Cinnamon Rolls with Raisins

  (printable recipe)

   6 cups all purpose flour

   2 cups warm water (110°F)

   2/3 cup white sugar

   1/4 cup vegetable oil

    2 eggs

   1-1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

   1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Filling Mixture:

   1- 1/2 cups Brown Sugar

   1/2 cup Sugar

   4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

   1 tsp Ground Nutmeg

   4 Tbsp. butter, melted

   2 cup Raisins

Icing:

   1 cup Confectioners sugar

   1 Tbsp Milk

Instructions:

In large glass two cup measuring cup, measure out 2 cups warm water. Keep in mind the sugar will drop the temperature a couple degrees so you might want to make it a bit warmer.

Add sugar directly into the water.

Add 1-1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast to the sugar water mixture and stir a little. Wait about 5 minutes. The yeast will form a creamy froth. At this point your yeast has proofed and is ready to use.

In a mixer bowl, add your salt and oil. Stir in two cups of flour and eggs and mix until eggs are incorporated. Pour in your proofed yeast water and mix well using the dough hook.

One cup at a time mix in the remaining flour. By the time the rest of the flour is in the bowl, the dough is beginning to form.

Once the dough is formed and has pulled all the flour up from the bottom of the bowl set the mixer to the second speed and mix for 5 minutes. During this time watch to see if you need to add a bit more flour. (this step takes the place of kneading the dough for 8-10 minutes by hand)

Place dough into a well oiled bowl. Pick up the dough and turn it over to coat it completely with the oil.

Cover bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm place until it has doubled (mine took about 45 minutes). An easy test to see if the dough has risen enough is to poke two fingers about a half of a inch into the dough. If the impressions remain without going immediately back into place… it is ready.

When doubled, punch down dough and knead for a few minutes to get all the air out. Divide in half.
Roll out half of the dough.

Spread with half of the filling mixture and sprinkle with raisins. You could roll out the whole thing at once but I find it is easier to work with just half at a time.

Roll up dough.

Cut into 1 inch sections and place in two greased 9 inch pie pans or something similar.

I used the other half of the dough to make a loaf of bread.

Set in a warm place, cover with damp towel and let raise for about a half hour.

Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are a rich brown.

Brush tops with a light coating of vegetable oil and let cool for about five minutes before taking out of pans and putting on a plate.

Mix confectioners sugar and milk together in a bowl and spread on top.

(printable recipe)

The Perfect Wheat Bread

The Perfect Wheat Bread

(printable recipe)

3 cups all purpose flour (sifted)

3 cups whole wheat flour (sifted)

2 cups warm water (110°F, 45°C)

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. In large glass two cup measuring cup, measure out 2 cups warm water. Keep in mind the sugar will drop the temperature a couple degrees so you might want to make it a bit warmer.
2. Add 1/4 cup sugar directly into the water and recheck the temperature. Wait for it to cool, or microwave for a few seconds at a time until 110 degrees is reached.
3. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast to the sugar water mixture and stir a little. You will notice the yeast will settle to bottom of the measuring cup and then all rise to the top in a few minutes. The yeast will form a creamy froth. At this point your yeast has proofed and is ready to use.
4. In a mixer bowl, add your salt and oil. Stir in two cups of flour. Pour in your proofed yeast water and mix well using the dough hook.
5. One cup at a time mix in the remaining flour. By the time the rest of the flour is in the bowl, the dough is beginning to form.
6. Once the dough is formed and has pulled all the flour up from the bottom of the bowl set the mixer to the second speed and mix for 5 minutes. During this time watch to see if yo need to add a bit more flour.  (this step takes the place of kneading the dough for 8-10 minutes by hand)
7. Place dough into a well oiled bowl. Pick up the dough and turn it over to coat it completely with the oil.
8. Cover bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm place until it has doubled (mine took about 45 minutes). An easy test to see if the dough has risen enough is to poke two fingers about a half of a inch into the dough. If the impressions remain without going immediately back into place… it is ready.
9. When doubled, punch down dough and knead for a few minutes to get all the air out. Divide in half and form two loaves. Place in well oiled 9×5 bread pans. Let loaves rise in warm place for another 30 minutes, or until most of the dough has risen about a inch above the top of the pans.
10. Bake at 350°F, 175°C for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are a rich brown and tapping on the tops sounds hollow. Brush tops with a light coating of vegetable oil and let cool for about five minutes before taking out of pans and cooling on wire racks.

Wheat Bread ready to go into the oven

Note:

Yields 2 - 9×5 loafs of bread perfect for sandwiches or most anything else.

For The Perfect White Bread, use 6 cups of all purpose flour instead of 3 wheat and 3 all purpose.

Wheat Bread done and ready to be eaten - Yum!

4 Years Ago Today

Wordless Wednessday

January 9th 2012 - Wolf Moon

Link to: Wordless Wednesday

Sunny and warm...

Overnight Low: 31.1°F.
Today's High: 50.5°F.
Current Temp: 48.2°F. and sunny

Not a lot going on today, just relaxing with family and enjoying this beautiful day. Clear sky and sunshine, what more could one ask for?

I really want to start making homemade bread on a regular basis so I decided to start today. I'm attempting to make Perfect and Easy Homemade White Bread today. It is on the stove raising as I type. I cut out the kneading by hand process and let my kitchen aid to do all the work, by mixing on second speed for 5 minutes once all the flour was added.

picture from Ever Parent

*** Update***

Gotta love a loaf of bread that rises this high above the pan!

I can only dream that this recipe will be as easy and turn out as wonderful, every time, as this first time! Look at that beauty... in all my previous attempts to make bread from scratch I have rarely gotten it to rise like this.

Sorry... for some reason the taste function is not working on my computer today.

I so wish I could share just a slice (or two) with all of you. You'd be hooked too. I can see several loaves of this in our future. I'd like to send a special thanks to Ever Parent for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Happy new Year!!!

Overnight Low: 39.2°F.
Today's High: 48.9°F.
Current Temp: 45.5°F.

   Today started out sunny and warm, but by noon the rain had started and it's been raining all afternoon. The temperature is still 43°F. Very unusualy for this time of year, but I'm not complaining.

   My friend *D* and I went to get some chickens yesterday morning, she ended up keeping 4 of the hens and I brought home 6 hens and a rooster home with me. We were told they are about a year old. Most are RIRs but the rooster and one hen are White Leghorns. When I did chores last night I found two eggs, I know the white egg is from one of the new chickens as I didn't have any white egg layers before. And the brown one I think also came from one of the new chickens because it was in one of the nests on the top row which my old chickens have never used. Only had one egg in the nest today at chore time, but hopefully they will continue to lay and the rest will start.... I miss getting eggs everyday.

3 Years Ago Today
4 Years Ago Today

Our new Christmas Ornament

A couple of days before Christmas my almost three year old came out to the kitchen saying "Brudder binky in Christian Tree, Momma". (He call the Christmas Tree a "Christian Tree" - love it!) At first I thought he had taken it from his brother and threw it in the tree, but he was acting too proud for that to be the case. "Come here, see" he said as he turned and ran back into the living room. This is what I found when I got there...

It was just too cute not to share. We decided to leave it there because *K* (10 1/2 months old) doesn't really use it anymore, other then as a toy. So it is now officially part of the Christmas decorations. A first Christmas Ornament - so to speak.
I've been so blessed! My boys both gave up their pacifiers around 10 mths old. They just seemed to be done all of the sudden. No warning, no fussing, nothing -  just done. One of my worst fears, when I decided to start letting them suck on a "binky", was that it would be SO hard to break them of it once they started. Thank you, God - for giving me such easy going boys!

4 Years Ago Today

Granola Recipe

Granola with Coconut, Dates, Raisins and Chocolate Chips
2 cups rolled oats1/2 cup ground flaxseed1/2 cup wheat germ1/2 cup shredded coconutPinch of salt1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped dried dates
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine oats, flaxseed, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, and coconut. Melt butter in a separate bowl and add vanilla. Add honey to the oat combination and stir until evenly coated. Stir in butter until oat mixture is evenly coated. Spread on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes and stir every 5 minutes. Let it cool completely before stirring in dates, raisins, and the chocolate chips. Enjoy with milk for breakfast or alone as a snack.


4 Years Ago Today