My Rolls to the Rescue!!!

The last three weeks have been insane...everything going wrong. This week at work we are chalking all the wrong goings on to the full moon! So perhaps I can say it was the moons fault my rolls did not turn out!

But let me say..I gave it my best shot.

The directions were different from any roll recipe I have ever used. Odd that you would add your egg yolks last. But not wanting to deviate from the recipe the first go around....I followed the recipe exactly. It felt like a stone and did not raise at all!...and I did need these for a funeral dinner.

So, I began the process again.

I was so careful to measure everything out and to have the milk at just the right temperature.
The recipe says between 115 and 125 degrees for the yeast to rise.

Both batches flopped!!! Never raised...so I thought my yeast is bad. I had better do a yeast check.

I put 2 1/4 tea yeast and some sugar in a measuring cup with some 120 degree water.

It bubbled like mad and smelled good and yeasty. 5 minutes later it was overflowing. Good yeast.
Now, that I had concluded it was not my yeast and having made 2 batches that bombed...and REALLY needing some bread for the funeral: I made corn muffins.

Funeral obligations under control and still obsessing the reasons why my rolls would not turn out, I turned to my standby favorite roll recipe and whipped up a batch.

Nice soft dough.

Raising the first raise.

I made half into orange rolls and half into dinner rolls.

Second raise still going wonderfully. Oh the glorious smell of fresh bread!

There is my persistent problem of under baking!! I have a fear of over baking and therefore under bake most things!! Drives me crazy. My roll recipe turned out great.

Great texture, wonderful crumb, and fantastic flavor.

The orange rolls turned out great too! So why didn't my Weekend Baker recipe turn out?? Who knows...maybe only the moon. I hope my fellow ABCers had success.

My Potato Roll Recipe
2 dozen
Source: unknown-(my 3 X 5 box for decades)

Ingredients

• 1 pkg yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/3- 1/2 cup hot mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup melted shortening
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 1 1/2 tea salt
• 1 egg
• 4-4 1/2 cup flour

Soften yeast in water. Add all ingredients but flour. Add 2 cups flour and mix well. Add rest of flour until comes together in a velvety ball.
Place in greased bowl
Cover
Raise 1 hour
Punch down
Separate into 2 balls
Rest 10 minutes
Shape into favorite roll
Place on greased sheets
Raise 1 hour (until doubled)
Bake 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees (I had to bake 25 min)

Emergency Corn Muffins
Source: Karen Newell

Ingredients
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tea baking powder
1/2 tea baking soda
1 cup sour cream
2 Tb melted shortening
1/3 cup milk
1 egg beaten

Mix in order given. Place in muffin tin and bake 20 minutes at 400