Happy Thanks to you and your family and friends

Ten year flashback:

Here is my sweet little Kate at age 21 months enjoying her Thanksgiving feast including potato rolls dipped in mashed potatoes.  Her face says it all: "This is good"

Happy Thanksgiving to all who read this.

Happy Kate

potato rolls

I am in California.  Ella is in Denver.  Ella is going to make these rolls solo this year because we are not together.  She has been my sous chef for several years and last year we switched and I became her sous chef.  You got this Ella!

Recipe posted 11/2008

Homemade homegrown breakfast

Homemade homegrown breakfast, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Good way to start the day: Egg salad is good for lunch but how about breakfast? The salad is on a bed of crispy sprouts that I grew on the windowsill and a potato roll made with a sweet potato rather than a russet. Reference here for white potato rolls and here for the fan club.

Here is the recipe for the rolls:

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2" pieces
1 pkg yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
2Tbs sugar + a pinch
1 cup buttermilk,

6 Tbs butter, melted and cooled, more for bowl
4 tsp salt
5 1/2 cups bread flour (about)

Method:
Place potato in a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cook until tender. Drain reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Mash potato ( I put mine through a ricer). Set aside
Cool reserved liquid to 110 degrees. In the bowl of a Kitchenaid whick liquid, yeast & pinch of sugar. Set aside until mixture is foamy, about 6 minutes
Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. On low, add remaining sugar, reserved potatoes, buttermilk, 4 Tbs butter and salt. Gradually add enough flour to make a slightly sticky dough. Kneed dough in mixer until smooth, at least 2 minutes. Brush a mixing bowl with butter. Place dough in bowl; cover bowl with buttered plastic wrap. Set aside to rise until doubled, about 1-1 1/2 hours.
Heat oven to 375 deg. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough out 3/4" thick. Cut dough into 2" wide strips. Cut strips into triangles or squares. Place at least 1 1/4" apart on baking sheets. Brush tops with remaining butter, cover with buttered plastic wrap. Let rise until dough does not spring back with a finger, about 15 minutes. Bake until golden about 18-20 minutes.

This is a 4 hour job from the start of preparing the potato to your first bite but worth every bit of time you spend.
Bon Appetit!
Now for the sprouts:

potato rolls

potato rolls
Originally uploaded by cabanagirl

This potato roll recipe has been in my kitchen for well over 10 years and it is a favorite. They are really yummy warm out of the oven but even better when you stuff them with left over turkey . Try them:
Ingredients:
2 small russet potatoes, peeled & cut into 2"pieces
2 1/2 tsps yeast
2 Tbs sugar + a pinch
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
6 Tbs butter, melted and cooled + more for bowl
4 tsps salt
5 1/2 + cups flour, bread or all purpose

1. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to boil; reduce to simmer. Cook until knife tender (~15 minutes). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Mash potatoes. Set aside.
2. Cool reserved liquid to 105 deg. In the detached bowl of your Kitchenaid, whisk liquid, yeast & a pinch of sugar. Set aside until mixture is foamy (~6 minutes).
3.Attach bowl to the Kitchenaid fitted with the dough hook attachment. On low, add remaining sugar, mashed potatoes, buttermilk, 4 Tbs butter & salt. Gradually add enough flour to make a slightly sticky dough. Knead dough until smooth (~ 2 mins)
4. Brush a mixing bowl with butter. Place dough in bowl. Turn once so that the dough is coated by butter on the top and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside until doubled in size (~ 1 1/2 hours).
5. Heat oven to 375 deg. Cover 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out 3/4" thick. Cut dough into 3" wide strips. Cut strips into triangles or squares. Place 1" apart on baking sheets.  Brush tops with remaining melted butter, cover with a buttered plastic wrap. Let rise until dough does not spring back when pressed with finger (~15min).
6. Bake until golden, about 18-20 minutes.. Serve.  Makes about 30 rolls.  This might last a day.