Dinner Rolls

Sweet dinner rolls prepared from scratch!

When I have a good reason to lug out my bread machine, I do.  I recently made dinner for my sister and she had shown me a recipe for a loaf of Italian bread so I decided to make the next best thing - dinner rolls!  Why?  Because I've tried these before and I knew how delicious they were and I knew I could toss all the ingredients into my bread machine to go through the mixing and rising process.  I like to avoid working with yeasty dough when I can.  :)

I sprinkled the tops with Italian seasoning and melted butter and they baked up warm and light.  I love bread!  I served these with spaghetti and they were perfect for sopping up the leftover sauce. 

Dinner Rolls
(click for printable)

Makes 24 medium sized rolls

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1/2 cup warm milk

1 egg

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/4 cup butter, softened

Italian seasoning

Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.

When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half.  Pinch off two inch ball and roll into circle.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Brush softened or melted butter on top and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.
 
Adapted from Allrecipes

Bread Machine English Muffin Bread

A light and tasty bread made right in the bread machine!

I know I don't take advantage of my bread machine too often but this time I was determined to make it work for me and we were very happy with the results.  Yeasty breads sometimes scare me because I don't want to spend that much time in the kitchen kneading, waiting, kneading some more, baking and finally getting to taste.  I was excited to find a recipe where I could let the bread machine do all the work and I was "wowed" by how large the loaf turned out to be.  Despite me telling a certain toddler not to open the lid and me having to open the lid to sprinkle in some cornmeal.

I was going to eat this with some peach honey but couldn't get the jar open so I opted for some plain old peanut butter.  It made for a delicious afternoon snack. 

If you don't have a bread machine, there is a DIY version available.  Check out my source below!

Bread Machine English Muffin Bread
(click for printable)

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 cup water
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

Program your machine for basic white bread, light crust. During second rise, sprinkle cornmeal on top of the loaf.  Let it continue to rise and bake.

Source: King Arthur Flour

Banana Bread

Ever since Hunter discovered his love for bananas, we have a multitude of bananas that reside at our house every week.  We try to eat them all before they go bad, but as soon as they start to turn brown I toss them in the freezer so I can use them to make banana bread.

This is my favorite banana bread recipe...no adaptations needed.  Although you can add nuts if you like, cinnamon, or even a cup of chocolate chips.  I face much protest if I try to alter the recipe so here it is in it's classic form.

This is a simple stir and bake recipe.  Your whole house will smell delicious as it bakes!

If you decide to freeze your brown bananas, set them out to thaw before you use them in this recipe.

Banana Bread
(click for printable)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas (or 2 - 3 bananas)
 
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.


2.In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

3.Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
 
Source:  Allrecipes

Peach Walnut Bread

Peaches and roasted walnuts tucked away in a delicious bread!

I was recently inspired to make this after a visit to the McKinney Farmers Market.  I sometimes walk there, pushing Hunter in the jogging stroller, as part of my Saturday morning walk.

I came across a vendor who was selling all kinds of breads and after tasting his sample I knew I could recreate it.

Even though summer is technically over, peaches are still in full array at the grocery store. 

First, I peeled, sliced, and diced 3 peaches.

Then I took one cup of chopped walnuts, laid them on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven while it was preheating to 350.  When the oven beeps that the preheating time is over then you can remove your pan of walnuts.  I tossed these with 1 tablespoon of real butter and a little bit of kosher salt.

After I diced the peaches, I mixed them in a bowl with some lemon juice, cinnamon and allspice.  Gotta love how fall is an excuse to spice it up!

Then I made the batter, mixed in the peaches and walnuts, and got this beautiful result.  See those gorgeous flecks of yellow peaches?  Yum!
 

Peach Walnut Bread by kSk


 
Peach Walnut Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (used solely on roasted walnuts)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 T sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
3 peaches, peeled, and diced

In a bowl mix the diced peaches with the lemon juice, cinnamon, and allspice.  Set aside.  In the bowl of your mixer, combine butter and brown sugar.  Beat until creamy.  Mix in sour cream and beaten eggs.  In another bowl combine flour and baking soda and then slowly add in to batter.  Fold in peaches and walnuts.  Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes at 350.