Cinnamon Rolls

Last night after we came back home from eating at Buffalo Wild Wings--I HAD a salad, people!--Okay,  it did have chicken tossed in their spicy garlic sauce on TOP of the salad, BUT I also brought half of it home.

Anyhoo, the family requested my cinnamon rolls. I usually have the ingredients on hand, so I started mixing the dough. . . . and found out that I didn't have any 'packets' of yeast. I have a pound of dry yeast that I keep in the freezer, but there was no conversion chart to calculate how many teaspoons equals a packet. A quick jaunt on the Internet gave me an answer--around 2 1/4 teaspoons equals one packet. So I guesstimated and tossed some into the mix.

Mix. Mix. Knead. Toss into oiled bowl. Cover with plastic. Place in microwave. This step only works if :
1) you have an above-the-stove microwave.
2) there is a light under the microwave that lights up your stove top.
3) or you can use the prf (proofing) button on your stove. I have one, but used it when I warmed up my pan.
But any warm, draft-free location works. I've used the laundry room (it's small and I can close the door) when the dryer is running.
The light on my microwave warms the interior of my microwave perfectly to raise dough.

An hour later. Dough has become critter trying to escape and oozing over the edge. Punch it down. Roll it out. Ooops, I softened too much butter. Oh well. Slather one stick of butter (1/2 cup) over top of rolled dough instead of measly 1/4 cup. Toss on mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts (didn't have raisins). Ooops, there are some bare spots. Toss handfuls of brown sugar onto bare spots and sprinkle cinnamon. Roll lengthwise and seal edge. Slice into 2 inch rounds. Place in buttered pan (from softened butter used earlier). Cover with plastic wrap. Toss into fridge. Go to bed.

Wake up freaking early because
1) you're menopausal and that's the way you roll.
2) you like getting up early because the house is wonderfully quite.
3) you get the freshest cup of coffee that way.
I personally follow all three reasons.

Place rolls in proofing oven, in microwave with the light on, etc. etc. AND DON'T FORGET TO SOFTEN 1/2 STICK OF BUTTER FOR THE ICING. Whatever you do, you need to get those puppies out of the fridge and warming up until they are double in size. About 30 minutes before you think anyone is a awake, pop them into the oven (REMOVE ANY PLASTIC COVERING THEM!) and make a batch of orange juice, 1) because you're a nice mom and you roll that way, or 2) because it is needed for the wonderful icing you need to make prior to anyone digging into the luscious rolls that you made.

Enjoy!!

 . . . hm, I wonder if I can 'forget' to weigh-in this week? Making cookies, desserts and now cinnamon rolls has NOT been a good decision for me this week.
*sigh*

Later, peeps!