thinking i need to make cinnamon rolls

this is not a photo of the actual cinnamon roll because i didn't make homemade. it's from flickr, you can click on the image to see the original, but this is what they look like.


cinnamon rolls, cinnabon clone 028 120 dpi, originally uploaded by TheCookingPhotographer.

so i updated my facebook status this morning, something about how homemade cinnamon rolls are much better than the tube you get in the refrigerated section at target. i posted said update not because i'd been all domestic and made my delicious homemade cinnamon rolls, but because i'd made the plastic out of a tube cinnamon rolls this morning for annie's pre-seminary breakfast. i was contemplating how much better my version was compared to what we had this morning. the plastic ones take 12-16 minutes to bake. mine take 15-20 minutes. the plastic ones take about 1 minute to get in that preheated oven. mine take about an hour to get in the oven. i'm all for being a good mom and all, but i'm not for getting up at 3:45 a.m. however, i know you can make them at night and let them sit in the refrigerator overnight, then pop them in the oven. i could see that one happening. and i would so wear the mighty mom cape and tiara that day because my cinnamon rolls are DIVINE.

actually, they are not mine. i must give credit where credit is due. the recipe comes from my high school friend, teri stencil's mom, karen. I call them Karen's Yummy Cinnamon Rolls. very creative title, but they really don't need a better name. when we were in our early married years, we drove to cleveland to visit my friend julie, and we stayed at karen and neil's house because they were very gracious and we were very poor. karen took care of us like my mom would, on our last morning there, she made cinnamon rolls. at that moment on, she climbed up on a pedestal in emily's hall of amazing chefs.

so yes, g, it does take a bit of work, but honestly, it's worth it.

Karen's Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

preheat your oven to 375º

1. in a large cup, mix 1 T sugar, 2 T yeast and 1/4 cup warm water. let sit. this should double in size by the time you're ready to use it.
2. in a small sauce pan, heat on medium until almost melted 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick) and 1 1/2 cups milk. be careful not to scald the milk.
3. in a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 T salt.
4. add warm milk/butter mixture to sugar/salt mixture and gradually add 3 cups of flour, stirring as you add.
5. add 2 eggs, mix well.
6. stir in the yeast mixture.
7. add enough flour to make a soft dough, i always end up adding another 2 1/2 cups flour.
8. Cover with a damp cloth and let double in size, about 20-30 minutes.
9. On a floured surface, roll out dough into a 14x18 rectangle. brush with 4 T melted butter.
10. Sprinkle dough with a mixture of 3/4 cup sugar, 2 T cinnamon, and 3/4 cup brown sugar (i have been cutting the sugars to 1/2 cup and it's still just as good), you can also add chopped pecans here.
11. roll so you have a long thin tube, not a fat short one.
12. cut into sections, i use a long strip of dental floss that i slide under the roll, lift like you're going to tie a knot around the roll, cross over, pull opposite and pinch off a section. it's much easier than it sounds. and it doesn't squish the rolls like a knife would, do this 24 times.
13. place on a large cookie sheet with sides, or improvise.
14. let rise for 15 to 20 minutes.
15. bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
16. let cool while you make the frosting, which is 1/2 cup butter, 1 lb powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups), 1/3 cup milk, 1 T vanilla, and a dash of salt.
17. frost and enjoy.