Bagels

I adore bagels, they are one of the few breakfast foods that I actually enjoy. But I am very particular in how I like to enjoy my bagels. They have to be lightly toasted with just butter. No spreads, no schmears, no toppings. Plain toasted bagels with butter. Since I am so simple in my tastes, the bagels have to be quite spectacular. And this recipe, adapted from Sophisticated Gourmet, does not disappoint.  Miss F had so much fun trying to shape the bagels, she wasn't always successful, but she sure enjoyed trying to make the perfect circles.  Miss F is also a purist like I am, she has been enjoying a plain bagel with butter each morning for breakfast.  But she doesn't like them toasted...or even sliced!

Bagels

1 ¼ cups warm water
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 ½ cups bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons cornmeal

Add ½ cup of the water to the bowl of a stand mixer, stir in the sugar and then sprinkle the yeast over top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour and salt, then the remaining ¾ cup of water. Mix until well combined. Using the dough hook, knead the dough for 10 minutes at medium-low speed. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with a towel, place in a warm spot and allow it to rise for 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and let rest for 10 minutes more. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, shape each into a round ball. Gently press your finger into the center of each dough ball and form a ring, stretching each one until there is about a ½ inch hole. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

While the dough is resting, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and lightly dust a baking sheet with the corn meal.

Reduce the boiling water heat to medium, using a slotted spoon, add the bagels to the water. Simmer for 2 minutes and flip over each bagel and simmer for 2 minutes more. Place the boiled bagels onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

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Best Buttermilk Biscuits

I love biscuits. I remember making biscuits at least once a month once I got my own apartment. These were of the Bisquick variety, usually in drop form, because I was too lazy to use a biscuit cutter. I may have finally found my most favorite ever recipe. The major break through for me was cutting the biscuits into squares instead of using a biscuit cutter...no wasted scraps! More importantly, no overworked biscuit dough. These biscuits are incredibly fluffy and quite perfect. Maybe it's the stick of butter that goes into them...

Best Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, cut into cubes
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the butter cubes to the bowl, using two forks or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until it is the size of small peas. Slowly stir in the buttermilk just until combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and shape into a 12” x 9” rectangle about 1” thick. Cut the dough into twelve 3” squares and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14 minutes until golden brown. Serve.

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Garlic Pull Apart Bread

I love baking bread, it is so much better than anything you can get at the store and I have perfected the timing of it all so that it doesn't take an entire day to produce one loaf of bread. C and Miss F devoured this loaf.  And they added additional butter, which wasn't necessary at all, but I couldn't convince them otherwise. I can't wait to try other flavors of pull apart bread, but one thing is certain, the next loaf will include cheese of some sort.  This recipe was inspired by Budget Bytes.

Garlic Pull Apart Bread

1/3 cup warm water
2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast
1 cup warm milk
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted (I microwave it with the milk)
1 teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups flour
¼ cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons garlic salt

Add the water to the bowl of the stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast overtop and proof for 5 to 7 minutes, until frothy. Add the milk, sugar, butter, salt and flour, mix at low speed until combined. Swap out the mixer attachment for the dough hook and need for 8 minutes more. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, combine the butter and garlic salt. Cut dough into 1 inch pieces; dip into butter mixture. Layer in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Southern Cheddar Biscuits

This recipe from A Southern Soul has been lurking in my Pinterest for quite awhile.  I love a good biscuit and even more than a good biscuit, I love a good cheesy biscuit.  They don't even need butter!  I have been using my pastry cutter more and more lately, it's just easier sometimes to work things by hand.  These biscuits are worth the extra effort, they came out just perfectly and were enjoyed by all.  Miss F slathered hers in butter, but I was completely okay with eating them plain.

Southern Cheddar Biscuits

1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
¼ cup butter
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
¾ cups buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using two forks or a pastry cutter until it forms into pea size balls. Stir in the cheddar cheese and buttermilk. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, kneading for a minute or so. Roll out the dough to a ½ inch thickness. Cut the biscuits with a round biscuit cutter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

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Parmesan Pepper Popovers

These popovers were such a hit, that I made them twice in one week. C has started expecting some sort of homemade bread every meal. Miss F has also really turned into a carb lover. Apparently, six popovers aren't enough for one dinner. I know I only ate one. The second night I made these, I doubled the recipe and was able to enjoy a few leftover.  The puff up so beautifully,  they are the perfect side for a warm bowl of soup in the winter.  We had them with soup, salad and butter.  Lots of butter.  I believe we went through nearly a whole stick of butter in just a couple days.  It's the holiday season...so treat yourself!

Parmesan Pepper Popovers

1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 6 cup popover pan and place in the oven while it preheats. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until well blended. Add the flour, salt, pepper and Parmesan; stirring well to combine. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully fill the cups with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until golden brown.

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Garlic Fat Bread

So one of the best foods in life is fat bread. I can usually try and force it to go with whatever dinner I am serving, but sometimes, you have to have plain garlic bread. And when you want garlic bread, why not invent garlic fat bread?  My little family of three nearly devoured this entire platter.  I may have snuck a slice or two more around 11 pm.  And then C was all upset the next day because we didn't have much leftover.  That is how popular fat bread, and now garlic fat bread, are.  Serious deliciousness.

Garlic Fat Bread

1 loaf French bread
½ stick softened butter
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
3 ounces grated Mozzarella

Slice the bread lengthwise. Mix the butter and the garlic powder; spread over each cut side of the bread. Sprinkle the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese over the butter. Place under the broiler until slightly brown and heated through.

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Guinness Beer Bread

I was making Crockpot Guinness Beef Stew and had a fair amount of beer leftover. I figured it wouldn't be the best idea to down the rest of the beer at 8 in the morning, so I decided to bake bread with it.  The bread was so easy, no rise time necessary!  You have fresh baked bread in about an hour, which is the best thing about beer bread.  Miss F was wary of the bread, but once she slathered it in butter, she was sold.  This recipe is adapted from The Black Peppercorn.

Guinness Bear Bread

3 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
⅓ cup oats
⅔ cup dark brown sugar
12 ounces Guinness
1 tablespoon oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, 1/3 cup oats and brown sugar. Slowly beat in the Guinness, do not overmix the batter and make sure there aren’t any lumps. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the tablespoon of oats on top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

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Poogan’s Porch Biscuits

I must confess that I have never cooked with shortening before. I have used it to grease the griddle when making pancakes, but that is the only thing I have ever used it for. We spent a week in Beaufort and Charleston, one of the best things I ate was the biscuits at Poogan's Porch.  And I also loved that they had braised short ribs on the kids' menu, which made Miss F quite happy.  I was so excited to try to make them at home, but I was quite nervous to use shortening.  I was nervous for no reason.  These biscuits were perfect, exactly like the ones in the restaurant.  C was a huge fan, which was surprising since he was quite wary of a new biscuit recipe.  Thanks to Katherine Ave for the recipe.

Poogan’s Porch Biscuits

2 cups sifted self-rising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir together the flour, baking powder and sugar. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter until coarse crumbs are formed. Stir in the buttermilk until just combined. Pat the dough into a ½ inch thick rectangle on a floured surface. Cut using a biscuit cutter and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

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Garlic Skillet Bread

Miss F declared this to be the second best bread I've ever baked.  I tried to pin her down as to what the best bread I ever made was, but all she could tell me was that it was "plain bread."  Who knows.  This bread couldn't be any easier.  I have never made bread in an iron skillet before and I am now going to make it in there all the time.  The ingredients are simply stirred together, no mixer or kneading needed.  I can't wait to try other adaptations of this recipe, maybe even a plain bread variety. This recipe was adapted from Apple of My Eye.

Garlic Skillet Bread

2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
4⅓ cups flour
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic salt

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, water and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and flour, ½ cup at a time. Cover the dough and let rise for 1 hour. Grease two 8” skillets. Divide the dough in 2 equal pieces, form each into a ball and place one in each of the skillets. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes more. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

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Garlic Knots

I have been watching Emeril Lagasse since the Food Network actually had cooking shows.  Who didn't love his show with the band and all the BAM!  I have always enjoyed his recipes, I love the way he cooks.  I made a few changes from his garlic knot recipe, but that is what these are based off of.  I really need to invest in a kitchen scale.  I am absolutely terrible at making any sort of bread product in any way even, especially rolls.  No matter, they all still tasted quite delicious.

Garlic Knots

2/3 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 ½ teaspoons yeast
½ teaspoon honey
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In the bowl of the stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, honey and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add ¾ cup of the flour and the salt, mix until combined. Stir in the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Toss the dough ball with the remaining oil, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours.

Place the dough on a floured surface and roll into a large rectangle, about 16 x 12 inches. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut into 1” strips. Tie each strip loosely into a knot and place on a Silpat lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes more.

Combine butter and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover, remove from the heat and set aside. Keep warm. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the knots for 20 minutes. Brush each knot with the garlic butter and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

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Calzones

C and I visited New York to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We visited the Transit Museum in Brooklyn and realized that it was the first time we had ever been to Brooklyn, it was exactly as we expected it to be.  After visiting the museum, we decided to find pizza.  C and I always disagree on toppings, so I just ordered a slice while he had a calzone.  His calzone looked so delicious, I knew I wanted to make them when we got home.  We each were able to personalize our calzones with our preferred toppings and it was a huge dinner success.  I used Wolfgang Puck's pizza dough recipe, just divided it into four to make four calzones.  Miss F loved assembling them and was a big fan of her personalized calzone.

Calzones

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees )
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing the pizza crusts
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
20 slices pepperoni
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 mushrooms, quartered
1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

In the bowl of the stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water. Add the honey and stir together, let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the olive oil, then the flour and salt. Use the dough hook to knead at low speed for 2 minutes. Turn up the speed to medium and knead 5 minutes more. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 3 minutes more. Oil the mixing bowl and return the dough ball to it, tossing well to coat with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes to an hour in a warm spot. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shape each by gently pulling the dough and tucking it underneath the bottom of the ball. Roll the ball on a smooth surface until it is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes more. The dough can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone inside. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Press out each dough piece on a lightly floured surface, gradually spreading each into a circle 8" across. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on half of each circle, then top with pepperoni, bell pepper, mushroom and tomato. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese on top of each, then fold over to create a half circle. Press the edges to seal. Transfer the calzones to the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown.

While the calzones are baking, simmer the crushed tomatoes over medium-low heat with the Italian seasoning. Serve the calzones with tomato sauce on the side.

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Garlic, Herb, and Cheese Bread Rolls

I love any sort of yeast roll. I went to Ranch 99 the other day to get beef tenderloin for a dinner I was hosting for my uncle in from Maryland, they had a ton of fresh herbs for super low prices. Miss F helped me make the dough before school, she loved helping prep the herbs, especially plucking the thyme leaves off their stem.  These rolls are amazing, especially the sprinkle of parmesan on the top.  Miss F was so proud of herself, she kept insisting she made the whole dinner.  She was a great help though, she has great enthusiasm for cooking.  Thanks to Handle the Heat for the recipe.

Garlic, Herb, and Cheese Bread Rolls

¼ cup lukewarm water
1 cup warm milk (100 – 110°F)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
4 ½ cups (20 ounces) bread flour
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Stir together the water, milk, 1 tablespoon of the oil, eggs, sugar, salt, garlic powder, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in 2 cups of the flour, until it forms a rough, shaggy dough. Using the dough hook on medium-low speed, knead until the dough comes together, adding the remaining flour as it kneads. Turn the speed to medium-high and knead for 5 minutes more. Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place in the prepared pan. Brush with the remaining oil and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Let the rolls rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

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Soft Garlic Breadsticks

I had a suite mate in college who worked at the Olive Garden.  She would often come home with bags of leftover breadsticks, it was quite a perk of living with her.  I don't like the Olive Garden very much, but I do love their breadsticks.  They are building a new one near our house, which I find quite surprising, I think of it more as a suburban restaurant.  This recipe allows me to avoid going all together, it is nearly a perfect copycat.  The breadsticks are so soft and delicious, even better than the real thing.  And you don't have to go to the Olive Garden to get them.  Thanks to 12 Tomatoes for the perfect recipe.

Soft Garlic Breadsticks

1 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water
1 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
3 1/3 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 teaspoon garlic salt

In the bowl of the stand mixer, add the water and sprinkle with the yeast. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt and butter. Knead using the dough hook for 7 minutes at medium speed, dough will be elastic and smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into 6" logs. Place the logs on a Silpat lined baking sheet. Cover and let rest for 1 hour more. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 12 minutes, until golden brown. Brush the warm breadsticks with the melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.

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Strawberry Banana Bread

We went strawberry picking a couple weeks back with some of Miss F's classmates. Miss F ate nearly half of her bucket of strawberries before we even left Froberg Farms, dirt and all. She is strawberry obsessed and I can't blame her. The strawberries fresh picked are so much more delicious than those you get in the grocery store. Miss F wanted to make strawberry jam, but after inspecting our diminished haul, I decided we didn't have enough to make jam. I had a few bananas in our freezer, so off to the internet I went in search of a strawberry banana bread recipe. I was in luck, there was a well reviewed recipe from Disney World, specifically the Whispering Canyon Café.  This bread was delicious, just as I remembered from our stay at the Wilderness Lodge.

Strawberry Banana Bread

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 medium-size)
2 eggs
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ pound sliced strawberries

Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the mashed bananas. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, stir until combined. Gently stir in the strawberries. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, slice and serve.

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Easiest Ever Lemon Bread

Miss F has been obsessed with lemon bread, but the recipe I usually use calls for sour cream, which I didn't have. This might be even tastier than my usual recipe and it was certainly easier. No mixer needed, everything was stirred in by hand.  And the best part was no wasting time waiting for butter to soften, much like my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, it calls for melted butter. We enjoy it for breakfast, a snack or even dessert.  It's a fantastic use for winter citrus.

Easiest Ever Lemon Bread

½ cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup milk

1 cup confectioners' sugar
juice from one lemon

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs and lemon juice; mix well. Stir in the salt, flour and baking powder. Stir in the milk until well combined. Grease a loaf pan with cooking spray and pour the prepared batter into the pan. Bake for one hour. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

Whisk together the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice, pour the glaze over the bread. Allow the glaze to set, then slice and serve.

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Sweet Meyer Lemon Bread

Miss F made this dish entirely herself, I only assisted with the removal from the oven. We were meeting my parents for lunch on her last day of winter break and she requested to make two loaves, so we could take one to Grammy. My mom loves lemons as much as Miss F, so it was quite a sweet gesture.  Miss F really enjoyed this bread, we ended up making a third loaf once this one ran out.  Thanks goodness we have a huge Meyer lemon supply.  I love calling this bread instead of cake, makes me feel better about having a slice for breakfast.

Sweet Meyer Lemon Bread

2 extra large eggs
¼ cup Meyer lemon juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
1 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 Meyer lemon, juiced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 by 5 inch, 3-inch deep loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon juice and sugar. Fold in the sour cream, flour, baking powder and baking soda. Gently fold in the butter, just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 8 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

In a bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Adjust the sugar as needed. Drizzle the frosting over the warm bread, it will set before serving.

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Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls

Mmmmm...warm, soft rolls topped with butter and garlic salt, there really isn't anything better. I adapted this recipe from Carlsbad Cravings. The original called for 28 rolls, which would have been lovely to have, but I am positive I would have eaten every last one. Seeing how I have been indulging more than usual for the holidays, 28 rolls lurking in my house wasn't a good idea for anyone. Miss F and C both loved these rolls, they are sweet and the salty topping is perfect. I may try them again with sea salt on top instead of the garlic salt, I bet that would be amazing. I have some pink sea salt that could be a really fun topping.

Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls

½ cup milk
3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon yeast
3 tablespoons warm water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoons salt
2 ½ cups flour
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 teaspoons garlic salt

Add the milk to a microwave safe two cup measure. Heat the milk in the microwave for one minute, swirl in the butter until melted and add the sugar. Put the two cup measure into the refrigerator. In the bowl of the stand mixer, add the water and yeast, let stand 5 minutes, until foamy. Add the milk mixture, egg and 2 cups of the flour, mix until well combined. With the mixer on low, add the remaining ½ cup of flour a little at a time. Knead on medium-low speed for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball, coat with olive oil, return to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 hour in a warm place. Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces, shape each into a ball. Place the balls in a greased 8 or 9 inch cake pan. Cover with a towel and let rise one hour more. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the rolls with half of the melted butter. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Brush with the remaining butter and sprinkle with the garlic salt.

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Soft Yeast Rolls

I love making homemade rolls for the holidays. C much prefers the pop-n-serve rolls that you get at the grocery store and warm in their little cardboard tray. C loved these rolls and I think my mom thought they actually were of the pop-n-serve variety. I like baking them the day before and then just wrapping them in foil to warm in the oven when they are ready to be served. I generally have too much going on during a holiday dinner to keep track of rising times and such. Thanks to Sunny Side Up for the amazing recipe, my whole family loved them. There may have been a minor battle over the leftover rolls at the end of the evening.

Soft Yeast Rolls

¼ cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups flour
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Warm the water and milk in a two cup measure, sprinkle the yeast overtop and let stand for a couple minutes. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer, along with the butter, egg, sugar and salt. Mix on low to combine. Add 1 ½ cups of flour and beat until smooth. Replace the paddle with a dough hook and add 2 more cups of flour. Knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish. Punch down the dough and knead by hand on a well floured surface for a minute or so. Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces and place in the baking dish, 4x5. Brush the rolls with the melted butter. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes more. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

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Cheddar Hamburger Buns

So this time next week you should have tons of leftover turkey. And these buns would be perfect for leftover turkey sandwiches, you don't even need to add cheese. Of course C and Miss F feel the need to add cheese to everything, mostly two slices if allowed. I actually served leftover chipotle pork on these rolls with barbecue sauce and the next day I had them as crabcake sandwiches with my mom's famous crabcake sauce. They worked great for both meals and I plan to be whipping up another batch for Thanksgiving leftovers. Miss F adored these rolls! Thanks to Confections of a Foodie Bride for the amazing recipe.

Cheddar Hamburger Buns

2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Add warm water to the bowl of the stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let sit for 5 minutes, until frothy. Add the, oil, 1 egg, and sugar to the bowl. Add the flour, salt, and cheese and mix on medium-low speed with the hook until the dough holds together, about 2 minutes. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl. If not, add additional flour by the tablespoon. Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been lightly greased with oil. Cover it with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half, divide each halve in half and then divide the quarters in half again, you will have 8 buns. Roll into rounds and flatten with the palm of your hand onto the baking sheet; placing buns about 1 inch apart. Cover with a damp towel and let them rise for 20 minutes + oven preheating time. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the buns with the egg wash and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftovers in a zip-top bag at room temperature.

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American Sandwich Bread

I decided to double the recipe from Confections of a Foodie Bride so I could have a loaf for us and a loaf for my parents.  The kneading portion was interesting, it climbed up the dough hook and nearly overtook my KitchenAid.  One loaf at a time in the future, that is for sure.  This bread is perfection.  It is great for sandwiches, with a drizzle of honey or even on its own (with butter, of course.)   Miss F was a huge fan of this bread for her lunchbox.  I will fully admit that I nearly ate the entire loaf.  Miss F had a sandwich or two, but the rest was all mine.  No regrets.

American Sandwich Bread

1/3 cup warm water
2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast
1 cup warm milk
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted (I microwave it with the milk)
2 teaspoons salt
3 ½ cups flour
Oil or cooking spray for greasing bowl and loaf pan

Add the water to the bowl of the stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast overtop and proof for 5 to 7 minutes, until frothy. Add the milk, sugar, butter, salt and flour, mix at low speed until combined. Swap out the mixer attachment for the dough hook and need for 8 minutes more. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Grease the loaf pan with cooking spray. Press the dough into a 1" thick rectangle approximately 9" long, then roll into a cylinder. Crimp the bottom edge of the dough and lightly press it into the pan. Allow to rise for 30 minutes more. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

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