#3810 - Dense Dinner Rolls

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups lukewarm whole milk
1 TBSP white sugar
3 cups flour (unbleached if you have it)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 TBSP butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)

In a bowl add yeast and milk--stir to dissolve yeast. Add white sugar--stir. Into a bowl sift the flour and salt, then add the room temperature melted butter and the yeast mixture to the flour mixture--mix until dough forms. Turn out the dough on a floured counter and work the dough until smooth and stretchy. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover it with a tea towel--let it rise for 45 minutes. Turn out the dough on to a floured counter and shape the dough into 9 equal sized dough balls. Butter and flour a 9" square cake pan. Place the dough balls in a single layer in the cake pan. Cover with a tea towel and let them raise for 15 minutes. Bake at 425 degrees 15-20 minutes or until browned and puffy. Serve warm.

#3431 - Dutch Oven Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups bread flour OR all-purpose flour
1 tsp. active dry yeast (make sure the yeast is not too old)
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP cornmeal

In a bowl add flour, yeast, white sugar and salt--stir to mix. Add the warm water--stir until mixed. Cover the bowl with Saran wrap, set the bowl on your counter and set a kitchen timer for 19 HOURS. After 19 hours, lightly sprinkle some flour on your counter. Place the dough (which will be "gooey") on the floured counter and turn/fold it a few times, adding more flour if necessary. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, sprinkle some more flour on the dough and use your hands to roll the dough into a ball. Sprinkle 1 TBSP of cornmeal on a towel to roughly the size of the dough ball. Place the dough ball on the cornmeal. Sprinkle the other 1 TBSP of cornmeal over the top of the dough. Place another towel over the top of the dough. Let the dough rise until doubled in size (about 3 hours). Place your Dutch oven (including the lid) in your oven and set the oven at 475 degrees. Once the oven is heated to 475 degrees, remove the hot Dutch oven, place the dough ball in the center of the Dutch oven, put the lid on the Dutch oven and put the whole thing in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place the Dutch oven on a wire rack for 1 hour before removing bread and slicing it.

#2677 - Italian Cheese Bread

(by Cousin Cathy [Minier] Ulrich)

4 1/2 to 5 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup softened butter
2 beaten eggs
2 TBSP sesame seeds
Filling: 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese; 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning; 1/4 tsp. garlic powder; 1/4 cup softened butter

In a bowl add 2 1/2 cups flour, white sugar, salt and yeast--stir well. In a saucepan add milk, water and 1/2 cup butter--stir/heat over medium heat until very warm (about 120 degrees). Remove from heat--add hot milk mixture to flour mixture--stir well. Add beaten eggs--stir. Continue adding another 2 cups of flour and mix well until you have a stiff batter. If not stiff enough add a little more flour. Grease a 10" tube cake pan. Sprinkle the sesame seeds into the bottom of the greased tube cake pan. In a small bowl add mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and 1/4 cup softened butter--mix well. Press half of the batter into the greased tube cake pan. Spread the mozzarella mixture evenly over the batter (leaving it 1/2" away from the sides of the pan). Press the rest of the dough over the filling. Cover the pan with Saran wrap and a cloth towel. In a large pan add some warm water, then place the tube cake pan in the warm water. Let the dough raise until doubled in size (about 30 minutes). Remove from warm water, remove Saran wrap and cloth and place tube cake pan in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen/remove bread from pan immediately after baking and cool it on a wire rack.

#1814 - Whole Wheat Rolls

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/3 cup warm water
1 TBSP honey
1 envelope active dry yeast
4 TBSP flax seeds
2 1/4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup warm skim milk
2 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg white (lightly beaten)

In a bowl add warm water and honey--stir with a whisk. Add yeast--stir with a whisk. Let the mixture stand until it gets foamy (7-10 minutes). In a grinder add 3 TBSP of the flax seeds--grind to medium fine. In a bowl add ground flax seeds in the bottom, then add both flours--stir with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the flour. In a separate bowl add warm skim milk, olive oil, and salt--stir. Pour the milk mixture and the yeast mixture into the well in the flour--stir until dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured counter 5-10 minutes or until smooth. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl--turn the dough so it gets greased all over. Leave the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel for 45 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead the dough lightly on a floured counter. Divide the dough into 16 dough balls. Place dough balls on greased cookie sheets. Cover the dough balls with a damp towel for 45 minutes. Remove the towel and brush each roll with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle the un-ground flax seeds over the top of the rolls. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

#1718 - Bread Machine Cinnamon Buns

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 cups BREAD flour
3 TBSP white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 TBSP butter (cut into smaller pieces)
2 tsp. active dry yeast
Filling: 1/3 cup butter (melted); 1/2 cup white sugar; 2 tsp. cinnamon; 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Glaze: 1 cup Domino's powdered sugar; 1 to 2 TBSP milk; 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a bread machine set on the dough setting add milk, egg, bread flour, white sugar, salt, 4 TBSP butter and yeast--press start. When dough is finished, flour your counter, add the dough to the floured counter, and flour the top of the dough. Use your hands to knead the dough for a minute or two. Place the dough in a glass bowl, add a tea towel to the top of the bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. Flour the counter, add dough, flour the top of the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to 15" long and 10" wide. Use a pastry brush to spread the melted butter over the top of the dough. In a small bowl add 1/2 cup white sugar and cinnamon--stir to mix. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture all over the top of the melted butter on the dough. Sprinkle the nuts over the top of the dough (if you wish). Roll the dough up (like a jelly roll), then use a knife to cut the roll into 1" thick pieces. Place the dough pieces in a greased 9 x 13 metal cake pan. Cover the top of the cake pan with saran wrap and set them aside until they double in size. Carefully remove saran wrap and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, cover the top with foil, and invert on to a cutting board. Glaze: in a bowl add powdered sugar, 1 to 2 TBSP milk, and vanilla--stir until mixed. Glaze the buns after they cool slightly and just before serving.

#1371 - Potato Rolls

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 red potatoes (washed, peeled, drained but keep 1 cup of the water)
2 envelopes dry yeast
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
about 6 1/2 cups flour

Boil peeled potatoes until tender--drain but reserve 1 cup of the potato water. Mash the cooked potatoes with a potato masher. Sprinkle both packets of yeast into 1/2 cup of the hot potato water--stir. Add the white sugar to the yeast mixture--stir. Let the yeast mixture stand for 10 minutes. While waiting, put the butter and Crisco into the other 1/2 cup of hot potato water--stir until melted. In a mixer add eggs--beat. Add salt and mashed potatoes--beat. Add yeast mixture--beat until blended. Add Crisco mixture and honey--beat. Add 2 1/2 cups flour--beat for 2 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer--add 3 1/2 cups to 4 1/2 cups flour--mix with your hands until it forms a dough ball. Place dough ball on floured counter and knead it until smooth. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl--spray the top of the dough ball with Pam and place a tea towel over the top of the bowl. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size. Cut the dough into pieces about half the size of the rolls you want to make (they will double in size) and roll them smooth with your hands. Place dough pieces in a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Cover the cake pan with a tea towel and let them rise until doubled in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned.

#1354 - Homemade Pizza Dough

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 packet dry yeast
6 TBSP warm water + 3/4 cup warm water
2 TBSP good quality olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. onion powder
3 1/2 cups flour (do not sift)

In a large bowl add yeast and 6 TBSP warm water--stir. Add 3/4 cup water, olive oil, garlic salt, oregano, onion powder and flour--mix with your hands until dough ball forms. Knead the dough on your floured counter for 10 minutes--it should be smooth when you're finished kneading the dough. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with Saran wrap for about 30 minutes or until it doubles in size. After dough is doubled, knead it again on your floured counter to remove any air bubbles. Spread the dough on to a greased pizza pan. Top with your favorite sauce, toppings and cheese. Bake at 500 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

#1160 - Taralli (Italian Pretzels/Bagels)

(by Rachel Guarini - friend)

1 - .25 ounce package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 TBSP white sugar
1 TBSP salt
1 egg
5 lbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fennel seeds
1/4 cup water (if needed)

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 1/2 cups water--let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl combine margarine, white sugar, salt, and egg. Add yeast mixture and 1/2 of the flour to the egg mixture--mix until smooth. Stir in the remaining flour and the fennel seeds. Mix in additional water as needed to make a stiff dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface--knead well. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn once to coat surface. Cover dough bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm spot to rise for about 90 minutes. Roll dough into short ropes about 1/2 inch thick. Join ends to form a donut/bagel shape. Set aside to rise for a few minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large saucepan half full of water--bring to a boil. Drop each taralli into water and boil for 1 minute. Remove from water and let both sides dry on a sheet of waxed paper. Bake at 350 degrees on a lightly greased cookie sheet, turning a few times during baking until medium brown and crisp.

#796 - Homemade Soft Pretzels

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 tsp. dry active yeast
1 tsp. white sugar + 1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
4 cups hot water
5 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. table salt
1 TBSP canola oil or vegetable oil + more for oiling a bowl
1/2 cup baking soda
kosher salt for sprinkling


Add dry yeast, 1 tsp. white sugar and 1 1/4 cups warm water in a bowl--stir until dissolved, then let it stand for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl add the flour, 1/2 cup white sugar, and 1 1/2 tsp. table salt--add the yeast mixture and the canola/vegetable oil--mix to form the dough (if too dry add a little water). Use your hands to knead the dough until it's smooth. Use more oil to grease a bowl lightly--place the dough in the bowl and keep turning it until the dough has been oiled. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl add the 4 cups hot water and the baking soda--stir until dissolved. Place the dough on the counter and cut into 10-12 even pieces. Roll each dough piece into a "snake", then twist into a pretzel shape. As you finish each pretzel, dip them into the baking soda water and place directly on to greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle the tops of each pretzel with the desired amount of kosher salt--at this point you can also sprinkle with any flavoring you like (such as dry ranch dressing mix). Bake at 450 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until brown.

#791 - English Muffin Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 1/2 to 6 cups flour (spooned lightly into a measuring cup)
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 TBSP white sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
cornmeal for sprinkling

In a large bowl add 3 cups of the flour, yeast, salt, white sugar and baking soda--stir lightly. Heat the milk and the water separately until very hot but not boiling (120-130 degrees). Pour the hot milk and the hot water to the flour mixture--stir with a wooden spoon and beat well. Stir in enough of the flour that wasn't used yet to make a stiff batter (like a bread dough batter). Divide the dough in half and grease two bread loaf pans. Sprinkle the cornmeal in the bottoms and sides of the pans and place one dough in each pan. Sprinkle some cornmeal on the top of each loaf. Cover each with Saran Wrap and let them rise until they double in size (about an hour). Remove the Saran Wrap and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from loaf pans immediately and cool. After they are cool, slice them like bread (but they will have nooks and crannies like English Muffins).

#713- Homemade Bagels

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 TBSP dry yeast
2 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP salt
4 cups flour
1 TBSP vegetable oil
cornmeal
sesame seeds or poppy seeds
2 TBSP molasses

In a bowl add the warm water, yeast and 1 tsp. of the white sugar and let it sit for 10 minutes after mixed. In a separate bowl add the rest of the white sugar, salt and 2 cups of the flour. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture--mix with your hands. Add the rest of the flour and mix with your hands. Knead the dough for a few minutes with your hands. Oil a bowl, set the dough ball in the bottom, cover it with a dish towel and let it rise for 1 hour (dough should be doubled in size). Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a few quarts of water to a slight boil and add the 2 TBSP of molasses. Turn heat back to medium so water stays hot but is no longer in a rolling boil. Divide the dough into 16 dough balls and then let them sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle alot of cornmeal on cookie sheets. Shape each dough ball into a bagel shape (punch a small hole in the center with your finger). Once you've shaped all the bagels, place 4 at a time into the hot water for 30 seconds, then gently turn each and boil them on the other side for 30 seconds. Place boiled bagels on to the cornmeal powdered baking sheets and continue until all of the bagels have been boiled on both sides. Sprinkle either the sesame seeds or the poppy seeds on top of the bagels. Place the cookie sheets with the bagels into the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes
or until light brown. Cool on baking racks.

#678 - Deep Dish Pizza

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes (if you can find crushed tomatoes that contains different varieties of tomatoes in the same can, it is much better)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
sliced mozzarella cheese
sliced provolone cheese
pizza seasoning OR Italians seasoning OR oregano
Your choice of extra toppings (pepperoni, sausage, etc.)
Regular olive oil (NOT extra virgin)

In a mixer with the dough hook attachment add water, white sugar, yeast, flour, cornmeal and salt--mix on low for a few minutes, then slowly add the canola oil. Once all of the oil has been added, mix the dough for 7-8 minutes. Remove the dough from the mixer and form it into a smooth ball. Drop the dough ball into a bowl and place a dish towel over the top--place the covered bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The next day move your lowest oven rack to the bottom third of your oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees for ONE HOUR. Do NOT skip this step! Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and set it on the counter for the entire hour while the oven is heating up. Use regular olive oil to grease a 15" wide/2" deep pizza pan. Place the dough in the center of the pizza pan and work it out to cover the entire bottom, then work it up the sides of the pan. Use the slices of mozzarella and provolone cheese to cover the entire bottom of the crust. Add your desired toppings next (such as pepperoni, sausage, etc.). Top with the 3 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle the pizza seasoning on top of the tomatoes (or Italian seasonings, oregano, etc.). Finally, sprinkle the entire top with the fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Place the pizza in the center of the bottom oven rack (making sure the rack is in the bottom third of the oven). You may want to place a cookie sheet under the pizza pan to catch any drips. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let it set for 3-5 minutes before cutting.