January's recipe of the month

It seems like I am always a few days behind where I want to be lately! I kept telling myself I needed to put on a yummy new recipe for January, but nothing we have been eating has really tickled my fancy. January in east Texas, although not cold, is often gray and dull, and I have been feeling a little cabin-fever-y. One of the ways my winter blahs manifest themselves is that my interest in cooking declines drastically. It's just a lot of the same around here food-wise, unfortunately.

Tonight, though, Dave told me he was hungry for this month's recipe, and after we started making it, I decided it is the perfect food to cure the winter blues. It's warm and gooey and delicious, but infused with citrus-y zest that can't help but pep you up. Hopefully you feel the same way.

Zesty Orange Rolls

your favorite bread/roll dough
2-3 tablespoons butter, slightly melted
zest from 1 navel orange or 3-4 clementines
1/2 cup sugar

After your dough has risen twice, roll out thin on a greased surface. Spread butter over dough. Mix zest and sugar in a bowl and sprinkle over buttered dough, making sure to cover all butter adequately. Roll dough and cut into rounds using dental floss. Lay rounds in a greased casserole dish. Allow dough to raise for approximately 15 minutes, then bake until golden brown. Frost with the following:

Sunshiney Orange Frosting

2-3 tablespoons butter, slightly melted
juice of 1 navel orange or 3-5 clementines (approximately 1/3 cup of juice)
approximately 2 cups powdered sugar

In small bowl, mix butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Slowly add juice and stir, then add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches a thick, frosting consistency. If you would rather have a glaze, only use 1 cup powdered sugar. Allow rolls to cool for 1/2 hour before frosting so it doesn't melt, or frost immediately and enjoy the ooze that follows!

My friend Minte introduced our family to these gems 4 summers ago in Dillon, and we love them anytime. I am so glad Dave asked for them now to bust me out of my dull, gray rut. Biting into one is sort-of like biting into a mini-vacation!