Soft Dinner Rolls

I have a confession. When these came out of the oven, I ate 4 in a row smothered in melted butter. Ok, I feel better about my gluttony. These are SO soft. Soft beyond the downiest pillow but also moist. Like no dinner roll you've ever tasted.

1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 TBSP yeast
4 cups flour (approx.)

Mix milk, water, salt, sugar, and oil. Sprinkle yeast on top, stir slightly and let rest several minutes until bubbly. Add flour 1 cup at a time until thick pudding stage (aka DON'T add all the flour.) Knead with mixer 5 minutes. Continue adding flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (not cleaning the sides.) The dough will still be slightly sticky. Continue kneading for another 5 minutes with mixer. Let rise until double (about 30 minutes.

Lightly grease counter with shortening and sprinkle with flour. Punch down. Place dough on counter and sprinkle flour on top. Roll out to 3/4 in. Cut into circles (doesn't have to be perfect because you're going to roll them out.) Don't leave any "cookie cutter holes". Roll into a 10 inch rope and tie in a knot. On a greased cookie sheet, let rest 13 minutes. Bake at 350' for 18 minutes in a sided pan.

YIELD: About 15 large rolls