Cinnamon Rolls

This is the answer to the before-mentioned question . . .

In honor of CeeCee Honeycutt's surrogate mother, Oletta, I served these at our book club night. Sooo easy. Trust me -- I know! Makes 2 dozen


2 Tb yeast (I use rapid rise yeast, for the obvious reason :)
3/4 cup warm water (not hot -- 110 degrees)
2 tsp sugar
Mix together in mixing bowl and let activate for 5-10 minutes.


Add:
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup evaporated canned milk
1 1/2 cups warm water
7-8 cups flour (I start with 7 cups)


You will also need some dental floss.

NOTE: Don't add all the flour at once. Leave dough quite sticky in the beginning. It will become less sticky as it rises. You can always add more flour when you knead it down and roll it out. Even with flour on my hand, it still is quite sticky when I punch it down -- that's okay.

Mix together until smooth dough forms. Cover and let rise until double (about 1-1 1/2 hour . . . it took 1 hour with the rapid yeast). Knead down and let rise again -- it will raise faster the second time (30 min for rapid yeast).

Divide dough into two balls. On floured counter roll into a rectangle about 10" x 12 ". Spread with melted butter and generously sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. (I sprinkle one way and then again the other way :) From the long end, roll up and cut by taking about a 18" piece of dental floss, slide it under the roll at 1" intervals. Bring the two ends of floss up and cross over each other and pull tight. It will make a nice, smooth cut. (Because I bake my rolls in a 9 x 13 pan, I take my ruler and lightly mark with a knife the inches. I want 12 to a pan. That's just me.)

Place on a greased cookie sheet or in 9 x 13 pans, let rise 20+ minutes and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. While still warm, spread with icing.

Crescent Dinner Rolls: Make the same only dividing the dough into 4 equal balls. Roll out into 10"-12" circles and cut into 12 rolls each (like a pizza) 4 x 12 = 48 rolls.

I know it might seem elementary to include a basic frosting, but I like it!

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1-2 Tb milk

In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 Tb of the milk. Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a little at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar. You know the routine.

Frosts 9 x 13 cake generously or fills and frosts an 8- or 9-inch two layer cake. NOTE: To fill and frost an 8-inch three-layer-cake, use a 1 pound box of powdered sugar (4 1/2 cups), 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened, 2 tsp vanilla and about 3 Tb milk.