i'd rather be baking

As summer trudges onward, I find myself less and less hungry. What can I say? The heat is starting to get to me. Dinner is certainly the most affected and I’m beginning to feel sorry for Ryan because I just don’t feel like cooking. I find myself turning to salads and sandwiches as often as I can because it’s just too hot to cook a big meal.

It was with this mindset that I contemplated baking bread this week. It’s been awhile and I just didn’t feel like buying any, but the idea of a big, coarse loaf wasn’t nearly as appealing as it is with a chill in the air. I thought some light rolls might be a nice alternative and found just what I was looking for (not surprisingly) in Cooking Light.

This was only my second attempt at dinner rolls, the first being a much more ambitious, showy number from my Williams-Sonoma baking book. I like these much better. They’re light (both in texture and calories), tender, incredibly simple, and a perfect pairing for just about anything you might dream up. Don’t let the herbs scare you away from smearing some jam on one of these. Yes, I went there, and it was delicious.

Herb Cloverleaf Rolls
Cooking Light

As usual, I made this in my stand mixer because it’s just so dead easy that way. If you’d like to go this route, use the bowl from your mixer for the yeast/water/sugar mixture and then continue to add to that bowl. As soon as you start adding flour you can “stir” it in with the paddle attachment, and you’ll want to switch to the dough hook as soon as everything is basically blended together. Your mixer kneading time can vary according to any number of factors, so judge your dough more on smoothness and elasticity than time. That being said, mine took about 5 minutes.

Makes 18 small rolls

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk (or fat-free)
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
4 cups bread or all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon water
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in milks. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 3 cups flour, margarine, and next 5 ingredients (margarine through pepper) to yeast mixture; stir until blended. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 18 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), divide each portion into 3 pieces; shape each piece into a ball. Coat muffin pans with cooking spray; place 3 dough balls in each muffin cup. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover dough. Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white; brush over dough. Bake for 20 minutes or until a light golden brown. Serve warm.

High-Altitude Notes: Bake at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes.