Mrs. Johnson's Yeast Rolls

 I have had this recipe for a very long time. Mrs. Johnson gave it to my mother to give to me with the understanding that I would change it in some way to make it my own. I also wasn't supposed to share it with anyone. That was nearly 40 years ago. Mrs. Johnson was ever bit of eighty when she gave us the recipe. If she would still be alive today she would be at least 120. The rolls are so good hubby asks me to make them all the time, but they aren't good enough to keep someone alive for that long and well, I want to have the recipe for posterity. 

Over the years I have changed it so many times, maybe I should call it Becca's Rolls. I changed it once to use bacon grease instead of shortening. I changed it again to use almond flour even though I knew there was no gluten to make it rise. 

But, now that I am changing it back to the original recipe because it is vegetarian friendly. So, what am I changing then? The method by which to bring it all together. After the first rise, you are supposed to break off pieces of the dough and beat the soup out of them. It supposedly is the only way to get them to rise as high and fluffy as Mrs. Johnson did. 

I don't think that is true, well not completely true. I think that was a bit of a fib to distract me from the real method. She made me watch her make them on multiple occasions always telling me to watch carefully while distracting me with the idea that it was the "beating the soup out of them" to get them to rise high enough they would as my father used to say, "float off the plate without butter." 

So here is the recipe. It is more about the method than the ingredients.  For instance, everything that is listed here is pretty much in tablespoons or cups. Except for the few things that are a pinch here or there. What you need to know about the Tbs. Is that I am not talking about the measuring spoon, but the big spoon that came with the silver set that you use for serving because it's too big to fit on anyone's mouth.  Not the huge one you keep with your serving utensils for big meals or casserole. But the biggest regular spoon you have.  Yes, I am hiding this in here without drawing attention to it. I know that means anyone who tries this recipe might not use the right one and might end up hating this recipe but, any complaints about it will just lead me to tell you to go back and read the part before the recipe again.  You have been warned. 

Remember, I have been working to perfect this recipe for nearly 40 years and I still haven't. It's good, but it doesn't rise off the plate if you don't put butter on them.  Per Mrs. Johnson, you can turn this into loaves, rolls, or even donuts and cinnamon rolls. 

Recipe:

 1/4 cup warm water

1 pkg. dry yeast

2 cups of water

6 tbs shortening

4 tbs sugar or about a 1/4 cup

1 pinch salt

Between 6 and 12 cups of flour.  

Tbs of oil for coating

Sprinkle the yeast on top of the warm water and set it aside to let it proof. 

In your mixing bowl, add all the water, shortening, sugar, salt, and flour. Add three cups of flour, then add a half cup at a time until it comes together as a dough. Turn out on a floured board or if you have a stand mixer with a bread hook let it do your kneading for you. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour as the dough demands. 

coat in oil so the dough doesn't dry out. Let rise until double.

either use the dough hook to beat the air out of the dough or punch it down

Loaves:

Shape into loaves and place in loaf pans to rise again the bake at 350 Degrees

Rolls:

If you don't have a stand mixer, pull off pieces and beat the roll flat between your hands, before shaping it into a roll and placing it in a baking dish with plenty of oil so you can coat it completely again. Let them do their second rise, then bake at 350 until the tops are golden. 

Donuts: Punch down, using whichever method, roll out, cut donuts, then air fry or deep fat fry, Coat in your favorite glaze. Eat while warm

Cinnamon rolls: Roll out, coat the surface of the dough in butter, and a sugar-cinnamon mix. Starting at the short end, roll the dough down the entire length then use your favorite method for cutting dough to cut it into the rolls. let rise again and bake or air fry at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Coat in your favorite glaze. Eat while warm.