State Fair Yeast Biscuits Rolls

There is something completely therapeutic and cathartic and comforting about making homemade bread. I don't know when I discovered this because I had never baked anything, much less knew how to cook, when DH and I married. I'm not sure what it is, but people don't seem to make bread these days and I'm not sure why. I have a good friend who makes bread for her family once or twice a week and biscuits all the time. They do not eat store bought bread. Her family knows not how lucky they are. She has promised to post a piece on sourdough (Ahem! Feel the guilt! You know who you are!) and has been teasing her blog readers with this for some time.

Around here, DH is the sourdough aficionado. He's an early riser. Much earlier than his bride of 20 years. So when he gets in one of his sourdough moods, we are greeted with the amazing smell of fresh sourdough biscuits baking in the dutch oven when we first awake on those early wintry mornings. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Alas, all I have for you today is the recipe for these. Now, don't look down your nose at these!These biscuits rolls are oh so good! They have become a family favorite and the crew inhales these by the dozen.

I am generally not a bread person. Homemade bread is a different story all together. Yes, I know everyone is busy. Yes, I know that no-one has time. But people, you are missing out on one of the best things in life! There is nothing that rivals the smell of fresh homemade bread wafting through the house. How can the simple ingredients of yeast and water and flour combine to produce such a heavenly product? Honestly, bread is not really all that time consuming. Once it's mixed up, you just walk away, let it do its thing, pop it in the oven, and wait for the accolades and praise and cheers. Your family will adore you - right up until they devour the last morsel. Then they will anxiously give you pleading looks until you whip up another batch.

Last week in Bible Study we were working in Exodus and we discussed the Passover. We talked about how leaven signifies evil throughout the Bible. My heart sank. I love baking bread and all manner of baked goods. How could I continue to enjoy making dough for bread and biscuits and rolls and doughnuts and cinnamon rolls? I pouted.

Then I found this verse: Matthew 13:33 Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened." Aha! Here the kingdom of heaven is compared to the dynamic character of yeast. Whew!

Bake some homemade bread. Enjoy the process and the result and don't listen to all those people who tell you that bread isn't good for you. Homemade bread soothes the soul, how can that NOT be good for you?

Now don't start asking, "Where are the pictures?" I am posting this on Monday afternoon and all the biscuits rolls have disappeared. I will make another batch on Wednesday and post pictures. Be patient.

State Fair Biscuits Rolls

2 C warm water
2 Tbsp yeast (or 2 packages)
4 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
5 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c powdered milk
1/2 c butter, room temperature or mostly melted in the microwave
Additional melted butter to brush on your rolls

*Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Set aside to proof.

*In a bowl (have I mentioned that I LOVE my Bosch mixer?!), whisk together 1 c flour, dry milk, salt and baking powder. Cut butter into flour mixture (I usually almost completely melt my butter) and let the Bosch mix it in.

*Add yeast and mix thoroughly.

*Add remaining flour and mix until dough becomes a sticky ball.

*Flour hands and turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 7-8 times until dough becomes elastic. Don't knead much or you will produce hockey pucks.

*Roll out and cut into biscuits rolls.

*Brush tops with melted butter and let rise about 40 minutes or more

*Bake at 450 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter.

Warning: Do not founder on these rolls!

There is one exception to my love of baking bread. When I have cooked for a crew for 2 weeks and I have baked 22 batches of bread, I DO NOT even want to THINK about baking bread! However, it doesn't take long before I'm elbow deep in another batch!

Edit: My sincere apologies to dear friend mentioned previously. I see that she has now written her promised sourdough biscuit post. Well worth the wait! Her life is so much more interesting than mine.

Edit #2: Thanks for showing me how to add a line through a word Lori!