Every holiday meal needs a good dinner roll, something warm and soft to sink your teeth into, and something to make leftover turkey sandwiches with the next day. I’ve wanted to share this recipe with you for years but it’s our secret family recipe so I haven’t been able to, but the day is finally here, all the permissions have been asked and now I finally get to share my recipe for the BEST dinner rolls!

To me a good dinner roll is important because I don’t want to waste my holiday carbs on something that’s not amazing, so trust me, I don’t take it lightly that I’m calling these the BEST dinner rolls because they are seriously SO good, just ask anyone who’s ever joined us for the holidays.

Do you want to know the best part about these rolls, they are SO easy to make!!! There’s a way to make them by hand, or in the bread maker (which is how I make them), so I’ve included both directions and you can decide which way works best for you.

In our family we call them “Lisa’s famous rolls” but since y’all probably don’t have a “Lisa” in your family, I’ll call them the BEST dinner rolls instead.

Be careful because when they come out of the oven you’ll probably have little hands stealing them right off the baking sheet! I always have to make two batches, one for everyone to eat before the meal, and one to actually enjoy with our holiday feast!

They are amazing with jelly, butter, honey or just by themselves, but whatever you choose to eat them with, make sure you have some handy Huggies® Wipes waiting to wipe off sticky fingers and faces.

Just like not all rolls are created equal, not all wipes are either. Huggies® Wipes have triple layers that are gentle on cute faces but thick enough to clean up all 10 sticky fingers!

I truly hope you enjoy these rolls as much as all of our friends and family do, you might be surprised, but I know they’ll end up being one of your favorite things and you’ll start craving them each holiday season!

Check out other recipe considerations for more family-recipe fun:

• How To Create A Breakfast Waffle Bar
• Gourmet Chocolate Chips and Caramel S’mores

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The BEST Dinner Rolls from Scratch (seriously THE BEST)

 

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Author: Anna Moseley

Recipe type: Dinner rolls

Ingredients

• 2¼ teaspoons yeast (1¾ teaspoons yeast)
• 2¼ teaspoons yeast (1¾ teaspoons yeast)
• ½ cup warm milk (1/2 cup warm milk)
• ½ cup warm milk (1/2 cup warm milk)
• 2 teaspoons sugar (1½ teaspoons of sugar)
• 2 teaspoons sugar (1½ teaspoons of sugar)
• 1 cup hot milk (3/4 cups hot milk)
• 1 cup hot milk (3/4 cups hot milk)
• 1 cup cold milk (3/4 cups cold milk)
• 1 cup cold milk (3/4 cups cold milk)
• ½ cup melted butter (1/2 cup melted butter)
• ½ cup melted butter (1/2 cup melted butter)
• 2 eggs (2 eggs)
• 2 eggs (2 eggs)
• ¾ cups sugar (1/2 cup sugar)
• ¾ cups sugar (1/2 cup sugar)
• 2 teaspoons salt (1½ teaspoons salt)
• 2 teaspoons salt (1½ teaspoons salt)
• 8-9 cups flour (6½ cups flour)

Instructions

1. Dissolve 2¼ teaspoons yeast with ½ cup warm milk. Add 2 teaspoons sugar and stir a little. Set aside.
2. Mix 1 cup hot milk, 1 cup cold milk, ½ cup melted butter, 2 eggs, ¾ cups sugar and 2 teaspoons salt.
3. Combine yeast mixture and wet mixture.
4. Add 8-9 cups of flour 1-2 cups at a time. Knead until the dough is soft, not sticky. Cover and let rise 1½ hours.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter.
6. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Pinch off pieces of dough that are about fist-size. Fold the rough edges of the dough under and place them on the cookie sheet, rough edges down. Tip: the rolls won't rise very much in the oven so make sure to make the balls of dough are about the size you want them to end up.
7. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

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The post The BEST Dinner Rolls from Scratch (seriously THE BEST) appeared first on Ask Anna.

I love all things Fall, and I especially love a beautifully decorated Fall table. Maybe it’s because Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but there’s something about the colors and layers of a Fall table that is so inviting. Every year my table looks different so today I’m going to share what this year’s simple and elegant Fall tablescape looks like.

This table might look fancy but it was actually really easy and affordable to put together. Would you believe me if I told you that most of what you see is from the Better Homes and Garden line at Walmart?! Yep, that’s right you can serve your friends and family this fall at an elegantly decorated, and affordable, table!

When I was in Iowa this summer, with the Better Homes and Gardens Live Better Network, I was so inspired by their new Fall dishes (only $3.48 each) that I had to buy some as soon as they came out. I was loved the warm colors, the soft design and who can pass up feathers these days?

I layered them with these fun striped plates (only $4.88 each) and copper flatware (which are both new to the BHG line at Walmart) to add even more drama to each place setting.

Also who can say “no” to cute little pumpkin bowls (only $4.64 each)? I mean seriously, I’m in love with these little guys!

With the fall plates and pumpkin bowls in mind, I just had fun with the rest of the table. The plates inspired me to bring a little nature indoors, so I grabbed a bunch of little white pumpkins from the store, clipped the centerpieces from my yard and added a few feathers, just for fun.

I also played up the warmth of the season by using a burlap runner ($13.96), jute placemats and an old board from the vacant lot next door. It’s so fun what you can find when you look around outside!

When I saw this Acacia wood and marble cake stand I new #1- it would be the perfect addition to my cake stand collection and #2- it would perfectly coordinate with my fall table! I love how versatile it is, because of the marble top, it can be used as a cake stand or a cheese platter!

These little owls were from the Better Homes and Gardens Fall line last year and I couldn’t resist adding them to the table because they are just too cute.

By adding a few new seasonal items to your table each year, you’ll find that as the years go on it’s easier to layer it with lots of beautiful things. It has been a slow process for me to collect everything on my table but I have to say that it was worth the wait because, of all my fall tables, this one is definitely my favorite! I am head over heals for my new dishes and the rich colors of the feathers and my yard clippings are just what this fall needed!

Happy Fall everyone! I would love to see your fall tablescapes so post it on my Ask Anna Facebook Page, or tag me on Instagram (@askannamoseley).

Shop this Tablescape –

• Better Homes and Gardens Sabin Striped dinner plates
• Better Homes and Gardens Fall leaf salad plates
• Better Homes and Gardens Pumpkin soup bowls
• Better Homes and Gardens Ivana 16-piece copper flatware set
• Better Homes and Gardens Acacia wood and marble cake stand
• Better Homes and Gardens Burlap table runner
• Jute placemats (these aren’t the exact ones, but they are similar)

Find more online at Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart, and follow on social media to see what’s coming out soon! (You’re going to LOVE the Christmas stuff!!!)

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

Disclaimers – This post contains some affiliate links, for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

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The post Elegant and Affordable Fall Table Setting appeared first on Ask Anna.

I know entertaining doesn’t pump through everyone’s veins, like it does through mine, so I thought I’d share some of my best holiday entertaining tips to help your holiday hosting run smoothly this year.

#1 Plan ahead

If you know you have a party coming up it’s best to do as much of the shopping and prep work as far in advance as possible. Do all the grocery shopping at least 4-5 days in advance so you have plenty of time to prep the food. Click HERE to download my free printable shopping templates. Make it easy on yourself and buy pre-prepped food, like bagged salads, pre-washed/chopped veggies, etc. Any food that can be made ahead of time, prepare it the day before the party. Fresh fruit, and other fresh items that need to be prepped, prep them the morning of the party and store them in the fridge. Don’t save anything until the last minute because there will always be things that come up that you won’t be expecting!

#2 Decorating

Decorating for a party can get expensive so my #1 tip is to shop your own home. Typically our parties center around the living room and the kitchen so I steal decorations from other rooms in the house to get the “party rooms” to look exactly how I want them.

For anything you still need the Better Homes and Gardens line at Walmart has gorgeous, affordable options. These limited edition metallic dinner plates were less than $3.50 each and the salad plates were less than $2.75! Layered with my china and some chargers I already had, they make a gorgeous holiday table setting.

# 3 Borrow stuff from friends

When I have big parties I always use lots of pretty dishes and candles holders to dress up the table; the candle light makes everything on the table look beautiful.

If you don’t have any, don’t worry, that’s what your friends are for! My friends borrow bowls, platters, pitchers, candle holders, etc. from me all the time and I love it, so I’m sure your friends won’t mind either. I always love to see how creative they get with my things and sometimes it gives me ideas for my next party!

#4 Setting the mood

As I mentioned earlier, there’s something magical about candle light at a party. An easy way to decorate is to sprinkle tea lights and candles all around your house. Light them about 15 minutes before the guests arrive and they will set the mood for your party.

The glow of the candles will warm up your house and make your guests feel welcomed. Dimmers are also a great way to set the perfect ambiance. If you have dimmers on your lights, turn them down so the lights have that magical glow (you know the one I’m talking about).

#5 Flowers

Flowers are a must. No matter the season, using flowers to decorate for a party is an inexpensive way to decorate but also a great way to make your house feel homey and inviting. Buy bundles of flowers for a few dollars, split them up and put them in the kitchen, on the coffee table, in the bathroom by the sink, and anywhere else you can think of.  Use vases, mugs, jars or all of them to hold the flowers and make them look beautiful throughout your home.

#6 Let it go

Last but not least, my biggest piece of advice is to do what you can and then let the rest go.

Prep as much as you are able to, decorate as much as you can, and when your guests arrive, anything that didn’t get done, let it go. If you spend the entire party thinking about everything else you should have done then you won’t enjoy yourself and your guests will pick up on the fact that you seem stressed. As soon as the guests start arriving, say to yourself, “what’s done is done and now it’s time to enjoy myself!” Say it, and mean it, and you’ll end up having a fabulous time!

I hope all of your holiday parties are fabulous and if you have any additional holiday entertaining tips, I would LOVE to hear them! Cheers!

Shop this tablescape –

• BHG limited edition metallic dinnerware, large plates $3.42, small plates $2.47- only available in Walmart stores (Hurry, you’ll want to get some because they’re gorgeous!)
• Natural Table Runner, $13.96 – available online and in stores
• Jute Placemats, $2.74 – only available in Walmart stores

Follow Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart to see what’s coming out soon!

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

Disclaimers – I am part of the BHG Live Better Blogger Network; this post is sponsored by BHG at Walmart. All opinions are my own.

I have included affiliate links to the products I used for this makeover, if you buy through the link I get a small commission but you don’t pay a cent more than you normally would. Thank you for supporting Ask Anna!

The post 6 tips to make Holiday Entertaining Fun & Stress-free! appeared first on Ask Anna.

I can’t take credit for this perfect cookie recipe, I found it in my America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, but I promise you, if you like your ginger molasses cookies soft and chewy, this is the best recipe you’ll ever find.

I try really hard to let them cook the additional 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, because it makes the bottoms nice and crispy, but in my house they rarely make it that long because everyone in my house loves them so much! Usually as soon as I pull them out of the oven I have people begging for them.

I can’t wait to hear how much your family loves them too!

This post contains some affiliate links, for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

The Perfect, Soft and Chewy, Ginger Molasses Cookies

 

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Prep time

8 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Ask Anna

Recipe type: Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup, plus ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup, plus ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• 1½ tsp ginger
• 1½ tsp ginger
• 
1/2 tsp cloves
• 
1/2 tsp cloves
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 
1/2 cup dark molasses

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread ½ cup of the sugar in a shallow dish for coating and set aside.
2. Whisk together in a large bowl, the flour, baking soda, spices, pepper, and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and the remaining ⅓ cup sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes.
4. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds.
5. Beat in the molasses until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
6. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds (the dough will be soft). Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is combined.
7. Using wet hands (dip them in water to prevent the dough from sticking to them), roll 2 TBS of dough at a time into balls, then roll in the sugar to coat and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and the tops are cracked but the centers are still soft and underdone, about 10-12 minutes.
9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for an additional 10 minutes. Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Notes

Original recipe can be found in America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

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The post The Perfect, Soft and Chewy, Ginger Molasses Cookies appeared first on Ask Anna.

Natural Fruit and Gourd Centerpiece

Image from Country Living Magazine

DIY Pumpkin Vase

Image from Everyday Occasions

White on White

Image from Tone on Tone Antiques

White Pumpkins

The Glamorous Housewife

Pumpkin Succulent Arrangement

Image from Simply Happenstance

Rustic Chic

Image from Pottery Barn Kids

Glamorous Gold

Image from BHG.com

Rustic Wood Tones

Image from Pinterest

Pumpkin Place Settings

Image from Ask Anna

Outdoor Tablescape

Image from The White Buffalo Styling Co.

Are you as excited to decorate your table now, as I am? I’m ready to head to the store and get some pumpkins! Which centerpiece is your favorite, I would love to know. Have fun decorating and getting creative!

The post Beautiful Thanksgiving Centerpieces appeared first on Ask Anna.