For Thanksgiving: Potato Pan Rolls

Is your kitchen humming the prelude to Thanksgiving, too? Mine surely is, as all that can be made ahead is being made ahead. When all the heavy lifting of cooking the big meal is spread over the previous days, it leaves only light duty for Thanksgiving Day. It's a win, for sure when, on the holiday, all I have to do is re-warm sides, roast the turkey, make the gravy, and set the table. The year that I discoverd how delicious baked mashed potatoes are, was the year that put even those into the make-ahead column. (You should try it if you haven't - bake mashed potatoes in a oven-proof dish until they're puffed and tinged golden brown on top.)

So, here it is: yesterday was breads; today is desserts and sides; tomorrow, turkey.

But you're probably wondering most, given the pictures, about these dinner rolls. Loves, they're so good. Tender and infinitely moist, with the sweet + nutty of honey and wheat. And they re-warm beautifully, making it possible to make them even weeks ahead to be kept in the freezer until you need them. If, in the flurry of your holiday meal preparations, you're still in need of dinner rolls, well, here you go.

This recipe came from a dear friend, and was an instant hit with some boys I know.

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Potato Pan Rolls

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup potato water

4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons salt

3 cups whole wheat flour

3-4 1/2 cups all purpose white flour

Cover potatoes in a saucepan by two inches of cold water; bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft. Drain potatoes, reserving 1 cup of the potato water. Let potatoes and potato water cool to 110°- 115° F. Mash the potatoes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle yeast and sugar over cooled potato water, stir, and let rest for 5 minutes or until yeast gets foamy. Add mashed potatoes, butter, oil, eggs, salt, and wheat flour and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add remaining flour and knead with the dough hook until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, 1-2 hours. Remove cover and punch dough down. With greased hands, form dough into generous golfball size portions. Place in on a parchment paper covered sheet pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, approximately 20 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20-25 minutes.

Baked, cooled rolls can be frozen in an air-tight container. Reheat in a sealed, oven-proof container or foil packet at 325° until warm.