Cinnamon Rolls

Though homemade rolls takes a little more time, the flavor of these really makes it worth it.  Though you can make them and bake them all in one day, I usually prefer to let the final rise happen in the refrigerator overnight and bake them the next morning so they are warm and gooey from the oven for breakfast.

Makes 12 rolls

3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 package yeast (NOT rapid-rise)
1 egg
1/4 cup shortening
3-3 1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
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1 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Splash vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

1. In large microwave-safe bowl, heat milk for 1 minute or until scalded.  Stir in the 1/4 cup sugar and the salt.  Let cool until a drop placed on your wrist feels hot but not painful, about 5 minutes.  Stir in yeast until dissolved and let stand until frothy, about 5 more minutes.  Mix in egg and shortening as best you can, then beat in 1 cup flour until mixture is smooth and elastic.  Beat in another cup of flour until flour is all absorbed, then work in another 1/2 cup of flour with your hands.
2. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of flour on a flat surface.  Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adding as little flour as possible to keep dough a little sticky.  This will keep the rolls from being dry and tough.
3. Once you are done kneading the dough, wash your bowl.  Dry the bowl and grease it with cooking spray or a little extra butter.  Turn dough into greased bowl and flip it to bring the greased top up.  Cover with a wet paper towel and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
4. Once dough is doubled in size, punch it down and flip it over.  Let rise another 30-45 minutes.
5. In small bowl, mix together the 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.  Set aside.
6. Grease a flat surface with cooking spray.  Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle.  Smear dough with the 1 tablespoon softened butter, then sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Roll up tightly lengthwise to form a 12-inch log.  Slice log into 12 equal pieces, each 1 inch thick.
7. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with a lid.  Place roll slices in pan and cover with a wet paper towel.  Let rise in warm place for about 30 minutes or until rolls are puffy.  Cover pan with lid and place in refrigerator for 8-24 hours or until ready to use.
8.  Let rolls sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes while oven preheats to 375 degrees.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until rolls are golden.
9. While rolls are baking, mix together the cream cheese and butter.  Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar, beating until smooth to create a rich frosting.
10. When rolls are done, let cool for 10 minutes.  Frost with cream cheese frosting and serve.  Store any leftovers tightly covered.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I really like pancakes in pretty much any form and flavor.  When I still had a cup of pumpkin left from the puree I made, I immediately earmarked it for pancakes.  I served it with Cinnamon Pecan Sauce, but they are also excellent with maple syrup or just a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

Makes 16 pancakes

2 eggs
2 1/2 cups buttermilk, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger
Pinch ground cloves
1 cup pumpkin puree (homemade or canned)
2 1/2 cups flour
Shortening, for skillet

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups buttermilk and eggs.  Add in baking soda and whisk well.  Baking soda will fizz as it reacts with buttermilk.  Add sugar and shortening, whisking until shortening breaks up into bits.  Add baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and pumpkin puree and whisk well.  Stir in flour and stir until it is evenly distributed.  Use remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk to thin batter as needed (the consistency will rely a great deal on the moisture in the pumpkin, so you might need all of the 1/2 cup and you might only need 1 tablespoon) to reach desired thickness.
2. Heat skillet or griddle to medium heat.  Grease with extra shortening.  Spoon 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle or skillet and cook on one side until bubbles appear consistently throughout cake.  Flip pancake over and cook until brown on the second side.  Remove to plate or serving platter and keep in a warm place or serve immediately.

Butter Horns

When I was younger, it seemed like my grandmother always had these rolls around for visits.  They were tasty rolls that were lightly sweet, lightly frosted, and lightly cinnamon-sugary.  Once my mother and I found the recipe--which mostly consisted of a list of ingredients and a couple of instructing words--I decided to try them for myself.  I adapted it for my KitchenAid mixer, which was about the only change I made other than adding instructions.  (A note on the rolling process here: I have a tile countertop, so I use a rolling mat to make these rolls.  My mat has circles to indicate diameter and grids that help me cut straight wedges.  A mat like mine can be found here: Conimar Kitchen 18 by 24-Inch Helper Pastry Mat, Non-Slip.)

Makes 32 rolls

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, warm
2 packages active dry yeast
4-4 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon milk

1. In small heatproof bowl or two-cup measuring cup, melt 1/2 cup butter and shortening.  Microwaving for one minute on high will accomplish this.  Stir sugar into butter mixture and set aside to cool.  At this point, mixture will be separated.
2. In KitchenAid mixer bowl, whisk eggs and salt together.  Continue whisking until frothy.  Set aside.
3. Combine 1 cup warm milk and yeast in small bowl.  Stir with spoon until yeast dissolves.  Set aside.
4. Whisk butter mixture into egg mixture in mixer bowl.  Stir quickly until combined.  Whisk in milk-yeast mixture into eggs in mixer bowl as well.  Stir until smooth.  One cup at a time, stir 3 cups flour into mixture.  Each cup should be incorporated before adding the next cup.  Place mixer bowl on mixer that has the dough hook affixed.
5. Add 1/2 cup flour to the mixer bowl and process with dough hook until flour is absorbed.  Working in a little at a time, add as much of remaining cup of flour as necessary.  The dough has sufficient flour when it pulls away from bowl and climbs the dough hook.  Remove bowl from mixer, cover with plastic wrap, and place bowl in refrigerator.  The dough should be chilled at least overnight, though it can be chilled for up to 24 hours.
6. Mix together 1/4 cup sugar and teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl or custard cup.  Set aside.
7. Divide dough into four equal portions.  With a rolling pin, roll each dough portion into a circle that is 8 inches in diameter.  Spread 1 tablespoon of the room-temperature butter over the circle, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the butter.
8. Cut circle into 8 equal wedges with a knife or pizza cutter.  Working from widest edge inward to point, roll up wedges like crescent rolls.  Place shaped rolls on greased baking sheet, spacing rolls about 2 inches apart.
9. Place rolls in warm humid place to rise for 30-45 minutes or until puffy.  Bake rolls in 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Immediately prepare frosting.
10. Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together in measuring cup.  Stir until smooth.  Use more powdered sugar for thicker frosting, less for thinner.  Using the spout of the measuring cup, drizzle frosting over hot rolls.  Spread frosting evenly over rolls, creating a thin layer on the top of each roll.  Serve warm or cool.  Rolls can be stored in an air-tight container for up to three days.