very strong brewed coffee
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup peppermint syrup
• Whipping cream and shaved chocolate bar for garnish

Peppermint syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract

What To Do:

1. First prepare the peppermint syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
2. Make your peppermint mochas: In a 3-quart or larger slow cooker/Crock Pot, stir together the milk, espresso/coffee, chocolate chips, and peppermint syrup.
3. Cook covered on low for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to help distribute the melting chocolate, until steaming. You can also cook it on high for about an hour and fifteen minutes (depending on your slow cooker), stirring often – just watch it a little more carefully when the slow cooker is on high. Reduce heat to warm and keep covered once the mocha has heated to steaming. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. 
4. Serve in festive mugs, topped with whipped cream and garnish with a candy cane, chocolate shavings or a sprinkle of cocoa. Enjoy your Christmas in a cup.

recipe from Kitchen Treaty

Recipes for Christmas Parties

Getting ready for some fun office and school parties? Here are some fantastic party food suggestions for your celebrations!

Appetizers 

Stuffed Mushrooms

the bad phone picture can't capture decadent deliciousness of these creamy, savory bites.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Jalapeno Bites

nom nom nom

Queso Blanco

melted cheese is always a winner.

Guacamole

(hey it's green

add tomatoes for Christmas colors!)

Jalapeno Popper Dip

flavorful without being too spicy, creamy without being heavy and one recipe people will definitely keep asking for...

Baked Brie 

again, melted cheese is always a winner 

Desserts 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies 

The goodness of Reese's in cookie form

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

oatmeal means healthy, right?

Caramel Brownies 

ooey, gooey, rich and irresistible 

Chocolate Trifle 

my mom's signature dish that gets requested every. single. year. 

Guess what's finally here!

... It's my new Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer!

in ICE! 

You see, when my mother found an excellent deal 

on the 5 qt mixers at JCPenney, 

she began searching for my dream one. 

This ice one has been featured on my Pinterest 

Wish List board for quite some time. 

But as it turns out, the only color mixer in stock was yellow.  

And she said that her baby girl needed 

something to open on Christmas morning 

so she went with the yellow one. 

Now, I love yellow. It's a sunny, lovely, fun color... 

but it wasn't what I wanted. 

These mixers last forever, 

so it's important to love what I have. 

So after Christmas, I searched the JCPenney website 

looking for the ice colored mixer to exchange it for... 

but lo and behold it was NOT listed on their website. 

Devastation. 

Saddened by this news, I resolved myself 

to getting a black mixer. 

It would match everything in my kitchen nicely 

and as I move, it would easily match new kitchens. 

I actually procrastinated exchanging the yellow one 

for a couple weeks knowing this was my fate.

Finally, I pulled into the customer service center 

and told the sweet lady my sob story. 

She pulled up her screen and said, 

"Well we don't have it in stock, but we can order the Ice color 

for you and have in about a week. 

We can even deliver it to your home at no extra charge."

I broke out in the biggest smile!

 So last night, the doorbell rang and 

I opened the door in time to see the UPS man pulling away...

looked down 

and I squealed with delight!

She's here!

Today's my day off and I'll be testing her out with some new recipes.

I'm thinking cupcakes 

and all kinds of frosting

maybe I'll finally get that Swiss meringue buttercream right!

Hope you all have a beautiful Thursday!

(Note: the emotions in this story have been exaggerated for dramatic effect.)

Merry Christmas!

I'll be taking a week or so away from the computer

 to spend some sweet time doing some of my favorite things

with my family and friends

Making brunch with Mom on Christmas Eve

Last year's blueberry scones, spinach and bacon quiche 

and bacon wrapped shrimp skewers.

Last minute shopping

movies and hot chocolate

Christmas light viewing

The other people at the walk-through light park thought we were CRAZY

but I'd say we were jolly

or joyful

or spirited.

Watching It's A Wonderful Life 

and crying tears of gratefulness for everything I've been blessed with

(seriously, ever year there are tears)

And some restful time off with these lovely people!

my parents and sister

my extended family

with my favorite three little girls in the world 

who give the best makeovers

And the sweet Valdez family

who treats me like their own

And most of all, time to meditate on and celebrate

the hope that came to earth as a baby 

and the hope I have that He's coming again!

Wishing peace and joy to all of your families this Christmas

blessings,

Chelsea

Rib Roast

So my idea for a good man meal had to include some beautifully cooked red meat.

I thought- why yes, prime rib is a great idea. 

It is also known as a standing rib roast

it's where ribeye steaks come from

and you can get it boneless for easier carving

And then I saw this ad in the Randall's mailer 

a boneless rib roast for 2.99/lb

And I thought- NO WAY!

prime rib for 2.99 a pound??

So I planned an entire meal around this beautiful cut of meat

and the day of the dinner I moseyed over to Randall's

And just stared at the meat counter

Boneless Cross Rib Roast

And called my dad.

"This isn't prime rib is it?"

"Yeah... no"

So I bought the on-sale meat anyway. 

It was a rib roast... just not the lovely expensive cut I was planning for

I let it sit for an hour to bring it to room temperature,

crusted the outside with kosher salt, ground peppercorns

and garlic powder

Then I baked it, fat side up, at 400 for 20 minutes

and then at 325 for about 1 hr 20 minutes,

until it reached 140 degrees internally 

for a beautiful rare doneness

the edges were a little more medium

(meat thermometer=favorite new gadget)

Let it rest for at least twenty minutes, tented in foil

And then I sliced the roast thinly 

(but thicker than normal prime rib is sliced)

And yeah, no one else knew that it wasn't the $100 roast

It was absolutely delicious and flavorful!

and the man-meal-red-meat totally went over well.

Tuxedo Cake

This was the finale to our Christmas dinner.

Isn't it pretty?

The best part about this cake it that the components are simple

I put this together over two days 

(which further simplified the process)

It's a basic, but very moist, chocolate cake 

whipped cream filling and frosting

and a chocolate ganache

I garnished with chocolate covered strawberries

but I've seen all kinds of cool things you can do on Pinterest! 

I also cut the recipe to 2/3 its original proportions

and made it a two layer cake. 

It was still HUGE. 

What You'll Need: 

For the cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups water
1 cup canola oil
4 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

For the chocolate topping:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract

What To Do:

To make the cake layers, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line three 9-inch round cake pans (or two 10-inch round cake pans) with parchment paper.  Butter and flour the inside edges of the pan, shaking out the excess flour.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water and canola oil; heat until the butter is melted.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and flour; whisk to blend.  Pour the melted butter mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the buttermilk.  Add the baking soda, salt and vanilla to the bowl and whisk just until incorporated.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of each cake layer and invert onto a wire cooling rack.  Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting, at least 2 hours.

To make the frosting, add the heavy cream to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Add the powdered sugar and continue to whip until thoroughly combined and stiff peaks form.  Be careful not to over-beat!

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake platter and spread a layer of the whipped cream frosting over the top.  Top with a second cake layer, more frosting (and the third cake layer, if using).  Frost the top and sides of the assembled cake.  Refrigerate until the frosting has stabilized, at least 1 hour.

To make the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate in a medium bowl.  Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 1-2 minutes.  Whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.  Blend in the corn syrup and vanilla.  Pour the glaze into a pitcher or measuring cup and let cool for 10 minutes.  (Do not let the glaze cool longer or it may become difficult to pour over the cake.)  Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, ensuring that the top is covered and the glaze drips over the sides.

Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is set and the whipped cream frosting is firm, at least 1 hour.  Slice with a long, sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between slices.

adapted from Annie's Eats 

Green Bean Bundles

These green bean bundles made an impressive presentation 

as part of our Christmas dinner party. 

They are fairly simple to make, 

although there are a few steps involved.

I really like my green beans a little crisp so these are great.

plus, the brown sugar sauce adds an unexpected 

but perfectly cohesive surprise of flavor to the dish.

And if you'd rather not  make a perfectly healthy vegetable 

into a bacon heavy dish,

you can always substitute with turkey bacon

But, you know, calories don't count during the holidays

so I went with real bacon. ;)

What You'll Need:

• 1.25-1.5  pounds fresh green beans
• 1 pkg bacon 
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon soy sauce

What To Do:

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove to paper towels. 

Drain beans; place about 12 beans on each bacon strip. Wrap bacon around beans and secure with a toothpick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, garlic salt and soy sauce; drizzle over bundles. Bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is crisp. 

Serves 8

Adapted from Taste of Home

A Silly Song and Some Advent Truth

First, a funny video to make you chuckle.

Now that you're all smiles,

This next video truly touched me and has helped me to refocus on Christmas

as a season of Advent

a time of looking back at Jesus on earth

that beautiful gift of salvation

and looking forward to the day when He'll return

I hope it resonates in you the same.

  GOD WITH US

Poem by Isaac Wimberley

The people had read of this rescue that was coming through the bloodline of Abraham

They had seen where Micah proclaimed about a ruler to be born in Bethlehem

Daniel prophesy about the restoration of Jerusalem

Isaiah’s cry about the Son of God coming to them

So for them—it was anticipation

This groaning was growing, generation after generation

Knowing He was holy, no matter what the situation

But they longed for Him

They yearned for Him

They waited for Him on the edge of their seat

On the edge of where excitement and containment meet

They waited

Like a child watches out the window for their father to return from work—they waited

Like a groom stares at the double doors at the back of the church—they waited

And in their waiting, they had hope

Hope that was fully pledged to a God they had not seen

To a God who had promised a King

A King who would reign over the enemy

Over Satan’s tyranny

They waited

So it was

Centuries of expectations, with various combinations of differing schools of thought

Some people expecting a political king who would rise to the throne through the wars that he fought

While others expecting a priest who would restore peace through the penetration of the Pharisee’s façade

Yet a baby—100% human, 100% God

So the Word became flesh and was here to dwell among us

In His fullness, grace upon grace, Jesus

Through Him and for Him, all things were created

And in Him all things are sustained

God had made Himself known for the glory of His name

And this child would one day rise as King

But it would not be by the sword or an insurgent regime

It would be by His life

A life that would revolutionize everything the world knew

He would endure temptation and persecution, all while staying true

Humbly healing the broken, the sick and hurting too

Ministering reconciliation, turning the old to new

A life that would be the very definition of what life really costs

Saying—if you desire life, then your current one must be lost

And He would portray that with His own life as His Father would pour out and exhaust

And Jesus would be obedient to the point of death, even death upon the cross

So just 33 years after the day that He laid swaddled in the hay

He hung on a tree suffocating, dying in our place

Absorbing wrath that is rightly ours, but we could never bear the weight

So He took that punishment and he put it in the grave

And He died

And when I say that He died, what I mean is that He died

No breath, noheartbeat, no sign of life

God is a God of justice, and the penalty for our sin equals death

That’s what Christ did on that cross

Then… On the third day, in accordance with scriptures, He was raised from the grave

And when I say that He was raised, what I mean is that He was raised

Lungs breathing, heart pumping, blood pulsing through His veins

The things that He promised were true

He is the risen Son of God, offering life to me and you

Turning our mourning into dancing

Our weeping into laughing

Our sadness into joy

By His mercy, we are called His own

By His grace, we will never be left alone

By His love, He is preparing our home

By His blood, we can sing before His throne

Jesus paid it all

All to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow

So now we, as His bride, are the ones waiting

Like the saints that came before, we’re anticipating

He has shown us that this world is fading

And He has caused our desire to be for Him

So church, stay ready

Keep your heart focused and your eyes steady

Worship Him freely, never forgetting

His great love for you

Immanuel, God with us

How are you staying focused this Christmas season?