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!

"Like" my facebook page...

For those of you who frequently visit my blog but have not yet "liked" my facebook page, you can do so by clicking here. Most of the time, I will have a link on the facebook page to new posts that I enter on here my blog. By "liking" the facebook page, you will never miss a recipe, tutorial, or cake decorating/baking tip that I post. Thanks to my regular visitors. I hope I can continue to post ideas and recipes that will be of interest to you.

Homemade dinner rolls-you can't get any better than this!

Today a friend asked if my roll recipe was posted on my blog. I was sure that it was, so I checked, and couldn't find the recipe anywhere... found pictures of both the rolls and cinnamon rolls, but not the recipe. In this post, I will give you a tutorial that shows how to make the rolls, step by step. I added this as one of my first recipes to the family cookbook that each of my children have. I started this cookbook as a Christmas gift for them back in 2006, which included all of our favorite family recipes in a 3-ring binder. Each year since then, with the exception of one year, I have sent them more recipes to add. Last year, I sent them new binders along with the recipes, as the many recipes "outgrew" the first one. I also use the same dough recipe for my cinnamon rolls. I have posted that recipe after the tutorial.

CATHY LEAVITT’S ROLL RECIPE

Pour 2 c. hot tap water into mixing bowl. Add ½ cup sugar and 3 packets (1 strip) granular yeast. Mix with dough hook and let sit until puffy; then add 2 ¼ cups flour, ½ cup melted butter, and 2 tsp. salt. Mix with dough hook until blended, then add ¾ cup flour and 1 slightly beaten egg. Mix with dough hook until blended, then add 2 ½ cups flour. Mix with dough hook until blended and flour leaves sides of bowl; then turn mixer on higher speed and knead with dough hook until smooth and elastic, but not too much. Dough will be soft and sticky. Oil and turn dough and let rise in bowl until doubled. Punch down, and form into 24 rolls. Let rise until double and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and butter tops.

Tips:

J You may use “quick-rise” yeast to cut down the rising time.

J To keep your rolls light and fluffy, do not add too much flour. When measuring, shake off excess flour, but do not pack. Your dough will appear quite soft and sticky, but as it rises, will develop gluten making it easy to work with.

J Cover your bowl with plastic wrap for quicker rising.

J You do not need to cover your rolls to rise after forming. You will know when they have risen enough if the sides are all touching and the pan is full.

J When forming the dough into rolls, do not add more flour. The oil that was in the bowl should be sufficient to keep from sticking to your hands while forming the rolls.

J Divide your dough into 24 equal pieces before your start forming the rolls.

J You may replace 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of oat bran during the first addition.

Mix dough in mixer until smooth and elastic

*(Please ignore this picture of me-was in my earlier, not so becoming days)

Let rise in oiled bowl until double

Divide dough in half, then quarters

In half again, making 8 pieces

Divide each piece into 3, making 24 equal pieces

Shape each roll, pulling over hand to make a ball shape

Continue to form ball

Pinch dough together on back

Place on parchment lined bun pan 4 rolls x 6 rolls

Let rise until double or all sides touch 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

Remove from oven and immediately brush tops with melted butter

CINNAMON ROLLS

Mix same as recipe above, except add 1/4 cup more flour. Beat until smooth & elastic with dough hook. Let rise until double. Roll out dough into rectangle (approx. 10" x 24") and spread with combination of the following:

1/2 cup melted margarine or butter

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 T. cinnamon

Roll and slice into 1 doz. large rolls or 2 doz. medium rolls.  Tuck ends under and brush off excess flour.  Arrange on parchment lined baking pans (you should have 1/2 doz. large on each pan or 1 doz. medium on each pan), let rise until double, and bake for 25 min. at 350 degrees.  While warm, spread with the following glaze:

6 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup melted margarine or butter

1-2 t. vanilla or other flavoring

Enough warm water or other liquid to make the proper consistency

These are the best!!

*Better picute of me and newer KitchenAid

Indian Fry Bread

A friend from church asked if anyone had a recipe for bread for Navajo tacos. Immediately, I was taken back to memories of earlier days when a favorite family meal was Indian Fry Bread with refried beans or taco meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and salsa. Of course, sometimes the kids being rather picky would opt for only cheese, or if we wanted something sweet, we sprinkled on a little powdered sugar. Living in northeastern Arizona, Indian Fry Bread was very popular. I remember going to the AZ State Fair, and getting fry bread at a booth operated by Native American Indians from our church. It was always one of the most popular food booths at the fair. So, since I haven't made fry bread for many years and it is not really a food on the Weight Watchers program, I had to search a little to find the recipe. This recipe is courtesy of an old friend of mine, Norma Hayes, who wrote a cookbook, along with Shirley Davis, called Cooking for Crowds and Parties. I have used the recipes in this book more than I can remember. This original recipe made enough for 20 large pieces, so I always cut the recipe in half and it was plenty for our family of 5, with some left over. This recipe makes 10 large pieces. 

Indian Fry Bead

4 cups flour

1 T. baking powder

1/2 cup dry milk

3/4 T. salt

1 1/4 cups tepid (just warm) water

Oil for frying

Combine dry ingredients. Add water to form a soft dough. Use more water if necessary. Form into small balls; roll out and fry in hot oil. Remove when golden brown and drain on paper towels. Serve warm with beans, cheese, honey, or powdered sugar. 

Navajo Taco

You can cut the dough into smaller shapes and make sopapillas served with honey, powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar. Perfect dessert to end a Mexican meal. 

Enjoy the recipe! As for me, this is just making me extremely hungry for bread and something sweet.

How's your penmanship?

Is your handwriting less than desirable? Do you stress out whenever you need to write on a cake? Here are some ideas that might help...

• Writing on paper and writing on a cake are not the same. You write differently for each. When using a decorating bag, you must use your entire arm, from the shoulder down, instead of  just moving your hand and wrist, as you would with writing on paper. 
• Make sure your icing is the proper consistency...not too stiff, but not too runny either.
• Measure or eyeball where your letters will be so you can space them evenly. Sometimes it's easier to work from the outside in, or from both ends of the lettering to the middle.
• Try using different fonts. Have your message printed out on a piece of paper just like you want it on the cake, so you can use it as a guide.
• Practice, practice, practice! Write your message several times on a practice board, if necessary, before writing on the cake. 
• Don't be afraid to scrape your lettering off with a small spatula and try again, if necessary. It's easier to do repair work on crusting buttercream or fondant.
• When your letters need to be exact, use some sort of letter cutters. I like to use "Tappits." They work best with a very stiff, slightly dry gumpaste or modeling chocolate, rolled out very thin. I love modeling chocolate. Recently, I cut out very small letters with my scrapbook letter punches using modeling chocolate rolled out very very thin. You can also use letter punches with icing sheets. (The modeling chocolate tastes much better, of course.)

Here are some examples of lettering, some done freehand, and others using letter cutters or punches. Remember, I have been decorating cakes for over 35 years and my first lettering on cakes did not look like what it does now. Practice, practice, practice!

"Department of the Air Force" on seal and capital letters on cake all done free hand.

All lettering done with Tappits except "United States of America" punched out with scrapbooking punch.

Air Force Seal-all parts except for lettering cut out with Cricut Cake. Border piped with royal icing.

Upper and lower case Tappits. Upper case set comes with strip cutter.

"Dept. of AF" and "USA" cut out of modeling chocolate. The rest cut out of gumpaste.

Scrapbook punches

 

Another font...upper and lower case funky letter Tappits

Click here for a You Tube video on using Tappits.

Graduation cakes for twin sisters...a little different font for each...all done free hand.

Don't let writing on cakes intimidate you. Just keep practicing and you'll eventually have beautiful writing on your cakes.

The baker's friend...

So, you went to take your cake out of the pan, and half of the cake stayed in the pan. Oh no! Try this easy little recipe and your cakes will never stick again. Another secret for a perfect release cake, especially if you're going to let them sit for awhile, is to line the bottom with parchment paper. I never bake a cake or brownies (or anything really) without parchment paper. It also keeps your pans looking new. 

Miracle Pan Release Goo

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup flour

Whip, whip, whip and store in airtight container at room temperature. Yields 1-1/2 cups. Brush on your pans with a pastry brush or foam craft brush.

I have always just used equal portions of oil and flour, but have had to stir before using each time. This keeps the ingredients emulsified. If you don't make many cakes, make a smaller amount so it doesn't go rancid. 

 I keep my "goo" in a plastic container with screw top lid and use a foam craft brush that I keep in a ziplock bag between uses.

 Brush evenly over entire surface of pan.

Cut parchment paper just smaller than the pan and lay over "gooed" bottom.

Pans ready for cake batter. 

Winter time is soup time!

Spring time in the Rockies is like winter time anywhere else, and when it's cold outside like it has been here lately, it's a great time for making a big pot of soup. Two of our favorite soups here at the Leavitt home are Broccoli and Wild Rice Soup (courtesy of my friend Ann Griggs), and Whole Enchilada Chicken  Soup (from Hungry Girl). Both are very hearty soups. We make a big pot and it lasts the two of us for sometimes 3 days. Thank goodness I have a husband who loves leftovers. These soups seem to get better each time they're warmed up. As a side note, my husband does not like broccoli, but he loves this soup. I have included the recipes below. Give them a try. I know you'll love them as much as we do.

BROCCOLI AND WILD RICE SOUP

(1) 6 oz. package Uncle Ben's wild rice mix (I've also used other brands)

5 1/2 cups water

1 can chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast (I've also used left-over turkey)

(1) 10 oz. package chopped frozen broccoli (you can also use fresh broccoli-finely chop and just cook longer)

2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

1 small onion, diced

1 can cream of chicken soup

(1) 8 oz. package cream cheese, cubed

Combine rice mix, seasoning packet and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, broccoli, carrots, onion, and chicken. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes. Stir in cream of chicken soup and cream cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is melted.

Tips from Cathy:

1. I usually use 1 large head of fresh broccoli, finely chopped (in food processor). I also finely chop my carrots and onion in the food processor instead of shredding them. Then I cook them with the rice mix in the water until tender, and then add the other ingredients.

2. To make this recipe more quickly, I just add a large can of chicken from Costco.

3. To make this recipe low fat, I use the low fat cream of chicken soup and fat free cream cheese. This makes approx. 7 servings @ 7 points plus/serving

The Whole Enchilada Chicken Soup

3 cups fat free chicken broth

1 ¼ cups finely chopped celery

½ cup diced sweet onion

3 cups green enchilada sauce

(1) 15 oz. can pure pumpkin

(1) 4 oz. can chopped green chilies

10 oz. cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded

1 cup frozen corn

Hot sauce to taste (optional)

 

In large pot, bring broth to low boil. Add celery and onion and simmer until tender. Stir in enchilada sauce and pumpkin. Once soup returns to a low boil, add chilies, chicken and corn, and mix well. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes, until heated thoroughly. Add hot sauce and serve with shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and sour cream if desired.

 Tips from Cathy:

 1. You can add canned chicken to make preparation quicker. I usually add 2 cans.

2. I also add one can of black beans and one can of kidney beans (both rinsed and drained) to make the soup more hearty.