Great recipe for cinnamon buns

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/7/2013 (3267 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Reena,
There is nothing better than waking up to the smell of fresh cinnamon buns, so I would like to try making them for my family. Can you give me a good recipe for cinnamon buns? Also, where can I purchase your books? Donelda

Dear Donelda,
Combine two tablespoons active yeast in one cup warm water and one teaspoon sugar (sugar feeds yeast, while salt destroys yeast). Let stand 10 minutes. Add 2/3 cups sugar, two cups warm milk, two teaspoons salt, four eggs, two cups potato water, 2/3 cups butter and 10 to 11 cups all-purpose flour.
Knead until dough is no longer sticky; add a bit of additional flour if necessary. Let rise until doubled in size. Roll out and divide into four pieces. Cover with margarine or butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up at wide end. Cut into one-inch pieces.  Place on greased pan and let rise until doubled in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. For icing: Mix together 1/4 cup icing sugar and 1 tablespoon. whipping cream or milk and half teaspoon vanilla. Spread over buns.
Extra tidbit: For best results, store yeast in the fridge.
Another tidbit: Potato water is the leftover water used when boiling potatoes.

P.S. My three books can be purchased for a limited time at: reena.ca or call 204 320 2757.

Dear Reena,
I am hosting dinner at my house this year and I am in charge of cooking the turkey and gravy. The problem is that I work until 4 p.m. and don’t have time to finish the turkey and gravy. Do you have any advice for me? Thank you, Jessica

Dear Jessica,
What I would do in this predicament is cook the turkey the day before and cut it so that it is ready for serving. On the day of the gathering, put the turkey pieces into a slow cooker and pour broth overtop so it does not dry off. Leave it on a low setting until serving time. The gravy can also be made ahead of time and left on ‘low’ or ‘keep warm’ in the slow cooker.

Dear Reena,
Our dear granddaughter came to get flowers and old canning jars. The problem is, her old car decided to drop some large oil drops on our good concrete. Any suggestions before we tackle it ourselves? Hopefully, Trudy

Dear Trudy,
If the stain is fresh, sprinkle the area with a liberal amount of kitty litter to absorb grease and then brush away kitty litter. For older stains apply a solution of one cup washing soda and 1/4 cup TSP (trisodium phosphate) per gallon of water. Scrub or pressure wash the stain. As a last resort, combat tough spills with muriatic acid and a pressure washer. Apply the acid following the manufacturer’s directions, and let it soak for several seconds. Keep in mind that muriatic acid is a dangerous product. If you use it, wear rubber or latex gloves, safety goggles and protective clothing, and never wash it down storm drains. Test all solutions on an inconspicuous area first.

Great Feedback from Readers Who Care:
Hi Reena,
Just read your hints for making a sink not smell so bad but I believe you overlooked one possible source. On the side of the sink with a disposal, the underside of the rubber flaps can get rather nasty, depending on what you run through it. Otherwise, thanks for the good tips. Russ

Dear Reena,
My house was infested with ladybugs and I could not get rid of them until I read your column a year ago that gave advice on ladybugs in the home. I caulked around the windows just as you suggested and now my ladybug problem is gone! Super, thank-you. Martin

Fantastic Tips of the Week:
• Revive old apples by peeling and cutting into them into chunks. Soak them in cold apple cider or juice for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Keep apples longer by storing them without having them touch each other.

I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming! Missed a column? Can’t remember a solution? Need a speaker for an upcoming event? Interested in grocery coupons? Check out my brand new blog and website at www.reena.ca. You can contact me by email at householdsolutions@mts.net.