An Orange Roll Adventure

'Twas the week before Thanksgiving and rolls were requested. . . "  I love an excuse to make rolls and decided to make my grandmother's recipe for orange rolls for the first time. I found two copies of the recipe, one in Mom's handwriting and the other in Gram's. Neither were long on instructions. Gram's recipe didn't even mention a second rising. Mom's card said, "cut as cinnamon rolls." Except Gram served them as individually shaped rolls in a bread basket. I called my sister and asked her how she remembered the rolls. 

Last night I stirred up a big bowl of dough (6 c. flour) by hand and put it "in the icebox overnight." No wonder our grandmother's gave good hugs. There is more than one way to build up arm muscles. Then, I made some orange glaze from the "sugar, juice, and rind of three oranges, cooking until thickened. Make the night before so it is ready to go in the a.m."  It took longer than I expected and my glaze was a little on the thin side. The sugar requirement was 2/3 c. as per Mom.

As I rolled out dough this morning, I remembered Gram rolled the dough like cinnamon rolls but baked them in muffin tins and then as they came out of the oven, dipped the tops in orange glaze. Her rolls had orange glaze inside and on the top. I didn't have enough muffin pans for four dozen rolls so I made crescents. However crescents rolled from the wide end drip glaze from exposed surfaces. It was a mess. I finished shaping the first twelve and baked them. They were gooey and tasted just like Gram's. With the rest of the dough, I made and baked crescent shapes without filling and brushed glaze on the warm rolls. They are slightly less sticky but delicious. I'm not sure how we will get them to my sister's without having them stick together but where there is parchment paper and a will, there is a way. Gram made rolls early in the morning of holidays and Sunday dinners, cleaned up and then prepared the meal. As my sister said, "we just waltzed in and there were all those beautiful rolls." Gram, my baker's hat is off to you. I am so grateful to have had these women in my life.  

Since I'm linking with Kat and the Unravelers, I'll write about the little knitting that was accomplished this week. I finished Emmett's mittens and cast on the cuff of the pair for Micah. Micah requested mittens with one-inch stripes. I love a grandson with a strong opinion about his mittens. I'm waiting for a color consultation for the stripes. I also knit a few rows on the shawl I showed last week but it doesn't look much different. Thank you to all blog readers and other friends who share their making and reading.

I have it on good authority that the Cranberry Orange Bread recipe at the end of Cranberry Thanksgiving is quite tasty. I don't think I've ever made it. Maybe I'll try it in a few weeks. Right now we have all the orange rolls we need.  

Next up, I'm going to whip up Mom's fresh Cranberry Relish. I've made that many times so it should be easy-peasy. Then, thank goodness, I'll load up the dishwasher and go for a walk. 

I wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving filled with delicious food, friends, and family. 

Ravelry Link

E's Gator Mittens