Beautiful Brown Rolls -- The Batch That Started a Good Saturday

Three times now with Sarah — coffee Monday, a walk along the river in Billings Saturday (which she suggested, and which took six blocks of trying to figure out which direction to walk before we both just said the same direction at the same time, which she laughed at), and dinner at the steakhouse on Grand Avenue Thursday. I ate a T-bone. She had a salmon that she said was surprisingly good for a landlocked state. I said Montana has good fish. She said, "You must fish a lot." I said I do when I can and described the Musselshell, and she asked questions about the ranch with a genuine curiosity that wasn't performing curiosity for my benefit, which I appreciate because I can tell the difference.

I told Gary about the three dates on Thursday and he asked how I felt. I said good but scared. He said that's the right way to feel. I asked what the scared was for. He said, "The scared is because she's real and you care what happens. That's appropriate scared, not warning-sign scared." I said how do you tell the difference. He said, "Warning-sign scared makes you want to disappear. Appropriate scared makes you want to keep showing up and see what happens." I want to keep showing up.

The ranch is in pre-roundup mode now. I've been checking the pasture conditions, doing the final equipment check, calling Cody from the sale barn to see if he can work the roundup again. He can. I've also been thinking about the first real discussion with Sarah about the important things — the PTSD, the VA, the alcohol. Gary says don't lead with it but don't wait too long. "Third or fourth date," he said. This is the third week of dates. I'm in the window.

I made biscuits for no particular reason Saturday morning. The batch was good. Sometimes that's how days start and you just go from there.

I said I made biscuits that Saturday, and that’s true, but the biscuits got me thinking about the rolls I’ve been making since I learned the ranch kitchen rhythm — the kind of bake that doesn’t need an occasion, just a quiet morning and enough time to let the dough do what it does. These Beautiful Brown Rolls are what I reach for when the day feels like it could go somewhere worth going. They’re not complicated, which is the point. You mix them, you wait, you bake them, and the kitchen smells right, and then you go from there.

Beautiful Brown Rolls

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 1 hr 40 min (including rise) | Servings: 24 rolls

Ingredients

• 2 packages (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
• 2 1/4 cups warm water (110°F to 115°F), divided
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted (for brushing)

Instructions

1. Proof the yeast. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar in 1/4 cup of the warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Mix the dough. In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, remaining brown sugar, salt, and remaining 2 cups warm water. Add the yeast mixture and egg and stir to combine. Mix in the whole wheat flour until smooth.
3. Add all-purpose flour. Stir in enough all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft, slightly tacky dough.
4. Knead. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should spring back when pressed.
5. First rise. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
6. Shape the rolls. Punch dough down. Divide into 24 equal pieces and shape each into a smooth ball. Place in two greased 9x13-inch baking pans, spacing evenly.
7. Second rise. Cover and let rise again until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
8. Bake. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake rolls for 18 to 22 minutes, or until deep golden brown on top and cooked through.
9. Finish. Remove from oven and immediately brush tops with melted butter. Serve warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 155 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 175mg