Making Life (Or At Least Mealtime) Easier, Volume Six

There are always people who have a signature item that they bring to a party.  It may be brownies, cookies, a salad or a broccoli bowl.  It could be beer - hey, that's a signature item right there.

For me, it's bread.  Sad, and boring, you'd think - I mean, really, how hard is it to grab a loaf of that Eye-talian bread at the grocery and get to it?  But that's not the kid of bread I MAKE.   I make gooooooood bread.  Ask around - you'll hear.

I was first introduced to this bread when we moved into our house - not our current house, but one two houses ago.  My new neighbor brought this over, and it was so yummy and warm I ate just about all of it within an hour.  (Shut up - I do TOO have willpower!)  I begged her for the recipe, ready to trade off a kid if necessary, and she was delighted to not only give me the recipe, but let me keep the kid.  I call that a win win situation.  Since she shared so nicely with me, I'm thrilled to share with you.  This makes the BEST rolls you've ever had.  I make this dough in the bread machine and use it for various things - cinnamon rolls, cloverleaf, or a regular loaf of bread.

Before I go giving out the recipe, would you do me a favor?  Could you go visit Jenny and Shannon and wish them each a happy, happy birthday?  It'd mean so much to me - I'm blessed and delighted to know both of these ROCK STAR WOMEN very well and am honored that they actually pick up the phone when I call.  If you know me, you'd know how rare it is when that happens!  Tell 'em I sent you!

Best Ever Dinner Rolls

In your bread machine, place the following:

• 1 cup warm water
• 4 T  butter
• 1 egg
• 1 t salt
• 1.5 t yeast
• 4 T sugar
• 4 T dry milk powder

(Typically, I heat the water a bit hotter than normal, and toss the butter and egg into it.  The chill from those two ingredients cools the water to a comfy temperature that ensures that the yeast can grow at an optimal speed.)  Add four cups of flour and start the machine.  After it has been mixing for a little while - don't you love how precise I am sometimes, that's how you can REALLY tell I've made this a bunch of times - lift the lid to check the dough. If it's too stiff, add a bit of warm water - too wet, add about 1/4 cup of flour at a time until it balances out. 

Once the machine finishes, pop the dough out and form it into whatever shape you want - I usually just make balls.  At this point, you can coat this with an egg wash, but I don't - I'm lazy that way. Bake at 350 for 20 or so minutes or until no longer doughy.  When you remove from the oven, slather butter all over the top of the rolls. Delish in a dish.

Comments

[Saucy Momma]

That's hardly a nice way to start the week. Posting about melt-in-your-mouth delicious homemade bread like that. Somehow I.will.make.this.bread. by Friday and will think of you as we savor every bite.

[beth]

Man I want a bread machine.
I have tried so hard with all types of loaves, your regular yeast bread and no-yeast fruity loaves (think pumpkin bread or cran-orange) and I never have any luck. When it's perfect on the outside it'raw in the middle and when it's nice in the middle it's burnt on the outside.
Thoughts?

[Kia (Good Enough Mama)]

Honestly? I'd like to thank you for the recipe, but I'd be eversomuchmore appreciative if you'd just come over with a fresh loaf and share it with me. Please?