Thanksgiving is fast approaching and soon we will be sitting down and eating a feast. Most people think you can’t have a Thanksgiving dinner without a turkey, but for me it is the rolls.

I remember growing up, my grandmother always made the best rolls, and we all looked forward to them each year. As a cook, I know first hand how hard it can be to get all of those dishes ready at the same time and also make homemade rolls.

There are several things you can do to save time on the big day and still have hot homemade rolls. Here are a few of my ideas.

Use Store Bought

If you are really pressed for time, then there are a bunch of store bought freezer rolls that you can buy. Most of these all you have to do is roll out the rolls, let them rise, and bake. This makes the rolls really simple and most taste similar to homemade.

Use a Bread Machine

Another way to save time is to use a machine. I like to use a bread machine. I measure out all of my dry ingredients and place in a plastic zip lock bag. This saves me time when I go to make the rolls. I just add the liquid ingredients, then add the dry ingredients from the baggie, and finally the yeast. When the machine is done, all I have to do is roll out the dough, let them rise and then bake. This method really saves a lot of time because you can be working on other dishes while the machine does all the work.

Use a Crock Pot

I like to take advantages of my crock pots when trying to cook a large dinner. Recently I learned to use my slow cooker to bake my rolls. The method was really easy and with the rolls in my crock pot, it frees up my oven for other dishes. This Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls is the one I tried and liked.

Precook and Freeze

Another thing I like to do to save time is to go ahead and cook my rolls and then freeze them. I use a buttery bread machine recipe. I cook them and then let them cool and place in ziplock bags and freeze them. Then when I am ready to eat them I just take them out of the oven and place them in a 425 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes or until hot. These still taste really good and save you a lot of time.

No Knead Yeast Rolls

Another way to save time on the rolls is to pick an easier recipe. I have used this quick roll recipe several nights when I needed some rolls, but really did not have the time to wait for them to rise. Here is the recipe I have used.

 Quick Rolls

Ingredients:

4 cups self-rising flour

1 package yeast

¼ to ½ cup sugar (depending on desired sweetness)

1 egg

¾ cup oil

2 cups warm water

Directions:

Mix flour, yeast, and sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400-425 degrees. Batter will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.