Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially this time of year, but the same cereals and toasted breads every morning can get old fast.

To get the day off right and for that energy boost needed to go, go, go all day long, whether it’s to wrap up that shopping or squeeze in a late-night party, spice things up with Connie Szarek’s Semi-Homemade Cinnamon Buns. The resident of the 900 block of Filmore Street offers a scrumptious alternative to store-bought buns that will make your meal in the morning a bit more relaxing or can serve as the perfect treat for out-of-towners visiting for the holidays.

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Connie’s Semi-Homemade Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:
2 loaves of frozen bread dough, thawed according to package directions

1 stick of butter, plus some to grease the pan

Raisins and pecan halves, to taste

1 cup of dark brown sugar

1 small box of butterscotch pudding

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of milk

Directions:
Grease a 13-by-9-inch or larger baking dish with the butter. Spread the raisins and pecans evenly in the bottom of the pan. Break the dough into golf ball-sized pieces and place on top of the raisins and nuts.


Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan. Stir in the sugar, pudding and cinnamon until smooth. Stir in the milk. Remove from the heat and pour over the dough.


Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or until the buns have doubled in size.


When ready to cook, uncover and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn upside down on a large serving tray.

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