Clichés and Cornucopias

Thanksgiving tends to be cliché.

Of course, I feel ever so thankful for family and friends.  But, this gratitude is felt on a day-to-day basis.  It’s impossible to forget how thankful I am for my loved ones.

Who am I to argue with congregating around a table to feast on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and sweet dinner rolls?  I certainly take no issue with this celebration of food, family, and abundance.

Nevertheless, I stand by my original statement.  Thanksgiving feels rather cliché.

Why not commemorate the things one is thankful for more often?  After all, not a day should go by that anyone forgets to say, “I love you.”  This is not to suggest we should all carve out hours of each day to feast and be merry, clasping hands and singing kumbaya.  However, being thankful needs to me more than a conscious thought, more than a statement expressed solely on one November day.  Such gratitude should always be felt.

As long as one maintains this internal appreciation and love, and overtly expresses it with some frequency, Thanksgiving is superfluous “fluff.”  

Despite my humble opinion, I foresee Thanksgiving sticking around, which also means our poor refrigerators will experience little relief from overflowing holiday left-overs.  

As cliché as Thanksgiving is, it has reminded me to be more grateful for the hardy refrigerator.  To think how much those fridges do for society!  Without them, many of us would be subsisting on beef jerky and dried fruit.  They work especially hard around this time of year while being stuffed full of holiday sustenance.  To express gratitude for my refrigerator, I needed something to lighten its burden and serve as a tasty left-over receptacle. 

Hence, I give you: Cornucopia Rolls!

Cornucopia Rolls

Inspired by Diamonds for Dessert

• 1.5 – 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour (can substitute with all-purpose)
• 1/4 cup Saco cultured buttermilk blend
• 1 package (0.25 ounces) instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup very warm water (120-130 degrees)
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 3 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 egg, beaten + 1 teaspoon water

1. Stir together flours, cultured buttermilk blend, yeast, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl.  Using electric mixer with dough hooks, add very warm water and mix until dough is shaggy.  Add honey and melted butter.  Add additional flour until elastic dough forms.
2. Place dough ball onto a lightly-floured surface and knead several minutes.  Let dough rise in a lightly-greased bowl, covered, for 45 minutes.
3. While dough rises, make cones.  Take two sheets of thick magazine paper (the thickest sheets on the front or back cover of a magazine) and divide each sheet into 4 (which equates to eight 4″ x 5.5″ rectangles). 
4. Roll 6 of the 8 rectangles into a cone, starting from the smaller side so that the longer 5.5-inch sides comprise the top point and bottom circle of cone.  Secure cones with piece of scotch tape.
5. Wrap each cone with aluminum foil.  Secure foil onto cone by folding it over rims of the circle.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Punch air out of dough.  Using a scale or estimating visually, divide dough into 6 portions.  Roll one dough portion into a rope slightly over 2 feet long.  Gently coil rope around pre-made cone and place onto lined baking sheet.  Ensure that there are no exposed gaps of foil showing.  Repeat with remaining dough portions.
8. In a small bowl, beat together egg and water.  Brush egg wash over cornucopia rolls.
9. Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until slightly golden.  Let cool before removing cone molds.  To aid in removal of cone molds, twist and pull.  If this doesn’t work, cut along length of aluminum foil and magazine paper with scissors.  Fill with sandwich components, pot pie filling, turkey, stuffing, or other desired filling.

Tagged as: Bread, Breakfast, Holiday Food, honey wheat, Thanksgiving, whole wheat, yeast, yeast bread