FRANCES JACKSON'S OLD-FASHIONED DINNER ROLLS

2 packages ( 1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons salt

5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon oil

Nonstick cooking spray or shortening

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Place the yeast in a small bowl. Add the water and stir to dissolve the yeast. Set aside.

Put the sugar, butter or margarine, milk and salt in a small saucepan. Place mixture over low heat and heat for about 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve and melt the ingredients. Remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool to lukewarm, between 105 and 115 degrees.

Stir in 2 cups of the flour. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until it is well-blended. Add the dissolved yeast mixture and the eggs and beat again. Stir in 1 cup of flour and beat until smooth.

You may have to put aside the mixer at this point and beat the dough mixture with a wooden spoon. Add 2 more cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, beating until mixture is smooth after each addition. The dough will still be wet, but it should pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Flour your hands. Sprinkle a little of the remaining 1 cup of flour on the dough and form into a ball. Use the remaining flour during the kneading, as sparingly as possible. Too much flour results in a heavy, streaked dough that won't rise properly.

Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, adding flour as needed, or until the dough is soft, shiny and no longer sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the ball of dough into the bowl and turn over once or twice so that the top of the dough is oiled.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 1/2 hours or until the dough doubles in size. If you put a dent in the dough and the dent remains, it has risen sufficiently.

Punch down the dough and remove it from the bowl to a floured work surface. Knead for about 1 minute or so to smooth out any bubbles. Cover with a towel and allow dough to rest 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into Parker House or cloverleaf rolls.

For Parker House rolls: Spray or grease several baking sheets and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half. Roll out half of the dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds. Dip the handle of a dinner knife into the flour and use it to make a deep crease just off center in each round.

Fold the round so that the larger side overlaps the smaller side. Press the edges of the halves firmly together. Brush the tops with melted butter or margarine, but not the edges. If the edges are buttered, they are more likely to pop open during the rising or baking.

Place the rolls on the greased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Repeat with the other dough half.

For cloverleaf rolls: Spray or grease several muffin tins. For each roll, pinch off a 1-inch piece of dough and roll it between your palms until it is a smooth ball.

Place 3 balls in each muffin cup, pressing to make sure they touch. Brush the tops with melted butter or margarine.

Finishing either type of roll: Cover with a towel and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the rolls on the lower rack of the oven. Bake the Parker House rolls for 10 to 12 minutes and the cloverleaf rolls for 12 to 14 minutes or until they are golden brown and puffy. Remove from oven and serve.

Makes 36 Parker House or 24 Cloverleaf rolls. Analysis based on Parker House rolls.

Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen

104 calories (35% from fat), 4 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 14 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams protein, 182 mg sodium, 18 mg cholesterol, 10 mg calcium, 1 gram fiber.