Source: Jessica Beatty (from her great, great grandmother Kelley)
Ingredients
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c sugar
1 T salt
6 c flour, sifted
Scald milk then add shortening, sugar, and salt.
Allow to cool to 75 degrees (cool to lukewarm).
While cooling, prepare yeast:
1 package yeast
1/2 c lukewarm water
2 t sugar
Dissolve sugar in water, add yeast, and let stand 10 min.
Add enough flour to milk, shortening, sugar, and salt mixture to make a thick batter.
Thoroughly stir yeast mixture and add to batter with beaten eggs.
Beath thoroughly and add enough flour to make a soft dough.
Turn out soft dough onto a slightly floured board.
Cover with mixing bowl for 10 min.
Knead until smooth and velvet on floured board (use all flour).
When kneaded enough, it will rebound when punched with your finger.
Place in bowl and cover with tight lid.
Let rise until double in bulk at 80 degrees.
Punch down and let rest 20 min at 80 degrees.
It is ready to shape into sweet dinner rolls or roll out and cover with melted butter and cinnamon and sugar for cinnamon rolls.
Let rise on a warm oven covered with a towel for 1 hour.
Bake at 350 to 375 for 20 to 30 minutes.
To make the frosting, combine milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar until semi-thick consistency. It is really easy to make too runny, go lightly with the milk!
*Jesse's note: These cinnamon rolls from Jessi's great, great grandmother became a Christmas morning tradition at my parents' house in Charlevoix after we got married. I've always thought it was a really nice way for my mom to welcome Jessi into the family.