I take these to every holiday family meal. I love this reciple because you do the dough up the night before freeing up more time the next day. The mashed potatoes make for a more tender roll. The trick to keeping them soft is not to bake at too high temperature and not to overbake.
Overnight Refrigerator Rolls-
1 package active dry yeast (Works best if you use regular, not rapid rise)
1 ½ cups warm water
1 cup unseasoned lukewarm mashed potatoes (I dice potatoes and cook until really tender, then drain and mash with a potato masher. I use the potato water to dissolve the yeast in.)
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons salt
6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
Real butter for brushing tops
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a small bowl. Let sit for a few minutes.
Place into a large mixing bowl 3 cups flour, eggs, shortening, sugar, and salt. Add the dissolved yeast and beat until smooth.
Mix in enough of the rest of the flour to make the dough just barely able to handle (it will be very sticky still). Generously flour (as in about 1 cup) countertop and dump the dough onto the flour. Knead, adding flour as needed. The amount will vary but when the dough is ready it should have a satiny texture and be neither too sticky or too dry.
Place the dough into a large bowl that has been greased or sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover with plastic wrap. (I use two sheets loosely stretched on the top of the bowl to give the dough room to rise). Place a dishtowel over the top of that and place into the refrigerator. Let rise in the fridge at least 8 hours. The dough may have a tangy sourdough taste if left more than 24 hours.
Gently punch down dough in bowl. Flour hands and form dough into desired shape. I use mini muffin tins for small rolls. For larger rolls I use regular sized muffin tins and place three balls of about 1 inch diameter into each cup. Cover with a dishtowel and let rise until double.
Remove dish towel and bake at 350 degree until light golden color on the sides. For best results watch these rolls carefully. Check and if sides/bottoms start to turn brown too quickly, release a little oven heat and back down the oven temperature. Dump out on wire rack and brush with butter.