Beautiful Breads

It's too cold and rainy outside to do much other than lounge around the house. I
decided that this would be a good time to hone my bread baking skills. Actually it was
also partially related to receiving a new cookbook that had some wonderful bread recipes
in it.
Making bread is something that most of us say we don't have time for or don't
know how to do. Our ancestors made all of the bread that the family ate but in our fast-
paced society, we don't have a lot of time for those extras like home-baked bread.
The truth is that it isn't really all that time consuming. We do have to plan ahead
because almost all breads have to rise. But, while it is rising, we can go to the market,
play on the computer or do any of the other hundreds of things that we do each day. The
initial mixing of the dough takes about ten minutes, then it rises for an hour or so
(depending on the recipe) and then we spend another ten minutes kneading, rolling and
cutting. Cooking time is usually about 14-15 minutes. In actual hands on time, we spent
about twenty minutes and got homemade bread as a result. It's time well spent if you like
warm, soft, fragrant bread.
Most of these bread recipes are courtesy of Best of the Best from North Carolina
Cookbooks. This is a great cookbook. If you have the opportunity to purchase it, I
encourage you to do so. You can also submit your family or church cookbook for
inclusion in this annual book.
The first recipe is traditional yeast rolls. These are terrific rolls and very easy to
make. You can also use this recipe to make a loaf of yeast bread for slicing. Just shape by
hand after putting onto floured surface and then place in a loaf pan.
The second recipe is for buttermilks rolls. You make them in the morning and
stash them in the refrigerator. Two hours before you need them, take them out, roll them
and let them rise. It's still an easy bread to make.
Recipe number three is for those who don't want to wait for the rolls to rise on the
rolls. Besides, breadsticks are always a hit.
Everyone loves cheese biscuits. If you add a couple of teaspoons of garlic powder
to the last recipe, you have the equivalent of the biscuits made at the Red Lobster. Enjoy.

Yeast Rolls

8 Level Tbsp Shortening

1/2 Cup Sugar
3 1/4 Tsp Salt
2 Cups Milk, scalded
8 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Envelopes Yeast (dissolve in 1/2 cup tepid water with 1 tsp sugar)
2 Eggs, beaten

In a large bowl, place shortening, sugar and salt. Pour scalded milk over these
ingredients and let cool until warm. To cool milk, add 4 cups of the flour and mix well.
Next, add the dissolved yeast and mix well. Add beaten eggs and mix and then add
remaining flour and mix well. Let rise one hour. Stir down and place dough on floured
surface. Make sure you have plenty of room to work and roll the dough.
Roll out to 1/4-inch thick, cut with biscuit cutter and then dip the circles in melted
butter. Fold over to make pocketbook. Place in pans to rise for 2 hours. Bake at 450
degrees for 6 minutes.
This recipe can be made as wheat rolls. If you use wheat flour, decrease total flour
amount to 7 cups.

Buttermilk Rolls
2 Cups Buttermilk
1 Package Dry Granular Yeast
5 cups Sifted Flour
3 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
¼ Tsp Baking Soda
4 Tbsp Shortening

Heat a portion of the buttermilk to lukewarm and use for dissolving yeast. Allow
to stand a few minutes and then mix with remaining buttermilk.
Sift flour with remaining dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Add buttermilk and
blend well. Grease top with butter. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
About 2 hours before serving, take out and make into rolls. Allow to rise in warm
place until double in bulk. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until done.

No Rise Butter Dipped Bread Sticks

1/3 Cup Butter

2-1/4 Cups Sifted Flour
1 Tbsp Sugar
3-1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1-1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Milk

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Melt butter in oven in oblong pan, 13x9-1/2x2 inches.
Remove pan when butter is melted. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt. Add
milk. Stir slowly with fork until dough just clings together.
Turn onto well-floured board or surface. Roll over to coat with flour. Knead
lightly about 10 times. Roll out 1/2-inch thick unto a rectangle, 12x8 inches. With floured
knife, cut dough in half lengthwise, and then cut crosswise into 16 strips. Pick up strips in
both hands and ip each strip on both sides the melted butter. Lay the strips close together
in two rows in the same pan in which butter is melted.
Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot. Makes 32 sticks.
 Cheese Biscuits

1/2 Lb Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 Stick Butter or Margarine
2 Cups Bisquick
¼ Tsp Pepper
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Mustard Powder
1/4 Tsp Dill
1/2 Cup Water

Mix cheese and butter until soft. Coat with Bisquick. Add seasonings. Moisten to
pie crust consistency with 1/2 cup water. Roll into small balls (approximately 7 dozen).
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in preheated oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees or until
lightly brown.
These rolls will be puffy and flaky. They freeze and reheat well. Serve at room
temperature. Can make ahead and freeze.

Did You Know?

Substitutions For A Missing Ingredient

1 Square chocolate (1 oz) = 3-4 tbsp cocoa plus 1/2 tbsp fat
1 Tbsp cornstarch (for thickening) = 2 tbsp flour
1 cup sifted AP flour = 1 cup plus 2 tbsp sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking powder = 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup sour milk = 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk plus 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon
juice
1 cup sweet milk = 1 cup buttermilk plus 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup cream, sour, heavy = 1/3 cup butter and 2/3 cup milk in any sour milk
recipe
1 cup whole milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water or 1 cup
reconstituted nonfat dry milk and 1 tbsp butter