Mom's New Year's Cinnamon Rolls

Mom's New Year's Cinnamon Rolls  

My mom made these every New Years Day for breakfast with hot chocolate growing up! Now, I like to make them for General Conference, New Years, and let's face it, anytime the time calls for it ;)! 

They are faster to make then most rolls. Prep time is about an hour. Serves: 12-14 BIG rolls :) 

Ingredients: 
1-3/4 c. warm water
3 T. yeast
6 T. white sugar
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
6 + cups of flour
butter
cinnamon + sugar (1/4 c. cup of sugar + 2 t cinnamon)
brown sugar
raisins (optional)

Instructions: First, preheat the oven at 350. Then mix the first four ingredients togethr and let them stand for 15 mins. (I usually place the bowl on the warming oven.) After the fifteen minutes are up, add the rest of the ingredients into the mix. Mix well. Should still be fairly sticky but not so much you can't roll it out. Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick and about 18x10 in diameter. Next, spread the dough generously with real butter. Next sprinkle on the cinnamon and sugar, brown sugar, and raisins if using. Roll up and cut into 1-1/2 inch wide rolls. (They cut the easiest with floss.) Let them rise on a greased tray for 18-20 mins. Bake them at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Ice them while they are still very warm.

Note: Gooeyness depends on how much sugar, cinnamon, and butter you add. I didn't add enough today and they came out drier. This is very thick dough so you want more than you think.

Icing Recipe: 
3 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter
5 t. milk
1-1/2 t. vanilla

Mix above together. Spread on top of hot rolls. Mmmm... You can also play around and add cream cheese to the mix too if you'd like...

Biscuits and Gravy

       

Who doesn't like the classic comfort food biscuits and gravy? While Adam loves it, I actually thought I hated it. It reminded me too much of chicken and dumplings, which I find way too soggy for my taste. However, this morning, we decided to make some for brunch. We were both quite happy with how they turned out. :) The biscuits are fluffy and tall, even though they are half whole wheat. They are filling and delicious. The gravy isn't too thick or too thin. It has a very pleasant savory sausage taste.  

      Note: This is a great team recipe. I made the biscuits while Adam made the gravy and eggs. If you have the chance to cook with your spouse or even a friend, sibling, or roommate this works great. If not, I'd make the biscuits first.  This would also be a fun recipe to let you kids help with as they would probably have fun cutting the biscuits out of the dough.

     

Biscuits: (makes 10-12) 
(modified slightly from here) 

1 c. white flour

1 c. whole wheat (I used white whole wheat) 

4 t. baking powder

1 T. white sugar 
3/4 t. salt 
1/4 c. softened butter (use the real stuff, not margarine) 
1 c. buttermilk (1 T. vinegar poured into a liquid measuring cup. Fill the rest with milk and mix. Let rest for 5 minutes or so.) 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in bowl. Cut in butter with a knife, fork, or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in buttermilk until just moistened. If you accidentally use all of the buttermilk (that would never happen to us ;), just add more flour, tastes great!) 
3. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8 to 10 times. Roll to about 3/4-inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter (or a glass turned upside down or a cookie cutter)  Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet (or use a stoneware pan like we did.) 

4.Bake in preheated oven until biscuits are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Brush with butter to keep the tops soft.

Gravy: (makes 3+ cups)
1 package McCormick Sausage Flavor Country Gravy
5 pre-cooked sausage links (we used Banquet Brown and Serve)
2 c. milk (we used 2%)
1 c. water
1 T. Real Bacon Bits (optional)

1. Heat sausage in the microwave for 15 seconds so that it is warm enough to cut easily. Dice into small pieces.
2. Stir all ingredients together and bring to boil while stirring.
3. Set aside and gravy will thicken.

Scrambled Eggs:
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. grated cheese
5 eggs

Mix together in bowl. Cook on stove. Good job.




Assembly:
Cut biscuits in half, top with gravy, then eggs.

Or, if you'd rather have the gravy on the side, pour into a small container and dip your biscuits and eggs.

Enjoy!