Sunday, August 5, 2012

I'll Be Back

Hello!
Its been awhile I know, I know. Whats me excuse for not updating since April?
A few.
One, we moved. Again. The last place was always a temporary homestead, so now we moved into town because the second reason I haven't updated...
I got a job. An honest to goodness 8-5 receptionist job. At a very fast paced office, so when I would get home at night the last thing I wanted to do was cook something. Its taken me near 3 moths to get used to it. And I am still learning new things everyday. Mostly office politics. Its primary gender is female and we'll you know women.
So now here we are. I have an appreciation for weekends so on Saturday I baked. All day. Why? Because I got
A KITCHEN AID MIXER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Words cannot describe the excitment. I've wanted one for like ever. How did I come about such a wonderous machine? A wonderously expensive machine? Well, basically my husband has an awesome coworker. His coworker was upgrading her Kitchen Aid to a new more snazzy model, so what was she to do with her old one? Why sell it to me, of course! At a super good price and well I love it. Its white, which is good. I was worried it was going to be some ugly color like, avocado or something. I still woulda taken it, duh. But its also in great condition! Basically one of my biggest kitchen dreams has come true.  So I made an apple pie(not photographed) and....
Cinnamon Rolls
I have never attempted cinnamon rolls before, but have wanted to give it a go. After this I may try homemade donuts. But now on with the recipe.

Ingredients

5 cups all pupose flour, 1(18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix, 2(.25 oz)packages quick rise yeast, 2 1/2 warm water(120 to 130 degrees F), 1/4 cups melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon NOTE: there is ingredients for frosting as well, but I didn't take a pic mostly cuz I forgot! But  here is what you need: 6 tablespoons softened butter, 3 cups confectioners' sugar, 1 1/2 tso vanilla extract, 2 Tbsp milk

See my awesome mixer?? Isn't it amazing? I hugged it. About the yeast, I happened to have some yeast at home but it didn't say anything like "quick". So when I was grocery shopping I looked at the yeast and only one said "rapid rise", which is pictured. I called my mom and she advised I get teh rapid rise, even though I had yeast at home. Better safe then sorry.

Directions:
In a mixing bowl(Squee!)combine 4 cups flour, dry cake mix, yeast and warm water until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn on a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

So I don't have a pic of me kneading the dough, because at this point my husband said, "Wanna go to lunch? If so we have to leave NOW." His urgency was because we were going with other people that were starving after working at our church all morning. So I kneaded the dough like twice, threw it under the mixer bowl and ran out the door. When I came back it was doubled. I shoulda taken a picture of it. It was like The Blob, and was oozing out all over the counter.


Punch dough down. Turn on a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half. Roll each portion into a 14 in x 10in rectangle. Brush with buter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.


 


So I didn't measure the sugar and cinnamon. I just sprinkled a good amount of both. Cuz, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon?? A single teaspoon? That seemed a small amount to me. So yeah just eyed it up! And I think it was just right.


Roll up jelly roll style starting with the long side( reading thie now, I think I did it wrong, I did the short side. So they weren't as big as they shouldve been, I spose. Oh well this still worked) Cut each roll in into 12 slices place cut side down in two 13in x 9 inx 2 in pans. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 20 minutes.

So I waited the recommenced 20 minutes and they grew a little, but didn't double. Still worked though. I think.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes. Then frost it up! Just mix the butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Add enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Frost warm rolls.



Here they are all done and frosted. You could defiantly do way more frosting then I did, my husband doesn't like too much so I did less is more. It was really runny too. Which was good, I think. I baked them in 2 different pans. One batch on a metal and one on a stone from Pampered Chef. The one on the metal pan got a bit crispy on the bottom, which wasn't unappetizing. But the ones on the stone came out super good, and not crispy on the bottom. So I called that "The better" batch. They were really good, I love cinnamon rolls! And several people said they were good! So my first try was succesful. Next time, I think I will just use the cooking stone, cut them right and I think they will be really really good.
Well sorry to make you all wait. Hope you don't mind that my updates won't be as frequent, since I don've have much free time anymore. I thuroughly enjoed my time off, but its time to get back to reality.
One thing I don't like about our new place is that I can't see our TV. I loved to just put a random movie on while I cooked. But I fixed that quick! I have a portable DVD player, that I put on a small counter I don't use for cooking and let a movie play away. Yesterday I chose, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkahban(Is that whole to spell it?).