i'm dreaming of...

lion house rolls. (they are so tasty!) lucky for me i'm currently vacationing in the beehive state which makes it possible for me to run out tomorrow & pick some up. but, for some of us, it's not always that easy. so, here's the recipe... (i don't think the good folk over at the lion house will mind my sharing.) you really should try them, served with honey butter, they will definitely became an instant favorite.

ingredients:
2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or bread flour

method:
in large bowl or electric mixer, combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups flour. mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. add 2 cups flour; mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. (dough will be getting stiff and remaining flour may need to be mixed in by hand). Add about ½ cup flour and mix again, by hand or mixer. dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff. (it is not necessary to use the entire amount of flour). scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour about one tablespoon of vegetable oil all around sides of bowl. turn dough over in bowl so it is covered with oil. (this helps prevent dough from drying out). cover with plastic and allow to rise in warm place until double in size, about 45 minutes.

scrape dough out onto floured board. turn dough over so it is floured on both sides; gently flatten to about 1 inch thick. with rolling pin, roll out to a rectangle about 18 inches long, 8 inches wide, and ¼ inch thick. brush with melted butter. with pizza cutter or very sharp knife, cut dough in half to make two strips about 4 inches wide. make cuts through strips of dough every 2 inches, making about 18 pieces of dough.

starting with short end, roll up one piece of dough, with butter on the inside. place roll on parchment-lined pan with other short end down on the paper. repeat with remaining pieces of dough. be sure all rolls face the same direction on baking pan. cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light to medium golden brown. brush tops of rolls with melted butter. serve with honey butter. makes 1 to 1 ½ dozen rolls.

honey butter ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup honey

method:
whip softened butter until light and fluffy. add vanilla and honey gradually. beat for 20 minutes. makes 1 cup.