Easter's Coming, There's Nothing Like Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

A few days ago, one of my neighbour's gave me some scented candle oils, so last night I decided I was going to give them a whirl. I mixed  Butter Pecan Pie with Vanilla Pearl oil and then sat back to relax. As the candle warmer melted the base candle, and the oils released their delicious scent into the air, "something" happened to me. My stomach began communicating with my palate and the next thing I knew I had a major desire to bake.

I next found myself in the kitchen whipping up a batch of easy yeast dough, readying it to rise overnight in the fridge in preparation to make Cinnamon Rolls.

Maybe these candle oils are not such a good thing. Although I think my husband and neighbours are very happy as my baking means everyone gets treats.

Proofing takes 2 - 3 hrs. These are ready

for the oven

This recipe is very easy, it is just time consuming in that the rising and proofing takes time, standing and mixing, rolling, and cutting takes no time at all. The results are absolutely divine.

With Easter coming up this weekend, fresh, warm, homemade cinnamon rolls make a great alternative to other sweet buns, or maybe even in addition to them.

Many people like a thick, buttery frosting with their cinnamon rolls, for me personally, I much prefer a regular thin glaze which is not as heavy. I will put both recipes following the cinnamon roll recipe for you to decide, or do half the batch with glaze and half with frosting.

You can freeze the dough and get it out Saturday night to cook them early on Sunday morning for Easter Brunch.


Happy Cooking, Happy Eating!


Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (unsalted)
3/4 cup sugar (I ran out of white sugar so I substituted with packed brown sugar)
2 tsp salt

1 cup cold water

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 (0.25oz) package yeast
1/2 cup warm water (NOT hot)

7 1/2 cups plain white flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon
2 cups raisins (optional)
2 cups chopped and toasted nuts; hazelnuts, pecans, or walnuts (optional)


1. In a large pot, bring 1 cup of water to boil. Add the 1 cup of butter, sugar, and salt; stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add the 1 cup of cold water, set aside until mixture is lukewarm.

2. Crack and beat the eggs lightly. Add a little of the lukewarm liquid mix into the eggs, beating all the time, to "coddle" the eggs, then add the egg mix to the sugar and butter mixture, stir well.

3. In a separate bowl, add the packets of yeast to the 1/2 cup warm water and stir making sure the yeast is dissolved. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until frothy.

4. Add the yeast to the mixture and stir well.

5. In a large bowl, add the flour and add the liquid mixture to the flour. Mix very well. Cover bowl with a lid and place into the fridge overnight. (You can slightly grease the lid to ensure that the risen dough will not stick to the lid)

6. When ready to roll out the dough, divide into thirds or quarters (I divided into quarters).

7. Lightly flour your surface and very light work the dough - it does not need much or hard kneading, but a just a little light working to get the dough more pliable. Roll the dough out into a 12x16 inch rectangle, and about 1/2 and inch thick.

These look good already!

8. Spread each rectangle with 1/4 of the softened stick of butter (if you've divided the dough into quarters or 1/3 stick of butter if you've divided it into 1/3s).

9. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar and the cinnamon until very well combined.

10. If you are using the raisins and toasted nuts, make sure you have these prepared in a separate bowl and within reach.

11. Sprinkle 1/4 of the brown sugar and cinnamon mix over each rectangle. Make sure the mix reaches to the edges of the dough.

12. Sprinkle 1/4 of the nut and raisin mix over top of the cinnamon mix and make sure that it reaches the edges of the dough.

13. Roll the dough up very carefully like you would a jelly roll.

14. Cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch slices and place close (but not too close) into a large greased baking pan. You can bake these in four separate baking sheet, or use one large turkey roaster pan.

15. Let cinnamon rolls rise (proof) for 2 - 3 hours or until double from original size.

Out of the oven, ready for glaze and

our tummies

16. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes (if using smaller separate pans) or for 35-40 minutes if using a large turkey roaster baking pan, or until lightly browned.

17. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then drizzle glaze over top of the warm rolls, or spread the rolls with frosting.

Makes approximately 3 - 4 dozen cinnamon rolls.



Cinnamon Roll Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
4 TBSP plus 1 tsp, milk
2 tsp vanilla (you can use maple syrup flavouring in substitute)

1. Mix everything well together until you have a smooth and runny glaze, drizzle over cinnamon rolls. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes, then add next glaze.


Second Glaze

3 cups powdered sugar
4 TBSP milk
2 tsp vanilla (you can use maple syrup flavouring in substitute)

1. Mix everything very well together to create a smooth glaze. Pour over the cinnamon rolls.



Cinnamon Roll Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla (you can use maple syrup flavouring in substitute)

1. Cream all ingredients together. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls.

Opa's Potato Salad

Potato salad has always had a time honour place on my family's holiday table. It was something that was made specially for Christmas, New Year's Eve, and Easter. As I was growing up, and Mum would make this delicious bowl of creamy goodness, she would always relay stories to me of her Grandfather "Otto Gerecke" (born on Dec 31st 1880), who created this version of Germany's most beloved salad. When Mum made this at Easter time, she always added a lot more eggs which is what uhr-Opa always did.

This is definitely salad you want to serve on your New Year's Eve table, on your Eid table, your Christmas table, at Easter, on birthdays; and, just because.

In our home, when the potatoes came out, it WAS the holidays!

Ingredients:
1-2 lb potatoes, washed and boiled in their skins
1 white salad onion, diced finely
8 German Barrel Pickles, diced
1 TBSP sugar (or substitute - but it does give it a different taste using sugar substitute)
2-3 TBSP of pickle juice from the jar (alternatively you can add juice of 1 lemon or apple cider vinegar)
3 TBSP Extra Virgin olive oil (or vegetable or sunflower oil)
5 TBSP Miracle Whip (add enough for desired consistency)
2 - 3 tsp salt (or to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
6 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
1/2 cup bacon bits (or you can use 1/4 lb pastrami diced and fried lightly in a little oil. Cook meat until crispy)
3 TBSP vegetable oil
1/2 cup boiling water
3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large bowl, add the onions, sugar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add boiling water over this and stir until the sugar and salt dissolves. Add the pickles and parsley and set aside. (The boiling water helps take the sharpness out of the onion)
2. Drain the boiled potatoes into a sink and let sit cool for minutes, but not too long otherwise it will make it difficult to skin them. Holding the potato with a fork (they will be too hot to hold with your bare hand), using a sharp knife, "skin" the potatoes and clean them completely.
    Slice the potatoes into the bowl that have the onions. When you slice the potatoes, I usually quarter them first and then slice in good size "chunks" to make sure you have substance in your salad. Add the chopped eggs. Mix lightly.
3. Add Miracle Whip (you can use mayonnaise but it does not give it that same "sharpness" that this salad is looking for, and if you do use mayonnaise, cut down on the sugar) and give it a good stir.
4. Make a small well in the center of the salad and pour bacon bits into the well. Bring the vegetable oil to a smoking heat and pour immediately over the bacon bits. Be very careful doing this because it can splatter and will sizzle. Mix the oil and bacon bits into the salad very well. (Alternatively, if you are using pastrami; try the meat until it is crispy. Pour very hot pastrami bits and fat into the well and mix thoroughly.)

Chill in the refrigerator for several hours or over night to let the flavours marry, before serving.

Potato Salad

*** *** ***

Sui - Jao (Boiled Dumplings)

Growing up, my Dad implemented a taste in me so strong that I literally matched him in my love for this. Little parcels of tasty sui jao; which literally translated means water dumplings.

This was one of my Dad's most favourite foods, and I have to admit that for me it is comfort food at its max. In many Chinese restaurants they make these tasty morsels with pork; as Muslims, this was not something that Dad (or us) would be able to eat. So we always ordered them with beef, and when we went to the Muslim Chinese restaurants that specialized in Northern Chinese cuisine, Dad enjoyed the "real taste from home" when they made them with lamb, or beef and lamb mixed together.

At home, I have some of the best memories of the four of us sitting around the kitchen table making these little dumplings. Especially around Chinese New Year, it was tradition in my family to make and eat hundreds of these goodies, since the shape is akin to the old Chinese gold currency which is called Yuan Bao. So eating these are good luck. I remember we made so many that we'd freeze them and then pop them into large ziploc baggies so we would have lots for the holidays and some for other times of the year too.

Very much like the Russian pelmeni, these goodies are filled with meat, veggies, garlic, onions, ginger, and spices.

Since we are still celebrating Eid-Al-Ahda holiday, and lamb is something that we should be eating much of, I made our dinner tonight with a half-half mix of ground lamb and beef. The first bite actually brought tears to my eyes as my memories from my youth, stories of my Dad's youth, the meaning of this holiday, and many, MANY years of enjoying these delicious morsels with my Dad came flooding back to me. I thought with joy and with some sorrow of my Dad, how I wished he were here with us, enjoying these tasty treats and the celebrations. But, I do take comfort in believing that I think he is somewhere close by, and watching us enjoy ourselves eating and sharing in the memories, and now creating our own memories.

This dish is really easy to make, but the only time consumption is sealing them in the dough packets. We used to make the dough from scratch and roll out the dough etc, but we found a really great short cut, and that is using dough dumpling wrappers from the Chinese/Asian grocery store. These are the perfect size and really do cut down on the job.

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground halal beef
1/2 lb ground halal lamb
1/4 head of cabbage, diced very finely
3 TBSP chopped Chinese parsley (cilantro)
1 stalk spring onion, chopped finely
1 stalk leek, washed very well and chopped finely
6 cloves garlic
1" piece ginger
3 TBSP oil (vegetable)
2 tsp sesame oil
3 TBSP light soy sauce
1 TBSP dark soy sauce

1 TBSP all purpose flour
3 TBSP cold water - or enough water to make a good but still runny paste

Method:

1. Add the meat and vegetables to a large mixing bowl
2. In a blender (or Magic Bullet blender), blend very well together the oils, soy sauces, ginger, and garlic
3. Add the blender mix to the meat and veg mix; remove your rings and mix by hand very well

4. Using a teaspoon add meat and veg mix to the middle of the dumpling wrapper

5. Using your finger tip, dip finger into the flour and water paste and put a small amount around the edge of half of the filled wrapper.

6. Fold over the edges and pinch together very well creating a very good seal.

7. Set aside until all the sui-jao's are created. Boil water in a pot adding enough chicken stock powder to flavour the boiling water well. Drop each sui-jao into the boiling water*, do not over crowd the pot. They will begin to rise. Using a spider net or a slotted spoon, stir them gently to ensure they get cooked well on all sides and that they don't start sticking together. Let them cook for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from water with slotted spoon and serve them dry immediately.

* Traditionally, you will boil them in a very large pot leaving enough space at the top that as soon as the water boils (with the sui-jao inside the pot), add a glass of cold water. When the water boils again, add another glass of cold water, and then repeat this a third time. When the water boils again for the last time, the sui-jao will be all cooked.

You can drink the stock by itself later, or you can serve the sui-jao in the stock and you can add some chopped cabbage (or other leafy greens to the stock).

Dipping Sauce

1 TBSP Chinese Light Soy Sauce (do NOT use Kikomen brand for this as it will give it too much of a different flavour)
1 TBSP Chinese Dark Mushroom Soy Sauce
1 TBSP Chinese Chinkiang Vinegar
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 dash Sri Racha chili sauce (optional)

Mix all ingredients together well, and serve together with the sui-jao

Here are the photos of the ingredients you will need to buy from the Asian supermarket for the dipping sauce: