Bread Recipes from October

*Edited to add additional recipes.

CRESCENT DINNER ROLLS
Miriam Deru

3½ to 3¾ cups flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast (2¼ tsp.)
1 cup milk
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup butter + additional butter
1 beaten egg

Stir together 1 ¼ cups of the flour and the yeast.  In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, the 1/3 cup butter, and ¾ teaspoon salt just until warm and butter almost melts; add to flour mixture along with egg.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.  Beat on high speed 3 minutes.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much remaining flour as you can.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in enough remaining four to make moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total).  Shape dough into a ball.  Place in a greased bowl; turn once.  Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour).  Punch dough down.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide dough in half.  Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, lightly grease two cookie sheets.  On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 12-inch circle; brush with butter.  Cut each dough circle into 12 wedges.  To shape, begin at the wide end of each wedge and loosely roll toward the point.  Place point side down, 2 to 3 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes).   Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until rolls sound hollow when lightly tapped (my oven runs hot, so 365 degrees is better).  Immediately remove from pan and brush tops with butter.  Cool on wire racks. 

PUMPKIN SWIRL BREAD
Sara Havey

1 pkg. yeast (about 1T.)
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. warm water
2/3 c. melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. canned pumpkin
7-7 1/2 c. flour
Dissolve yeast in water.  Add sugar, melted butter, eggs, salt and cinnamon; mix well.  Stir in pumpkin and 3 cups of the flour.  Beat until smooth.  Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.  Knead in your mixer for 5-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  Let rest 10 minutes.  Divide dough in half.  Roll out each half into an 18x9 inch rectangle.  Brush each rectangle with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.  Sprinkle each half of combined mixture with 1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon (Sara used brown sugar instead).  Roll up narrow end; press ends to seal.  Fold ends under loaves.  Let rise until doubled.  Brush loaves with additional butter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.


NAAN INDIAN BREAD
Karalee Monson

2/3 c. warm water
1 tsp. dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 TB yogurt
2-3 TB ghee
(this is butter without the whey, melt your butter and scoop off the white stuff, what is left is ghee.  I don't know how important it is to use ghee, I think real butter melted works just fine.)

Stir water, yeast, sugar in a bowl.  When you have your ghee (butter) ready Mix is and yogurt with the water mixture then add flour, and salt.  Knead well.  Let rise for 1/2 - 1 hour.  Divide into about 7 portions.
Flatten each like a scone.
Cover cookie sheet with foil.  Heat oven to hottest setting - I just turned it on broil.
Cook Naan 2 or 3 at a time turning when upside is golden-it takes about 1 minute per side.

Our family loves these with honey butter and jam or for dinner as navajo tacos.  They are really easy, yummy and healthier that frying.  


LEMON CHEESE BRAID
Karlie Himle

1 T. SAF yeast
1/4 c. warm water
3-4 c. flour
1/2 c. milk, scalded and slightly cooled
2 eggs
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine 2 cups of the flour with the remaining ingrediants.  Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth.  Let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, for filling mix:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 c. raisins (optional)

After dough rests, roll out into a rectangle (12x14 in.) and set onto a lightly greased baking sheet.  Spread the filling down the center 1/3 of dough.  Cut outer thirds on either side into 1 in. strips and braid.  Let rise until double and then bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. 
Make a glaze using 1/2 c. powdered sugar, 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 T. butter, melted.  Mix together and spoon over warm bread.