How many of you show love through food?

Last week,  I was almost done cooking dinner and making some sauce/marinade, & I realized I had NO sugar!! For the first time in my entire life, I  borrowed sugar from a neighbor, and while doing so realized I was proud that I live in a place where I feel happy & comfortable doing so. Another first~> instead of returning the sugar, I decided to bake our neighbor some of my yummy cinnamon bread. I hope she thought it was sweet as she is!


recipe taken from  The Italian Dish

(makes two loaves)

1 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup butter

about 7-1/2 cups cups of flour (more or less)
6 Tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons of instant dry yeast (fast acting yeast) or 2 packages of active dry yeast
(I prefer instant yeast)*
3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Combine milk, water and 1/3 cup butter in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are warm (not hot – it will kill the yeast). Remove from heat and stir until butter is melted.

Place 6 cups of flour, 6 tablespoons sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl. If you’re using a KitchenAid mixer, attach your dough hook.  Mix for a few seconds and then gradually add the eggs.  Mix and then add the liquids and mix for a couple of minutes. (If you are not using a mixer, just do this process in a large bowl and use a wooden spoon and then your hands).

Add remaining flour until dough clings to the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl.  Add  just enough flour until the dough gathers into a ball.  Knead for about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and set in a warm location; let rise until double, about 40 minutes.

Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. Spray the loaf pans with non-stick spray.

Punch the dough down and divide in half. Roll each half to a 9″x14″ rectangle

 Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon mixture.

Roll dough tightly and shape into loaves.

Place in the loaf pans. Cover; let rise until double, about  40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 F degrees.

Bake at 375 F for 35 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and let cool on wire racks.
To freeze, wrap tightly.

Sometimes I like to enjoy this bread cinnamon roll style- add some glaze on top of each slice.

sweet glaze

Just get a bowl and put the following inside-

1 heaping cup of powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 1/2 tablespoons milk

beat until all lumps are gone.

every slice is perfection.