Pumpkin, Maple, & Pecan Cheesecake

This cheesecake is not overly pumpkiny because it has the yummy maple to counteract it; it tastes just like Fall. Cheesecake is my all time favorite dessert, well one of them, and I have always been so intimidated to make it.

This cheesecake is going to be my go-to Thanksgiving dessert from now on. Number one it is perfect, you are forced to make it the day before, so no scrambling or losing track of time and it can't be done the day before. Number two, if your cheesecake cracks, which it probably will, you spoon a delicious glaze on top and no one knows! I guess we should do a number three, it is amazingly, sinfully delicious.

Add this to your Thanksgiving menu, you will not regret it!
Source: Food Network

Ingredients:
10 Graham Crackers, finely ground, about 1 1/3 cups
1/4 cup of Sugar
5 tablespoons of Butter, melted
3 packages of Cream Cheese, 8 oz. each, at room temperature
3 large Eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes
1 can of Pumpkin Puree, 15 oz.
1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk, 14 oz.
3 tablespoons of Pure Maple Syrup
2 teaspoons of Cinnamon
1 teaspoon of Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of Salt

For the Glaze:
1 cup of Heavy Cream
2/3 cup of Pure Maple Syrup
3/4 cup of Pecan Pieces

Directions:
First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Next, pulse the graham crackers and sugar in a food processor or blender unit they are finely ground; place in the bottom of your springform pan. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and press with your hands into a crust onto the bottom of the pan.

Now, beat the cream cheese on high speed until it is very fluffy. Reduce the speed and add in the eggs, bring the speed back up to incorporate the eggs. Add the pumpkin puree, condensed milk, and maple syrup, continue beating on high. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and beat for a few more minutes, the more you beat the mixture the lighter and fluffier your cheesecake will be.

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan and tap the pan a few times on the counter to remove any air pockets.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove and let it cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refridgerate it overnight or at least 4 hours.

In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and maple syrup, bring to a boil, stirring for about 15 minutes or until thick. Stir in the pecan pieces. Cover and chill overnight.

Before serving warm up the glaze, until it can be poured, about 30-45 seconds on high in the microwave. Pour over the cheesecake before serving.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Fall Harvest Salad

I hosted my very first Thanksgiving dinner this year, before I head home to my parent's house for our big Thanksgiving day celebration. It was so much fun. I loved all of the planning that went into it and of course the outcome of all of my dishes. I made everything from scratch and had a blast doing it.

This salad was one of my favorites from the meal. I feel like there are always so many delicious carbs on the table at Thanksgiving, as it should be, and no one would dare touch a boring side salad, at least on Thanksgiving. This salad was anything but boring, it encompassed a few of my very favorite ingredients, so I knew it would be winner.

This salad will not be a lone dish that does not even get touched at your meal, you will even have people going back for seconds. This salad can't really be prepped too far in advance, because the apples will turn and the vinaigrette would solidify in the refridgerator, but you can make the pecan clusters a day or two in advance.  It takes a little work, but you aren't doing anything else on Thanksgiving besides cooking (and maybe football, later on.)
Source: Smells Like Home 

Ingredients:
2 cups of Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed, about 1 large
3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup of Pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon of Unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons of Brown Sugar
1 bunch of Kale, stems removed and chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
6 oz. of Brie, cubed
1 Apple, cored and chopped
1/2 cup of Dried Cranberries

 For the Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons of Pure Maple Syrup
1/3 cup of Olive Oil
1 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 teaspoon of Sea Salt

 Directions:
First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Now, cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spread the squash on top. Drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the squash for 15-25 minutes, until fork tender.

While the squash is roasting, make your pecan clusters. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Heat a medium size sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter and brown sugar. Cook and stir the butter mixture until it turns to a dark amber color and the sugar has liquified. Toss the pecans with the mixture, coat well, and pour onto your prepared baking sheet. Let cool and then break into clusters.

Now, make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl or mason jar mix all of the ingredients well by whisking or shaking.

In the bowl which you are going to serve your salad in, place the chopped kale inside, drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil and massage for 2-3 minutes until the kale starts to turn bright green and glossy. 

Layer the salad, place the roasted butternut squash, brie, apples, cranberries, pecan clusters, and drizzle with all of the vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Green Beans Gremolata

Green beans have been my favorite vegetable, before I liked most vegetables. I have been enjoying green beans using many different preparations; however, one of my favorites is the step of blanching first. It makes sure that they aren't raw, but they still have a snappy crunch and the bright green color.

This dish would be a perfect Thanksgiving recipe, you can blanch them a day ahead and have the topping ready. When you are ready to serve them, you use your iron skillet to reheat them. There won't be any oven scheduling on this green bean dish. The topping you coat these with is a light flavor that won't overpower any main dish. This is such a versatile side dish and goes with almost anything!
Source: Ina Garten, Foolproof

Ingredients:

1 lb. of French Green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons of Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of Lemon Zest, grated from 2 small or 1 large lemon
3 tablespoons of Parsley, minced, flat-leaf
3 tablespoons of Parmesan, freshly grated
2 tablespoons of Pine Nuts, toasted
2 1/2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper


Directions:
First, bring a large pot of water to a boil. While you water is coming to a boil, prepare a bowl of ice water. When the water is boiling, Add the green beans and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Place them immediately in the bowl of ice water.

Now, for the gremolata, combine the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan, and pine nuts in a small bowl.

When ready to serve the green beans, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the green beans dry and add them to the skillet. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Off of the heat, add the gremolata and toss well; sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Mustard-Roasted Fish

One of the main reasons I love having fish for dinner is that it cooks so quickly. Fish makes for perfect weeknight meals. This fish had so much flavor that I think it would be impressive enough to serve to guests as well. We used halibut, but tilapia, cod, or red snapper would also work.

We have fallen in love with whole grain mustard. It is guaranteed that if I find a recipe using whole grain mustard, I know it will be a winner for us. We love it with fresh pretzels and we especially loved it on the Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin with Whole Grain Mustard Pan Sauce. This fish was no different, it was delicious.

We served this meal with the sea salt & rosemary crusted potatoes and a simple spinach salad. The potatoes and fish cook at the same temperature, so it was easy to put the fish in during the last 15 minutes of baking. This recipe can easily be halved for just two.
Source: Ina Garten, via Food Network

Ingredients:
4, 8 oz. Fish Fillets, Halibut, Red Snapper, Tilapia, or Cod
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8 oz. of Creme Fraiche
3 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon of Whole Grain Mustard
2 tablespoons of Shallots, minced
2 teaspoons of Capers, drained

Directions:
First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Next, place the fish fillets skin side down in a oven-proof pan or a sheet pan lined with parchment paper; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Now, in a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche, dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, shallots, and capers. Spoon the sauce over the fish fillets, making sure they fish is all covered.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the fish is done. Spoon extra sauce from the pan over the fish and serve.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Roasted Potato, Onion, & Garlic Soup

I have really started enjoying soup for lunch. It is warm, comforting, and not too filling. I usually pair it with half of a sandwich or a small salad with some meat on top. I have been making a huge batch of soup and sending half of it to my aunt and eating the other half myself. It is hard to just make a little soup. I am sure you could of guessed, but I have been sending it to my aunt because Ethan doesn't like soup! He will eat a very small bowl before dinner, in place of a salad, but that is about it.

This soup is a game-changer. When I had this on the meal-plan he warned me not to be upset if he just ended up having a sandwich, well it is safe to say, he had two huge bowls of this soup. I even put it in the refrigerator instead of the freezer for lunches that same week. I do feel bad for my aunt, as she did not get to try this delicious soup, but so excited to have a soup that Ethan and I both love.

The roasted garlic really adds a great flavor to the soup, so don't skip the roasted garlic. This soup will have a permanent spot on our fall and winter soup schedule. I am officially obsessed! It really has all of the flavors you look for in a soup, it is smooth, garlicky, a little spice, yum, pretty close to perfect.

I chose this recipe from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations for part of a recipe swap that was hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking. Mary Ellen has lots of great soup recipes and I cannot wait to try more!
Source: Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of Butter
1 large Onion, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, raw
2 large Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 Bulb of Roasted Garlic
28 oz. of Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 cup of Heavy Cream
1/8 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Parsley, optional for garnish

Directions:
First, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.

When the butter has melted, add the onions and raw garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

Now, add the potatoes and cook for 4-5 more minutes.

Next, add the roasted garlic and broth and bring to a boil; lower the heat to low and cover. Let cook for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the soup from heat and blend in a blender/food processor/or immersion blender.

Now, add the cream and spices. I found that it needs a large amount of salt and pepper, more than you would think, keep tasting! Gently reheat the soup, over low heat for about 20 minutes.

Garnish with parsley if desired.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Sea Salt & Rosemary Crusted Potatoes

Easy side dishes are about as important as an easy main dish for dinner.  I was so excited to find a bag of baby potatoes varying in color at our grocery store. I have realized that they aren't as hard to find as I once thought, keep your eyes peeled and you will probably see them at your local grocery, too! These baby potatoes are so pretty with the purples, reds, and yellows, however, when I cooked them some of the colors went away. This is normal. 

Roasting potatoes is always a go-to side in our house. You can get your carb fix and avoid eating lots of cheese and butter with it. The potatoes impart great flavor through the roasting and different seasonings can help you not get in a rut. These were so easy to prepare, delicious, beautiful, and seemed impressive. 

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
4-5 lbs. of Baby Potatoes, I found a variety bag of purple, red, and yukon, 1/5 - 2 inches each
1 tablespoon of Kosher Salt, coarse
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 tablespoons of fresh Rosemary, minced

Directions:
First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Next, in a large bowl, toss the potatoes, salt, olive oil, and rosemary. Toss until well combined.

Now, transfer the potatoes to prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, toss the potatoes and bake for 18-22 more minutes, until fork tender.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Lobster Mac n' Cheese

Sometimes, you just want to indulge. The heart wants what the heart wants and in this case, it was lobster mac n' cheese. This is a dish I rarely ever order out; I fear that the restaurants will use not as fresh lobster in hopes over covering it in cheese, so I made it at home. It was beyond easy and beyond delicious, albeit, a little pricy. I counteracted the last part by cutting out our date night and having it at home and that problem was solved.

The ingredient list for the mac n' cheese is short and in typical Barefoot Contessa style, use only the best of what you can find. I mean really go to the special part of your grocery store and get delicious cheese and the fish supplier and ask for lobster tails. Many grocery stores will steam the lobster tails for you, for free! Just ask. 

This dish is easily the star of any show. It is perfection served with a simple salad and a hearty glass of wine. This dish will serve 8, feel free to half it and receive the same results. 

Source: Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, from her cookbook Foolproof

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt

1 lb. of Elbow Noodles

1 quart of Whole Milk, 4 cups

8 tablespoons of Butter, unsalted, divided

1/2 cup of All-Purpose Flour

4 cups of Gruyere Cheese, grated, about 12 oz.

2  cups of Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese, about 8 oz.

1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper

1/2 teaspoon of Nutmeg

1 1/2 lbs. of Cooked Lobster Meat, 1/2 inch dice

1 1/2 cups of fresh Bread Crumbs, about 5 slices of bread, crust removed

Directions:

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Next, add the oil to a pot of boiling water. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan warm milk on low, do not boil it. 

Now, in a large pot, big enough to add all of the macaroni and sauce to, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour, stirring for 2 minutes.  Whisk in the warm milk and cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture has thickened. 

Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cheeses, by the handful, whisking until smooth after each addition. Add in the pepper, nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Stir in the lobster meat and pasta.

Pour into a large gratin pan. Mix the breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and spread over the top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly. 

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,

The Barbee Housewife

Fall Chex Mix

Around the Barbee household, we always keep a mix of some sort for easy snacking. It might be traditional party chex mix, herbed ritz bits, or a surfer granola mix, but there is always something. These mixes are always easy to put together and easy to grab a handful when dinner isn't going to be ready for another hour or when the afternoon craving hits.

This isn't really a recipe, more of an idea, but it is a delicious idea. It is the perfect combination of salty and sweet and is easily adapted to fit your needs. I think this would be a perfect and easy hostess gift for any Halloween or Thanksgiving party. I am also sending this in a care package to a few students preparing for their finals, perfect brain food. Another good use for this chex mix would be to take it on a car ride!  It is easy to make in a big batch and then divide it into small zip locks for a special treat.
Source: Munchkin Munchies

Ingredients:
Cheese Itz
Salted Peanuts
Air-Popped Popcorn
Mini-Pretzels
Reese's Pieces
Caramel Corn
Honey Nut Cheerios
Cocoa Puffs

Directions:
What you'll do, in your largest bowl, or 2 largest bowls, put one cup of each ingredient and mix until combined.

Store in an air-tight container.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Flat-Roasted Chicken with Tiny Potatoes

I want to kick myself for waiting so long to make this recipe. Let's be honest, I was a little intimidated by it. I had never spatchcocked a chicken or even roasted a whole chicken. I wrote it off as not being made because I couldn't find tiny potatoes. Low and behold, I was in the grocery store and spotted tiny potatoes, I knew what had to be done. I picked up a whole chicken and some fresh thyme and added it to my cart, it was officially on the meal plan. In typical Caroline fashion, this was also going to be served to guests.

If you can't find tiny potatoes, don't let that stop you, just cut up some small potatoes. You could also cut up some sweet potatoes, green beans, mushrooms, brussels sprouts, to add in with the potatoes to roast to make this a complete meal. I made some simple green beans and homemade biscuits to round our meal out.

I could not believe how easy this meal was. If you are feeling nervous about the spatchcocking, watch a youtube video first. I just got to cutting and found it fairly easy and this was without my kitchen shears! I am going to remedy that today. Once you get past the spatchcocking, this meal is so, so, so easy.

The simple flavors are divine. I can't wait to try more variations of roasted chickens. Flat-roasing the chicken will give you a much quicker cook time, which makes it easier to have on a weeknight. In fact, I think this is a perfect weeknight meal. You throw everything in one pan and bake 35-45 minutes, easy peasy.
Source: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, by Deb Perelman 

Ingredients:
3-3.5 lb. Chicken
Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
1 1/2 pounds Tiny Potatoes
2 tablespoons of Melted Butter or Olive Oil
1 Lemon
1 tablespoon of Thyme, fresh

Directions:
First, pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees.

Now, using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut the backbone from the chicken. Sprinkle the cavity generously with salt and pepper, flip over into an iron skillet and sprinkle the top with lots of salt and pepper.

Next, nestle the potatoes in around the chicken, drizzle with melted butter or olive oil.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the chicken registers at 165 degrees internal temperature and is cooked thoroughly.

Finish the dish by squirting the juice of one lemon over the chicken and topping with fresh thyme.

Cut the chicken in half across the breast, and the legs and wings off the side.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Ginger Salad Dressing {Japanese Steak House Copycat}

I have been obsessed with the ginger or house dressing at hibachi restaurants for as long as I can remember. I have tried countless bottles from the grocery store and none of them bring the same punch or kick. This recipe hit the target right on.

The fresh ginger gave it such an amazing flavor. I kept with the traditional style salad, romaine lettuce and it tasted just like what I remembered. The ingredients are interesting and I thought they would never work, but they are perfect.

This dressing helps give the normal everyday side of salad a unique twist. I couldn't get enough of my side salads with this dressing. We served the salads with chicken fried rice, teriyaki chicken, and lo mein.
Source: Todd Wilbur, Top Secret Recipes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of Onion, minced
1/2 cup of Peanut Oil
1/3 cup of Rice Vinegar
2 tablespoons of Water
2 tablespoons of fresh Ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons of Ketchup
2 tablespoons of Celery, minced
4 teaspoons of Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons of Sugar
2 teaspoons of Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon of Garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
1/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper

Directions:
Blend all of the ingredients until smooth in a blender or food processor.

Chill in an airtight container for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

I am always looking for the perfect game day snack. These are easy to make, filling, and a different twist on the normal pizza. These sandwiches are highly addictive and if making for more than 3-4 people, I would recommend making more than one pan.

These have everything you love about pizza, but on a hawaiian roll. There is plenty of oozy cheese and cutting the pepperoni into 1/4's will ensure that you get a piece of pepperoni in every bite. We used our favorite homemade pizza sauce for this. I always make a batch and keep it in the freezer and microwave it when we need it, feel free to use your favorite sauce!

The tops of the buns get nice and crispy in the last few minutes of baking and the butter and seasonings provide a great savory aspect on the sweet bun.
Source: What's Cookin' Chicago

Ingredients:
12 Hawaiian Rolls
3/4 cup of Pizza Sauce, your favorite or my homemade version
1/2 lb. of Pepperoni Slices, about 24, cut into 1/4's
1 1/2-2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
4 tablespoons of Unsalted Butter, melted
1/2 tablespoon of Onion Powder
1/2 tablespoon of Garlic Powder
1/2 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning
4-6 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:
First, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Next, cut all of your hawaiian rolls in half.

Now, spread a little bit of pizza sauce on each side of the inside of the hawaiian rolls. Fill each roll with 2 pepperoni slices and layer with the cheese. Close the roll and place in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Next, in a small bowl whisk together the butter, onion powder, garlic powder, italian seasoning, and worcestershire sauce. Pour over the top of the filled rolls.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted. Remove the foil and bake for 2-5 more minutes until the tops get crispy and browned.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Bacon & Sage Meatballs with Buttermilk Gravy

Fall is here and so are the chilly temperatures, there is a bite in the air and the grill has gotten no use in the past few weeks. I got a dutch oven and I have been cooking warm and comforting foods, I love the change of seasons. This meal is a twist on traditional meatballs and has tons of flavor.

The fresh herbs really help this dish pop, so I would not suggest skimping on them. Sage is one of those ingredients that  has a memory attached to it for me. Every Thanksgiving my mom opens the sage and has me and my sister smell while we are making the dressing, the smell of sage takes me back to Thanksgiving week.

You can make this a complete meal by serving it over steamed rice and serving some slightly wilted spinach with it. This dinner will be ready in 30-40 minutes making it a great weeknight meal.
Source: adapted from, The Kitchn

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of Milk
1/4 cup of Breadcrumbs, fresh- the quickest way to do this is grate sliced bread
3 slices of Bacon, thick-cut
1 lb. of Ground Pork
1 Egg, beaten
3 tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese
4 tablespoons of Sage, chopped
1/8 teaspoon of Cayenne
1 teaspoon of Salt
1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper

For the Buttermilk Gravy:
Pan from Bacon/Meatballs
3 tablespoons of Butter
3 tablespoons of Flour
1 teaspoon of Thyme, dried
1/2 cup of White Wine
1 cup of Chicken Broth
1/4 cup of Buttermilk
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
First, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Now, place the breadcrumbs in the milk and stir until combined. When the breadcrumbs are soft, squeeze out the milk and discard the milk. Place breadcrumbs in a large bowl.

Next, slice the bacon in half lengthwise and then cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve pan.

Add the pork, egg, parmesan cheese, sage, cayenne, and salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs in the large bowl. Mix well.

Now, form meatballs into walnut sized balls. Heat the skillet from the bacon back to medium-heat and sear each meatball, working in batches, until browned on all sides. Place into a oven-safe baking dish.

Cook for 20 minutes in the oven or until the meatballs are cooked thoroughly.

While the meatballs are cooking, make the gravy. Place the 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet you used from the bacon and meatballs over medium-heat. When the butter is melted, add flour and thyme. Stir until the flour has browned and formed a paste, 2-3 minutes. Next, stir in the wine and chicken broth; bring to a boil and continue whisking until it has thickened, 2 minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk and bring it back to a boil, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the meatballs over rice with gravy poured on top.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Sea Salt & Caramel Snickerdoodle Cookies

Quick! Raid your children's Halloween stash, take all of the Rolo's. You need 35, don't have enough? Get in the car and drive to the closest gas station/grocery store. You will want to make these cookies today.

These are by far some of my favorite cookies I have made. They seemed to encompass everything that makes a perfect cookie, soft, salty, sweet, gooey, and of course, unbelievably yummy. I have already planned on making them again next week to send to my sister-in-law during her finals. I rarely make things this close together, so you know they have to be good.

I have recently fallen in love with Vietnamese Cinnamon from Penzey's. I used an entire container in just 2 weeks, it smells so delicious and sweet, I can't wait to go pick up another jar. If you ever find yourself in a Penzey's or browsing their website, definitely pick some up! *This is not a paid advertisement, I just wanted to share and express my love with you guys!

Source: The Comfort of Cooking

Ingredients:

For Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:
1/4 cup of Granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon of Cinnamon

For Cookies:
1 1/2 cups of Granulated Sugar
1 cup of Unsalted Butter, softened
2 Large Eggs
1/4 teaspoon of Vanilla
2 3/4 cups of Flour
2 teaspoons of Cream of Tartar
1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon of Salt
5 packages of Rolo Candies, about 35 individual pieces, unwrapped
Coarse Sea Salt

Directions:
First, pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Prepare your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

Now, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the topping in a shallow dish, set aside.

Next, in your mixing bowl or a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy on medium speed. Add the eggs in one at a time, then the vanilla.

Now, in a small bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add into the dough with the speed on low, until the dough is all combined.

Use one tablespoon of dough, flatten it in your hand, place a rolo in the middle and roll the dough around it into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon sugar and place on your prepared baking sheet, leaving enough room for the cookies to spread. I fit 12 cookies per baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake 7-8 minutes. The cookies will not appear to be done, let cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife