New Year = Cinnamon Rolls

I've been wanting to make a New Years post for awhile, but, as usual, I just write them in my head and never actually type them. We didn't do anything too exciting. We did watch Once, though and that made me very happy. I was so sick over the holidays that I feel as if I'm just now getting back in the swing of things.So, thinking New Year's thoughts, I came across Hannah's New Year post. It just seemed so perfect and included so many of the little things that have been in my mind, that I'm going to cop out and say read it for yourself. Besides, her blog is lovely.



I've been out of cinnamon since Christmas, which is probably why I was craving it so much. Having finally replaced it in my pantry, I decided that cinnamon rolls were in order for Sunday morning. I've never actually made cinnamon rolls before. I think I avoided them because I thought that their rise time was much longer and frankly, I'm more of an immediate gratification kind of girl when it comes to eating breakfast. As it turn out it's not bad at all. I used Nigella's Norwegian Cinnamon Bun recipe and it turned out great. These will be made again.


Norwegian Cinnamon Buns


Dough:
4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/4-ounce packages of yeast
scant 1/2 cup butter
1 2/3 cup milk
2 eggs

Filling:
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 egg, beaten to glaze

Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Melt butter and whisk it into the milk and eggs. Stir into the flour mixture. Mix until combined and then knead dough until smooth and springy. Let rise in oiled bowl (covered) for 25 minutes.

Roll one third of dough into a rectangle and place in bottom of pan. Roll remaining dough into a large rectangle and spread with the filling mixture. Roll up from the longest side and cut into 3/4" slices. Place them on top of the dough already in the pan and brush with egg wash. Let rise for 15 minutes.

Bake at 450 for 20 - 25 minutes.



I had some help in the kitchen:


Later in the afternoon, we went to see Juno. You know when they call something the "feel good movie of the year" and you're not really sure what that is supposed to really mean? Well, I think that Juno really lives up to that cliche. Seriously, I was in such a great mood leaving that movie.

We're off to enjoy some of this crazy weather. I do appreciate not needing a jacket in Cleveland in January and yet it creeps me out big time. It just makes me feel weird. The wind doesn't help. Hopefully I can get this scaredy cat of a golden retriever to brave the gusts for a much needed afternoon hike.

Holiday Sweetness

Just wanted to share a picture of these Christmas Eve goodies we picked up in Little Italy. I got to try out our new camera. I'm looking forward to learning all of it's ins and outs. Unfortunately, I've been quite sick for the entirety of Christmas vacation so I'm not sure I tasted any of the icing or the pastry cream. I also managed to cough my way through Atonement and Sweeney Todd. So, finally beginning to mend in time for the holiday to be over. What can you do?

Happy Holidays

Heres to visiting and food and movies to come this week...

Merry Christmas to Devin

Devin's big Christmas present was the first professional recording session for our music project, Prairie Fire Organizing Committee. We're recording an ep of songs based on the poems of Richard Brautigan. I just wanted to share some of the images from our time spent in the studio. We're recording at Metrosync. Back in the day, it was a radio station. The Beatles once played live in the room where we're recording.

this time last year

I've been thinking a lot about this same time last year. I do quite a bit of that comparing one year to another.I actually started my very first blog entry with similar sentiments. Without going into too much detail, last fall was a really rough time. It was made even rougher by the fact that we were 4 hours from our families. I remember one particularly difficult day I was going to go out to buy Christmas cards. I was getting ready to go, and I thought,"I should just make Christmas cards,it would be a nice distraction". I sat down with the computer and began looking for ideas and I stumbled upon the crafty blog world. It somehow felt like a revelation to me and comforted me so much.

Finding so much inspiration has meant so much for me. I can't imagine how different my life would be right at this moment if I hadn't made this discovery. I'm so thankful for all of it.

When We Covered Cleveland in Ivy

So, its not very Christmasy, but I guess it is very seasonal, particularly if you live in Iowa. I was catching up on Tiffany's blog when I came across this quiz. I decided to take it,and while I don't want to reveal my personal results it did get me thinking about this guy. I'm not just saying that because he's my very own congressman. Actually it reminded me of a really great Dave Egger's story. The published version was included in his short story collection How We Are Hungry. However you can read another really great version here. It might be a little silly, but I have to think that crazy idealism isn't such a bad thing.

Meanwhile we are turning the corner of one week until Christmas. I have a few more crafty projects up my sleeve. We'll see how many I get done. I had decided not to bake any presents, but then I saw this post and I'm all a flutter with ideas. I'll let you know what the next few days bring. For now,I'm just listening to this and looking at this:

Oh magazines

I have a bit of a magazine problem. I'm fairly selective, but I still manage to read dozens of titles each month. A few of these I subscribe to, but many others I check out from the library. I am fortunate to have an AMAZING library, which is a bit enabling. I really just wanted to share a little bit of news with you. I just heard that Blueprint will no longer be regularly published, but instead become an occasional special guide and also be included with Martha Stewart Weddings. I like Blueprint a lot.I was really happy when it seemed to be gaining some footing and it went to being a regular bi-monthly publication instead of just quarterly. That said I probably prefer Domino. It does make for one less temptation at the checkout line.

In more exciting news, Nylon magazine is teaming up with Urban Outfitters this year. I love Nylon for the coverage of emerging designers and artists and they have fantastic music reviews among other things. I used to have trouble choosing between the now defunct Jane and Nylon. Now that my Jane subscription has been replaced by the publisher with another magazine that I would never read outside of a waiting room, this is not a problem. For a limited time you can get a FREE subscription to Nylon here.
I wish I hadn't recently caved and bought a subscription, but for those of you who don't already receive it, take advantage of this great deal.