Category: Thankful Recipes

Thankful Recipes

Dad’s Sugar Donuts

by Teri MaeLeave a Comment on Dad’s Sugar Donuts
Dad’s Sugar Donuts

When I was a kid I wanted to be just like my dad. I wanted the same glasses my dad had, I pretended to read the same newspaper, I ate the same cereal, and loved the same history he loved. Things haven’t really changed as I’ve gotten older – I still want to be just like my dad. Still just as strong, patient, humble, sacrificing, and understated as one of the most important people in my life. So it just makes sense that I would dedicate my pre-valentine’s day Thankful recipe to my first valentine – my loving father.

Some of my favorite memories of my childhood were moments spent getting donuts with my dad. We would get up really early and drive the 30 minutes to the nearest Krispy Kreme to bring dozens back to the family for breakfast. And every Saturday morning I would head off to the hardware store with my dad, to buy whatever materials he needed for his next home improvement project, and eat one or two of the sugar donuts the store would provide to us early-risers. And still, to this day, whenever I eat a donut, I’m reminded of the special moments I had, just me and my dad, involving one of our favorite treats.

Dad’s Sugar Donuts

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, this is one of the recipe’s I worked on for weeks to perfect. And now I share it with you! These donuts are incredibly light and fluffy, melting like sugared air in your mouth. But, in order to get them that way, they’re a bit tricky. Trust me, it’s definitely worth it. You’ll just have to be patient with yourself! I know you can do it!

We start by mixing the dough. Now, this dough is very wet. I mean, very, very, very, very wet. We want it that way – it makes the final product lighter. So don’t be tempted to add any extra flour to this recipe. Otherwise you’re donuts just won’t be quite as good. But it does mean I can’t recommend highly enough using a stand mixer for this. You can knead by hand, but if you’ve ever seen The Great British Bake Off, you’ll know it’s very tricky to knead by hand. So if you can simply use a stand mixer, it’ll save you bunches of time and stress.

Add the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast and the salt on opposite sides of the bowl. Salt is a yeast inhibitor and we don’t want to start the process off by prematurely ruining our yeast! Give it a quick spin with the dough hook.

Next add the warm buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. PS – here’s a bit of a tip – you can warm the buttermilk up slightly in the microwave instead of waiting a million years for it to come to room temperature. We want the buttermilk to be about 100F, or slightly warmer than lukewarm. Turn on the mixer to low speed and mix until a dough ball starts to form. It should still be shaggy at this point, with bits of dry ingredients still dry. We just want the gluten to start forming before we add the rest of the liquid and make it super wet! Once the dough reaches this stage add the warm water (again, about 100F) to the bowl, scrape down the sides, and turn the hook on low.

Mix until completely combined, scraping down the bowl as needed, and then knead on low for 5-7 minutes. It won’t feel like it’s being kneaded normally, the entire mass will not wrap around the dough hook, but I promise it’s working. Keep this up until the edges of the dough start to form a rounded shape. It’ll still look flat and attached to the bowl, but it sort of balls up. It shouldn’t be more than 5-7 minutes.

Scrape the dough down to the bottom of the bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. Depending on your altitude, the quality of your yeast, and the temperature of your room this could take a while. Be patient!

When the dough is doubled flour a surface and turn the dough out onto the surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out to 1/2 inch height. We don’t want to push too hard to roll too thin because we want to keep some of that lovely air trapped inside. Flour a round donut cutter and cut donuts from the rolled dough, trying to space them close to get as many donuts as possible out of the dough. You can, if you feel guilty about throwing away dough, knead the scraps slightly, re-roll, and cut more donuts. However, these donuts will be heavier and not have the characteristic white line down the center of the donut. Re-rolling scraps incorporates flour, which adds weight when you fry them. I, personally, don’t. But if you do you can expect to get another 3-4 donuts from the batch. If you don’t have a donut cutter, simply use a 3 inch round cutter for the donut and a 1 inch cutter in the center for the donut hole. It just takes an extra step!

Place the donuts on parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. It’s very important to use parchment and NOT silicone. We will be cutting up the parchment and I don’t think you want to cut your nice silicone mats! Make sure you’ve spaced the donuts far apart to allow for a rise and a cut around them.

Allow to rise until doubled – they should be light and fluffy, but not over-risen. If they look like they’re starting to sag they’ve risen too much and they’ll be flabby, flat donuts out of the fryer. Watch them very carefully. You can also retard this step by placing them, covered, in the fridge. If you do this simply remove them from the fridge 30 minutes before frying to warm them up to room temperature.

Heat 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil in a heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven. Dutch oven’s really are the best, since the cast iron retains heat, and therefore temperature, much better than any other material. Using a candy thermometer, heat the oil gradually up to 175-180F. You don’t want to over-heat the oil or under-heat it. It’s important to get it to the right temperature to prevent the donut from either A) soaking up too much oil and becoming yucky oil sponges (too cold) or B) burning on the outside while still being raw on the inside (too hot).

When the oil is nearly at temperature slowly and gently cut around the donuts and donut holes so they each sit on their own piece of parchment. Make sure you do this slowly! If you move too quickly and shake things up too much you could deflate the donut, and nobody wants a deflated donut.

When the oil reaches and maintains the right temperature (I usually wait 2-3 minutes to make sure it’s right) gently add 2-3 donuts to the oil on the parchment. This will prevent any major splashing and keep the donut from deflating as you add it. The oil will bubble and could splatter, so always use caution when deep frying anything. Remove the parchement, which should have come slightly away from the donut, and set it aside. When the donut becomes golden brown flip it using tongs, a spatula, or those nifty deep frying mesh spoons. When the second side becomes golden brown remove the donut and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to remove the excess oil.

Lather, rinse, and repeat with the remaining donuts, making sure the temperature of the oil rises to 175-180 between each batch. When you add donuts to oil the temperature will drop, so you want to be patient or you’ll end up with a soggy mess.

When cool enough to handle, coat the donut in a generous helping of sugar (or a combination of cinnamon and sugar!). I usually make a pile of sugar on a plate and then rub the donut around in that pile. A lot of people do a bowl and toss the donut in the sugar in the bowl. Whatever works for you will work for the donut! But whatever you do, try to enjoy at least one while it’s hot! You won’t regret it!

Dad's Sugar Donuts

  • Servings: 8-12 donuts, 8-20 donut holes
  • Difficulty: moderate
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A light, fluffy buttermilk donut covered with sugar

Ingredients

  • 395 grams all-purpose flour
  • 50 grams sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 g instant yeast
  • 150 ml warm buttermilk, about 100F
  • 1 large egg
  • 57 grams salted butter, melted
  • 100 ml warm water, about 100F
  • oil for frying, about 3-4 cups
  • sugar for coating donuts, about 1/3 cup

Directions

  1. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer, with the yeast and the salt on opposite sides of the bowl.
  2. Add the egg, melted butter, and buttermilk.
  3. Turn on the mixer to low speed and mix with a dough hook until a dough ball starts to form. It will still be shaggy at this point.
  4. Once the dough reaches this stage add the warm water to the bowl, scrape down the sides, and turn the mixer on low.
  5. Mix until completely combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  6. Mix on low for 5-7 minutes. The dough will be very sticky at this point but do not be tempted to add more flour. Continue kneading until the edges of the dough start to form a rounded shape.
  7. Scrape the dough down to the bottom of the bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. This could take between 1-2 hours.
  8. When the dough is doubled flour a surface and turn the dough out onto the surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out to 1/2 inch height.
  9. Flour a round donut cutter and cut donuts from the rolled dough, trying to space them close to get as many donuts as possible out of the dough. You can knead the scraps slightly, re-roll, and cut more donuts. However, these donuts will be heavier and not have the characteristic white line down the center of the donut. I do not re-roll scraps, but merely cut smaller circles for smaller donuts for children. If you don’t have a donut cutter, simply use a 3 inch round cutter for the donut and a 1 inch cutter in the center for the donut hole.
  10. Place the donuts on parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Do not use silicone mats. Make sure you’ve spaced the donuts far apart to allow for a rise and a cut around them.
  11. Allow to rise until doubled – they should be light and fluffy, but not over-risen.
  12. Heat 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil in a heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven.
  13. Using a candy thermometer, heat the oil gradually up to 175-180F.
  14. When the oil is nearly at temperature slowly and gently cut around the donuts and donut holes so they each sit on their own piece of parchment.
  15. When the oil reaches and maintains the right temperature gently add 2-3 donuts to the oil on the parchment. The oil will bubble and could splatter, so always use caution when deep frying anything. Remove the parchement, which should have come slightly away from the donut, and set it aside.
  16. When the donut becomes golden brown flip it using tongs, a spatula, or a deep frying spoon. When the second side becomes golden brown remove the donut and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to remove the excess oil.
  17. Repeat with the remaining donuts, making sure the temperature of the oil rises to 175-180 between each batch.
  18. When cool enough to handle, coat the donut in a generous helping of sugar or a combination of cinnamon and sugar. Try to enjoy at least one while it’s hot! You won’t regret it!
Thankful Recipes

Kim’s Thai Red Curry

by Teri Mae3 Comments on Kim’s Thai Red Curry
Kim’s Thai Red Curry

For my very first Thankful post in 2019 I wanted to write about someone who has been very dear to me ever since I started my blog. Kim at Later Levels was one of the first people to follow, comment on, and give advice about my blog. She is one of the most supportive and kind people I have had contact with in recent years. Her dedication to staying positive in the confusing and sometimes toxic world of gaming is an inspiration. She regularly volunteers her time and runs charity streams on Twitch to support good causes (like Game Blast). And her creation and maintenance of a wonderfully accepting community within gaming bloggers has been extraordinary.

But more recently, Kim has become a real friend. I don’t have many friends who want to sit around and talk about gaming, even fewer who are women. But I have one in Kim. And we can not only chat about games, but we talk about baking, politics, culture, and understanding the different lives we lead across a wide ocean. And that is why she’s getting a highlight this month! If you don’t already follow her blog, make sure you go check it out. You’ll probably find something worth reading within a few minutes.

Kim’s Thai Red Curry
meter for thai curry

When I asked Kim what her favorite food was, something she could eat forever, of course she would pick something I’ve never even had in a restaurant, let along something I’ve never made. So with all my guessing, scouring the web for the similarities between recipes, and begging Mr. Sheikah Plate to tell me EXACTLY what he thought, this could be the first recipe I’m 100% unsure of. So Kim/anyone else, if you give this a go – please let me know how it tastes and if it’s even remotely similar to a Thai Red Curry.

If it happens to be right, the logistics of this recipe are pretty simple. Start by getting the rice going. This recipe doesn’t actually take that long, so we want the rice to be done when we finish! Simply rinse the rice (as we’ve done MANY times before!), add water to the first knuckle of your finger when it rests on top of the rice, and turn on the rice cooker. I promise guys, one day I’ll make rice in a pot for those of you without a rice cooker… I’m just not brave enough!

Mince the Garlic
Grate The Ginger

Then move on to the chopping by dicing the peppers and broccoli into bite-size pieces. Then slice the green onions into 1/4 inch pieces, much smaller than we usually do. Mince the garlic and ginger (if you’re using fresh garlic and ginger). You can then use the same cutting board to dice the chicken. Now, for food safety, it’s very important that you do the chicken last. Otherwise you should dice the chicken, wash the cutting board and knife, and then cut the veggies. We don’t to cross contaminate anything.

chicken
salt and pepper
ginger, garlic, onions
curry powder

Heat some oil into a heavy bottom pot/dutch oven on medium. When the oil is nice and hot add the chicken. Cook the chicken until there’s no more pink showing on the outside, about 3 minutes. The inside, however, should still be raw. Add all the salt and pepper and stir it around a bit. Then add the garlic, ginger, half the green onions, and red curry powder or paste. Stir that around until everything is coated in the seasonings.

curry with coconut milk

Add the coconut milk. Sometimes coconut milk separates in the can and you may need to whisk it together in a separate bowl to get it combined first. Stir the chicken, soy sauce, and coconut milk until combined. Then bring it to a nice simmer and turn down the heat slightly so it’s just barely simmering. Allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

add veggies
add green onions

At this point add all the veggies and stir them around until everything is coated. Bring back up to a simmer and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes more, or until everything is soft and the chicken is cooked through.

Add the remaining green onions and, if desired, lime juice at this point and stir briefly. Serve over (or next to) rice!

close up

Kim's Thai Red Curry

  • Servings: 5
  • Difficulty: moderately easy
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A spicy, savory Thai Red Curry sauce with rice

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 large crown of broccoli
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon dried garlic)
  • 2-3 tablespoons red curry powder (2 for mild, 3 for medium) or 3 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
  • 1.5 cans full-fat coconut milk
  • 1.5 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 2.5 cups rice
  • enough water to rinse and cover the rice

Directions

  1. Rinse the rice several times, add water up to your first knuckle of your finger when it rests on top of the rice, and press start on your rice cooker. Or cook according the manufacturer’s directions.
  2. Dice the red and green peppers into bite-size pieces. Chop the broccoli into small pieces, with most of the stalk removed.
  3. Slice the green onions into 1/4 inch pieces.
  4. Mince the fresh garlic and ginger.
  5. Dice the chicken into 1 inch pieces.
  6. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot or dutch oven on medium.
  7. When the oil is hot add the chicken and cook until there’s no more pink showing on the outside, about 3 minutes. The inside should still be raw.
  8. Add all the salt and pepper and stir to coat the chicken.
  9. Add the garlic, ginger, half the green onions, and red curry powder or paste. Stir until everything is coated in the seasonings.
  10. Add all the coconut milk, which may need to be whisked to combine in a separate bowl.
  11. Stir the chicken, soy sauce, and coconut milk until combined. Bring to a simmer and turn down the heat slightly so it’s just barely simmering. Allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
  12. Add all the vegetables and stir until combined. Bring back up to a simmer and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes more, or until everything is soft and the chicken is cooked through
  13. Add the remaining green onions and lime juice and stir briefly. Serve over rice!
Thankful Recipes

John’s Roast Pork with Beets and Apples

by Teri Mae3 Comments on John’s Roast Pork with Beets and Apples
John’s Roast Pork with Beets and Apples

My second (and first November) Thankful recipe is dedicated to my husband.  I can’t even begin to express what he means to me or how thankful I am for him.  His steady support through all my mental health challenges, his patience with my short temper, and the wonderful father he is to our son is overwhelming.  He’s so supportive (even when it means a kitchen covered in flour and a sink piled high with the dishes of 10 baking experiments) and so kind.  He is easily the best person I know.  So this recipe, with all the amazing feelings I have for him, is dedicated to John.

Roast Pork with Beets and Applesmonster cake meter

minced sageLet’s start with the herbs.  I, when I possibly can, use fresh sage for this dish.  There are so few flavors that we want the best of the best!  It seems like this is a lot of sage, a lot of seasoning, but trust me – you’ll want it all.  We are basically making an herb crust over the pork.  So take the pork out of the fridge to take the chill off and wash the sage.  You’ll want to mince it until it’s fairly small.  To do this well simply place one hand on top of the knife near the end of the blade and rock back and forth, rotating through the pile.  Stop every few rotations to readjust and remake the pile, turn 90-180 degrees, and continue rotating to ensure that everything is minced evenly.  Put the sage, salt, and pepper in a bowl and stir and toss with your fingers to mix it thoroughly.

coat the loin

Next we’re back to the old standby – pat dry the pork and rub each side and the entire length with all the seasoning. Now, if it’s a whole pork loin it will actually be two separate loins. That’s okay, simply separate them and treat them the same.  Again, it feels like a lot, but the flavor is to die for.  Set it aside and allow it to rest.

While the pork is lightly brining (for more information about pork brines, check out this recipe) chop the beets and apples into large pieces.  I slice the beets and then cut each slice in half.  Slice the apples off the core and then cut thinly.  The onion should be sliced and then each slice quartered to leave longer pieces of onion.

sear the loin

Add oil to a heavy-bottom pan that can be used in the oven (I use a braiser) and heat on medium.  If you don’t have this you can use a regular frying pan and then an oven safe 9×13 pan.  When the oil is hot add the pork and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes.  You want the sear to be nice and strong so once it’s laying down don’t move it for the entire 2-3 minutes.  You want to see the sear cook depth when you look at the pork from the side.  Repeat on all sides and then sear the ends.  Remove from the oil and place on a plate to the side.

veggies and fruit

Next add the onions and the beets to the same pan and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until the beets have lost their extremely hard feeling.  You still want them to be hard, by the way, just not rigid.  Then add the apples and continue to saute for 2 minutes, or until all the apples are shiny.

pork on veggies and fruit

Add the pork back on the veggie/fruit mixture.  You’ll want it resting on top to prevent the juices from getting into the pork and braising instead of roasting it.  If you’re transferring everything to a 9×13 pan first lightly grease the pan, place the fruit/veggie mix in, and lay the pork on top.  Then put the whole thing in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.  At this point you’ll want to test the center of your pork with a meat thermometer.  It needs to read 145F (for medium rare) to 160F (for medium).  If it’s not quite there simply continue allowing it to roast until it reads your comfortable temperature.  Pork inherently has some kind of nasty diseases if it’s raw, so be sure to cook it properly!  I don’t want anyone getting sick on my watch!

cover with foil

When it’s ready remove the entire pan from the oven and cover with tinfoil, allowing it to rest for 5-10 minutes but not less than 5 minutes.  This is to help the juices stabilize so you don’t lose any of that flavor when you cut it.  Serve and enjoy!

pork and stuff

John's Roast Pork with Beets and Apples

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: moderately easy
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Roast pork loin with a sage herb crust with beets and apples

Ingredients

  • 1 2-3 pound pork loin
  • 5-6 large beets
  • 3 medium apples (I prefer granny smith for this recipe)
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1/3 cup fresh sage (packed)
  • 1.5 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Remove the pork out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. Wash and mince the sage by placing one hand on top of the knife near the end of the blade and rocking the knife back and forth, rotating through the pile.  Stop every few rotations to readjust and remake the pile, turn 90-180 degrees, and continue rotating to ensure that everything is minced evenly.
  3. Put the sage, salt, and pepper in a bowl and stir and toss with your fingers to mix.
  4. Pat dry the pork and rub each side and the entire length with all the seasoning. Set it aside and allow it to rest.
  5. Chop the beets and apples into large pieces. Slice the beets and then cut each slice in half. Slice the apples off the core and then cut thinly. Slice the onion and then quarter the slices.
  6. Add oil to a heavy-bottom pan that is oven safe and heat on medium. (If you don’t have this you can use a regular frying pan and then an oven safe 9×13 pan.).
  7. When the oil is hot add the pork and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes.
  8. Repeat on all sides and then sear the ends.  Remove from the oil and place on a plate to the side.
  9. Add the onions and the beets to the same pan and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until the beets have lost their extremely hard feeling. (The beets should still be hard, just not rigid.).
  10. Add the apples and continue to saute for 2 minutes, or until all the apples are shiny.
  11. Add the pork back on top of the veggie/fruit mixture. Or transfer veggie/fruit mixture to a greased 9×13 pan and place the pork on top.
  12. Put the entire whole thing in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  13. Test the center of your pork with a meat thermometer.  It needs to read 145F (for medium rare) to 160F (for medium).
  14. When it’s ready remove the entire pan from the oven and cover with tinfoil, allowing it to rest for 5-10 minutes but not less than 5 minutes.
  15. Serve and enjoy!

Recipes, Thankful Recipes

Becky’s Rolls

by Teri Mae4 Comments on Becky’s Rolls
Becky’s Rolls

This is it.  My first “Thankful” post.  I really wanted a way to highlight the people/recipe’s in my life that have made me who I am, made me a better chef/baker, blogger, or even gamer.  I want to take a minute and tell people how grateful I am for those people or those experiences.  And these posts are my way of doing that.  And it only seems fitting that I start with the woman who taught me how to bake.

Growing up with my parents meant I learned how to cook but I didn’t learn to bake.  My mom used box mixes (which isn’t a bad thing!) and we affectionately called her rolls “lead balls”.  So when I met my husband and his mom made rolls from scratch I was blown away and promptly begged her to teach me how.  I can trace my absolute love of baking bread, this obsession that I’ve cultivated and one of my favorite hobbies, to that moment in my life.  My mother-in-law, Becky, is a wonderful person.  She’s always so focused on helping people learn and supporting her children through thick and thin.  Her patience with me has been astronomical and I am so glad and grateful to be a part of her family.  So, for the passion she inspired in me and the person she is, this post is dedicated to her.

Becky’s Rollsdifficulty and time

Let’s chat for a second about types of dough.  Now, raise of hands, how many of you have heard of enriched bread vs. non-enriched bread?  Every buy bread from the store and it says “enriched” on it?  This simply means there’s some kind of fat source (like butter or oil) and usually other ingredients (i.e. eggs, milk, etc…).  If it’s not enriched it means there are 4 ingredients; flour, water, salt, and yeast.  So what kind are Becky’s rolls?  They are enriched, using milk and butter to add a light, delicate, and delicious flavor.

Now, when people think about bread they get a little flustered.  Why?  It’s the flour, water, and yeast.  The three essential ingredients in bread.  But I promise, there’s nothing to be afraid of!

First, let’s chat about water.  Contrary to popular belief, water temperature, while affecting time to rise, won’t make or break your bread (unless it’s boiling hot).  Cooler water will increase your rise time, taking longer than you expect.  Warmer water will decrease your rise time.  For enriched breads, where most of the flavor comes from the extra bits, a shorter rise time is fine.  For unenriched bread a longer rise time is preferred to develop flavor in the dough.

Second is yeast.  Yeast is a microorganism, a tiny little thing that grows when there’s a food source.  And it’ll grow and grow and keep on growing.  Add yeast to water at any temperature (again, as long as it’s not burning hot) and it’ll eventually come around.  Because it’s a living thing you just have to be patient and let it do it’s thing.  It’s not on a perfect schedule.  Be patient and it’ll eventually (or sooner) do exactly what you need it to do.

And then the flour.  The trickiest part of making bread is not adding too much flour.  If you add too much flour it soaks up all the water.  Then, when it comes time to bake, the water is already soaked up, leaving very little to evaporate, which makes your bread very dry.  The trick is to get the bread at that perfect stage of tacky, so it slightly sticks to your hands, the counter, etc. but not sticky enough to stay on your hands, the counter, etc.  Does that make sense?  If it sticks and pieces remain on your hands, it’s too wet.  If it doesn’t even cling it’s too dry.  Find the balance.

The recipe itself is pretty straight forward.  Add melted butter and powdered milk to the water.  Now, for this instance, if you can manage it, get your water to be “bath” hot.  Like, normal person bath hot, not scalded skin bath hot.  Since this is an enriched dough we don’t need a long first proof (called fermentation).  Whisk this together and then add the yeast, salt, and sugar.  Whisk a bit to get it all combined and then let it rest for about 5 minutes.  This rest step will get the yeast rising and active, making the fermentation step even shorter.  See, it’s not so bad!

bubbly yeast

Once your yeast mixture is bubbly and happy add about 1.5 cups of flour and whisk until it’s smooth.  After it’s completely smooth whisk for about 2 minutes.

whisked dough

Add flour, one cup at a time, until you get a kneadable dough.  It should take between 1-2 cups.  Then add more flour slowly as you need if and only if  you need it.  Remember, dough should be tacky but not sticky.  If it slightly sticks to your hands, it’s perfect.

Knead the dough for 2 minutes or until it passes the “windowpane test”.  To knead, simply press the heal of your hand into the bulk of the dough, fold the dough in half, turn it a quarter turn, and do it again.  Repeat, using one or both hands, until it feels nice and firm.  If you know what the windowpane test it, then you can check your bread this way.  Otherwise, we are just going to skip it until I make the Wheat Bread for a BotW recipe.

Put a small bit of oil in the bottom of a bowl and rotate the dough in the oil to coat all sides.  Keep the dough in the bowl and cover with a towel or cloth to ferment until double.  Now, this time will be different based on elevation of where you live, humidity, and room temperature.  In Utah, where I live, this step only takes 40 minutes.  In coastal California, it could take and hour.  The important thing is to watch the dough and only move on when it’s doubled.  If you do anything before it’s doubled the rolls will be dry and difficult to swallow.

Once it’s doubled cut the dough in half.  Gently fold over the dough to make a circle, then roll it out into a circle.  Cut the dough (I use a pizza cutter because it’s easy!) into 8 triangles.  Then just roll up the trianges into crescent shapes and place it on a greased baking sheet.  Lather, rinse, repeat for the remaining dough.  You should have 16 beautiful rolls!

Cover these with a kitchen towel and allow to proof until double, again.  While they are proofing, preheat the oven to 425F.  Once the rolls are ready just pop them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

browned and delicious

Enjoy warm with large amounts of salted butter or however you like!  It’s rolls… you can’t really go wrong.

Becky's Rolls

  • Servings: 16
  • Difficulty: moderate
  • Print

Soft, white dinner rolls


Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 tablespoons dry active yeast
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1.5 cups hot (bath temperature) water
  • 1/8 cup plus 1.5 tablespoons powdered milk
  • 2.5-4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

  1. Stir together the Add melted butter, powdered milk, and water. Whisk in yeast, salt, and sugar.
  2. Allow mixture to rest for 5 minutes. It should be bubbly at the end of the rest period.
  3. Add about 1.5 cups of flour and whisk until it’s smooth.  After it’s completely smooth whisk for about 2 minutes.
  4. Add flour, one cup at a time, until you get a kneadable dough.  It should take between 1-2 cups.  Then add more flour slowly if needed. The dough should be tacky but not sticky.
  5. Knead the dough for 2 minutes or until it passes the windowpane test.  To knead, simply press the heal of your hand into the bulk of the dough, fold the dough in half, turn it a quarter turn, and do it again.  Repeat, using one or both hands, until it feels nice and firm.
  6. Put a small bit of oil in the bottom of a bowl and rotate the dough in the oil to coat all sides.  Keep the dough in the bowl and cover with a towel or cloth to ferment until double.
  7. Once it’s doubled cut the dough in half.  Gently fold over the dough to make a circle, then roll it out into a circle.  Cut the dough into 8 triangles.  Roll up the trianges into crescent shapes and place it on a greased baking sheet.  Repeat until you have 16 rolls.
  8. Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and allow to proof until double.
  9. While rolls are proofing, preheat the oven to 425F.  Once the rolls are ready pop them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.