Aunt Martha's Rolls

Malachi enjoying his Thanksgiving Dinner in 2010.

I came across an unexpected treasure the other day. It was a recipe for Aunt Martha's rolls that had been written on a stained and very old envelope.

Aunt Martha was a great cook, but it her dinner rolls that made your mouth water. She always made them for those family occasions like moving cows, farm work days or branding time.

You could make them up ahead and freeze them. And, if you were so inclined, roll them out to a 1/2 inch for buns.

I will apologize in advance, because I don't see an oven temperature or baking time on my little envelope, but here is her recipe:

Martha's Rolls

Scald a 1/2 cup of milk

Add 2 or 3 tbs. of potato flakes

Add 1 1/2 cups of water until the temperature is warm.

Sprinkle 2 pkg. of yeast (2 tbs.).

Add to Flour Mix.

Flour Mix:

2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour

Add a 1/2 cup of oil

Add 1/1/2 tsp. Of salt.

Start adding white flour to the mixture until smooth.

Put entire mixture into a greased bowl.

Let it rise once or twice.

You can choose to have dinner rolls or buns.

This recipe is more of a family memory, like your grandma's fabulous pies or Fruit Cocktail Salad with Marshmallows. And who can top a Lime Jello Salad with Grated Carrots and Sharp Cheese?

Recipes are meant to be shared. You do have a certain license to leave out a key ingredient if it is a secret recipe. Just don't leave out the flavor!

I haven't baked bread for years. I am not even sure that I still can. But I have been taking the time to start my grandchildren cooking and baking from the very cookbook that I learned to cook from myself.

Memories can be made in the kitchen so inexpensively. I enjoy the excitement that KaeLynn and Nathaniel share in gathering measuring cups, flour, salt, eggs and other key ingredients.

My mother had an entire drawer of recipes in her kitchen the entire time that Bev and I were growing up. Some of them were cut out of magazines or newspapers. Others were written on a scrap of paper.

The enjoyment of food is a universal language in itself. We can always find something good to say when food is being discussed.

Here is one last memory and baking tip that Aunt Martha passed on to those of us whose desserts may not have turned out as pretty or tasty as we would like.

"A Little Bit of Whipped Cream" makes any dessert a tasty treat and disguises a less than perfect presentation.

Have a great week everyone!