Can we still be friends?

Gma's Orange Rolls, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

We went to see Jim Gaffigan last night. One of his jokes was about when you haven't returned someone's telephone call for so long, what do you do? You think, "we weren't that close anyway" and do you just end the friendship because it would be so awkward once you called? Made me think of my food blog (flog) which I have neglected for so long. Want my excuses like I would give you if I hadn't returned your phone call? Well, for starters--teaching seminary at 6am, but still getting to bed at 11:30 and being over 6 months pregnant, a funeral, family in town (both sides)... But, can't we just be friends the way we used to be?

My grandmother recently celebrated her 99th birthday (yes, I know I already wrote about it on my family blog). For just about every family get-together that I can remember she was the one who brought the rolls. Our favorites were the Orange Rolls. I would eat about 5 within a couple minutes of dinner starting. Now that she is 99 she would have still made the rolls for Thanksgiving, but she had a cold that knocked her out (hopefully not from my kids!). I made them instead. I made them for both families (yes, we eat 2 Thanksgiving dinners--and I am wondering why my belly is getting huge). My mother-in-law gave me a recipe she had of Martha Stewart's. I made a batch of each, and I have to say, my grandma's are better!

These are fabulous because you make the dough the night before and put it in the fridge. It made my morning go a lot smoother (especially since S. was playing tag football for three hours and I had pies to make, too with the kids running around). I have only changed the recipe by using butter instead of shortening (does shortening freak anyone else out?).

My two year old definitely takes after me as he ate 5 rolls within minutes. And I'm pretty sure his cousin, Michael had even more than him.

Grandma's Orange Rolls

Rolls:

2 T. dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup hot water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (melted)
3 well beaten eggs
4-4 1/2 cups flour

Orange filling:

1/3 cup softened butter
1/3 cup sugar
rind of 1 orange (about 2 T)
1/2 tsp almond extract.

Orange glaze:

Juice of 1 orange
1 lb powdered sugar

Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water. Set aside. Combine sugar, butter and salt with hot water and stir. Add beaten eggs and 1 cup flour. Mix well. Stir in dissolved yeast thoroughly. Add remaining flour and stir until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Turn dough onto a floured board. Divide into 2 portions. Roll each portion into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick and spread with half of orange filling. Roll up as for a jelly rolls and cut into 1 inch slices and place in buttered muffin tins. Let rise until double. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Pour orange glaze of the top of rolls.