Everyday Satanism...and Cinnamon Rolls

     I’m reading Piece by Piece, a book by Tori Amos and Ann Powers.  It’s one of those books that will make you stop at every other paragraph and with an emphatic, “Wow.”  I’ve been thinking a lot about what Amos calls "everyday Satanism." I’m not talking the fiery gates of Hell, where you find yourself flopping about on a giant grill the minute you walk inside.  I’m not even talking about the extreme forms of human evil, either.  What about the little pieces of darkness inside each of us?  Are we even aware of those pieces?  Take me, for instance.  I make a point to refrain from consuming the bodies of organisms that were once conscious, but do I truly refrain from consuming them in other ways? In what other ways do I force myself on the planet, my friends, and my family?   

     The shitty thing is that there is no way for us to completely avoid this.  That, if anything, is what I have learned in the past year.  Our culture seems to favor living on the ends of a very big spectrum, coasting between the concepts of good and evil, success and failure.  Love and hate.  Many of us tend to assume roles in one extreme or the other.  Pure predator or pure victim.  Purely pathetic or purely victorious.  How many opportunities are passed up because they fall in the grey area of the spectrum, and how many relationships have been abandoned because they were not purely advantageous? 

     If your own capability for hurting someone falls off your radar because you perceive yourself to be the Good or the Victim, how can you make informed decisions about your role in relationships...and on the planet?  Is it a loss of free will, voluntary to the extent that we hold a veil over our eyes?  Is it an innate quality of being "in it for ourselves," no matter how charitable and kind we try to be?  Dust off your philosophy books and dive in.  I'll try not to become a modern chick version of Thomas Hobbes.      

     So, anway…To lighten things up a bit, why not entertain these dilemmas with a baked good?  I made some cinnamon rolls and whole wheat bread over the last couple of days and have truly enjoyed kicking back with a slice (or…roll) and a mug of tea.  Look out the window and think big thoughts.  Taste big tastes.

Cinnamon Rolls with a Brown Rice Syrup Glaze

These are the perfect treat for those chilly, rainy afternoons that are becoming more common as the days get shorter. 

The Dough:
1 c. all-purpose white flour
1 ½ c. whole wheat flour
½ pack of Red Star Active Dry Yeast
1/8-1/4 c. unrefined, unbleached organic whole cane sugar
¾ c. unsweetened almond milk (or whatever dairy replacement you prefer)
¼ c. Earth Balance ® margarine

The Filling:
¾ c. brown sugar
1/3 c.  Earth Balance ® margarine
1 tbsp cinnamon
¼ c. chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, or a mixture (optional)
¼ c. raisins (optional)

The Glaze:
½ c. organic brown rice syrup or pure maple syrup
½ tbsp brown sugar

Mix together the white flour, whole wheat flour, active dry yeast, and sugar in a big mixing bowl.  Set aside.  Combine your almond milk and Earth Balance ® in a small bowl and microwave, checking frequently; it should be warm, but not too hot to kill the yeast.  Add the “milk”/margarine mixture to the yeast mixture and stir thoroughly with a big spoon.  Set into a clean bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm environment for 20 minutes.  I preheated my oven to 170 F and turned it off when it started to get warm.  Then, I set the dough on a rack and closed the oven door.

Sprinkle a little flour onto a clean surface.  Roll out the dough into a rectangle until it’s about ¼-½ inch thick.

Now, it’s time to prep your filling.  Put the 1/3 c. Earth Balance ® in a bowl with the brown sugar and cinnamon and (if using) your nuts and raisins.  Microwave for about 15 seconds, or until the margarine has softened enough for you to incorporate all of the ingredients into a sort of paste.  Spread this mixture onto the top of the dough you’ve just rolled out.

Roll the dough up, starting with the long side of the dough.  I may have incorrectly rolled mine, but who cares? It all ends up in the same place, and in a very “un-rolled” state. Use a serrated knife to slice the rolls, 1 to 1 ½ inches thick, and place in a lightly-oiled casserole dish.

Cover with your damp towel and return to a slightly warm oven to rise.  I let mine rise for about 30 minutes because I wanted them to get to a certain size.  It might not take as long for you.  Go with what the rolls tell you!

When they are done rising, bake the rolls at 350 F for 20-25 minutes (check often after 20 minutes).  While they bake, prepare your glaze: combine the brown rice syrup and brown sugar in a small pan and heat on low.  Keep it warm until the rolls are finished and drizzle over the top of them.

Makes 12-ish cinnamon rolls!