Sherry's Sinful Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls and Throwing Out the Old

So in my quest to rid the freezer of old foods and cleanse the fridge of unnecessary items, I am throwing out almost everything. I come across the sourdough starter which has been sitting, patiently waiting for someone to pay attention and something to happen for 3 months (maybe 2...I did make sourdough waffles in May for the teachers at school). I speak of my starter as a living thing---AND IT IS! Sourdough starter is a living organism. It needs tending like all living things do. All it does is give off gas (in the form of alcohol) and wants to be fed and reproduce! Ha! Not unlike humans at all. I had full intentions of flushing it down the drain, but before doing so, I put out an all-call to my friends and hubby's workplace buds to "Save the Starter". No takers. My starter sat on the counter for two days before I decided to pitch it. When I opened the lid, it begged to be stirred and I saw the life still left in it. Over four years of taking care of this silly thing! Dad gum it! I took out an old cookbook and looked for something I could use with one last dance. Going on a trip....fishing....something new...different than the typical breakfast burritos...how about Cinnamon Rolls?

To make a long story short which I have already made long....the dough was wonderful. The starter was so eager to be fed that I had to keep adding flour until I got the right consistency and "it" was happy. The smell was to die for...this is going to be Heaven at 6:00 a.m. with a cup of North Pole coffee. Conclusion: I simply can't throw out the baby I have nourished for over 4 years. I'll share with people who ask for it, and there are a few, my fridge will just have to again make room. Anyone want some starter? It's old but it's tried and true and good.

Please know that I found it necessary to adapt the recipe for Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls from the original version of Alaskan Sourdough Cooking: Recipes From The Last Frontier ISBN 1-56944-201-0

Sherry's Sinful Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls:

1 TBSP dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. salt
2 TBSP. sugar
1 TBSP. butter
3 1/2 cups + flour
1 TBSP. cinnamon
1 C. sugar
1/2 lb. butter- softened
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. walnuts
1/2 C. raisins

Topping:
1 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar
1 TBSP. milk
3 drops vanilla extract

Combine yeast and warm water and allow to sit together for 5 minutes. Combine yeast, starter, milk, vanilla, 2 TBSP. sugar, salt and 1 TBSP. butter. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead 8 to 10 minutes. *My starter was so starved for attention it took the whole 10 minutes and a lot more flour than recommended Place in a greased bowl, coating all sides, cover and allow to sit for 2 hours or doubled.

Combine cinnamon, 1 C. sugar and 1 1/2 C. brown sugar. Next, grease two 8" baking pans.

After 2 hours of rise, punch down dough. Turn onto a floured surface and roll out dough to a 24x10" rectangle. Spread softened butter over the dough, leaving 1" strip along the long sides. Sprinkle the buttered dough with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and raisins. Beginning with the length side, roll up in jelly-roll fashion. Pinch the edges to seal. Cut roll into 24 slices. Place slices in a buttered baking pan with the sides touching. Cover the pan and allow to rise again for 1 1/2 hours or until double. Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 20 minutes or until brown. Cool for 5 minutes and then top with topping:

Combine ingredients for topping and whisk until smooth. Turn rolls out onto serving plate and drizzle with topping while warm. Serve with love and a hot cup of coffee.