Hushpuppies

These are so yummy!

• 1 c. self-rising yellow cornmeal mix (I use Tenda Bake or Martha White)
• 1/2 c. sifted self-rising flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4-1 c. milk (start with less)
• 2 Tbs. bacon grease*
• 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1½ quarts or more of cooking oil

*You may not have bacon grease on hand, and a lot of recipes don't use it.  After cooking bacon, when the grease cools I sometimes pour it into a jar for making gravy any time we want.  This way, the next time I cook bacon, I don't have to wait until the bacon is done to start the gravy.

►Mix together flour and cornmeal.  Beat egg and add in the rest of the ingredients.

►Heat about 2 inches of oil on medium-high, and drop in by spoonfuls.  The batter is a little thick, so I use another spoon to scrape it off into the oil.  Turn until medium golden-brown on all sides.  It takes me about 6-8 minutes for the size hushpuppies I make.

►Lift hushpuppies from oil with a slotted spoon, and place on paper towels.
The mix ends up being about 2 cups, and makes about 2 dozen golfball-sized hushpuppies.  I prefer them smaller, but my family likes them large, and I don't have to tend to as many that way, either.  =)

--Maybe you already know this, but you can save your cooking oil in a large jar.  Just pour cooled oil through a strainer and funnel back into the jar.
This may seem odd, but I used to have a Fry Daddy (plugs in, has a lid for storage).  I could deep fry things and save the oil for later use.  I think it got lost when we moved 7 years ago.

Yeast Rolls

My daughters love making these!  Rebekah made them both Thanksgiving days (Thurs & Fri), and both times there was one roll left!  The lucky person who later got that roll.... mmmm!

• 2 pkgs yeast (or 4½ tsp.)
• 2 c. warm water
• ¾ c. shortening
• 1 Tbs. salt
• 1½ c. sugar
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 c. well-cooked, well-creamed, plain potatoes
• 7-8 c. bread flour (all-purpose flour), sifted

In very large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Too hot will kill the yeast.  Add shortening, salt, sugar, and beaten eggs.  Stir in creamed potatoes.  Add sifted flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition to make a soft dough.

Leave in the large bowl; rub vegetable oil over dough.  Cover with clean cloth, let it sit in a warm place, and let rise until doubled.  Punch down and let rise again.  Pinch off balls of dough and shape into rolls on greased pan and let rise again.  Each rising can take several hours depending on the weather, so it's good to start the dough for these a day ahead.  We usually try to start in the afternoon, and let the covered bowl sit in the sun.  If there's no sun, you can set it near a heat vent, or use a small portable heater on low. The dough is fine left out overnight, covered.
Bake at 350º until golden brown.  (about 18-20 min.)
Can make about 24-30 rolls.

Serve with honey butter. Mmmmm.
Dough keeps well in refrigerator several days.