Cinnamon rolls

These are a favorite in our house, but I can't make them often because there are not waist friendly! But since my playgroup friends are coming to swim tomorrow I thought I'd treat them one last time. So if you're wondering if you should come... take a look!

2 cups milk (warmed)
1 cup white sugar
½ cup shortening
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 eggs beaten
2 pkgs yeast - dissolved in ½ cup warm water
1 tsp salt
7 cups flour

Mix milk, sugar, shortening, salt, potatoes and eggs and 4 cups of flour. Beat 5 minutes, with beaters. Add the yeast and remaining flour (add 1 cup raisins if desired). All but last cup can be mixed with beater. (Unless you use a stand mixer i.e. Kitchen Aid or Bosch) Dough will be slightly sticky.

Refrigerate about 2 hours before rolling out. Roll out and spread with soft or melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon (sometimes I also sprinkle brown sugar over the cinnamon). Roll up and cut about 1” thick (you can use string or thread or unflavored dental floss). Place on greased cookie sheet with a lip. Let raise about 2 hours until doubled. (A little trick is to preheat the oven to 200ºF while cutting them, TURN OFF the oven, cover the rolls with a towel, and place them in the oven. It will cut your rising time in half!) Bake in 375ºF oven for about 12 minutes.

Icing: 1 pkg (2 lb) powdered sugar
1 cup butter (softened)
2 tsp vanilla
enough milk to make spreadable (about 2 Tbsp)

This recipe is easily halved as the whole recipe makes two cookie sheets worth!

I use instant mashed potatoes - without the milk, salt and butter. It's easier unless you have some leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge. And yes that is a BYU ice cream bucket that I store my flour in.

I learned this trick from my SIL Amy.
When measuring shortening, put plastic wrap over the measuring cup.

Then fill it up.

And just dump it in. No mess to clean up, or scraping out the measuring cup!

The "sponge" part is ready time to switch to a dough hook.

I have a small Kitchen Aid Stand mixer, so the recipe doesn't fit. This is when I wish I had a Bosch!

So the rest is kneaded by hand

In a bowl ready to rise - yes in the fridge.

Because after two hours in the fridge it looks like this!
Divide it in half and roll it out

My rectangle isn't perfect, but its doesn't need to be.

What you'll need after rolling it out

I have started adding brown sugar on top of the cinnamon - mmm - Love it!!!
Spread with melted butter - or margarine about 2 Tbs per pan.

Cover that thing with cinnamon - no dough showing :)
Sprinkle with brown sugar

roll it up

I cut them using a piece of thread - I shouldn't have used white. I hope you can see it.

I cut off the end, and then in about 1 inch pieces.

Just cross the thread over and pull through

I fit about 15 rolls on one pan. The left over pieces - the smaller ends I put on a separate pizza pan. Cover and let rise 2 hours.

Now for the frosting
Mix some of the powdered sugar and the soft butter together. It might take a while to stop being crumbly, but don't add the liquid yet!
Wow that is a lot of frosting!

I wait at least 20 minutes after they come out of the oven to frost them. I don't want to tops to dry out, but I don't want to frosting to melt either.

Delicious! Sorry it's not a great picture.