Crescent Rolls on Steroids

These rolls are absolutely delish!! I call them "crescent rolls on steroids" because they are huge! They make a great addition to go along with any gifting meals, too. They can be easily frozen, then taken out as needed!

Butterhorns (Also a freezer recipe)
Recipe from: Money-Saving Mom
(makes 32 rolls)

2T. dry yeast, heaping
1/3C. warm water
9C. flour, divided (you can use any mixture of white or whole-wheat flour you’d like)
2C. warm milk
1C. butter, melted
1C. sugar
6 eggs
2t. salt

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add 4 cups flour, milk, butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Beat 2 minutes or until smooth. (I do this in my KitchenAid)
Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto floured board and knead lightly. (Or, knead in mixer until sides of bowl are clean, then knead two more minutes.)

Place in a greased bowl, turning dough once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size(1-3 hours). (Quick tip: preheat oven to 200° for 5mins. Turn off oven. Let dough rise in warmed oven. Takes about 45mins.)

Punch dough down and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a circle. Cut each circle into 16 pie-shaped slices. (Like a pizza. I use a pizza cutter.)

Roll up each wedge wide edge to tip. (like you form canned crescent rolls).

Place on greased cooking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size. (Remember my quick tip above)

Bake at 375° until lightly browned. (About 15 mins or so)

To freeze and use later:
After rolling, place on baking sheets and freeze (do not allow rolls to rise.) When frozen, place in freezer bags and keep frozen until needed.
To bake: Take out as many frozen rolls as you’ll need and place them on a greased baking sheet. Thaw for five hours or until doubled in size. Bake at 375° until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Remove and serve immediately or cool on wire racks.

Some meal ideas:

Wrap hotdogs in these rolls for wonderful pigs in a blanket!
Idea from: Amy

Chocolate Butterhorns for Breakfast:
Idea from Life As Mom

After cutting each circle, drop some chocolate chips on each slice, and roll as usual. Then continue to prepare/freeze as above. After baking, remove them and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before serving. SOooooo good!!

Works for Me Wednesday: Lower Your Bills

Coach has three players that now play for the NFL, so he needs to watch them each week. He also has players that play all around the country, so he needs to watch them, too. Direct TV is the only place we can tune in to Minnesota, Miami, Chicago, California, Texas, Michigan, and so on, to watch his boys. For us, satellite is a necessity. But our Direct TV bill just kept creeping up and up... and on a measly coaching salary, it's getting harder and harder to write that check.

We recently got an invitation in the mail for the DISH satellite network, which was much cheaper than what we are paying for DirectTV. I called the DISH, and got the scoop. They had 90% of what we were already getting, minus the NFL Sunday ticket, but they had something like it, so we could still see most of the games. Since I was a DirecTV customer for 6 years already, I thought I'd give them a call and give them a chance to keep us as customers.

When I called, the representative already knew of the DISH package I was thinking about and the prices. They matched the DISH's current promotion, drastically lowering our bill for the next 12 months, then $17 a month after that ($17 off what we currently pay now). On top of that, we received a credit of a rather large amount! (covering our bill for the next three months!) Guess they didn't want to lose a customer!!

Call your current providers...cell phone, cable/satellite, or other negotiable utilities... See if there's any wiggle room in your current package. Companies would rather lower your payments than lose your business altogether!

Worked for Me!!

Ahhhhhhhhh....{Breathe}

Yes. I'm still alive. Today it is absolutely raining buckets, so I. am. in. Not going anywhere. Actually, I fibbed. I have a dentist appointment this afternoon. But the past few weeks I have been running non-stop.

I have reported to my once-a-year job (outside my home) at our county fair. Thrown a surprise 45th Anniversary party for my parents. Had my sister's three children with us while she went to Hawaii. (Yeah...I know.) Oh, how I do not look forward to teenage years. Started coaching my daughter's cheerleading team. Uniform fittings. Practices. Scrimmages. Back to school shopping. Physicals. Pep-Rallies... You get the picture.

Did I mention it's the beginning of the busiest time for us? Full-blown Football season. Triples, 7-on-7's, scrimmages. Friday Night Lights! Bring it on!

Photo credit

Wordless Wednesday

While driving the other day, I was overcome with the beauty of where we live. I love that my children are able to see this every day.

Works For Me Wednesday: Streamlined Bill Paying

Every day runs a little smoother here thanks to our Daily System. Our household runs a little smoother with my home binder, housing all of our home warranties, maintenance/repair sheets, paint color chips, and booklets for baby gear, toys, electronics, etc.



And our bill paying runs a little smoother, thanks to my Bill Binder. I have a monthly calendar with each bills due date. I have files for bills to be paid, paid bills, and receipts. And since I have moved most of my bill paying online, I have a sheet with each website address and our login information, right at my fingertips. It makes it so much easier...when I need to pay a certain bill, I just look up the info on the sheet. No more searching for last month's online receipt where I scratched the password, etc. My Bill Binder works for me!!

Great American Backyard Campout

Last weekend Coach was away at the state university with his team for basketball camp. They always go the same weekend as The Great American Backyard Campout, and the kids are always disappointed that Daddy can't join in the festivities I try to plan.

However, disappointed tears always turn to excitement and awesomeness when I mention my single girlfriend's name... (My daughter says "that girl is so awesome!") They love when EM makes a visit, and it's usually the same weekend every year. Last year we had to settle with a dinner at Friendly's and half-baked smores in the oven due to loss of power from horrendous thunderstorms, but this year we went all out!

We planned true campers fare:

Hobo Burgers

Cheesy Potato Packets

Grilled corn-on-the-cob

Jiffy Pop

and of course, S'mores!!

Top it off with the showing of an outdoor movie and camping out in the tent.

No silly...you know our history!! Not outside with this visitor coming through our picnic (which, I love ya EM, but high-tailing it in the house in front of the children....c'mon!??!!)

There's no picture-perfect postcard camping going on in our cozy neck of the woods... We pitch our tents in our family room! This campsite includes A/C!!

Spending a "girls weekend" along with my kids is as about as much fun as EM's Cha Cha Vera... I just love it!!

Linked to: Finer Things Friday

Recipe Swap: Anything Goes

Around here, especially during this busy time of end-of-school activities, superstar week for Football, class picnics, and weekend visits to the coast, there are many nights I'll declare as an "anything goes" type of meal. It certainly helps when we fill our grill with marinated chicken breasts, steak, and burgers over the weekend so we can enjoy quick meals during the week.

Here's one of our favorite recipes to use our leftover grilled chicken:

Penne Rustica

Ingredients:

12 oz. grilled chicken breast (marinate in italian dressing)

crisp, cooked bacon

prepared penne

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Sauce:

2 tsp butter

2 tsp chopped garlic

1 cup marsala wine OR 1/3 cup apple juice + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar +enough chicken broth to equal 1 cup

1 tsp dijon or dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1C. light cream

Directions:

Saute garlic in butter in large pan. Add marsala wine, mustard, salt, and heavy cream. Cook pasta according to directions. Cook bacon. Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces. Combine sauce, cooked pasta, diced chicken, cooked bacon, parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly. Spread in baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake @ 475 for 10 minutes.

(I often make two pans of this and freeze one)

If frozen, thaw in refrigerator the day of. Cover with foil and bake @ 375 for 1 hour. Remove foil during the last 15 minutes.

Some other favorite ways to use up our grilled chicken: Pasta Alfredo and Penne Vodka.

Linked to: Ultimate Recipe Swap at LifeasMom