Pesto Rolls

I keep saying this to everyone I know- these rolls are so going to get me in trouble (like the "there's more of me to love" kind of trouble). I made them for a community lunch that we had at our church this past weekend & now after eating a few, I'm really excited about the possibilities that they hold. For starters, they are super easy to make & although they took about two hours, most of that time was spent anxiously pacing around my kitchen, waiting for them to rise (yeah right, I was washing dishes). So they're pretty simple = win for me.

But then there's the whole slew of combinations that you can throw in the center. This dough will work wonderfully for cinnamon rolls (just sub the pesto & cheese for cinnamon, brown sugar, & butter). But then what about cheesy rolls (a lovely variety of cheeses) or artichoke dip rolls or roasted red pepper & feta rolls? Oooh or spinach & feta rolls. Pepperoni pizza rolls? Butter & garlic rolls? Really, the possibilities are endless.

I'm thinking that I might make a big ol' batch of rolls & then try freezing them after they are cut. What would be better than taking some already-made rolls out of the freezer to bake on a lazy Saturday morning?

These rolls might be the end of me, but it will be a very happy ending.

(like our new magnetic strip for our knives??)

Pesto Rolls
Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water (115 degrees F)
1/2 cup warm milk (115 degrees F)
1 egg (room temperature), slightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons demerara
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour
1 (.25 ounce) package (2 1/4 tsp) instant dry yeast
1/2 cup pesto
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
Place water, milk, egg, melted butter, sugar, & salt in a Kitchen Aid mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of flour on top of all the liquid mixture, sprinkling yeast on top. Using the dough hook, knead bread mixture on speed 3 until dough is smooth & elastic adding additional flour as needed (approx. 5-7 min.). Place dough in a greased bowl & cover with a wet towel. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour in a warm area.

(I've found that if I preheat oven to 200 while the dough is kneading, then turn the oven off when kneading is complete & stick my covered bowl into the oven & leave the oven door cracked open a bit, the dough will rise quicker).

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface & roll into a rectangle slightly larger than a 9×13 pan. Spread surface evenly with pesto & sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Beginning with the long side, roll dough pinching the seam to seal. Cut into equal slices & place them in a greased muffin tin. Cover with a damp towel & allow to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from muffin cups & serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Savory Sweet Life

If you haven't already, you should follow me on bloglovin' (this incredible site that organizes all of your favorite blogs- there's even an app!)