Company Coming

Two of my sons are coming to dinner.  It’s Presidents Weekend.  My oldest, Dave is in Mammoth with his wife, Anne and daughter-in-law Ashley and her two little ones to play in the snow.  

I am expecting my other 2 sons, Dave, and Tim for dinner and I’m trying 2 new recipes.  

The first is Monkey Bread with Honey Bourbon Sauce.  The recipe is from the February issue of Food and Wine magazine..  The bread is made in a Bundt pan and served with a dipping sauce of cream cheese, honey, Bourbon, orange zest, and vanilla.  The sauce especially if to dye for.  And the Monkey Bread is the perfect place to show it off.  

The Family Favorite Recipe

Last weekend I hosted a family birthday celebration.  My oldest son, Dave was born on February 2-Groundhogs Day, and his wife, Anne had her birthday on January 6.  We decided to have the celebration on Superbowl Sunday.  Since some of the guests were wanting to watch the game, we planned to eat around noontime. 

It was kind of a mishmash between brunch and dinner. I planned to barbecue pork tenderloins (3 of them), also on the grill would be a combination of vegetables brushed with mayo and shaved canteloupe with freshly a light oil finish and ground pepper and fresh thyme.  Dessert was to include a strawberry tart and a chocolate cheesecake. 

I have published the recipe in one of my older blogs but the real hit of the party was not a recipe of my own but one that belonged to my mother.  My father was an Iowa farmer and when they were married, she did not know how to cook.  The farm neighbors helped her out.  

She eventually had one recipe that may truly be the best of any in my family.  It is her recipe for Cinnamon Rolls.  I have never seen it anywhere else.  When I taught foods at Roosevelt Middle School in the 1960's, I had my students make it for Open House.  I ran out of rolls at one of these events and I had one parent visitor come in towards the end of the evening requesting a roll.  I told him we had only 2 which were overcooked.  He bought them anyway.  

Ruth Parrish's Cinnamon Rolls

Use any recipe for a light bread dough..  (Tim used Pillsbury's Cinnamon Roll Mix and used the Sweet Roll recipe off the side of the box.)  

Roll out and spread with soft butter.  

Scatter brown sugar until thinly coated and shake on cinnamon.

Roll over in one long roll.  

Cut pieces about 1-inch wide.  Arrange in a greased dish.  Let rise.

Pour 1 cup heavy cream over unbaked rolls.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon.  

Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes.  

Everyone loves this recipe.  The only secret thing about it is the addition of the heavy cream and brown sugar which runs through the rolls while they are baking.  I have never seen this on cinnamon rolls anywhere else.  It is my best family recipe!!!