this recipe has been requested by my sweet friend cara who plans on making it for her family Christmas morning.  i originally got the basic bread recipe from my friend rachel back in denton.  it is a great recipe to make sweet or savory breads.  merry christmas!  enjoy!


CINNAMON ROLLS


1 cup HOT water + 3/4 cup HOT water
2 pkgs dry yeast
1 TBPS sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour + 2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick melted butter
cinnamon
sugar
dental floss or fishing line
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk


combine dry yeast and sugar to a large mixing bowl (I have a metal bowl and found it best to run hot water over the bowl and dry it to knock the chill out of the bowl itself).  pour HOT water over, stir to dissolve.  let rise to double in size.


combine 1 1/2 cups flour, salt & 1/4 cup sugar in another bowl.  gradually add flour mixture to the yeast mixture.  add 3/4 cup more HOT water.  add 2 1/2 cups more flour until  a sticky dough forms.  


flour rolling surface, rolling pin and hands.  divide dough in half sprinkling just enough flour on the dough so it is no longer sticky.  roll each half into a rectangle (about 8" x 10").  


using a basting brush, spread 3/4 of the melted butter over the dough.  sprinkle liberally with cinnamon and sugar.  starting at the 8" end, begin rolling to form a log.  to cut log in even slices, slide a 10" piece of dental floss under the log, bring ends of floss up and crisscross at top of roll, then pull ends in opposite directions.  


place rolls side by side in a 9x13 inch pan. (may need an extra pan if you have extra.)  baste remaining butter over the top of each roll.


bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.  


meanwhile, sift powdered sugar into a bowl.  slowly pour in milk while stirring with a fork.  add more milk if to thick and more sugar if too runny.  drizzle over hot cinnamon rolls.

"And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.”   ~ Matthew 2:11 (nasb)


antonia cobble, a good friend of mine, had shared this idea of gift giving with me years ago.  we have been doing it ever since.  instead of stressing over buying every present on your family’s wish list, pick just three gifts for each person to represent the 3 gifts the kings presented to Jesus.  the gifts become more thoughtful, less stressful and more meaningful.   with these three presents, gifts from family, stockings and one santa present my boys have plenty on Christmas morning.


GOLD - def.: a precious metal of great value.


            - This is the “big” gift, the gift the person has really been wanting or is somewhat expensive.


FRANKINCENSE - def.:  the aromatic dried resin collected from the bark of several trees in the boswellia family.  the israelites prized it as an ingredient in perfume, but even more as a part of the sacred incense used in worship.


            - This is the unique gift, something that is special to that person. for example, if the person likes to paint, maybe they would like new paints or new brushes.


MYRRH - def.:  a plant whose expensive, aromatic gum was used in perfume and incense, as well as in preparing bodies for burial.


              - this is the practical gift, something that will be used with purpose. for example, clothes or tools.

Have a wonderful holiday season!  Merry Christmas!

This morning we woke up to a thin blanket of snow with more forecasted for the day.  We are soon off to church and then to the Grove Park Inn to see this year's gingerbread houses for the annual competition.  After that we will come back home to make our own house and gingerbread men.  I thought I would share my favorite gingerbread recipe from Williams-Sonoma and the best royal icing recipe that hardens well.  We took these pix last year.  We made miniature gingerbread men and some big thick ones that we stuck on sticks and gave as gifts.