For Thanksgiving, or any special celebration, it is great fun to bring our piping hot, just baked yeast dinner rolls. You can make these in a bit more than 2 hours rising time, but the preparation time is only about 10 minutes total.

Making dinner rolls sounds like a lot of work, but in our house they are something everyone looks forward to for major holidays, birthdays and other celebrations. Kids like to taste a bit of the dough, and enjoy helping roll out the dough and cutting it, so it becomes a family affair!

There really is nothing better than these soft just-risen and baked dinner rolls, and this recipe is one of the most popular ones we know. It is really simple to make, using a food processor to replace the usual kneading step.

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 package yeast (not rapid rise)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3-4 cups flour
• 3 Tb butter

1. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and stir in the 1/2 tsp of sugar. Let the yeast proof for a couple of minutes until it starts to foam.
2. Put the milk, sugar and shortening in a glass pitcher and microwave for one minute. The shortening does not need to melt completely.
3. Put one cup of flour into a food processor and add the warm milk mixture. Be sure to scrape in any remaining sugar or shortening.
4. Pulse briefly until mixed.
5. Add the yeast mixture and the egg and pulse the food processor until the mixture is uniform.
6. Add about 2 cups more flour and mix until smooth. The dough should be smooth and no longer sticky. If it is still sticky, add more flour a little at a time until it is no longer sticky.
7. Allow the dough to rise for about an hour, until doubled in bulk.
8. Melt the 3 Tb butter in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
9. Remove the dough from the food processor and pat into a single mass on a floured board.
10. Roll out the dough about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and cut into circles with a large drinking glass or biscuit cutter.
11. Dip each circle in the melted butter and fold into quarters.
12. Place each folded circle into a muffin pan.
13. When the rolls are all formed, cover with a damp towel and allow to rise about an hour.
14. Preheat the oven to 375 º F.
15. Bake the rolls for about 10 minutes until light to medium brown.
16. Brush each roll with some of the remaining melted butter, place in a bowl and serve.

Stand back, these will go fast.

We have found that yeast packets on supermarket shelves are really variable in activity and some proof and bubble hardly at all. So we are now buying yeast in jars and keeping it in the refrigerator once opened. It is much more lively that way.

Enjoy your rolls!

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