I the Student, Recipe the Teacher

One of the best memories that I can recall from my childhood was my mother's homemade cinnamon rolls.  I wish we took pictures of food back then like we do nowadays!  I would watch her knead by hand and roll out the dough.  The cinnamon rolls would rise to a HUGE size.  I am not kidding, and to this day I have never been able to make mine do that.  She also made pecan rolls, they were delish.  They are still one of my favorites.  Immediately pulled from the oven, she would flip the cake pan over onto a piece of aluminium foil.  The topping would fall down the sides of the rolls, onto the foil, and  what seemed like within just seconds one couldn't pull that stuff off the foil! Believe me I did try a few times, with my fingers getting a tad burnt!  I just had to share that memory because........

Today as PV and I walked into the school house, the smell of cinnamon rolls was everywhere.   I said something about it and only as a child would, she took a huge breath in through her nose, and let out with a lovely reaction of delight! And noted that she liked cinnamon rolls!

With me having the day off and no plans in sight, this momma went to baking!

To be honest, I am not a very grand cinnamon roll maker.  I usually use my bread machine and my rolls do not rise very much in comparison to the ones from my childhood.  
Today I decided to use my Kitchenaid mixer to assist me in making my rolls.  I have never done this before, and kneading by hand, well I don't have the patience for it. 

I used this recipe after my trip down google lane!  

I am going to be honest here, when I began collecting the ingredients, 
I thought  to myself I  think this could be a blog post.

(Here is where you would imagine the little wheels turning in my mind!)

My thoughts arrived at failure and how I handle that in regards to my life (me).

You know,  since my cinnamon rolls don't usually turn out all that grand

 and I have this thing about perfectly doing things...... 

( I know, some of you are in shock aren't you, you never knew that about me!)
Disclaimer: No close friends or family may comment on this part of blog! :) LOL

Anyway, I was making mental notes as I collected the ingredients. 

As I started reading the recipe, and putting the ingredients together, 
I still wasn't feeling confident about the end results. 
 But at the same time there was a glimmer of pride for myself because I was still trying.

Trying to master a recipe, trying to master making my daughter happy, trying to master being a good wife, trying to be a good friend, sister, daughter, employee.

Then I realized the dough didn't look right.

UH - OH!

At this point I realize I may have miscounted my cups of flour!

I tend to multi-task!

See below.....

Oops.....

I decided to throw caution to the wind & go for it!

  I tossed  the dough in the bowl, 

covered to rise, and started a second batch!

(This is progress for me, usually I would throw it in the trash 

and not even attempt the end result of this batch!)

Needless to say,  as I began mixing the second batch

 I felt rather good about things.  

Then it was time to roll out the first batch. 

The dough didn't raise a great deal 

but I was in it for the end result!

STICK WITH ME..........

OVEN TIME!

In the end, I came out of this experience thinking.

(Again, you are shocked, I know ! Julie thinking!)

I had already sent myself down a path of destruction 

before I even got started!  

Why do I do that?

How many times in life do we do this? 

(I know I do it too often.)

But in the in the end, it's all good.

So I offer this.....

Although the journey may be sticky, hard to roll with, or not as much of  a high (feeling)

 as you thought it would be, just go with it. 

 Don't doubt yourself, keep going!  

Just enjoy it while it is here and 

learn from the glitches that occur.

And you can always try again!

NOTE:

I learned that when using Active dry yeast and it calls for Instant dry yeast, be sure to "proof" the active dry yeast in warm water for 10 minutes.  

The dough turns out much nicer! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

JV

Class Portrait Time!

(Keep in mind I am not a professional photographer!)

These two, they showed up late for the class portrait, 

they said they overslept! 

 I grounded them for a week! :)