Cheddar Roll Ups

​Last year I had a big milestone birthday when I turned 40.  I didn't really have any anxiety or depression over the occasion - it came and went and I really quite enjoyed it.   Yesterday was another story - my son turned 16!  I woke up thinking "Am I really old enough to have a 16 year old son?"  So much has happened since that fateful day in Utah 16 years ago (cross country moves, career changes, a sibling) and yet it's all gone by so quickly.   Up until yesterday, I had managed to keep myself in a state of denial and I avoided thinking about the magnitude of his birthday - and about how short or time is until he's off to college.  I took some time to just take all of that in yesterday and when it got too overwhelming - I started to bake.  (I know it sounds weird but it helps me relieve stress.)  I made a big dinner with some of the birthday boy's favorite foods.  

A spinach and arugula salad, loaded baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, thin cut rib eye steaks, steamed broccoli with cheese and cheddar roll ups were on the menu for our birthday feast. 

​I've had this recipe for cheddar roll ups for a long time but I haven't made them in a couple of years.  I'm not really sure how recipes end up in that category because they are really good.  These crescent shaped rolls are light, fluffy and cheesy.   

Cheddar Roll Ups
1 cup warm water                          1 egg
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast                        5 cups flour
1 cup warm milk                              3 ¼ teaspoons salt
4 Tablespoons butter                      3 cups cheddar cheese
1 Tablespoon sugar

Pour ¼ cup water in bowl.  Sprinkle with yeast.

​Cut 2 Tablespoons butter into small pieces and add to yeast along with sugar and egg.

​Stir in 3 cups flour.  Cover and let rest 15 minutes.

​Sprinkle salt and ½ cup cheese over dough and stir.  Add ½ cup cheese and stir.  Add 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup at a time.  Knead 10 minutes.  Cover and let rise 1 hour. 

​Cut dough into quarters.  Cover in plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes.

​Roll each quarter into a 10” disk.

​Brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle each with 1/2 cup cheese.

​Cut into 8 wedges.

​Roll up starting with wide end.  Place on cookie sheets and cover and let rise 30 minutes.

​Bake 18 minutes at 375.  

​We ended our dinner with a very off key rendition of Happy Birthday and birthday cake of course.

Happy Birthday to a wonderful son.  You make me proud.

Ciao!

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