Back in the days when folks mostly stayed home and the women did all of their own baking, there was always the aroma of mouth-watering foods coming from Grandma's kitchen. Vanilla, cinnamon, and other wonderful scents drifted through the rooms of the old homestead and filled the house with the promise of irresistible treats. Now days, folks just put a pot of water on the stove to simmer, add a little cinnamon, cloves and vanilla for those nostalgic memories of good eatin'. The cinnamon rolls are bought at the super market and the kitchen is not as warm as Grandma's was, with the oven going most of the day.

Our schedules are too hectic now to spend time in the kitchen all day, but, once in awhile it is fun, and a real pleasant surprise for your family, to slow down and bake some homemade treats for the folks. Here is a recipe for Grandma's Old Fashion Cinnamon Rolls:

First, make a batch of white bread:

Dissolve 2 Tbsp (2 pkgs) dry yeast in about 1/4 cup lukewarm water, add about 1 or 2 tsp sugar to help the yeast grow, then add to one quart lukewarm water.
add 1 cup powdered milk (I like Milk Man).
Stir in 3 Tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1/3 cup cooking oil (I like Wesson)

Add four quarts flour, a little at a time, till thoroughly mixed. You can use an electric beater for the first few cups of flour to get a nice smooth blend going. Cover the bowl and place in a warm spot free of drafts. Let the dough rise till double. Punch down. knead for about five to twenty minutes on a floured surface. Roll dough out to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

Spread dough with melted butter, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over this. Beginning on long side, roll dough up fairly tightly into a long roll. Using sewing thread, cut log into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces. Place on greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rolls rise till double. Bake at 350 in oven for about 30 minutes or till done.

Frost while still warm with a butter cream frosting. 1/4 cup butter to 4 cups powdered sugar, blend thoroughly then add just enough milk to bring it to a nice spreading consistency.

These rolls, served warm with coffee or cocoa will satisfy the pickiest eaters. Be aware, though - your folks may be asking you to bake these more often!
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Take a look at some wonderful cookbooks to add to your kitchen!

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