Mimi's Yeast Rolls

I was standing in line at grocery store and the magazine called "Taste of the South" caught my eye. Having been born and raised in the South, with family in New Orleans and Atlanta, I have grown up on real Southern cuisine. I am not sure how "southern" these rolls are, but they are kinda of biscuit-like, and that is good enough for me.

Mimi's Yeast Rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
2 (.25-ounce) package of active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tsp. salt
7 1/4 cups bread flour (not self-rising)
1/2 cup butter, divided

How to Make It:
1) In a large bowl combine yeast and water; add sugar. Let stand until yeast blooms, 3 to 4 minutes.
2) Add eggs, oil, and salt to yeast mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in 6 cups flour until just blended. Pat outside of dough with 1/4 cup flour. Cover with a cloth. Let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts*, until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3) Measure out remaining 1 cup flour. Sprinkle some of flour onto a kneading surface, and turn out dough. Add half of remaining flour to dough, kneading 6 to 8 times until dough is no longer sticky. Add more of remaining flour if needed. (Do not add more than 1 cup.)
4) Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9x13x2 baking dish. Pinch off 1 1/2 - 2-inch balls of dough**, and roll each ball in melted butter. Place rolls in prepared pan, being careful not to overcrowd pan. (If necessary, use an 8x8-inch pan for overflow, melting 2 additional tablespoons butter in pan.)
5) Cover pan with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, until rolls have doubled in size again, 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
6) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Check bottom of rolls for doneness; they should be a pale shade of gold, not doughy or white. While rolls are still very warm, rub tops with remaining 1/4 cup butter.

*Tips: baby burp cloths work well, so long as they are thin and gauze-like. If you don't have a thin cloth or dish towel you can spray plastic wrap with butter cooking spray so it doesn't stick to the bread or bowl.
**Dough can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator at this point for up to 1 week. Let rise for 2 1/2 hours. Baking time may also need to be increased.