Introduction: BBQ Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

As the saying goes, “Home is where the heart is” however as college students, young adults, or even busy parents with children to feed, it can be extremely difficult to find time to make a home cooked meal. Nothing satisfies an appetite quite like a whole-hearty meal that keeps you coming back for more. The main objective of this Instructable was to create an easy set of instructions to make possibly the best chili and cinnamon rolls your heart could desire. If you have never experienced the combination, well you're wrong. Consider it time to get your hands dirty!

Step 1: Ingredients

So with any recipe, you're going to need some ingredients to get it started. When deciding which ingredients are best, start off by looking at the price tags. Generally you can buy the same quality of ingredients at a lower price depending on where you buy them.

For the BBQ Chili you will need the following:

  • Ground beef (we used 85% Lean) but any kind works
  • Hickory Smoked BBQ
  • 1 can of whole tomatoes
  • 1 can of chili beans
  • 1 can of black beans

For the Cinnamon Rolls you will need:

  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Flour
  • Cinnamon
  • 3 yeast packages
  • Vegetable shortening
  • Powdered sugar
  • Lukewarm water

Warning/Caution

Please remember that you are cooking with hot stove and that the individuals that these tasty treats will be served to may contain ingredients they may be allergic to. Please consult those who plan to eat your food about the ingredients prior to serving.

Step 2: Chili Preperation: the Meat (mmmmm!!)

If you have never made chili before you are going to be surprised at how easy it actually is to make. For starters you're going to want to take your meat and place it into a sauce pan until the meat is browned (thoroughly cooked). Once the meat has been browned, you will need to strain it to remove any unwanted liquid.

Step 3: Chili Preparation: the Beans and Tomatoes (aaaahhh!!)

To accompany the hearty meat that will be the building block of your chili, you will want to add chili beans and tomatoes. Open your cans of chili beans and whole tomatoes and dump the contents into a blender and go crazy!

Step 4: Chili Preparation: Bringing It All Together

Now here is where you bring all of the prior steps together into a wholesome chili concoction. Pour your blended tomatoes and chili beans into a large pot. Secondly, add your black beans (drained of all liquid) into the pot and lastly, add hickory (or your favorite style) barbecue sauce into the chili

Step 5: Chili Preparation: the Finished Product

Now that you have mastered the art of the BBQ chili, let your chili simmer for about 10 minutes. This will allow for your chili to thicken and set up nicely to be inhaled by all who intend to enjoy it. But just wait a minute!! You still have cinnamon rolls to make!

Step 6: Cinnamon Rolls: the Preparation

Well here comes the very tasking, tedious, and rewarding parts of this meal; the making of the cinnamon rolls. As stated above in the ingredients, you will need the flour, eggs, shortening, sugar, salt, and lukewarm water.

In a large bowl, put the following:

  • 3 cups of lukewarm water
  • 2/3 cups of sugar
  • 3 packages of yeast
  • 2/3 cups of shortening
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 8-9 cups of floor to make dough soft

This part is probably the most important. You will want to add all of the "wet" ingredients separately from the "dry" ingredients.

Step 7: Cinnamon Rolls: Kneading the Dough

Now the culinary world has made this part very easy. The invention of the mixer has allowed for the mixing of several ingredients at the same time to be extremely effective and fast. However, we had a broken mixer and decided to go old school and knead the dough by hand. Knead the dough thoroughly and let it rise until dough has doubled in bulk

Step 8: Cinnamon Rolls: Shaping the Dough

Shaping the dough comes next. The easiest way to do this is using flour on a flat surface and a rolling pin. Then roll the dough into the shape of a square and spread with butter and a mixture of 1 cup of sugar and cinnamon.

Step 9: Cinnamon Rolls: the Rolling of the Cinnamon Roll

Next, roll the dough into a solid "dough-tube". Cut the dough into 1 inch slices and place into greased 9x13 inch pans. Bake in oven at 350 degrees until lite brown.

Step 10: Cinnamon Rolls: Ice 'em Up!

After you pull the cinnamon rolls out of the oven you should let them cool. During this time it would be best of you to make your icing. Icing comes in many shapes, sizes, and colors but this icing is simple and super tasty. Add a 1/4 cup of butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 4-6 tablespoons of hot water, and plenty of powdered sugar until it is the thickness and color you desire. And if this icing doesn't suit your fancy, there are literally hundreds of ways to make icing or frosting to satisfy your love for this tasty treat.

Step 11: Conclusion: the End Product

So I know what you're thinking. You're probably thinking that cooking this easy should be a crime. Well guess what, it's not. Not officially anyway. Cooking as a whole is nothing more than trial and error. I have tried over a dozen times to get this chili and cinnamon recipe right so that viewers like yourself could enjoy the best home cooked meal you possibly have ever eaten. Let's take that back, you've never eaten anything this good. Let's face it. Your taste buds are probably craving more.

Remember, this chili can be modified with any kind of meat (turkey, chicken, venison) and it will taste just as great. I've never tried a vegan or vegetarian option but hey, give it a shot and tell me if it works.

So without any hesitation; stuff your faces!