Carb Diva Cinnamon Rolls (Otherwise Known as Manna from Heaven)

Autumn begins in just three more days, but our little corner of the world is already knee-deep into Fall weather. Leaves are falling and pumpkins are changing from green to glowing orange. In my front yard squirrels scurry about gathering hazelnuts. Today marked the second week of school, and I am delighted that Tuesday morning Bible study has resumed.

It was such a joy to once again fellowship and study God's word with this little group of people. A few were absent due to illness, but we pray that they will gain strength and healing and be able to join us again soon.

As our meeting time is 10:00 a.m. (and we're Lutherans with an ever-present pot of coffee), our gathering centers around the Bible, and brunch. Each of us contributes something--sometimes a homemade coffee cake, or a package of cinnamon rolls from the local bakery, crackers and cheese, or fresh produce from one's garden.

My dear friend Mary was there, and she brought a wonderful treat from a local store--I think it was called "Sin-Dawg" bread--"Sin" for the cinnamon and "Dawg" representing the local nickname for our beloved University of Washington Huskies. How could something advertised as the "healthiest cinnamon roll in the world" (100 percent whole grain) be so amazingly yummy?

I'd like to share with Mary and the rest of you the antithesis of Dave's Sin-Dawg bread--a cinnamon roll recipe I've used for years. It's not whole grain, it's not healthy, and although it might show up at next week's Bible study it certainly isn't manna from Heaven, (but it probably has the "Sin" part down pretty good!)

Carb Diva Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 packages (4 1/2 teaspoons) dry yeast (not instant)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• 1/2 cup raisins, optional

Instructions

1. In large bowl, mix boiling water and potato flakes. Add milk, oil, salt, sugar, yeast and beat well. Add eggs and mix until blended. Add 4 1/2 cups of the flour, one cup at a time, until all flour is incorporated.
2. Sprinkle remaining one cup flour on board. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Put in warm place and let rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
3. Punch down dough gently. Divide into two equal  portions. Roll each into 10x15-inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup melted butter on each portion. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly on each dough rectangle. Add nuts and/or raisins if desired. Roll up, starting at long edge and cut each roll into 6 cinnamon rolls.
4. Place cut rolls in 9x13-inch baking pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Let rolls rise for 1 hour. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.