Fall is here!

Over the last few years, fall has definitely become my favorite season.   Don't get me wrong.  I love summer, but there's nothing quite so cozy as cuddling up in a warm blanket or stepping out the door in a sweater and feeling just a little chilled.   I decided to compose a list to explain why fall is such a remarkable season:

• Sweaters
• Red, orange, yellow, brown...all the colors of the trees
• Apple cider
• Pumpkins - anything pumpkin flavored
• Crisp air 
• Cinnamon
• Leaves to play in or merely crunch
• Scarves!
• Leaving the windows open in the house 
• Getting out the warm blanekts
• Enjoying the warmth from an oven
• Candles
• Soup days-the days where feel the soup warming your entire body
• The Holiday season approaching
• Making autumn art with my students
• Pumpkin Patches
• Sweatpants
• Running outside and being cold afterwards
• Baking bread-specifically crescent rolls

The last one leads me to the reason for this blog.  I love crescent rolls!  It has been a tradition of mine at Thanksgiving to outdo the previous year's count for crescent rolls.  Currently, my record is 8 large ones, of course that includes gobbling down all the other Thanksgiving fixings too.  It still is over a month until Thanksgiving, but yesterday was the first cool day of the year here in Taiwan.  I celebrated by making crescent rolls.  

This recipe comes from my Aunt Connie.  She made it every Thanksgiving, and after years of practice, I think I have finally mastered how to make them.

Crescent Rolls
1 cup lukewarm water
3-4 Tablespoons yeast
3 cups water or milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 Tablespoon salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
Enough white flour to make a medium dough

Dissolve yeast in warm water.   Mix all ingredients and knead for 8-10 minutes.  Cover and the let the dough rise until it has doubled.  Take a handful of dough and roll into a 12 inch circle.  Spread with soft margarine, except for the center.  Cut into 12 wedges.  Roll each wedge, starting with wide end and tucking tip under.   (Sometimes I grab the wide end and rolling it up in the air).  Let rise on greased sheet for 30 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Brush with melted margarine if desired and cool.

Typhoon Fanapi

 Big Mac Veggie Burgers with Whole Wheat Buns

In Taiwan we don't get snow days, instead typhoon days.   I'd rather wake up to a world covered in snow than howling winds, but the excuse to stay indoors is always welcomed.  It only seemed right to bake some kind of bread on a cool and dreary day.  (I love rainy days!)  I just tried this bun recipe, and it turned out quite well.  I am always looking for ways to make things healthier, so next time I plan on omitting most of the sugar and adding more whole wheat flour.   I got the vegetarian patty recipe from Zach's Mom 2 summers ago, and they have quickly become our favorite veggie burger!

Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns
2 Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Warm Water
1/3 Cup Oil
1/4 Cup Sugar or less
1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups All-Purpose
1 3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the oil and sugar, and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.
Add the egg, salt, white flour, and 1 1/2 cups of the wheat flour, combining until it forms a soft dough.  Add the additional 1/4 cup of wheat flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes or so.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces, shape each into a thick disc, and place them on baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Lightly cover the balls of dough and let them rest for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish).
Pop them in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on a wire rack.  Yields 8 buns.

Big Mac Veggie Burgers 

½ c. garbanzo beans (1/4 c before soaking)

½ c water

1 c uncooked rolled oats

1 c finely chopped walnuts

1 med. Onion, minced

1-2 t salt

1 t sage

Whiz in blender, transfer to a bowl.  Add and mix with spoon.   Form patties in oiled skillet, brown both sides over med. Heat.  Don’t rush- cover for 1^st side serve in buns or in casserole with gravy.   

Mixing up the ingredients after they've been blended.

Frying the burgers.