Olive Garden Bread Sticks: Thanksgiving Feast 2011

It took me two tries to get this recipe right, and thank goodness for Facebook friends. After my first recipe failed, my twins reminded me that I have the Copy Cat cookbook, so I looked up Olive Garden Bread Sticks and ya know what it said? Take frozen bread dough, roll out, bake and coat with butter and garlic. Are you kidding me? AHHH, so a quick facebook post about my failed recipe and a quick answer with a lead to where I found this Copy Cat recipe and I was back in business (making my second batch of Olive Garden Bread Sticks)... and YEP, they turned out perfect. The kids were SO bummed I only made one batch. And funny thing was, I wasn't prepared for the 1-1/2 rising time (twice), so my bread sticks were more like a midnight snack, as they were not finished until close to midnight, way after our Thanksgiving meal. But none the less DELICIOUS and we will be making these again and again, especially if my kids have any say-so.

Thanksgiving Feast

Turkey with Apples & Butter

Olive Garden Bread Sticks; Copycat Recipe

Pepper Jack Macaroni & Cheese

Crash Hot Potatoes from Pioneer Woman

Grandma's Baked Corn Casserole

Cranberry & Sausage Stuffing

Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce from Pioneer Woman

Grandma's Pumpkin Bars

Olive Garden Bread Sticks

copycat recipe from Todd Wilbur found on Chocolate, Chocolate and More

2 tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup; plus 1 tbsp warm water (105-115 degrees)
3 cups bread flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, softened

(use for topping after baking)
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water in a small bowl or measuring cup and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, or until it becomes foamy on top.

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Use the paddle attachment on your stand mixer to mix in the softened butter to the flour. Don't worry if it still looks like flour, you just don't want to see lumps of butter.

Switch to your dough hook and add your foamy yeast mixture to the flour. Combine ingredients and then knead for 10 minutes.

Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover, let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, it will double in size.

Once doubled, measure out portions to roll into bread sticks. The easiest way to roll is between your palms but you can also roll on the counter or a cutting board.  Place dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, or pam sprayed baking sheet.

Once all dough is rolled, cover baking sheet and let rise for another hour to 1 1/2 hours. Until the dough doubles in size again.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake the bread sticks  for 12-14 minutes till golden brown. Remove from oven and add the garlic salt to the melted butter and then brush it over the bread sticks.

Makes 12-13 bread sticks.