A good burger starts with a GREAT BUN!

I am a bit hesitant to say what I am about to say out loud for fear that it might jinx everything but, here goes anyway....I think the warm weather is almost (not finally) here! Yep, after the longest Spring with more rain and wind than I care to talk about, I feel safe saying Summer is close...very, very, close to arriving. 

Of course with warm weather comes the season of grilling.  The traditional menu around these parts are hamburgers and hotdogs with all the fixings and side dishes galore.  But, a good burger deserves a great bun.  The bun is what holds all those lovely flavors of meat, cheese, condiments and veggies together.  It is vital, I tell you, to the burger experience.

Now, I know you can buy a bun at any grocery store and many gas stations but I wanted something more than the standard sesame bun.  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and with almost five stars how could I not try it? I am so glad I did!  The buns were light and full of flavor, I would go so far as to say they are the best buns I have had in a long time! Enjoy!

Burger/Hot Dog Buns
Recipe Source: Adapted slightly from All Recipes.com

**Cook's Note-When I first made these I was afraid of making them too thin.  Wrong thing to worry about!  They get nice and fluffy so if you make them too thick you will end up with bread bowls and not buns.  Still tasty but, a bit bulky for burgers!**

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg

Directions
In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until very warm, 120 degrees F (50 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix milk mixture into flour mixture, and then mix in egg. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Let rest for about 45 minutes to an hour (longer if you have used regular yeast instead of instant).  Punch down.

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into smooth balls, and place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Cover, and let rise for 15 to 30 minutes. Remember you don't want tall dinner rolls so this is just a rest!

Just before the rolls going into the oven you can brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

**For Hot Dog Buns: Shape each piece into a 6x4 inch rectangle. Starting with the longer side, roll up tightly, and pinch edges and ends to seal. Let rise about 20 to 25 minutes. Bake as above. These buns are pretty big. I usually make 16 instead of 12.