There are many brands that evoke my memory of a special recipe. One of the most memorable is the round loaf of King’s Hawaiian bread. I often use it as a serving vessel for my Spinach Dip and my Mississippi Sin recipes.
The year 2020 marked the 70th anniversary of King’s Hawaiian bread. The company, owned by Robert R. Taira, began in the 1950s in Hilo, Hawaii. Robert had just graduated at the top of his baking class and opened his first bakeshop. That is where the first round loaves of the Original Hawaiian Sweet Breads were made.
After a decade of growing in popularity, the shop expanded and was renamed King’s Bakery. After the bread began to be shipped to the mainland, an additional bakery was built in Torrance, California. It was named King’s Hawaiian Bakery.
In the early 1980s, after repeated customer requests, Robert began creating the Original Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls in packages of 12. He also began making a honey wheat round bread.
In 2004, an additional expansion to the original production facility was built and now is in production 24 hours a day. Oakwood, Georgia, became an additional bakery facility in 2010. The company partnered with the University of Georgia and has gained more knowledge in manufacturing and robotics expertise.
As much as I enjoy the loaves of round bread, my family loves sandwiches with the dinner rolls. Today I have a few recipes using the dinner roll packages. I hope you will give them a try. Thanks for reading.
HAWAIIAN HAM AND SWISS SLIDERS
24 slices of deli ham
6 slices of Swiss cheese, cut into fourths
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ cup butter, melted
1 tablespoons onion powder
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 (12-pack) packages King’s Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut rolls in half, and spread mayonnaise on one side of the rolls. Place a slice or two of ham and a slice of Swiss cheese on each roll. Replace the top of the rolls, and bunch them closely together in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, melted butter, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Pour sauce evenly over the rolls, just covering the tops. Cover with foil, and let sit for about 10 minutes. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until tops are slightly browned and crisp. Serve warm.
HAWAIIAN ROAST BEEF AND CHEESE SANDWICHES
½ cup prepared horseradish
1 (12-pack) King’s Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls
12 slices deli roast beef
12 slices Swiss cheese
1 small onion, finely copped
½ cup butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread horseradish evenly on the bottoms of the bread rolls. Top with a slice of roast beef and a slice of Swiss cheese. Cover with the top of the bread rolls, and place in the baking dish. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire and garlic powder. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour over the rolls, and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Uncover and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes until tops are lightly browned.
HOT ITALIAN PARTY SANDWICHES
1 (12-pack) Hawaiian sweet rolls
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
6 slices Mozzarella cheese
6 thin slices deli ham
6 thin slices hard salami
6 thin slices deli pastrami
1¼ cups Giardiniera
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup sliced red onion
¼ cup zesty Italian salad dressing
Pepperoncini peppers
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the rolls in half, and place the bottom of the rolls in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Mix the mayonnaise and pesto. Spread over cut sides of the rolls. Layer the roll bottoms with mozzarella cheese, ham, salami, pastrami, giardiniera, shredded Parmesan, basil leaves and red onion. Place bun tops over the filling, and gently press to flatten. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and brush with salad dressing. Bake an additional 5 minutes until golden brown and the cheese has melted. Serve with pepperoncini peppers and additional Giardiniera.
- Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
