My Favorite Cinnamon Rolls

I recently had an all day work meeting and the only thing we talked about the entire day were the cinnamon rolls that I made. Ok- I'm exaggerating a bit. But my coworkers really couldn't stop talking about how amazing these rolls are.

So, the lesson learned here is this: if you want to impress your coworkers or boss, make these immediately. You might end up getting that raise you requested!

Cinnamon Rolls
From Our Best Bites
Dough
1 T active dry yeast
1/2 C warm water (105 degr F/ 40 deg C)
4 1/2 C all-purpose flour (22 1/2 oz 700g)
4 large eggs
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp

Filling
1/2 C (1 stick) real butter at room temp
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 T cinnamon

Glaze
1 T butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T maple syrup extract (or to taste)
1 T Almond Milk (or regular milk) 
In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water, allow to bloom for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth.  Whisk in 1/2 C of the flour.  Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. 

Add the eggs, sugar, butter, and remaining 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture.  Fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead on medium speed until smooth 10-12 minutes. Add a bit more flour to reduce stickiness if needed.

Cover with plastic wrap, set in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. 

While dough is rising, prepare filling.  Take 2 T of the stick of butter and set aside.  Beat  remaining butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined and slightly fluffy, about 1 minute.

Butter a 9x13 baking dish.  Transfer the dough to a floured work surface.  Roll  out into a rectangle about 15x10 in.  Spread filling onto dough and roll up length-wise. 

Use string or dental floss to score and cut the dough into rolls.  You can make 12 small rolls, 10 medium ones, or 8 large.   Place cut side up in baking dish.  Melt the reserved 2 T butter and brush on top of rolls.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

The next morning remove from refrigerator and let rise until half again as high, about 1 hour.  While rising mix glaze ingredients until combined.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.  Spread the glaze over warm rolls and serve.

Sunrises, Flowers, and Banana Bread

As some may know I am not a morning person. During the summers when I was in middle school, I would sleep past noon.

Now a days, my alarm wakes me up at 6 during the workweek. But it's not all bad... especially when you get to wake up to sunrises

And flowers

and of course... Banana Bread!

Banana Walnut Bread
Adapted from Starbucks's recipe  
 
Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/8 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 ripe medium-large bananas (mashed)
• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan and dust with flour. 
2. Blend together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
3. Mix together the egg, sugar and vegetable oil until combined. 
4. Add the flour mixture and when blended add the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix until combined. 
5. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Top batter with remaining 1/3 chopped walnuts.
6. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
7. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Red Velvet

Cupcakes, cupcakes and cupcakes!! Need I say more??

The celebration of a friend's birthday called for these Red Velvet Cupcakes. I didn't have enough red food coloring... so they're not quite as red as they should be. But still delicious as ever!

Cream cheese frosting tops the cake (or cupcakes, in this case!)

Red Velvet Cupcakes
from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

For the Cupcakes:

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color (2 tablespoons regular food color)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and oil on medium-high speed until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.
4. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and beating until combined after each.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda and vinegar (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed until combined, about 10 seconds.
6. Fill the cupcake papers three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer muffin pan to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
7. To make the cinnamon cream frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add cinnamon and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
8. Place frosting into a large decorators decorating bag fitted with the 1M decorating tip and approximately 1/4″ above cupcake top at a 90° angle to cupcake surface,  pipe a spiral of icing, beginning at the outer edge and working inward.
9. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Yum!!