Who knew teaching could be this much fun?

I think I have always had a passion for teaching... now combine that with baking, and well, I'm in my zone. Tonight I had several ladies from our church over for a dinner roll and cinnamon roll making class. I set up a table in the living room (which is right next to the kitchen, but where there was more room to set up chairs) and plugged in my KitchenAid mixer and we were good to go. 12 ladies and a couple of kids later and the rolls and cinnamon rolls were about devoured. Thanks ladies for a fun evening, and for letting me share my passion and a few of my skills. I enjoyed it! Click here for dinner roll and cinnamon roll recipes.

Busy mixing the bread dough.

 Ladies intent on learning...

Lauren enjoying her roll. (I wish I had looked this cute pregnant.)

  All that was left from the 2 dozen rolls.

Cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven.

Ahhhhh... cinnamon rolls!

I don't know about you, but when it comes to comfort foods, cinnamon rolls rank right up there at the top of the list. Today I had an order from a regular customer for 4 dozen cinnamon rolls. Since it's still quite cold here in Colorado Springs, it was a perfect day for baking-not only did it warm things up, but the house smells, well you know, heavenly. Since I had a little extra time today, I shot a few pictures while I was working so I could do a little tutorial on making cinnamon rolls. For the complete recipe, click here.

Here's the dough, ready to roll out.

The filling is a combination of melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

The dough is rolled out to a 24 x 10 rectangle on my silicone baking sheet.

I like the silicone baking sheet because it is measured off in inches and it is exactly 24 inches long.

After spreading on the filling, roll up the dough tightly, starting with the long end closest to you.

It should look like this when you're done.

For medium rolls, cut into one inch pieces, following the measurements on the baking sheet.

Tuck the loose ends underneath.

Put rolls on parchment lined bun pan and press down slightly with your hand.

The rolls should look like this when you're done putting them on the sheet. Now let them rise.

In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

The rolls are finished rising and ready for the oven.

The cinnamon rolls need to bake for 25 minutes total. I exchange and rotate pans after 13 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, I mix up the glaze. This is powdered sugar, melted butter, pure vanilla extract, and enough warm water to get the proper consistency.

 

Spread the glaze on with a small spatula as soon as they come out of the oven.

Let cool (if you can wait that long) and enjoy!

Update: You can also roll out half of the dough at a time. Still roll it out to 24 x 10. It will just be thinner. Roll up as normal, but cut the rolls in 2 inch pieces. Tuck ends under and press down well after putting on bun pan. This makes the rolls a little more separated if you like them that way. 

Mardi Gras King Cakes

My neighbor called today to order a King Cake. I had made King Cakes before for a friend, so I was familiar with them. So, I went shopping for a baby to insert into the King Cake after it was baked and here is the finished product...

This is the cute little baby I found  at Hobby Lobby to insert into the cake.

I thought you might enjoy reading more about the King Cake tradition...

The king cake tradition is thought to have been brought to New Orleans from France in 1870. A King Cake is an oval-shaped bakery delicacy, crossed between a coffee cake and a French pastry that is as rich in history as it is in flavor. It's decorated in royal colors of PURPLE which signifies "Justice," GREEN for "Faith," and GOLD for "Power." These colors were chosen to resemble a jeweled crown honoring the Wise Men who visited the Christ Child on Epiphany. In the past such things as coins, beans, pecans, or peas were also hidden in each King Cake.

Today, a tiny plastic baby is the common prize. At a party, the King Cake is sliced and served. Each person looks to see if their piece contains the "baby." If so, then that person is named "King" for a day and bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.

The Smells and Tastes of the Season...

Ahhh, the smell of fresh baked cinnamon rolls, or the "yumminess" of decorated sugar cookies...what Santa could resist these cookies waiting for him as the jolly old man comes down the chimney? 

Cookies and hot cocoa for Santa

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

Here is my sugar cookie recipe that I have used for many years. It is so yummy...soft and just sweet enough. They melt in your mouth. They are good just iced with buttercream frosting and sprinkled with cookie sprinkles, but when I want them to be really special, I dip them in fondant and then decorate them.   
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Blend in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough 1/4" thick on floured surface. Cut into shapes. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheet for 6-8 min. or until just set and barely brown on bottom. Do not overbake. Ice with fondant or buttercream icing if desired. Makes 2 1/2 - 3 doz. cookies. (You can even just use a can of store-bought icing and sprinkle with red and green sprinkles.)

Sugar cookies dipped in fondant and drying on rack

Cute snowman

Christmas tree and stocking