SOPAIPILLAS

This is another recipe from Southwest the Beautiful CookBook.
This will be one of my favorites that is wonderful in the mornings, or for brunch or even after a great dinner.

You can leave off the powdered sugar and use for a bread for meals.

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees) just a little warmer than room temp
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

vegetable oil for frying

Add the yeast to the warm water, stir to dissolve and set aside for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
Bring the milk to a biol in a small saucepan over medium heat; remove from heat and add the shortening, salt and sugar, let cool to room temp. Stir in the yeast mixture.
Sift the flour and baking powder together into a large bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir into a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a cloth twoel and let sit for 20 minutes.
On a lightly floured oard, roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness and cut into triangles or squares about 3" size. Pour the oil into a large, heavy saucepan to a depth of about 3". Heat the oil over high heat until it reaches 400 degrees or until a bread cube browns in 30 seconds. Fry the pieces of dough in the hot oil, 2 or 3 at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels and repeat with remaining dough.
Makes about 36

I sprinkled powdered sugar on mine, But you could also use granulted sugar ... or nothing and serve as a pop-over type bread for any meal.