Garlic Butter Dips

These breadsticks are very easy to make and very yummy with a light garlic flavor. They go with pretty much anything too! The original recipe is from The Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook and has been slightly altered by me. I made them for the first time when I was 16! They didn't turn out great that first time because I'd never made bread or biscuits before and I overworked the dough, but once you get the method down, they couldn't be better or simpler. We actually have them much more frequently than garlic bread because French bread only stays good for a day or so and I don't want to make a trip to the store just to get a loaf of bread, plus they reheat quite well and last in the fridge for a few days. I should also mention that they aren't like your average breadstick because they're like biscuits rather than a yeast bread, but they sure are good :) I will share my recipe for yeast breadsticks another time.

Quick Note:  I tried these with whole wheat flour once and they turned out great!  The texture and whole wheat flavor were very good.

Here's a picture of the breadsticks from the top and bottom. The bottoms get a little crunchy.


Garlic Butter Dips

1/3 C butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 C flour
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t salt
3 1/2 t baking powder
3/4 C milk

Put the butter in the center of a 9 by 13 baking dish and place the garlic on top. Set the dish in the oven and set to 350 degrees so the butter can melt while you make the dough. Be sure to remove the dish from the oven if you aren't finished with the dough by the time the butter melts! In a medium mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients, then stir in just enough milk to form a dough. Start with 3/4 cup and add more a tablespoon at a time if necessary. You can use your hands to finish mixing up the dough, but be careful not to overwork it and don't knead it at all. Flour a large piece of waxed paper, place the dough in the center, and sprinkle with a little more flour. Roll out into a 1/2 inch thick approximately 8 by 10 inch rectangle. Cut dough down the center lengthwise and then into 1 inch strips to make 20 breadsticks. When butter is melted in the dish, remove from the oven and spread the garlic around with a spoon. Carefully press each bread stick into the melted butter on both sides and arrange in the dish. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Yield: 20 breadsticks