Rollin'

[This may or may not be the first non-Lainey post since her arrival... so if you're just visiting to read about Lainey, this post isn't for you... :)]

Some of my favorite memories growing up involve family road trips from Minnesota down to Iowa to see my Dad's side of the family in Knoxville and Pella. We would stay at my Grandma's and visit, play the game of Life, Phase 10, Catch Phrase or paper football, laugh (A LOT) and EAT! My Grandma Charlotte (where Lainey got her middle name!) is truly amazing in the kitchen. I know lots of people say this about their Grandma's, but they are all wrong, because mine is really the best. :) Some of her specialties include, but are not limited to, a traditional roast beef dinner (with mashed potatoes, corn, creamed peas, delicious gravy... yum), CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (I try and recreate this masterpiece all the time and never get it quite right), Chalupas, Chicken Tetrazzini, brownies... the list goes on. A few years ago, my cousin and I decided it was time for Grandma to teach us a thing or two in the kitchen. We first asked if she would teach us how to make her homemade pie crust, specifically for apple pies. Here we are learning the precious art of pie making...

Then, last fall we asked her if she would teach us how to make her dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls, since they are made from the same dough. These dinner rolls are amazing. They are flaky, buttery, soft and DELICIOUS. The cinnamon rolls are sugary and sweet. I think we both learned that working with dough is really a tricky task at first - there are many things that need to be done just a certain way ... Grandma's way! We all always tease her about her "measurements" and "recipes" - she eyeballs everything and usually leaves things out when sharing a recipe, which is why we couldn't just ask for it written down. We needed to get a hands on lesson! I hadn't gotten a chance to attempt the dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls... until NOW! With Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, it was the perfect opportunity for me to attempt the rolls!

All of the ingredients ready to go!

Simon... sigh.

Mixing the dry ingredients.

Scalding the milk and adding butter and margarine.

My sweet helper!

She makes the funniest faces... back to work...

Rolls rolled and rising...

Rolling up the cinnamon-y sugar-y goodness!

YUM!!

Obviously, my first attempt (top) was a learning experience and the second roll turned out much better!

Rolls baking away!

Icing drizzled on top of the warm rolls!

All of the finished products!

YUMMM!

Thankfully, little miss napped like a CHAMP today and helped me get a lot of this done without too many interruptions. I definitely learned a few things along the way and will have to try again soon and apply what I've learned. If you want the recipe, let me know, or want to join me next time I make these, you'll have to clear a good 4 or 5 hours out of your schedule, but you are more than welcome! :)