Summertime Surprise Sugar Cream Pie (Zucchini Pie)

Zucchini what? Barry was braced for the worst when I told him we were having Zucchini Pie for dessert. He loves zucchini bread and other sweet treats as well as savory recipes that include the garden vegetable but . . .  However, after just one bite, he was a fan. Truthfully, it tasted just like a classic sugar cream pie with it's characteristic firm but creamy filling and sweet taste. I found several versions on the internet, all containing the exact ingredients except some called for 2 cups of zucchini. I wonder who was brave enough to originally create this recipe? Last question: Since itcontains a vegetable, could we call this a healthy pie?

 A slice of Zucchini Pie with blueberries, sliced strawberries
and a dollop of  whipped cream. 

Summertime Surprise Sugar Cream Pie (Zucchini Pie)      Make one 9-inch pie

1 cup zucchini peeled, seeded & pureed (squeeze out excess moisture if pureed zucchini seems wet)

1 egg

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 9-inch pie crust unbaked (I used a no-roll oil pie crust)

Ground cinnamon 

Ground nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.
2. Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor. 

   
3. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. 

   
4. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon and lightly with nutmeg.

5. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350° and bake for another 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 

   
   
   

Recipe without photos . . . Summertime Surprise Sugar Cream Pie (Zucchini Pie)      Make one 9-inch pie

1 cup zucchini peeled, seeded & pureed (squeeze out excess moisture if pureed zucchini seems wet)

1 egg

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 9-inch pie crust unbaked (I used a no-roll oil pie crust)

Ground cinnamon 

Ground nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.
2. Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor. 

3. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. 

4. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon and lightly with nutmeg.

5. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350° and bake for another 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 


 

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars

 It’s zucchini season again and when I found this bar cookie recipe at King Arthur Baking, I had to give it a try! 

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars     Makes one 9" x 13" pan 1/3 cup (66g) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 cup (213g) brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or (113g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cups (134g) quick rolled oats
2 cups (340g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)
Toppings: 3/4 cup (86g) chopped pecans and fine salt, for topping

1. Add the shredded zucchini, vegetable oil and egg to the work bowl of a food processor; process to  downplay the zucchini's texture and to mix ingredients.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except the toppings—pecans and fine salt.
   
3. Add batter to a greased/sprayed 9" x 13" pan (line pan with parchment for ease in removing bars if desired).  
4. Sprinkle with pecan and salt.
   
5. Bake bars for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs may still cling to it).
   
6. Cool completely and cut into bars. 

Recipe without photos . . .

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars     Makes one 9" x 13" pan 1/3 cup (66g) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 cup (213g) brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or (113g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cups (134g) quick rolled oats
2 cups (340g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)
Toppings: 3/4 cup (86g) chopped pecans and fine salt, for topping

1. Add the shredded zucchini, vegetable oil and egg to the work bowl of a food processor; process to  downplay the zucchini's texture and to mix ingredients.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except the toppings—pecans and fine salt.
3. Add batter to a greased/sprayed 9" x 13" pan (line pan with parchment for ease in removing bars if desired).  
4. Sprinkle with pecan and salt.
5. Bake bars for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs may still cling to it).
6. Cool completely and cut into bars. 

3-Ingredient Yogurt Cake

3-Ingredient (sometimes 4) yogurt cakes are trending on the internet so I had to give the recipe a try. I’ve made it twice so YES, it does work despite being super easy. It contains no flour or oil and is reminiscent of a light and creamy cheesecake. Since I am often leery of some trendy recipes, I cut this one in half and put it in a small (3-inch) springform pan that I bought for either small desserts or appetizer cheesecakes. It was the perfect size for the two of us. I baked it about an hour. 

For this version I flavored  homemade yogurt with a thin layer of lemon curd and then spread a thin layer on top for serving + added fresh fruit and mint leaves. 

 

3-Ingredient Yogurt Cake   About 4 (possibly 6) servings 



1 2/3 cups sweetened Greek yogurt  (I used full fat homemade Greek yogurt; the first time I sweetened it to taste with honey; the 2^nd time I used homemade lemon curd)

4 large eggs

4 tablespoons cornstarch     













1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray the interior of a 6-inch round springform or regular cake pan with cooking spray and then line the interior with a single large sheet of parchment paper so that it completely covers the interior of the cake pan and comes up slightly above the pan. Press and crease the parchment paper as needed so that it sticks to the interior of the pan. It is okay that the parchment paper will be wrinkled and uneven around the edges; this will create a rustic-looking cake that is not perfectly round. 
2. Add yogurt and eggs to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until eggs are thoroughly combined. If adding sugar, mix it in now. Add in the cornstarch and whisk until batter is smooth. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. 

3. Bake for about 70-75 minutes or until cake is puffed up, the batter is no longer jiggly and the cake has a caramelized surface. When the cake comes out of the oven it will begin to deflate and may wrinkle. 

4. Let cake cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes and then place it into fridge for at least 2 hours to develop flavor. 
5. Remove cake from the refrigerator about 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
6. If desired, drizzle with honey or other sweetener when serving and top with fruit. 

3-ingredient cake ready to go into the oven. 

Instant Pot Boneless Pork Chops

We often find that boneless pork chops (often slices from the pork loin) can be quite chewy. Since we prefer tender, I tried this recipe that I found Sunday Supper Movement blog.  Packed with flavor, the chops/pork loin slices were done, start to finish, in less than 30 minutes and they were oh-so tender. I halved the recipe and serve the pork with Potato-Turnip Mash and a garden salad.  

Instant Pot Boneless Pork Chops     Yield: 4 servings 

4 boneless pork loin chops/slices 

4 tablespoon butter or a combination of butter & olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon+ cornstarch

2 tablespoon water

 

Pork Chop Seasoning—mix together the following: 

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons sea salt

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoons black pepper

1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1. Pat pork chops dry and season generously with pork chop seasoning on all sides.
2. Set Instant Pot to saute mode. Once hot, add in butter/olive oil and allow to melt. Once butter is melted, add in pork chops and brown on both sides, approximately 2 minutes on each side.
3. Add chicken broth to your pot, and using a wooden spoon deglaze the bits of pork from the bottom of the pot. (You can remove chops but I just pushed them aside, added the broth and deglazed the pan.)
4. Add in Worcestershire sauce and mix well.
5. If you removed chops, replace them and secure Instant Pot lid;  turn to the pressure cook mode. Pressure cook for 7 minutes.
6. When 7 minutes is up, allow pressure to naturally release on its own, about 10 minutes. 
7. Remove chops to a plate. 
8. In a small bowl combine cornstarch (I added a bit more than called for) and water and mix well. Add slurry into the remaining liquid inside your Instant Pot. Give a good mixing, and let thicken for about 5 minutes. 
9. Serve gravy over pork chops and enjoy

Easy Naturally Leavened Sourdough Bread Recipe

On the lookout for all naturally leavened sourdough recipes, I ran across this one. While Cuisine at Home's Naturally Leavened Sourdough Bread uses the no-knead, stretch-and-pull method, this one relies on kneading. Yes, it is fairly easy compared to other naturally leavened artisan-style bread but like the others, IT IS NOT FAST. It does have options though in that you can start the process the dough one day and then allow the loaf to ferment in the refrigerator overnight. It rises in the fridge and is ready to bake the next day. 

Rather than the coarse, open structure of Cuisine-style sourdough bread this one has a closed structure more typical of everyday breads. 

Easy Naturally Leavened Sourdough Bread Recipe      Yield: 1 round loaf

2/3 cup (160 grams) sourdough starter

1-1/3 cups (314 grams) lukewarm water

4-1/4 cups (510 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons (12 grams) salt

1. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl and stir until it is a chunky, loosely combined dough.
   
2. Dump the dough onto a work surface and knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth. At this stage, it will be wet and sticky. Don’t add more flour or finished bread will be dense and heavy. The dough will stick to your hands and feel messy but if you get your hands wet it won't stick as easily. 
   
3. Place the dough into an oiled bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 6 hours or in the refrigerator overnight. (A longer proof time in the fridge will give the bread a more tangy, sourdough flavor.)
   
4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knock the air out of it then form it into a round ball. 
   
5. Place the ball of dough into a proofing basket (banneton dusted with a combination of  all-purpose and rice flour or with sprouted wheat flour*) or any container that is the shape that you want your bread to be shaped. Let the dough rise again a second time for 3 to 6 hours at room temperature until doubled in size. (Or you could let it rise in
   the fridge overnight for 12 to 15 hours-see notes).

   

   Above: Dough/loaf just added to proofing basket.
   Below: Dough/loaf after fermenting in refrigerator overnight. 

   
6. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. When the oven is hot, tip the loaf of bread on a piece of sprayed/greased parchment paper. Lift parchment and bread into a Dutch oven (for an extra burst of steam and a slightly higher rise, preheat the Dutch Oven for 30 minutes before placing the bread inside), or onto a baking sheet.
7.  Make a slash in the loaf with a sharp knife. 
   
8. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 

*All-purpose flour tend to absorb too much of the moisture and make the dough stick to the banneton. A 50/50 blend of rice flour and all-purpose flour or sprouted wheat flour is the ideal combination for dusting. 

Recipe without photos . . . Easy Naturally Leavened Sourdough Bread Recipe      Yield: 1 round loaf

2/3 cup (160 grams) sourdough starter

1-1/3 cups (314 grams) lukewarm water

4-1/4 cups (510 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons (12 grams) salt

1. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl and stir until it is a chunky, loosely combined dough.
2. Dump the dough onto a work surface and knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth. At this stage, it will be wet and sticky. Don’t add more flour or finished bread will be dense and heavy. The dough will stick to your hands and feel messy but if you get your hands wet it won't stick as easily. 
3. Place the dough into an oiled bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 6 hours or in the refrigerator overnight. (A longer proof time in the fridge will give the bread a more tangy, sourdough flavor.)
4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knock the air out of it then form it into a round ball. 
5. Place the ball of dough into a proofing basket (banneton dusted with a combination of  all-purpose and rice flour or with sprouted wheat flour*) or any container that is the shape that you want your bread to be shaped. Let the dough rise again a second time for 3 to 6 hours at room temperature until doubled in size. (Or you could let it rise in the fridge overnight for 12 to 15 hours-see notes).
6. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. When the oven is hot, tip the loaf of bread on a piece of sprayed/greased parchment paper. Lift parchment and bread into a Dutch oven (for an extra burst of steam and a slightly higher rise, preheat the Dutch Oven for 30 minutes before placing the bread inside), or onto a baking sheet.
7.  Make a slash in the loaf with a sharp knife. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 

*All-purpose flour tend to absorb too much of the moisture and make the dough stick to the banneton. A 50/50 blend of rice flour and all-purpose flour or sprouted wheat flour is the ideal combination for dusting. 

APPLE PUMPKIN MUFFINS as featured in the Taste section of KANSAS! magazine / Wandering Vine restaurant

APPLE PUMPKIN MUFFINS from Mom Dyer  — Celebrations have always been a part of Carla and Daniel Dyer’s everyday lives. “We started making these muffins with our son and daughter when they were very young.” Now the Dyer’s carry pumpkin pie spice to New York in the fall so they can repeat that experience with their grandchildren.

Stunning Getaways is the theme of the latest issue of KANSAS! magazine (2023 / vol 70 / issue 4). The taste section I write featured Wandering Vine—a Kansas City restaurant that is housed in a vintage castle. Barry and I thoroughly enjoyed Sunday brunch at The Castle . The food was delicious and surroundings were impressive. Known for their vast variety of wines, it was absolutely essential (part of the job I told Barry) to sample their wine flight. (They carry over 120 wines from 19 countries + four of their own that are produced at Grace Hill Winery in Whitewater, KS.) Barry, in turn, thought it essential to try out one of their signature desserts. Wandering Vine is a magical place and definitely a fun place to getaway for a fabulous meal. 

Above: KANSAS! promo collage photo; last panel depicts the scallop entree served at Wandering Vine.
Below: The Castle—Wandering Vine!

Located in a actual castle at 12401 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS, Wandering Vine is a magical place and a great getaway where you can enjoy a delicious meal and a glass of wine.

Daniel and Carla Dyer love providing hospitality for the guests at their restaurant and to friends and family. Carla offered up a Dryer family favorite recipe to add to the collection of Taste recipes.

APPLE PUMPKIN MUFFINS    Yield: 1 ½ dozen to 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS

Streusel Topping:

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar 

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons cold butter

Muffins:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup solid packed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling with added sugar & spices)

½ cup vegetable oil

2 cups peeled, chopped apples

INSTRUCTIONS

1.    Streusel Topping: Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside.

2.    Muffins: In large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Set aside.

3.     n medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid to dry mix. Stir just until moistened.  Stir in apples. 

4.    Fill paper lined muffin cups about ¾ full of the muffin mixture.

5.    Sprinkle streusel topping over top.

6.    Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs clinging to the pick. 

When at The Castle we enjoyed brunch, wine and dessert, too. 

I enjoyed every bite of my Southwest Eggs Benedict.

Wine flight samplings are available that allow guests to taste Wandering Vine's extensive selection of wines— each a sampling of three two-ounce servings with diverse themes, ranging from Whites of the World to I Say Syrah.  

Barry gave high ratings to this dessert — Chef Winnet’s peanut butter tart includes peanut butter mousse encased in a chocolate crumb crust. It's served alongside a hefty scoop of made-from-scratch banana ice cream, a combo reminiscent of peanut butter and banana sandwiches

Sourdough Focaccia

Each week as I “feed” my sourdough starter, I make some kind of bread from the excess. So I am constantly looking for new recipes and ideas. This one is simple but does require extended rise time since it uses no added commercial yeast. The recipe does call for active starter so I “feed” the excess starter (using the usual proportions outline in the starter recipe) prior to making the focaccia. The recipe came from Alexandra’s Kitchen blog. She offers a video as well as a slew of other good looking sourdough recipes. I did cut the recipe in half and baked it in an 8x8-inch pan.

I served it warm from the oven with a summer vegetable soup (Cheesy Mexican Squash Soup).
The next day I sliced it in half and used it for chicken salad sandwiches. 

Sourdough Focaccia 

1/2 cup active sourdough starter 

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons water, room temperature,

About 4 cups) bread flour

------

About 3 tablespoons+ extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Optional herb toppings such as fresh rosemary sprigs

1. Place the starter, salt, and water in a large bowl. Stir with a spatula to combine — it doesn’t have to be uniformly mixed. Add the flour. Mix again until the flour is completely incorporated.
   
2. 30 minutes after you mix the dough, it’s time to “fold” —reach into the bowl and pull the dough up and into the center. Turn the bowl quarter turns and continue pulling 8 to 10 times.
3. Drizzle dough with a splash (of the 3 tablespoons) of olive oil and rub to coat. 
4. Cover bowl with a tea towel or bowl cover and set aside to rise at room temperature (70ºF) for 4 to 18 hours (the time will vary depending on the time of year, the strength of your starter, and the temperature of your kitchen — on a summer day in Kansas, mine was ready in 4 hours. Do not use an oven with the light on for the bulk fermentation — it will be too warm. Note: It is best to rely on visual cues (doubling in volume) as opposed to time to determine when the bulk fermentation is done. A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled. 
   
5. When dough has doubled, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch pan. 
6. Use your hand to gently deflate the dough and release it from the sides of the bowl. Gently scoop the dough into the center of the pool of oil in your prepared pan. Fold dough envelope style from top to bottom and side to side to create a rough rectangle. Turn dough over so seam-side is down.  
7. Drizzle dough with a tablespoon of olive oil. 
8. Rub top of dough with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Note: Pan of dough could go into the refrigerator for an overnight ferment . . . then just continue with the second proof (rise) the next day. 
9. Leave alone for 4 to 6 hours, uncovered, or until puffy and nearly doubled. (Mine was done a little less than 4 on a hot day in Kansas.) 
10. Heat oven to 425ºF. Rub hands lightly with more oil; using all ten fingers, press gently into the dough to dimple and stretch the dough to nearly fit the pan. 
    
11. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and herbs if desired.
12. Transfer pan to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden all around. Remove pan from oven and transfer bread to a cooling rack. Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.

 Recipe without photos . . . Sourdough Focaccia 

1/2 cup active sourdough starter 

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons water, room temperature,

About 4 cups) bread flour

------

About 3 tablespoons+ extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Optional herb toppings such as fresh rosemary sprigs

1. Place the starter, salt, and water in a large bowl. Stir with a spatula to combine — it doesn’t have to be uniformly mixed. Add the flour. Mix again until the flour is completely incorporated
2. 30 minutes after you mix the dough, it’s time to “fold” —reach into the bowl and pull the dough up and into the center. Turn the bowl quarter turns and continue pulling 8 to 10 times.
3. Drizzle dough with a splash (of the 3 tablespoons) of olive oil and rub to coat. 
4. Cover bowl with a tea towel or bowl cover and set aside to rise at room temperature (70ºF) for 4 to 18 hours (the time will vary depending on the time of year, the strength of your starter, and the temperature of your kitchen — on a summer day in Kansas, mine was ready in 4 hours.. Do not use an oven with the light on for the bulk fermentation — it will be too warm. Note: It is best to rely on visual cues (doubling in volume) as opposed to time to determine when the bulk fermentation is done. A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled.
5. When dough has doubled, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch pan. 
6. Use your hand to gently deflate the dough and release it from the sides of the bowl. Gently scoop the dough into the center of the pool of oil in your prepared pan. Fold dough envelope style from top to bottom and side to side to create a rough rectangle. Turn dough over so seam-side is down.  
7. Drizzle dough with a tablespoon of olive oil. 
8. Rub top of dough with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Note: Pan of dough could go into the refrigerator for an overnight ferment . . . then just continue with the second proof (rise) the next day. 
9. Leave alone for 4 to 6 hours, uncovered, or until puffy and nearly doubled. (Mine was done a little less than 4 on a hot day in Kansas.)
10. Heat oven to 425ºF. Rub hands lightly with more oil; using all ten fingers, press gently into the dough to dimple and stretch the dough to nearly fit the pan. 
11. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and herbs if desired.
12. Transfer pan to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden all around. Remove pan from oven and transfer bread to a cooling rack. Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Once a week I feed my sourdough starter and then find ways to use the excess starter (most often referred to as discard). This recipe from Taste of Artisan blog caught my eye, along with several other sourdough recipes on the site. It does add some active yeast to the mix so this recipe takes less time overall than recipes that rely only on the sourdough starter. 

Fluffy and light, these sourdough yeasted rolls are definitely a sweet treat! 

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls  Yield: 12 to 14 rolls

Rolls:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened 

3 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar

5 tablespoons milk, heated to 90 to 110°F 

1 1/3 cups sourdough starter

3 eggs

2 teaspoons instant yeast 

About 3 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon powdered/dried milk 

1 teaspoon salt  

Cinnamon Filling: 

About 5 tablespoons butter at room temperature

6 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar 

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

About 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Icing:

1 stick butter, softened

About 1 cup powdered sugar 

About 5 tablespoons cream cheese 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/8 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt if using unsalted butter, otherwise omit

2 tablespoons milk, or more as needed for desired consistency 

1. Rolls: In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together until smooth.

2. Add the eggs, milk, and the sourdough starter and mix well.

3. Next, add the dry ingredients.
4. Knead the dough, adding a little flour as needed to prevent sticking. If the dough becomes too dry, sprinkle a little water on it. Continue kneading the dough until smooth and no longer sticky.

5. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
   
6. Punch down and roll the dough out into a long rectangle, about 1/4 in thick, approximately 18" by 12" rectangle.
7. Filling: In a small bowl prepare the filling by mixing together the butter, white and brown sugar, and cinnamon.
8. Spread the filling over the top of the rolled out dough.
   
9. Roll the dough up along the long side and cut into 12 to 14 equal pieces.
10. Place the rolls in large baking dish lined with parchment paper, cover and let proof at room temperature until double in size.
    
11. Preheat oven to 400°F. Once the rolls are proofed, bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until they become golden brown.
12. Icing: Meanwhile, prepare the icing by creaming the icing ingredients in a small bowl.
13. Once the cinnamon rolls are ready, take them out of the oven, then spread the icing over the tops. Serve while hot. Or, freeze rolls and warm when ready to eat, adding icing after they have been warmed.

Recipe without the photos . . . Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls  Yield: 12 to 14 rolls

Rolls:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened 

3 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar

5 tablespoons milk, heated to 90 to 110°F 

1 1/3 cups sourdough starter

3 eggs

2 teaspoons instant yeast 

About 3 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon powdered/dried milk 

1 teaspoon salt 

Cinnamon Filling: 

About 5 tablespoons butter at room temperature

6 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar 

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

About 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Icing:

1 stick butter, softened

About 1 cup powdered sugar 

About 5 tablespoons cream cheese 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/8 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt if using unsalted butter, otherwise omit

2 tablespoons milk, or more as needed for desired consistency 

1. Rolls: In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together until smooth.

2. Add the eggs, milk, and the sourdough starter and mix well.

3. Next, add the dry ingredients.
4. Knead the dough, adding a little flour as needed to prevent sticking. If the dough becomes too dry, sprinkle a little water on it. Continue kneading the dough until smooth and no longer sticky.

5. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
6. Punch down and roll the dough out into a long rectangle, about 1/4 in thick, approximately 18" by 12" rectangle.
7. Filling: In a small bowl prepare the filling by mixing together the butter, white and brown sugar, and cinnamon.
8. Spread the filling over the top of the rolled out dough.
9. Roll the dough up along the long side and cut into 12 to 14 equal pieces.
10. Place the rolls in large baking dish lined with parchment paper, cover and let proof at room temperature until double in size.
11. Preheat oven to 400°F. Once the rolls are proofed, bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until they become golden brown.
12. Icing: Meanwhile, prepare the icing by creaming the icing ingredients in a small bowl.
13. Once the cinnamon rolls are ready, take them out of the oven, then spread the icing over the tops. Serve while hot. Or, freeze rolls and warm when ready to eat, adding icing after they have been warmed.