Jamie Cooks It Up!

I need all the help I can get in the kitchen, so I am thrilled to introduce Jamie and her food fabulousness as my guest poster today~enjoy!!

Hello to all you fabulous blog reading gals out there! I am happy to be doing a guest post here this fine morning at 320 Sycamore. I write a family friendly food blog called Jamie Cooks It Up! I post a new recipe about 3 times a week complete with pictures and step by step instructions. I don't post anything that's not DE-LICIOUS. Or "de-wish-uss" as one of my three year olds says.

As you may have guessed, I have a great recipe to share with you today!

Now don't get worried.

Don't break into a cold sweat....

The recipe I have lugged on over from Jamie Cooks It Up! contains YEAST....

Yes.
You betcha.
Yeast!
If you haven't ever worked with my good pal yeast, don't be afraid! I've got some great tips for you and these great Quick and Easy Breadsticks are going to make you Baking-She-Ra of the Neighborhood. They can be made from start to finish in about 45 minutes.

I am not even foolin'.
I have a great new recipe up today at Jamie Cooks It Up! that uses this very same dough....but with a heavenly cream cheese and fruit topping.
Oh Yum.
Totally, yum.
Let's dust off our aprons and get crackin!

Quick and Easy Breadsticks

Yield: 36 small breadsticks

Time: 45 minutes start to finish

Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

1 1/2 C warm water

1 T yeast (you may use active dry, or instant)

2 T sugar

1/2 t salt

3 1/2 - 4 C flour
1/4 C butter

1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

Johnny's Garlic Seasoning

1. Add your yeast to 1 1/2 C warm water.

2. Throw your sugar right along there with it, stir it around to incorporate. Pour it into your Kitchen Aid or Bosch Mixer. If you are making the recipe with out a stand mixer then dump the yeast/water mixture into a large bowl. Also, if you are using a Bosch Mixer you'll want to double the recipe. One batch isn't quite enough to fill up a Bosch.

3. Let the yeast/water mixture sit for about 5 minutes. It should get all nice and bubbly for you. Nice and bubbly is what you want.

4. Add the salt and then add flour 1 cup at a time, allowing about 30 seconds to mix or knead between each additional cup. After all of the flour is added mix on high (or knead) for 5 minutes. Then let your dough rest for 5 minutes.

5. While the dough is resting melt your butter and pour 2 T of it onto a large jelly roll pan, or cookie sheet.

6. Place the dough on the buttered sheet and let her rest for 5 more minutes. Don't skip this step, gals. You want to be ruler-of-the-dough. If you don't let her rest she is not going to move like you want her to. Just trust me and let the old girl rest....

7. Press the dough out to the edges of the pan. It should be easy! Press from the middle out.

8. Pour the remaining 2 T of butter onto your stretched out dough and spread it around to cover the entire top.

9. Johnny's Garlic Seasoning is going to be your true pal, here. The flavor is amazing! I purchase it in bulk at Costco. Sprinkle it all over the top of your dough. Then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top as well.

10. With a pizza cutter cut the dough into inch wide strips.

11. Then cut the dough lengthwise into thirds. Put the cookie sheet into a warm 170 degree oven and let the dough rise for about 10 minutes. Turn your oven up to 350 and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown.

12. When the breadsticks are done use the pizza cutter again to redefine the cutting lines.

13. I usually take a pair of cooking scissors to the edges of the pan to clip the part the pizza cutter can't reach.

Voila! Your Quick and Easy Breadsticks! Serve these babies hot with Luscious Italian Lasagna, or White Chicken Chili, or Italian Tortellini Soup....you won't be sorry! I hope you'll give them a try!