Apple Rolls

I love old-fashioned recipes because all of the ingredients are so basic. You probably have everything you need in your pantry to make these right now. The recipe for these apple rolls is from my Great Grandma Hunter. I remember her coming over to visit when I was very young and she was in her last years of life. I don't remember too much about her, but I do remember that she was a hard worker and a good cook. She also had funny superstitions like "Spit on your hand when you see a white horse, and your wish will come true." And I remember my Mom saying that she used to put a little bit of lemon juice in everything she made. These apple rolls of hers taste so down-to-earth and real that eating them takes me back 50 years to her kitchen table.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons shortening

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups applesauce

1/4 cup butter

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together. Cut in shortening. Add milk and gently mix. Generously flour countertop and pat or roll dough into a 6 x 12 rectangle. Spread applesauce over dough. (I sprinkle it with cinnamon.) Carefully roll into a jelly roll. Expect this to be messy and expect some of the applesauce to squish out. Cut jelly roll into 1 inch slices and place them in a 9 x 11 greased pan. Scoop up any lost applesauce and place it on top of roll slices. Boil butter, water, sugar, and vanilla together for 2 minutes. Pour over rolls. Bake in 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve warm, upside down, with milk or plain.