Cinnamon Buns ....

I started making Pioneer Woman's cinnamon buns a few years back

I made them for my parents and siblings and gave them

on Thanksgiving weekend. They were already frozen so they just

saved them for Christmas morning.

Then I would make another batch closer to Christmas for our

Christmas morning and to give to a few close friends

I will warn you on this.....once you start making them for

people, you really have to stay with it!! haha.......everyone loves them

and though it takes a little effort and time, they are fun to make.

Today one of my dearest friends Janace came over and we made

a batch......8 tins of buns!

Now tonight I made another batch and was able to get

10 tins of buns. All a matter of how you roll them out and

roll them up.....it can vary

I follow Ree's recipe to a T! I even measure out my dough

once I roll it out......10 inches wide, 30 inches long

and here are my only tips.......

have everything ready to go, makes it so much easier

when you pour the butter on the dough, just use your hands

to spread it out...and cover every inch of the dough

notice I already have my tins all lined up and buttered so when I start

slicing the dough, they are all there ready to go

next you sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon and just make

sure you get every bit covered.....at this point it's really too messy

to try and use your hands so just sprinkle it all over

then comes time to roll it up.......and you'll have the butter, sugar

and cinnamon oozing out but that's fine, just smear it on there as you

roll it. It is easier if you have 2 people doing it but tonight it was

just me and it rolled up fine.

after you slice  them up, just cover with kitchen towels and let rise

for about 20 minutes. Look at them there.......all comfy in

pretty red Christmas towels :)

and once they come out, put the icing on right away.....and smother them

good in the icing. I only bake 2 tins at a time so sometimes your icing

can start to harden a little....if that happens just add a few drops of

milk and whisk it up some more.

These are by far the best cinnamon buns I have ever had.

a little warning though......they are very addictive!!

later.......



Elf on a shelf ...

Elf on a Shelf is all the craze.......everyone's doing it!

But what I'm wondering is when and who started all of this

because over 50 years ago.......yes, it's painful to type that

my Momma had some little Elves that she would put throughout the house.

She told us those Elves were watching us and they would report back

to Santa if we were good or bad

They had little outfits that were red and white stripes

and a tiny bit of tinsel around their neck

to be honest, they used to creep me out a little

until I got old enough to understand that really, they were

just little plastic head elves

a few years back, Momma gave each of us one of those Elves

and I bring him out every year.

He sits on my book shelves in the den and he is

the "Original Elf on a Shelf"

and here's my December chalk board.....idea from Pinterest

later.........



Thanksgiving 2014 ....

We sure did enjoy our Thanksgiving

except that we missed Momma terribly

 

I dreamed about her on Wed night

I dreamed that it was Thanksgiving, I was standing at the kitchen

sink washing up some dishes and I saw her walking up on the deck

I went to the door and said....."Momma, I thought you were gone"

she answered...."Well, I'm back!"

and that was it.....I don't remember anything else

sweet to see her in my dream

 

We had 12 for dinner

and as always, we ate about 5:30, half time of the Dallas game

Despite an awful showing of the Cowboys, we really enjoyed dinner

 

and here's just a few pictures from dinner......I didn't take to many

 

This is me modeling my apron that Momma gave me last year

it has a inside pocket for your cell phone!

 

 

These dogs just know that they will be getting

turkey dinner later on.....so spoiled

 

 

out newest grandson John Thomas

 

3 brothers

 

Declan has become quite obsessed with trains.....it's cute

 

later.....



Finding Christmas ....

Friends and family know how much I love Christmas

but I'm just not feeling it this year

I'm having a hard time with the idea of Christmas

without Momma

I told my daughter Jacquelyn this and she said I needed

to do something "Christmas" with Declan and it would get me

in to the holiday spirit.

 

So for football Sunday, I thought I would get some Christmas crafts

for the boys to do. Saturday evening I went over to Michaels...they

have so many things to choose from.

 

here's some pictures from Sunday.........I think the boys

had a good time and it warmed my heart to have them over

having fun. I still haven't hit that Christmas excitement that

I always have at this time of the year but I'm sure it will come.

Like Jacquelyn said, once I start getting my decorations out, that

will for sure make me happy.

 

My November chalk board

 

Declan looking so cute in his new vest

 

Baby John aka: drool machine

only one tooth through but looks like a few more

are trying hard to come through

 

Busy working on their Christmas crafts

 

Nicole does crafts with Gabe and Maddox quite often

so they were really enjoying it

 

Our sweet Maddox suffers from nose bleeds when the fall comes...

the dry air is rough on his little nose. Well he had a bad one and it

just messed his little nose up so much. Nicole has it coated down

good with medicine so that is why it is red and shiny!!

 

haha........I love how John is looking up at his Daddy, so funny

 

you can see his little tooth good in this picture

 

Nicole put John's seat up on the table so

he could see what was going on. Next year he'll

be doing some crafts!

 

I asked Declan to show me one of his and he held it

out for each person to see, it was cute

 

Maddox's turn to show his work......

 

and now Gabe's turn....

 

they each did 4

 

later.....