Welcome to our kitchen!

Cooking is our passion and we are devoted to help you learn to have fun in your kitchen. Make your kitchen a place where memories are born and smiles are abundant!

When we all are so busy and running in many different directions, the kitchen can once again become the center of the home and gathering place for the family. Join us as we share our recipes, our experience and our joy of cooking.

We welcome you with open arms and a warm kitchen!

Fresh warm and delicious yeast rolls. Baking these makes your kitchen smell so very good. Add a little honey butter and this bread is wonderful!

Cinnamon rolls made from the same dough as the yeast rolls shown above. A versatile dough that can serve many purposes! The plate under these rolls is a regular dinner plate. Very large, delicious rolls!

Yeast Bread Recipe   (adapted from several recipes found on the internet)

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 6 cups warm water, divided (water must be between 100-108 degrees)
• 4 tablespoons salt
• 19 cups high-gluten flour (14% protein)**
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 egg (separated and beaten, yolks to use in recipe, whites to use before baking)
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil

** High Gluten flour is a better flour for yeast bread because it gives you a lighter texture and helps the yeast to make the bread rise better.

Directions

Ø  In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and 3 tablespoons of sugar in 2 cups of warm water and set aside.

Ø  Place salt in a huge bowl with a flat bottom, (I have a large dishpan that is my “bread bowl” and used for nothing else).

Ø  Add flour and the sugar to the bowl.

Ø  With fingers, gently mix in the egg yolks (don’t try to mix all the way through, just gently mix).

Ø  Yeast should now have bubbled up and doubled in size (if this hasn’t happened, dump the mixture out and try again with different yeast).

Ø  Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and slowly pour yeast mixture into the well. Then add the remaining 4 cups of warm water into the well and start mixing.

Ø  As the ingredients begin to come together and add in ½ cup of oil.

Ø  Set your timer for 10 minutes and knead the dough adding another ½ cup of oil slowly during that time as needed to create workable dough. Dough shouldn’t be too sticky or too dry.

Ø  After you complete the first 10 minute kneading, lay a kitchen towel over the bowl that contains the dough and place in a warm spot in your kitchen for 15 minutes.

Ø  After 15 minutes reset your timer for 5 minutes, lightly oil your hands and knead again adding only a little more oil to the dough if necessary. The dough should now be easier to work with and will become very smooth.

Ø  Rub a little oil over the top and around the dough. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and place the covered bowl in a plastic garbage bag tucking the ends underneath the bowl (this traps in the air!)

Ø  Place in a warm spot and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Ø  Lightly oil your hands then punch dough down and knead to release any air bubbles. Cover again, using the towel and the bag, and let rise another hour.

Ø  Lightly oil your hands, and punch down again. With a sharp knife divide dough into 5 equal parts, shaping each part into a loaf.

Ø  Liberally spray 5 loaf pans (we use glass loaf pans) with non-stick cooking spray and put one portion of dough into each loaf pan. Let rise for about 30 minutes then brush dough with the beaten egg whites.

While your dough is rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake the loaves for about 35 to 45 minutes (may take just a little longer according to your oven), until loaf tops are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped with finger.  Allow to cool slightly before serving. The loaves (wrapped tightly with plastic wrap) will keep for 4 – 5 days on your counter. This bread is perfect for sandwiches and our family loves it toasted with butter and jam.

To make cinnamon rolls using the above bread:

Very lightly flour your work surface. Roll out one section (one loaf portion) of the dough into a rectangle until the dough is about 3/8 inch thick. Spread ground cinnamon liberally (probably 3 tablespoons) all over the dough, and then spread light brown sugar liberally (probably 2 cups) over the cinnamon. Roll the dough, making one long roll. Cut dough using a very sharp knife into 1 inch slices. Place rolls about ½ inch apart onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable spray. Cover with a towel, place in a warm area of the kitchen and let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until rolls are very light brown on the top.  Remove and immediate drizzle with icing (see recipe below).

Powdered Sugar Icing

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk (may need a little more for thin consistency)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix above ingredients together, adding a little more milk if necessary to make the icing thin. Drizzle as much or as little as you like over the hot cinnamon rolls. Store cinnamon rolls in a covered container.

To reheat, place one roll onto a small plate and microwave for no more than 15 seconds.

This dough is very versatile, we use it to make yeast rolls, raisin bread, cinnamon raisin bread, and many other variations as we continue to experiment with ingredients. Always turns out great and is very rewarding to serve your family “homemade”!

New recipe for a wonderful comfort food...Potato Soup. See the Our Recipes page!