Anna's homemade Bread for the Bread Machine

This is a great recipe for Bread, dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls. the dough recipe is from Hubby's mother. It's pretty basic with the one change of using Lard instead of Margarine. The Lard sounds gross, but it gives the rolls an old fashion "Granny" bread taste. Remember that Granny didn't have access to Margarine.. well maybe great granny.. anyway. Lard was what was available so it's what was used. Hubby's mother also rolled each dinner roll in a couple of Tblsp. of melted lard before putting them in the pan to raise. It's optional, they will still have an old fashion taste without doing it. If you want to try using lard you can get a small
(margarine size) container as well as 5 lb buckets. If you can't find it, ask. Lard keeps a long, long, long, time in the refrigerator. You should dispose of it when it's no longer white. This recipe can also be made and baked in any bread machine as a loaf of white bread, or it can be made as dough and baked in a loaf pan in the oven, as dinner rolls, and cinnamon rolls. If you have questions, let me know. I have adapted the recipe for the bread machine. It makes the whole process a lot faster. I still have the original recipe if you want to do it the old fashion way.

Anna's Homemade Bread

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

2- tablespoons margarine, or butter softened, (or Lard, does not have to be softened)

1 egg

3 and 1/4 cups of bread flour

1/4 cup white sugar

1- teaspoon salt

3- teaspoons yeast

Place the above ingredients in the order your machine manufacturer suggests. select the dough/manual cycle on your machine. (regular loaf if you are baking it in the machine)

grease/spray a 9x13 cake or similar pan, I've also used round cake pans.

when the dough is finished. remove from the bread Machine and place on a lightly floured board, knead a little. then shape into little balls. I pinch off a piece of dough a little larger then a ping pong ball. place in the greased pan until all the dough is used.

Then Cover with plastic wrap, (I very lightly spray the tops of the rolls, or brush with butter before covering with the plastic wrap) then cover with a big towel, place somewhere warm, out of drafts and let rise about 45 minutes.

preheat your oven to 375.. will make between 17 - 20 dinner rolls.

you do the same thing for loaves of bread.. kneed a little form into a loaf and place in the greased pan of your choice. you will have to bake it a bit longer..

after the dough has risen, bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. brush the tops with melted butter, (you can also brush the tops with butter before baking)

serve warm (YES) or cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight bag.

CINNAMON ROLLS..
For the cinnamon rolls you follow the recipe and instructions the same.. till you take the dough out of the the bread machine. then you will put it on a lightly floured board, knead a little. then you will roll the dough out into a rectangle shape. it is difficult and you will have to work at it.. letting the dough rest for a bit usually helps with the elasticity.. roll out till you have a good size rectangle, about 8-10 x 15-17..

now brush the rectangle with soft butter or margarine.. (NOT LARD) leaving about an inch plain around the edge.. you mix up 1/4 Cup sugar and 2- teaspoons of cinnamon together and then sprinkle over the top. you can use any type of filling, nuts, etc.. then roll up starting with the short 8 inch end. make sure to roll tightly and pinch edge of dough to seal. cut roll into 1 inch slices.

Place in greased 9x13 pan or round cake pans.. it's OK to cram the rolls together, but if you don't the rolls will spread out more. spray very lightly with Pam or brush with butter, cover with plastic wrap, and a big towel, and let rise in a warm place free of drafts for 45 min.

preheat the oven to 375.. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. will make about 15 medium size rolls.

Remove from pan and let cool for about 5 min. on a wire rack. if you want a hot roll.. go for it..

you can drizzle on the icing when the rolls are hot, but it usually just melts off.. one of our grandkids puts the icing in a little bowl and dunks his roll in it.. LOL you want the rolls warm, but not so hot that the icing all drips off.. put the rolls on a plate, or serving tray and then drizzle the following over the tops..

icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

mix all together.. drizzle over top of rolls and let set for a few minutes.. if you want you can decorate the rolls with slivered almonds.. yummm

EAT at WILL.. I can tell you that a pan of these rolls here with my grandkids last about 15 minutes. for a change I like to cut the cinnamon rolls wider like 2 inches. it makes them larger.. you won't get as many. but you can have some big, huge Cinnamon rolls.. great for company or special guests.

Let me know how you make out..