The Ultimate Sinnamon Rolls (Includes Cheater Directions)

Are you a cinnamon roll junkie?

Well, I am NOT.

Until I tried this recipe.

One of my friends over at Fabric, Food, and Photos brought

some of these to Sunday School.

When I asked her for the recipe, she said she learned about them from

Ashley Ann of Under the Sycamore blog.

Ashley Ann hosts a wonderful photography workshop and food is

included.

We found out Ashley got the recipe from her sister, Lesley.

HERE IS THE ORIGINAL RECIPE.

CLICK HERE

I have since modified my version of this recipe and cannot tell

a difference.

I use my own ROLL recipe, however there is a cheater version of

using the frozen Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls.

Believe me, I wouldn't hold it against you if you did this version.

I was going to do it also, but our lovely ONLY grocery store

does not carry the Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls.  :(

If your store doesn't have them, but they DO have the Rhodes Bread Loaf,

USE IT.

Roll and press out the loaf to resemble a rectangle.

This is a great workout by the way.

If you have small children, they can learn their shapes!

Did I tell you I flunked shapes 101?

The original recipe called for making a wonderful mixture of

brown sugar and VANILLA ICE CREAM!

This tickled me to death.....at first.

It takes TIME.

I decided to do the CHEATER VERSION.

I wandered the aisles looking for the ice cream topping...

I was beginning to worry that our ONLY grocery store

didn't carry it.

FINALLY my amazing husband wandered over by the PAPER PRODUCTS

and THERE IT WAS in all it's GLORY!!!

Yes, you read that correctly...PAPER PRODUCTS...CARAMEL....

I have no idea what the logic is to that....

I used the ENTIRE jar!!!

You just pour it in the GLASS cake pan...yep, that easy.

SIDE NOTE:  These Sinnamon rolls are better in a glass pan for some reason.

I used my wonderful Pampered Very Seasoned Chef pan, and they

weren't as good.

Next step is to take a WHOLE stick of SOFTENED butter

and slather it on the dough....making sure you get to the edges.

Next:  Sprinkle a GENEROUS amount of cinnamon

and get to the edges...it is okay if you get off the edges too.

Next is BROWN SUGAR....I used light because that

is what I have and wouldn't know if you can tell a difference

with dark brown sugar.  PILE IT ON.

No measuring here.

Starting with the LONG side, begin to roll that baby up....

making a giant tootsie roll.

 Once it is rolled, I either stretch it or scrunch it to make it

go from the 8" on the left of the mat to the 8" on the right side.

I guess that makes is 16" long, right?

You are going to DIVIDE the dough now....

start by cutting it in 1/2.

Be careful not to cut your mat if you are using one.

By the way, this is a Pampered Chef Pastry Mat....LOVE IT!!

I got it FREE when I hosted a party.

Then you cut each 1/2 into 1/2.

Now you have FOUR!

Now each 1/4 needs to cut into 1/3rds.

The cutting distorts them a little, just push them back together

and place them in the pan ON TOP of the cheater caramel.

Say hi to college girl, Sydni.

She loves these and wanted to learn how to make them.

Here they are all ready for their last rising before being baked.

At this point, we lightly sprayed the top with Pam and put

plastic wrap over the top.

I put the plastic wrap tight since I wanted to let them rise OVERNIGHT

in the fridge.

If you don't want them to rise overnight, just place them in a draft free spot

until they double in size.

My secret place is in the MICROWAVE with the stove top light ON...it heats up

the INSIDE of the microwave just right for proofing bread!

Here they are after rising in the fridge overnight.

(TOP VIEW)

(SIDE VIEW)

See how they are almost to the top?

Since I had the GLASS pan in the fridge, I let it set a bit while

the oven warmed up...DO NOT take them right out of the

fridge and pop it in the oven.....It could shatter the pan.

It could shatter your dreams of wonderful Sinnamon Rolls too.

Set oven to 350 degrees.

While they are baking, set out:

1 Oz. of cream cheese and let soften.

1/4 cup of butter and let soften.

Get together:

1 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. of vanilla

1 1/2 tsp of milk

Once the cream cheese and butter are softened,

mix ALL ingredients....

WHIP IT - WHIP IT GOOD!!!!

When it is whipped, you will have some glorious frosting

while turns them from Cinnamon Rolls, to SINNAMON ROLLS.

Honestly, I think the CARAMEL is what turns them into

SINNAMON ROLLS....see how it bubbles up around them while baking?

It is bubbling into the cracks and crevices....and

baking INTO the rolls.

Here they are baked.

If for some reason, they seem to brown too fast in some areas...

you can cover loosly with foil.

It takes about 30 minutes in my oven.

Since we like ours goooooey....we don't let them brown too too much.

Let them cool a tad before putting the frosting on or it will run all down into

the cracks.....

Just try them....do the cheater version.....

Tell me you don't change the name to SINNAMON ROLLS.

ENJOY!!!!

Farmers' Market - Okie Style.

Our little town sets right where 2 state highways intersect.

Every corner has been bought up by chain stores.

We have Walgreens Pharmacy, Taco Bell/KFC, and Arby's.

The fourth corner is a small but wonderful little

park area.

Unfortunately, the rumor-mill says that it will soon

be another chain store.  :(

During the summer months, the little park is used on Saturdays

for a farmers' market.

My oldest daughter, Carly, is a massage therapist trying to

get her business off the ground.

I got the bright idea to have her set up at the farmers' market

with her massage chair.

Of course mom had to go with her.....

she did pretty decent her first Saturday.

I, however, was bored.....

so, I got the bright idea to sell some of my

homemade yeast rolls.

We got creative and made a sign....

Carly got a fancy rug....and customers.

I made 4 dozen rolls.

I sold out.

Then I started adding lemonade to my products.

I sold out.

I really enjoy it.

I am a people person if you haven't figured it out yet.

I get to spend 4 hours every Saturday just

chatting it up with locals and distants.

(My hair is fried, it was windy)

Even Summer got into the market....she

makes homemade laundry soaps, cleaning spray, and bug spray...ALL NATURAL.

If you have a local farmers' market, take time to visit.

Take time to get to know the vendors.....

Go away knowing you are supporting LOCAL people

and not the big chain stores.  Yah, the prices might

be higher, but the service is so much better

and you are remembered each week.

I will be very sad if the chain store does come

and tear down our little piece of paradise to

put up a parking lot..... :(

I will try to do a post of all the vendors for

you next week.

My Very First Layered Cake!

I am not a cake baker.

When I bake a cake, it will be reallllly thin...not fluffy and has hard edges.

So, while on my weekly grocery shopping trip to Aldi's, I noticed

a cake mix for a spring confetti-type cake.

I decided at that moment, I CAN DO THIS.

I wanted to try a layered cake....

I bought to boxes for this cake.

I bought the special little round cake pans...at $4.00 EACH...ouch.

I mixed up both boxes...fully picturing that ONE box would make ONE round pan

and the other box would fill the OTHER round pan.

Yah, you see where this is going don't you.....

I have no idea what I was thinking.....

I only had TWO round pans.....and too much cake mix.

Not once did it cross my mind to make CUPCAKES....nope, not once.

What did I do?

I grabbed a glass pie pan.

I made a THIRD layer.

(Picure is sister, Terri, getting the first piece of cake)

It worked!!!

Cake was so fluffy and tall that the cake pan lid STUCK to the top of the cake!

I worried because I made it late in the evening and was very tired.

I pondered how I would frost the cake, because even I KNOW that

you don't frost a warm cake.

My friends in FLYLADY CHAT helped me....

I decided to leave them covered with a towel on a cooling rack overnight.

I put the layered cake together in the a.m.

This cake flavor really resembled a wedding cake flavor.

I used too much frosting....but some people like that much frosting.

I, however, will not use that much next time.

See the post below this post to see the price of the cake mix.

Do You Shop at Aldi?

Several years ago, I was driving by some construction and noticed

a semi-truck with some advertising on it.

It said, "Save 50% or Better on Groceries"

To be honest, I thought the building looked a lot like

a pharmacy.  I didn't recognize the name Aldi.

When it finally opened, I decided to just go check it out.

I went to grab a shopping cart that was in a little area outside by the door.

I pulled....and found out they were chained.

I figured they must keep the carts we are to use inside.

I went inside.  No carts.

Finally, I walked back outside and watched a person slip a quarter into the little box

on the cart.  The chain unhooked from the cart.

AHA!!!  You had to PAY for a cart!  How dumb is that I thought....they might

save you some money on groceries, but they were going to get it back by charging

to use a cart!

Long story short....you DO get your quarter back when you return your cart!

Isn't that ingenious?  No more stray carts all over the parking lot.

You also need your own sacks or you will have to buy their sacks.

You also will have to SACK your own groceries....they WILL not sack them for you.

I have been known to throw my sack in the cart and ask that they throw everything

in the sack...it was a free standing sack.  They DID do that for me...when it was only

ONE sack.

Aldi's is a great place to load up on your staples.

I go to Aldi's FIRST and then fill in at other stores if needed.

I tried the coupon thing.....I was a failure....didn't have the time to

devote to it.

Aldi's was the next best thing.

I am going to show you what I got this week and let you comparison shop.

Now mind you, this is a weird week for shopping...with me buying some extra stuff

for the Easter holiday.

I also make a lot of stuff homemade, so don't buy too many pre-made items.

Black beans @ .55 x 2

Condensed Tom. Soup @ .49 x 4

Coffee Creamer @ $1.49

Refried Beans @ .69 x 2

German Coffee @ 4.99 x 2 (this is $1 higher than I normally get)

Deli Sliced Cheese @ $2.19 x 2

Elbow Macaroni @ $1.49

Powdered Sugar @ $1.49 x 2

32 oz. Ketchup @ 1.19 x 2

Cocoa Rice Cereal @ $1.59

Real Choc. Chips @ $1.79

Pecans @ $3.49

Sugar, 5 lbs. @ $2.68 x 2

Beef Hot Dogs @ $2.29 x 2

Multi-Colored Peppers @ $3.29

Old Fashioned Oats @ $1.99

Boneless Chick. Breasts @ $5.49

Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips @ $1.39 x 2

Butter Quarters @ $2.29 x 2

Sour Cream @ .99 x 2

Oregano @ .99

Margarine @ .99

Confetti Cake Mix @ .95 x 2

Spring Frosting @ $1.19 x 2

Cream Cheese @ $1.29 x 2

8 oz. Cheddar Cheese Chunk @ $1.89 x 2

Subtotal = $77.97

Tax @ 8.5170% = $6.64

TOTAL - $84.61

If you are afraid of generic brands, I encourage you to try Aldi's brands.  The sour cream and onion potato chips taste just like the name brand LAY's chips.  The CHEESE is out of this world awesome. 

Normally, when I shop I spend an average of $75 for a week's worth of groceries.  I do not have to buy beef as we butcher our own.  Before the economy went south, I was able to shop for our family of 5 for about $50/week.  Now, for 3 of us and then some...we do the $75/week sometimes longer.

52 NEW Recipes in 2011: Recipe #8

Baked Paprika-Parmesan Chicken

(Click the above Link for the Recipe)

I totally forgot to take a picture of the ingredients.

I bought a container of supposedly "fresh" Parmesan cheese....

should it be dry?  This was very dry.

 This recipe is really simple....a little messy since

you have to dip the chicken, but still easy.

 Doesn't butter make all recipes better????

 Davie gave it the THUMBS UP!!

This took less than one hour from start to finish.

For some reason, I can NEVER get the same amount

of chicken as in the recipe.....I know I am doing something

wrong.  It called for 6 breasts.....I guess mine were DD breasts

or something.  :)

Even the daughter loved this recipe.

The chicken was very moist, but I would also probably

add a bit more spices to the breading......

52 NEW Recipes in 2011 (#6)

GREEK CHICKEN & PITA CASSEROLE

(CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE)

I know I am behind on posting recipes.  It doesn't mean that

I haven't cooked any new recipes.

It means that my family is in a busy time of the year

heading to all the stock shows.

 This recipe appealed to me for some reason.

For one, I don't think I've ever had Greek seasoning.

Of course in our small town, finding a seasoning with

GREEK written on it was a NO GO.

Another thing it had was zucchini.

We all like zucchini.

Of course, I couldn't find zucchini...so squash is the next best thing right?

The ingredient I was hesitant about was FETA CHEESE.

I do not care for FETA CHEESE, but decided I would at

least give it a try.

After all, I had just had some on some bruschetta and actually liked it.

When it comes time to cut the Pita Bread, us a pizza cutter....

of course I figured this out AFTER I cut it with a serrated knife...saw, saw, saw.

OK, back to the seasoning.....I couldn't find GREEK SEASONING.

So, I did the next best thing and called my MOMMY.

She wasn't sure, so we did the next best thing behind a mom's experience....

she googled it.

According to the ingredients, the MEDITERRANEAN SEASONING was

really close to the GREEK SEASONING.

It didn't look much different AFTER it cooked.

To me, it smelled good.

Here it is in all it's glory.

Ready for the real test.

Did it pass the manly man test or not?

THUMBS DOWN!

He even said, 2 thumbs down.

Of course he is holding the plate with the other thumb and couldn't point it down.

When I asked if he liked it.....he said, "I like the peas and carrots."

This recipe was a thumbs down by all 3 of us.

I can't pinpoint if it was using a different seasoning and squash or the feta

We did like the toasted pita so all was not lost.

So, please make sure YOU try it and let me know what YOU think.

The dogs liked it......