Whenever I make these rolls I think about my mother-in-law Betty. She loved these rolls, so whenever we had a family get-together, and I was assigned the bread duty, I would make these especially for her. Not that all the rest of us didn’t love them too, it’s just that she was especially fond of them.

When you think how easy it is to make someone feel loved simply by fixing one of their favorite dishes, it’s a shame we don’t take the time to do it more often.  It’s such a simple way to say “I love you”. For example, all I have to say to Mr. C. to see his face light up is “would you prefer something with pesto or Chicken Paprika for dinner?” He practically starts to purr at the mere mention of either of these two favorites.

That’s why I feel particularly sad for children who don’t grow up with parents that make an effort to cook tasty and healthy food; children for whom fast food is their primary source of sustenance.  Not only are they undoubtedly not receiving the nourishment their bodies require, they aren’t receiving the nourishment I personally feel their souls need too. (Is there anything more reassuring or comforting to a person of any age than good smells emanating from the kitchen?) I can still hear my kids’ voices when they would ask me what was for dinner and I would answer with the name of one of their favorites. There would always be loud happy exclamations that for me were worth all the effort I had expended and more!

So next time you are thinking about what to fix for dinner, pick a dish that you know is one of your family’s favorite. The same thing goes for your elderly relatives. Make dishes that you know are their favorites too. I would love to be able to make another batch of these for my mother-in-law, but I’m glad I made as many as I did while I still had the opportunity.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. The rolls are easy to make and perfect for holidays or dinner parties because the mixing is done the day before. Then roll them out, leave them alone for a couple of hours and pop them in the oven just before dinner. Pillsbury dough boy – eat your heart out!

• ½ c. butter
• 1 c. sour cream
• ½ c. warm water
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 (.25-oz.) pkgs. or scant 2 T. active dry yeast
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 4 c. bread flour
• ¼ c. chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in small saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream. Meanwhile, pour water into a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, salt, and yeast. When the sour cream mixture is lukewarm, add to the yeast mixture. Add the eggs, flour, and the chives. Knead for about 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Dough can be left in refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking.)

Divide dough into 4 parts. Knead and roll each piece into a 10-inch circle.

Cut circle into 8 pie-shaped wedges. Roll each piece from and wide end to the point.

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet pointy end down.

Cover with a light weight tea towel. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. (I start the rolls in a regular oven and then turn the oven to the convection setting about the last 5 minutes of baking! This produces a nicely browned roll.) Best served within a few hours of baking with room temperature butter.