My baby starts Kindergarten tomorrow. At one point recently, I did not think that Kindergarten was going to be that big of deal. The school we go to still has half day Kindergarten, so I get my boy back every afternoon. As the time has neared, and as we have gone to the Kindergarten Round-Up and School Open House, I am really starting to not be able to hold it together. What is it about Kindergarten that stirs up such emotions? He has gone to preschool for the past three years. We have been apart before. He loves school and has zero anxiety about it whatsoever. For me, I think the emotions stirring are from the time we have had over the past five years. Have I spent enough quality time with him? Did we build memories that he will look back fondly on? My friend Sara, whose daughter started full day 1st grade this year, summed it up perfectly. “I feel like I have just wasted the past 6 years with her.” I know that I haven’t wasted the past five years with Jacob, but I cannot help but feel like we could have done more. I should have worked less and played more. I should have scolded less and hugged more.
I know that I am a good mom and I know that Jacob and I have a great relationship. I also know that he is going to be exposed to things that he has never been exposed to…kids and people that I have been able to protect him from in the past. The real world is inside those school doors, and I don’t think I am ready for him to face that.
As you can imagine, there is going to be a lot of baking going on in our household over the next few weeks. Baking is my comfort activity and comforting is what I need.
I’m going to go grab a tissue. In the meantime….enjoy these comfort inducing Parker House Rolls.
Parker House Rolls
Ingredients
- 6 cups all-purpose flour about
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1 cup margarine or butter 2 sticks, softened
- 1 large egg
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; add 1/2 cup margarine or butter (1 stick). With mixer at low speed, gradually pour 2 cups hot tap water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F.) into dry ingredients. Add egg; increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in 3/4 cup flour or enough to make a thick batter; continue beating 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. With spoon, stir in enough additional flour (about 2 1/2 cups) to make a soft dough.
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Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, working in more flour (about 1/2 cup) while kneading. Shape dough into a ball and place in greased large bowl, turning over so that top of dough is greased. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough is doubled when 2 fingers pressed into dough leave a dent.)
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Punch down dough by pushing down the center or dough with fist, then pushing edges of dough into center. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead lightly to make smooth ball, cover with bowl for 15 minutes, and let dough rest.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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In 17 1/4-inch by 11 1/2-inch roasting pan, over low heat, melt remaining 1/2 cup margarine or butter; tilt pan to grease bottom.
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On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. With floured 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut dough into circles. Holding dough circle by the edge, dip both sides into melted margarine or butter pan; fold in half. Arrange folded dough in rows in pans, each nearly touching the other. Cover pan with towel; let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
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Bake rolls for 15 to 18 minutes until browned.
Recipe Notes
Recipe courtesy Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts
Looking for more homemade bread recipes like these Parker House Rolls? Here are some of my favorites from around the web.
- Honey Oatmeal Bread from Dine & Dish
- No Knead Dutch Oven Bread from Girl Versus Dough
- Cinnamon Roll Bread from Center Cut Cook
- Braided Easy Egg Bread Recipe from Roxana’s Home Baking
Awwwwww {{Kristen}}! I don’t know which school is harder on, kiddo or mommy! Just remember you’re not losing a son, you’re gaining 29 classmates and playmates! 😀
Beautiful rolls! Can’t wait to try them and will look forward to your baking!
You know, growing up my mom always had rolls on the table and as a grown up I never do now. Seeing these makes me think I need to go back to those days.
You and jacob are going to have a wonderful start to school! And if you need help finishing those Parker House rolls, just let me know. They have always been my very favorite type of dinner roll — and I’ve had them many times at the Parker House.
Transition to a full day of school can be a hard thing. Bake away, my dear. It’s comforting for me to bake too.
Beautiful and delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
You can be the mom with warm cookies with milk waiting for your children when they get home!
Now I know why these are so good! TWO sticks of butter! 🙂
Remember that you can always volunteer at Jacob’s school whenever you can. You will always be a part of his life. Parkerhouse rolls are a favourite of mine for Thanksgiving.
It’s hard both ways I’m sure for parents and the little ones going off. Don’t worry hon, you’ll both be fine, I guess it’s all part of the process of growing up.
Kristen these are awesome perfect rolls. Growing children is the most beautiful painful lesson in letting go.
Bake it up to comfort!
Those rolls look incredibly amazing. I bet they’re really soft and perfect. Ah I love rolls like that…
Kristen…you haven’t wasted anything. Dole out the hugs, crank out the kisses, the cookies and cakes, and keep doing what you are doing. That ‘guilt’ that you haven’t done enough is from the enemy…not from anything you have done. You know you are a terrific mom, and the fact that Jacob is excited about school and has no anxiety is an excellent testimony to that. I won’t argue that the transition is hard; I still recall Griffin’s first day of KG like it was last year, and my ‘boy’ is going into 8th grade. There is a lot of change on the horizon; you will both be fine.
Kristen,
Kids can be really strong, and I’m sure your kids (all of them) will be fine. With a mother like you they have nothing to worry about.
sweetie, you have so many years left to play and enjoy life with Jacob, after all he is only 5 and has many summers off ahead of him. Enjoy the time you will now have during the day to give to your lvoely daughters as well. Afterall, Jacob got you soley to himself there for a bit 😉 Good Luck, stay strong!
Nicholas starts Kindergarten in a few weeks, and I totally hear what you’re saying. My hardest part, however, will be putting him on that bus …
I’m sure he has many years of mommy memories already, and MANY more to come!! Good luck with the transition. And the rolls look so tasty!
Even though it seems some days like they’ll never grow up, the time really does fly. Give him a big hug when he goes to school and fresh baked goods when he gets home. You’ll always be buds. Beautiful rolls!
Aww! How did it go this morning? Are you baking up a storm? Can’t wait to hear about his first day!
I know it is hard to have him going off to kindergarten but you will both be fine, I just know it. I’m sure that you have prepared him for anything that he will meet with there and, like someone else said, you have many years of memories ahead of you. I’m thinking about you BOTH!
Kriten, hi again, just a quick question. Is one package of the dried yeast you used about 7g or one teaspoon?
Ah, one of my babies just started college today! Time to make rolls! These look delicious.
What a beautiful entry to your blog. I hope you are saving these for your kids to read as they get older. You are a great mom and as I told you, I still remember my oldest kids first day of Kindergarten and he is a Grandpa now. It’s a sweet time. Love
Kris, I’m sure your little one was just fine at school. He is a confident little boy and will do really well. Now just take some of those baked goodies to his teacher and he will be the teacher’s pet for the entire year!
Teaching next door to the Kindergarten room this year I witnessed moms crying more than kids. So hang in there your are doing a great job raising your kids. Guilt is such a waste of great energy.
What a great post! You are SUCH a great mom and these rolls prove it. 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
i loveeeee rolls.