Caramel Popcorn

My blog is certainly not complete if I don't include the caramel popcorn recipe!! We have this every Christmas and it only makes it that far because Mom hides it. I do not recommend using microwave popcorn for this - you will not be happy with the results since microwave popcorn tends to taste burned. Use either an air popper or pop it on top of the stove. I prefer Orville Redenbacher and Jolly Time, but we've also had some success in getting big popcorn with some off brands (our latest is the store brand from Fleet Farm). If you've only used microwave popcorn, I recommend starting with at least Jolly Time. While preparing the popcorn, my siblings found that putting the popped popcorn into a paper grocery bag and shaking it really helped to get any unpopped kernels to the bottom of the bag.

As far as the 'large pan', we use either a 12 or 13 quart steel mixing bowl or a waterbath canner. If all you have is an 8 qt stockpot or a 4-5 quart dutch oven, then put 1/2 the popcorn in and add the sugar slurry, mix a bit, then add the rest of the popcorn and stir carefully. When you add the slurry, the popcorn shrinks some, which will leave you more space.

If you have a family member who must severely restrict salt, Mom made this recently with 1/4 tsp. of salt and it tasted fine, however, we are also accustomed to low salt cooking.



This recipe came from Savory Creations, a cookbook by Mercy Employees Assn., Mercy Medical Center of Coon Rapids, MN. There's no date, but I'm sure it's from the 1980s.

Caramel Popcorn

Recipe by Ann Ulrich, contributed to Savory Creations

Pop and have ready in a large pan:
7 to 8 quarts of popcorn
1-2 cups spanish or roasted peanuts, if desired

Dissolve the following at medium heat and boil for 5 minutes:

2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks margarine
1/2 cup light Karo syrup

Remove from heat, and while stirring vigorously, add 1 teaspoon salt. Pour mixture over popcorn and stir. Bake in 200 degree oven for 1 to 1.5 hours. Stir every 15-20 minutes.

Green Beans with Caramelized Onion

You are getting a flurry of new recipes because we've been trying a lot of them. Here is another yummy recipe. I was iffy on it due to the brown sugar, but it is just right. The original recipe uses fresh green beans and I've included that information at the bottom. This recipe is from Southern Living: All Time Favorites c. 2009 p. 321

Green Beans With Caramelized Onion

2 pounds green beans, frozen
2 large sweet onions
3 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Place beans in casserole dish and heat on high for 20 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, cut onions into thin slices, and cut each slice in half.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add onion; cook 8-10 minutes (do not stir). Continue cooking onion, stirring often, 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Reduce heat to medium; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brown sugar.
4. Add green beans, and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add vinegar; toss to coat.

Makes 8 servings.

If using fresh green beans, prepare as follows: Trim beans. Cook beans in boiling water to cover 12 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside, or cover and chill overnight if desired.

Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls

This was YUMMY. Loved it!! Mom made it. It comes from Taste of Home Winning Recipes, Volume 2 (big 3 ring binder) on page 363. I wouldn't change a thing. I think it has just the right amount of sweetness.

Peanut Butter Popcorn Bars

By Kathy Oswald, Wauzeka, WI

10 cups popped popcorn
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place popcorn in a large bowl; set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Stir in peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. pour over popcorn and mix until well coated. Press into a buttered 13x9 inch pan. Cool slightly before cutting. yield : 2 dozen.

Calico Baked Beans - perfect for non-cook

I totally love various kinds of baked beans. It's so great to stick stuff into a crockpot or oven and have some tonight and then for lunch and supper the next day while you accomplish some long project.

This particular recipe was from a Lions Club Cookbook. As I get older, I find it a bit too sweet, so if you are serving just adults, feel free to cut the brown sugar to 3/4 of a cup. The original recipe says to use 1 tbsp garlic salt. I think that is a misprint and should have been 1 tsp. garlic salt. I use minced garlic because, well, I like minced garlic and don't feel the recipe needs so much salt.

This recipe also works for the non-cook. Tips for that person are below the recipe. One final tip. Instead of throwing away drained liquid from the various cans of beans, freeze it in ice cube trays or some other container. Use it for gravy or soup.

Calico Baked Beans

By Sharon Thornby

1/2 pound bacon
1/4 cup diced onion
1 cup brown sugar
1 (21 oz) can Boston type baked beans
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (15 oz) can lima beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can butter beans, drained
1/2 tsp dry mustard

Fry bacon. Cook onion in bacon fat. Drain off excess fat. Combine sugar, vinegar, garlic salt and mustard and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir together all ingredients in Dutch oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or cook in crock pot on high setting for 1 hour. Serves 12-16.

If you have no dry mustard, use 1-2 tablespoons of yellow prepared mustard.

For the non-cook. Buy precooked bacon and chop. Chop onion. Mix all ingredients together and put in fridge for at least 2-3 hours (even overnight is fine). This allows the molasses flavor to meld into the beans. Remove from fridge and bake or crock-pot for one hour or until thoroughly hot. If using a microwave, use 80% power for about 20 minutes. Stir, then 80% power for another 10-15 minutes until thoroughly hot. If you use full power, it often boils over and that is one heck of a mess.

Wonderful Turkey!!

Whether you use a high temperature and turn every 20 minutes or just put it in a pan and leave it for hours, soaking your turkey in a salt brine will tremendously improve both flavor and tenderness. No more dry turkey! We originally got this recipe by the authors of the Best Recipe in a Nov 9, 2001 USA Weekend article. This book is by the editors of Cooks Illustrated magazine and it surely is the best turkey you will ever taste!

We now use 13 pound turkeys (fewer people) and less salt, but you can do this method on any size turkey provided you can completely cover the turkey. When we did a large turkey (24-25 lbs) , we got one of those big plastic tubs that people fill with ice and pop for parties. Nowadays, we use a large stock pot or the kitchen sink.

Thaw your turkey first. It doesn't have to be totally unthawed as it will continue to thaw overnight. Then the night before roasting, fill your container half way with cold water and one cup of salt and one cup of sugar. If you have a family member who has been told to severely restrict salt, cut this to 1/2 cup of each. Mix well until salt and sugar are dissolved. Place your turkey into the brine and add cold water until it covers the turkey. I usually have to weigh down the turkey to keep it underwater (use a plate and something to weight it down). If you have pets, you MUST cover the whole thing with say a large cutting board. Let it soak for 12-15 hours.

Please note: If you have a very warm kitchen, even at night, you need to place this whole thing in a cooler area or the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, drain the turkey, rinse thoroughly, pat dry and bake as usual. We don't stuff turkey, but do include fresh rosemary in the cavity. Adds a lovely flavor to both turkey and gravy.

I have not included a gravy recipe. Mom has always made the gravy from this recipe and I know she takes out the rosemary, some of the fat and then puts drippings and vegetables into a blender and purees them. Puts into a pan and adds a little cornstarch and water to thicken.

If you have a roaster with a V-rack, here is the recipe exactly from the article. Please note that the cooking time is MUCH SHORTER than a turkey roasted at 325 F (which is what most of us do).

Full-Flavored Roast Turkey

1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar (optional)
1 turkey (11-14 pound) thawed, giblet bag, neck and tail cut off and reserved for gravy. Remove excess fat.
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely copped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
3 tbs. melted butter

Mix salt, optional sugar and 1 1/2 gallons of cold water in a clean bucket or stockpot large enough to hold the turkey. Add turkey; refrigerate 12-15 hours. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 400 F. Place half of the chopped onion, carrot and celery in the turkey cavity. Tie the legs together and secure the wings. Scatter remaining onion, carrot and celery in a large roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of water over the vegetables. Set V-rack in pan. Place turkey, breast side down, on V-rack. Brush back and sides with melted butter. Roast for 45 minutes.
Remove pan from oven. Close oven door. Baste the turkey's back with drippings from the caramelized roasted vegetables, adding a little water to the pan if drippings need loosening. With a wad of paper towels in each hand, turn the turkey on its side so one leg and wing are up. Brush exposed area of turkey with loosened pain drippings. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan. Return to oven and roast for 20 minutes.
Remove turkey from oven; close oven door. Use the wads of paper towels to turn the turkey so the other leg/wing faces up. Baste exposed areas with drippings. Add more water to the pan, if necessary, to keep vegetables from burning. Roast 20 minutes more.
Remove turkey from oven; close oven door. Use the wads of paper towels to turn the turkey
For the third time, remove turkey from oven; close door. Turn turkey breast side up and baste with dripping; roast 35-55 minutes longer, until a meat thermometer inserted in the breast registers 160-165 F. and the leg/thigh registers about 170 F.
Keep checking the pan, making sure the vegetables maintain a rich caramel color; add water if they start to burn.
Transfer turkey to a platter and let rest, uncovered, 30 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, pour excess fat from pan; discard fat and reserve drippings for gravy.

Wild Rice Casserole

This is a FAVORITE recipe in my family. Mom hasn't made it in ages. This serves a crowd, so consider cutting it in half if you are 4 or fewer. On the other hand, it makes great leftovers the next day. Mom says you can also use 1/2 regular Uncle Bens and 1/2 wild - just partially precook the wild rice portion. Recipe is from Savory Creations, a cookbook by Mercy Employees Assn. at Mercy Medical Center in Coon Rapids, MN. No printing date, but the book came out in the 80s.

Teno's Wild Rice Casserole

1 pound bacon strips
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cans mushrooms (drained)
1/4 pound butter
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pound grated cheddar cheese
1 pound wild rice
2 cans cream of celery soup

Soak wild rice overnight, fry bacon until crisp - drain. Saute onion, drain. Cook rice for 1/2 hour and rinse well. Bake 325 F for 1 hour, top with almonds.

Fresh Pear Salad

Yep, another recipe from my soon to be gone computer. Loved this. By the way, if you are already baking something for the main course, stick the nuts into the oven for about 8 minutes to bring out the nutty flavor.

Fresh Pear Salad

3 pears, divided use
3 tablespoons lemon juice (divided use)
1 1/2 quarts mixed salad greens, torn
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons walnuts
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Peel, core and coarseley chop 2 pears. Place in salad bowl and toss with 2 T lemon juice. Add salad greens, onions and walnuts. Toss gently to blend. In small bowl, combine sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar and orange juice. Add oil and mayo. Blend until smooth.

Core and slice remaining pear. Toss with remaining T lemon juice. Arrange pear slices on salad. Garnish with endive and orange slices or fresh raspberries or blueberries, if desired. Pass dressing seperately. 6-8 servings.

A Book Blessing

Here's a quote that was inside a church cookbook I once had. Just thought you might enjoy it.

A blessing be upon the cook
Who seeing, buys this little book
And buying, tries and tests its wares;
And testing, throws away her cares;
And carefree, tells her neighbor cook
To get another such a book.

She considered six professions;
Any one would challenge life,
But she practiced them together,
So they called her 'just a wife.'

Fresh Apple Breakfast Pie

Here's another recipe found on my Mac that I thoroughly enjoyed. This recipe hails from a pre-1970s cookbook. It's a light coffee cake. Refrigerate unused portions and reheat in the microwave. Yum.

Fresh Apple Breakfast Pie

Mrs. Harry Bergman

1 egg
3 tablespoons salad oil
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 large apples, each cut into 12 wedges

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat together egg, oil and milk in medium sized bowl. Add biscuit mix, 1/2 cup sugar and nuts. Beat briskly with a spoon until well mixed. Turn into buttered pie plate. Arrange apple wedges over batter in a circle. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon. Dot with butter or margarine. Bake about 35 minutes or until done. Serve warm.

Swiss Chicken Casserole

I'm in the midst of clearing all needed files (nearly all recipes, but a few knitting as well) off my Mac 6200 CD which is going to go to be recycled. While going through stuff, I rediscovered one of my favorite casseroles. I totally love this stuff! Very easy to make as well. This recipe was submitted by M. Burton on the old ChickenRecipe.com website in1999 (since taken over by AllRecipes.com. I put the recipe as it was listed, but would recommend serving with a salad rather than rice or egg noodles.

Swiss Chicken Casserole

Submitted by M. Burton
A tasty spin on the usual chicken and stuffing casserole. Great served with rice or egg noodles.

6 skinless chicken breasts
6 slices Swiss Cheese
1 (10.75 oz) can of cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/4 cup milk
1 (8 oz) package herb stuffing mix
1/2 cup melted butter or chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in pan. Place one slice of Swiss cheese on top of each chicken breast. Combine cream of chicken soup and milk, and pour over chicken breasts. Sprinkle stuffing mix over chicken and soup mixture. Pour melted butter or chicken brother over top. Cover with foil. Bake for 50 minutes or until done.

Toasty Pumpkin Waffles (or Pancakes)

This was totally yum. We made them as pancakes and I would add maybe another 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder when done like this. I prefer fluffier pancakes. I thought the recipe for the butter was more than adequate for the amount of pancakes - no additional syrup necessary, but obviously, your mileage may vary depending on how much syrup you like. This recipe is from Tasteofhome.com. Several other readers recommended adding some pumpkin pie spice for zip.

Toasty Pumpkin Waffles (or Pancakes)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
4 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Maple Cranberry Butter
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup butter, softened
Additional maple syrup, optional

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk the egg, milk, pumpkin and butter; stir in dry ingredients until blended. Fold in pecans.
2. Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine cranberries and syrup. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; cool slightly. Beat in butter until blended.
4. Serve waffles with maple cranberry butter and syrup, if desired. Refrigerate or freeze leftover butter

Yield: 4 servings (1 cup butter).

If you have leftover pumpkin (and you will), try the Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes.

Perfect Pancakes

I love pancakes and since I can't really have them very often any longer (diabetes), I want the best pancakes all the time. Normally, I have buttermilk pancakes, but while housesitting for my sister, I craved pancakes and she had no buttermilk. So, I did a search. Found the perfect non-buttermilk pancakes. Tall and yummy! I love fluffy pancakes and had given up finding a truly fluffy pancake. But, lo and behold, one has appeared on the horizon! This one is from AllRecipes.com posted by Kris and I will include the link for additional information.


The batter is light and spongy. That was a clue that these would be fluffy. If you use 1/4 cup measure you will get 8 pancakes. I didn't and got 6. After placing the batter in the pan, I added some blueberries. Yum. After my extra pancakes are cooled, I'll stick them in a ziploc to freeze and later reheat in the microwave for another brunch. My Mom suggests placing a wet paper towel over them when zapping to keep the moisture in. That's what she does with homemade freezer waffles.


Isn't this just the coolest plate? My sis has a whole set of them and they just look cool. English Ironstone (J&G Meakin) and I'm sure they were probably from a rural auction, but I think they are a great find!


Fluffy Pancakes

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• cooking spray

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Peachy Chicken

Yes, another chicken recipe! No oven and delicious. It's my adaptation of an old Weight Watchers cookbook recipe, but don't let that scare you! It's easy! It's yummy. I highly recommend using chicken legs or thighs. They have much better flavor than chicken breast meat. You can use fresh mushrooms - add them to the saute once the meat is done. You can also use fresh peaches, but you will need about 1/3 cup of pear or pineapple juice for the sauce if you use fresh peaches. Feel free to add more salt and pepper to taste - we're on a low salt cooking regime, hence the small amount of salt.

Peachy Chicken

4 large thighs (or any combo of chicken meat)
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 (15 oz) can of peaches in juice
2 (4 oz) cans mushrooms, drained
1/2 tsp garlic (granulated garlic can be used)
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Remove skin and cut the meat off the bone. Then slice into bite sized pieces (1/2 - 3/4 inch). Sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken. Saute chicken on both sides in pan with a little vegetable/olive oil until browned. Then add chopped onions. Saute for 15 minutes, uncovered, on low heat or until chicken is completely cooked through. Cut each sliced peach into 3 pieces. Add peaches with juice, mushrooms, garlic and nutmeg to chicken. Mix cornstarch with a little cold water and poor into pan and mix well. Heat until hot and sauce is thickened. Serve with rice.

Chicken Spaghetti - Great for Microwave!

My sister says I haven't added anything in months, so here you go!! New recipe made in a microwave and it's great. Even better as a leftover. Easy with the cream of mushroom soup. If you need less salt or have no soup, then use a thick white sauce instead. If you do so, be sure to go heavier on the mushrooms. This recipe is from the book Just Like Mom Made: 1000 Family Favorites published by Reader's Digest. This is not a spicy dish, so add stuff like green olives if you like spicy.

Chicken Spaghetti

8 ounces spaghetti
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 celery ribs, chopped
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cans (10 3/4 oz ea) condenced cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. In a small skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and celery in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the soup, mushrooms, spaghetti, chicken and cheese; toss to coat.

Transfer to a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish (or 2 quart square pyrex dish). Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bacon; dot with remaining butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Note: If microwaved, give it 20-25 minutes on high.

Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie chicken is yummy, yummy, yummy. That's why it so popular at all the store delis now. If you have the space, a home rotisserie will result in good eats all summer long. The chicken is oh so moist! My instructions below are modified for a rotisserie oven. Mom bought the Food Network Rotisserie, a model made by Hamilton Beach. The chicken can be made with or without the rub. My sister has a rosemary shrub (yes, it's that big), but the original recipe does indicate that you can also use thyme springs instead. For a low salt diet, eliminate the salt in the rub.

Rotisserie Oven Chicken

From Grilling for Dummies by Marie Rama and John Mariani, p. 158
1 3 1/2 to 4 pound chicken

Marinade
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons minced lemon peel (about 1 lemon()
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
3 fresh rosemary springs, about 3-4 inches long
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
pepper to taste

Spice Rub
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pepper to taste

1. Remove excess fat and giblets from chicken cavity. Freeze giblets for soup. Rinse chicken in cold water. Pat dry. Truss bird to keep wings and legs from drooping as spit turns.
2. In medium bowl or large, resealable plastic bag, make the marinade by combining the white wine, olive oil, garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice, rosemary sprigs, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or press the air out of the bag and seal it shut. Chicken should fit snugly in the bowl or bag, with the marinade covering it as much as possible. Refrigerate for about 3 hours.
3. In a small bowl, make spice rub by mixing together thyme, paprika, salt, lemon peel, ginger and pepper. Remove the chicken from the marinade; pour the marinade into a drip pan that is only slightly larger than the chicken.Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, sprinkling some into the cavity as well.
4. Following the rotisserie instructions for your unit, arrange the bird on the spit, securing it with the pronged rotisserie forks. Set the drip pan with the marinade under the chicken. As the bird cooks, the pan collects juices that flavor the basting sauce.
5. Cook, with spit turning, for about 1.5 hours or until done, basting 3times or about every 20 minutes, with the juices in the drip pan. (for a crispy skin, don't baste final 20 minutes). Chicken is done when instant read thermometer inserted between thigh and breast will register between n180 and 185 F.
6. Remove chicken from spit onto serving plate; cover loosely with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. Serve with pan juices.

Cinnabon Wannabees

This is Food Network's version of the famous Cinnabon yummy buns. What can I say? Delicious!! To die for!

This recipe is available at Food Network, so for easier printing go HERE. We made some changes. The glaze was just too sweet, so the second time around, substituted a cream cheese glaze by Todd Wilbur. Perfect. Mom felt that 12 tablespoons of butter was just too much, so feel free to cut back a couple of tablespoons. How much cinnamon to use depends on what kind you have. Store bought cinnamon is not as strong as spice shop cinnamon. If you buy cinnamon from an actual spice shop, you may find that you have to cut back quite a bit or you get kindof a bitter aftertaste. Also, the buns are HUGE. Enjoy the giant bun the first time, but plan on making them smaller next time around (maybe 8 instead of 6). Finally, the yeast - use a SMALL container and make sure your milk is warm. She used a small measuring cup with a lid on top. Otherwise, you may have trouble getting your yeast to bloom. Mom made the bun dough in the bread machine after proofing the yeast.

Almost-Famous Cinnamon Buns

For the Dough:

nocoupons

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the bowl
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the Filling:

nocoupons

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the Glaze:

nocoupons

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Make the dough: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 100. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar (don't stir). Set aside until foamy, 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the salt and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, 6 minutes. (Add up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary.)

Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Butter the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 hour 15 minutes.

Forming the buns:

Roll out the dough, fill and cut into buns (see instructions below). Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; place the buns cut-side down in the pan, leaving space between each. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325.

Bake the buns until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl, then whisk in the cream and melted butter. Transfer the buns to a rack and spoon the glaze on top while still warm.

How to Form Cinnamon Buns

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle with the longer side facing you.

2. Spread with the softened butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the far long edge. Mix the sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the butter.

3. Brush the unbuttered far edge with water. Roll the dough away from you into a tight cylinder and press on the long edge to seal.

4. Cut the cylinder with a sharp knife to make 6 equal-size buns.

Cream Cheese Glaze (Todd Wilbur)

8 tablespoons margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Whip with electric beater until well mixed and coat each bun generously after it comes out of the oven.