Tasty Tuesday

So about those pecans. We sat down to shell the pecans last night and WOW! It takes forever to get a small little pecan out of the shell! My grandmother, daughter, and I sat down and shelled pecans for about two hours. All that time we spent sitting and shelling we got maybe two cups of pecans.

With the holidays just behind us I did not want to make a pecan pie. I made two for Christmas and I thought it would be a little redundant for me to make more so soon. I thought about something that was really good and yummy and gooey. Gooey, ehhhhh! Yep, gooey! So I decided to make some honey sticky buns. 

Yummy! Here is how to make this gooey, yummy breakfast treat. 

First, dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 small package of active dry yeast in warm water. 

Let it sit for about 10 minutes. You want it to be nice and creamy. While you are waiting for the yeast to get creamy, warm 1/2 cup of milk in a saucepan on the stove. You want it to start to boil and then remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon salt into the warm milk. Let the mixture cool until it is lukewarm. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix the yeast, the milk, and 2 eggs. Add the flour to the mix 1/2 cup at a time. Make sure to mix it well each time you add flour. When the dough starts to form a stringy ball put it on a well floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth and it no longer sticks to the surface.

Add a little oil to a paper towel and grease a large bowl. Add the dough to the bowl, making sure to coat the surface. 

Find a warm spot for the bowl to sit. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and then put the bowl in that nice warm spot. Let the dough sit for an hour or until the dough has doubled in volume.

Melt 3/4 cup of butter in a small saucepan. I just rinsed out the one I used for the milk and reused it. I am all about less clean up at the end! Anyways, back to your melting butter! Stir in 3/4 cup of honey and whisk until the butter and honey make a smooth, unified sauce. Pour the mixture into a well greased baking pan. Add 1/2 cup pecans, make sure to spread them out evenly. 

Set this mixture aside and let's make the filling. In a small bowl combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup pecans, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Your dough should be ready to roll! Put the dough on the floured surface and roll it out until it is nice and smooth.

Take 2 tablespoons of melted butter and brush over the dough starting about 1/4 of an inch from the edge. Take the sugar mixture that you set aside earlier and sprinkle it over the butter. Start at the long edge of the dough and tightly roll it up. 

Take a sharp knife and start cutting 2 inch sections. Put the side you cut down into the pan of butter mixture.  

Cover with your good ole' trusty damp towel and let it sit for another hour. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the rolls have doubled (or after an hour) put them into the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. 

Flip the rolls upside down onto a platter and let them sit for a couple of minutes to cool. Then enjoy these gooey and yummy rolls.

Honey Sticky Buns:

.25 oz packet of active yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2c warm water

1/2c milk

1 teaspoon of salt

2 beaten eggs

1c; 2 tablespoons butter

4c all purpose flour

3/4c honey

1c chopped pecans

1c sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1.  Dissolve 1 packet of yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl of warm water. Let this stand until     creamy.

2.  Warm the milk into the saucepan until it starts to boil. Remove the milk from the pan and add 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir until well mixed. Then let the mixture cool.

3.  Combine the yeast mixture, milk mixture, and 2 eggs. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have used 2 cups. Mix until a small ball forms. 

4.  Roll out the small ball on a well floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticks to the surface.

5.  Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough ball into the bowl, making sure all sides are coated. Cover with a damp cloth and place in a warm spot. Let sit until the dough has doubled in size (about an hour).

6.  Melt 3/4 cup butter in a small saucepan. Stir in 3/4 cup of honey and mix until they are blended. Pour into a 9x13 baking sheet and then evenly distribute 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

7.  In a small bowl mix 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

8.  Once dough has doubled in size you are ready to roll it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to make an oval.

9.  Leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edge of the dough, brush on 2 tablespoons melted butter. Take the sugar and pecan mixture and evenly sprinkle over the butter.

10. Tightly roll the dough, starting at the long end. Cut into 2 inch sections and place them cut side down in the pan of butter/honey mix.

11. Cover the pan and let sit in a warm place until they double in size. (about an hour)

12. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once the rolls have doubled, place them in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are golden brown.

13. Flip the rolls onto a platter, letting all the butter/honey mixture coat the top of the rolls. Let sit for a couple of minutes to cool. 

14. Dig in!