I have been on a quest...

...to find the perfect Cinnamon Roll recipe.
The perfect cinnamon roll, to me, is plenty of gooey mixed with plenty of sweetness. I think I found it, so I thought I'd share the goodness.

Bad Decision

I love love love banana pudding, and Publix makes a really good batch. I miss Publix and their commercials that make you cry, because there are none here in Kentucky. I also miss my mom getting groceries for our family. She is the best grocery shopper because she gets all the goodies, and this one time she got banana pudding…for my dad. But I didn’t know it was for my dad. Actually, I think I did, and that’s why I planned on only eating a little bit. But like I said, Publix makes a good batch and so I ate the whole thing. That was bad choice numero uno.

Bad choice number two came soon after. My friend and fellow buttercreamer Sarah and I made the dum dum decision to make it up to my dad by trying to make him some homemade banana pudding…no Jello pudding but the real stuff. We bought the ingredients and headed to my house, and this is where things fell apart. We had to use a double broiler, which we had no clue what that was and the recipe said to stir constantly. So that is what we did for the next 5 hours. We would take turns, but this stuff would not turn to custard. I really don’t think I’m exaggerating either with the 5 hours. 

This was just one of the many memories that came to me as I delved into making a homemade banana cream pie. I’ve never made anything this seriously homemade before.

I started by cooking a Pillsbury crust, which is not homemade and knowing Grandma Brocco would have disapproved I caved and made Grandma and Betty Crocker’s crust.

I read to put beans in the crust to weight it down.

I cooked the crust and simmered the custard, and things almost went awry because I didn't know simmer means to almost boil without actually boiling, but things worked out. And yes, Jack and I ate the whole thing! It's hard to give 5 stars, but this is as close as its gonna get! 

Here's the link to the recipe if you want to try.

And here's the link for the homemade pie crust.

Enjoy!

"Everyone needs a good pot roast recipe..."

...or at least that's what I've been told. As a cook, I'm still a major novice, and I'm still figuring out if the meat is from a cow or a pig and which part its coming from. It's tricky stuff. But this is what I've figured out so far. I used eye of round for the roast, and that was just because there was a sticker on the meat that said pot roast and it was on sale so I figured I was on the right track.  Jack told me that the meat was from a cow and so I found this chart, and grosssss. But this roast was SUPER easy, and made the house smell really good. I give it 4.5 stars! 

Ingredients 

• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 5 1/2 pounds pot roast
• however many you like baby carrots.
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture. Add carrots around the roast.
2. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours. 

Bottoms up!

Oh, so cheesy chicken enchiladas.

Keeper. This is a good solid, simple recipe especially if you are cooking for kids.
Rating: 4 stars

	Ingredients -1 can (18.5 oz) ProgressoTraditional Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Soup (I've only been able to find this at Walmart.
	-1 can (10 oz) hot or mild enchilada sauce
	-2 cups shredded cooked chicken
	-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
	-7ish tortillas (it depends how packed you want your enchiladas)
	-2 medium green onions, thinly sliced Directions

1. 1.Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, stir together soup and enchilada sauce. Spread 1 cup soup mixture in ungreased 11x7-inch baking dish.
2. 2. In large bowl, mix 1 cup soup mixture with chicken and 1 cup of the cheese; reserve remaining soup mixture. On microwavable plate, stack tortillas and cover with paper towel; heat on High 1 minute to soften. Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture along middle of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam sides down in baking dish with sauce.
3. 3. Pour remaining soup mixture over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Sprinkle green onions on top. Bake about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly around edges.
4. Enjoy!