Cinnamon Rolls

Basic roll dough

cinnamon

brown sugar

optional: nutmeg, chopped apples

Roll dough into a rectangle. Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. If you like, add nutmeg and a chopped apple or two. Roll up, and cut with a thread. Place on a greased cookie sheet, with rolls barely touching. Bake at 375 F for 17 minutes.

Pan Rolls

3 1/2 to 3 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. shortening

1 t. salt

1 package regular of quick active dry yeast

1/2 c. very warm milk (120 to 130 degrees F)

1/2 c. very warm milk (120 to 130 degrees F)

1 egg

Butter or margarine, melted

Mix 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, shortening, salt and yeast in medium bowl. Add warm water, warm milk and egg. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl an turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched. Grease bottom and sides of one 9x13 pan. Punch down dough. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Make a circle with your thumb and first finger of one hand.  Push one of the pieces of dough up through the circle to smooth the edges and form a ball.  Keep pushing the piece through the circle until the top is smooth.  Cover and let rise in a warm place about 30 minutes or until double. Bake at 400 F for 12 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12 rolls.

Mom's Roll Dough

1 c. warm water
1 c. warm milk
2 T. yeast
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. oil

2 t. salt

1 egg, beaten

6-7 c. flour*

Put sugar and water in a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. After it bubbles, add all the other ingredients except the flour. Add 3 cups of flour and stir until smooth. Add additional flour, incorporating it well, until the dough is tacky, but does not completely clean the sides of the container. Let rise. For dinner rolls, roll out about 1/4 inch thick and cut into circles or rectangles. Dip one side of rolls in butter, then fold the roll in half with that side in. Place the rolls on cooking sheet, a slight gap between them. Let them raise until double. Bake at 375 F for 17 minutes, or until lightly brown.

*You can use 2-3 cups of whole wheat substituted in for white to make them healthier.

Mom's Wheat Bread

4 c. warm water

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. yeast

1/2 c. oil

4 t. salt

11-12 c. flour*

In a big bowl add yeast to water and sugar. Let it sit about 5 minutes. Add oil, salt, and about half the flour. Stir until smooth. Add another 3-4 c. of flour, and kneed well. Add flour slowly until the dough is tacky but not dry, and forms a ball. Let it rise until about double. Split into four lumps. Place each lump on a greased surface, and fold in half. Rotate 90 degrees and fold in half again. Rotate again, and fold in half again. Place smooth side down in a well-greased 8 inch loaf pan. Repeat with three other lumps. Press the loaves into the pans to shape them and then flip them over so the loaves have the smooth side up. Let them raise until double or more, about 1 to 1 1/2 inch above the pan. Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and place on a cooling rack.

*You can use all white if you want.  I normally put in about 4-5 cups of wheat and this definitely gives it a whole wheat taste.  You don't want to use all whole wheat.

Makes 4 8-inch loaves.

Oil Pie Crust

My take:  I was scared to start making this pie crust my mom has switched to even though it's healthier than a butter or Crisco crust.  I thought it wouldn't have the flavor of a normal crust.  I was very surprised to find out that it is much flakier than a normal crust and harder to mess up.  You could add a bit of butter flavor if you want.

2 c. flour
1/2 c. oil
1/4 c. water or more
1/4 t. salt

Mix flour and salt.  Add in oil stirring as you go.  Add water until the dough gets to be workable.  You must roll this crust out between two sheets of wax paper.  It is stickier than a normal crust.

Makes a 2 crust pie.