Quick Yeast Rolls

I made these a couple times in the last two weeks, because my husband eats most of them before I get them to the table. I found the original recipe on allrecipes.com and I've been playing with it. Because that's what I do.

Prep Time: 1.5 Hours
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes
Serves: 8 (huuuuuuuge) to 12

Ingredients:

2 T butter or shortening
1 heaping T sugar
1-2 T honey
1 C hot water
2.25 tsp yeast (1 packet)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
2.25 C flour (I've experimented with all white flour and half white, half whole wheat. Both have been delicious. I add a little more honey to the whole wheat rolls.)

Directions:

1) Mix butter, sugar/honey, and hot water in a large bowl. Cool to lukewarm and mix in yeast until dissolved.

2) Mix in egg, salt, and flour. Let rise until doubled.

3) Divide the dough. Now you can be creative. The dough should be sticky. Really sticky. Like, scrape-off-your-hands-with-your-teeth sticky. My favorite has been to dust my fingers with flour and then drop the dough into a (buttered!) round cake pan. I tried making 8 rolls but they were bigger than my head, so I think 12 works better. You can also butter or grease muffin cups and drop the dough ball into the muffin cups. DO NOT ADD MORE FLOUR THAN YOU NEED TO TO GET THE DOUGH INTO THE PAN. If you leave it sticky, you will end up with beautiful, soft, fluffy deliciousness. If you add flour because you think it doesn't look or feel like bread should (I understand this concern. Ignore it.) you will be eating little golden-brown baseballs.

4) Preheat oven somewhere between 350 and 425. My oven cooks them perfectly at 350, but mine is stupid. Let the rolls rise again until doubled (remember, though, they will continue to rise in the oven).

5) Bake for 10-ish minutes until they are just barely browning on the top. Best served warm with butter.

Eclair Dessert

One of my childhood favorites!

Ingredients:

2 small packages instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 package of chocolate frosting (or make your own)
8 oz cool whip
1 box graham crackers

Directions:

Stir pudding mix and milk together and let set for 5 minutes. Fold in cool whip. In a 9x13 pan layer graham crackers. (I usually break some to get them to fit right). Then layer on 1/2 of the pudding mixture. Layer twice more and then spread frosting all over the top (Heat frosting in microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes. It will help the spreading process.). Let set overnight for best results ...or at least 3 hours if you can't wait that long!

Slow Cooker ~ Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

2 Cans Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 Cup water
1/4 Cup lemon juice
2 Teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 1/2 Teaspoons garlic powder
8 large carrots, thickly sliced
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
8 Cups hot cooked egg noodles
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In slow cooker mix soup, water, lemon juice, mustard,
garlic powder and carrots. Add chicken and turn to coat.
Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is
done. Serve over noodles and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 8