The rain is beautiful with all the wet grass and leaves shimmering but it is also sad because I have beautiful maple trees lining my yard and driveway. All the rain is causing the leaves to fall faster and now my trees are mostly bare. I have been trying to get pictures of the leaves turning all the beautiful hues of reds, oranges, yellows and browns but now it is almost to late to get anymore pictures.
I am definitely a seasons person. Comfort food for each season is my specialty. No more hot weather to keep me from wanting to bake in the oven. The meatballs that are shown in the picture below are awesome football appetizer food or main dinner entree served over rice. I could not believe the ingredients when I first tried this recipe and now this is one of my main stay meals to fix.
Meatballs with Sauerkraut
The recipe for Meatballs with Sauerkraut is as follows:2 lbs. hamburger
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 c. bread crumbs
3 eggs beaten
12 (oz.) bottle chili sauce
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 c. brown sugar
16 oz. sauerkraut drained
16 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
Directions:
In a bowl - combine hamburger, soup mix, crumbs and eggs.
Mix well and shape into balls.
Place in baking dish.
In a saucepan combine chili sauce, brown sugar, water, sauerkraut and cranberry sauce.
Mix well while cooking over a low heat until it begins to boil.
Pour over meatballs and cook at 325 for 2 hours.
These meatballs are delicious! =D
I also made my favorite: Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls
If I could get away with just eating the cream cheese frosting alone I would BUT the overall cinnamon roll is awesome and moist too. My daughter is Such a picky teenager and actually loves these. Shocking, I know. :D
The recipe is as follows:
Ingredients
For the Dough:
PROOF:
1 packet (2 1/4 t.) active dry yeast
1 c. warm water (100-110 degrees)
WARM; ADD:
3/4 c. whole milk
1/2 c. buttermilk
3 T. sugar
2 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
5 c. all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 t. kosher salt...okay I am on a kosher kick. Regular salt is fine.
FOR THE FILLING---
SOFTEN AND BLEND:
3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cinnamon
CREAM CHEESE ICING: (with orange zest)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 t. orange zest, minced
Directions:
PROOF the yeast for the dough in warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer for 5 minutes, or until foamy. (You can proof in a regular large bowl to do this recipe if you do not have a stand mixer but your arm will fall off working the dough.)
WARM the milk to 100 degrees in a saucepan over low heat while yeast is proofing. Add warmed milk, buttermilk, 3 T. sugar, 2 T. butter, 3 1/2 cups flour, and salt to the proofed yeast. With a paddle attachment, mix on low speed until combined, then increase speed to high; beat for 2 more minutes.
SWITCH to the dough hook and add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix on low speed until incorporated, then increase speed to medium. Mix for 5-7 minutes, or until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (It will still be stuck to the bottom of the bowl, so don't worry.) Cover bowl with plastic and let dough rise in a warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until doubled. Butter two 9" square pans. (I know, 9" is not a regular size that many have but it is better just because they get BIG)
SOFTEN 3/4 cup butter for the filling in a bowl in a microwave for 30 seconds. Use a hand mixer to blend in the sugar and cinnamon; set aside (do not chill).
ONCE the dough has risen, hook your fingers under the edges to release the dough from the bowl. Scrape it onto a well-floured surface, sprinkle flour over the top, and press gently to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough in half and roll one portion into a 10 x 16" rectangle.
SPREAD half of the filling onto the dough, leaving a 1/2" border. Starting at the shortest edge, roll the dough jelly roll-style into a log. Repeat rolling and filling with the second piece of dough. Transfer logs to a baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes. (Shocking I know, but helps with cutting into rolls)
SLICE each log into 6 rolls and arrange them in the prepared pans; cover rolls with a towel and let rise for 1 hour; preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover rolls and bake 25-30 minutes, or until browned. Cool rolls in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and frost with Cream Cheese Icing.
CREAM CHEESE ICING:
BEAT all ingredients together with a hand mixer until combined. Top warm rolls generously with icing after they have cooled slightly.
Man, that was a little effort BUT you are going to
LOVE the result. =D
PROOF the yeast for the dough in warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer for 5 minutes, or until foamy. (You can proof in a regular large bowl to do this recipe if you do not have a stand mixer but your arm will fall off working the dough.)
WARM the milk to 100 degrees in a saucepan over low heat while yeast is proofing. Add warmed milk, buttermilk, 3 T. sugar, 2 T. butter, 3 1/2 cups flour, and salt to the proofed yeast. With a paddle attachment, mix on low speed until combined, then increase speed to high; beat for 2 more minutes.
SWITCH to the dough hook and add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix on low speed until incorporated, then increase speed to medium. Mix for 5-7 minutes, or until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (It will still be stuck to the bottom of the bowl, so don't worry.) Cover bowl with plastic and let dough rise in a warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until doubled. Butter two 9" square pans. (I know, 9" is not a regular size that many have but it is better just because they get BIG)
SOFTEN 3/4 cup butter for the filling in a bowl in a microwave for 30 seconds. Use a hand mixer to blend in the sugar and cinnamon; set aside (do not chill).
ONCE the dough has risen, hook your fingers under the edges to release the dough from the bowl. Scrape it onto a well-floured surface, sprinkle flour over the top, and press gently to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough in half and roll one portion into a 10 x 16" rectangle.
SPREAD half of the filling onto the dough, leaving a 1/2" border. Starting at the shortest edge, roll the dough jelly roll-style into a log. Repeat rolling and filling with the second piece of dough. Transfer logs to a baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes. (Shocking I know, but helps with cutting into rolls)
SLICE each log into 6 rolls and arrange them in the prepared pans; cover rolls with a towel and let rise for 1 hour; preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover rolls and bake 25-30 minutes, or until browned. Cool rolls in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and frost with Cream Cheese Icing.
CREAM CHEESE ICING:
BEAT all ingredients together with a hand mixer until combined. Top warm rolls generously with icing after they have cooled slightly.
Man, that was a little effort BUT you are going to
LOVE the result. =D