(11/2021) There’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked bread. And what would Thanksgiving dinner be without stuffing or rolls? I have to admit that, as I’ve gotten older, I have become much fonder of different kinds of breads and more adventurous in trying my hand at baking them. There is something very relaxing about kneading a bread by hand, and once you’ve started down this slippery slope, you’ll find yourself trying out all sorts of recipes and adding various types of herbs and seasonings.

Bread is arguably the most universal of all foods. Every country in the world has some type of bread as part of its traditions. Often, we think of the agricultural revolution as having begun with the advent of bread-making. However, people have been making some form of bread for at least the last 23, 000 years. Of course, the first breads were unleavened and used wild forms of grains. By 12,000 years ago, grains were being domesticated, grown, and harvested.

Today, many types of bread are made by using yeast as a leavening agent. There are different kinds of yeast that can be used for baking including active dry yeast, instant yeast, fresh yeast, and even osmotolerant yeast. Just don’t use nutritional yeast, as it has been deactivated. The following recipes include some that use prepared pizza dough, no yeast, instant yeast, and active dry yeast. Try your hand at any or all of them and enjoy the smell of freshly baked bread in your own home.

Pull-Apart Stuffing Rolls (just in time for Thanksgiving)

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 ounces breakfast sausage, removed from casings
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
• 1 rib of celery, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
• 4 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ cup minced fresh sage leaves
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound of store-bought pizza dough
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation Instructions: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and mash to break up into fine pieces. Cook, stirring frequently, until a few bits of pink remain, about 8 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic, and sage and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer contents to a large bowl and set aside until completely cool. While filling cools, make knots with the dough. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 2 even pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll or stretch into an oblong strip about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.

With a knife, cut crosswise into 12 strips. Repeat with other half of the dough. Tie each strip into a knot and transfer to bowl with sausage mixture. Toss and fold with your hands until every knot is thoroughly coated in sausage mixture. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Transfer knots to baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, cover tightly with plastic, and set aside until doubled in size, about 4 hours. Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Unwrap rolls and transfer to center rack of oven. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 25-30 minutes. When rolls are almost ready, melt remaining tablespoon of butter in the microwave or on stovetop. Remove rolls from oven and immediately brush on butter. Serve and enjoy.

Rosemary Buttermilk Quick Bread

Note: a quick bread uses baking powder and/or baking soda as a leavening agent. No yeast or kneading is required.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 teaspoons garlic powder
• ¾ cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 heaping teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary

Preparation Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combing flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Whisk together and set aside. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and canola oil. Whisk briefly until fluffy. Pour the mixture into the bowl containing flour/parmesan cheese mixture. Fold together with a spatula until flour is completely mixed in. Gently fold in fresh rosemary. Batter will be very moist and shaggy. Pour into a 1.5-quart loaf pan that has been sprayed well with non-stick spray. Sprinkle lightly with chopped rosemary. Bake for 45 minutes. Loaf is done when a knife inserted in center comes out clean and outside is golden. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from loaf pan. Slice and serve warm.

Bread Rolls with Green Onions

Ingredients:

• ½ cup milk, at room temperature (plus 1 tablespoon for egg wash)
• ¼ cup butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon salt flakes (for topping)
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (for topping)

Preparation Instructions: In a large bowl, add milk, butter, one egg, yeast, sugar, and salt together. Mix well with a spatula to combine, about one minute. The butter might be a little crumby in the mixture. Add flour and stir well to combine until there are no dry flour particles visible in the bowl. Add chopped green onions and slowly fold into dough. Make sure green onions are dry before folding them in. Transfer dough onto a clean and lightly greased surface. Push dough down and outward using the palms of your hands. Fold dough in half toward you and press down. Repeat this motion by pushing dough down and outward, and then fold over towards you. Continue kneading and folding dough until it is smooth and not sticky. This should take less than 5 minutes.

The kneading is done if, when giving the dough a firm poke with your finger, the indentation bounces back. Next, roll the ball of dough into a log and divide it into 15 equal pieces with a knife. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or cling wrap to prevent drying out. Take one piece at a time, and shape into a smooth ball. Flatten ball, fold over, and press all edges into the center. Turn it over and cup the dough in your palm, making circular motions. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Arrange the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover tray with aluminum foil. Let the rolls rest and rise for one hour. The rolls should almost double in size. Preheat over to 375 F. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg and 1 tablespoon milk. Apply egg wash on each roll and sprinkle with salt flakes and sesame seeds. Apply egg wash a second time. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown in color. Let rolls cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Homemade Artisan Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 ¼ cups bread flour, plus more for hands and pan (you can use all-purpose flour, but bread flour will make a stronger, chewier, better-tasting bread)
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (you can also use instant yeast)
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 and ½ cups lukewarm water

Preparation Instructions: To give the yeast a head start, dissolve it in lukewarm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. In a large un-greased mixing bowl, add the flour, yeast, and salt and gently mix together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Shape into a ball as best as you can. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and set on counter at room temperature. Allow to rise for several hours, until the dough has almost doubled in size. Lightly dust a large nonstick baking sheet with flour or cornmeal. Gently work the dough into a smooth ball, stretching the surface and tucking the ends underneath. (Don't overwork the dough; this process should only take about 30 seconds.) Put the dough ball onto the prepared baking sheet and let it rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 F. Score the loaf with 3 slashes. Place the baking sheet on the center rack and bake for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

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