Grandma's Bread Bowl

This well-worn bowl is one of the most important cooking tools in our kitchen. It belonged to my Grandma W.(she got it as a wedding gift, I believe) and is the bowl I remember her using to mix up dough for cookies, dilly bread, and especially, caramel rolls.

The caramel roll recipe came from Grandma's friend Maxine. They often enjoyed hot caramel rolls and coffee together over fierce scrabble games. When I visited the farm as a youngster, I sometimes got to play scrabble with Grandma and Maxine and even drink coffee with my caramel roll, although my mine was mostly milk.

When Grandma moved to Oregon to live with my aunt in her last years, my sister Rita moved into her house for a while. Making room in the cupboards, Rita thoughtfully gave me the bowl, saying I was probably the only granddaughter who would actually ever bake bread. We were of college age--I needed cooking gear and neither of us realized then the sentimental value that bowl would have.

My daughters grew up helping me bake bread and cookies using Grandma's bowl. When they grew to college age, both of them requested Grandma's bread bowl. I wasn't even ready to part with it yet! Happily, I had just figured out EBay, and I put out a watch out for a "large Household Institute mixing bowl, Rhythm Rose pattern." Through Ebay I purchased the same bowl, although in much more pristine condition, so we could all have a mixing bowl like Grandma's.

Grandma & Maxine's Caramel Rolls for Scrabble

Dissolve: 1 package yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
Scald: 1 cup of milk in a small pan. Pour into large mixing bowl.
Add to the milk: 2 T. sugar, 2 T. shortening, 1 tsp. salt.
Cool.
Add 1 beaten egg and the softened yeast. Beat well and add 1 cup of flour. Add 2 1/2 cups more flour, as needed to make a soft dough. Knead.
Cover and let rise in warm place to double in size. Roll outinto 9 x 12 rectangle and dot with butter, sprinkle cinnamom and sugar. Roll up and slice.

Melt 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup borwn sugar in a 9 x 12 baking pan. Place rolls in pan. Raise to lightness.
Bake 20-25 minutes in 375 degree oven. Invert on rack when done. Very tasty with hot coffee and friends to share with.