in absence there are cinnamon rolls

I could hear your gurggling tummies crying out for some attention all the way across the webisphere. I know you've missed me and perhaps wondered why I haven't been here. Well, I turned some much needed attention to myself and did a bit of healing. So that's my faboosh update and I'll leave you with a picture that will have everyone wondering....What the hell?

Yes, what you are looking at is my famous cinnamon roll (muffins).  If you take a closer look, all of these have lots of nibbles or chunks taken out.

This child, unarguably, is the culprit.  Really.  She even admitted to it when asked as if it were no big deal.  The sticky hands, frosting covered hair and face were also a let on.  Yes, she is eating grass in this picture.  It just goes to show you, she'll eat anything.

If you're looking for the cinnamon roll recipe you can find here - it's faboo and after a few years it gets tweaked a bit everytime, but no matter they are pretty much THE BEST.

What?

I'm having a heck of a time getting motivated these last few days. Yesterday I started feeling a little out of whack and I'm not sure what's causing it. Perhaps I'm lacking in one of my vitamin supplements or one of my new medications is causing it. Whatever.

I discovered a new recipe for pancakes that we all just die over. We've eaten them for dinner twice in the last week and at least twice for breakfast. Not to mention that I had a few left over from one of those nights and we froze them for weekday breakfast. Typically, we are a Krusteaz family. I buy the big bags from Costco and every other week we have them for dinner and at least once during a weekend. My family loves pancakes. Well, last weekend the man of the house accidentally picked up a quart of buttermilk instead of 2% - I saw the mistake right off the bat, but he said the color was similar. Anyhow, well when life gives you buttermilk, you make buttermilk pancakes!
I had remembered a few days earlier a post that I had read on The Happy Housewife that I knew we had to try someday. Well that someday had come. Happy's whole wheat pancakes are a hit! We had to alter them up a bit, because half of the kids were gone and I definitely didn't need to make a full batch and I didn't have any whole wheat flour around. Regardless, they were delicious and so easy to make and my husband claims it is why he bought the buttermilk in the first place, no mistake, all intentional. Typical man.
You'll have to enjoy her pictures for now as I haven't had a chance to take any of our own. When I do, I'll add the recipe with it too.


In the past month I've made my cinnamon rolls several times and I think my husband and my ass are hating me for it. They are just good and a seriously awesome reward for being a stay-at-home mom. Don't they look good?

I'm now working on our menu plan for the next three months - the first two months were easy, but now I'm struggling with the last month. It may be a month of rice & noodles :)

two words... CINNAMON ROLLS

Dinner tonight is soup/sand/salad - well, I'm making homemade chili and bread bowls. I'm trying a new recipe since it's just the kids and I tonight and I'm hoping it will be a hit - I LOVE CHILI!!!

In the meanwhile, I love cinnamon rolls. I used to love my grandma's rolls - then an evil new food entered our local mall. CINNABON. I would dream of having a roll and then would make it a point to visit everytime I could, I would even make up some reason to go shopping just so I could say "oh, I love cinnabon. We must have one before we leave." Um yeah, it was that evil. Now, I have that evil kept up in my recipe file for me to use whenever I damn well please. So, now I will share it with you. First off, thank you mrs.pinecone for posting them on hotcouponworld.com. Really, a general search on google and you too can claim your own possession story. BUT REALLY THEY ARE SO DROOL WORTHY... and so worth the extra bits of rolls on my hips.



*don't make fun of my photos -it was taken with my cell and I'm slowly learning to post pics - just feel blessed to have that to salivate to


Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

DOUGH:

2 pkg yeast (very fresh) or slightly less than 2 TB bulk yeast
1 t sugar
1 c warm water

1 c warm milk
2 tsp salt
2/3 c sugar
2/3 c butter (about 1 stick + 2 T)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
7-8 c flour

FILLING:

1 c melted butter, divided into 2 1/2 c portions
1 3/4 c sugar
3 T cinnamon

GLAZE:

2/3 c melted butter
2 t vanilla
4 c powdered sugar
4-6 T hot water

-In a cup, combine yeast, 1 t sugar and warm water, stir and set aside. In a large bowl (it fits in the KitchenAid, BTW) mix milk, remaining sugar, melted butter, salt & eggs.
-Stir well & add yeast mixture. Add half the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make dough slightly stiff-- it will be sticky!
-Turn out onto well-floured board. Knead 5-10 min. (I actually use the dough hook and knead in the mixer for 5 min.) Place in well-buttered glass or plastic bowl. Cover, let rise in a warm place until doubled: 45 min to 1 hour 15 min. When doubled, punch down and let rest 5 min. Roll out into 15 x 20 inch rectangle.

To prepare filling: -Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Prepare a 1/4 sheet restaurant pan OR a 9x13 AND an 8" square by spreading 1/2 c melted butter on the bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 c of the cinn-sugar mix.
-Spread dough with 1/2 c melted butter. Add walnuts & raisins if you want to! -Sprinkle the rest of the cinn-sugar evenly over the surface.
-Roll up jelly-roll style and pinch edges to seal. Cut into 12-15 slices. (If using the commercial pan, all 15 will fit in 3 rows of 5.)

-Let rise in warm place until double-- about 45 min.
-Preheat over to 350, bake 25-30 min until nicely browned. Cool for 5 min.

To prepare glaze: -Mix melted butter, vanilla, powdered sugar; add hot water 1 T at a time until glaze is spreading consistency. (Usually 4-5 T) Spread over rolls.

I let them sit a bit to let the icing melt and get into every little crevice. In the meantime, go ahead and lick the icing bowl you totally deserve it! When you're done with the bowl, the rolls that you've slaved over all day are ready to be devoured. ENJOY!