EASIEST BREAD STICKS EVER !!

If you have a stand mixer, these bread sticks practically make themselves!! Just throw everything in the stand mixer at once, and let it mix for 3 minutes, let it raise for an hour, shape them then let them raise again and bake... that's it!!

In the bowl of a stand mixer, put

2/3 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons of yeast

Stir it up just a little (with a spoon), then add

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons butter (room temperature)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Put your paddle blade on, and mix for three minutes on medium low speed, it should look like this (the walls of the bowl should be clean)

Take the dough out of the bowl and spray the bowl with some vegetable spray and put the dough back in. Cover with plastic wrap and then a dish towel, and let it raise for an hour. It won't get huge because there is only 2 cups of flour, but it should be nice and puffy

Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll them out to (about) the diameter of your thumb.  Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet (or just a lightly greased sheet) a few inches apart and lightly spritz them with vegetable spray. Cover them with plastic wrap and gently lay a THIN kitchen towel over the plastic wrap.

Let them raise for about an hour, then remove the plastic wrap and bake them in a pre-heated 375 oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are golden brown, then remove them and brush them with butter. Some times I brush them with butter and then roll them in Parmesan....Mmmmmm.

Serve hot!!

NOTE: I'm sure this recipe would work very well in a bread machine as well.