Sylvia's Hot Rolls

These are an old tradition in my family, starting with my grandmother. She made a family cookbook for all the women in the family a couple of Christmases ago where we all contributed our recipes with a story about them. Here is what she wrote: "I have made these rolls for years for special occasions and Sunday dinners. The recipe was on the White Wings Flour package for years, not there anymore. Y'all always liked these rolls, best of all I enjoyed making them for y'all." My grandmother is Sylvia and she hoped that my mother and her sister would pass the tradition down to us girls. I think there is nothing more rewarding than baking bread from scratch. It takes a long time, but the results are oh so yummy.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Yields: 20 40

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup shortening
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 ounce  yeast (typically 2 packs)
• 1  cup hot water
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 7  cups flour (about)

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in 1 c lukewarm water with 2 t of the sugar.
2. In large bowl pour 1 c very hot water over shortening and salt, let cool.
3. Beat eggs & blend together with shortening and salt mixture add sugar and mix.
4. Add yeast to above mixture.
5. Start adding flour & mix when mixture starts coming together start working with your hands, knead the dough working in flour.
6. Place dough on wax paper or a clean towel.
7. Clean and grease the bowl used to mix the dough.
8. Put dough in greased bowl and cover with clean towel, let rise until double in size (about one hour).
9. Shape dough into rolls using a little flour and put on greased pans.
10. Let rise again until about double in size (about 1 hour).
11. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
12. Brush with melted butter if desired.