Cinnamon/Dinner Rolls

This recipe comes from my 90 year old aunt.  Her cooking prowess was well known in the Yakima Valley of Washington State.   She was published several times in local newspapers.  It is my go to recipe.  My copy is handwritten in the center of a letter from her.  On a now, very stained piece of yellow legal sized tablet.
2 cups of milk scalded.  Aunt Deb uses 1 can of canned milk with enough water to equal 2 cups.
                                     I did not have any canned milk when I made these so I substituted 1 cup of milk and
                                     one cup of very heavy whipping cream.  Can you say RICH!!
1 T salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg yeast proofed in 1/4 cup warm water and 1 T sugar.
2 eggs
7 cups flour

Scald milk, add salt, sugar, margarine and 3 cups of flour.  (I have a kitchen-aide so I use it and the dough hook to mix all together.)
Be sure the milk is not to hot.  It will kill the yeast if it is.  Add yeast and eggs and beat again.  Add the rest of the flour.  At this point you may have to knead by hand if your mixer is not strong enough to mix the dough.
It is a VERY soft dough.  You may need to add a little flour to be able to knead it by hand.  Do not add to much though, you want the dough to be soft and not stiff.
Place into a greased bowl and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  It should be very close to double in size.
It is at this point that you either pinch it off into rolls or roll it out into cinnamon rolls.
If you are rolling into cinnamon rolls, roll into a rectangle, about 3/8th of an inch thick.
For the filling, I melt 1 cube of real butter, add brown sugar.  (I don't know how much.)  You want it to be kind of thick yet spreadable.  I think I may add close to 1/4 cup of cinnamon.  Play with this, it is dependent upon what your tastes are.  I spread this over the dough.  You can add nuts and raisins if you like.  I prefer them plain.
Roll into a roll like pictured in the blog below.  Slice into about 3/4 inch slices and place into a greased pan.  Do not crowd.  If I am using a 8x13 pan, I put 3 across and 4 down.  Or 12 per pan. I usually have more dough than one pan, but not enough for another large pan.  I think I get four more rolls from my measurements.  I just bake those in a smaller pan.
Cover and let rise for almost an hour.  In a warm place.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.  I am kind of vague on this one because I go by smell and not time.  When you take them out, just pull them apart a little in the middle to be sure the dough has cooked through.  If not put them back for a few minutes.
For the frosting, I use one cube of butter.  (I like butter)  1-8 oz pkg of cream cheese, 1t vanilla.  Mix this all together until smooth and creamy.  Add powdered (10X) sugar until spreading consistency.  This makes a huge amount of frosting, but what you do not use can be frozen.  Spread over warm rolls, pour a glass of milk and ENJOY:)

I might say Aunt Deb is still with us, but she has slowed down a bit in her cooking.  She does still live in her home and is sharp as a tack.

Recipe Swap Thursday

Therese, at The Musings of a Mom hosts a Recipe Swap every Thursday, I thought I would share this great and easy salad Stan and I enjoyed at
Anthony's Home Port in Everett on our Anniversary.

1 bag of prewashed baby spinach

6-8 large strawberries sliced

Toasted Almonds or Hazelnuts.

The restaurant served it with Hazelnuts, we fixed it at home with Almonds

Girards Raspberry dressing

Poppy Seeds

For Stan and I, I place a serving of spinach on a plate. One bag makes 4-6 salads, depending on how much spinach you like.

I add two sliced strawberries each serving

toasted nuts, sprinkled with poppy seeds and dressing to taste.

We enjoyed this as a meal with some French bread, buttered and topped with Herbs de Provence and toasted under the broiler.

The Salad we had with Julie and her family

The Ingredients

The finished product.

Inspiration from Taste of Home 2009 Annual Recipes. Page 255

Cherry Chicken Salad on Croissants.

2 1/2 Cup cubed cooked chicken breast.

I cooked 4 halves. Made 3 cups, oh well, add it all. Waste not want not.

2/3 cup dried cherries.

Used cherries when I made the recipe in Cali. Did not have any here at home so substituted dried cranberries. Fresh grapes would probably be good too. I actually liked the cherries better than the cranberries.

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped tart apple

I used Pink Lady. 1/2 of an apple = 1/2 cup Used it.

1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

I do not like pecans, substituted almonds.

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Since I used larger portions of ingredients, I used a little more mayonnaise.

4 teaspoons buttermilk

Who keeps buttermilk in their house? Not me and I was not about to buy any for 4 teaspoons. Omitted it.

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

7 croissants, split

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, dried cherries, celery apple and pecans. In another bowl, combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, salt and pepper; add to the chicken mixture and mix well. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken salad onto each croissant. Yield, 7 servings.

No Rants today.

Instead, I want to share this. I LOVE TASTE of HOME!!

It is my favorite cookbook collection.

Today I a made a salad on page 25 of the above edition.

It was made with fresh corn, green and red peppers, green onions, black beans, garlic and barley. The dressing was salsa, sour cream and lime juice.

Even Cooper enjoyed it!
SOUTHWEST BARLEY SALAD
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
3/4 cup uncooked medium pearl barley
1 cup fresh or frozen corn. I cut corn from two fresh ears of corn.
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup salsa
3 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice

In a saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in barley. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. In a large bowl, combine the corn, beans, peppers, onions, cilantro and garlic. Stir in barley. Just before serving combine salsa, sour cream and lime juice; add to barley mixture. Serve warm or cold.
Yield 6 servings.

I served this with french bread buttered and topped with Herbs de Provence, then toasted under the broiler.
Very tasty and filling.