One dough makes five shapes of dinner rolls

If you want to make Grandma proud this Thanksgiving, homemade dinner rolls are a sure thing.

Or perhaps it's Grandpa who will be most impressed, especially once you've exchanged a covert glance with Grandma, who will know that you discovered her secret: Making rolls from scratch isn't that difficult.

You needn't mention that producing fluffy, flavorful rolls has become even easier now with inventions such as instant yeast and potato flakes.

Let us give thanks, indeed.

Now, before you dismiss bread as superfluous in the midst of a huge holiday repast, consider that dinnerware once had bread-and-butter plates specifically for rolls, which speaks to a certain style that diners once took for granted. While such plates mostly have gone the way of finger bowls and napkin rings, the idea of dinner rolls and the elegance they represent is worth preserving.

This is even more true when one basic dough recipe can be turned into a variety of shapes, resulting in a bread basket that looks as tantalizing as it tastes, piled with classic cloverleafs, buttery fan tans, seeded knots and crescents.

The recipe here is for a soft dinner roll. Using some oil along with the butter makes them especially plush, while still preserving their butteriness. As for instant potato flakes, they don't always have to be made into potatoes! Added to dough recipes, they provide another level of flavor, and also make an especially tender bread.

Yeast also has been considerably simplified, thanks to "instant" or quick-rise formulations developed for bread machines; these can be whisked directly into the flour. No more proofing the yeast in warm water to see if it bubbles. Yeast dough, however, does benefit from a bit of warmth to jump-start the action, so the milk is heated just to the point where you can comfortably swirl your finger in the pan. Add the butter to melt a bit while you combine the dry ingredients.

While heavy-duty mixers enable you to let a motor do the kneading, a little hand-kneading is a wonderful thing, as you feel how the dough evolves from a rather dense mass to become smooth, glossy, even bouncy.

Your mood may do the same thing.

And you wonder why Grandma always was so even-tempered? A kitchen holds all sorts of little secrets.

---

Baked rolls may be frozen, then thawed at room temperature. Reheat in a foil-covered pan for 15 minutes at 300 degrees.

DINNER ROLLS

1 cup milk (not skim)

2 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces

2 tablespoons oil

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons instant yeast (see note)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cups instant potato flakes

1 tablespoons butter, melted, if making fan tans

1 egg

Sesame seeds, poppy seeds or coarse salt, if desired

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until you can just comfortably swirl your fingertip in the milk. Remove from heat and add butter and oil. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour (fluff it up before spooning into a measuring cup, then level with a knife), yeast, salt, brown sugar and potato flakes. Using a mixer or by hand, stir in the milk mixture, beating until the dough comes together and "cleans" the sides of the bowl.

Scrape dough onto a very lightly floured countertop and knead by stretching half the ball of dough away from you, then folding it back upon itself. Give the dough a quarter-turn and repeat, stretching, folding and turning until the dough becomes smooth and springy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Try not to add any additional flour as that will make your rolls tough. If necessary, dust only your hands with flour. Place dough in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for an hour; the dough will look puffy.

Shape rolls as directed below, cover with a light cloth and let rise about 45 minutes until puffy.

For a glossy crust, brush with 1 egg beaten with a teaspoon of water.

Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, or a few grains of coarse salt, if desired. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 350-degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 16.

Note: Instant yeast may be called rapid-rise or bread machine yeast.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 136; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 210 mg; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Saturated fat: 1 g; Calcium: 25 mg; Protein: 3 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Dietary fiber: 1 g

---

To make various shapes

Cloverleafs: Divide the dough into 16 pieces. Divide each piece into thirds. Roll each piece into a small ball, then place 3 balls in each cup of lightly oiled muffin pans. (Pour some water into any empty cups before baking.)

Fan tans: Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half into a 10-inch square. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 4 equal strips. Brush each strip with butter, then stack them. With a sharp knife, cut stack into 8 equal pieces, then place each piece on edge in each cup of lightly oiled muffin pans. Repeat with remaining dough.

Crescents: Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half into a 10-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Starting at the widest end, roll up each piece, taking care to tuck the "tail" under when placing it on a baking sheet lightly oiled or covered with parchment paper.

Knots: Divide dough into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch strand. Make a loop halfway up the strand, bringing the "tail" up through the hole.

Bring the other end over the loop and tuck it inside the knot. Place on baking sheet lightly oiled or covered with parchment paper.

Snails: Divide dough into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch strand. Wind up the strand to form a spiral, tucking under the outside end. Place on baking sheet lightly oiled or covered with parchment paper.