Lion House Dinner Rolls

2 pkgs yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
2-1/2 tsps salt
2/3 cup instant dry skim milk
5-6 cups flour
1 egg
additional melted butter

Combine yeast and water in a large mixing bowl, stirring until dissolved, and let stand 5 minutes. Add the sugar, 1/3 cup butter, salt, dry milk, 2 cups of flour, and the egg. Beat the mixture until smooth. Add 2 cups more of flour, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add 1 cup more of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until well mixed. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Round into a ball and place in a warm, buttered bowl, turning to coat the top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise until tripled, about 1 hour.

Brush 1 or 2 large baking sheets with melted butter. Punch down the dough and turn out on a lightly floured surface. Use the last of the flour, as needed, for rolling and molding the dough. (Do not use any more flour if the dough is moist but not sticky.) Cover dough and let rest 10 minutes. Mold or cut dough into desired shapes. Place rolls on baking sheet and liberally brush surface of rolls with melted butter. Cover loosely with waxed paper, then a lightweight towel, and let rise until light, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400º. Slowly peel waxed paper away from rolls, taking care to not disturb roll tops and cause a collapse. Bake rolls 12-15 minutes. Makes approximately 3 dozen.

Notes: To eliminate instant dry skim milk and use milk in its place (not everyone keeps dry skim milk on hand), 1- reduce water to 1-1/3 cups; 2 - dissolve yeast in water; 3 - add 2/3 cup warm milk to the yeast-water mixture.

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