Take Some Time to Save Some Time on Healthy Lunches > LASSENS

Homemade Lunch Rolls

Making lunches before school was always such an ordeal at our house. With kids going different directions and with different schedules and tastes, it was a huge challenge every weekday morning.

lassensloves.com, Lassen's, Lassens, healthy+lunches, lunch+ideas, lunch+rolls, lunch+pockets

But one year I started doing something that made a big difference. And yesterday I recreated it with four grandsons: We made pizza and ham-n-cheese rolls.

Back in the day, about once per month, I would make a large batch of these rolls. Then I would individually wrap and freeze them, and each morning the kids could choose the kind they wanted (or make another kind of sandwich) and pack their own lunch. Since the roll was frozen, it would slowly thaw until it was just right at lunchtime.

It seems like a big job, but the kids had fun helping to make them, and then the morning routine was much faster.

You Will Need:

https://sites.google.com/site/lassenslovesgaylerecipes/homemade-healthy-lunch-rolls

Makes 12-15 Lunch Rolls

2 cups organic whole wheat flour, divided
2 cups organic unbleached white flour, divided
1 TBSP yeast (or two packages)
1 cup organic whole or 2% milk
1/4 cup organic raw sugar
1/3 cup organic butter
2 organic eggs, beaten
Fillings such as pizza sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sliced ham, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, left-over shredded chicken, pulled pork, etc

Step One:

Make the Dough

Blend 1 cup each of whole wheat and white flour, add the yeast and stir together

Heat to about 100 degrees (it should feel slightly warm to the touch) the milk, sugar, and butter. Do not overheat or you will kill the yeast.
Slightly beat the eggs with a fork

Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture, and blend on low with a hand mixer
Add the eggs and mix at medium speed for 3 minutes
Add 1/2 cup of white flour and 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and blend, using a wooden spoon

Remove the spoon and blend with your hand until the flour is incorporated. Add enough of the remaining flour to get a smooth and slightly sticky dough. You don’t want it dry.
Pick up the dough and pour 2 tsps organic olive oil on the bottom of the bowl. Put the dough on top of the oil and turn it over and over until it is coated. This will prevent the dough from drying out.

Cover with a clean light dish towel, and let raise until double in size. This depends on the temperature of the room, but it will take at least an hour

Gather your fillings
When the dough has risen double, punch it down and clear your workspace. Since I had helpers, I cleared the whole counter!
Take about a 1/3 cup size of dough, and flatten it into a circle about 5″ across and 1/4 inch thick

Add your fillings–pizza sauce, pepperoni, cheese, or ham and cheese (Sun-dried tomatoes and olives would be great! Or chopped broccoli and cheese!)

Fold up three edges and pinch together, and then fold up the rest and pinch together to hold the filling inside

I did it!

Place the rolls on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray

Brush with butter. This will help the rolls to bake a golden brown color.

Allow to raise for about an hour. The won’t get significantly bigger, but you’ll see the dough gets puffier.
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until golden