EASY PEASY SOFT BREADSTICKS

Irresistible, pillowy-soft, butter-coated, twisty sticks of goodness.

There always has been, and I'm pretty darn sure, always will be, something unanimously beguiling about homemade bread.  Whether it's some unspoken link to the good old days, to carefree childhood times, to memories of warm, homey, cozy, deliciousness, or maybe it's simply an innate, heartfelt, homage to the revered art of bread making.

Whatever it is, I'm glad so many of us have this in common, as it makes whipping up a batch of breadsticks way fun, and effortlessy wipes a silly smile on your face.

For these, I do the dough in the breadmaker, then pull out the happy, kneaded, risen dough and make the sticks.  No worries if they are irregular, short or long, fatter or thinner.  No mattah', they're all irresistible.

As soon as the hot breadsticks come out of the oven, I always, quickly brush them with melted butter. Sometimes, if serving as a bit of a starter, I sprinkle generously with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and set out beside a bowl of warm tomato sauce for dipping.  They're perfect with soup, or pasta, or actually, come to think of it, just about anything. 

I always test one as soon as it's not too hot to handle, smeared with butter and drizzled with golden syrup.  Oh mama!!

In closing, here's a bit more Bread, for your listening pleasure, whilst you throw yeast and things in your breadmaker. 

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Adapted from Food.com, for The Last Wonton.
Thanks LoveBakedIn!

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EASY PEASY SOFT BREADSTICKS ~ Makes 12

1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup oil
3 cups flour

Add water, brown sugar and yeast to your breadmaker.  Let rest for about 10 minutes, so these ingredients get to know each other.  Then add salt, oil and flour, and let your breadmaker run its Dough cycle.

On lightly floured surface roll, or push dough into a rectangle approximately 10 x 12 inches.

With pizza cutter, cut dough into 12 strips.  Give each strip a  s t r e t c h , and a pull, then flop in half and twist, twist.  Lay strips on large, parchment covered baking sheet.  Cover loosely, and let rise for about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.   Brush with melted butter.  Serve warm, with more butter, and cheese, or tomato sauce, or maybe strawberry jam, or crabapple jelly.  Oh wait, or soft Brie and shaved 18 month prosciutto.  Oh my!