Oatmeal-Cloverleaf Rolls for Thanksgiving Day

Today is Thanksgiving...well, it is in the States.  Thanksgiving was a big deal when I was a kid growing up in Missouri.  It was sort of like a dress rehearsal for Christmas.  It was always exciting for me, all the food and family getting together.  There seemed to be dozens of cousins.  Now that I am living in Britain, Thanksgiving Day can go by practically unnoticed. 

I decided not to let that happen this year.  We didn't have a feast but I did make one of my favourite Thanksgiving Day foods, Cloverleaf Rolls.  

Now, these are cloverleaf rolls with a twist - the secret ingredients are old fashioned oats and soft brown sugar.   Curious?  Here's what you need to make them:

1 cup water
1/2 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 heaped Tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons or one packet dried yeast
2 1/2 cups flour (I used bread flour but plain flour will do)
2 Tablespoons warm water
Pinch of sugar
1 egg

Place the cup of water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Pour in the oats and salt and cook for a minute or two.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the brown sugar and butter.  Pour the oat mixture into a large mixing bowl and set to one side to cool to almost room temperature.

In a jug or small bowl, stir together the dried yeast, 2 Tablespoons of warm water, and a pinch of sugar.  In a few minutes you should see the yeast begin to bubble and foam. 

When the oatmeal mixture is just warm, add the egg and the yeast mixture to the bowl and stir until it is well incorporated.  

Add two cups of the flour and stir well to combine.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and knead it into the dough while it is still in the bowl.  The dough will be slightly sticky but DO NOT add more flour or the rolls will be tough.

Once the dough is kneaded, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place to rise. You will need standard muffin tins to form the cloverleaf rolls. Prepare the tins by buttering the inside of 12 muffin cups 

When the dough has doubled in size, gently knock it back.  Lightly oil your hands with vegetable oil and roll the dough into 36 small balls.  Place three balls into each muffin compartment.

Put the filled muffin tins in a warm place and let the dough rise a second time. While the rolls are rising, turn on the oven to 350F/180C to pre-heat thoroughly before baking.

When the rolls have doubled in size, bake them for 25 to 30 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown.  Let the rolls cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn them out and serve warm with lots of salty butter. 

Oatmeal-Cloverleaf Rolls, now that's something to be thankful for!