Orville's Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe By Orville
Preparation Time 5:00

Makes about 30 to 32 rolls

1/4 cup yeast -- (dry) (6 packets)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup hot tap water -- (100 degrees)

1 2/3 cups water
1 cup cornmeal

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 stick butter (8 tablespoons) -- melted
1/3 cup olive oil
7 cups flour -- more as required

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup pecans -- chopped

Mix cornmeal with 1 2/3 cups of water in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Set aside to cool.

Mix yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar in 1 cup hot tap water. Set aside to activate.

Mix 1 cup sugar, eggs, salt, olive oil, melted butter, and 2 cups of flour on low in mixer with a dough hook. Add cornmeal mixture and continue mixing. Add yeast mixture. Start adding flour until dough starts to form a ball on dough hook. Dough should not stick to a dry fingertip when touched. Drop dough onto a floured surface and kneed slightly and form a ball. Place dough in a large bowl coated with butter. Cover with a towel and let rise until dough has doubled.

Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough to about 30" X 20". The dough should be about 3/8" thick. Brush the surface with melted butter. Cover the entire surface with a cinnamon and sugar mixture (1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon). Add 1 cup of chopped pecans. Roll into a log and cut into 1" rolls. Place rolls on a baking sheet (buttered or with baking paper) and brush with melted butter. Let rolls rise until dough nearly doubles. Bake in a 375 degree oven until rolls are lightly browned. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. Place on cooling racks and cool completely. When cooled drizzle on the sweet roll icing.

Sweet Roll Icing

4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 tablespoons butter -- melted
1 can evaporated milk -- small (5 oz)
1/2 cup pecans -- chopped (optional)

Sweet roll icing: Mix sugar, almond extract, vanilla, pecans, and evaporated milk to make a thick creamy mixture. Add the melted butter. Cook over medium heat just until it starts to boil. Remove from heat. Spoon over cinnamon rolls or sweet breads.

These rolls store very well in the freezer.