Growing Up Yeast-Like

This time of year is a whirlwind of projects, family, travel, cooking/baking, and of course, being sick.  October flew by in just that fashion; starting with traveling, a family wedding, and ending in being very sick.  Happily we seem to be past all that and are now looking forward to a missionary farewell at the end of this month.  Sigh…how is it that my “little brother” is old enough to go on his mission already?  Here we are at the wedding, in which I was a bridesmaid, you can see just how “little” he really is (note, I'm wearing 3 inch heels):

It seems very fitting that we were able to meet at this wedding in my dear Virginia; now that I live in Washington, and he from California.  I’ve always felt a special bond with my brother, I do with each of my brothers and my sister; however, he is a sibling that has a unique beginning.  He is a survivor and laughs in the face of “shouldn’t have been”, in many ways.  See, not only was my step-mother not supposed to have him, but then he survived with a fatal, and undiscovered, congenital heart-defect for 16 years!  It is truly amazing how God’s power blesses our lives.

I’ve loved watching him grow up, seeing the interesting individual he’s become.  It hasn’t been easy, but what is?  Relationships, like bread, are some of the hardest recipes to perfect.  I’ve long been afraid to make scratch-made bread; and when you have perfect bread available at every market, why even try?  The temperamental nature of yeast and the perfect amount of kneading is daunting.  However, watching the final product rise and grow sends warm fuzzies up my spine, reminding me that all this work is going to be worth it.

Kneading still makes me cringe.  If it makes you run and hide, here’s a fun recipe that requires no manual kneading.  Perfect for me!  Bonus: they are pretty darn close to the Texas Roadhouse rolls, just a little more bready…all you need is some cinnamon butter and you’d never know!

Mum’s Roadhouse Yeast Rolls

5 Tbsp. butter (real butter, not margarine!)

1 cup milk

½ cup water

4 ¼ cups flour

¼ cup white granulated sugar

4 ½ tsp. active dry yeast (or two packets)

1 tsp. salt

I removed the top rack from my oven, leaving the bottom rack on the second to last level, and then set the oven to 200 degrees.  I sprayed a glass bowl with non-stick spray, and set to the side.  Take a small sauce pan and melt 4 Tbsp. of the butter, which is half a stick.  Once melted add the milk and water.  This needs to heat to about 125 degrees; I do not have a candy thermometer, so I used by meat thermometer.  Worked great!  Take it off the heat when ready.

In a mixing bowl add 4 cups of the flour, the sugar, yeast, and salt.  I used a paddle attachment for this part, on a slow setting.  As the dry mixes slowly poured in the warm milk/butter mixture then increase the speed to medium for a few seconds until everything came together.  Slowly add the last ¼ cup of flour until everything came together in a sticky ball.  Time for kneading.

Easiest thing in the world, I simply removed the paddle attachment and added my dough hook.  I set the mixer on medium-high and the timer for 5 minutes.  Then walk away.  When the timer goes off, move the dough from your mixing bowl to the prepped glass bowl.  Turn the oven off and place the bowl inside; the dough will need to rise in the warmed oven for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes of rising turn the dough out onto a floured countertop and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Divide the dough ball into quarters, and then divide each new ball into quarters again.  This will make 16 pieces.  Gentle roll each piece into a loose ball and place into a greased springform pan.  Once all the balls are nestled into the pan (nestled if the appropriate term here) set the pan on the back of your stovetop and cover with the towel.  The warming oven makes a perfectly warm nook for your dough to rise for another 10 minutes.

After the second rising, you’re ready to bake!  Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and delicious.  Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter.  When the rolls come out, brush all that butter on top and let rest for about 20 minutes. ENJOY!