Winstead Wandering

Prone to Wander

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (No Yeast)

by

You don’t have to choose between popping open a can or spending half your day tending to dough. Packed with gooey filling, smothered in rich glaze, and made without yeast, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls can be ready to enjoy in under an hour.

You don't have to choose between popping open a can or spending half your day tending to dough. Packed with gooey filling, smothered in rich glaze, and made without yeast, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are ready to enjoy in under an hour.

I recently heard the period of April and May described as the Christmas season’s slightly less hyper sister. It’s true, y’all. Even without the insane busyness of wrapping up the time-consuming project for the capstone class of my Masters degree, we’ve still got T-ball games, science fairs, awards days, state tests, and more. I don’t mind being busy, but I don’t like when that busyness keeps me from doing something I love — baking.

I realized last Sunday morning that I hadn’t made a new recipe in quite some time. My kitchen is my happy place, so of course that realization got me thinking about what I could whip up to share with my Sunday school classmates at church. These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls were the clear winner. Because they lack yeast and don’t require rising time, they’re super easy to make in just a couple hours.

I used my beloved KitchenAid stand mixer to stir and knead the dough, but it can be done by hand, too. With a straightforward filling and a two-ingredient glaze, this recipe is easier to make than you probably thought Homemade Cinnamon Rolls could be. They’re perfect for lazy Saturday mornings or special occasion brunches.

You don't have to choose between popping open a can or spending half your day tending to dough. Packed with gooey filling, smothered in rich glaze, and made without yeast, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are ready to enjoy in under an hour.

[Read more…]

Southern Sausage Balls

by

Loaded with hearty sausage and plenty of golden, melted cheese, Southern Sausage Balls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or party food.

Loaded with hearty sausage and plenty of golden, melted cheese, Southern Sausage Balls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or party food.

I’m not saying sausage balls are an exclusively southern dish. I’m just saying that, while the only ones I ever had while growing up in Oregon were made by southern relatives, they’re a staple at nearly every wedding and baby shower in The South. And because most people are huge fans of anything that combines cheese, pork, and some of form of bread, Southern Sausage Balls are always a hit.

I ate them for years and loved them; I even made them myself. Then one day my mother-in-law made a batch (actually, I’m sure it was at least a double batch) with a new secret ingredient. That secret ingredient was cream cheese and, y’all, it revolutionized the sausage ball eating experience. If you think that’s an exaggeration, you’ve clearly never eaten Southern Sausage Balls with cream cheese.

The addition of the cream cheese ups the moistness of the recipe and leaves all other versions tasting dry and boring. Even if regular sausage balls are already in your repertoire, I implore you to add cream cheese. It’s a total game-changer. If you’ve never made Southern Sausage Balls at all, what are you waiting for? Make them for game-day, for a party, or just for breakfast or a snack at home.

Loaded with hearty sausage and plenty of golden, melted cheese, Southern Sausage Balls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or party food.

[Read more…]

Homemade Bacon Cheddar Chive Biscuits

by

Forget the bland kind that come in a tube; these Homemade Bacon Cheddar Chive Biscuits are flaky, buttery, and everything homemade biscuits should be.

Forget the bland kind that come in a tube; these Homemade Bacon Cheddar Chive Biscuits are flaky, buttery, and everything homemade biscuits should be.

One of the first recipes I ever made was these Homemade Bacon Cheddar Chive Biscuits. I was 21 and J and I were newly married, living in a tiny apartment in Jackson. This was before the days of Pinterest, so much of what I made came from Google or from actual cookbooks.

I remember first making these biscuits in our little kitchen, with its one narrow drawer and its burners that refused to heat evenly. I was so new to cooking and baking then; every recipe was precisely followed because I wasn’t confident enough to make even the smallest changes. Over the years, though, I’ve adapted this recipe, adding the chives and tweaking the process. The result, these Homemade Bacon Cheddar Chive Biscuits, are just as satisfying to make now as they were all those years ago.

Forget the bland kind that come in a tube; these Homemade Bacon Cheddar Chive Biscuits are flaky, buttery, and everything homemade biscuits should be.

[Read more…]

Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza

by

With a crispy crust, tender veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and plenty of melted cheese, this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza is perfect any time of day.

With a crispy crust, tender veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and plenty of melted cheese, this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza is perfect any time of day.

I first shared this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza on my friend Kayla’s blog. She’s since refocused to share about all things Disney, so she gave me the go-ahead to share this recipe here.

It’s no secret that I love breakfast foods (see here or here), and I also love pizza (here and here). Combining the two was a natural step, and the results were everything I’d hoped they would be. In fact, this breakfast pizza is so outstanding, it even made it to a Buzzfeed post.

With a crispy crust, tender veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and plenty of melted cheese, this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza is perfect any time of day.

So what’s all the hype about? To start, you toss pre-made hashbrowns with melted butter and bake to form a crispy crust. The crust is topped with tender veggies and fluffy scrambled eggs (plus any other toppings you can dream up), sprinkled with plenty of shredded cheese, and baked until the whole thing is one delightful dish of crispy, melty, whole family-pleasing goodness.

With a crispy crust, tender veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and plenty of melted cheese, this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza is perfect any time of day.

[Read more…]

Double Chocolate No-Bake Cookie Protein Bites

by

With just the right amount of good-for-you sweetness, Double Chocolate No-Bake Cookie Protein Bites are the perfect healthy treat for breakfast or for on-the-go snacking.

With just the right amount of good-for-you sweetness, Double Chocolate No-Bake Cookie Protein Bites are the perfect healthy treat for breakfast or for on-the-go snacking.

My kids had a lemonade stand a few days ago. It was all their idea (I have no idea where they see or hear about half the things they come up with), so I made a batch of homemade lemonade, set up a table and two chairs in the carport, and helped them sound out “l-e-m-o-n-a-d-e” for construction paper signs.

They had it in their heads we needed to offer snacks, too, and since I’d been meaning to make a batch of Double Chocolate No-Bake Cookie Protein Bites to photograph for the blog, I obliged. I stirred the protein bites ingredients together, mixed up the lemonade (with their assistance, of course), and then shaped the bites into balls.
With just the right amount of good-for-you sweetness, Double Chocolate No-Bake Cookie Protein Bites are the perfect healthy treat for breakfast or for on-the-go snacking.

The only problem? We live in the country. Like, we have one neighbor and that’s my husband’s parents. So I texted grandma and she drove over, and then our sweet mail-lady came by a few hours later. They were so excited! I see another lemonade stand or two in our future.

Know what else I see in our future? More Double Chocolate No-Bake Cookie Protein Bites. The whole family loved these, and there’s no obvious indication that they’re a healthier version of the classic cookies. These guys are perfect for keeping in the freezer for school lunches, quick snacks, and easy breakfasts. They’re simple to make, too, so you can easily double or triple the batch.

With just the right amount of good-for-you sweetness, Double Chocolate No-Bake Cookie Protein Bites are the perfect healthy treat for breakfast or for on-the-go snacking.

[Read more…]

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Protein Dip

by

A healthy two ingredient snack that tastes like a sinful dessert? Yup! This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Protein Dip is as good for you as it is delicious.

A healthy two ingredient snack that tastes like a sinful dessert? Yup! This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Protein Dip is as good for you as it is delicious.

You can file this one under “recipes I should have posted years ago.” I first made this chocolate peanut butter cheesecake protein dip as a snack for my husband. He’s a picky eater, but he loves Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and apples. He’d often eat a serving of yogurt, as well as a sliced apple dipped in powdered peanut butter (mixed with water per serving instructions). One day it hit me that I could mix the powdered peanut butter with the yogurt and it’d probably taste pretty similar to cheesecake (another food J loves).

I was right. This stuff isn’t good for a healthy dip; it’s just good. One serving contains nine grams of protein and, depending on the brand of powdered peanut butter you buy, it’s gluten free, too. In addition, the recipe is low in carbs and calories and contains plenty of healthy fat.

Unsure what powdered peanut butter is? It’s exactly what it sounds like: peanuts are made into powder instead of fat-laden butter. Most peanut powders contain around 85 percent less fat than their butter counterparts. They also have healthy fiber and protein.

A healthy two ingredient snack that tastes like a sinful dessert? Yup! This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Protein Dip is as good for you as it is delicious.

[Read more…]

Strawberry Balsamic Baked Donuts

by

Looking for a new favorite summer treat? Strawberry Balsamic Baked Donuts with Balsamic Glaze are light, easy, and a perfect balance of savory and sweet.

Looking for a new favorite summer treat? Strawberry Balsamic Baked Donuts with Balsamic Glaze are light, easy, and a perfect balance of savory and sweet.

My local FFA club sold flats of strawberries a few months ago. I bought one and decided to bake my way through the whole thing. The result was a whole lot sweet strawberry goodness, including these Strawberry Balsamic Donuts with Balsamic Glaze.

The flavor combination of strawberries and balsamic vinegar is one of my favorites. I love to sprinkle sliced strawberries with brown sugar and balsamic and eat them that way. I just knew I could turn those flavors into a delicious baked donut. I was worried the donuts would be too taste-specific, but I was wrong. I shared the leftovers with my high school English students and they loved them!

Looking for a new favorite summer treat? Strawberry Balsamic Baked Donuts with Balsamic Glaze are light, easy, and a perfect balance of savory and sweet.

[Read more…]

Healthy Whole Wheat Orange Muffins

by

Healthy whole wheat orange muffins are sweetened with honey and fresh orange juice for the perfect bright, guilt-free snack or breakfast.

Healthy whole wheat orange muffins are sweetened with honey and fresh orange juice for the perfect bright, guilt-free snack or breakfast.

I love sharing my passions with my children as they get older. I love cooking and baking, of course, and B has recently expressed an interest in helping me in the kitchen. One of the biggest perks of this, I’ve discovered, is she ends up eating foods she otherwise wouldn’t.

One of our most recent creations was these healthy whole wheat orange muffins. B and I stayed home from church because she was dealing with some asthma issues, and we had a bag of oranges that needed to be used, so we pulled a bar stool over to the kitchen island and whipped these up.

My intention was to create a healthy muffin recipe, so I left out chocolate, sugar, and butter/oil. Instead, I sweetened the muffins with honey and used applesauce for moistness. I did sprinkle the tops of the unbaked muffins with organic cane sugar for a little texture and sparkle, but that’s optional.

Healthy whole wheat orange muffins are sweetened with honey and fresh orange juice for the perfect bright, guilt-free snack or breakfast.

We love this recipe. The muffins aren’t overly sweet; they’re definitely a healthy muffin as opposed to a dessert muffin, but that’s the point. The fresh orange juice and zest give the perfect amount of brightness, while the flax meal and whole wheat flour make them hearty.

I think these healthy whole wheat orange muffins are perfect as is, but you could definitely add dark chocolate chips, cranberries, or blueberries. I’d love to make a version with maple extract, too. Of course, if you want to lose the healthy part, you can make a sweet orange glaze.

Healthy whole wheat orange muffins are sweetened with honey and fresh orange juice for the perfect bright, guilt-free snack or breakfast.

[Read more…]

No-Bake Triple Chocolate Breakfast Cookies

by

Packed with flavor and with surprisingly healthy ingredients, no-bake triple chocolate breakfast cookies are a tasty alternative to a typical boring breakfast.

Packed with flavor and surprisingly healthy ingredients, no-bake triple chocolate breakfast cookies are a tasty alternative to a typical boring breakfast.

I’m always on the hunt for new and delicious easy breakfast ideas. More often than not, I make a smoothie for breakfast, but I sometimes go with overnight oats or some sort of make-ahead recipe like these no-bake triple chocolate breakfast cookies.

These cookies are deceptively delicious. My kids and my husband, who all tend to turn up their noses at anything healthy, dug in like they were eating dessert. I had to quickly transfer the cookies to a plastic container and hide it in the fridge so we’d actually have some left over for breakfast.

Don’t sweat it if you and your crew can’t wait until breakfast; these guys are perfect for snacking, too!

Packed with flavor and with surprisingly healthy ingredients, no-bake triple chocolate breakfast cookies are a tasty alternative to a typical boring breakfast.

[Read more…]

Maple Frosted Baked Donuts

by

Who needs the calorie-packed fried version when these maple frosted baked donuts are perfectly moist, sweet, and flavorful?

Who needs the calorie-packed fried version when these maple frosted baked donuts are perfectly moist, sweet, and flavorful?

 

If you’re from the Pacific Northwest, you likely know the heaven that is a maple bar. If that’s the case, go ahead and skip ahead to the recipe.

If you’re unlucky enough to have never had a maple bar, let me enlighten you. A maple bar is a donut: The fluffy fried kind, coated with a generous layer of rich, flavorful maple frosting. There aren’t even adequate words to describe how perfect they are. Unfortunately, now that we live in Mississippi, I’m forced to eat my annual allotment during the few weeks out of the year we’re in Oregon.

Who needs the calorie-packed fried version when these maple frosted baked donuts are perfectly moist, sweet, and flavorful?

Because I spend a good portion of my time pining for all things maple, I’ve taken to using it in baked goods. Last year, I made chocolate chip pumpkin scones with maple glaze. This year, it’s these maple frosted baked donuts. While they aren’t quite like eating a genuine maple bar, they’re a pretty darn good substitute.

Who needs the calorie-packed fried version when these maple frosted baked donuts are perfectly moist, sweet, and flavorful?

[Read more…]