pins and bread

So by now, I am sure everyone has heard of Pinterest.
If not....where have you been?
I personally love it. It is such a nice way to organize the good ideas we all find on the internets. Admittedly, most of my pins revolve around baby room inspiration (seriously, I can think about this all day) and food (again, I can think about this all day).

I have been trying to actually MAKE the recipes I have been pinning. Instead of, you know, just looking at them. So this breadstick is from my pins to you.

Olive Garden Knock-off Breadsticks
(not sure if they are just like Olive Garden...but they are good. And easy. And you can make some after work before dinner and not have to eat at like, 9 pm)
..............
1 1/2 cups warm water (between 110 - 120 degrees F)
1 package active dry yeast
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water and allow to sit for 10 minutes, covered. Mixture should be frothy.

In separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture. Add melted butter. Mix with paddle attachment of stand mixer or wooden spoon until fully combined.

Knead dough for a few minutes

(this is when I split the dough and freeze half for later)

Grease a cookie sheet. Pull off pieces of dough and roll out into strips.
Cover the dough and let sit in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and once heated, pop in the bread sticks. In microwave, combine the following:

2 T unsalted butter
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoons salt

After 6 or 7 minutes, brush the bread sticks with half the butter mixture.
Then continue to bake for another 6 or 7 minutes.

Enjoy!