Common Cuisine |

This recipe is decadently good, yet so simple I was able to make it on impulse, with no special trip to the grocery store. It is not a “diet” recipe by any stretch, but I can justify it on a Saturday morning when everyone will be working hard around the house burning energy all day. This also uses less sugar and butter than the original recipe.

Notice the only time consuming step is thawing frozen bread dough. Make it yourself from scratch early in the morning, for a little more love (and sugar) and a little less forethought. “From Scratch” instructions follow the recipe below.

This recipe got me thinking about making my own nutrient-boosted dough from scratch, and freezing it until I am ready to use it. Like many things I do in the kitchen, I don’t think it would be difficult. It just requires a little planning. I will post the results of any research I dig up!

Thawing time: overnight
Morning prep time: 75 minutes

ROLLS:
1 loaf frozen white bread dough
6 Tbsp butter (3/4 stick), softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

ICING:
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
dash salt

Set frozen bread loaf in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray, cover loaf, and set in refrigerator. Allow to rise overnight. HINT: Set your butter out on the counter now, so it will be soft by morning.

75 minutes before breakfast time, stir together 6 Tbsp softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Remove loaf from refrigerator; save your piece of plastic wrap. Place loaf on a floured surface and roll to 12″ x 9″. Spread sugar mixture on dough, leaving 1″ empty along one long edge. Sprinkle raisins and nuts over sugar mixture. Then, starting along the other long edge, roll the dough into a 12″ log. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the last 1″, and pinch the edge onto the log.

Using dental floss or a sharp knife, carefully cut the log in half, then in half again. Cut each quarter into three equal parts. Set the twelve pieces on end into lightly greased muffin cups. Cover with the saved piece of sprayed plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in muffin cups for a few moments while making the icing.

Melt 2 Tbsp butter and cream cheese together in microwave. Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla and salt.

Remove rolls to a serving platter, and drizzle with the icing. Serve warm.

Makes 12.

OPTION: Place all rolls in a 13″x 9″ dish, and bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm, directly from the dish.

DOUGH FROM SCRATCH:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 egg

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Proceed with rolling and spreading processes above.

Somehow my children fell in love with blueberries. If anything has blueberries associated with it, they will eat it until their lips and fingers are purple-stained for two days.

I think it may have something to do with the sweet love Grammy whispers whenever she serves them up: You know, your eyes are so blue because of all the blueberries you eat!

There is just something special about the love Grammy adds to whatever she bakes.

• 1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 C Sugar
• 3/4 C Brown Sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 C Sour Cream
• 1/4 C Milk
• 3 overripe bananas, mashed
• 3 C flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 C frozen blueberries
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 325.

In large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream, milk, and bananas, and make sure batter is well mixed.

In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture carefully to banana mixture, mixing just enough to moisten all the flour. Carefully stir in blueberries just before pouring into pans, overmixing will turn the entire batter grey.

Pour into 2 greased 9″ loaf pans. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp brown sugar on top of loaves.

Bake 70-80 minutes, checking carefully beginning after 60 minutes. When ready, a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf will come out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack for one hour or until completely cooled. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.

This kind of bread loaf freezes really well. Wrap first in plastic wrap, then in foil, then put the wrapped loaf in a Ziploc freezer bag. Thaw on the counter for about an hour before slicing and serving with butter.

• ½ package frozen dinner rolls
• ½ C sugar
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¾ C chopped pecans
• ½ C packed brown sugar
• ½ package cook ‘n’ serve butterscotch pudding mix
• 1 stick (½ cup) cold butter

Arrange dough balls in greased bundt pan or large baking dish.

Mix sugar, cinnamon, pecans, brown sugar and pudding mix in small bowl. Sprinkle over rolls.

Slice butter and arrange slices over rolls.

Cover with foil and a dishtowel and let rise overnight on the kitchen counter.

In morning, preheat oven to 350. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Invert onto plate, let stand for a few minutes, remove pan.

Makes 18 delicious, decadent, gooey servings.

• 1 loaf raisin cinnamon bread
• 16 oz. bag frozen or enough fresh raspberries to cover first layer of bread
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1 C plain yogurt
• 8-10 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon (to taste)
• 2 tsp vanilla

Topping

• 1/4 C soft butter
• 1/2 C brown sugar

In a 9″ x 13 ” greased baking dish, place slices of bread to cover bottom. Arrange raspberries in a layer on top of bread. Spread cream cheese on an equal amount of additional bread slices, which will become the top layer. Place bread, cream cheese side down, onto berries. Mix milk, yogurt, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla together and pour over bread mixture so that it covers top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix topping and spread on top of layered french toast. Bake for about 50 minutes. Top will be slightly brown and a little crusty when done. Serve drizzled with raspberry sauce or syrup.