KitchenAid sixty minute rolls

1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 packages active dry yeast (2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cup warm water
4 1/2 cups (600 grams) + 1/2-1/1/2 cups (<200 grams) all purpose flour.

Heat milk, sugar, salt, and butter over low heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolves.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl. Add 4 1/2 cups flour and lukewarm milk mixture. Mix with dough hook for 1 minute at speed 2.

Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix about 2 minutes until dough cleans the side of the bowl. Continue about 2 minutes more until dough is smooth and elastic.

Place dough in oiled bowl, turning to oil top. Cover and let rise in warm place about 15 minutes. Turn dough on lightly floured surface. Shape as desired and cover. Cut into 24 balls or strips and roll up. Let rise 15 minutes at 90 degrees F.  Bake at 425 degrees F until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Notes:

The KitchenAid mixer manual does this as a modification of the basic white bread recipe. I find it easier to  have it all modified in one place.

24 balls on a half baking sheet make fairly tall dinner rolls. The curlicue version need two half sheets to spread out properly.

Pickled carrots

From Food in Jars: pickled carrots.

Small-Batch Pickling Brine

1 cup filtered water
1 cup apple cider vinegar (make sure it’s commercial vinegar that is at least 5% acidity)
1 tablespoon pickling salt (or 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt)

A palmful (each) of at least a few of the following:

• crushed bay leaves
• peppercorns
• hot pepper flakes
• allspice berries
• coriander seeds
• whole cloves

Homemade Crackers

Homemade Crackers from Food in Jars

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt (add a bit more if you like a saltier cracker)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup water

Pre-heat over to 450 degrees.

Combine the flours and salt in a bowl. Add the olive oil and water and stir until you have a cohesive ball of dough (you’ll need to use your hands to really get it all together). Set aside for 15-20 minutes.

While you wait, mix up an optional spice/seed blend  Here's an example.

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fennel seed

After the dough has rested a bit, divide it into two pieces, flour a board and rolling pin and roll the dough out until it’s as thin as you can get it. Put on a parchment-covered cookie sheet, brush with water and sprinkle with your spice/seed mixture or salt (kosher or a coarse sea salt is best here). Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into squares or diamonds and bake for 10-12 minutes).

Let the crackers cool completely and then store them in an airtight container. If you don’t eat them all up, they’ll last at least a week on the counter.

They are also delicious sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Each recipe makes between 40-50 crackers, depending on how small you make your cuts.