Sweet Kids and Sweet Rolls

I have the sweetest Grandkids.

Cool Dude on the carousel at the zoo

I was lucky to be able to spend a few days with the Utah ones in the last two weeks.  

We played at Carl's Jr., my house, the park, the zoo, their house, and the Farm at Gardner Village. After spending so many days with them, I felt a little lonely without them.  They are just so awesome to be around.  

Loving riding in the stroller at the zoo.

It was fun to be at the zoo with my son, too!

Fun in the bounce house.

Bridge is probably laughing
at me as I attempt to jump
and fail.

Bridge was making the little
princess smile by letting her run
into him.

At the farm, Little Miss loved all of the animals and was not afraid to reach out and touch them.

Bridge was pretty thrilled to be riding this pony.

The llamas were fun to watch until they started spitting
at these beautiful girls!

She is such a sweetheart!

Here is another sweet thing.  A few weeks ago, I saw a picture of some raspberry sweet rolls and have been craving them ever since.  Finally, this afternoon, I had some free time and made them. 

I may have a new addiction.  They are so good!   

I used parts of two different recipes and added Biscoff Butter to cream cheese for the filling. 

Raspberry Sweet Rolls

1 package yeast (1 ¼ t) dissolved in ½ cup lukewarm water with 1 tsp sugar

½ cup hot water mixed with ½ cup scalded milk

½ cup butter

½ cup sugar

4 ½ to 5 cups flour

1 egg

In Kitchenaid mixer with dough hook attached, add butter and sugar to hot water/milk mixture and stir until the butter melts into the liquid.  Let cool to lukewarm.

Add 1 cup flour, then add yeast mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add the egg.  Finish adding flour, 1 cup at a time.  Make sure that the dough is just barely past the sticky stage—almost smooth.  Let the mixer knead the dough for a few minutes. 

Let rise for 30 minutes until it has just about doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, make the filling.

Sweet Roll Filling

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup Biscoff Butter spread

Mix together until smooth.

Add 2 T sugar to two 6 ounce containers of fresh raspberries and let sit while the dough continues to rise.  (Side note:  I only had one container of raspberries, but did have strawberries, so my rolls have a raspberry/strawberry mixture).

Spray two 9 x 13 pans with cooking spray.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle-ish shape.

Spread the cream cheese/Biscoff filling all over the dough, then top with the raspberries.

Carefully roll the dough into a log (this will probably be a little messy and might be hard to do).

Cut the dough into rolls with a piece of white thread and place into the pan—6 rolls per pan.

Let rise again for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while the rolls are rising.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Next, make the frosting.

Frosting

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup butter, softened

2 – 3 T milk

1 t vanilla

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

Mix all of the ingredients together until smooth.  You may have to add more milk or more powdered sugar to get the right consistency. 

After the rolls have baked, let them sit for about 10 minutes and then spread frosting over all of them.

Immediately enjoy with a glass of cold milk!