Cinnamon Rolls

My friend requested Cinnamon rolls for Easter, of course I had to oblige. Here is the recipe that I have used for years. I make them a couple of times a year. They are so easy and good and make enough rolls to freeze for later or to give as gifts.

Cinnamon Rolls

Preparation time: 30 minute(s) (plus additional rise time)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Yields: 12 huge “Cinnabon” size or 18-22 regular sized rolls.

Dough
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbs. ground cinnamon
2 Tbs. yeast)
1 tsp. granulated sugar
2/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup water (110 °)
1 cup warm milk
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Up to 8 cups all-purpose flour
Coating
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

• Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and the cinnamon; set aside (this will be used later to spread on dough)
• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in warm water; set aside
• In a large bowl, mix together milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, salt, and eggs; add yeast mixture and 4 cups of flour to mixture; beat until smooth; stir in enough flour to form a slightly stiff dough.
• Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, or if you have a mixer that can accommodate this many ingredients. I always know when my dough is finished kneading (either by hand or machine) when it can stretch quite well. It must be elastic enough.
• Place dough into a large greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Roll dough out onto a floured surface into a 15″ X 20″ rectangle.
• Brush 1/2 cup melted butter over dough; sprinkle cinnamon sugar liberally over dough
• Tightly roll up dough and pinch edges together to seal; cut the roll into 12 – 18 slices using unflavored dental floss or thread.
• Lightly grease a couple of 9″ pie pans. Place 6-8 rolls in each pan. You can either cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze at this point or place in refrigerator overnight.
• If you are going to bake them right away then cover pan and allow to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until they have nearly doubled in size.
• Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

***If you are going to bake the frozen rolls, pull them out the night before and place them in the refrigerator. About an hour before you are going to bake them then set the rolls on the counter to allow to rise the final time. Then bake according to the directions above.***

Cream Cheese Frosting ***if you aren’t planning on baking all the cinnamon rolls at once you can easily half this recipe***

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz.  Butter

1tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice
16 oz. powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Spread frosting on warm rolls.

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Winner winner Chicken dinner

This post is really about the sides but I did roast a chicken and I couldn’t resist this title 🙂 First this is how I prepared my chicken. I didn’t take picture of the process quite frankly it’s not a pretty site but the results are well worth it. Super easy and lots of flavor. I opted out of making the sauces. I just really like the finished chicken.

But like I said this post is really about the bread and the green beans. I usually only make these rolls for special occasions. I don’t know why it’s not like they are hard to make. So I decided on Christmas that I would be making these way more often.

Honey Yeast Rolls adapted from Cooking with the Big Dogs seen on Mom Makes aka my sisters blog

2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup water (105-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons canola oil
1¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups bread flour (508 grams)
1 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoons honey

Directions –

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with the paddle attachment, stir together the yeast and warm water – let sit for three to five minutes. Add the honey, oil, salt and egg to the yeast mixture and mix well. Add three cups of flour and mix until the dough comes together in a sticky mass. Switch to the dough hook and with the mixer on low, incorporate the remaining 1 cup of flour.Continue kneading on low-speed for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Sometimes, depending on the time of year (during the winter, especially), the dough is a bit drier, and I add in water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should feel soft (not sticky) and pliable when you are finished kneading it.Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it is doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work space and knead about 30 seconds. Cover and let the dough rest for another 10 minutes. Punch the dough down and divide it into 10-12 equal sized pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball and place into a greased 9×13 inch dish, spacing evenly. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 20-30 minutes.Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together melted butter and honey and brush the mixture over top of the unbaked rolls. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are baked through. Let cool slightly before serving.

And then there’s the green beans. OH MY GOODNESS! We eat these at least three times a month. They are super easy and so darn tasty. So much better than canned green beans and a lot cheaper in the long run too. The biggest expense is the Parmesan cheese but the block lasts FOREVER!  You wont be sorry that you bought it plus you can use it on other things like Garlic bread, pizza, spaghetti the possibilities are endless.

Garlic Parmesan Green Beans adapted from A Sweet Pea Chef

1 lb. fresh green beans, stems removed
2 tbsp. unsalted butter (***I usually use olive oil instead)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Steam green beans until slightly tender, about 6-8 minutes.

Melt butter (***or olive oil) over medium heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Transfer steamed green beans to the melted butter and garlic. Toss to coat green beans evenly and continue to sautee for approximately 5 minutes over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and sprinkle grated Parmesan. Toss once again until Parmesan is melted, approximately 1 minute.

 

Yummy Buns

While on vacation, my sister and I made a lot of yummy food. One of the things that she made for the 4th of July was hamburgers on homemade burger buns. I decided to make them again last night and we used them to make hamburger for dinner and Honey BBQ chicken sandwiches tonight for dinner. Last night we had baked zucchini as a side dish using some zucchini from my friends garden.

 Burger Buns: source Roxana GreenGirl, via Baker Street

Ingredients

4 cups (480 grams) bread flour
2 1/4 tsp (7 grams) dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 whole egg
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
4 tbsp butter diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water (optional)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl sift the flour. Make a well in the middle and pour 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Sprinkle the yeast and leave at room temperature until the yeast is dissolved and it foams, like a sponge.
2. When the yeast is proofed, add the egg, mashed potatoes, butter and salt.
3. If you’re using a stand up mixing, with the dough hook on, start mixing slowly adding 1/2 cup water and keep mixing until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl.
4. If you’re mixing by hand, use a Danish whisk or a wooden spoon and slowly add water in the middle of the flour mixture until the dough is formed.
5. Take the dough out of the bowl (no mater if you’re using a stand-up mixer or a Danish whisk) and place it on a floured working surface.
6. Knead by hand until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes.
7. Place the dough into a floured or oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until doubled in volume.
8. Take the dough out of the bowl, place it on a floured surface and divide it into 8-12 buns, depending on how small/big you want the buns.
9. Place the buns on a baking sheet, cover and leave at room temperature until almost doubled in size.
10. Meanwhile heat oven to 375°F.
11. Just before putting the buns in the oven, brush them with egg wash (egg yolk mixed with water)
12. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Leave to cool slightly before removing them from the baking sheet.
13. You can store the buns in the fridge or in the freezer. When ready to use again, just heat the oven to 350°F and place the buns in the oven for few minutes until warm. Or you can microwave them for few seconds.

Camp Loopy Ewe and Pretzel Dogs

I joined Camp Loopy Ewe this year and I am so glad that I did. For those who don’t know what it is it’s a free online knit-along hosted by Sheri of the online Loopy Ewe yarn shop. This has actually motivated me to start and finish a knitting project. Haha the first of 2012.

Aestlight Shawl  (ravelry link)

yarn Madelinetosh Merino Light in “Amber trinket” colorway

Knitting Started: 27 May 2012

Bound off: 4 June 2012

As for the Pretzel Dogs, I have made these twice in the last week. They were such a huge hit that my husband asked for them again. I guess these  will replace the regular Hot Dog Roll that I have made many time in the past. Well at least until he deploys again. I’m sure the kids will request both while he is gone.

Pretzel dogs: (adapted from Tracey’s Culinary adventures)
Dough

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 TBS sugar

2 tsp kosher salt

1 3/4 tsp instant yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 F)

4 TBS unsalted butter, melted
10 cups water

2/3 cup baking soda

8 hot dogs, halved

1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Coarse Salt or Kosher Salt

Directions:

Add the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, water, and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low-speed until the dough comes into a rough ball. Knead on low-speed for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic (it should pull away from the sides of the bowl). Transfer the dough to a large bowl that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 50 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 450 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the 10 cups of water and the baking soda in a large stockpot or roasting pan and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, turn the dough out onto your work surface. Divide it into 16 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into approximately a 12-inch rope. Wrap the rope around one halved hot dog – be sure to pinch the ends very well to seal (to reduce the likelihood that the dough unravels when you boil in the next step). Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough until you’ve wrapped all of the dogs.
One at a time, boil the pretzel dogs in the baking soda/water mixture for 30 seconds, transferring them to a wire rack afterward using a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Repeat with all 16 pretzel dogs. Transfer the dogs to the parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with mustard or your favorite dipping sauce.

 

 

The Perfect French Bread

I love bread, especially a nice tender but chewy french bread. I have used many french bread recipes, but this is our favorite thus far.

Super Easy and Super Yummy. This bread also freezes well. It makes two loaves. I love this bread!!!

Click Here for the recipe and instructions on how to shape this loaf.

No more Store bought frozen waffles in this house

Last week before my in-laws came to visit we went to Wal-Mart to get some things for the house. While we were there we saw a waffle maker for $20. I’ve been seeing lots of waffle ideas on pinterest and I’ve really wanted to try homemade waffles. I really don’t like waffles, but I guess that’s only because I have only ever eaten the frozen kind that you can get at the grocery store. My kids love waffles and request them regularly but I rarely have a coupon for them so I don’t buy them often. Well long story short, yeah right, I will NEVER buy waffles again. I am completely hooked on waffles and have made them 3 times this week 🙂

I have made two different kinds of waffles. One is definitely my favorite but I will post both of them.

Yeasted Waffles:

½ cup warm water

1 package (2 ¼ tsp.) dry yeast

2 cups whole milk, warmed

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ tsp. baking soda

Directions:
Pour the water into a large mixing bowl. (The batter will rise to double its volume, so keep that in mind when you choose the bowl.) Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let stand to dissolve for 5 minutes.
Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour, and beat until well blended and smooth. (Electric beaters do a nice job of this.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it stand overnight at room temperature.

In the morning warm up oven to lowest setting, mine is 170°. Place an oven safe plate in the oven so that when a waffle is done you can place it on the plate to keep warm while you make the others.

Just before cooking the waffles, add the eggs and baking soda, and stir to mix well. The batter will be very thin. Pour an appropriate amount of batter into your hot waffle maker: this amount will vary from machine to machine, and you should plan to use your first waffle as a test specimen. Cook until golden and crisp.

***NOTE***

These waffles are pretty good, but I think that this recipe was ment for a regular waffle maker, not a belgium waffle maker. The batter is a bit thin and as a result waffles were pretty thin as well.

Don’t be scared to let it rest overnight. I was but there were no problems in the morning. Make sure that you bowl is big enough because the batter does expand because of the yeast.

In the morning when you take plastic off the bowl you will definitely smell yeast. Almost reminded me of beer haha. The end result tastes similar to sourdough.

Source: As seen on Annie-Eats

NOW ON TO MY FAVORITE! The one that has made a waffle hater love waffles.

 

These are called Brown Sugar bacon waffles but I omit the bacon part. Just the waffle recipe has been made by me so far. I think I will be trying the addition of the bacon soon.

Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles

• 10 slices of bacon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, and line with foil.  Spray the foil with cooking spray, and line the bacon in a single layer on the foil.  Sprinkle each slice with brown sugar.  Bake until the bacon is crispy, and the sugar is caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.  Immediately transfer the bacon to a cutting board, and when cooled enough to handle, break into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. For the Waffles

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2/3 cups canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Set your waffle iron a clean level surface, and set to preheat.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar together in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and fold in the wet ingredients.  Stir until just combined (its okay to still be lumpy).  Gently fold in the bacon, being careful not to overmix.
Cook in the waffle maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Serve with maple syrup and fresh berries.

Source: Pink-Parsley

***NOTE***

When I made these waffles I did have one or two left. They can be frozen and used for another day.