tasty baked potato soup & light wheat rolls

After a long day (or morning) of shopping you'll want to end the day with some yummy comfort food. Today's food for thought friday features a baked potato soup recipe I made on Monday--it was super tasty--and a yummy recipe for homemade wheat rolls.

Baked Potato Soup
2 T butter
1 c finely chopped onion
4 T flour
3 (14.5-oz) cans chicken broth
4 large or 8 medium baking potatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried basil
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 tsp garlic salt
2 c half & half

Garnishes
Grated cheese, sour cream, green onions, crumbled bacon

Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, white and black pepper, basil, Tabasco and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in half & half; heat through. Serve with garnishes. Serves about 8.


Light Wheat Rolls
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 3/4 c warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 c white sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 c butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, beaten
2 1/4 c whole wheat flour
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Mix sugar, salt, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg, and whole wheat flour into yeast mixture. Stir in all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled again, about 30 minutes. Grease 2 dozen muffin cups. Punch down dough and divide into two equal portions. Roll each into a 6x14 inch rectangle, and cut rectangle into twelve 7x1 inch strips. Roll strips up into spirals and place into muffin cups. Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise uncovered in a warm place 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush again with melted butter.

"Shopping is better than sex. If you're not satisfied after shopping you can make an exchange for something you really like." ~Adrienne Gusoff