The beginning and the end of yesterday . . .

 

The beginning of the day and the final demise of that pile of fill dirt. Sigh . . . We are waiting for another truckload today. Two truckloads just weren't quite enough. Meanwhile, I'm preparing food for the soon-to-be hungry crew. Everyone is tired and sore today. For some reason, my husband didn't think he needed to do his usual morning exercises today. Go figure on that decision!

Mostly war and no peace in politics!

Politics are almost as exciting as war and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics - many times.

Winston Churchill

Definitely worth sharing . . .

These are possibly the 5 best sentences you'll ever read:

 

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

 

2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

 

3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

 

4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

 

5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

 

Easy Does It Cinnamon Rolls

This is my go-to recipe for cinnamon rolls. It goes together easily, doesn't require any unusual ingredients, and bakes up nicely.

Easy Does it Cinnamon Rolls

2 tablespoons dry yeast
½ cup warm water*
1 ¼ cup buttermilk**
2 eggs
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour - approximately
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 teaspoons ground anise seed (optional and gives the dough a great but unusual taste.)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large mixer bowl. Add buttermilk, eggs, 2 ½ cups flour, the butter, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend 30 seconds with mixer on low speed, scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Beat two minutes on medium speed.

Stir in remaining 3 cups flour. (Dough should remain soft and slightly sticky.) Knead five minutes, or about 200 turns on a lightly floured board. With a Kitchenaid, you should be able to do the entire thing with the dough hook.

Shape into coffee breads or rolls as desired. Place on greased baking sheet and refrigerate over night. In the morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake. Frost while still warm. You can also form your rolls, cover with vegetable oil sprayed plastic wrap, let rise at room temperature, and bake the same day.

*You can’t used cold, tap water in this recipe. Sweet dough require the slightly warm temperature to prevent the dough from souring. But, only slightly warm or you will kill the yeast.

**Instead of going out and buying buttermilk, just add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to milk and let stand a moment. This works just as well and is cheaper!

Fillings:

½ cup melted butter
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
dash of cloves
dash of nutmeg
½ cup finely chopped nuts, optional

Roll out a portion of dough, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and nuts. Roll the dough up and then cut slices (1/2 inches) and place on baking sheet and go on as indicated.


Frostings
Powdered sugar, about two cups
Grated lemon rind
Juice of lemon
Teaspoon of vanilla extract

Combine ingredients and mix into a thick paste. Use more water if you can’t get the consistency you want.

Or:

Brown half a stick of butter in a pan. Mix in about two cups powered sugar and vanilla extract. Again, add small amounts of water to get proper consistency for spreading on rolls.
　

Another quote to tuck into our hearts!

“No, I do not wish to make anything of passing troubles, when it is a question of procuring some glory for You who suffered so much for love of us.”  ~St. Teresa of Avila