Cinnamon bread

It's that time of year again--time when my stepson visits from California, and refuses to eat anything that doesn't come in hot dog or nugget form.

Well, happily, that's no longer entirely true. He's expanded his repetoire to include spaghetti with tomato sauce (he'll even eat the chunky homemade sauce), carrot sticks, and cinnamon bread. Carrot sticks remain the only vegetable I've ever seen him eat voluntarily--but as long as he keeps eating them like they're going out of style, I don't care. He also ate a little homemade mac n' cheese, after I assured him that I made it with cheddar (he remains suspicious of non-dyed-orange cheddar, even if he watches me take it out of a wrapper that says "cheddar").

I made this loaf of cinnamon bread (courtesy of The Pioneer Woman) on his first day, and he loved it. So maybe one day I'll be able to get him to eat homemade regular bread.

Reprinted below:

1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons Butter
2-1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Eggs
1/3 cup Sugar
3-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don't boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Combine flour and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.

Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes.

Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it's warm. Drizzle in a little canola oil, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours.  Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you're going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.

Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven. Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve, or make cinnamon toast or French toast with it.