Thanksgiving is hands-down my favorite holiday.  It’s wonderful to take a few days off from work to spend time on what matters most to me: family, friends, and food.  Each year, my Mom hosts an amazing Thanksgiving dinner with the traditional fare including (but by no means limited to) turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and…potato dinner rolls!  Just as good with leftovers as they are fresh out of the oven, potato rolls are deliciously soft and melt right in your mouth.  These rolls don’t really taste like potatoes, but the addition of mashed potatoes gives the dough a fluffy texture.

A Thanksgiving without potato rolls is truly not a real Thanksgiving for my family.  My Mom has been making potato dinner rolls for as long as I can remember, and this was the year for me to learn.  The pressure was on!  I started out a rookie, and after two batches I felt like a seasoned pro.  After the first batch, I took a few pointers and adjusted the second batch.  Here are some tips:

1.  Good yeast is key.  When adding yeast to the warm water, make sure that it fully dissolves.  This ensures that your dough will rise.  Bad yeast = bad rolls.

2.  Patience pays with potatoes.   My first batch used potatoes that were not cooked boiled through, and it made mashing a bit more difficult.  The dough was not as fluffy as my second batch, which used well-cooked potatoes.  Much better to err on the side of over-cooked potatoes.

3.  Add ingredients one at a time.  In an attempt to be efficient, I added most of the ingredients all at once, and ended up with a fairly tough dough.

The potato rolls were a big hit – both during Thanksgiving and the days following (so good with leftovers!).  With a recipe this simple and results so delicious, I’ll definitely be hitting up this recipe many times before next Thanksgiving!

Potato Dinner Rolls
Makes 24 rolls

1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 F)
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup lukewarm mashed potatoes
7 – 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Dough Preparation

1.  In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

2.  Stir in sugar, salt, shortening, eggs, and mashed potatoes. Add 4 cups of flour and beat until smooth.

3.  Continue to add remaining flour until the dough is easy to handle. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  (Shortcut alert – if you happen to have a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook attachment, it’ll save a ton of time!  I used my Mom’s and now I can’t wait to get my own.)

4.  Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl (vegetable oil works fine) and turn greased side up. Cover bowl tightly and let sit at room temperature until the dough rises (at least 2 hours). You can store the dough for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Baking the Rolls

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Divide down into even sections and form rolls. Each batch should yield roughly 24 rolls. Place rolls on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for approximately 30 minutes.

2.  Bake rolls for 18-20 minutes, or until golden.

After living in Paris for a short time, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “So, how was the food?”  This is often asked rhetorically, as it is a well known fact that the French know how to eat very well.  Indeed, my meals in France were delicious – rich, hearty, and thoughtfully prepared.  And the truth is, while I miss the flavorful beef bourguignon, the slow-cooked cassoulets, or even the streetside crepes, what I consistently long for and crave, is le Croque Monsieur sandwich.

Yes, I’ve heard it before: “It’s just a fancy grilled ham and cheese sandwich, right?” Well, not quite. What makes this sandwich so special is the béchamel sauce, which consists of a flour-butter roux, hot milk, nutmeg, and cheese.  The sauce is poured over the toasted sandwich, then topped with grated Gruyere cheese.  Then the magic happens - the sandwich bakes for 5 minutes, during which the sauce soaks into the top layer of bread, creating an undescribable texture that is creamy and satisfying.

I used Ina Garten’s recipe as my guide for the béchamel sauce and cooking method.  I modified her recipe to serve 4 people (one sandwich per person). Also, her recipe suggests taking the crust off of the bread, but it’s perfectly fine to leave the crust on.  And, save your fancy bread for another dish – cheap, grocery store white bread makes a surprisingly authentic croque monsieur.

Take the recipe’s measurements lightly; the amount of cheese, ham, and mustard to use can be based on your preference.  However, it’s best to stick to the recipe for the béchamel sauce. If you find that the sauce isn’t thick enough after stirring in the hot milk for a few minutes, a little more flour can always be added.  To avoid clumping, make sure to mix the flour into some melted butter, then add and stir into your sauce.  Remember that the sauce will thicken once it’s removed from the heat.

To go along with my French café theme, I served my croque monsieur with cornichon (tiny gherkins) and Dijon mustard.  For my fellow Francophiles, consider enjoying this sandwich with a glass of kir or champagne. 
 
Croque Monsieur
Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe in her book Barefoot in Paris

Makes 4 sandwiches

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
3 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
8 slices white sandwich bread
Dijon mustard
1/2 lb Black Forest ham, sliced

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Once melted, add all of the flour and immediately stir with a wooden spoon.  After 2 minutes, the butter and flour will form a paste-like consistency. 

3.  Microwave the cup of milk for about 1 -2 minutes, or until bubbly.  Add the milk to the flour and butter mixture.  Whisk until the sauce is slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/4 cup Gruyere, and all of the Parmesan. 

4.  Lay the bread slices flat on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 5 minutes on one side, then turn each slice and bake for 2 minutes.  Remove cookie sheet from oven and let cool for a few minutes.

5.  Spread mustard on half of the bread slices.  Add ham and half of the leftover Gruyere.  Add the sandwich top and pour the cheese sauce over the sandwiches.  Sprinkle the last of the Gruyere and bake for 5 minutes.  Then, broil the sandwiches for 3 minutes, or until the cheese on top turns a light golden color.  Serve hot.