Baking Day!!!

It's that time of year....everyone is baking!! Well, maybe not EVERYONE...I know Michele doesn't bake, but she does make some WICKEDLY DELICIOUS Rice Krispie Treats. In out world, that's BAKING!! G

A week ago I decided I'd try making some Cinnamon Rolls, a blog that I read on occasion had a repeat article on making the world's most delicious cinnamon rolls and so I thought what the heck. You can check out the recipe at - thepioneerwomen.com/2007/06/cinnamon_rolls_/
Actually, you might want to check this out so you can see the MAJOR differences in her step by step approach and MINE!!!! G

It was one of those "nights"(morning??) where I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. It was 3:15 am, I'm awake and might as well make the best of it. Down side to getting up this early is that I had a "blood work" visit for life insurance at 7:30. Nothing other than water for 12 hrs. That's a LOT easier to do when you're SLEEPING! G Not to mention I'd a pot a day coffee drinker.

I pull out the step by step instructions and begin constructing the world's best cinnamon rolls.

Step 1 - make the dough.

I can honestly say I've tried making bread ONCE!! The yeast didn't like me and it never turned out. I think I probably got too antsy (who me???) and didn't wait for the liquid to cool enough before I added it. Yep, I probably killed it right off. I was not going to make that mistake again!

So, in our "chili" pot I put the one quart of WHOLE MILK (I haven't had whole milk in the fridge since college when my roommate's family had dairy cattle and we got it straight from the teat. Just shake and serve!!!) Anyway, whole, red cap milk, oil and sugar. You were suppose to "Scald" it. The only time I've ever scaled something is MYSELF...getting into tub water that's a LOT hotter than I thought. So, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect here. Just a word of caution, this mixture scalds a LOT faster than you think!

After scalding, you have to wait. Something I'm NOT good at, so I baked some molasses cookies that I'd mix up Friday night while I was waiting. You had to wait 45-60 minutes for it to cool. It could be warm to lukewarm....I was going to be careful, so I waited the hour. In the mean time I thought how nice it would be if I could have a nice cup of coffee!!! UGH!!

I added the yeast, which look like light brown bread crumbs. I wondered where they get this stuff?? But not for long as I had to add 8 cups of flour into that scaled liquid. MORE WAITING!!! Another hour. WOW, do I have a lot of respect for those bread makers! I suppose you aren't suppose to stand around watching it.

During that hour I got my supplies ready for the "fun part", rolling out the dough! You'll notice that the pioneer women has a lot of fancy tools. Fancy stainless steal work space, ergonomically correct rolling pen, a lovely assistant and man with a whisk.

I on the other hand have a 23 year old laminated topped table, an old fashion rolling pen with handles, 3 - 4 legged assistants and an antique potato smasher. The man is still asleep, until he smells the cinnamon rolls of course!

My next step of rolling out the dough required that I have a large flat surface. The table was the only thing I had and it has a couple seams in it. I hate it when stuff goes down into the cracks, so I used tape to "seal" it. I know what you're thinking, DUCT TAPE, but no, I used some masking tape. I didn't want to pull the laminate OFF the table, it's still has another 20 years left.

I got my rolling pen out, put the 1.5 cups of REAL butter in the microwave, put some flour to spread on the table and grabbed my book to finish out the hour of waiting.

I took 1/2 the dough as indicated and rolled it out in a rectangular shape. Okay, so it looked more like the state of Kentucky than Nebraska (consult a map here). Can it really matter than much??

I retrieved my melted "real" butter (remember 1.5 cups!!!) from the microwave and poured it onto KY. Here's where it got a little "dicey". WOW, that is a LOT of butter! WTF!! I'm not sure why I thought I really owed a flat surface. The table at first glance appeared flat. The butter indicated OTHERWISE!!!! It's heading NORTH at MACH SPEED!!!!

Quick, where's the one cup of sugar?? I can use it as sandbags!! Of course I'm not that prepared, so I'm scooping and dumping as fast as I can. Too late, some of the butter has already escaped. Oh well, there's still plenty on the dough. TRUST ME!!! I sprinkle liberally with the cinnamon as instructed and then start to roll the dough up.

Rolling the dough isn't as easy as you'd think. It's not like rolling sleeping pads that you use for camping. You don't want to roll it good and tight and get all the air bubbles out. WHY??? Because here comes that freaking butter again! OMG!!! I have to take another look at Hyacinth (from the article), where are the pools of butter?? I finally just start flapping it over from the other end, what the heck, who's gonna know?? I can tell you that my roll did resemble the finished roll in the article.

Next comes the slicing! HOW FUN!!! Hum, should I start at the end? Or in the middle? I decide to start in the middle. OMG!! MISTAKE!!! It was like hitting a carotid artery (okay, I've never actually seen this happen....only in the movie Sweeney Todd), the butter/sugar and cinnamon spilled out! CRAP! I sliced faster and got them into the pans ASAP!!

A little down time while the oven heats up and I wait for the rolls to rise again. During this time I decide to make the frosting. It calls for a whole bag of powdered sugar. YUMMY!!! I pour the bag into a bowl and some gets on my finger, I lick it and then realize I'm suppose to fast for 12 hours!! Oh well!!

The frosting also calls for 1/4 cup of brewed coffee. Talk about cruel and unusual punishment! I'm not brewing coffee that I won't be able to drink for an hour!! I melt another 1/4 cup of butter and add some maple favoring and use my grandmother's handy dandy potato masher to mix it. WA LA!! Frosting is born.

Amazingly enough, they turned out GREAT!!! They don't look as perfect as the one's Hyacinth made, but they sure taste good!!

Of course Bill's awake now. I've sent one pan home with Julie, she did my blood draw. I took one across the road to the neighbors, so there's 5 left. Bill is very interested in where the others are going. Yep, you know where this is going...... G

I would have taken pictures to compare my technique with the one that I was following. However I was concerned for my camera, I didn't think it could survive all the grease from the butter!

Here's the final product however. I must say they sure are delicious with a hot cup of coffee!!