Wixom Family Rolls

5-6 c. all-purpose flour (I use Gold Medal or Martha White)
2 pkgs. yeast
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 c. whole or low-fat milk (not skim)
1 egg

A large kitchen mixer makes these rolls so much easier!  Put half the flourin the bowl with the yeast, sugar and salt; stir with a spoon to blend.  Heat 2 c. milk in the microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds to 2 minutes.  It should be warm like a baby's bottle.  If it's too cold, it won't activate the yeast; if it's too hot, it will kill the yeast.  Crack the egg into the milk and mix.  Add the milk/egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir vigorously with a spoon until everything is wet.  Using the dough hook, mix on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and you don't see any lumps.  Slowly add the remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time, blending well each time, until the dough is smooth and has no lumps.  (Note: Don't rush this process; I often walk away and do other small things while each portion of the flour is being blended.  Take it slow--you want the dough as smooth as silk!)  Once all the flour has been added and the dough is smooth, use cooking oil or butter to grease the dough lightly on all sides (you want the dough to rise smoothly without ripping away from the bowl). Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place free of drafts.  Let rise 30-45 minutes, or until doubled in size.  Once the dough has risen, grease your hands, roll pieces of dough into balls, and drop them into greased muffin tins.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.  Bake at 400 until very lightly browned (watch carefully, because they cook very quickly; mine take 4-5 minutes).  After baking, brush lightly with salted butter.  Makes 24 servings.

Steven Wixom
Houston, Texas

Potato Puff Buns

6 c. warm water
1 c. powdered milk
4 Tbsp. instant yeast
1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 c. mashed potato flakes
4 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp. salt
Flour

Combine all ingredients but flour; stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.  Knead on speed 1 in a bread machine or with an electric mixer for 5 minutes.  Let rise until double in size.  Roll out for cinnamon rolls or dinner rolls.  Let rise again.  Bake of 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Makes 5-6 dozen dinner rolls or 3-4 dozen cinnamon rolls.

Heather Leishman
Paradise, Utah

Grandma's Yummy Rolls

2 pkgs. dry active yeast
1 1/4 c. warm water, divided
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. sugar
4 1/2 c. flour
3 tsp. salt

Soften yeast in 1/4 c. warm water.  In a separate bowl, combine eggs, shortening, sugar, 1 c. warm water, 2 1/2 c. flour, and salt; add softened yeast.  Beat until smooth.  Add remaining flour to make a soft dough, blending well.  Cover and allow to rise until double.  Punch down and place in refrigerator overnight.  Three hours before baking, roll out by dividing dough in half.  Roll each half into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick.  Spread with butter. Roll up jelly roll style and cut into 1-inch slices (or shape into Parker House rolls).  Place in greased muffin tins, cut-side down.  Cover and allow to rise three hours before baking and 400 for 12-15 minutes.  Makes 36 rolls.

Alysia Duke
Montclair, Virginia

Best Flour Tortillas Ever

8 c. flour
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. oil
3 c. boiling water

Stir together flour, salt, and baking powder.  Mix in oil; there will be small lumps of oil in the dough.  Stir in boiling water (boiling water makes the dough a lot easier to roll out when it is finished).  The dough should be soft and pliable, but not sticky or stiff; you may have to add a little more flour or water to get the right consistency.  When the dough cools down, finish mixing it with your hands.  Some oil lumps will remain; don't overmix the dough trying to get rid of them.  Using a piece of dough about the size of a small apple, roll the dough out on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin.  Roll in one direction first, then pick up the dough, flip it over and around, and roll in the other direction.  Do that a couple of times.  Don't worry if the tortilla is not perfectly round.  Bake the tortilla over medium-low heat on a DRY pan--do not use oil!  When the tortilla bubbles up, flip it over and bake the other side for a few seconds.  Use for fajitas, burritos, wraps, soft tacos--or even eat them plain or with cheese melted on top.  Makes 15 tortillas.

Ryan Lee
Fort Smith, Arkansas

Soft Rolls

2 pkgs. yeast
3 c. warm water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. oil
2 eggs, slightly beaten
8 c. flou
1 c. powdered milk

Dissolve yeast in the warm water.  Add salt, sugar, oil, and slightly beaten eggs to yeast mixture.  Add half of the flour and all the powdered milk solids.  Beat with a mixer until smooth.  Gradually add the remaining flour until it can be worked with the hands.  Knead until smooth (about 5 minutes).  Place in a greased bowl and cover with a cloth.  Let rise in warm place until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).  The dough is sticky, and hard to work with; you will need a lot of flour on your rolling pin and surface to roll them out, but the stickier the dough, the better the rolls.  Shape into desired rolls and place on greased cookie sheets.  Let rise 1 1/2 hours, then bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 4 dozen rolls.

Susan West
Boise, Idaho