Sharing Two Recipes

My Gramma Gartman was a great cook. I especially remember her coffee cake, her chicken and dumplings, her banana cream pie, her chili lasagna, her rice pudding, her strawberry freezer jam… but best of all, the thing that we all looked forward to and that she made so often, were Gramma’s rolls. She made large batches and saved the leftovers in empty cereal boxes. (They were just the right size and shape and the waxed paper liners were perfect for keeping them fresh.)
There has been some disagreement among my siblings as to whether or not I have the recipe written down correctly, but I still remember clearly the day that I asked Gramma to teach me how to make her rolls and I jotted everything down as we went along.
They are a bit finicky. They really like a nice warm place to rise or they just don’t. But even our flatter results have had the right taste at least – that wonderful memory filled taste.
Gramma Gartman’s Rolls
Ingredients:
1/4 lb margarine
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1 c scalded milk
1 c warm milk
2 pkg (4 1/2 t) yeast softened in 1/2 c warm water
5 c (or so) flour
Directions:
Start by scalding the 1 c of milk in a small saucepan and putting the other cup of milk along with the stick of margarine into a bowl to melt in the microwave. Let both cool to room temperature. Soften the yeast in the warm water and allow to bloom. (I usually do this while the milk is still warm and allow it to sit until the milk has cooled enough to continue with the recipe.) Add the scalded milk, the milk and melted margarine mixture, the sugar, and the egg and mix well. Then add the flour one cup at a time (I usually find it takes more like six cups.) until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise in a warm place for one hour. Punch down. Roll or pat out to about 1/2 inch thick and cut into 2 inch squares. Place on greased baking sheet and let rise in a warm place again. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Our family loves these with soup or with spaghetti or all by themselves with butter or jam. Yum!
(The second recipe is in the picture. It is another of Gramma’s recipes.) Enjoy!