Honey Butter Rolls

If you're looking for a sweet, soft and amazingly fluffy dinner roll, then look no further.

After trying many dinner roll recipes, I have to say that this may just have become my families favorite.  The recipe once again comes from Sally's Baking Addiction.  That is two recipes now that I have tried from Sally's website, that have been a huge success.

Be sure to head on over to her site and check out her wonderful recipes.

The only change I made to Sally's recipe was that I used all purpose flour instead of bread flour.  I have struggled to find flour lately and bread flour is practically non existent at the moment.

Aside from that, followed it to a Tee and I'm glad I did.

Honey Butter Rolls

Source:  Sally's Baking Addiction

1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F*
2 and 1/4 teaspoons Red Star® Platinum yeast
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup (84g) honey
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 and 1/2 cups (452g) bread flour (spoon and leveled)

Topping

1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, very soft
2 Tablespoons (42g) honey





Pour warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Or, if you do not own a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar on top of the milk. Give it a light stir with a spoon and allow to sit for 5 minutes. The mixture should be frothy after 5 minutes. If not, start over with new yeast.

If you do not have a mixer, you can mix by hand in this step. With the stand mixer running on low speed, add the honey, egg, egg yolk, melted butter, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then add remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Beat on low speed for 1 minute as it all combines. The dough should be thick, yet soft. And only slightly sticky. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl as it mixes. When it does, it is ready to knead. If, however, the dough is too sticky to handle– add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time. Make sure you do not add too much extra flour; you want a soft, slightly sticky dough.

Form dough into a ball and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes, then place into a greased bowl– I usually just use olive oil or nonstick spray. Turn the dough over to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm environment to rise until doubled, about 2 hours. For this warm environment, I preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C) then turn the oven off and place the bowl inside the warm-ish oven.

Once doubled in size, punch down the dough to release any air bubbles. Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down again to release any more air bubbles if needed. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half. Cut each half into 8 equal pieces for a total of 16 pieces that are about 1/4 cup each– golfball size, give or take. They don’t need to be perfect! Shape into balls as best you can and arrange in a greased 9×13 baking pan. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size and puffy, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the rolls for 18-21 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the edges of each roll look cooked. While the rolls bake, mix the topping ingredients together to make a creamy honey butter. Remove the rolls from the oven when they are done and brush or spread a generous amount of honey butter onto each warm roll. Serve with any remaining honey butter.

Cover leftovers and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Warm up in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Mexican Bolillos

A typical Portuguese breakfast for me, is a cup of coffee, a bread roll with butter or ham and cheese and then dipped into that hot coffee.  It may sound gross but I have always dipped my sandwiches into my coffee and it's something that when I do, takes me immediately back to my childhood in Portugal.

However, it is quite difficult for me to find proper bread rolls where I live, and the only ones that kind of come close, are the Mexican Bolillos.  I try to always have a bag of these on hand.  Although, does anything beat fresh bread bought early in the morning, from your local bakery?  I think not.

I've been searching for roll recipes for a while.  I have yet to find one that always turns out or is exactly like the much loved Portuguese rolls.  I do have a recipe here on the blog already, and you can certainly give those a go if you wish.

This recipe turned out pretty well, and I think I may use it when I'm in the mood for home baked bolillos, but I am still on the search for that one recipe that makes me go TA DA, that's it.  I'll let you know if and when I find it.

Mexican Bolillos

Source:  Green Healthy Cooking

500 g unbleached all-purpose white flour (3 cups + 2 Tbsp)
10 g dry active yeast (1.5 tsp)
10 g Salt (1 tsp)
10 g sugar (1 tsp)
300 ml 110F hot water (43C, 1 1/4 cup)



Add dry ingredients to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on low until well combined.
Add hot water (I use the hottest water out of my faucet, as soon as it starts getting too hot for me to keep my hand under the hot running water, that tends to be just right).

Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and knead the dough for about 15 minutes on low.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise to double its size. Depending on the room temperature this will take anywhere between 25-50 minutes.

Once the dough doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and place on a clean floured working surface to roll out, fold, roll out, fold, roll out etc. until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Form a big ball and let rest for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Now cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into "bolillo form". Then place on lined baking sheet.
Once all bolillos are formed, slice about 1/2" deep in the middle with a sharp knife and spray or brush with water.

Cover the bolillos with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise a second time for about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 F (230C) at least 20 minutes before the rolls have to go in the oven.
Spray the bolillos a again with a little bit of water and put in the oven for 15 minutes.

Let cool for a couple of minutes only and enjoy warm.

Pao de Liquidificador - Blender Sandwich Bread

Right, you're probably wondering if I've lost my mind, or wondering just what in the world is a blender sandwich bread.

I had those same kind of thoughts when I first came upon this recipe, but, I'm all for trying new things and the fact that it was basically made in a blender, peaked my interest.

If you're looking for a typical stodgy, firm bread, this is not it, this bread is a softer, flakier consistency, but equally delicious.  And hey, it's easy, dump a bunch of things in a blender, then mix with flour and yeast.

This bread is quite common in Brazil.  You're probably questioning my interest in all things Brazil lately, and the truth is that my greatgrandparents, on my grandfather's side, were Brazilian.  Just recently, I have started delving more into ancestry and family trees and trying to trace back our beginnings, and that has really made me want to tap more into this part of my heritage, so don't be surprised to see a few more recipes here and there from the beautiful country of Brazil.

But that's enough jabbering for now, you're probably sitting there waiting patiently for the recipe, so here it goes.  Give it a try and do let  me know what you think, in the comments down below.

Pao de Liquidificador - Blender Sandwich Bread

2 packets of instant yeast
1 and a half cups of warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt (I will add more next time as I feel it wasn't enough)
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
3 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour


In a blender, beat the yeast with the warm water and the sugar.  Add in the salt, oil and eggs and mix well for about a minute.

Transfer to a big bowl, and add in the flour, mix well until the dough is well incorporated.  The dough is not a typical bread dough so it will be quite soft and not as solid.

Pour into two greased loaf pans, and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Let rise for an hour.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until golden brown.

Best Homemade Sandwich Bread

 I've made a lot of bread in my life, but this one by far is my family favorite. I bake 3 loaves every week because my husband refuses to have store bought bread for his lunches, he loves mine THAT much LOL

White Bread

Source: Brown Eyed Baker

• 4½ teaspoons instant yeast (two 0.25-ounce packets)
• ¾ cup + 2⅔ cups warm water, divided
• ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 (43 grams) tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 9 (1.3 kg) to 10 (1.4 kg) cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a mixer, stir to dissolve the yeast in ¾ cup of the warm water, and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2⅔ cups water, sugar, salt, room temperature butter, and 5 cups of the flour and stir to combine.
2. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed and gradually add the remaining flour until the dough is soft and tacky, but not sticky (you may not need to use all of the flour). Continue to knead until a soft ball of dough forms and clears the sides of the bowl, about 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn it over so it is completely coated. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a draft-free place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Gently press it all over to remove any air pockets. Divide the dough in two and, working with one piece at a time, gently pat it into a 9×12-inch rectangle. Roll up the rectangle, starting on the short end, into a very tight cylinder. Pinch to seal the seams and the ends, tuck the ends of the roll until the bread, and place into greased 9-inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves loosely and place in a draft-free area until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Position an oven rack on the lowest setting and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Brush the loaves with some of the melted butter. Bake the loaves for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 195 degrees F).
7. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with more of the melted butter. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool completely before slicing. The bread can be stored in an airtight bread bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

Sandwich Bread Loaf

 
I already have a few bread recipes posted, but you can never have enough, at least that is what I honestly believe.

I've had this recipe sitting around for a while and honestly hadn't even given it a thought because my usual go to loaves are the Buttermilk ones.

But I wanted something different today, and this recipe looked easy enough to try.  What I wasn't counting on was the fact that it would turn out to be darn near perfect bread.

Now I've made many loaves through the years, some have been good, some not so great, but I've always gotten a pretty good rise out of the bread.  Or at least I thought, until these happened.

They started rising like crazy in the pan before even going in the oven, and by the time they were done, they had popped up and over.  I was actually shocked at how big they got.

I'm thinking, this may just be my new favorite go to bread recipe.  Super easy to make, perfect rise, perfect texture, and the best sandwich bread you'll find.

I got the recipe from Noreen, you can find her at her blog or on Youtube.

Noreen’s Sandwich Bread Loaf

4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups Warm Water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons instant dry milk powder


Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the dough hook. 



Allow ingredients to come together in the mixing bowl.  If dough seems too dry add a tablespoon of water at a time if it seems too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough reaches the desired consistency. 

The dough should not be sticking to the bottom of the bowl.  It should move around the bowl and the hook freely.   Allow the dough to knead for 5 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl and oil the bowl and return the dough and oil the dough as well.  

Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least 1 hour or until double in size. Deflate the dough gently and turn it out onto a board without additional flour.

Press into a rectangle that is slightly smaller on the short side than your bread pan.  Roll the dough into a log, keeping the spiral tight.

Pinch the seam together and push each end into itself and pull the bottom layer up over each end and pinch to close.

Place loaf into an oiled bread pan and cover. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Allow to rise for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until the dough has double and/or crowned to at least 1 inch above the rim of the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and when tapped, the loaf sounds hollow inside. 

Remove from oven and immediately remove bread from the pan. Allow to cool on a baking rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. 

Bread will slice much better once it has cooled completely.

Hamburger Buns

I already have a recipe for homemade hamburger and hotdog buns, here on the blog, but this is a different one and I think I prefer this one for the hamburger buns, to be honest.

The other recipe is great for the hotdog buns though, so give that one a try.

Yesterday I was making sloppy joes for dinner and realized that I had completely forgotten to buy the bread.  Good thing about making your own is that you don't have to rush out to spend money, and they usually turn out better, cheaper and more delicious than store bought anyway.

These do take time to rise, but aside from that, they are easily one of the easiest bread recipes you'll find.

Hamburger Buns

Source:  Chef John

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (such as Fleischmann's ActiveDry Yeast(R))
1 pound all-purpose flour, or as needed - divided
1 cup warm water (105 degrees F/41 degrees C)
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk


Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Place yeast into bowl of a large stand mixer; whisk in 1/2 cup flour and warm water until smooth. Let stand until mixture is foamy, 10 to 15 minutes.

Whisk 1 egg, melted butter, sugar, and salt thoroughly into yeast mixture. Add remaining flour (about 3 cups).

Fit a dough hook onto stand mixer and knead the dough on low speed until soft and sticky, 5 to 6 minutes. Scrape sides if needed. Poke and prod the dough with a silicone spatula; if large amounts of dough stick to the spatula, add a little more flour.

Transfer dough onto a floured work surface; dough will be sticky and elastic but not stick to your fingers. Form the dough lightly into a smooth, round shape, gently tucking loose ends underneath.
Wipe out stand mixer bowl, drizzle olive oil into the bowl, and turn dough over in the bowl several times to coat surface thinly with oil. Cover bowl with aluminum foil. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.

Transfer dough to a floured work surface and pat to flatten bubbles and form into a slightly rounded rectangle of dough about 5x10 inches and about 1/2 inch thick. Dust dough lightly with flour if needed. Cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a round shape, gently tucking ends underneath as before.

Use your hands to gently pat and stretch the dough rounds into flat disc shapes about 1/2 inch thick. Arrange buns about 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Dust buns very lightly with flour. Drape a piece of plastic wrap over the baking sheet (do not seal tightly). Let buns rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Beat 1 egg with milk in a small bowl, using a fork, until mixture is thoroughly combined. Very gently and lightly brush tops of buns with egg wash without deflating the risen dough.

Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on top, 15 to 17 minutes. Buns will stick together slightly where they touch. Let cool completely, tear the buns apart, and slice in half crosswise to serve.

Hawaiian Bread Rolls

Love, love, love Hawaiian bread rolls but honestly they can be a little pricey, and I love being able to make something that I get at the store, at home.

It has always given me a sense of accomplishment and joy to know that I can put on the table a favorite dish, or bread roll or cake.

I have a huge family reunion next week, at my house.  Oh boy!!!


One of the things I plan on making are my Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders, and for that I need dinner rolls.  I usually either use the small butter flavored, or the hawaiian rolls but come to think of it, knowing that I have to make 40 is going to be extremely pricey, so I wanted a way to cut some of the cost out, and usually making it at home is a lot cheaper.


I made a test run of this recipe today and it was a huge hit.  My husband and children are in love and say they are better than the ones from the store, that is all I needed to hear.  I'll be making a bunch this weekend to use for the reunion.

Hawaiian rolls recipe

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Makes 16 rolls

For the sponge

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoons lukewarm water

For the dough

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk; reserve the egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt



Prepare the "sponge." In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine all of the sponge ingredients. Let them rest for 15 minutes.

Add the pineapple juice, butter, brown sugar, eggs and yolk, and vanilla, mixing until combined.

In a separate bow, sift together the remaining flour, starch, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the liquid ingredients in the stand mixer bowl.

Begin to mix the ingredients using the paddle attachment. The mixture will start out quite sticky. Once the ingredients have come together, continue to mix and knead until the mixture becomes smooth and elastic. You can continue with the paddle attachment or switch to the dough hook.

Lift the dough out of the bowl for a moment. Lightly grease the bottom of the mixing bowl, form the dough into a ball, and place it back in the bowl. Cover, and let rise until puffy, about 2 hours.

Grease a 9" x 13" pan. Gently, deflate the dough. Divide it into 16 equal pieces, by dividing in half, then in halves again, until you have 16 equal pieces.

Form each piece into a smooth ball, with the seam, if any, facing down. Space the buns in the pan (two rows of 5, and one of 6).

Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in the pan for 1 hour, until it's nicely puffy. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 F.

Mix the reserved egg white with about 1 tablespoon of water, and brush over the tops of the rolls. This will give them a shiny finish.

Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden on top.

Remove the rolls from the oven, and place the pan on a wire rack. Let cool for several minutes, then remove from the pan to serve warm.

Store leftovers, wrapped, at room temperature for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

{ Bread Machine Yeast Rolls }

As much as I love making fresh bread and kneading the dough and going through the whole process, sometimes I rely on my bread machine.  Especially if I want a loaf or rolls but have other things going on and don't have the time to be in the kitchen.

This recipe is wonderful for that, not only does it always turn out great, but I can get the dough going while I finish chores or run an errand.

Bread Machine Yeast Rolls

Source: Betty Crocker

1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
3 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ Better for Bread™ flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons bread machine or active dry yeast
Butter or margarine, melted, if desired


Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except melted butter in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use delay cycle.

Remove dough from pan, using lightly floured hands. Cover and let rest 10 minutes on lightly floured surface.
Grease large cookie sheet with shortening. Divide dough into 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place 30 to 40 minutes or until double. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

Heat oven to 375°F. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Brush tops with melted butter. Serve warm, or cool on wire rack.

Bread Machine Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I am not a big fan of breakfast, aside from my coffee I will either have a piece of toast or if I'm really hungry, a sandwich, but that's it.  One thing I do love is Cinnamon Raisin bread, toasted and slathered with butter.

I don't have it very often, mainly because it's so expensive at the store, and I always forget how easy it is to make a loaf at home.

After my husband got me a new bread maker to replace the one that broke last year, I've been using it almost daily to make fresh bread, so last night I decided to try the Cinnamon Raisin Bread.  It turned out amazing and tastes fantastic.

I just had some toasted with the butter slathered on and it was honestly one of the best breakfasts I've had in a while.

The recipe comes from Betty Crocker and is very easy to make....and cheaper too than buying it.

Bread Machine Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Source:  Betty Crocker

1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 cups Gold Medal® Better for Bread™ flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
3/4 cup raisins

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except raisins in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Add raisins at the Raisin/Nut signal or 5 to 10 minutes before last kneading cycle ends. (usually about 30 minutes into the bread making process)

Select Sweet or Basic/White cycle. Use Medium or Light crust color. Remove baked bread from pan and cool on wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf (1 1/2 lb), 12 slices

Homemade White Bread

Fresh, hot bread out of the oven, slathered in butter and then bit into while the melted butter drips down your hands.  I do believe that has to be one of Earth's wonders, right??

So tonight, I wanted to make a big pot of potato and onion soup, it's been pretty chilly here and downright Fallish, and the perfect meal for a day like that is a bowl of steaming soup with a slice of hot fresh bread.

If you're looking for the soup recipe, it will be up right after this one :)

Anyway, back to the bread.  I do have quite a few bread recipes on the blog and I enjoy every single one of them.  This one however is one I tried from the blog Jamie Cooks it Up and it's truly a simple, easy and delicious bread to make.   The fact that I get 5 loaves out of it makes me extremely giddy too, because you see, fresh better never lasts longer than an hour in this house.

WHITE BREAD

Yield: 5 loaves

 Source:  Jamie Cooks it Up

4 C hot water
1/2 C sugar
2/3 C oil
2 T salt
3 T yeast
10-12 C white flour


1. In a Bosch or Kitchen Aid mixer place the hot water, sugar, oil, salt, and 4 C of the flour. Mix for 1 minute.

2. Add the yeast, and the rest of the flour 1 C at a time while mixing. You will know you have enough flour when the sides of your mixer get scraped clean.

3. Once you have enough flour mix for 8 minutes on high.

4. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 5 minutes.

5. Divide the dough into 5 pieces and place in sprayed bread pans.

6. Take each piece and “spank” it to get any bubbles out.

7. Round the dough into a ball and place back in the pans.

8. Place the pans in your oven at 170 degrees, and let rise for 25 minutes, or until the bread has risen about 1 inch above the edge of the pan.

9. Turn the oven up to 350 and bake for 25 minutes. Don’t take the pans out while the oven heats up.Just let the bread keep rising while it heats. Enjoy!

Homemade Buttermilk Bread

Another great way to fix some homemade loaves.  I love buttermilk bread and this comes out just right :)

If you don't have buttermilk, you can mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar, to get the same effect.

These were the last of the loaves that I baked today.  I have lots of bread for sandwiches and for the freezer as well :)

Homemade Buttermilk Bread

• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup water and 4 tbsp buttermilk powder
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 6 cups bread flour

Preparation:

1. In small saucepan, heat 1 cup water and 3 tbsp butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warm.
   
   
2. In small bowl, add 1/2 cup warm water and the dry yeast. Stir yeast until it is dissolved. Set bowl aside and continue with the next step.
   
   
3. In large bowl, mix buttermilk, honey, sugar, salt, and vinegar. When the butter water is warml to the touch, pour into large bowl. Add yeast water.
   
   
4. Begin adding bread flour one cup at a time. When the dough is too stiff to mix with the wooden spoon, about 5 cups, turn out onto a floured board.
   
   
5. Knead in the remaining flour until the dough is firm and smooth. Put dough in a buttered bowl and flip dough so that the top of it is lightly buttered. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
   
   
6. Punch down dough and turn out onto floured board. Knead bubbles out of dough. Divide dough into to equal halves.
   
   
7. Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Form dough into two loaves. Place in buttered bread pans. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
   
   
8. Melt 1 tbsp of butter. Brush butter on to bread tops. Using a sharp knife, make three light slashes across the bread tops. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans and let cool on a rack or dishtowel.

Four Loaf White Bread

Here is the recipe for the White Bread loaves I baked today.

I made 3 loaves of the white and then turned the 4th into Cinnamon Raisin Bread.  This bread is fantastic, easy to make and freezes really well too.

Four Loaf White Bread

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water, 95 to 110 degrees F
• 2-2/3 cups warm water, 95 to 110 degrees F
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 3 Tbsp shortening
• 9 to 10 cups bread flour, about

Preparation:

1. In large bowl, dissolve yeast with 3/4 cup warm water. Add the remaining amount of warm water, sugar, and salt. Stir until dissolved. Add shortening and 4 cups of flour. Mix well. Slowly add the remaining amount of flour until dough is formed. You may or may not use the full amount of flour.
   
   
2. Turn dough out onto floured board. Knead dough for about 10 minutes, adding more flour by the tablespoon, if necessary. Grease a large bowl. Put the bread dough into the bowl and then turn the dough over so that the top of the dough is greased. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature until double in size or about 1 hour.
   
   
3. Punch down dough. Turn it out onto a floured board and knead out all the bubbles for about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into four equal parts. Form each quarter into a loaf by rolling the dough into a rectangle. Roll the dough up like a jellyroll. Pinch seam closed. Pinch and tuck edges under the loaf. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 4 loaf pans or two baking sheets. Spread a light layer of yellow cornmeal on the loaf pans or baking sheets, if desired. Set loaves in 9 x 5-inch pans or two loaves on each baking sheet, cover with clean kitchen towel, and allow to rise until double in size or for about a half hour. If desired, beat the white of one medium egg and a tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush egg white on top of loaves after they have risen. Sprinkle tops with poppy or sesame seeds.
   
   
4. Bake breads for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove breads from oven and turn out loaves onto rack. Allow loaves to cool completely before freezing.

For the cinnamon raisin bread. I prefer to have the sugar/cinnamon/raisin mixture inside and not in the dough. I have some family members that do not like raisins and this is much easier for them to remove.

Great as toast for breakfast.

Fluffy Dinner rolls

It's baking day at my house, which means I start early morning and don't leave the kitchen until well after lunch, when all the bread is baked, cooling down and then all that is left is to wrap and freeze.

Today I baked up 3 loaves of white bread, 2 loaves of buttermilk bread, 2 loaves of cinnamon raisin bread and a dozen fluffy dinner rolls.

I'll be giving you the recipes for these, but first, I'm starting with the rolls.  I made similar ones just the other day but this recipe is WAY better and they always rise really high and fluffy.  They are just amazing.

The original recipe comes from Jamie Cooks it Up.

And if you want to learn a simple but fail proof way of always getting your rolls nice and round, watch this video that shows you how to roll the bread the Amish way.  

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

3/4 - cup milk
4 - tablespoons butter
3/4 - cup hot water
4 - tablespoon sugar
1 - teaspoon salt
4 - 4 1/2 - cup flour
1 - heaping tablespoon instant yeast


1. Pour your milk into a microwave safe container. Add your butter to the milk and put it in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
2. While the milk warms preheat your oven to 170 degrees. Turn on the tap to get your water nice and hot. Temperature is important to making these rolls rise quickly. Put your hand in the water to test it. You want it to be just on the edge of unpleasant.
3. Put your milk/butter and hot water in the bottom of your Kitchen Aid Mixer. Add the sugar and salt. Then add 2 cups of flour...let it mix for 1 minute.
4. Add the yeast. Turn the mixer on and add the rest of the flour 1 cup at a time.
5. You have enough flour when the dough scrapes the side of the bowl clean. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes. You need the plastic wrap to trap the heat.
7. Take a stick of butter and coat the inside of a 9x13 pan.
8. Spray your counter, or a cutting board with cooking spray. Lay your dough on top of it.
9. Take a sharp knife, spray it with cooking spray and cut your dough into 12 pieces. Make them as equal as you can.
10. Gently round them into balls, and put them in your buttered 9x13 pan.

11. Put the pan into your warm 170 degree oven. Let them rise for about 20 minutes or until they have risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.
12. Leave your pan in the oven and turn the heat up to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes. This time includes the time it takes the oven to increase in temperature. Bake until golden brown.

13. Brush with a little softened butter and serve warm.

They make yummy little sandwiches too, which is what I'm having for lunch :)

Easy Dinner Rolls

Love bread.  Would eat fresh baked bread every day, if it didn't go straight to my stomach and my hips.  Bummer.

But there really is nothing like fresh baked hot bread with melted butter dripping off the top.  *drool*

So this is a quick recipe to put together, in about an hour you'll have delicious fluffy dinner rolls.  I have quite a few roll recipes but I just love these, and thanks again goes to A Feast for the Eyes for another great recipe :)

Dinner Rolls

¼ cup low-fat milk
⅛ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1-½ tablespoons butter
1-½ packages (or 3-1/2tsps.) of dry active yeast
¾ cups warm water (105F – 115F)
2-½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional for brushing onto baked rolls)


I like to use my oven as an “incubator”, which hastens the proofing of the dough. I simply turn my oven to WARM for a few minutes, then shut it off.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water and the sugar until it foams (5-10 minutes).

In the meantime, melt the butter in the microwave, then the milk. Combine and allow to cool to about 110F. (You could use a saucepan, but the microwave is much easier for me— I use 25 second increments.)

Dump the milk and yeast mixture into the mixing bowl. Add about 2-½ cups flour and mix with the dough hook. (Or, beat by hand). Mix for about a minute. With the mixer still going, add the remaining flour, a bit at a time and mix for another couple of minutes, or until the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl. (I used 3 cups of flour, total). Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel, (or plastic wrap) and let it rise in a warm place, free from draft (or in the incubated oven), for about 20 minutes.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and gently shape into a square. Divide into 9 or 12 pieces. I shape each roll by pulling them into a more circular shape then grab corners to the center and twist. Place the ball on a lightly floured surface, twist side down and gently grab and roll into a round ball. You can also make 27 or 24 small balls and make “clover leaf rolls”. You then place3 mini dough balls into a greased muffin cup. Cover the rolls with the dish towel, and let the dough rise for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven for 425ºF. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. Remove from pans immediately, and brush with 2 Tablespoons melted butter, immediately. Cool on a wire rack, and you can eat these within just a few minutes.

Homemade Bread Bowls

Homemade Bread Bowls

1/2 cup water (70 to 80 degrees F)
1 cup warm milk (70 to 80 degrees F)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

In bread machine pan, place the first seven ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).
When the cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into six portions; shape into balls. Place on greased baking sheets.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.



Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.



Cool on wire racks.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

So I have another recipe here on the blog for homemade hotdog and hamburger buns and though I like that one for hotdog buns, I prefer this one for the hamburger buns.

You can whip these up pretty quick and surprise your family with amazing burger buns :)

Recipe comes from thekitchn, which I love, such great yummy recipes on that blog.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Makes 8 buns

 
1 tablespoon active-dry yeast
1/2 cup (4 oz) warm water
1/2 cup (4 oz) milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter


In the bowl of a standing mixer (or a large bowl, if mixing by hand), stir the yeast into the warm water and let it sit until dissolved.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, oil, sugar, and salt. Add this to the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Add all the flour and stir until it forms a shaggy dough. Knead at low speed, or by hand against the counter, for 10 minutes. The finished dough should be smooth, feel slightly tacky, and spring back when poked.

Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Dust your work surface with a little flour and turn out the risen dough on top. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each into a tight ball. Transfer the balls to a baking sheet and let rise until they look puffy and hamburger-sized, roughly 30-40 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.

Melt the butter and brush it over the risen hamburger buns. This helps the tops to brown and keeps the crust soft. Bake the buns until golden, 15-18 minutes.

Let the buns cool to room temperature before slicing and using. They are best if eaten within the next day or two, but will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.

Jalapeno and Cheddar Buns

I haven't bought Hamburger or Hotdog buns in a long time, I much prefer the homemade kind and yes, while it may be easier to just head to the store and buy them, it really is worth investing the time in making your own.

I've experimented with different kinds of buns and flavors and when I saw this one over at Confessions of a Foodie Bride, I just knew I had to try them.

WOW!  These are so good and so easy to throw together.

I made hamburger slider buns and hotdog buns out of this recipe.  After you divide the dough  in half, use half for the small buns and the other half shape into the hotdog buns.

Jalapeno Cheddar Buns

Yields: 8-12 hamburger buns

1 package (2 1/4 tsp) yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, or olive) plus more for greasing bowl
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp sugar
3 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
6 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
3 large jalapenos, seeded and chopped



Add warm water to the bowl of your mixer and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let sit 10 minutes, until frothy.

Add the, oil, 1 egg, and sugar to the bowl.

Add the flour, salt, cheese, and peppers 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 Tbsp.

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, 1-1 1/2 hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Divide the dough in half and each half into 4-6 pieces (depending on the size of your burgers, I typically get 8-9 buns per batch).

Roll into rounds and flatten with the palm of your hand onto the baking sheet; placing buns about 1/2-1 inch apart.

Cover with a damp towel and let them rise for 20 minutes + oven preheating time.

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk the remaining egg with 1 Tbsp 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. They freeze well, too.

Here are the turkey sliders

and the hotdog buns I used for the bratwurst