Ahh, the aroma of freshly baked bread has got to be one of my favorites!!  I have not yet mastered the process of kneading and baking loaves of bread from scratch, but this recipe when done in a bread machine is top notch.  It takes only minutes to measure the ingredients into the machine and then a few more minutes to shape them and put them into the oven.

These buns are so wonderful that they have become a popular request from family and friends when they come over for a meal or we get together for the holidays.  We have also sold dozens of buns for graduation parties, church banquets or simply for someone’s family supper.  I plan to enter them in the county fair this next year.

The final quality of the buns can vary greatly depending on the quality of the ingredients used in the process.  It is amazing how different brands of flour and the freshness of the yeast play an important role in how well they rise.  So, here are the basic instructions:

Put these ingredients into the bread machine in the order given.

1 1/4 cups 2% milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

Then set your bread machine on the dough cycle and start.  It is usually a setting that takes about 1 1/2 hours.  When the cycle is complete, divide the dough into 12 equal portions.  Then gently pull the dough downward to make the top surface smooth as you tuck it under.  Place the dough balls evenly apart onto a greased baking sheet.  Cover with a towel and place inside your oven to rise for 1 hr.  Generally, the dough is already warm enough from the dough cycle that there is no need to preheat the oven for it to be warm for the rising process.  Just make sure the oven is not overly warm or the buns will flatten out too much in the rising process.  After allowing to rise for 1 hr, remove the buns from the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees.  Once the oven reaches 400, immediately drop the temperature to 375 and put the buns in the oven.  After 8 minutes, I rotate the pan and then bake for another 8 minutes.  Voila!!  You now have beautiful, perfect buns that your family will want to devour immediately.

igourmet foodies delight

Exploring igourmet website is like a miniature exploration of paradise.  The first time I visited igourmet my mouth started to water from the first view of the home page. Exploring the vast pages of the selection of the best and exquisite foods was a pleasant and heart warming experience.  Anyone who loves great food and enjoys thinking about sampling new foods and trying new recipes will love to peruse the pages of igourmet looking for new tasty bite.

If you spend time watching any cooking shows on the Food Network, igourmet can help you find the rare ingredients that chefs and hosts like Alton Brown include in their tips and in the recipes they demonstrate.

What to try at IGOURMET

In exploring the vegetable and fruit page on igourmet I came across black truffle paste.  Although it is not the same as fresh black truffle, it is a nice way to add an exotic taste to the finest dishes that you prepare.

Igourmet offers several different clubs that allow you to enroll in a membership program and receive a montly package from igourmet with a sampling of their delicious foods.  My favorite of the month club is the Connoisseur of the Month Club.  In this club igourmet sends you food that takes you on a journey around the world so each month you explore the flavors from a different country or region in the world.  Their other clubs include cheese, coffee, tea, salsa and others.

If the movie Chocolat inspired you about the pleasure of drinking chocolate or cocoa, you will find at igourmet the best drinking chocolates of the world La Parisienne Couture Cocoa is just one of the many options that can entice your taste buds.

If you are not the chef or cooking person but love the taste of fine food at home, igourmet has a whole department of prepared dinners, sides, and desserts that will allow you to enjoy a delicious dinner yourself of host a dinner that will have all your guests talking with items like Maryland Crabcakes, Whole Cooked Lobster, or even Chateaubriand.

Please forgive me for only giving you a brief glimpse of all the glory of this great online service, and allow me to take months to explore all the delicious foods that igourmet has to offer.