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THE SEMISWEET SISTERS

Two sisters who love to bake...

Old Fashioned Oil Biscuits (Foolproof)

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Old Fashioned Oil Biscuits (Foolproof).


This recipe for Old Fashioned Oil Biscuits is only one of two recipes I have for biscuits that have been foolproof for me. My cheese biscuits are the only other biscuit recipe that turns out for me. My sister can make the best buttermilk biscuits but I have always struggled to make biscuits that don’t turn out like hockey pucks that are flat and hard. This recipe is a classic and it is is easy. If I can make it then I consider it foolproof.

This recipe uses only basic ingredients which is a plus if you are like me and you haven’t been to the grocery store in a month.

Recipe makes 10-12 medium sized biscuits. We also cut the recipe in half to make small batches sometimes.

Old Fashioned Oil Biscuits (Foolproof)
 
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Recipe type: Bread
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, salt). Add oil and milk. Mix together just until ingredients are combined.
  3. Roll into 2.5" balls.
  4. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down slightly with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass so the tops are flat. Place them so the edges are touching.
  5. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

 

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Homemade Bagels in the Bread Machine

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Homemade Bagels made in a Bread Machine or with a stand mixer fitted with dough hook.

These are pretty easy to make if you have a bread machine. You could also use a kitchenaid mixer with the dough hook. They are WAY better than store bought. Make sure you boil them in the honey or they will not be good!

These make medium size bagels (smaller than store). You can make larger ones but they will take a few more minutes in the oven.

Your dough should look like this after it mixes a few minutes. If it’s too dry add water by the tablespoon until it’s right or do the same thing with flour if it’s too wet.

   


Homemade Bagels in the Bread Machine
 
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Recipe type: bread
Serves: 18
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cups warm water
  • 2¼ teaspoons rapid rise yeast
  • 4¼ cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • For Boiling:
  • 4 cups water
  • ¼ cup honey
Instructions
  1. Add warm water and yeast to bread machine, let sit for 2 mins. Then add all the rest of the ingredients (except the 4 C of water and the honey) and set to dough cycle.
  2. Once dough is done, put out of floured surface and preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line 3 pans with parchment or non stick sheet. Divide dough into 18 pieces. Roll them out into a log shape and press the ends together. Let them rise for 15 mins.
  3. Put 4 cups of water and the honey in small medium pan and get to a boil. Drop 2-3 dough circles into the boiling mixture for 45 seconds flipping half way, and then place on the baking pans.
  4. Bake at 475 degrees for 9-11 mins. make sure you don't over bake.

 

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Dairy Free Hot Dog Buns

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Dairy Free Hot Dog Buns.

Perfect Dairy Free Homemade Hot Dog Buns. These Hot Dog buns have just the right texture & flavor.

 

 

I’ve shared the images above so you can see how to shape them. You divide the dough into 8 pieces, roll each piece into a 3×5″ rectangle (doesn’t need to be perfect). Then fold it to the center on one side then fold the other side on top of that. Flip it over, tuck the ends under a little, place on cookie sheet about 1″ apart. Let rise.

I love homemade bread. These hot dog buns taste better then the store bought ones. They are made without all those weird unhealthy preservative chemical ingredients and without high fructose corn syrup and also dairy free!

Makes 8 hot dog buns.

*I make this using my bread machine (amazon affiliate link) & just add all the ingredients together (I like to start by adding the yeast & water then everything else) & let my machine knead it for 10 min. on the dough setting then I turn it off. If your hand mixing you can add the ingredients to large mixing bowl, begin stirring with a large wooden spoon until dough ball forms then move to a lightly floured surface to knead.

Dairy Free Hot Dog Buns
 
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Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons yeast
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk (save egg white for brushing buns)
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • --Egg Wash--
  • egg white + 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
  1. *Add all ingredients together in the order listed then knead dough using your favorite method (by hand, bread machine, or stand mixer with dough hook) for 10 minutes until dough is smooth & elastic.
  2. Cover & let rise 1 hour or until double in size.
  3. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.
  4. Roll each piece on lightly floured surface into a 3x5" rectangle.
  5. Take the top (long side of rectangle) and fold to the center length wise, take the bottom piece and fold to the center length wise also. Flip over, gently tuck the end pieces under and place on greased cookie sheet. Place each roll ½-1" apart so they support each other & rise upwards.
  6. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  7. After rising brush with egg wash (to make egg wash whisk egg white & water together with fork).
  8. Preheat oven to 375 F. degrees.
  9. Bake 14-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

 

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Soft Italian Breadsticks (Dairy Free)

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Dairy Free Soft Italian Breadsticks.

This recipe makes soft dairy free breadsticks. I made them dairy free due to allergies at my house. We love to have breadsticks or garlic knots on spaghetti night. I used olive oil in the recipe instead of butter. When my sister makes these she brushes them with butter and sprinkles them with parmesan cheese, so if you don’t have any dairy restrictions you might want to give it a try. You can also add parsley or fresh garlic as toppings.

I used a bread machine to knead the dough like I almost always do but you can use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or knead by hand.

This recipe makes about 8 breadsticks depending on the size you make them. I just tried to divided the dough into 8 pieces then rolled each one out to about 6 or 7 inches long. Some ended up a little shorten then others but it’s all good.


Soft Italian Breadsticks (Dairy Free)
 
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Recipe type: Appetiser
Ingredients
  • ½ cup of warm water
  • 1¼ teaspoons quick rise yeast
  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (may use butter or vegetable oil also)
  • ½ Tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Topping:
  • 1½ tablespoon olive oil or melted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)
Instructions
  1. Add warm water & yeast to bread machine or mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients starting with the flour.
  2. Set your bread machine to dough cycle if your using a bread machine. Or use a stand mixer with dough hook to knead the bread or mix the dough by hand for about 15 minutes until dough becomes a soft elastic like ball. Add more flour or water if needed to get the right consistency.
  3. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  4. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6 or 7" rope.
  5. Place onto greased cookie sheet a couple inches apart.
  6. Let rise for 30-40 minutes
  7. Preheat oven to 375 F. degrees
  8. Mix olive oil and garlic powder together in small bowl.
  9. Brush breadsticks with oil mixture.
  10. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown.
  11. Brush with remaining olive oil/garlic mix.

 

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Soft Italian Bread

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Soft Loaf of Italian Bread.

I used to love the Soft Italian Bread that they sell at the grocery store with the red, white, and green logo. I haven’t bought bread from the store in ages though because I always make my own at home now. This recipe makes soft Italian Bread with a golden crust and reminds me of the store bought kind only 100% better!

When I make this bread recipe I use my bread machine to knead the dough, you can however still make this same recipe using your favorite method of kneading. Some people like to use their stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or they prefer to knead by hand. I have had really good luck using a bread machine for the knead cycle ONLY! You just set the bread machine to the dough cycle, it kneads the dough for you but does not bake it in the bread machine. So simple.


Soft Italian Bread
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon quick rise yeast
  • 1¼ cup warm water
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1½ Tablespooons sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon (not teaspoon) salt
  • 2½ Tablespoons oil
Instructions
  1. Grease cookie sheet pan and set aside.
  2. Add ingredients to mixing bowl or bread machine in order above.
  3. Mix/knead dough using your favorite method (by hand, using a stand mixer with dough hook, or a bread machine). Knead dough for about 10 min. or until it feels smooth & elastic but still a little tacky. You may need to add a little extra flour or water to get the right consistency.
  4. Let rise 1 hour (be sure to cover loosely).
  5. Roll dough into a 9x12" rectangle on a floured surface. Roll it up like a jelly roll the long way. Place on greased cookie sheet with the seam facing down.
  6. Make 3 or 4 shallow slits with a knife across the top of the dough.
  7. Let rise 30 minutes.
  8. Preheat oven to 375 F. degrees.
  9. Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

 

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Cinnamon & Sugar Knots (Dairy Free Option)

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Cinnamon & Sugar Knots with a dairy free option to make also.

These can be made with the dairy free version as well.  You just use oil instead of butter in the recipe. I’ve made it both ways. I took my garlic knot recipe and made a double batch of dough this weekend, making half of them into cinnamon and sugar knots for a dessert option. These would also be great with a little icing drizzled on top.

Shaping the knots…

I rolled out the dough into a 6″x8″ rectangle approximately. I used a pizza cutter to slice them into 1″ strips about 4″ long. Then you want to flour them on top a little so they don’t stick when you tie them into knots. You take each piece, tie it into a knot, tuck the ends under, & place on a greased cookie sheet to rise before baking. You can brush with oil/butter and dip in cinnamon & sugar before the knots rise on the cookie sheet or after.

I used a bread machine to knead the dough like I almost always do but you can use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or knead by hand.

Cinnamon & Sugar Knots (Dairy Free Option)
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ cup of warm water
  • 1¼ teaspoons quick rise yeast
  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (may use butter or vegetable oil also)
  • ½ Tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Topping:
  • 1½ tablespoon olive oil or melted salted butter
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Add warm water & yeast to bread machine or mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients starting with the flour.
  2. Set your bread machine to dough cycle if your using a bread machine. Or use a stand mixer with dough hook to knead the bread or mix the dough by hand for about 15 minutes until dough becomes a soft elastic like ball. Add more flour or water if needed to get the right consistency.
  3. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  4. Roll out on floured surface to a 6x8 inches rectangle (I use a rolling pin).
  5. Cut 1 inch thick strips, so each stick should be about 1x4 inches. Flour lightly & tie each strip into a knot, tucking ends under (I use a pizza cutter to cut the strips).
  6. Place onto greased cookie sheet
  7. Let rise for 30-40 minutes
  8. Preheat oven to 375 F. degrees
  9. Brush knots with oil mixture or butter. Dip or sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar mix.
  10. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

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