The kitchen is my favorite thing about the house now, whereas before, it was my least favorite room. I am very happy with how it's laid out, very easy to use.
I used two different recipes for my hotdog and hamburger buns just to see what I liked better. The hamburger bun recipe was very easy and is really tasty. I shaped mine the way they said to, but next time I make them, I will flatten the balls after I form them, to get a more traditional hamburger bun shape. I might also make 8 instead of 12, because the buns were pretty small, though flattening them might make them big enough around to stick with 12.
Hamburger Buns
2 Tbs active dry yeast
1 C plus 2Tbs warm water
1/3 C vegetable oil
1/4 C sugar
1 egg
1 tsp salt
3- 3 1/2 C all-purpose flour
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar; let stand for 5mins. Add the egg, salt, and enough flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5mins. Do not let rise. Divide into 12 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
Cover and let rest for 10mins. Bake at 425F for 8-12mins. or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
The hotdog one takes longer just because it has to rise and because shaping takes longer. I didn't follow their directions on how to shape, I just found it too confusing and difficult. I shaped mine using the heel of my hand to make each piece of dough into a rectangle, then rolling it up and pinching all the seams so that it looked like a fat cigar made of dough.
Hotdog Buns
1 Tbs sugar
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 C warm water
1 C warm milk
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
3 - 3 1/2 C all-purpose flour
In a large bowl, combine sugar, yeast, and warm water. Stir to dissolve and let set until bubbly, about 5 mins. Add in milk, vegetable oil, and salt. While stirring, gradually add the flour until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 2-4 mins, until smooth and supple. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, approx. 1 - 1 1/2 hrs.
Shaping:
Gently remove the dough onto a floured surface. Flatten it slightly into a large rectangle. Divide dough into thrids and divide each piece into thirds again. Cover unworked dough with a clean dishtowel while shaping. Gently flatten dough into a long rectangle. fold left and right sides to meet in the center. Fold the top and bottom sides towards the center. Keep pinching the edges together, pulling th dough into a tight roll shape. Repeat until you have 9 rolls.
Place buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a dishtowel. Let rise for 30 mins. Preheat oven to 400F. If desired, brush buns with egg wash. Bake for 20mins, remove to a rack to cool before slicing.