tasty baked potato soup & light wheat rolls

After a long day (or morning) of shopping you'll want to end the day with some yummy comfort food. Today's food for thought friday features a baked potato soup recipe I made on Monday--it was super tasty--and a yummy recipe for homemade wheat rolls.

Baked Potato Soup
2 T butter
1 c finely chopped onion
4 T flour
3 (14.5-oz) cans chicken broth
4 large or 8 medium baking potatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried basil
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 tsp garlic salt
2 c half & half

Garnishes
Grated cheese, sour cream, green onions, crumbled bacon

Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, white and black pepper, basil, Tabasco and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in half & half; heat through. Serve with garnishes. Serves about 8.

Light Wheat Rolls
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 3/4 c warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 c white sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 c butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, beaten
2 1/4 c whole wheat flour
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Mix sugar, salt, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg, and whole wheat flour into yeast mixture. Stir in all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled again, about 30 minutes. Grease 2 dozen muffin cups. Punch down dough and divide into two equal portions. Roll each into a 6x14 inch rectangle, and cut rectangle into twelve 7x1 inch strips. Roll strips up into spirals and place into muffin cups. Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise uncovered in a warm place 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush again with melted butter.