Grandmama's Sweet Rolls

1 cup milk                              

½ cup sugar                            

1 tsp. salt                               

½ cup shortening                     

1 pkg. yeast                            

3 eggs, beaten

4 ½  cups sifted flour

½ - ¾ cup butter, softened

1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups brown sugar

¾ cup pecans, chopped (more)

1 cup pure maple syrup

Combine milk, sugar, salt, and shortening in a saucepan (or microwave) and heat until shortening melts.  Cool until lukewarm in a large bowl.  Add yeast when the temperature cools to 100 – 110 degrees and let stand 20 minutes.  Add eggs, then gradually add flour to mixture which is beaten until smooth, but soft.  (Use dough hook on a large stand mixer, if possible.)

Knead lightly on floured board and put in greased bowl.  Allow to double in size (1 hour).  While dough is rising, butter 3 – 9 inch cake pans liberally, sprinkle with brown sugar, and then with pecans.

Divide dough into 3 portions.  Roll out to about ¼ - ½ inch thick (rectangular shape) on floured surface.  Spread the surface with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Roll up jellyroll fashion.  Cut 1 inch slices and place in pans.  Allow to double in size.  Pour ½ TBS. of maple syrup over each roll and then add a little extra syrup. 

Bake about 20 minutes at 400 degrees. When the rolls have finished baking, carefully turn pan over onto aluminum foil so that the syrup runs over the rolls.  (Place two pieces of foil on counter in the shape of a “+” to keep the syrup from running onto the counter.)  Rolls can be frozen.