Nancy Johnson of Story City won the big $3,000 overall winner cash prize for her Pecan Praline Cinnamon Rolls at the Iowa State Fair.

She entered the recipe in the Tones Best Cinnamon Roll Contest. Johnson is a secretary at the Iowa State University Extension Office and has been entering recipe contests at the fair for the past seven years.

Pecan Praline

Cinnamon Rolls

Prep time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Rise time: 2 hours

Bake time: 25 to 30 minutes

Makes 24 rolls

Rolls:

2 envelopes Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 F)

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons Tone's Ground Cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, softened

Caramel Topping:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup

2 tablespoons water

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups toasted pecan halves

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl. Heat milk and butter in small saucepan to 100 to 110 F (butter does not need to melt completely). Add to yeast mixture. Beat in sugar, salt, eggs and 3 cups flour. Mix well, adding additional flour until mixture forms a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. OR knead with electric mixer using dough hook. Place in greased bowl, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in warm draft free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Set aside.

Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in heavy saucepan. Bring just to boiling point over medium heat to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Grease two 13x9-inch pans. Divide caramel glaze between pans and spread evenly. Place half the pecans in each pan, on the caramel.

Punch dough down, divide in half. Roll each half into 15x10-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Spread with half the butter and top with half the cinnamon-sugar filling, pressing gently into dough. Roll up tightly, sealing edges. Cut into 12 equal slices; place atop caramel topping. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover rolls and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cover with foil during last 10 minutes if rolls are browning too quickly. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting on serving plate.

Note: To toast pecans, spread on a shallow baking sheet and bake in 350 F oven for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven.