Yummy Homemade Yeast Rolls

We are heading to my parents' house for dinner on Christmas night.  The menu and shopping list are made and thank goodness I have the easy meals to prepare this year!  The menu typically does not change a whole lot each year. My dad prepares the prime rib roast, mom handles the gravy and green beans, my sister brings the salad and desserts, and I prepare the mashed potatoes. This year was a little different because I usually buy the store bought frozen dinner yeast rolls, but I wanted to make homemade yeast rolls for the first time and also incorporate my oldest child into the fun for a little home economics lesson. 

This past week we learned about our senses and how different things feel, smell, and touch. So what better way to incorporate all of our senses than to make homemade yeast rolls which were already needed for our Christmas dinner. We made the dough together once we got all of the ingredients out and measured each. She helped knead the dough as well. It rolled so many activities into one, science, motor skills, and sensory to name a few. She has always said she's the baker, I'm the mixer and daddy is the fixer.  I highly recommend making this with your children and as a little added tip - clean up as you go! 

Here are some of the learning activities involved in this activity:

• following directions
  
• reading a recipe (words have meaning)
  
• sequencing (first we do this, then that)
  
• fine motor skills (scooping, stirring, pouring)
  
• observation skills (what happens when we mix in the flour?)
  
• life skills (preparing food, cleaning kitchen, doing dishes)

If you make this recipe a head of time and your dough balls are frozen, simply pull them out the day of and they will thaw and rise while the last minute stuff gets done. 

Ingredients: 
1 cup boiling water
2 TBSP oil (avocado or canola)
1/4 cup of unsalted butter plus melted butter or brushing the tops of rolls before baking 
3 TBSP granulated sugar
1 package active dry yeast (not instant or rapid rise)
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp kosher salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
2. Add the sugar, oil, egg, salt, and half of the flour and mix until just combined.
3. Add one more cup of flour and mix until the flour is combined again.
4. Add between 1/2 of a cup to 1 whole cup of the remaining flour as needed until the dough comes together and is soft but not gooey. 
5. Spray the top with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap.
6. Allow dough to rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled.
7. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times until the dough is slightly smooth.
8. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
9. Deflate the dough by gently pushing your fist in the center and folding the sides over. On a clean un-floured surface, pat the dough out into a rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. 
10. Allow to rise about one hour more until doubled again.
11. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes and brush melted butter over the tops when you take them out of the oven.
12. Serve hot.

---