Cinnamon Rolls

Try your hand at these Cinnamon rolls; they are so tasty, not very hard to make at all, and just require some time!

Dough:

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

1/4 cup water

3/4 cups milk

1/3 cup butter

1 (.25 ounce) package active rapid rise dry yeast

1/2 cup white sugar; 1tablespoon separated

4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

 

Filling:

3/4 cups white sugar

1 tablespoon Cinnamon

1/2 cups softened butter (separated)

Icing:
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1- 1 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Proof yeast in water, make sure the temperature is between 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to mixture; stir and set aside for 10 min.

 

2. While yeast is being proofed, mix wet ingredients in one bowl, and dry ingredients in another.

3. If the yeast mixture has bubbled and frothed, add to the wet ingredients & proceed, or start another proof with a new packet.

 

4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet; stir until dough starts to form and pull together.

 

5. Knead the dough until smooth, then set in a greased bowl to rise for up to an hour in a warm place.  Dough should nearly double in size.

6. After the 1st rise, knead dough back down and roll out with a rolling pin.  Spread butter over the dough and sprinkle with filling mixture.

7. Roll dough into a log; lightly wetting the seam with water will give the log a good seal on the edges. Cut the log into 1" pieces; using dental floss is easiest. Set the rolls into a lightly greased pan and set aside to rise again in a warm place for the 2nd rise.

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and bake for approximately 30 minutes.  Start checking for browning of the tops as an indicator of being done around 20-25 minutes.  If you stick a toothpick in the center of the dough on a roll and it comes out clean, they are done.

9. After icing is mixed and rolls have cooled slightly, top the rolls with the glaze and you are all set!

Leaving the Nest and Chasing Down Dreams

Wow.  So.... I got my bill for domain renewal and it hit me how little I've been keeping up here.  But I guess that's to be expected somewhat.  I started back at school this fall semester, taking a leap towards completing my big old career goal! (YESSS!!!!)  I am working on earning a B.A. and becoming an Early Childhood Special Education teacher.

I've been busier than ever; working, taking 15 semester units, and doing all that the single mom job entails.  Basically there is a crazy amount of multi-tasking going on, and a serious sleep deficit.  Thank God I've been used to operating on little to no sleep the last 5 or 6 years! On the bright side, the boys' dad will be coming to visit this month, and I am going to rest every single second that I can while they are with him.  The only problem is (or so I found that last visit) that I end up missing them and spending too many moments sniffling and looking at cute pictures of them.

MIA for too long...

So I've been out of writing for a while, time to get back into the grind!

I figure I will just share a quick update and a few photos.

Work is going well- its a job I enjoy clocking in at everyday, but financially, I am doing the hurry up and wait thing on whether I can start school with the GI bill this summer semester. It's a great job for a single mom going to college, but not so helpful to a single mom raising two kids. So I guess I'll keep waiting with daily prayers sent up! :)

The customers are so wonderful, and I've noticed two things: 1) Its great social training and 2) The mental workout of my memory may be what single handedly staves off Alzheimer's. ;)

Sunny Skies Ahead

The boys and I moved back to California almost a month ago. I've attempted to write a few posts since then, but have been busy settling in as well as having had a few computer access issues. So I'm writing this from the blogger app (which I don't particularly love...) so it's not going to be exactly my usual style.

Finding work was quite a task. Between the down economy, finding child care, and my hours of availability. But I am ecstatic to say I have found a fantastic job! I am going to be starting work soon at Panama Red (a.k.a. Panama Bay) Coffee Co. as a barista!

It's kind of a dream come true, as silly as that may sound to some! They opened their Livermore location when I was 16, and I've wanted to work there ever since!

I stopped in for a coffee break on my job search and ran into one of the managers who recognized me from back in my old Cali days. After a quick run down of what was new I walked out. Then I felt like maybe I should ask him if he has heard of anyone hiring in the area. Then I thought twice about it... That may seem like an odd question out of the blue. But I figured, hey, he may just be the man in the know, so who cares if I seem like an oddball.