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!!!!

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 (#4)

Homemade Queso & Tortillas

I have to tell you that the pics are terrible.

I had planned on making chicken enchiladas with

homemade tortillas, but it sort of changed....sort of.

While on allrecipes.com, I found this recipe for QUESO.

Please note:  I made my chicken in the crockpot with mexican

seasonings all day before starting this quest.

Since I had fresh chicken broth, I used it in the queso instead

of water.  I also cut the recipe in 1/2...that cheese

is EXPENSIVE.

 Here are the ingredients for the TORTILLAS.

 4 cups of all purpose flour.

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup shortening (I used lard)

1 cup lukewarm water w/ 1 1/4 tsp. salt dissolved in it

Mix the flour, baking powder and lard until crumbly. 

 Once it is crumbly, slowly pour in the warm water

and continue to mix with your hand.

It should start making a wetish dough...not

as dry as bread dough.

 Once you get a ball formed, let it rest for 20+ min.

covered with a warm wet towel.

(This is where I started making the QUESO)

 This picture is out of order....but too hard to try to move

it on this post....sorry.

Divide the dough into golf ball size balls.

 Pound the ball flat and then using a rolling pin, begin rolling it

out...ideally, you roll it into a circle.

Ideally, it will be a circle when finished.

Guess what...."ideally" went out the window

with me....they still taste the same!  :P

 Heat a griddle...NO OIL.

Carefully peel up the tortilla dough and place it in the pan.

Let it cook for oh about 15 - 20 seconds and then

flip it over and do another 15 - 20 seconds.

You have to make them enough to figure out how long to cook them.

I cooked mine too long and they were more like chips after they

dried.

Here is my routine:

Roll

Put in pan

While one is in pan, roll another tortilla

1/2 way thru the rolling, turn tortilla in pan

Finish rolling

Take tortilla out of pan

Put new one in the pan

Repeat until finished.

 I used the leftover peppers and onions by

adding them to some chopped up chicken and sauteing them

with a tad bit of butter to put into the enchiladas...or

burritos....I have no idea what they really were.

I used my fancy food processor to make the refried beans.....

I just threw a can of pinto beans in it with 1/4 cup of lard

and hit the pulse button.

I heated on the stove, added salt and pepper.

 I heated the taco chips in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 min.

I topped the enchiladas/burritos with the QUESO.

Topped that with some hot salsa.

Dear husband ate 2 plates of this stuff!

He had to rush out the door and I didn't get a picture

of his "review".

He said he would give it 4 thumbs up if he had 4 thumbs.

 Here is the QUESO.

Cutting the recipe in 1/2 was A LOT of QUESO.

You could easily cut it into 1/4 and have PLENTY.

 The kitchen was a pit!

With practice, this will get quite easy.

From start to finish it took 1 hour and 45 min. to

get the food to the table.

It took another 45 min. to clean the kitchen....GAH!

Will I make it again?

YES!!!

Next time, SOMEONE ELSE will clean the kitchen....

See?  I shaved 45 minutes off that easily!!!

 Regan gave it 2 thumbs up!

She only ate the bean burrito and QUESO.

Homeschool Art @ The Purple Glaze Studio

I know, it looks like a cake.....

but it is a rather large mixing bowl.

A few weeks ago, our church youth group went to

The Purple Glaze Studio to make ceramic crosses to

decorate the wall in the youth room.

 Regan finished her cross and got started on

some dragon goblet.  Of course, she

didn't finish before it was time to leave.....

which meant we would have to make a

return trip to The Purple Glaze Studio.

 Well, if you know me well, you know there

was NO way I was going to just sit and

watch her paint.

I've done this before and was really not that

impressed with how my ceramic piece turned out.

If you don't get EVEN painted layers, they will look

faded in certain areas on the piece.

 The sweet young worker girl showed me EXPLOSION

PAINT.  You just paint 2 coats....it has chunks in it

that will EXPLODE when heated and create

a 60's style effect on the pottery.

 Now THAT excited me enough to want to make an

ASHTRAY.....yah, you heard me right...and ASHTRAY.

No, I do not smoke nor allow anyone to smoke in my house.

I thought it would be way cool to have a 1960s looking ashtray

in my office to

prop my paint brushes on when painting!!!

GREAT IDEA RIGHT????

 Well, that is what I had planned on making when I got there....

until a HUGE bowl kept calling my name......

I think I have a mixing bowl fetish.....

So, I picked up the lonely bowl and picked my paint.

Since my kitchen cabinets are guacamole green,

I choose one that was going to be white with

green specks.

I slapped my two coats of paint on.....

and TAH DAH!!!

 I think it is UH MAZING!!!

This project cost me $25.19....

AND IT ISN'T MADE IN CHINA!!!

 See how I like to keep my bowls at arms reach in the kitchen.

I use mixing bowls all the time.

I just realized that one is actually missing in the picture....

I have a vintage turquoise print one as well.

I know you were worried I wouldn't show Regan's

goblet...well, here yah go!!!  She did an awesome job

on her project and earned an "A".  I'm the

teacher and I can do that!!!