Sticky Buns

Okay.  We've been holding onto this one.  But in the spirit of "almost" spring and a few more cold mornings in our future, we thought we'd share.  Enjoy while being snuggled on the couch under your favorite afghan.  

Sticky Buns

1 bag frozen Rhodes rolls
Crisco, for greasing the pan and rolls
1/4 c cinnamon
1 box of butterscotch pudding
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 c brown sugar

1. Grease bundt pan with crisco.  Grease top of each frozen roll before putting in pan. Place 22-24 rolls evenly in pan.
2. Sprinkle rolls evenly with cinnamon.
3. Sprinkle rolls evenly with 1/2 of the butterscotch pudding packet.
4. In small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together. Use low/med heat stirring constantly. It takes awhile to turn into a creamy caramel where the butter and sugar are completely combined, but as with many of our lessons, low and slow!
5. Pour mix over rolls evenly.
6. Cover with light towel and let rise overnight.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (check at 20).
8. Put a cookie sheet on the rack below in case it oozes caramel.
9. Might need to lower the rack... Depending on how tall they rose... Don't want to burn the top.
10. They're done when the tops are a dark, golden brown.
11. Invert onto large plate.

Thanksgiving Feast - Dinner - Homemade Rolls

I have made these rolls with my father-in-law, Steve, many times.  So last year, Nicole & I decided to try them on our own. *Insert snort laugh here*

The name for this recipe is "Mom's Easy Rolls".  "Mom" is Emma Jones, Steve's mom, and Travis's Grandma.  I'm so glad I got to meet her...she was a neat lady.

These will be made again this Thanksgiving so we can better document the timing.  Because when we did them last year, our rolls were done at noon and dinner was at 6pm.  They were tasty, but what's better than warm rolls for dinner?  I can't think of much.

Mom's Easy Rolls

2 eggs

2 cakes of yeast, rapid rise

1/2 c sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 c milk

1 c water

7 c flour*

9 tbsp shortening (1/2 c + 1 tbsp)

1. Place eggs, sugar, salt, milk and 4 cups of flour in mixing bowl.  
2. In a separate bowl, heat the water until lukewarm.  Add yeast (stir until just mixed) and let stand one minute.  
3. Pour yeast mixture into the mixing bowl and beat all together for 4 minutes.  
4. Add shortening, then knead in remaining flour.  
5. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 2 hours.  
6. Make out rolls and put onto greased cookie sheet, leaving space in between.
7. Cover and let rise until double in size again, about 2 hours.
8. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

*Nicole is allergic to bleach, so white bleached flour is out.  We're going to make wheat rolls this Thanksgiving.  Will update how they turned out.  

Update 12/3/13:  Wheat rolls were AMAZING!