Day 6: In a Rush Because That's the Way I Roll Bread (40 Loaves for 40 Days)

Here's the Recipe for the bread I attempted to bake on days 3 and 4:

From the Southern Living Cookbook 1987 edition pg 89

Basic Yeast Dough (one of the Versatile doughs)

1 pkg dry yeast

1 Cup warm water (105 -115 degrees)

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons shortening

1 Egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 - 3 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour (I use the "Better for Bread" flour)

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, shortening, egg, salt, and half of flour; beat at low speed of an electric mixer until smooth.  Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Place dough in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. (If refrigerated, let return to room temperature before proceeding.)

Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 4 or 5 times. Shape and bake as directed.  NOTE: to shape the perfect yeast loaf:  Roll the dough jellyroll fashion according to dimensions in recipe. Let it rise in the pan.

Basically, I've made this dough 2 times already and today I would be making rolls from the dough. I let it rise in a bowl and then, I pinched off 20 little pieces and rolled them between my hands to make little balls. I laid them on a greased cookie sheet, put the cookie sheet in the 200 degree and hot pot of water oven/sauna (I am now going to name that part Bob).

They had only been in Bob for 20 minutes and hadn't risen very tall (somewhere in the recesses of my memory I think I heard about the sides of the pan are important for rising bread. I may be wrong, but I will experiment later. Stay tuned.). I had a friend who was scheduled to pick me up for lunch and  it was cutting close to that time. I decided I'd bake the little guys after only 20 minutes of rising in Bob.  *Ding, Dong* My doorbell rang. My friend was a little early, but we had to be somewhere. I told my men to take the rolls out in 20 minutes. They did. Twenty little non-noteworthy rolls. Next time, I won't lounge around in my pj's and check Facebook and grade papers and make copies and eat breakfast and take a shower and let the dog out two times and twiddle my thumbs before I get those rolls started. Next time, I'll manage my time better.  Here's a picture of the little rolls. There's only 4 left. We ate the other 16. These four were sliced in half, buttered and toasted and served as breakfast with our coffee the  next morning.