Breadsticks

I'm sorry I've been gone. I headed to Mississippi and back. It was very nice to see my family. I have been spoiled by my Aunt E did the cooking. Boy, she can cook. After a trip, the last thing I want to do is eat out. So when we arrive home, I asked the family what I should make. My family elected pasta. So, what goes better with pasta? Breadsticks! Yum! These breadsticks are so good.

Breadsticks
1 1/2 cups water (110 degrees)
1 packet (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp salted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Butter topping:
1/2 cups unsalted butter
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the water with the yeast and sugar. Allow to proof for 10 minutes.
3. Add the flour and butter to the yeast mixture. Mix until incorporated.
4. Knead the dough until the dough is smooth.
5. Divide the evenly and roll the dough into long strips. 
6. Cover the dough and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
8. Bake the breadsticks for 6 minutes.
9. While the breadsticks are cooking, combine the butter,  garlic powder, and salt.
10. Remove the breadsticks from the oven and brush with the butter topping.
11. Return the breadsticks to the oven and allow to bake for another 5 minutes or until the breadsticks are throughly cooked.
12. Remove from the oven and brush with the butter topping again.

Recipe adapted from Chef in Training.

One year ago..................................I made Summer Minestrone.
Two years ago.................................I made Kohlrobi Spring Rolls.
Three years ago...............................I made Blueberry Coffee Cake.

Did you already know..........................
-The Indian word Mississippi means great river in Ojibwa. 
-In 1817, Mississippi became the 20th state of the United States of America.
-In 1954, Oprah Winfrey was born in Mississippi.

Breadsticks to garlic knots

Isn't it funny how you can change an appearance of something and it becomes fancy? For an example, you can make pasta with macaroni noodles or Campanelle noodles. You can make breadsticks or more impressive garlic knots. Please feel free to continue my examples.

I asked my husband if he wanted breadsticks or would he prefer garlic knots. He replied garlic knots. The only difference between the two in this recipe is the shape. I have made this recipe before and always made breadsticks. I have no idea how Olive Garden or any other restaurant can get their breadsticks the same size. Even if I used a food scale, my bread sticks still would look different. I don't have time or patience for everything to be a duplicated copy but I was surprised how different each breadstick turned out. My breadsticks are like snowflakes with no two alike. My dough would shrink on some and others would be too skinny. I will never be hired at a breadstick factory. My oldest informed me that restaurants cheat with trays. Now, I have learned the secret of life.

The nice thing about garlic knots are it isn't so obvious the knots aren't exactly alike. The other thing I notices is with the breadsticks the kids want more. "What do you mean Mom there are no more? At the Olive Garden, we can always get more." (My kids really did expect me to have an unlimited supply.) With garlic knots, I can make the knots smaller and twice as many to serve. I did not double the recipe but for some reason my supply did not run out.

Garlic Knots from the Olive Garden Breadsticks
 1 1/2 cups hot water (not too hot to be uncomfortable to touch)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
3 Tbsp butter, softened
4 to 5 cups of flour
1 Tbsp yeast
3 Tbsp butter, melted
sea salt for topping
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. With the paddle attachment, add the hot water with the sugar in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the salt and softened butter.
3. Add 2 cups of flour and mix the ingredients on low. 
4. Add the yeast and add 1/2 cup of flour at a time until the dough scrapes the sides of the mixing bowl clean.
5. On medium speed, mix the dough for 5 minutes.
6. Spray a clean working area, a sharp knife, 2 cookie sheet and your hands with cooking spray.
7. Turn the dough onto the working area and roll the dough into a long log. 
8.  Cut the dough with the knife into 24 pieces.
9. Roll the dough into long rope then loop the dough up and tie it into a knot just like a knot in a shoelace.
10. Place the knots onto the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
11. Place the cookie sheet into the cold oven.
12. Turn the oven to 170 degrees F and allow the dough to rise for 15 minutes or double in size.
13. Remove the dough from the oven and brush with 1 1/2 Tbsp of the melted butter and sprinkle with the sea salt.
14. Return the cookie sheets to the oven. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F.
15. Once the oven is at 400 degrees F cook the garlic knots for 7 minutes. Switch the cookie sheets from top to bottom so both pans will cook evenly.
16. Cook the garlic knots for another 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown.
17. While the garlic knots are continuously baking, mix the remaining melted butter with 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
18. Remove the golden brown garlic knots from the oven.
19. Brush the garlic knots with the garlic butter.

Recipe adapted from Jamie Cooks It Up! and originally from The Food Network Magazine.

Did you already know...........
-There are more than 750 Olive Garden restaurants.
-Olive Garden belongs to the Darden Restaurants company.
-Darden Restaurants are one of the largest casual dining restaurant company consisting of Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Smokey Bones BBQ, etc.
-The Darden Restaurants contribute to the Darden harvest. The restaurants contribute their surplus food to help local food banks.