cinnamon rolls

cinnamon rolls

My daddy used to make the most amazing cinnamon rolls. I always think of him when I smell them baking. This recipe comes from a friend of Beth’s. The neighborhood kids would know to go to Vicki’s house at the first sign of snow because her mom would have a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls for them. We only get a little snow here in Oklahoma every year, and Mama and Beth never get snow, so we officially decided that any day, rain or shine, is a good day for homemade cinnamon rolls!
MAKES 2 DOZEN ROLLS

½ ounce (2 packages) active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm (80–90°F) water
1 cup vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 large eggs
6 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup cinnamon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 teaspoons milk
1 16-ounce box confectioners’ sugar

Butter the bottoms of four 9-inch round pans.
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. In a separate bowl, add the vegetable shortening and sugar to the boiling water. Set this mixture aside to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and mix with the flour and salt. Add the dissolved yeast and the vegetable shortening–sugar mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Cover the dough in the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise for 2 hours.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 19 × 14-inch rectangle and sprinkle with some of the cinnamon sugar. Slice 1 stick of butter into small pieces and dot all over the cinnamon sugar. Roll up the dough like a jellyroll and cut into 1-inch slices, using a heavy cotton thread or floss. Place the rolls in the prepared pans, cover, and allow them to rise for 2 hours.
Near the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F. While the oven preheats, melt the remaining stick of butter and add the milk and confectioners’ sugar, mixing until smooth. Bake the rolls for 13 to 15 minutes, or until very light brown. Drizzle the icing over the rolls while they’re hot

blueberry pancakes

blueberry pancakes

Like me, my nephew Kyle loves anything made with blueberries, and he also loves breakfast for supper, a tradition we have perfected here in Oklahoma. There really isn’t any rule about when breakfast should be served. If we feel like having eggs and bacon for supper, we do it! Serve these pancakes topped with Hot Maple Syrup.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. In a separate large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the milk, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla, whisking to blend. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the egg mixture into it. Whisk the ingredients together just until blended. Fold the lemon zest and blueberries into the batter.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat or use an electric skillet on a medium setting. Use cooking spray or pour in vegetable oil to lightly coat the surface of the skillet. For each pancake, pour about ¼ cup of the batter into the hot skillet. Cook 3 or 4 pancakes at a time, depending on the size of the skillet. If the batter seems too thick, thin it with a little milk (1 to 2 tablespoons). When bubbles begin to form and “pop” on the pancake’s surface (about 1 minute) and the outer edge looks done, flip it over and cook briefly (about 30 seconds) on the other side.