Really Great Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Here’s the recipe for some great homemade Cinnamon Rolls.

They are soft, fluffy, and gooey all at the same time. 

They melt in your mouth when they are still warm.

Fun to make, delicious and we wish to thank Rachel, the Stay At Home Chef.

INGREDIENTS

Dough

• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons salted butter softened
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

• 1/2 cup salted butter melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Glaze

• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup salted butter softened
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

INSTRUCTIONS

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk, yeast, sugar, salt, butter, and eggs. Add in flour. Using a dough hook, turn the on to a low speed.
  
• Once the flour starts to incorporate into the dough, increase the speed to a medium range. Add more flour as necessary so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough mixture should be tacky, but not stick to your hands. It should be soft. Add more or less flour until the dough reaches the desired consistency. The amount of flour you add in bread making is always an approximation and you should go by feel.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
  
• Lightly grease a baking sheet or 9x13 pan. Punch down the dough and roll into a 12inch by 18inch rectangle.
  
• Brush the dough with 1/2 cup melted butter. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the melted butter. Roll up tightly lengthwise so you have one long roll. Use plain dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 one-inch slices.
  
• Place the slices onto a lightly 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise 30 to 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake the rolls for about 14 minutes, until just kissed with brown on top.
• While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the cream cheese glaze by using a hand mixer to whip together cream cheese and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Whip in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add enough milk to achieve a drizzle-like consistency.
• Frost the rolls while still warm. Serve immediately or cool and store. Stays good for 4 to 5 days.

NOTES

***Some have reported undercooked rolls. Cooking time is dependent on the size of your rolls. You should cook the rolls until they have just a kiss of brown on the top. If they don't have a kiss of brown, they probably aren't done. Cooking time may be upwards of 18-20 minutes.

Rachel, the Stay At Home Chef.

German Bread Dumplings

German Bread Dumplings are absolutely delicious.

One of the most famous German side dishes and easy to make.

We do like to fry them up a little bit in a touch of oil, but that’s how we like them.

German Semmel Knoedel freeze well, so you can double or triple the batch, cook them, freeze them separated on cookie sheets, and then put them to ziplock freezer bags.  

Then when you want them all you have to do is thaw and reheat.

Ingredients

• 14 rolls
• 1 onion
• 1 bunch parsley
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 2 cups milk
• 6 eggs
• 1 ½ tbsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ¼ cup bread crumbs

Instructions

• Cut rolls and onions into small cubes and add to a large bowl.
• Chop the parsley.
• Melt butter in the pan, add onions and fry until translucent.
• Add parsley and fry with the onions for one minute.
• Shut off the heat and add the milk to the pan.
• Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and mix well.
• Add the eggs to a bowl and beat lightly with salt and pepper.
• Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and mix well.
• Allow to rest for about 10 -15 min.
• Knead the mixture well for a couple of minutes.
• Add the bread crumbs and knead for another couple of minutes.
• Wet hands with a bit of cold water and form tennis ball sized balls.
• Bring water to a simmer and add salt.
• Lower the dumplings into the water with a slotted spoon or strainer and let simmer for about 15 to 20 min.
• Remove the dumplings from the pot and serve hot.

About Beltane

About Beltane

Beltane happens every year around May 1 in the Northern Hemisphere and November 1 in the Southern Hemisphere. 

It’s the midpoint between the Vernal Equinox celebration of Ostara (the official beginning of spring) and the Summer Solstice celebration of Litha (the longest day and shortest night of the year).

You might also be familiar with Beltane’s other name—May Day. 

Celebrating spring with dancing and wrapping ribbons around the May Pole.

Beltane was celebrated by pagans in the British Isles, and marked the midpoint of spring when life was emerging, days were getting longer and warmer, and the time for growing and cultivating crops would soon come. 

Livestock were taken out to pasture during this time.

Celebration of Spring

Beltane is unique because it’s a celebration of spring officially arriving and the days are about to get warmer and longer. 

Crops and gardens are growing, animals are grazing in their pastures, and life is emerging after the harsh winter.

Protection

Because animals were taken out to pasture during this time, and people were spending more time outdoors, one common theme of Beltane is protecting people and animals. 

In some traditions, a large bonfire would be made and people would walk their animals around the smoke offering protection. 

People would jump over the fire for various reasons; including to get protection for themselves.

During this time it’s believed that the veil between the living and the dead is thin, so it’s a good time to communicate with spirits. 

This includes nature spirits, such as fairies, which are a mixed bag when it comes to good or ill intentions.

The original festival of Beltane was about blessing and protecting the cattle as they were moved up to the summer pastures. 

The cattle were made to walk through two protective fires that would bless the cattle and protect them from the feared aos si (fairies).

Cows were also made to leap over lighted straw or wood to prevent their milk from being stolen by the fairies whilst rowan branches were hung over milking equipment for the same effect. 

Rowan branches were also hung over doorways, cows and the hearth.

Not only this, the fire was used to bring luck as well as protection. 

The fire was thought to bring good fortune and bless those who jumped over it and as such, it was a common custom at Beltane for the embers of the fires to be sprinkled around the sprouting crops in order to protect them and ensure a good yield for harvest time.

As a side note, why do those in distress call out “May Day?”

The Mayday call originated in the 1920s. ... As much of the traffic at Croydon airport at that time was to and from Le Bourget Airport in Paris, Mockford proposed the expression “Mayday" derived from the French word “m'aider" that means “help me" and is a shortened form of “venez m'aider", which means “come and help me".

Herbs in the Garden and Bugs

 

Herbs that planted near the home or in the garden keep away bugs.

Bay leaves: Repel flies. When you grow this plant, you won’t have to rely on the dried leaves from stores to add flavor to roasts and soups. Just pick the leaves as you need them.

Chives: Repel carrot flies, Japanese beetle and aphids.

Dill: Repels aphids, squash bugs, spider mites, cabbage loopers and tomato hornworms.

Fennel: Repels aphids, slugs and snails.

Lemon balm: Repels mosquitoes.

Oregano: Repels many pests and will provide ground cover and humidity for peppers.

Parsley: Repels asparagus beetles.

Thyme: Repels whiteflies, cabbage loopers, cabbage maggots, corn earworms, whiteflies, tomato hornworms and small whites.