You know those people who you just know loves you and has loved you since you were born?  That is my Aunt Donna.  Actually, she is my great-aunt Donna.  She’d give me a hug every week at church and just made me feel special.

Aunt Donna is now 97-years-old, with an unmatched wit and endless love.

My mom’s memories of Aunt Donna:  As a little girl, I would walk to my grandma’s house after school.  Grandma lived next to Aunt Donna.  When my grandma wasn’t home, I’d go to Aunt Donna’s house and fall asleep.  She would come home and find me fast asleep in her house.  She called me Goldilocks.

Her house was always neat as a pin and I knew I was welcome there.

She always remembers me on my birthday and went on Sunday drives with my parents.

She worked in the school as a lunch coordinator so she was a good cook.

She made sweet petals, her take on the cinnamon roll.  The carmelized crust on the bottom of the rolls make them, gooey and over the top yummy.  Definitely a recipe to pass on for generations.

Sweet Petal Recipe by Aunt Donna

Step 1:

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Let stand for 5-10 minutes.

Step 2:

Mix yeast mixture, canned milk, water, melted butter, sugar, salt.

Step 3:

Mix in flour a little at a time and then let stand for 30 minutes.

Step 4:

Make cinnamon and sugar mixture by mixing melted butter, cinnamon and sugars together.

Step 5:

Take the dough and pinch off ping pong ball sized dough ball and roll between hands (watch the video).  Then dip them in the cinnamon sugar/butter mixture and arrange on a greased pizza pan.  Start with one piece of dough and shape it in a “C” shape in the center of the pan.  Continue putting the dough pieces around each other to form a rose shape.

Step 6:

Let rise for 15 minutes, then place in oven at 370 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Step 7:

While baking, mix the powdered sugar, butter and canned milk together.

Step 8:

Take petals out of the oven and drizzle with glaze.

Sweet Petal Recipe

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 T yeast

1/2 C warm water

1/2 C canned milk

1/4 C water

3  T melted butter

2 T sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2- 3 C flour

Filling:

4 T melted butter

3/4 C sugar

1/4 C brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting:

2 C powdered sugar

3 T melted butter

3 T canned milk