Nancy's Homemade Hamburger Buns

Did anyone happen to notice how especially lovely the hamburger buns looked in yesterday's Hawaiian Hamburgers post? 

That is because my mom made them, from scratch.

Wow.

I was very excited when she said she was going to be making us homemade hamburger buns because ever since summer weather hit Dallas (you know, back in February) I've been dreaming of trying out some bun recipes myself.

Hamburgers are an I-want-to-make-something-really-quick-and-easy menu item for me.  Usually I grab the 89 cent store brand 8-pack of buns...which are serviceable, but tasteless. 

And dry. 

And, no matter how hard I try to keep them at the top of my grocery bag pile, inevitably half squished by the time I get them home.

I'm sure that sometimes for convenience sake I'll reach for the 89 cent buns again. 

But I think hamburgers have just been transformed from an I-want-to-make-something-really-quick-and-easy menu item into an I-want-to-make-something-really-special menu item for me.

Sometimes you just want to make a really special hamburger.  What could make a great burger more special than a homemade bun?!

Yum!

This recipe my mom got from her friend Nancy.  Nancy is a bread making master so we knew these were going to be good.  

They were amazing.

I don't have to try out any other bun recipes.

Thank you, Nancy...and thank you, Mom!!

I can't wait to make these myself.

My Mama

Nancy's Homemade Hamburger Buns

1 cup very warm water 
1/3 cup oil
2 Tbl. sugar
2 Tbl. yeast
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups flour

Mix first four ingredients and let rest 15 minutes in the KitchenAid bowl. Add egg, flour, and salt. Mix and knead 5 minutes. Roll 1/2-3/4 inch thick and cut out rolls with glass.*


Arrange on cookie sheet that has been lightly sprayed or buttered. Let rise 30 minutes. Brush tops lightly with melted butter and bake at 425 for 8-9 minutes. 

*We also tried hand-forming a few rolls and actually liked the shape of the hand-rolled buns a little bit better than the glass-cut buns.  So next time I think I will skip the rolling out and cutting and just divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape into rolls.

Rosemary Focaccia

Here is my favorite focaccia recipe!  

I don't make loaf bread very often, but I do make focaccia regularly.  It goes with everything.  Italian dishes, soups, salads, everything.  And it's good all year long...focaccia never goes out of season. :)  It still has to rise for a long time (twice, take note!) but it somehow feels more manageable to me to make than other yeast breads.

Josh said the last time I made it, "I think this is the best bread I've ever eaten in my life."

It is really good.  

We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Rosemary Focaccia

1 2/3 cups warm water

1 (1/4 oz.) package (2 1/2 tsp.) active dry yeast

Pinch of sugar

5 cups flour

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbl. olive oil

2 1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbl. dry or chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. coarse (sea or kosher) salt

Stir together yeast with warm water, yeast and sugar in stand-up mixer bowl until yeast is dissolved.  Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.  (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

Add flour, 1/4 cup oil, and regular salt and beat with paddle attachment at medium speed until a dough forms.  Switch to dough hook and knead dough at high speed until soft, smooth and sticky, 3-4 minutes.

Knead with dough hook about a minute longer, then transfer to lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1- 1 1/2 hours.

Generously oil one 15x10x1 inch baking sheet or two cookie sheets.  Press dough evenly into large pan or form two circles and place on cookie sheets.  Cover completely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425.  

Stir together rosemary and remaining oil in small bowl.  Make shallow indentations all over top of dough with fingertips, then brush with rosemary oil, letting it pool in indentations.  Sprinkle coarse salt evenly over top.

Bake until golden, 18-25 minutes. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.  Best eaten same day you bake it.