grandpa's favorite butterscotch brownies

A few weeks ago, we had an impromptu family reunion on my dad's side to celebrate a large milestone in my Aunt's life. All of my cousins on that side, except four came out to celebrate with her. My sister was kind enough to put together a luncheon for everyone and she had asked my Aunt Donna what desserts she would like. Aunt Donna's first response was, "My dad's favorite Butterscotch brownies." My Gramps used to LOVE these. He loved most treats, but these were his all-time favorite. So, they have a special place in my family history (which of course is food related—we may have a problem—but we don't care—you don't know our life!) These guys are addicting. So when you make them, which I suggest you do immediately, make sure there are people to share with—or you may wake up in a haze with an empty pan of brownies next to you.

Grandpa's Favorite Butterscotch Brownies

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°. Grease an 8x8 pan. Combine the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl; set aside. Mix the eggs, butter and vanilla together until combined. Stir in dry ingredients. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. While brownies are baking, make the frosting.

Combine brown sugar and butter and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add milk and powdered sugar, and beat until thick. If you overbeat, the frosting will be too dry, so stop when it becomes thick. Spread frosting onto hot brownies and cool to room temperature before slicing and stuffing your face.

grandma ruth's cinnamon rolls

i've made my fair share of cinnamon roll recipes, but i've never made these ones because they intimidated me. now that i feel more comfortable with making yeasty breads, i was craving some so i busted these out.

the thing i love about these is they don't get tough and dry the next day like other recipes. i will definitely make these as my cinnamon roll of choice, but maybe make a recipe and a half of the frosting to have more to work with, the second pan of these got the shaft with the amount of frosting they received.

scald: 2 cups milk (i researched this and there is no reason to scald the milk, i would just warm it up so it melts the next ingredients)

add: 2 rounded teaspoons salt
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
let stand until warm

in separate bowl:
2 beaten eggs
2 T. yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 t. sugar

now add milk mixture.
add:
6-7 c. flour until it just curls and handles easily.
drop dough on floured surface and knead a few times adding flour if necessary. put in lightly buttered bowl, cover and let double (about 1 hour). punch down and let come up again (give it about 15 minutes). divide into two and roll on floured board one half at a time. melt 2 T. butter and spread on dough then sprinkle with sugar mixture (1 cup brown sugar and 4 t. cinnamon). roll and cut into 16 rolls. repeat with remaining half.
place rolls on lightly greased pan and tuck under ends. let rise and then bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes. frost while hot out of the oven.

frosting:
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1/8 t. salt
2 T. flour

cook until thick, stirring constantly. add:
1/4 c. butter
1 t. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar (sifted to avoid lumps)

spoon one tablespoon of frosting on each hot roll.