Winner! Mac & Cheese Bake

Winner, Winner....Mac & Cheese Dinner!

First off, let me say that this was a supreme hit with my 12 year old daughter who usually turns her nose up at almost everything I make! As a matter of fact, I hear her in the kitchen right now nibbling on the left overs...this is a good day. We have a winner here...this mac & cheese bake will hit the spot for the kids, just don't say a word about what's in it. ;) Now had I added veggies in the bake, it would not have passed which is why this is just a simple recipe. Feel free to add in veggies like broccoli, kale, etc...whatever you may usually add into a mac & cheese bake! 

As for myself, I seriously could have sat there and ate this whole thing myself. I haven't had a mac & cheese bake in I don't know how long. The cheese is just great! I especially love the bread crumbs and the light dusting of smoked paprika I added on top of my portion. I paired mine with some sauteed Tuscan kale which was terrific! 

Vegan Mac & Cheese Bake

Ingredients

• 16 oz. package pasta of choice (I used rice penne pasta) (works with an 8oz package too)
• paprika, garnish

For the bread crumb topping

• two pieces of bread or 1 cup bread crumbs 
• tablespoon olive oil
• twist or two of the salt grinder

Cheese Sauce

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked for a 2 -3 hours (aides in digestion)
• 1 3/4 cups water or unsweetened almond milk, or combo like I did
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• juice of one large lemon or 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, to taste*
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• dash of cayenne powder 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook your noodles al dente and set aside.

While waiting for the water to boil, start with your bread topping first. I toasted two pieces of bread we had on hand really well and processed them in the food processor until crumbly, a high speed blender will work too. Place the crumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a twist or two of the salt grinder, mix well and set aside. Quickly rinse the processor/blender bowl and move on to the cheese sauce.

For the cheese sauce: In food processor/blender, combine all of the cheese sauce ingredients except for about 1/2 of the water/milk and blend until creamy. Add remaining water/milk and blend again. Taste for flavor adding anything extra to suit your taste.

Once pasta is cooked and drained. Add pasta back to the pot it was cooked in, add the cheese sauce and combine well. It may seem like too much liquid but the pasta will take care of most of it.

In baking dish, pour mac & cheese and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, check after 15 minutes if crumbs are darkening too much for your liking, cover with foil.

When done, let cool about 10 minutes and serve. The sauce will thicken upon standing.

* The chili pepper adds a really nice flavor without being too powerful. If your worried about the spiciness, especially for the little ones, I would suggest using the smaller amount, taste and add more if desired.

Notes: If you use a smaller baking dish or use ramikins, lessen the cooking time to 10 - 20 minutes depending on the size of dish you use.

Enjoy!

Why I ♥ this cheese so much is not only does it taste fantastic and its easy to make, but also because not one cow was harmed, or had their baby taken away, or just simply had to live a life of misery in order to satisfy a taste we have come accustomed to without even realizing how these animals are handled, especially through factory farming. That in itself makes all dairy products undesirable to me. I began my vegan journey for health reasons and soon found out just how unpleasant the meat and dairy industry really is. It is not a question of whether it's wrong or right to consume animals and their products...that depends on your circumstances. But I do believe that in this day and age we live in we simply do not need them to survive, and we definitely do not need to factory farm them the way it is being done.

Veganism for me is liberation for ALL sentient beings! And it most certainly starts with my fork. :)

To find out more about the life of factory farmed animals and animal rights you can visit PETA.org for more information.

Winner, Winner....Mac & Cheese Dinner!

First off, let me say that this was a supreme hit with my 12 year old daughter who usually turns her nose up at almost everything I make! As a matter of fact, I hear her in the kitchen right now nibbling on the left overs...this is a good day. We have a winner here...this mac & cheese bake will hit the spot for the kids, just don't say a word about what's in it. ;) Now had I added veggies in the bake, it would not have passed which is why this is just a simple recipe. Feel free to add in veggies like broccoli, kale, etc...whatever you may usually add into a mac & cheese bake! 

As for myself, I seriously could have sat there and ate this whole thing myself. I haven't had a mac & cheese bake in I don't know how long. The cheese is just great! I especially love the bread crumbs and the light dusting of smoked paprika I added on top of my portion. I paired mine with some sauteed Tuscan kale which was terrific! 

Vegan Mac & Cheese Bake

Ingredients

• 16 oz. package pasta of choice (I used rice penne pasta) (works with an 8oz package too)
• paprika, garnish

For the bread crumb topping

• two pieces of bread or 1 cup bread crumbs 
• tablespoon olive oil
• twist or two of the salt grinder

Cheese Sauce

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked for a 2 -3 hours (aides in digestion)
• 1 3/4 cups water or unsweetened almond milk, or combo like I did
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• juice of one large lemon or 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, to taste*
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• dash of cayenne powder 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook your noodles al dente and set aside.

While waiting for the water to boil, start with your bread topping first. I toasted two pieces of bread we had on hand really well and processed them in the food processor until crumbly, a high speed blender will work too. Place the crumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a twist or two of the salt grinder, mix well and set aside. Quickly rinse the processor/blender bowl and move on to the cheese sauce.

For the cheese sauce: In food processor/blender, combine all of the cheese sauce ingredients except for about 1/2 of the water/milk and blend until creamy. Add remaining water/milk and blend again. Taste for flavor adding anything extra to suit your taste.

Once pasta is cooked and drained. Add pasta back to the pot it was cooked in, add the cheese sauce and combine well. It may seem like too much liquid but the pasta will take care of most of it.

In baking dish, pour mac & cheese and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, check after 15 minutes if crumbs are darkening too much for your liking, cover with foil.

When done, let cool about 10 minutes and serve. The sauce will thicken upon standing.

* The chili pepper adds a really nice flavor without being too powerful. If your worried about the spiciness, especially for the little ones, I would suggest using the smaller amount, taste and add more if desired.

Notes: If you use a smaller baking dish or use ramikins, lessen the cooking time to 10 - 20 minutes depending on the size of dish you use.

Enjoy!

Why I ♥ this cheese so much is not only does it taste fantastic and its easy to make, but also because not one cow was harmed, or had their baby taken away, or just simply had to live a life of misery in order to satisfy a taste we have come accustomed to without even realizing how these animals are handled, especially through factory farming. That in itself makes all dairy products undesirable to me. I began my vegan journey for health reasons and soon found out just how unpleasant the meat and dairy industry really is. It is not a question of whether it's wrong or right to consume animals and their products...that depends on your circumstances. But I do believe that in this day and age we live in we simply do not need them to survive, and we definitely do not need to factory farm them the way it is being done.

Veganism for me is liberation for ALL sentient beings! And it most certainly starts with my fork. :)

To find out more about the life of factory farmed animals and animal rights you can visit PETA.org for more information.

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Next Up: Twice Baked Potatoes

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Potato Pancakes – Delicious, But They Go Right to My Thighs

There are few foods I enjoy eating more than a plate of crispy-edged potato pancakes. Unfortunately, I've been trying to limit my carbs lately (I just can't let go of my dream to become a famous underwear model), so seeing all these amazing Latkes recipes that pop up during Hanukkah is really hard.

Anyway, just because I'm not partaking doesn't mean you have to deny yourself this exquisite pleasure. Below you'll see my version, which has always received rave reviews. These are garnished with smoked salmon, but my favorite way is to simply enjoy them topped with applesauce and sour cream. This is an older post, so use the link below the video for more info and the ingredients. A happy Hanukkah to all those celebrating, and as always, enjoy!



Click here for the original post and ingredient amounts.

There are few foods I enjoy eating more than a plate of crispy-edged potato pancakes. Unfortunately, I've been trying to limit my carbs lately (I just can't let go of my dream to become a famous underwear model), so seeing all these amazing Latkes recipes that pop up during Hanukkah is really hard.

Anyway, just because I'm not partaking doesn't mean you have to deny yourself this exquisite pleasure. Below you'll see my version, which has always received rave reviews. These are garnished with smoked salmon, but my favorite way is to simply enjoy them topped with applesauce and sour cream. This is an older post, so use the link below the video for more info and the ingredients. A happy Hanukkah to all those celebrating, and as always, enjoy!



Click here for the original post and ingredient amounts.

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Spaghetti Squash & Bean Balls

If you've never had spaghetti squash, you are in for a surprise. It really is a great replacement for pasta for those looking for a change, or just wanting to stay away from the wheat and rice pasta alternatives. It does have a little crunch but it's very pleasant, the texture reminds me a little of kelp noodles. Spaghetti squash contains lots of nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A & C, and it's low in calories containing about 42 calories per serving. It's just so colorful too. I can definitely get used to this and incorporate it into my meal rotations every now and then. 

This is my second time having spaghetti squash. The first time was with just sauce and that was delicious by itself. But I decided if I was going to do a recipe it would be best to add in some bean balls as well just to make it a more rounded meal. And it was, this was very filling and the bean balls came out great. They definitely added more protein per serving to this meal and left me completely content for quite a few hours. 

I really wanted the bean ball recipe to be easy, using things you may already keep on hand so you can whip these up without too much planning and/or work involved. I also wanted to make this with an option for being low fat, as well as for people with nut allergies, you can add the nuts/seeds if you wish. I did this batch without any nuts/seeds and it was great. Adding them into the mixture will give an extra texture and hardiness to the bean balls. You may think they look a little dry coming from the oven but once you put some sauce on top they come to life. Honestly, I actually found myself munching on the leftover bean balls the rest of the day without any sauce. They held together extremely well too!

Spaghetti Squash & Bean Balls

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash, seeds removed
• 1 jar (25oz.) organic pasta sauce of choice

Bean Balls

• 1 heaping cup of mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil, to saute
• 1/2 cup walnuts or sunflower seeds, optional
• 1 can (15oz) cannellini, northern or black beans, drained and rinsed (I used cannellini)
• 1 cup of rolled oats or bread crumbs, divided (I used GF oats)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, basil, thyme or Italian seasonings (or a mixture of these)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• dash or two of cayenne pepper, to taste
• sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash in half, remove seeds and place on roasting pan or baking dish, cut side up. If you like you can coat with a thin layer of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the dish and bake on bottom rack for 1 hour. (You will be adding the bean balls to the middle rack about half way through.)

Start assembling the bean balls. Prepare onions, mushrooms and garlic. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes and let cool. If using the nuts/seeds, place in food processor first and pulse until coarsely ground, and continue. In food processor place about 3/4 of the beans, sauteed veggies, 1/2 cup of the oats and herbs and spices. Process until combined. Roughly mash the remaining 1/4 cup beans in medium size bowl and add the processed mixture along with the remaining 1/2 cup oats, blend well. Taste for seasoning adding anything extra you may like.

Roll into about 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch balls and place on a baking dish, I was able to get eight jumbo sized bean balls. Put in the oven on the middle rack for the remaining 25-30 minutes of the squash cooking time, they should get at least 20 minutes. Remove both when time is up and let cool. OR...you can also cook the balls in a saute pan using a little olive oil over medium to medium high heat, turning often enough so that all sides brown. (I used the oven method this time)

In the meantime, heat your sauce. When ready to assemble, scrape the sides of the squash from top to bottom all the way around. It will pull easily from the sides resembling 'noodles' as shown below.

Serve squash 'noodles' topped with sauce and bean balls. Add some chopped fresh basil on top for some extra flavor! Serves four. Store leftovers in an air tight container (leftovers were great).

Enjoy!

Notes: If you don't care for oats or breadcrumbs...you could use cooked rice instead, or quinoa. Substitute the cup of oats/breadcrumbs for a cup of cooked rice/quinoa adding it in at the end when adding the mixture to the roughly mashed beans. The rice/quinoa would be a great alternative to the oats, it's just an extra cooking step unless you buy pre-cooked rice or have some extra leftover quinoa on hand.

Adapted from two recipes...one from Whole Foods and the other from The Vegan Stoner

If you've never had spaghetti squash, you are in for a surprise. It really is a great replacement for pasta for those looking for a change, or just wanting to stay away from the wheat and rice pasta alternatives. It does have a little crunch but it's very pleasant, the texture reminds me a little of kelp noodles. Spaghetti squash contains lots of nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A & C, and it's low in calories containing about 42 calories per serving. It's just so colorful too. I can definitely get used to this and incorporate it into my meal rotations every now and then. 

This is my second time having spaghetti squash. The first time was with just sauce and that was delicious by itself. But I decided if I was going to do a recipe it would be best to add in some bean balls as well just to make it a more rounded meal. And it was, this was very filling and the bean balls came out great. They definitely added more protein per serving to this meal and left me completely content for quite a few hours. 

I really wanted the bean ball recipe to be easy, using things you may already keep on hand so you can whip these up without too much planning and/or work involved. I also wanted to make this with an option for being low fat, as well as for people with nut allergies, you can add the nuts/seeds if you wish. I did this batch without any nuts/seeds and it was great. Adding them into the mixture will give an extra texture and hardiness to the bean balls. You may think they look a little dry coming from the oven but once you put some sauce on top they come to life. Honestly, I actually found myself munching on the leftover bean balls the rest of the day without any sauce. They held together extremely well too!

Spaghetti Squash & Bean Balls

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash, seeds removed
• 1 jar (25oz.) organic pasta sauce of choice

Bean Balls

• 1 heaping cup of mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil, to saute
• 1/2 cup walnuts or sunflower seeds, optional
• 1 can (15oz) cannellini, northern or black beans, drained and rinsed (I used cannellini)
• 1 cup of rolled oats or bread crumbs, divided (I used GF oats)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, basil, thyme or Italian seasonings (or a mixture of these)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• dash or two of cayenne pepper, to taste
• sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash in half, remove seeds and place on roasting pan or baking dish, cut side up. If you like you can coat with a thin layer of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the dish and bake on bottom rack for 1 hour. (You will be adding the bean balls to the middle rack about half way through.)

Start assembling the bean balls. Prepare onions, mushrooms and garlic. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes and let cool. If using the nuts/seeds, place in food processor first and pulse until coarsely ground, and continue. In food processor place about 3/4 of the beans, sauteed veggies, 1/2 cup of the oats and herbs and spices. Process until combined. Roughly mash the remaining 1/4 cup beans in medium size bowl and add the processed mixture along with the remaining 1/2 cup oats, blend well. Taste for seasoning adding anything extra you may like.

Roll into about 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch balls and place on a baking dish, I was able to get eight jumbo sized bean balls. Put in the oven on the middle rack for the remaining 25-30 minutes of the squash cooking time, they should get at least 20 minutes. Remove both when time is up and let cool. OR...you can also cook the balls in a saute pan using a little olive oil over medium to medium high heat, turning often enough so that all sides brown. (I used the oven method this time)

In the meantime, heat your sauce. When ready to assemble, scrape the sides of the squash from top to bottom all the way around. It will pull easily from the sides resembling 'noodles' as shown below.

Serve squash 'noodles' topped with sauce and bean balls. Add some chopped fresh basil on top for some extra flavor! Serves four. Store leftovers in an air tight container (leftovers were great).

Enjoy!

Notes: If you don't care for oats or breadcrumbs...you could use cooked rice instead, or quinoa. Substitute the cup of oats/breadcrumbs for a cup of cooked rice/quinoa adding it in at the end when adding the mixture to the roughly mashed beans. The rice/quinoa would be a great alternative to the oats, it's just an extra cooking step unless you buy pre-cooked rice or have some extra leftover quinoa on hand.

Adapted from two recipes...one from Whole Foods and the other from The Vegan Stoner

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Christmas Hamlets – To Eat or Not to Eat Will Not Be a Question

I had been fantasizing for weeks about doing a whole, home-cured ham for the holidays. I always get lots of requests for this kind of thing, and was fully prepared to give it a go, but then a strange thing happened, I heard the word “Hamlet.” 

It was on TV, and completely unrelated to cured pork, but for whatever reason the word made me think of cute little, individually sized hams. That’s all it took, and off I went trying to figure out how to make this thing happen. I knew I wanted a process that wouldn’t require the pink curing salts used in commercially produced hams, not because they are unhealthy, they’re not, but because it would be hard for some of you to find.

I’ve read things in the past about using celery’s naturally occurring nitrates to accomplish the same thing, so that’s what I used, and as you’ll hear me say several times in the video, I was thrilled with the results! While not exactly like a classic city ham, this was very close. The firm, moist texture was great, the salt level was spot on, and since we used loin instead of leg, there’s even a little less fat.

I’m afraid I won’t be able to help much with questions about how to do this with bigger or different cuts, as this was my first foray into home-cured ham, so if you are going to attempt this, please go to a good butcher to get the exact same size “chops” that I used. If you do, and follow these simple steps, I think you will have a holiday meal “to die for.” Sorry, but you didn’t expect me to do this entire post without one forced reference to the play, did you? Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Hamlets:

4 thick-cut (10-12 oz) center cut, boneless pork loin “chops”

For the brine:

1/2 cup *kosher salt plus 1 tablespoon

(*if using fine table salt, you’d only need barely 1/3 cup)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp finely ground black pepper

1 tsp allspice

1/2 ground cloves

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cups boiling water to dissolve salt and sugar

3 celery stalks (about 2 cups chopped)

1/2 yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

2 cups cold water to puree vegetables in blender, plus add enough cold water to make 2 quarts total volume of brine

Brine for 48 hours before roasting

For the glaze:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

pinch of cayenne

whole cloves as needed

Roast at 325 degrees F. until an internal temp of 145 degrees F. is reached.

View the complete recipe 

I had been fantasizing for weeks about doing a whole, home-cured ham for the holidays. I always get lots of requests for this kind of thing, and was fully prepared to give it a go, but then a strange thing happened, I heard the word “Hamlet.” 

It was on TV, and completely unrelated to cured pork, but for whatever reason the word made me think of cute little, individually sized hams. That’s all it took, and off I went trying to figure out how to make this thing happen. I knew I wanted a process that wouldn’t require the pink curing salts used in commercially produced hams, not because they are unhealthy, they’re not, but because it would be hard for some of you to find.

I’ve read things in the past about using celery’s naturally occurring nitrates to accomplish the same thing, so that’s what I used, and as you’ll hear me say several times in the video, I was thrilled with the results! While not exactly like a classic city ham, this was very close. The firm, moist texture was great, the salt level was spot on, and since we used loin instead of leg, there’s even a little less fat.

I’m afraid I won’t be able to help much with questions about how to do this with bigger or different cuts, as this was my first foray into home-cured ham, so if you are going to attempt this, please go to a good butcher to get the exact same size “chops” that I used. If you do, and follow these simple steps, I think you will have a holiday meal “to die for.” Sorry, but you didn’t expect me to do this entire post without one forced reference to the play, did you? Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Hamlets:

4 thick-cut (10-12 oz) center cut, boneless pork loin “chops”

For the brine:

1/2 cup *kosher salt plus 1 tablespoon

(*if using fine table salt, you’d only need barely 1/3 cup)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp finely ground black pepper

1 tsp allspice

1/2 ground cloves

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cups boiling water to dissolve salt and sugar

3 celery stalks (about 2 cups chopped)

1/2 yellow onion

3 cloves garlic

2 cups cold water to puree vegetables in blender, plus add enough cold water to make 2 quarts total volume of brine

Brine for 48 hours before roasting

For the glaze:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

pinch of cayenne

whole cloves as needed

Roast at 325 degrees F. until an internal temp of 145 degrees F. is reached.

View the complete recipe 

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We Won! Food Wishes Takes Down Two Taste Awards

Thanks to you, we're happy to announce that Food Wishes has won two Taste Awards! We were a finalist in two categories, “Best Food Program: Web,” and “Best Home Chef in a Series,” and took home both prizes.

A sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to vote. I’ve said it before, but no food blogger anywhere enjoys such overwhelming support from their audience. You're the best!

Thanks to you, we're happy to announce that Food Wishes has won two Taste Awards! We were a finalist in two categories, “Best Food Program: Web,” and “Best Home Chef in a Series,” and took home both prizes.

A sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to vote. I’ve said it before, but no food blogger anywhere enjoys such overwhelming support from their audience. You're the best!

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Rosemary Honey “Pull Apart” Dinner Rolls - Because You Love Them...Right?

Entertaining during the holidays usually means plenty of costly, complicated, and time-consuming recipes, so absolutely no one would blame you if you simply tossed a tube of store-bought dinner rolls into the oven to save a little time and effort.

Of course the problem with that, at least for loyal followers of this blog, is that some or all of your family members will have seen this video by then, and you may get a few looks. Not that they would never question your undying love and devotion to their happiness, but hey, why take a chance?

Assuming that you have an electric mixer, besides a few minutes of cutting and balling the dough, these really aren’t that much work to make. If you don’t, and would have to knead this by hand, then let your conscience be your guide. I think I speak for your entire family when I say, we know you’ll do the right thing.

Anyway, as far as holiday dinner rolls go, these are pretty lean. You can certainly up the melted butter amount, and toss in a egg or two, but since these are generally going to be eaten with fairly rich food, I prefer a lighter approach.

Please feel free to embellish with anything else you’d like to toss in. I’ll toss out garlic, herbs, cheese, seeds, and nuts just to start the brainstorming session. I hope you come up with something amazing, and give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 32-36 small dinner rolls:
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoon) dry active yeast

1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F.)

1 cup milk

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 or 2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

2 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

about 3 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus more if needed (NOTE: add about 2 1/2 cups of flour at the beginning of the mixing, and then add more in smaller increments until the dough just starts to pull away from the bowl. Remember, you can always add more, but can’t remove too much! Better a little too sticky than too stiff and dry.)
2 tbsp olive oil (to oil the dough)

egg wash (one egg beaten with a teaspoon of milk)

coarse sea salt

View the complete recipe

Entertaining during the holidays usually means plenty of costly, complicated, and time-consuming recipes, so absolutely no one would blame you if you simply tossed a tube of store-bought dinner rolls into the oven to save a little time and effort.

Of course the problem with that, at least for loyal followers of this blog, is that some or all of your family members will have seen this video by then, and you may get a few looks. Not that they would never question your undying love and devotion to their happiness, but hey, why take a chance?

Assuming that you have an electric mixer, besides a few minutes of cutting and balling the dough, these really aren’t that much work to make. If you don’t, and would have to knead this by hand, then let your conscience be your guide. I think I speak for your entire family when I say, we know you’ll do the right thing.

Anyway, as far as holiday dinner rolls go, these are pretty lean. You can certainly up the melted butter amount, and toss in a egg or two, but since these are generally going to be eaten with fairly rich food, I prefer a lighter approach.

Please feel free to embellish with anything else you’d like to toss in. I’ll toss out garlic, herbs, cheese, seeds, and nuts just to start the brainstorming session. I hope you come up with something amazing, and give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 32-36 small dinner rolls:
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoon) dry active yeast

1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F.)

1 cup milk

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 or 2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

2 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

about 3 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus more if needed (NOTE: add about 2 1/2 cups of flour at the beginning of the mixing, and then add more in smaller increments until the dough just starts to pull away from the bowl. Remember, you can always add more, but can’t remove too much! Better a little too sticky than too stiff and dry.)
2 tbsp olive oil (to oil the dough)

egg wash (one egg beaten with a teaspoon of milk)

coarse sea salt

View the complete recipe

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