It’s Thanksgiving weekend and I have so very much to be thankful for… I’ve certainly had my years of challenges… some easier than others… some much more painful than others…. it’s time to be grateful.   Not just on this weekend… I’m generally pretty grateful that my children are healthy finally and safe and that I have a job that provides well for me and I have people around me that I love and appreciate… you know who you are…. 🙂  And though I often get caught up in feeling like I just don’t have time enough for all the things I want to do… I’m grateful that I have the strength, health and energy to do all the things I can… Like spend the day in the kitchen…. Life is good!  I hope you all have everything you need… and most of the things you want… a little longing for something can always be motivating…. and that life makes you happy!

One of the things I spent my time on this morning getting ready for a filling turkey dinner was these buns.  I saw these on foodgawker some time ago and though I made them before they didn’t turn out so great last time…. don’t know why.  I thought I would try them again and this time they were pillowy and soft and so good with turkey dinner….. and so darn cute!  I ate 3 of them…. they were so good…. and that was not long after they came out of the oven.

They really do look beautiful on the dinner table and so impressive even though they are so easy to make…. the link to the original recipe can be found here…. but I’ll retype the recipe below with very minor alterations in case you’re not wandering today….

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls (slightly adapted from www.beyondkimchee.com)

• ¾ cup skim milk, scalded
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg
• 2 packages active dry yeast (1/2 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ¼ cup lukewarm water
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 15-20 almond slivers

Pour hot milk in a mixing bowl, add butter and stir to melt. Add sugars, pumpkin puree to the milk and combine well. In a small bowl proof yeast in a lukewarm water with a teaspoon sugar. When it gets foamy add to the pumpkin mixture, and add the egg, mix well.  Add half the flour gradually and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.  Attach a dough hook in a stand mixer place the rest of the flour into the bowl and add the mixed batch into the mixer….. beat for about 5 minutes the dough should be nice and silky.

Turn the dough out to a wooden board dusted with a little flour. Knead with hand for 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball shape, place in a greased bowl and cover with a cloth. Let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 1 hr.

Punch the dough to deflate and knead it for a few seconds on a wooden board. Cut the dough in half. Cut each half into about 15 pieces.

Roll each piece into a ball shape with your hand. Flatten the piece with palm of your hand a little. Using a knife, give 8 cuts on the edge to mimic flower pedals but the leave center uncut. Poke the center with your finger to give a deep indentation, and repeat the same procedure to all the other pieces. Place them on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or baking mat giving them enough room to grow and let them rise again to be doubled, about another hour.

If the center indentation is not obvious on the rolls, poke them again with your finger.
Brush with egg wash, if you wish, and bake for 9-12 minutes at 350 degrees until the top gets slightly golden. Put a slivered almond in each indentation to mimic the stem…. serve with butter and enjoy.