Dear Readers: We recently printed the recipe for Elephant Ears and have received quite a few letters, e-mails and faxes questioning whether the amount of cinnamon listed in the recipe was correct.
So, we retested the recipe with a can of regular biscuits instead of cinnamon rolls (we didn't have any cinnamon rolls handy). Even so, the amount of cinnamon is still correct. The ears were crunchy, flat and cinnamony. If they aren't rolled out quite as thin, they come out softer and chewier. Remember, this is a really cinnamon-tasting treat!
If you want to give them a try, here's the recipe:
1/2 cup ground cinnamon
1 cup white sugar
One 8-ounce (10 count) package of cinnamon buns (found in the dairy case)
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line cookie sheets with foil. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and spread it evenly on a sheet of foil or wax paper. Remove one cinnamon bun from the can and lay it on the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Using a rolling pin, roll the cinnamon bun out thin, turning it often so it absorbs as much sugar and cinnamon as possible. The finished diameter should be 6 to 8 inches. Place on the prepared pan. Repeat for the other buns.
Bake on the center rack or as close to the center as possible until just brown. Check them often so they don't scorch or overbake — they are very thin. Enjoy! — Heloise
Send a great hint to:
Heloise
P.O. Box 795000
San Antonio, TX 78279-5000
Fax: 210-HELOISE
E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com
Dear Heloise: I usually buy luncheon meat every week, since my husband takes his lunch to work each day. Once the package has been opened, what is the shelf life of this product? — Kari from Colorado
A good question, especially for people who take lunch to work or school every day. Luncheon meat has a shelf life of three to five days in your home refrigerator if it is stored properly. By this, we mean that the package has been overwrapped or placed in a zipper-type plastic bag to keep the meat at its best. The temperature of your refrigerator is important, too, so occasionally check to see that it is working properly. — Heloise
Dear Heloise: My 10-year-old niece, Mia, came up with the idea of using a plastic zipper-top bag and snipping off one bottom corner to fill manicotti. Voila! It worked! The cheese mixture is scooped into the bag, then the bottom corner is cut — the mixture gets squeezed into the shells. — 'Aunt" Karen from New Jersey
Dear Heloise: Here are my favorite oatmeal toppers:
1. Honey
2. Pure maple syrup
3. Cinnamon sugar with chopped or crushed nuts
These are delicious! — Jean Love, Huntsville, Ala.
Oatmeal is one of my favorites! A couple of toppings I like are fresh fruit (chopped small), dried fruit (like cranberries) and a spoonful of low-calorie jam. — Heloise
Dear Heloise: When baking a cake, I use the plastic bag from the cake mix to grease my cake pans. Just slip it over your hand, grease and flour the pan, then throw away the bag when you're finished. — Patti Milton, Brighton, Mich.
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