Thanksgiving Rolls

With Thanksgiving only a few days away many of us are thinking about food and family. I find it interesting-how folks become connected with the things they cook-you know how we expect them to fix the dishes we love. I still think of my Granny Gazzie's biscuits, stewed taters shaped like boats, and fried sweet potatoes even though she's been gone for years. Others in my family that come to mind:

~Granny-we all love her green beans, biscuits, and holy smoke cake

~Pap-he makes a pan of fried potatoes like no one else

~Miss Cindy-makes the best stews and soups you've ever tasted-without a recipe

~My sister-n-law Kim-makes a coconut cake that even tempts The Deer Hunter who claims he hates coconut

~Papaw Tony-makes hush puppies that are so good you forget about the fish

Over the years, folks have come to expect a few of my dishes: Paul wants Oatmeal Krispie Cookies for his birthday present each year, folks look forward to the Pressley Family Christmas Party-just so they can eat my Pecan Pralines, and I'm told Thanksgiving just wouldn't work without my Oatmeal Dinner Rolls.

I'm a bread junkie-seriously I'd rather have a piece of good bread (cornbread, biscuit, or roll) than meat any day. When The Deer Hunter and I were first married I found the recipe for Oatmeal Dinner Rolls in an issue of Southern Living. Knowing I loved anything with brown sugar in it I gave them a try-and all these years later I'm still glad I did. So easy-so good-and as far as bread goes-quite healthy with the addition of oatmeal.

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls-makes approximately 32 rolls

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 cups all purpose flour (it actually takes closer to 5 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

*bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium pot; stir in oats and butter; return to a boil; boil for one minute stirring constantly; remove from heat and let cool to 110 degrees

*stir together 2 packets of yeast (if you buy yeast in bulk like I do-2 1/4 teaspoons equals one envelope), 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a 2 cup measuring cup

*let yeast mixture sit for 5 minutes-the mixture will bubble up to the top of the cup

*beat oat mixture, yeast mixture, flour, salt, and brown sugar with a mixer until smooth

*the dough will be sticky and slightly wet-turn it out onto a floured surface; knead adding flour as needed till dough is smooth and elastic-about 5 minutes

*place dough in a greased bowl; cover; and let rise in a warm place for an hour or till dough doubled in bulk

 

*punch dough down; divide in half; shape each portion into 16 1 1/2 inch balls-or whatever size you want; place evenly in lightly greased pans-round or square (after second rising rolls may be refrigerated overnight-let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking or freeze after second rising for up to a month; thaw overnight in refrigerator; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking)

*cover and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes or till doubled in bulk; bake in 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till golden brown

 

Carol Barclay from Portland Texas is credited with developing this great recipe. Over the years I've found it to be almost fool proof-I never measure the temps of the water or the oatmeal, use at least an additional cup of flour as I knead and shape the dough, and I've never kneaded the dough for the full 5 minutes. Another neat thing about this recipe-if you only need a few rolls-take the rest of the dough and use it for cinnamon rolls.

So how about you what dish are you expected to make?

Tipper

p.s. If you have a question about the recipe or would like the cinnamon roll details-email me at tipper@blindpigandtheacorn.com

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Comments

[Carolyn A.]

Oh my! Those look so good, especially with the butter on them. Mmmm! I can just about smell them from here. Gotta try this one soon as my oven gets fixed. Thanks for sharing some great recipes with us. xxoo

[Fishing Guy]

Tipper: I really enjoy a hot fresh roll.

[Farm Chick Paula]

Wow- those look wonderful! And they sound pretty easy too... thanks for sharing this recipe Tipper- I may get brave and start trying my hand at bread making again soon! (Wish me luck- I'll need it...*LOL*)

[warren]

I am fully qualified to bring popcorn...but they don't even want me to bring that!

[Becky]

These look delicious, I will definitely be trying them.
What is it with Dad's and fried potatoes? My Dad made the best.

[Miss Cindy]

Tipper, I will attest to the quality of your Oatmeal Rolls. They are 100% delicious. I can easily make a meal of them.

You forgot to mention the Deer Hunters Turkey Dressing. It is mighty fine too!

When I was small my Grandmother had a big birthday get together every July. There were several birthdays in the summer, including mine in August My granddaddy's and my great-grandmother's. My grandmother's sister-in-law, Mattie always brought homemade---well I shouldn't have to say home made, everything was homemade!---rolls and caramel cake. I lived for that cake. The cake was plain with the caramel icing that hardened, the old way cooked icing did. It was wonderful. That was all I wanted to eat.
I still have her hand written recipe for that icing. Thinking about it I may have to make one of those cakes!!!
So,

[Jenny-Jenny]

Oh baby! You know me and bread! I CANNOT WAIT to try these rolls... oatmeal AND brown sugar... Oh baby!

I am known for my rolls, too. My husband is famous for mashed potatoes. My MIL makes amazing cheesecake. My moms pies are the best ever.

[Janet]

Those rolls sound good, I'll copy the recipe and may give them a try sometime. At church functions, I'm always expected to bring my blackberry cobbler and at Christmas either me or my sister brings the sweet potato casserole mmmm mmmm!

[Annie]

I make the rolls and some pies. Your rolls look good - I guess I'm a starch junkie! Would certainly like to see recipes for the other dishes you mention - they all sound good.

[rachel]

Looks great! I'll have to try these sometime.

I usually am the one to bring desserts to dinners.

Never heard of a Holy Smoke Cake before!

[Just Jackie]

Casper wants me to make those rolls. He's a bread junky, too. What's a Holy Smoke Cake????

I'm always expected to bring "Funeral Salad" to special dinners. It's just jello, pineapple, cool whip and mayo but it's yummy. We call it funeral salad because when my grandpa died all the neighbors brought food over. (everyone always had a special dish they brought over to a grieving family) Comfort food ??? Anyway, we all liked the "salad" and now I have to make it for all holidays. I'm taking it to Asheville on Thursday. Maybe the rolls too. Shawn can't make bread. Have a great Thanksgiving.

[Rick]

Tipper, that all looks so good. Thanks for sharing.

[Tipper]

Patty-yes you do the cinnamon rolls the usual way-allowing them to rise for 30 minutes or till doubled in bulk before baking at 375.

Blind Pig The Acorn

Music, Giveaways, Mountain Folk

All at www.blindpigandtheacorn.com

[Marie]

Your food pictures always look so good -- is there a trick? An angle? Digital cameras? Remember how those food pictures in the laminated Denny's menus used to look. . . . ..

[Tipper]

Frances-Im not sure. But I did find these 2 links for you to check out: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~coeliac/cook.html http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/archives/gluten-free-all-purpose-flour-mixes/hopefully you can get enough info from them to decide if it would work or at least find a new recipe : )

Blind Pig The Acorn

Music, Giveaways, Mountain Folk

All at www.blindpigandtheacorn.com

[Patty Hall]

yum!! I love breads, also. My mom always made yeast rolls for Thanksgiving. Thanks for the recipe. Do you do the cinnamon rolls the same general way cinnamon rolls are done? They sound good too!

[Mike McLain]

This reminds me of being on Granddad's farm when I was small. Grandmother got up early to make breakfast, but also to make her yeast rolls that would be served at the huge noon meal for the folks working the farm. These rolls were rolled out, cut into circles, slathered in butter and folded in half, then baked. After the meal, I was ready to spend the afternoon playing around the farm, but not before I stuffed my jeans pockets at tight as I could get them with leftover rolls to snack on. This always made Grandmother smile. I wish I could eat that bread like that in those quantities now, almost 60 years later!

[Frances]

These look great! My daughter has recently be diagnosed as a celiac.
Do you think this would lend itself to being done with gluten free flours?
Thanks for sharing. Nice to stop by and visit.
Frances

[Julie at Elisharose]

Thanksgiving isn't at our house, so I'm not expected to make anything! Christmas is another batter. Sausage dressing, sweet potatoes, squash casserole, and Yorkshire puddings are the ones that people start calling to make sure they are on the menu in the days before Christmas. Mmm. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

[PeggyP]

Yum-o. Gonna have to try those rolls at our house too! After my Mom died, we were all left trying to determine how to make that wonderful dressing that she and my grandmothers had made for so many years. That was something we never had made ourselves since it was always her dish. We have finally got it about right, but somehow it is never the same as theirs was..We never knew an exact recipe because it always depended on how much broth you started with..and so much of it was just what looked right not an exact measurement. Now everyone wants me to make potato salad and I'm afraid it's the same story... it all depends on how many potatoes you start with and what looks and tastes right - no exact measurements here either.

[Paul]

We are gonna have to try those too! There is an Amish store not too far away. Lots of different flours to try new breads with!

[mary]

I'm a bread person myself. I'd rather have a homemade cinnamon roll than cake any day. I'm curious about what goes in Holy Smoke Cake.

This year I'm fixing the turkey and dressing to take to my in-laws and everyone else is bringing the rest.

[Farmchick]

These look wonderful and I can't wait to try the recipe. Usually I am expected to make desserts. I love to bake cakes, pies, etc... But, my MIL is cooking this year, so I think I am off the hook totally!

[threecollie]

Wow, they look and sound fantastic!!!