yummy goodness

I have been watching a lot of the Food Network channel on our TV lately. I have this desire to be a better cook and a better baker, just better in the kitchen altogether. No offense Mom, but we were never really taught the art of cooking unless you include hot dogs and cereal as something that requires cooking. You know I'm right.

Anyways, I was watching Giada and she based an entire show on my favorite meal of the day: breakfast. One of her recipes was making cinnamon rolls. I've had a severe aversion to cinnamon rolls since my 18th birthday when I caught the flu and became sick with said rolls and macaroni and cheese being the only two things in my stomach. I shudder at the memories. Ick.

This is seriously one of the first times these things have looked even remotely appealing since then and they seemed fairly easy to make. Tonight, Keith and Andrew got to be my guinea pigs to see if these really tasted as good as they looked.

The recipe starts with pre-made frozen bread dough that I had to let thaw (notice my poke marks to make sure it wasn't still frozen):

The filling mixture. I actually roasted the almonds on my stove and chopped them myself! Who would've thought? I was actually supposed to use hazelnuts, but I've never had those before and since I was risking making these in the first place, I wanted them to have a nut that I'm familiar with.

This is the rolls placed in the dish just after I put them together. I had to let them sit for 45 minutes before baking them so that the dough could rise. I was skeptical that they would get larger, but man did they!

The final product. The boys said they were really good, but I think I might leave the cloves out that the recipe called for next time. Just a smidge too clover-ish for my taste.

All in all, I have to admit that I was pretty impressed with myself. I feel like I took a baby step today towards a.) eating cinnamon rolls again and b.) becoming more adventurous in the kitchen. Now I have to figure out what I'm going to make next...