^{Total BREAD Cost $.076 = .13 per serving}

Homemade Hamburger Rolls
^{(makes 6 rolls)}

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread or all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp yeast
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp olive oil or clarified butter
• 1-1/4 cup warm water
• Pinch of salt (optional)

Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Bake Time: 30 minutes

In a bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar. Whisk to combine thoroughly and let sit in a warm, out-of-the-way counter location. This is called, "forming the sponge".  The yeast will begin to consume the sugar and froth up to over the top of the water.

Using your stand mixer bowl (with the dough hook), or food processor (with a dough blade), combine the flour and salt.  Turn the mixer on low, and SLOWLY pour in your yeast "sponge" liquid.  As the liquid combines, add the oil.  Continue the mixing for approximately 5 minutes.  The dough should appear to be sticking, slightly, to the bottom of the bowl, but be free from the sides as it turns. It will almost look "too dry" at first.

If you will be kneading your bread by hand, combine the same ingredients in a large mixing bowl and form a well in the middle. Pour your yeast "sponge" liquid into the well along with the oil.  Turn the ingredients until all are combine, then knead the ingredients together for about 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth, but elastic and "almost" stick to your dry hands as you knead.

Form the dough into a ball, and place in a bowl coated with either oil, or spray with non-stick vegetable oil based spray.  Cover with a damp towel, or clear plastic wrap, and place in a warm area away from drafts. Let sit for 1 hour, or until the dough ball has doubled in size.

After the dough has doubled, separate it into 7 smaller dough balls.   If you have kitchen scale, each should weigh about 3 ounces.  Roll them between your hands, squeezing out any air bubbles before finishing each one.  Place the new smaller dough balls on an ungreased baking cookie sheet, with sides, about 1 inch apart.  Doing so will let you fit two rows of three, plus one by itself, but NOT touching the others.  Press down gently on each to slightly flatten.  Rub the tops of the dough balls with a drop of oil, or spray with non-stick spray before covering with clear plastic wrap.  Let rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Remove plastic from dough, and place on the center rack for 30 minutes.  Check at 20 minutes.  If the tops of your rolls are not brown enough by 25 minutes, use your oven's broiler to brown the tops, but BE CAREFUL and don't walk away from the oven during this part, else you'll be saddened by your impromptu version of Cajun rolls.  When golden brown, turn off the oven, remove from the rolls to let cool on a rack.