October 4, 2011 - Cinnamon Roll Day

– Sweden

Yes, it's that Kanelbullens Dag time of the year again!

My husband makes great cinnamon rolls quite easily. He uses frozen bread dough from Bridgeford, which he allows to thaw and raise. He spreads flour over the kitchen table, pats out the bread dough into a flat, one-half inch thick sheet, and then brushes an even coat of melted butter over the entire surface. Now for the fun part! My husband sprinkles a sugar-cinnamon mix evenly over the expanse, and he puts chopped nuts and raisins over most of it. (Some members of our family aren't overly fond of nuts and raisins, and he does aim to please!) Finally, he carefully rolls up the goody-laden sheet of dough. In other words, he makes one long roll.

The next step is to get out a sharp knife or, even better, cinnamon-flavored dental floss. He uses the knife or floss to cut two-inch thick portions of cinnamon roll, which he lays into a pan (leaving room between the rolls). Since he likes to make the cinnamon rolls the night ahead, he covers the pan with heavy-duty foil and puts it into the refrigerator.

In the morning, it's off with the foil, into a slow oven (maybe 250 to 300 degrees), and watch for golden brown loveliness. While the cinnamon rolls bake, they will raise some more, and when they are all done, my husband drizzles them with frosting and serves them to his adoring fans!

Also... Great Day in 1957

On this date in 1957, Sputnik I was launched.

The idea for GPS was hatched.

And the TV show Leave It to Beaver was debuted.

The Soviet Union shocked the world when it launched Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite put into Earth's orbit. This bold deed sparked what is known as the Space Race between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.—a very visible part of the Cold War.

While observing Sputnik's orbit and measuring its orbital changes, scientists learned about the density of the upper atmosphere. Scientists in Johns Hopkins University found that they could analyze the Doppler shift of the radio signals emitted by the satellite. They theorized that, if a satellite's position was known and predictable, people down on Earth could navigate by analyzing satellite emissions. They started working on a system that was called Transit, and this work led directly to the Global Positioning System we know and love today.

Finally, CBS launched the television show Leave It to Beaver. Although the show wasn't tremendously popular at first, and CBS cancelled it, ABC picked it up and ran the series for five more years—and it has been lastingly popular in reruns! Apparently this was the first American show to be broadcast behind the Iron Curtain. So I'm thinking that it might have helped to end the Cold War. (See how all these different events really tie together?)