These deep-fried bread puffs are delicious dipped in honey or stuffed with any combination of refried beans, chili, chopped onion, grated cheese and guacamole.

Combine dry ingredients and cut in 1 T. lard or butter. Dissolve yeast in water. Add yeast to scalded milk...if yeast is not used, use 1-1/2 cups milk; omit warm water.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingred. Add about 1-1/4 c. Liquid to dry ingred and work into dough. Add more liquid until dough is firm and springy and holds its shape, similar to yeast dough.

Knead dough 15 to 20 times, then invert the bowl over dough and set aside for about 10 minutes.

Heat oil to 400 degrees in a deep fryer or large saucepan fitted with a deep fry thermometer.

Roll one-fourth of the dough to 1/4" thickness, then cut into 3-inch squares or triangles; do not reroll any of the dough. Cover the cut dough with a towel as you fry the sopaipillas, a few at a time, in the hot fat. They should puff up and become hollow very soon after being dropped in the fat. To assure puffing, slightly stretch each piece of dough before lowering it into the fat. Then place the rolled side of dough into fat first. Hold each piece of dough down until it puffs. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot as a bread with any Southwestern meal.

degrees for 15 minutes.

Uncover and heat a few minutes longer so they will crisp.