It's awful quiet around here now

It all started last Thursday when we needed to get the house ready for company.

Here the Blacksmith and I clean out a much over loaded bookcase. Our local library has a sale once a year. They sell donated books for the A.B.L.E. program (Adult reading program). Needless to say we made a very generous donation.

Friday I set a batch of cinnamon rolls. See my recipe here. After I stored it in the refrigerator I met the school bus and picked up the two grandsons. DIL was on a sister's weekend shopping trip.

6:00 pm daughter Sarah and Rusty arrived from Oklahoma City. Hubby and I start on dinner, fried bluegill, hand breaded shrimp, homemade onion rings and french fries. Oh lard help us! I did throw in ramen coleslaw. Son Jeremy showed up just as we were setting the table.

Jeremy and the boys left about 8:30.

Saturday morning, I was up early to set my 2 pans of rolls.

A little butter never hurt.

Lots of brown sugar can't hurt either.

Rise baby rise!

A light drizzle of icing. Never too much.

Jeremy arrived with the boys about 8:00, he would be butchering hogs all day.

The cinnamon rolls were done about 10:30. Alex was disappointed we weren't having fried eggs for breakfast. It makes me think, fried eggs would have been a whole lot easier.

Saturday was beautiful. I delivered Brady for a birthday/swim party. Rusty played Frisbee golf. Sarah and I went to T J Maxx, and Grandpa took care of Alex. It was then time to BBQ.

Brady and Alex stayed all night with us Saturday night. Sarah attended a double bridal shower.

Sunday turned out to be just as beautiful. Rusty played Frisbee golf with the boys in the yard. They played catch, rode the 4 wheeler, rode the 4 wheeler again, and rode it again.


Lori came over after her weekend shopping trip. She caught Sarah and I making egg rolls. We also made Mongolian beef.

For the first time I had to add a table in the dining room. Even with Elizabeth in the high chair, 8 was too many for our dining table. A card table made just enough room for us all.

Elizabeth is enjoying her appetizers.

Jeremy, Lori and the kids left Sunday evening about 7:30. Sarah and Rusty would leave Monday morning, after I had gone to work.

Tonight we moved the quilt frame back to the front of the living room. The company is all gone now. Quilting will give me something to do this week. Rain is to set in tonight and is predicted for the next 4 days. If my fingers hold up I should have it out of the frame in 2-3 days.

Speaking of quilts. Several weeks ago I bought some pretty pink fabric. I cut it into 4 1/2 inches squares and mailed it to Valerie for Granny. Granny makes wonderful quilts every week. In this post you can see the quilt she made from my fabric. Feel free to send squares to Valerie.

Time for the recliner now.

Cloudy, 61 degrees, 9:34 PM

Homemade cinnamon or Hot rolls

Thursday I purchased high gluten flour at Weaver's Market. The young Amish girl told me that would be just the trick for perfect sweet rolls.

She knew what she was talking about. I made a batch yesterday and they were the best ever. I used my tried and true 20 year old recipe and this flour made all the difference.

Here is the recipe if you want to give it a try.


Hot Rolls/Sweet Roll dough

In a large bowl combine:
2 pkg Rapid rise yeast
1 cup very warm water
1 T. sugar
Stir until dissolved

In a smaller bowl:
Melt 3 T. butter/oleo
add 2 eggs
1 tsp salt
2/3 cups sugar
Beat well with a fork

Microwave 1 cup milk for 2 minutes.

Add butter/egg mixture to yeast mixture and mix.
Stir in 3 cups flour until well mixed.

Put 2 cups flour over batter but do not stir yet. Pour the hot milk over the flour and then stir in. Mix well.

Cover and let double until double in bulk.

Stir down and cover. Store in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or overnight. Will keep about 5 days.

To make cinnamon rolls (half of the dough will make 12 rolls in a 9 by 13 inch pan) roll out to about ½ thick. Then brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and slice. Place in greased pan and let rise. Bake 350 about 20 minutes. When cool drizzle with powdered sugar icing.

To make hot rolls: Roll about ¾ inch thick. Cut into circles. Before you place the circle in a grease pan, coat the sides only with melted butter. Place about 1/4 inch apart in pan. Let rise. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. When they come out of the oven, brush with melted butter and let set in the pan a few minutes before turning out.