Mom's Cinnamon Rolls...

I make the dough from my mother's recipe for bread.  It makes two loaves of bread or a big pan of cinnamon rolls.  

Ingredients for dough and filling:
2 cups warm water (warm, not hot)
1 packet yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (approximately)

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons of cinnamon

Ingredients for icing:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
     (cream cheese is optional, if omitted, use a little more milk instead)
1/4 cup of butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon of milk (or more as desired)

For the dough:
In a small bowl, place about 1/2 cup of the warm water, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the packet of yeast.  Let sit for about 10 minutes to activate...it will begin foaming a little.

In a large bowl combine salt, remaining sugar, remaining water, vegetable oil, and the yeast mixture.  Gradually add in about 4 cups of the flour, mixing with your hand between additions, scraping the sides of bowl to incorporate all the flour.  If the dough is too loose and sticky, gradually add in a little more flour at a time until it is smooth and pliable.  Lightly flour your counter top, and turn the dough out onto the floured surface.  Flour your hands, and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes, adding in a little more flour if needed until it feels rather light and smooth and not sticky.  Butter a glass bowl, and put the dough in it, turning the ball of dough to let a little butter coat its surface.  Cover the bowl with a tea towel, and set it in a warm part of the kitchen.

While the dough is rising, stir together well brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

After about 30 minutes, the dough should be approximately double in size.  Punch down the risen dough, and turn it out onto a floured counter. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out to about a 12" x 18" rectangle.  

Spread dough with 1/4 cup of soft butter, then spread with about 1/4 cup sour cream.  Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the entire rectangle of dough, and starting on the long side, roll it as evenly as possible until it is rolled and seam side down.  

Lightly grease a pastry scraper or chef's knife and cut the roll into 1" slices.  Place the spirals onto a large buttered baking pan, leaving a little room between the spirals.  Top with plastic wrap sprayed lightly with cooking spray so the dough won't stick to the plastic.  Let rise for about 40 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 325.  Remove the plastic from the rolls, and bake for about 20 minutes, turning the pan after about 12 minutes so they bake evenly.  They should be just lightly browned.  

For the icing, mix together the softened cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  If you want to thin it slightly, you can add a Tablespoon of milk at a time until it is the consistency you desire.  Spread it evenly over the cinnamon rolls while still warm.

Homemade Pizza with Easy Crust...

Crust Ingredients:  (makes 2)
2 cups warm water
2 packages of yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons from jar)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon honey
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Toppings:
sauce (I had bottled spaghetti sauce on hand, it was fine)
mozzarella cheese, grated
onion, sliced
green bell pepper, sliced
black olives, sliced
green olives, sliced
Italian sausage, removed from casings and browned
pepperoni
cherry tomatoes, halved

• Add water, yeast, and sugar to a bowl.  Stir and let proof for about 5 minutes.
• Add salt, honey, and about 2.5 cups of flour.  Mix by hand.
• Add remaining flour a half cup at a time until it doesn't feel 'sticky'
• Knead a few times
• Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise at least 30 minutes, the longer the better
• Preheat oven to 425° F
• Pat dough out to fit pizza pan or cookie sheet
• Bake for 10 minutes
• Add sauce, cheese, and toppings, then bake at 475° for 15 minutes

My notes:  Any combination of toppings can be used.  These were what I had in the fridge today, and it turned out so delicious.  I forgot to pre-bake the crust, and it still turned out fine and cooked through.

Crowing Hen...

I'm calling this Crowing Hen.  It's basically an open-face chicken salad sandwich which is broiled until brown and bubbly.  I made it for a quick supper.  I think it would also be good for a ladies' lunch, a pot luck, etc.

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 c butter, softened or melted
1/4 c mayonnaise
1/8 c sliced scallions, including both bulb and green stems
1/8 c shredded parmesan
1/8 c shredded cheddar
1/2 tsp powdered garlic
2.25 oz can sliced ripe olives

French bread sliced about an inch thick

Directions:
Mix first 8 ingredients together.  Spread thickly on French bread slices.  Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese, and bake for about 15 minutes or till heated through.  Then turn oven to broil, and watch closely till just browned.

I used a large loaf, so this amount made about two very large slices.  If you use a baguette, then it would make quite a few slices, but be sure to make them thick slices (about an inch) to support a thick layer of filling (these might not need to bake quite as long).


This is based on a yummy bread that I had about twenty years ago at a church gathering, and is similar to The Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese Bread.  I wanted to make a supper of it, so I thought I would add the cooked chicken.  

Mom's white bread...

Makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (warm, not hot)
1 packet yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (approximately)

Directions:
In a small bowl, place about 1/2 cup of the warm water, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the packet of yeast.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes to activate...it will begin foaming a little.

In a large bowl combine salt, remaining sugar, remaining water, vegetable oil, and the yeast mixture.  Add in 3 cups of the flour, and mix together with your hand, scraping the sides of bowl to incorporate all the flour.  The mixture will be sticky, but will hold together somewhat.  Cover the bowl with a tea towel, and let sit for about 20 minutes.  *

After the 20 minutes, spread a little flour out on the counter.  Pour the dough onto the floured counter.  Add a cup of flour to the dough and knead for a few minutes.  (Kneading is repeatedly pushing dough firmly away from you with the heals of your hands and then folding dough over on itself...pushing away, folding...pushing away, folding.)  Add more flour a little at a time while continuing kneading until dough is smooth and pliable.  (It may end up being a little less than or a little more than 5 cups total.)  Place back in the bowl.  Cover with tea towel, and set in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes, or till approximately double in size.

Punch down risen dough.  Divide into 2 equal parts.  Form into loaves and place into 2 loaf pans.  Brush top with oil (or place a little oil in your hand and gently rub across top of loaves).  Cover with tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it rises and fills pans.  (Top photo above shows them ready to go in the oven.)  Place in a preheated 350° F oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

Lay a towel on the counter, and turn hot loaves out onto towel.  Rub the tops of each loaf with a little butter.  Try to resist slicing until the loaves have cooled somewhat.  When completely cool, place in an air tight container or plastic bag.

*If raisin bread is desired, plumped raisins can be added to the dough after the initial 20 minutes of rest, before kneading and adding the final 2 cups of flour.