Seriously, homemade warm bread is probably one of the best things in life…it’s even better than chocolate cake. (What?  Oh, you thought I was gonna say that!?   Wait until I tell your mother!)  But to make yummy homemade bread, you needed to plan hours ahead.  Well, never let it be said that Francie never took on a challenge.  You will need a good mixer that can do the kneading for you.  And then this is all you’ll need…

60 Minute Yeast Rolls

• 4-5 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages yeast (5 teaspoons)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine

In a warmed cup or bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water.   Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, salt and butter together. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool until lukewarm.

Pour into your mixer bowl and add 4 1/2 cups of flour.  Using your dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute. With the mixer still going, add remaining flour, a little at a time and mix about 2 minutes or until dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.  Keep mixing (your kneading now) on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic – the dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean, dry dish towel, and let it rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 15 minutes.  (I turn my oven on Warm when I start and turn it off when I start mixing the dough.  This makes a perfect, draft-free, warm spot for my little yeasties to do their magic.)

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 24 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and place in a greased muffin pan. If you’d rather,  you can simply shape the dough into 24 balls and set them side by side in a greased 9 by 13 baking dish. Cover the muffin pan with the dish towel, and let the dough rise one last time for about 15 minutes.

Bake at 425ºF for 12 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.  Of course, you’re gonna brush them with butter, right?

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