Bleh.

Most of the household still has the plague. Mine seems to be some icky form of stomach flu, which has me alternate freezing and trying not to barf. And still chase the kids, of course.

Still have major project ADHA, which makes it very very difficult for me to focus on the things I should be working on right now. Or course, I'd expected to have more time to do them all, but my hands just didn't cooperate.


The Sock Report: Finished the Sooper Sekrit Socks, and got the flowers knitted for the mother-in-law socks, and all the ends woven in and bits sewn on. Washed and blocked, even. The Sooper Sekrit Socks, which are knitted in Mountain Colors Bearfoot, bled like a son-of-a-gun, which I don't expect from a brown yarn. Got The Miss's socks washed, too. (All that washing means that the bedroom smells like wet wool, but that's the only place I can lay them out where The Bug won't play with them.)

Have started two more pairs of Sekrit Socks, in different patterns which will remain nameless until after Yule. One is thick and cushy, and the other is on #0's, at 9sts and 11 rows per inch. But it looks grand!

Am halfway through the doll-sweater-for-hire, and am totally not interested in the project. Must finish it--it's yarn money. But I'd rather be working on something else.

A new cinnamon roll recipe

Found this while I was trolling for a recipe for my neighbor. They're rising on the stove right now; I'll let you know how they turn out. I'm going to leave the glaze out. As is, it's not Byron-safe, and we usually like such things unglazed.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Dough
1 lb sweet potatoes
1 T coarse kosher salt
1 c milk
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
7-8 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c warm water (105-115F)
3, 1/4-oz envelopes dry active yeast (about 2 T)
2 T sugar

Filling
9 T (1 stick plus 1 T) unsalted butter, room temperature
1⅓ c (packed) golden brown sugar
2½ T ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
3 T unbleached all purpose flour
1 c pecans or walnuts (if desired)
1 large apple finely chopped (if desired) --next time, I'll use 2 apples

Glaze
2 c powdered sugar
¼ c (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 T (or more) whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅛ tsp coarse kosher salt

Dough
Preheat over to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place potatoes on prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 min or until completely cooked. Remove potato skins and discard. Mash potato’s, add salt, milk and butter, mash until butter is melted. Whisk in eggs, then 1 cup flour; mash until very smooth. Let potatoes stand until barely lukewarm, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour ½ cup warm water into large bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment; stir in yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add potato mixture to yeast mixture; mix on low speed until well blended, 2 minutes. Using a dough hook mix in 5 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well. Beat until sticky dough forms.

Spread ½ cup flour on work surface. Scrape dough out onto floured work surface. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 8 minutes.

Coat large bowl with butter. Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make filling:

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour in medium bowl.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Turn dough out onto well-floured work surface. Roll out dough to 24x16-inch rectangle. Melt butter and brush onto dough making sure to thoroughly cover the surface of the dough. Sprinkle filling, apple and nuts evenly over dough. Starting at 1 long side, roll up dough jelly-roll style, enclosing filling. Using large knife dipped in flour, cut roll crosswise into 18 pieces. Transfer rolls to baking sheet, spacing rolls about ¾ inch apart. Cover baking sheet loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 20 minutes (rolls will be very puffy).

Bake cinnamon rolls until golden, about 12 minutes. Cool rolls 5 minutes on baking sheet.

Meanwhile, make glaze:

Whisk powdered sugar, melted butter, 2 tablespoons milk, vanilla, and coarse salt in small bowl. If glaze is too thick to spread, add more milk by ½ teaspoonfuls as needed. Spread glaze over warm rolls.