My mom and dad gave us a huge box of pears a couple of weeks ago, and since, I’ve been trying to find ways to use them, so they don’t go to waste.  They’re so sweet to the taste, and they make great snacks for the boys.  We’ve also made pear butter, but this weekend, I tried something that just popped into my head.  It’s probably not a new recipe, but it was new to me, and I kinda made it up in my head.:)  I used parts of the Apple Crumb Pie topping from my Taste of Home Cookbook, but I made it my own….so here it is.  This is a delicious dessert, without all the work of making a whole pie.:)  Enjoy!

Pear Crumbles

Wash about 6 pears thoroughly, and then halve.  Be sure to leave the skin on, so the juices will stay within the pear.  Scoop out the seeds and core with a melon ball scooper.  Set pears on cookie sheet.

Topping

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Apple Pie Spice (you an add more to taste)

Mix above ingredients well. The butter needs to be cold, so a pastry blender works the best. Mix until you have a crumbly mixture. Then take the topping and crumble over your pears. Be generous. Fill the pears up with topping, as this will make them much more decadent.

Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Then enjoy with your family!:)

Nothing fills the house with a warm, cozy scent for fall like fresh cinnamon rolls, right out of the oven. These cinnamon rolls use my grandmother’s yeast rolls recipe that I’d shared before, with just a few adjustments.

Cinnamon Rolls

You use the yeast rolls recipe, as linked above; however, after letting the dough rise for the first time, you roll it out into a wide oval shape, until it’s about 1/2 an inch thick.  Brush melted butter over the surface; then add a cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of that.  I usually use about 1 1/2 cups sugar and 2-3 tbsp of cinnamon; you be the judge.  Then, if desired, sprinkle raisins on top.  Roll the dough, starting at one edge, rolling over and over, until it is in a long, cylinder type shape; it will be a long doughy roll.  Cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch thick segments with a knife, and place on greased cookie sheet or baking pan.  Let rolls rise to desired height; I usually let mine rise for an hour or two, depending on how quick they are to rise.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes; you might have to cover with foil, as the top will get done first and may get quite brown.  Finally, brush with simple powdered sugar icing (using butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, & milk) upon removal from oven, and enjoy!

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, my grandma would make her mouth-watering homemade rolls.  We always looked forward to them because they were so light and fluffy.  They were delicious!  This past weekend I made a big batch of them, and we ate on them all weekend long.  I think I might just make a batch of cinnamon rolls with the recipe this weekend.  Make them for your family, and enjoy!

Yeast Rolls

1 package dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp shortening
3 eggs
5 to 6 cups flour
3 pinches of salt

Mix yeast, sugar, and warm water. Set aside in warm place. It will bubble and rise up a little. Cream 2/3 cup sugar with 3 heaping tablespoons shortening. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Sift 5 to 6 cups flour and 3 large pinches of salt. Add yeast mixture to creamed mixture, plus 1 1/2 cups warm water. Add flour until dough is right texture for bread. Turn into large greased bowl or pan such as Dutch oven pan, and let rise to top. Keep covered. Turn out onto floured surface. Coat generously with flour by turning and shaping.

To make loaves, just divide and shape into loaves. For rolls, roll out to desired thickness, and cut with a glass. Place in greased pans and let rise. Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes at 425 degrees or 450. May not take quite that long, depending on your oven. Will rise faster if placed in warm place. No kneading necessary.

Dan is a really great cook, and every once in a while, he gets the urge to bake some kind of bread.  This past weekend, he made us this bread, and it was delicious!  It comes from the Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook.  Enjoy!Herb & Cheese Bubble Loaf

2 1/2-3 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese (4 oz.)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tbsp snipped parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp dried marjoram, crushed

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour and yeast; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat and stir milk, 1 tbsp butter, and 1/2 tsp salt just until warm and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl often. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Stir in cheese and as much of remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, and knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes). Shape dough into a ball, and place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until dough rises to nearly double in size.

Punch dough down, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a 1 1/2 qt. casserole or a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Stir together the 1/4 cup melted butter, parsley, oregano, and marjoram. Set aside.

To shape, roll out dough on a floured surface, from center to edges, forming an 8×6-inch rectangle; cut into 48 pieces. Gently pull each portion of dough into a ball, tucking edges beneath. Roll each ball in butter mixture. Arrange balls, smooth sides up, in prepared casserole or pan. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30-40 minutes or until dough is nearly double in size.

Bake in a 375 degree oven 35-40 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped (cover loosely with foil the last 10-15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Remove bread from casserole or pan. Serve warm. Makes 1 loaf.

It’s a little bit of work, but it’s so worth it!:)  This bread goes so well with any kind of pasta or even stew.