Glazed Donuts

The kids were begging me to make donuts, and I have to admit the idea appealed to me.  They're so delicious, so melt-in-your-mouth, so sweet and sticky.  I never buy donuts (maybe once every 5 years), but making them from scratch--yum!  I had found a recipe online and it was pretty good, but not quite perfect.  The dough was way too wet and the glaze was not very good.  So this is my version, which I think is better.  You can be the judge.

Glazed Donuts

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 packets (2 T) yeast
3 cups flour
1/2 cup warm mashed potato (microwave a medium potato on high for 5 minutes, scoop out potato and mash with a fork)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 T oil
Vegetable or Canola oil to fry in
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Microwave 1 cup milk for 1 minute or until warm but not hot. Stir in yeast and let sit 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine flour, mashed potato, salt, and sugar. Mix well then add the milk/yeast mixture and oil. Mix until a soft dough forms. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and not too sticky. Roll into a circle that is 1/2" thick. Using a donut cutter or two biscuit cutters, cut into donuts. You can either keep the donut holes and fry them too (we do) or re-roll them into the dough to cut out more donuts. Repeat until dough is used up. Place cut donuts on a lightly floured surface to let rise for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze. Put powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until glaze is desired consistency. Add vanilla and mix well.

In an electric skillet or frying pan, pour enough oil so that it is 1/2" deep in your pan. Heat until 350F (medium to medium high on a stove). It should take about 3-4 minutes to heat up. Place donuts carefully in oil, cooking each side until browned. Remove to wire rack that has paper towels underneath to catch the oil. After donuts have cooled for about 3 minutes, drizzle with glaze.

Makes 12-15 donuts and holes.