Mmmm Rolls

I love to let bread rise on a warm windowsill, but the sun hasn't been out much these days. I do have a warm mantel near the wood stove that works perfectly.

Make an easy batch of rolls. Shape them however you'd like. My old Better Homes and Gardens "Complete Step-By-Step Cookbook" is a classic and it shows 9 different ways to shape them, including Fantans, Parker House Rolls, Bow Knots and Rosettes. I made mine Shortcut Cloverleaves. Just snip an X on the top, then let them rise.

DINNER ROLLS
3 1/2 cups flour, 1 package dry yeast, 1 1/4 cups milk, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup shortening or butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 egg

Mix together 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a microwave-safe bowl, mix together the milk, sugar, shortening or butter, and salt. Heat until warm and melted. (Let cool if it's too hot. You want it warm for the yeast.) Add to flour mixture and add the egg. Mix on low speed for a minute then at high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. (until it's not too sticky) Knead with the dough hook on your mixer until it is smooth and elastic. (approximately 5 minutes)
Place the ball of dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise in a warm (not hot) place until double (45 - 60 minutes). Punch down and divide in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Cut each half into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, pulling the edges under to form a smooth top.
I sprayed muffin tins with cooking spray. Placed the dough smooth side up, and cut the tops. You can bake them plain, or bake them in a round cake pan. Or check out some other shapes and options.
Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Cool in pan for a few minutes, then move to a rack. Makes 24 rolls.

Looking Back at Vanna's Choice

I remember when Vanna's Choice yarn was first introduced by Lion Brand Yarn. All those pretty colors were so inspiring for many projects. I'm getting ready to enter the Vanna's Choice Contest. I haven't started on the new project yet, but I sorted through the Vanna stash and found possible yarns to use. Since you can enter as many items as you wish, I took time to look through past designs in search of Vanna's Choice yarn. I made a "Powerpuff" series of hats. The Bubbles Cloche was blue and made out of a different yarn, but Buttercup was green with a buttercup flower. Blossom was a burnt orange with a flower. There are a few other hats, fingerless gloves, and shrugs as well. I put them together here in a collage. When I finish my newest, I'll be sure to show you!
Here's a great design in Vanna's Choice from fellow CreateCrochet team member CrocheTrend.

And look at this sweet hoodie from BallofYarnToo

For more Fiber goodness, stop by Alpaca Farm Girl for Fiber Arts Friday. (Check out the Winter Alpaca Peeps pic!)

Slipper Story

My son asked if I would make him a pair of slippers. He said he couldn't find the ones that he used to have. I said, well, you're 15 now and I made those for you when you were 7. So, I made him a pair of slippers for Christmas. I didn't finish the second one until a few days after, but he didn't mind. When I presented them to him he had a sad look on his face and said that they're not the same! I felt so bad and asked "what do you mean?" and he said "the other ones had little dots on the bottom". Oh, I remembered then that I used glow-in-the-dark fabric paint to make non-skid dots on the bottom of them. I laughed and, luckily, still had some paint. He loves his pocket watch best.