The Best Cinnamon Rolls!!! (with Vanilla Bean Icing!)

So, on Wednesday, I got up at 5:50 am (I meant to get up at 5:30) and made some super fluffy somewhat healthyish amazingly awesome and delicious cinnamon rolls with vanilla bean icing.

Not to brag.  It's just an awesome recipe.

...I also made some fruit salad and coffee and stuff, but the main thing here is the cinnamon rolls.  I left while they were on their second proof at about 7:30, with instructions for my little sister to put them in the oven because I had to go pick up some friends.

And, like the last time I tried to pick up those friends, I took the wrong road and had to take this other way and blah blah blah, because guess what?  I get lost ALL THE TIME!!!  I kind of hate that about myself.  I even have a GPS that a very kind friend gave me when they heard about my getting lost because their vehicles have built in GPS, but it wasn't in the van.  Go figure!!!

All the same, it worked out without much hassle and we still got home at the exact time I told my little sister we'd be back.  Awwww yeah!  That means that if I'd have gone the right way, we'd have been home early.  Not that that'd have been a problem...

About the time we were eating our cinnamon rolls, another friend showed up on his way to work.  "Actually, I'm leaving in like, two minutes," he claimed, although he proceeded to stay for several hours.

And guess what, he wasn't even late for work because he has like, the best job ever, because basically he goes and helps this really awesome and hilarious old guy fix super expensive grand pianos, but he doesn't have a strict schedule or anything.

Imagine, if you will, me when I'm taking pictures of food and there are guests:  [looks up sheepishly] "Hey. [click] You. [click] Go away. [click click] Don't watch me. [click] Don't laugh at me. [click click] Shut up!"

10 minutes after he left, his brothers showed up.  We played games all morning, and had quesadillas and mocha cheesecake for lunch. Mmmm.  Except a couple of people had cereal.

What.

And then...  We went to the zoo.  I would post some gnarly pictures of animals.... Except I took more pictures of the people I was with than the animals, because I like them better.  But here is a picture of me with two round stuffed pigs in the gift shop.  Hahahahha. :)

See my bangs?  Those aren't bangs.  Those are new hairs that my head decided to grow right there even though I already grew out my bangs.  *sad face*

After we made the rounds at the zoo, we came home and I made spaghetti and garlic bread for supper.

Only... the first batch of spaghetti noodles flopped.... and the second noodles hardly flopped at all, because they weren't cooked all the way through.

But it all worked out.

Sort of.

Annnnnyways.  The cinnamon rolls were awesome.  And their vanilla bean icing was, also.  So, yeah.

Here's the recipe.

Awesome Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Bean Icing


Dough
1 T active dry yeast
3/4 c warm water
1/2 c quick-cooking oats
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c packed brown sugar
2 T butter, melted
1 egg
1 t salt
1 3/4 to 2 1/4 c all-purpose flour


Filling
3 T butter, softened
1/3 c sugar
2 t ground cinnamon


Glaze
1 c powdered sugar
6 1/2 t skim milk
4 1/2 t butter, softened
1 vanilla bean, scraped

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water.  Add the oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, butter, egg, salt, and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour.  Stir until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft sticky dough.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat the top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  Punch down.  Combine the filling ingredients and set aside.  Roll into an 18x12-inch rectangle and spread it with the filling as close to the edges as you can.  Roll up longways and cut into 12 slices.  Place them in a greased 9x13-inch pan.  Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.  Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden.  For the icing, beat the sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla bean until smooth.  Using a food processor makes that really easy!  Then just drizzle it over the warm rolls!  Mmmm. :)