Good ol' comfort food

To me ,the poster child of comfort food is fresh, warm sweet rolls straight from the oven.
I don't make these often but every once or twice a winter, I'll get a whim and make batch or two or three. A batch equals 2 - 9x13 pans and I've made 3 batches since Saturday. Hey, when I get on a roll, I get on a roll. (No pun intended) :) And no, we have not eaten 6 pans of sweet rolls ourselves, but hubby-man has almost polished off one.
I sent one home with our son and daughter-in-law, a pan went to work with me this morning for "my guys" there and a pan with Dan for a group of men who were moving furniture for church this morning. The last two pans are raising right now and are going to a shop who let Dan borrow a much needed tractor manual a while back.

I always use my Mom's recipe. As a child growing up it was something she would make when she was hosting a morning Stanley or Tupperware party. Do you remember those? You can stir them up the night before, refrigerate overnight and form into rolls in the morning. Cinnamon rolls might seem difficult but they really are pretty quick and easy.

So without further delay, let's get started.

Mama's sweet rolls
In a large bowl, mix and stir until the shortening is melted;
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. shortening
1 teaspoon salt


In another bowl, stir until yeast is dissolved;
1 cup lukewarm water
1 T sugar
2 packages of rapid rise yeast

Beat 2 eggs and add to yeast mixture first, then to first mixture.

Stir in 5-1/2 to 5-3/4 cups flour. Mix well and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, punch down and roll out into a large rectangle.



Brush generously with 1/4 cup of melted butter. It has to be butter, margarine just won't due for cinnamon rolls.



Then sprinkle well with cinnamon and smush it around on top of the dough with your fingers so the top is entirely brown. Sprinkle liberal amounts of brown sugar on top of that.



Starting with one of your long sides, roll up tightly, sealing edges by pinching together.



Cut into rolls. I usually can get 24 - 30 out of a batch.


Let rise until doubled in size.

I always let mine rise on our corn burning stove as the top is nice and warm. If you use the Rapid Rise yeast and sit the pans in a nice warm spot, they only take 1-1/2 hours to raise.
Once doubled, bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes.



Frost while still warm with cream cheese frosting. No light cream cheese here either (it goes along the same line as only butter).

ENJOY!