Breadsticks

 

 One of my favorite things to compliment my meals are Homemade Breadsticks!  I actually got the recipe from Lisa, which she got it from her SIL, Karey!  These breadsticks are EASY!  Yes, you're using yeast, so there are a couple of rise times.  But, because they are so easy, it's not a big deal to just have them rising while you prepare other parts of your meal! I ALWAYS get complemented when I make these and take them somewhere.  They are especially a hit in the fall, when I make them with soups!  I often make them on the nights we do Homemade Pizza too! To start mix together 1 1/2 cups warm water, 1 tablespoon yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar.  You will need to let that sit for 5 minutes while the yeast activates and
becomes frothy.

 

This is what it will look like when you first put the yeast in the water and it is beginning to froth!

I left to change the laundry and came back to this!  The yeast will all be wet and the yeast left on top of the water will be frothy!

You'll then add 1 teaspoon salt and 4 cups of flour!  I add 2 cups, mix, add another cup, mix and then add the last couple and mix it!  The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and not be sticky.

   

 Then I spray the inside of plastic bowl with cooking spray and put the dough ball in it and cover.  Let it rise for 15-20 minutes!  While it is rising I get the oven heating up at 375 F.  I also cut up 1 cube of butter and arrange it on my sheet pan and put it in the oven to melt.

Once it has risen, I spray the counter top with cooking spray and kneed it down a bit.  You could also flour your countertop if you prefer, but I generally don't prefer that method.  I don't want to chance my dough getting dry.  Then I roll the dough out to just barely smaller then the pan I'm going to use.

   

As you can see, Nathan was my little helper this particular day.  He loves to help me run the mixer and cut up the breadsticks!

   

 Once it is rolled out to the approx size of my pan, I take a pizza cutter and cut it in breadsticks.  The pan should be all ready with the butter melted - then I take the breadsticks and place them onto the pan.

   

 I then take my basting brush (which I LOVE) and brush the butter all over the breadsticks!  I also top them with Garlic Powder and Parmesan Cheese.

 

Then walk away and let them rise another 15-20 minutes!

Then bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on their tops and edges. Here's what mine looked liked going in the oven!  BIG and fluffy!!

And, here's what they look like fresh out of the oven!

GOOD LUCK and ENJOY!

Here is the recipe:

Mix together: 1 1/2 c warm water 1 tbsp yeast 2 tbsp sugar Let sit for about 5 minutes (or until it becomes frothy).

Add and mix together: 1 tsp salt 4 c flour, enough so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer and is not super sticky Let the dough rise for 15-20 minutes.

Melt 1 cube of butter in a 11x13 jelly roll pan in the oven. Shape the dough into bread sticks and place on pan. I rolled mine out on the counter to just a little bit smaller than my jellyroll pan and then cut them into nice bread stick shapes with my pizza cutter. Just be sure before you cut them that you have either putting cooking spray on the counter or you have enough flour on the bottom side, so they don't stick to your counters. Sprinkle with garlic powder and with grated Parmesan cheese.

I left just a little bit of room between my bread sticks and the butter came up over them as I was placing them in pan. Let rise for about 20 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on top and edges.