Sweet Rolls and Apple Walnut Stuffing

Hope everyone is enjoying time with their family, I know I am!

Well, Thanksgiving is over.  It's been eaten once, eaten twice, and picked over.  As is the tradition in my family, we went and picked up our Christmas Tree on Black Friday and decorated the house for Christmas today.  I don't know why but for some reason that relaxes and makes me enjoy the holidays more than shoving and clawing my way through crowds of people at the mall.  Crazy, I know!

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I made my favorite apple pie (I'll post that recipe soon) and crust and my friend Amanda's amazing stuffing that we had last year.  I spent the past 11 or so months hounding her for the recipe!

Amanda's Apple Walnut Stuffing

(from my awesome friend Amanda)

4.5 cups water

3 cups stuffing mix

12 Tbsp (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 diced yellow onion

3 diced Granny Smith apples

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 cups finely chopped walnuts

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

1/8 tsp nutmeg

In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter.  Add diced onions, apples, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Sautee over medium heat, stirring until tender.

In a large saucepan, boil water and 12 Tbsp butter.  Once boiling, add boxed stuffing mix and apple mixture all at once.  Stir thoroughly and remove from heat.  Allow to stand 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and serve.

(Side note: I prepared this a day before and put it in a covered 9x13 casserole dish in the fridge.  The next day I popped it in an oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, refluffed and served.)

I made mashed potatoes from the pioneer woman...

My usual pumpkin pie...

And sweet rolls adapted from the Brown Eyed Baker!

Sweet Rolls
(adapted from brown eyed baker)

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
3 Tbsp melted butter, to brush

Place water and milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 1 minute.  Add yeast and sugar, stirring to dissolve.  Allow to sit in a warm draft-free place for about 15-20 minutes until foamy.

Pour into the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment.  Add salt, 1/3 cup soft butter, and egg.  Mix on low until smooth.

Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until combined.  

Switch to the dough hook and knead with the mixer for 5-10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.

On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, divide dough into 16 equal sized pieces and roll into balls, placing on the parchment.  Cover with a clean dish towel and allow to rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

Remove towel and brush with 1/2 of the melted butter.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400 about 10-15 minutes.  Remove, brush with remaining butter.  Serve immediately.