Mom's Overnight Wheat Rolls

One of the best things about having your mom for a neighbor is fresh, warm, and straight from the oven. My mother is a fellow recipe-tinkerer and her process is as enlightening as it is delicious. If Mom makes something pretty good, she'll call and tell me to come have a taste. If she makes something really good, she'll tell me to come have a taste and bring my camera. When she hits the magic note just right, she'll walk down to my house. These rolls, at some point during the process, have merited all of the above, including the triumphal victory march to my home. The recipe for Mom's Overnight Wheat Rolls is now pitch perfect. With a pat of sweet butter, warm and melting, you'll be singing their praises. But don't eat them all; a midnight snack with a slice of ham and a dab of honey butter will put you to bed better than a baby's lullaby. If these rolls were music, then they just won a grammy. For my mammy.

Mom's Overnight Wheat Rolls

Estimated Cost: $1.00

Money Saving Tips: Make up a double or a triple batch and freeze them after baking. It saves oven energy and money.

1 and 1/2 cups room temperature water

1 and 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 and 1/2 cups wheat flour

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for shaping

Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. An hour before ready to bake, take dough out of the refrigerator. Let rest for one hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a floured surface, pat dough into rectangle. Roll into cylinder. Cut into 9 rolls. Place in greased nine inch baking dish. Let rise, covered for twenty minutes. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until tops and bottoms are golden brown. Let rest for one minute and remove from pan.

Next Up:

Pasta Amatriciana

Grandma's Buttery Holiday Rolls Tutorial

Hiya everybody. We're just one week away from Turkey Day. Woo-hoo. I'm starting to dust off platters, count chairs, and scribble grocery lists for my Quiet Man. We've got a count of about 35 I believe, but there's always room for more if you're thinking about a visit. I've still got one lonely cardtable, so come on over. One of the items on our table that draws the crowd is my Mom's buttery holiday rolls. Light and feathery, soft and pillowy, these rolls are a favorite with young and old alike. I know it might seem intimidating to work with yeast, but once you get the hang of it, these rolls are really quite easy to make. They require very little kneading since a long, cold rise will turn the task over to the yeast. Make them the night before and shape them during the final hours of prep. I like to pop the rolls in the oven just as the turkey comes out, since the turkey needs to rest for about 30 minutes. There's nothing like a piping hot turkey dinner with a warm, homemade roll resting on the side of the plate. I'm not going to name any names (Sailor, Reeve, little Adam) but there are some in our family that will skip the dinner and load the plate up with rolls. They're that good! Here's a step by step guide that will help any baker churn out perfectly delicious, positively pretty holiday rolls.
The ingredients are simple and inexpensive: milk, active rise yeast, butter, eggs, water, salt, sugar, and flour.

"Proof" the yeast by mixing it with a bit of sugar and warm water. When I say warm water, think baby bottle warm. No hotter than you would offer to a wee screaming babe.

After ten minutes, it should be a spongy mass. (I let mine go a little longer. I got distracted laughing with Mary Kate on the telephone.)

Meanwhile, heat your butter and milk in the microwave for a minute. Make sure it's not too hot-think baby bottle warm again.

Add your milk and butter, sugar, eggs and salt to your yeast mixture. Stir in 2 and 1/2 cups flour with a wooden spoon. Just stir until it's mixed in.

Just like this. It's a little thicker than pancake batter.

Cover and let rise for one hour.

Now you've got a bubbly, sticky mass that's about 50 percent larger.

Stir in the remaining 3 cups of flour. You don't need to knead. Just keep a stirrin' for a couple or minutes, cowgirl.

You'll be left with a sticky, ragged dough. Perfect. Now cover it up with some buttered plastic wrap as a blanket and say good night. Put it somewhere nice and cold, like the fridge if you've got space, or maybe the garage or the shed. Just make sure it's cold and not freezing. (Even if it did freeze, you'd be fine-you'd just have to thaw out before moving forward.)

About 90 minutes before you're ready to bake, pull back the covers and take a look at your dough. It should be a big fat ball full of air pockets.

Butter your hands and gently punch it down.

It's going to be sticky, so use a light, cold hand. Divide the dough into two equal balls and set one aside.

Flour your work surface. Use as much flour as you need depending on how sticky your dough is. If it's really cold, you won't need too much. My dough was at room temp, so it needed a bit more.

Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Roll or pat the dough out into a 12 inch circle. (Thanks to Sailor for laying down her math to snap pics while my hands were buttery.)

Generously butter the dough circle. I used 2 tablespoons here, but sometimes I go crazy and use twice that. Ooh, boy. Crazy I tell you.

Coat a sharp knife with cooking spray.

Divide the dough in half. Repeat four times, making eight wedges.

Divide each wedge in half again for a total of 16 pieces. Don't worry if they aren't perfect. Perfect is for bakeries. Rustic is for home.

Start with the wide end of your wedge and roll up snugly.Tuck the skinny ragged end of the wedge to the bottom of your roll and place on a greased cookie sheet.

I scooted them all over and ended up putting all sixteen on a standard cookie sheet. Repeat with your remaining ball of dough.

Cover them and let them rise for about 45 minutes, or until almost doubled.

Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Pick up a roll with a spatula and make sure it's nicely browned on the bottom, too. Let them cool for a couple of minutes before placing them in a basket.

See if you can resist eating one before dinner. Bet you can't.

There you have it. Now go forth and bake yourself some buttery holiday rolls. I can almost smell them now! See you this weekend with my favorite pumpkin cheesecake.

Grandma's Buttery Holiday Rolls

Estimated Cost: $2.50 for 32 rolls

5 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (baby bottle warm)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup softened butter (or heat it with milk in microwave)

1 and 1/2 cups warm milk (baby bottle warm)

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt

5 and 1/2 cups flour, plus more for rolling

4-8 tablespoons softened butter, for spreading

In a large bowl (or freestand mixer) combine yeast, water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes to "proof" the yeast. If the yeast rises, continue. If it does not, discard the yeast and begin again. Add butter, milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Stir in 2 and 1/2 cups flour with a wooden spoon. Dough will be extremely sticky. Let stand, covered in a warm place for one hour. Add remaining flour, stirring with a wooden spoon for two minutes. Dough will be sticky and ragged. Place dough in refrigerator or cold place (basement or garage?) overnight. About 90 minutes before serving time, divide dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll one ball out into 12 inch circle. Generously butter top of circle. Cut circle into 16 equal wedges. Roll up, beginning with wide edge. Tuck raggedy edge under and place on greased cookie sheet. Allow to rise, covered in a warm spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until almost doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. (Rolls can be frozen at this point, tightly wrapped. Bring to room temperature before warming in oven for five minutes.)

Next Up: Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake

Buttery Crescent Rolls

The fall weather finally made its way here. We had wild lightening and thunder storms and three days of intermittent rain. I think sometimes I forget how dangerous lightening can be. I'm so dazzled by its beauty, by the coziness inside the house caused by storms outside. I was reminded this week that they are spectacularly perilous. The kids and I had twice put on all our raingear to go for a midday puddle stomp, but when we got outside the thunder pounded around us, forcing us back inside. West begged to be let out of the house. He just wanted to walk across the street to Grandma and Grandpa's, for Pete's sake. But I held my ground. I was using the old watch the lightening-count till thunder trick, and determined that the storms were too close to risk it. About that same time.... sadly, just a few miles up the road, two 17 year old boys from my community were struck by lightening as they waited (just four feet) outside of the high school for a ride home. Both are expected to survive, thanks to other saavy high school students who jumped in to render CPR. The families are requesting prayers for their boys, so please keep them in yours. It's a good reminder to hunker down and stay inside when there are electrical storms outside.

O.K.-I've got something cheerier to share today: my recipe for buttery crescent rolls. They're perfect for days when you've got to be inside for a few hours. They aren't difficult to mix together, but you've got to be around for rising and baking times. The end result is buttery, flaky rolls that your family will love. Stay safe and Happy Fall Baking!

Money Saving Tips: While you've got the oven on, you might as well bake up a double or trip batch and freeze them for later. You'll save on time and energy-which means money.

Buttery Crescent Rolls

Estimated Cost: $1.50 for a two dozen

4 and 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons, softened, divided

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

4 and 1/2 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, eggs, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour. Turn onto surface and knead for 6-8 minutes, or use free standing mixer for about five minutes on medium. Place in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled, about 75 minutes. Gently punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll each half into 12 inch circle. Spread with one tablespoon butter and cut each circle into into 12 wedges, Roll up wedges and tuck under. Place on greased cookie sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about forty five minutes. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on racks. (To freeze, cool completely, wrap tightly and freeze. You can freeze them before or after baking.)

Next Up:

Italian Tomato and Basil Crock Pot Steaks

Whole Wheat Rolls-great for Sandwiches with Leftover Ham

Happy Week after Easter. Have you finished picking all the Easter grass out of your carpet? Me neither. I keep reaching in the Easter baskets and stealing candy, too. I'm going through all my Easter pictures, 213 in all. We had loads of cousins here, and those kids just can't take a bad picture. I won't be able to delete any (ahem, unless I am in them.) Those cute cousins decorated eggs with such youthful enthusiasm. Here they are lined up, youngest to oldest, getting ready to hunt the same eggs.There's nothing cuter than miniature people in Easter clothes. And don't even get me started on the babies! This baby celebrated her first birthday on Easter. I finally got those chocolate Easter Eggs decorated, just in the nick of time. Here's Sailor, showing them off (and her braces, too). It is now officially spring, since we've essentially celebrated the concept of new life. I can see it all around me. Our garden is starting to produce spinach and radishes. The skies are blue and the wind is busy scattering seeds. Here's my backyard view...Spring has sprung in southern Utah. It's time to open the windows, clean out the closets, and pack up the heavy sweaters. It's also time to clean out the fridge- but it's overflowing with Easter leftovers at the moment. With that in mind, I thought I'd share some of my favorite healthy whole wheat rolls. They're soft enough to hold eggs salad, but sturdy enough for leftover ham. They're deceptively light, thanks to the instant potato flakes, especially considering that they are made from all wheat flour. Have a wonderful spring day!
Whole Wheat Rolls from Bon Appetit
Estimated Cost: $2.00 for 16
Notes: Sub 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes for the potato flakes and reduce the water to 1/2 cup.
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup dry milk powder
3 tablespoon sugar
2 and 1/4 teaspoon quick rising yeast
1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 egg white, whisked with 1 tablespoon water for glaze
3-4 tablespoons quick cooking oats
Bring milk and water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in butter. Cool to luke warm. Meanwhile, combine flour, potato flakes, milk powder, sugar, yeast and salt in large bowl. Whisk to blend. Add warm milk mixture and egg yolk. Knead mixture in bowl until dough comes together. Dough will be sticky. Remove from bowl and knead until smooth, adding a little flour at a time. Place dough in buttered bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes. Butter a cookie sheet. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll into smooth bowl. Arrange balls on baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 75 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush rolls with egg white glaze and sprinkle with oats. Bake until light golden brown, about 28 minutes. Let rest in pan for five minutes.
Up Next:
Hopefully Chocolate Marble Cake-late for Tuesdays with Dorie....