Cinnamon Rolls

Ok..so my pictures are not like on Mel's Kitchen, one day! They are so YUMMY! So I made these cinnamon rolls tonight for my baby that is sick. The school called and said that Bree didn't feel very well. NOOOOOOO! I thought for sure that she had the stomach flu because it is going around our neighborhood like crazy. Anyways, I got her home and she was shivering and crying. So I lined the couch and floor with towels and made sure she had a bucket. Anyways, she ended up having a 102.5 fever and a sore throat. False alarm! Later in the afternoon, while I was on the phone she cleaned both the bathrooms as a surprise. Enough of my day, here is the recipe. I love this recipe because the potatoes in them make them so moist and yet dense. Try it, you'll love it!

Cinnamon Rolls

2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup butter
2 T. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
7 cups flour (approximately)
1 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup butter (melted)
brown sugar
cinnamon

Heat milk and butter in pan on the stove or in microwave until luke warm. Dissolve yeast in warm water with a teaspoon of the one cup of sugar. Add to the milk mixture with the eggs, sugar, salt, mashed potatoes and 4 cups of flour. Mix with mixer until smooth and well blended. Flour nuts and raisins with part of the remaining flour and add to the dough. Slowly add the remainder of the flour to make a soft dough. Cover and allow to raise until double about 45 minutes to an hour. Roll dough in a rectangle 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick. Spread with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up and cut into slices. Place on cookie sheet and cover. Let rise until double 45 minutes to an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Makes 18 large or 24 regular cinnamon rolls.

Icing

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 T. Milk

Mixed powdered sugar and butter. Add vanilla and milk and beat until smooth and creamy.

Variations

To make raspberry rolls after you roll out the dough spread with 8 oz. of cream cheese and one cup raspberry jam then roll and cut.

To make orange rolls after you roll out the dough spread with a 1/2 cup melted butter, 2-3 T. frozen orange juice and 1 tsp. orange zest. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and roll and cut.