Best-Of-All Blackbottom Pie

Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 cup warm water; let stand about 5 minutes.

Combine remaining sugar, salt, butter, and shortening in a large bowl. Add boiling water, stirring until butter and shortening melt. Cool slightly. Add dissolved yeast, stirring well. Add eggs and 3 cups flour, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees F), free from drafts, 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down; turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead several times. Shape into 2-inch balls, and place in 3 greased 9-inch round pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees F), free from drafts, 30 to 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Yield: 3 dozen.

Note: I'm only posting the basic recipe: the original had a number of variations, including Sweet Yeast Braid, Sweet-Filled Yeast Loaves, and Sweet Pinwheel Rolls. The article also gave recipes for a number of fillings such as Cinnamon-Cheese Filling, Orange-Cheese Filling, and Chocolate-Cheese Filling; and one topping, Sugar Glaze. Check the magazine (or one of the yearly cookbook compilations) if you're interested in them (you can usually get the Southern Living cookbooks on sale at bookstores for about $7.95, and IMHO, they're well worth the money!).