Do I really need ten fingers?

This was my gift to the children's teacher's this year. I made 6 loaves all together, two for us, one for a neighbor, and three for my children's teachers. It was really really good. I have to praise the Vermicelli recipe in my last post, from Simply Recipes, one of my favorite food blogs. It was really really special.

Adapted from http://pinchmysalt.com/2007/05/13/happy-mothers-day/

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

6 to 6 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

2 packages active dry yeast

2 C. milk

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. butter

2 t. salt

2 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 C. sugar

2 t. ground cinnamon
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In large mixer bowl combine 3 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In saucepan heat milk, 1/2 cup sugar, butter and salt just till warm (115 – 120 degrees), stirring constantly to melt butter. Add to dry mixture in mixing bowl; add eggs and vanilla. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for a minute, scraping sides of bowl often. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough. Turn out on lightly floured surface and knead till smooth and elastic (5 -8 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.

Cover; let rise in warm place till double (about 1 hour). Punch dough down; turn out on lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Roll each half into a 15×7-inch rectangle. Brush entire surface with water.

Combine the 1/2 cup sugar with the ground cinnamon. Spread each rectangle with half the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Roll dough up as for jelly roll, beginning with narrow side. Seal long edge and ends by pinching together. Place, sealed side down, in 2 greased 9×5x3-inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise in warm place till almost double (35 to 45 minutes). Bake at 375 degrees till done, 35 to 40 minutes. Cover with foil last 15 minutes of baking. Remove bread from pans and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves.


I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I had a fight with a utensil drawer which resulted in my almost loosing a finger to a steak knife. Luckily my Brother in Law is a dermatologist, and he glues it shut so I didn't have to go to the ER for stitches. Ouch. Otherwise, it was a wonderful day!