Buns in the Oven

No, not this kind of bun in the oven:

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Eventually, sure…but not now! Now, I’m talking about THIS kind of bun:

I found whole wheat flour on sale the other day, so rather than buying hamburger buns for my planned burger night, I opted instead to go the “hippie” route and just make them myself! Since my mom raised me in a house where making things like bread were fairly commonplace, bread baking isn’t nearly as daunting a task as some might think! I have to admit (sorry Mom!) I did use my KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook to do the first kneading! Hey, Adam had some stuff for me to proofread, so it kneaded while I read… it’s multitasking!

The recipe is super simple, and adapted from this Wheat Yeast Roll recipe from Allrecipes.com:

Whole Wheat and Flax Rolls

Ingredients

* 2 packets dry yeast

* 1/3 c. warm water (no more than 110 degrees)

* 1 c. milk

* 3 Tbsp. white sugar

* 1 tsp. salt

* 2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

* 1/2 c. white flour (unbleached if possible)

* 1/4 c. ground flaxseeds

* 1 Tbsp. butter or oil

Directions

Add the warm water to the bowl of your mixer (or a large mixing bowl). Sprinkle the yeast over, and allow to bloom for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a pan just until it bubbles (or in the microwave for about 1 minute). Stir in salt, sugar, and butter. Mix well until butter melts, then allow the mixture to cool. Add this mixture to the yeast and water and stir well. Add the flour and knead well until dough is smooth, about 8 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and cover. Allow to rise until doubled, about an hour. Punch down the dough, then divide into 8-12 small balls, depending on how large you want them. Allow to rise again for about 40 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 375* while the dough proofs. Bake the rolls 10-12 minutes until golden brown, and serve warm.

What did I serve on my rolls? Well, I had planned on a burger night this week, and originally planned on either beef or bison. But, plans change when a super-sized can of black beans are found in the cupboard! I have finally mastered the art of the black bean burger… this is QUITE an accomplishment! I’ve made dozens of batches of them, and while good, they haven’t been perfect, but I’ve got it now!

Perfect Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

* 32 oz. can black beans (or two smaller cans)

* 1 small onion, coarsely chopped

* 1 tsp. garlic powder

* 1/2 c. rolled oats

* 1 egg

Directions

Drain and thoroughly rinse the black beans and place in a food processor with the onion. Pulse until thoroughly mashed, then add the garlic powder, egg, and oats and then process until an even texture. Pre-heat oven to 375* and heat a skillet or griddle on the stovetop. Divide the bean mixture into 4 patties, and brown on both sides on the stovetop, then transfer to the oven for about 20 minutes until evenly cooked. Serve with desired toppings.

What were my desired toppings? Lucky for me, the lovely Brita at Mezzetta sent me some samples of their wonderful products (for free, not getting paid for this review, ok FTC?) and I needed to use some of them today! I placed my black bean burger on a homemade bun, topped it first with some Mezzetta roasted red peppers, then some low-fat Italian cheese, and then Mezzetta pesto. Um, yeah, this was amazing.

The pesto, while salty, seriously rivaled any that I’ve had out, and sweet roasted red peppers are among my favorite foods. Thank you for making my boring burgers into a delectable meal, Mezzetta!

I also had some Low & Slow sweet potatoes on the side. I used to make my sweet potatoes like this waaaay back when, and thanks to Ashley, I remembered the amazing method. I was sad when they were gone.

It’s a “Top” night tonight, with both Top Model and Top Chef Masters, so I’m parking and watching… have a wonderful evening, and a beautiful Thursday!

Tagged as: Baking, bread, burger, simple recipe, vegetables, vegetarian