A Bun in the Oven

Those of that know my mom well know that she is an amazing baker!  I know this sounds silly, but growing up, it was a treat for us to have "bought" bread.  Well, that was before my mom started working, anyway.  She would bake bread, pies, cookies, but the closest to her know it was her "Mema Buns" that she was famous for.  It doesn't get much better than f fresh Mema Bun right out of the oven!  She has recipes from close friends and she doesn't stray.  I think her cinnamon roll recipe was from Alberta Wood, and her bun recipe was from Mrs. Brinkman?  I am not sure who that is, I know that my Aunt Marilyn had friends, the Brinkmans, in Illinois, but I want to say for some reason, this famous Mema Bun recipe was from maybe the Stewart's in McDonald?  Hmm...I'll have to do further research.  She has been perfecting cookie recipes for weddings for years and makes notes on them so she remembers exactly what made them just a bit better.  Her cinnamon rolls melt in your mouth.  I remember her making them ahead and freezing them too.  When we were little and would have a big snow fall, the Lazor Brothers would sometimes plow out our driveway too.  Gary liked being paid with Gingie's Cinnamon Rolls.  Becky has been making them!  Amazing!  I have never tried them.  Jeannie has made the buns successfully.  Mom came over one day to show me how to make the Mema buns.  She doesn't have an "exact" recipe, I believe it says something like, "add flour unit it looks right."  Really?  What does THAT mean?  So, she started ...1/2 cup by 1/2 cup adding the flour.  Then she sneezed.  I remember her saying, "oh - that's how I know I have enough flour.  I always sneeze at this point."  Great!  So, my recipe reads, "add flour until mom sneezes?"  I think I did try to make them once on my own, but they turned out like hockey pucks!  When I questioned her on it, and review what I did, she said, "well, sometimes the humidity can affect them too."  I was done at that point.  Measurements done by allergy levels and proper yeast activity by the outside temperature are things I just can't count on.  I buy my bread at the store.

One of my dad's favorite expressions is "She has a bun in the oven."  Jimmy's wife Becca currently is sporting this expresstion!  They are due in September with #2.  We are excited to have a new cousin and Penny will be a big sister!  Mom is looking forward to the new baby.  :-)