little kitchie: sweet potato dinner rolls + chili butter

what's your favorite part of the thanksgiving meal? we all have one (two? five?) thing(s) we just completely and utterly indulge in on this most awesome of holidays...

and mine is the dinner rolls. oh the rolls. the downside to this indulgence is that there is a real count on just how much you've had. you know, if you get, like, a little bit bigger portion of stuffing than someone else, alright fine. but if you pile your plate with dinner rolls, it causes a bit more of a scene. no matter. these are worth it.

i adapted this recipe and made a chili butter to serve with it. the heat of the butter complements the sweetness of the rolls just perfectly.

sweet potato dinner rolls with chili butter
makes about 30 rolls

for the rolls, you'll need:
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes (mine was a little over 12 oz. once peeled and cut)
2 packages active dry yeast
4 tblspn. honey
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup warm water (just zap in microwave for 1 minute)
1 cup buttermilk
6 tblspn. butter, melted
4 tsp. coarse salt (i like falksalt)
6 cups all-purpose flour (plus a bit more for working dough)
1 egg, beaten

for the butter, you'll need:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
dash of cayenne

using a fork, mix together all the ingredients for the butter in a small bowl. cover and refrigerate until serving.

place peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in a pot with cold water. bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes. drain potatoes, then place in a bowl and mash.

in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine water, yeast, 2 tblspn. honey and olive oil. mix together with a spoon and allow to sit for 15 minutes, or until becoming foamy.

to the bowl, add the mashed sweet potatoes, remaining 2 tblspn. honey, 4 tblspn. melted butter, buttermilk, and salt. mix on low and add flour gradually, 1 cup at a time, until a sticky dough forms. knead with your hands for 2 minutes.

brush a large bowl with the remaining 2 tblspn. butter and place dough in bowl. cover and let rise in a warm, dry place for about 2 hours.

after 2 hours, use a bit of flour and knead dough until smooth. divide in half and roll each half into a long rope. cut off small pieces of dough and roll into a ball (should get 12-15 rolls out of each rope). place them in a greased 13x9 baking dish (you'll fit 12-15 rolls in each of 2 13x9 dishes). at this point, you can freeze the dough for up to 2 months if desired. if baking immediately, cover dish and allow to rise 45 more minutes. (i froze one pan, baked the other)

preheat oven to 375. brush rolls with beaten egg, then bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown. let cool for a few minutes, the serve with chili butter.