The Great Online Cookie Exchange Extravaganza 2011

You know how there are those things that, as a wife, you will just never be able to do as well as you mother in law did?  In my case - i will never be able to make adequate hot chocolate and I won't even attempt pies.

Their Christmas morning tradition involved warm sticky buns (the pecan roll type - come on y'all). So when our kids were little my husband asked me to start the tradition here.  I make them every year on the 24th and we have them with coffee and juice while we open gifts.  The boys would even forestall finding out what Santa brought them to wait for the rolls to warm up.

Sticky Buns

1.5 cups warm water

2.25 + .25 cups sugar

2 envelopes active dry yeast

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

1.5 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups (about) all purpose flour

1.5 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter – room temperature

3 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1.5 cups (medium) chopped pecans

1 cup very coarsely chopped pecans

Combine 1.5 cups warm water and .25 cups sugar in a large bowl.  Sprinkle yeast over and let stand until foamy.  Mix in vegetable oil and salt.  Combine two flours – then mix into liquid one cup at a time to form a soft dough.  Turn dough out onto a floured work surface.  Knead dough until smooth and elastic, adding more all purpose flour if sticky, about 10 minutes. 

Lightly oil another large bowl.  Place dough in bowl and turn it to coat with oil.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap then a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hr. 

Beat butter, cinnamon, and remaining 2.25 cups of sugar in a medium bowl to blend. 

Turn dough out onto floured work surface (do not punch down).  Roll out or press dough gently to 16X10 inch rectangle.  Using spatula, spread 1.25 cups of butter mixture evenly over the dough.  Sprinkle with medium chopped pecans.  Starting at one long side, roll up jelly rolls tyle, forming a log.  Pinch seam and ends to seal.  Cut log crosswise into 12 equal pieces.  Spread remaining butter mixture over bottom of 15X10X2” baking pan.  Sprinkle coarsely ground pecans over butter mixture.  Arrange rolls cut side down in prepared pan, spacing evenly.  Cover pan with plastic wrap.  Let rolls rise in warm draft free area until light and puffed, about 30 min. 

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 (F).  Bake rolls uncovered until tops are golden brown, about 35 min. 

Remove pan from oven.  Using a sharp knife, cut around the sides of pan.  Place large baking sheet over pan.  Invert rolls onto baking sheet.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

And  huge thanks to JZ for organizing the second annual recipe exchange!!! Below is the list of other participants - i even hear that most of them followed the rules and have recipes for actual cookies.  

Aisha
Alice
Ally
Another Suburban Mom
Ashly Star
Beau
Beth
Conina
Elysia
greengirl
Hedone
Jack & Jill
His wyld rose
Infidelity Chronicles
Jz
Kirsti
Krissy
lil
Linda Long
Little Monkey
Lola!
Mijena
mouse
Naughty Kitty
nilla
ponderouspet
ronnie
Rose
Ryan
Sara
selkie (her recipe here, her blog here)
Sephani Page
Serenity
shadesofblue
striving for peace
sin
Tempting Sweets
The Missus
undercovermetamorphosis
Viemoira