Best food memory (Cinnamon Rolls)

So one of my first and probably best food memories that sticks in my mind is my mom baking cinnamon rolls for me and my brother on Saturday mornings.  My mom was a teacher so it was hard for her to make fresh rolls for us.  Her preferred recipe of choice was Pillsbury canned cinnamon rolls.  Every once and awhile she would buy the Rhodes raised cinnamon rolls.  I enjoyed the flavor of the Rhodes brand to the Pillsbury rolls.  My favorite smell in the world is the smell of fresh baked bread or rolls.  I always wanted to make them from scratch.  I made my first batch of from scratch rolls when I was in my early twenties.  The recipe at the time came from the better homes and garden cookbook that I got from my mom.  Since then I learned my tastes are a little different from that recipe and decided to start searching for a better recipe.   If you ever need a great idea for something or recipe of any kind try pintrest it is an invaluable resource to every person for every need.  The recipe I used for these rolls from Laurens latest for one hour cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon rolls
-Dough
1 cup warm milk( 115 degrees) it should be warm to the touch not hot
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/3 vegetable oil
4-4 1/2 cups flour

-Filling
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

frosting
one recipe of what ever you like on them

First mix the warm milk, yeast, and half of the sugar.  This type of environment helps promote yeast growth. This differs from most peoples because I add the sugar.

After 10-15 minutes you will smell that great bread yeast smell that's how you know it is ready for the next step.  You will also notice foam or bubbles on the surface.

While waiting for the yeast to proof mix together the rest of the sugar, salt and about 3 1/2 cups of flour together.

Mix together your egg, oil, flour mixture, and yeast mixture till it looks like this. Knead this in about a 1/4 cup of flour or more till its smooth like the picture below.

Allow this to raise for about forty minutes in a warm place.  My wife and I own a home with radiator style heating system and there is one in my kitchen that has a board on top of it.  This is my favorite place to raise my dough because of the constant heat in the winter.  This raises for about 30-40 minutes depending on the temperature in the house.

While allowing the bread to raise mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

This is what the dough should look like when it has raised long enough.

Flour your work surface then roll out the dough till it is about a 1/4 in thick and 18 inches wide by 38 to 40 inches wide.

Spread dough with melted butter then spread the filling out.  I did mine like this to leave area to seal the ends up. Looking up this image I rolled the dough towards the purple bowl from the bottom of the picture.

If you roll tightly enough this is what the cross section of the rolls should look like.  I cut the roll every 2 1/2 inches.

I then put them into a greased pan and raised the rolls for 15 minutes in an oven set at 170 degrees. I pulled the rolls and raised the oven temp to 350 degrees.

I baked the rolls for about 20 to 25 minutes depending on your stove and temp and humidity.

Then serve and enjoy.  The topping I personally enjoy on my cinnamon rolls is called Diplomat cream.  It is a mix of French pastry cream that is really thick and Whip cream.  It tastes like ice cream and is a much lighter alternative to cream cheese frosting.