Doris Harters Dinner Rolls or Cinnamon Rolls

Chabear01's Note:

This is a recipe from the late mother of an ex boyfriend who was kind enough to let me copy it. Unfortunately if made as she gave it the rolls weren't fit to throw at a dog, but with some work have been able to save it, and the rolls come out perfectly wonderful and delicious. This makes up a lot of rolls, so I take them through the first rising... make up the rolls, placing them on a greased baking pan and freeze them, bag them up and only take out what I need for each meal allowing them to thaw and rise, then baking them off. For one or two people one recipe should keep you in dinner rolls for a month. This also makes wonderfully delicious and easy Cinnamon Rolls which again because it is just me I take and freeze, pulling out only what I need for a meal allow to rise and bake. This is in my eyes one of those perfect OMAC's.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 36 rolls

• 2 cups boiling water
• 4 tablespoons lard
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 compressed yeast cakes or 6 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 8 cups flour, sifted

Directions:

1. In Large bowl pour boiling water over lard, sugar, and salt, mix gently. Allow to cool to 120 to 130 degrees -- no hotter. The lard should be pretty close to completely melted.
2. In seperate bowl, mix flour and yeast and combine. Using electric mixer beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase speed to high for about 3 minutes -- then add next 1/3 of flour again mixing for approx 3 minutes, the the last 3rd of flour mixture. At this point it may be too thick to use mixer so combine as best you can by hand, pouring out onto counter top and kneading it for about 8 minutes or until you can feel the gluten forming.
3. Grease a clean large bowl, and place dough ball in, turning it to cover with grease. Cover and allow to rise to double it's size, about 1 hour. Remove from bowl and punch down. At this point you can form you dinner rolls and freeze them, or continue on shaping about 2 inch balls and placing on greased baking dish -- making a small cross at the top and basting with a bit of melted butter if you like. Cover and allow to rise about 30-45 minutes. Bake in oven at 350 degrees until a light golden brown on top -- about 30 minutes depending on your oven.
4. This dough also makes a fantastic Cinnamon Roll dough, simply by taking it after the first rising, roll out into a rectangle approx 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Melt butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together and spread over the dough. then roll it up jelly roll style, cut into 1/2 inch rolls, place on greased baking pan, and allow to rise 30- 45 minutes, then bake as if dinner rolls. Make a confectioners sugar frosting -- with a bit of cream cheese mixed in and frost these. If you like add raisins or chopped dates to the filling and really kick these rolls up a tad.