Thanksgiving was traditionally a celebration of the end of the harvest season- a chance to give thanks for a bountiful crop. When the Pilgrims came to America, they brought their own European traditions and slowly began to change Thanksgiving. Over the years, Thanksgiving has become more of a celebration of health, happiness and kinship. It's a day to spend with those closest to us. It gives us a chance to take stock of our lives and actually appreciate what we have.
This year, I sadly will miss Thanksgiving. I am flying out to see my new nephew in California. Luckily, my sister and I hosted our own holiday dinner party this past weekend. All of our friends came together to share a huge 4 course, sit-down dinner together. It was a magical evening and no doubt we'll be talking about it for years. Obviously, the biggest hurdle we faced when we were planning everything, was- what do you serve when you have 11 people coming for dinner? Lots of side dishes. Apart from the sprawling hors d'oeuvres table, we had a pasta dish for the vegetarians, a meat dish for the meatatarians, 2 vegetable dishes and, most importantly, dinner rolls. Dinner rolls are a good filler for any meal. In case there isn't enough food to go around, people can always just load up on bread.
Below, is a recipe I used for the rolls at our dinner party. I came across it probably a year ago in Cooking Light Magazine. What I like about this recipe is that, for the most part, it's very easy. You don't need to knead the bread and it really only requires a few utensils. It's a wonderfully savory roll, that's moist, and just as delicious cold as it is warm.
If you find yourself stumped as to what to bring to your family's annual T-day celebration, or, if you're hosting a "Friendsgiving" party yourself, it wouldn't hurt to keep this recipe in mind. Afterall, it's better to be safe than sorry when the fate of 11 tummies are up to you.
Parmesan Thyme Rolls(Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine)
1/2 tsp Dry Yeast
2 Tbsp warm water (100-110 degrees)
2 Tbsp extra-virgin Olive oil
1 tsp dried Thyme
1/2 cup room-temp reduced-fat Milk
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 large room-temp Egg
1/4 cup whole-wheat Flour
1 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp all-purpose Flour
Black Pepper
Begin by dissolving the yeast in 2 Tbsp of warm water in a large bowl. (Tip- use a thermometer to ensure your water is the right temperature. It is very important that your water is not too cold or too warm.)
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme to the pan; cook 1 minute or until bubbly and fragrant. Add the thyme mixture and milk to the yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk. Add half of the cheese, all of the sugar, salt and egg. Stir well.
Using a wooden spoon, stir the whole wheat flour into the yeast mixture. Add the all-purpose flour, half a cup at a time, to the yeast mixture. Stir until smooth. The dough should be thick but sticky. Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Lightly spray the top and cover and refrigerate it overnight. (The dough will not double in size.)
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle some flour over the top of the dough. Roll the dough into a 12 X 5 inch rectangle. Brush the top with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Spread the other 1/4 cup of cheese evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the top with pepper. Beginning with a long side, roll up the dough- jelly-roll fashion. Cut it into 8 slices. Place the slices, cut sides up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. (Tip- if you preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 1-2 minutes and then shut it off, it should be the perfect temperature to proof your rolls.)
Once your rolls have risen, take the pan out of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Bake the rolls for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees after 2 or 3 minutes.
This recipe yields 8 rolls.
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