Cinnamon Rolls and Kolaches

Well I love to cook and my dear hubby loves to fish. This weekend he and a friend went to fish in a bass tournament so dear daughter and myself are on our own. Whenever he goes fishing I always make goodies to send with him...I don't want him to starve! Usually I send fried pies (only baked of course!) for him to eat as dessert or breakfast as well as cookies. This time I sent him with my kitchen sink cookies (I call them that because I literally use any and all nuts and chips I have on hand and already open) and homemade kolaches. Homemade cinnamon rolls were offered but he declined, more for me...yummy! Dear daughter and I had a play date at the park this morning so I made cinnamon rolls to share and used half the dough to make ham and cheese kolaches to send to the lake.

Mmmmm, cookies and milk. The great thing about cookies is that you can sample your work and make sure they are presentable. I wish I could sample cakes and pies but it is a bit harder to hide that evidence!

My poor old bread machine, this is the only time I use it. You can make this dough by hand, I just always overwork it and make it a little too chewy. This was a wedding gift back in 2000, ahhh! Here are the fancy ingredients: salt, yeast, sugar, eggs, flour - plus water, milk and butter. You melt 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup water in saucepan on stove. Let cool.
If you are using a bread machine make sure you layer your ingredients as directed, my machine likes liquids on the bottom with yeast being very last ingredient added.

Once butter mixture has cooled you add 2 slightly beaten eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 6 cups flour, and 1 1/2 Tablespoon yeast. Make sure you set your machine for a 2 pound loaf or you will have a big mess, use dough cycle and walk away!

Can't you just smell the yummy dough! Take dough out and divide in half. Roll each half into rectangle on lightly floured surface.

Many things in life I don't measure (since baby my waist in one!). For the filling I use sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Notice my fancy roll cutter...waxed dental floss. Works like a charm!

Spread with soft butter, for this I always use my tub stuff, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and roll up into a big log. Cut into rolls with your floss. Place in greased dish with your rolls not touching so that they will cook more evenly once they rise. Cover with a dishtowel and place in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes. They should double. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Now with the other half I made kolaches for dear hubby. Notice my fancy cutter - plastic Gerber bowl!

Top each circle with ham and cheese, or filling of your choice.

Fold over and press edges to keep filling in while baking!

Cover and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes. It is harder to tell that these double.

Mmmm. Doesn't this make you want to lick the screen! You should smell them. Wow!

Perfect for a play date in the park don't you think!

Cinnamon Rolls

(this dough makes wonderful dinner rolls and kolaches)

Make sure your bread machine has a 2 pound setting.

Add the ingredients in the order your machine prefers.

1/4 cup unsalted stick butter

1 cup milk

1 cup water

Mix in saucepan over low-medium low heat until butter melts. Cool until no longer hot.

To butter mixture add the following:

2 slightly beaten eggs (remember to cool your butter mixture or you will scramble your eggs on accident!)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

6 cups flour

1 1/2 Tablespoon active dry yeast

Once your dough cycle is done, take out bread pan and punch down dough. Separate dough into 2 sections. On a floured surface roll each section into a rectangle so that you have 2 rectangles. On each rectangle spread soft butter, cinnamon and sugar. Roll each rectangle into a roll (a big snake) and cut. It is helpful to use dental floss to cut the cinnamon rolls. Place rolls in a greased dish and cover. Let rolls rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Ice while warm

For the icing I use 1/2 log of cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon melted butter, and a splash of vanilla and mix well. To this mixture I add powdered sugar until it has the taste I am looking for and then add milk until it becomes a decent spreading consistency.

Hope this helps you get "on a roll"!!