Crescent Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup warm water, 110 - 115 degrees
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup + 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk, warmed to 110 - 115 degrees
• 3/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature, divided
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*

Directions

• Mix warm water, yeast and 1/4 tsp sugar; let rest 5-10 minutes.  Pour into bowl with whisk attachment, add 1/3 cup sugar, warm mmilk, 5 Tbsp butter, egg and salt.  Once blended, add 2 cups flour; switch attachment to a dough hook, with mixer on low speed slowly add remaining 2 1/2 cups flour and mix until dough is smooth and elastic.  (dough should be slightly sticky when touched). Cover and allow dough to rise in a warm place about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch dough down and divide dough into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Roll each dough ball out on a lightly floured surface into a large circle about 13 inches across Cut each circle into 4 equal quarters, then each quarter into 3 wedges (just imagine cutting pizza slices or pie slices). Roll each wedge up, beginning on wide (outside) edge. Transfer rolls to a buttered 10 x 15 inch cookie sheet. Cover rolls loosely and let riseabout 1 hour.
• Bake rolls in preheated oven for 15 - 19 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with remaining 3 Tbsp butter (you may not need all of it). Serve warm or allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

Potato Rolls

1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons yeast
2 cups very warm milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup instant potato flakes
1 cup cold water
2 cold eggs
8 cups flour

Directions:
Put flour in a 9x13" cake pan and place in a 150 degree oven so it can warm slightly.  Sprinkle yeast over the top of 1/2 cup lukewarm water and set aside.  Heat milk almost to boiling.  In a large mixing bowl, pour hot milk over sugar, salt and oil; mix well.  Add potato flakes and mix well.  Add cold water and eggs; mix very well.  Add yeast mixture and mix well.  Add 4 cups flour and beat very well with electric mixer.  Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time, mixing well, until dough is too thick to stir.  Knead in enough additional flour to make a soft dough just firm enough to handle (probably still a bit sticky).  Place in a greased bowl; turn over dough so the greased side is on top.  Let rise 10 minutes.  Punch it down and let it rise again in a warm place until dough is doubled in size.  Form into rolls; place in greased pans, and let rise until doubled in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until rolls are browned.

Pumpkin Bread

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Pure Pumpkin
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x5-inch loaf pan (or two small pans)
Combine flour, pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, eggs, spice, baking soda, salt and baking powder in large mixer bowl.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often for 1 to 2 minutes until well mixed.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (or 30 to 35 minutes for small pans) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

* Substitute 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground cloves for pumpkin pie spice.

** You can add 3/4 cup chocolate chips to batter if you like pumpkin chocolate chip bread!

Yummy tip for quick breads

When making quick breads (like banana bread and zucchini bread), sprinkle your pan with cinnamon and sugar after spraying!

Zucchini Bread

3 beaten eggs
1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1/4 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3 t. cinnamon
3 c. grated zucchini
3 t. vanilla
1/2 c. nuts (chopped)

* Beat eggs until foamy. Add oil and sugar. Beat altogether until foamy. Mix and add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt. Add last the zucchini, vanilla, and nuts.
* Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees.
* Yield: 2 loaves

Cheese Muffins

1 cup flour
1 beaten egg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 cups grated cheese
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk

SIFT dry ingredients. MIX in cheese and add beaten egg and milk. BAKE quickly in hot oven (400 degrees F) about 10 to 15 minutes.

Easy French Bread

2 T yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups hot water
3 T sugar
1 T salt
1/4 cup oil
6 cups flour
1 egg (save white)

* Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup water. Set aside. Combine 2 cups hot water, sugar, salt, oil, and half the flour. Stir well; add yolk. Stir. Add dissolved yeast and remaining flour. Stir again. Let rise 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Divide dough into thirds; place in bread pans. Slip tops and brush with egg whites. Let rise 30 minutes. Bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

* You may divide dough in half, shape into French rolls, and slip tops diagonally if you wish. Let rise on a cookie sheet.

Pizza Dough

This one makes a nice, thin crust.

1 c. water
1/2 t. salt
1 T yeast
2 1/2 c. flour

* Knead 'til smooth.
* Let rise 'til double, then roll out on cornmeal or press into greased pan.

400 degrees on bottom shelf,
maybe 10 minutes

Cheese Breadsticks

350 degrees
15-20 minutes

1 1/2 c. warm water
1 T yeast
2 T sugar
1/2 t. salt
3 1/2 c. flour

* Knead 'til smooth.
* Let rise 'til double

* Melt 1/2 cube margarine and add 1/4 t. garlic powder. Pour into cookie sheet. Roll out dough, cut into breadsticks. Sprinkle with parmesan.

(I like to sprinkle mine with garlic salt, too. Also, don't roll the dough out too thin. The thicker the dough, the bigger and fluffier the breadsticks will be to eat!)

Create-A-Pizza (Pampered Chef)

- 1 Tbsp. Cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups Flour
- 1 package Dry Yeast
- 1 tsp. Sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 cup very warm Water
- 1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle Baking Stone with cornmeal.

For crust: combine flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, and salt in bowl. Add water and oil; stir until mixture forms a ball. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-4 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare desired toppings: sauce, cheese, meat, vegetables, etc.

Place dough in center of stone and roll into circle. Spread sauce onto crust and top with vegetables and meat; sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 16-18 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Yield: 4 servings

We usually double the recipe and make cheese/garlic breadsticks to go along with the meal.

And if you don't have a pizza pan...cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray works well also.

Cinnamon Rolls

2 T. dry yeast
(dissolve in warm water w/ 1 t. sugar)
1/2 C. warm water
1 C. hot milk
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs (beaten well)
1/2 C. margarine (melted)
4-5 C. flour

* Mix milk, sugar, salt, eggs, margarine, water.
* Stir in flour until dough is easy to handle.
* Place in bowl & let rise until double in size.
* Shape into rolls (roll out in a rectangle shape, spread with softened butter, sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar, and also brown sugar. Roll up and then cut into cinnamon rolls)
* Let cinnamon rolls rise 30 minutes on greased cookie sheet.
* Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

* For a pretty frosted look, frost cinnamon rolls as soon as they come out of the oven!

Crescent Rolls

2 Tbsp. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
(Dissolve)

Different bowl:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine (melted)
1 cup warm water
3 beaten eggs
(Mix & add yeast mixture)

Add: 2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 cup flour

* Leave 1 hour - raise
* Punch down - roll out or refrigerate

* Roll out in circles, sprinkle butter
* Cut with pizza cutter, roll up into a crescent roll

* Bake at 375 degrees - 10 minutes

* * I always have to add more flour - maybe extra 1/2 cup - and usually cook them for at least 15 minutes * *