You can bake these crescent rolls!

Does your mouth water at the smell of yeast and the sight of soft dough rising in the bowl? Maybe just the thought makes your mouth water?

This is the often requested recipe for my dinner rolls. Maybe you'll make some for your next family feast?

As you can see, this card has been out and used frequently. I use butter instead of margarine, and my KitchenAid mixer for the muscle part. I premix the yeast, one tablespoon of sugar, and 1/2 cup of warm water. Then begin blending the rest of the ingredients...butter, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, salt, milk, the pre-mixed yeast and the first three cups of flour. My sweet sister lovingly reminded me that Mom always scalded and then cooled the milk to room temperature. Bringing the eggs and milk to room temperature will guarantee the success of your yeast!

Set the timer and let the mixer beat this up for three full minutes. Then mix in flour one cup at at time; mixing for a full minute after each cup is added. By the fifth cup, I switch to the dough hook. I always use 6 cups of flour. Letting the mixer do the kneading feels a bit like cheating from when I used to make this under my mom's eye, but oh so easy these days! 

At this point, you can cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to rise up.  This is so helpful, because you can mix this the night before or early in the day you want fresh rolls for dinner.  

Or you can continue the process by placing the bowl in a warm spot to double - at least an hour. 

After the dough has risen,  punch it down, divide the dough in half, and roll into a circle about 16" across. Cover with softened butter.

Cut into wedges. I use a pizza cutter and make 16 rolls from each half of the dough.

Place rolls on a baking sheet and let these rise about 30 minutes. 

Preheat your oven to 375. (Mom used to bake hers at 400, but I burn my rolls that way!) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Then coat with more butter when you take them from the oven.

Following Mom's recipe, I've never had a failure. The only way to ruin this would be to not have good yeast. That's why I always pre-mix the yeast, water and sugar first to make sure it's working. When you see it is bubbly, you know it's good yeast.

I've made these upon request lots of times, I can ship them too, for a price! Maybe you'll try this recipe? Let me know how it works for you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Buns

This recipe is one of the most versatile recipes I have, hence the reason I make it so often.  It can be made into a loaf of French bread, bread sticks, buns or pizza.  It's quick and it's never failed to please. 

Tonight, I cheated and didn't even let it rise the full time and yet it turned out deliciously for dinner! We had left over pork roast which I had warmed I my little crock pot with barbecue sauce and then pulled it with two forks untill it was shredded. Served on these buns fresh out of the oven, it was warm and delightfully delicious for dinner.  Let me know how you like this recipe when you try it.

1 package yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water with 1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon shortening 

4 cups flour

Mix all together, beat well as you add each cup of flour. (I use an electric mixer). By the fourth cup of flour the dough gets harder to stir.  Cover with a cloth and place in a warm spot to rise. Stir down every 10 minutes. Do this 5 times. Shape into desired form: one loaf, or a dozen breadsticks or buns, or two pizza crusts. Let rise 15 to 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes for bread sticks and buns, longer for a loaf.  I've often hurried this dough and only stirred it down down 2 or 3 times before I have shaped it.

If you are using this dough for pizza crust, you can just mix and let it rise once before using. Then just pile on your favorite sauce and toppings and bake for 20-25 minutes.  

Can you smell this?

SIMPLY SWEET ROLLS!

If you feel daunted by baking, come to the Silver Tea and Bake Sale on November 10th at the Bolivar United Methodist Church.  We will feature these rolls as well as many other delicious treats like Cocoa Drops, fresh baked bread, crescent rolls, and a whole list of other items you may purchase and freeze so you can serve them up at your Thanksgiving feast!

Simply Sweet Rolls - fresh! Can you smell that cinnamon?

This recipe came from Bill and Vanessa. We made tons of these to sell when we were raising funds for the Youth Group Ski Trips – many years ago. They are as delicious as they are quick and easy to make. I always have the ingredients on hand so I can make and take these any time. Just recently, I baked some up to share with a grieving family; a small bit of comfort - fresh baked breakfast rolls.

Baking yeast rolls isn’t as difficult as some people make it out to be. First, gather your ingredients. Mix everything up – I use my Kitchen Aid Mixer. Let the dough rise. Roll out the dough and spread the butter, sugar, and cinnamon mixture. Roll it up into a log, the slice into rolls. I use a bit of cotton yarn or unflavored dental floss to easily cut the dough. Place the rolls in the pans. Let the dough rise again. Bake and then drizzle while they are still warm from the oven to make a nice glaze. I did learn the hard way that you can put too much sugar and frosting on a sweet roll. Who knew? Now you do!

SWEET ROLLSMakes 16 large 3 cups warm water
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 tbl. yeast
2 tbl. dry mil
3 cups flour
Mix well. Then add
4 cups flour – one at a time.
Let double.
Roll into rectangle. Spread with:
½ cup margarine (melted and cooled)
1 cup white sugar

2 tbl. Cinnamon
Roll into a log, slice, place rolls in pans, let rise, bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Ice with powdered sugar icing while still fresh from the oven.