Friday, February 25, 2011

Oh-So Yummy Dinner Rolls!

So it's been a while since I updated, so I thought I'd write a quick post regarding dinner rolls.

Yes, dinner rolls.


You're probably thinking, what's so special about dinner rolls? Well, let me say that it'll save you money! If you're one of those families that eat a million of those delectable dinner rolls that come in a bag for $3.99 at Costco, you can save yourself a trip to Costco and therefore save gas and save time waiting in line just to buy those dinner rolls. Because you know that if you go to Costco for one thing, you'll come out with 5 more items and $40 bucks, at least, spent.

So skip all that and make them at home! It's easy!!

By the way, stick around til the very end of this post because the nutritional values are listed! And the alternative for whole wheat dinner rolls.


Makes: 4 & 1/2 dozen dinner rolls
(If you want to make less, divide the recipe ingredients in half)

By the way, a scale would be a useful tool here. If you don't have one, here's a hint with conversions:
8 oz = 1 cup
16 oz = 1 lb
1/4 oz = 2.25 teaspoons

Ingredients:
Water (110 degrees F): 3/4 cups + 4 cups (separated!)
Sugar: 3/4 teaspoon + 5.5 oz (separated!)
Yeast (dry): 1.12 oz ( or 4 & 1/2 packets)
All-Purpose Flour: 3.3 pounds + extra if the dough is too sticky
Milk, dry: 1.5 oz (or 1 cup of 2% milk)
Salt: 3/4 teaspoon
Butter: 5.5 oz (or 2 sticks + 1 tablespoon)
Egg: 1 (for egg wash)

Let's begin.

Pour the 3/4 cups of 110 degree water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into the bowl and mix just until combined. Set aside and let rest for 10 minutes. Watch for overflow! These little suckers grow quick!

While your yeast is eating and burping, divide the 3.3 pounds in half and place one half of the flour into one bowl, one preferably being a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, and the other half in another bowl. This recipe will overflow your 4.5 qt electric mixer bowl. I suggest either using a bigger bowl, if you have one, or go the knead-by-hand method.
(If you don't have one, use a really large bowl where it gives you enough room to knead the dough inside. Don't have a large bowl? Use a clean countertop, pour one of your half of the dough onto the counter, make a well in the middle, and with clean hands, incorporate the ingredients into your dough.)
In the bowl of the electric mixture, place the dry milk (or milk) and yeast mixture. Mix on slow with the dough hook attachment. Add the sugar, butter, and 4 cups of water into the electric bowl mixture. Mix on low for a few minutes. Slowly, add the remaining flour. Add additional flour or water, if needed. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Shape the dough into a ball. Allow to rise for about 1 & 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.

-You can also decrease your proofing time by making your own proofer out of your home oven.  The bowl that you place the dough into has to be a stainless steel one or a oven-safe bowl.

Here's how to make an easy yeast bread proofer out of your oven!
Step 1: Turn oven on to 225 degrees F
Step 2: Fill an oven-safe container with water and place on the most lower rack.
Step 3: Rearrange the racks in the oven so that your bowl with the finished dough fits. Do not remove the water out just yet.
Step 4: Place your oven-safe bowl with dough into the oven.
Step 5: Close the oven door.

-This moist environment will help your dough rise faster. No need to cover the bowl if you put it in the oven. For this recipe, if you used an oven proofer box, the rising time should be only about 25-40 minutes.

Grease your pans with butter or shortening. Measure out 1.5 oz balls. Set the dough balls on the baking pans and proof again for about 20 minutes. Make yourself an egg wash and brush each dough ball with it. Finally, bake at 350 degrees F for 6-10 minutes.  Enjoy!



Nutritional Content:
Per 1 serving = 1- 1.5 oz dinner roll

Made with All-Purpose Flour:                                Made with Whole Wheat Flour:

kcal: 132.64 calories                                                      kcal: 125.70 calories
Protein: 3.26 grams                                                       Protein: 4.19 grams
Carbs: 24.37 grams                                                       Carbs: 23.33 grams
Total Fat: 2.31 grams                                                    Total fat: 2.56 grams
Cholesterol: 7.24 mg                                                     Cholesterol: 7.24 mg
Dietary Fiber: 0.87 grams                                             Dietary Fiber: 3.51 grams
Sodium: 155.42 mg                                                        Sodium: 156.25 mg

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread



I. love. this. recipe.  

I got a new book recently, that I also bought for my sister, called Vegan Yum Yum. This is an amazing cookbook! The author, Lauren Ulm, has a blog called Vegan Yum Yum, in which she posts vegan recipes to suit her pallet and the pallet of other Vegans.  I try to eat vegan sometimes, but it is a hard task to do, and I commend those who are able to live a vegan lifestyle.  I am more of a vegetarian when it comes to food.  I will use the butter because Earth Balance isn't something I normally stock in my fridge. I usually buy the bulk butter from Costco, because, let's face it, it's cheaper! 

Anyway,  I want to share a recipe called Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread, from Lauren Ulm's new cookbook. This recipe is tasty and a great bread to have around when a snack is needed or bread for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  

I wanted to bake something for my mom while I was on vacation in Florida.  I'm always baking at home, and my mom never gets to taste anything I bake, so I wanted her to taste a recipe. I decided to go for this recipe because it is my mom's favorite type of bread. She usually buys the raisin bread from the local Natural Foods store.  Now that she has this recipe, I think she will be making her own!

Alterations from original recipes:

1. I used Organic All-Purpose flour instead of bread flour.  I honestly tried to look for bread flour in 3 different stores. But, as luck would have it, I did not find any.  I even looked in a Natural Foods store! But they only carried German bread mix. 

2. I put an egg-wash on top of my bread. The original recipe calls for sprinkled water on top, because eggs aren't vegan friendly, but I know from previous baking experience, that egg-washes give the baked goods a nice golden brown top.

I won't give away the recipe in this blog, however, because I want you all to go out and buy the Vegan Yum Yum book! I will ask the owner of the book if I may post the recipe here later on though.  If she agrees, then I will post it.  For now, here are some of my pictures that I took of the bread. Enjoy!





-Joanna
Let's Move

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