Traditional Fourth of July Recipe: Babba's Rolls

Babba's rolls are one of the favorites in my family. Babba is a friend of the family who created her own recipe from her family cookbook. It began as a recipe for cinnamon rolls, but she added some ginger and pecans and it became her own. She prefers to make them during the summer holidays, specifically the 4^th of July. Over the years we have used small bowls of melted butter for dipping. Feel free to try them out, you won't regret it!

1 cup crushed berries

2 ¼ cups wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

Handful of chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with shortening and set it aside.

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a small pan. Add the berries and ginger to the pan, and stir over very low heat until the consistency is close to a liquid. Pour it into the bottom of the greased pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Next, add 1/4 cup of melted butter and the milk. Mix (we use our hands), until the dough forms a ball. Put the dough on a floured flat surface and roll it into a rectangle about 12 inches long.

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon with the pecans then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the surface of the dough. Roll the dough into a log of 12 inches long. Use a sharp knife to cut every 1-1/2 inches to make 8 rolls. Place them in the berry mixture, with the cut side down. They'll bake just fine even if they're touching.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn upside down onto a serving plate. Remember to use melted butter for dipping!

Some of you may be thinking, "What does this have to do with the Fourth of July?" Technically, it's not a patriotic craft or anything, but it is a tradition in my family. You may want to think about holiday traditions in general, because they make exciting memories. We even have traditional foods for other holidays and for birthdays. If you have children, ask them to give you ideas and start one. Trust me, they will love it!