Measure 2 ½ cups of the flour into a large mixer bowl. Add yeast; blend.

Combine water, shortening, sugar, and salt in a pan or microwave safe bowl. Heat until warm (120°-130°F), stirring constantly.

Add liquids to flour-yeast mixture. Add eggs. Beat 1 minute at low speed. Scrape down dough from sides of bowl. Beat 3 more minutes at high speed.

Switch to the dough hook, on low speed gradually add the remaining flour, add more or less as necessary flour to form a soft dough. Scrape down dough from sides of bowl.

Cover bowl first with wax paper, then with aluminum foil. Refrigerate no more than 3 days for best results. Punch down dough every 30 minutes for the first few hours until it is chilled, then once a day.

When ready to make rolls, divide the dough in to thirds. Refrigerator remaining dough until ready to shape.

To shape crescent rolls: Roll ⅓ of the dough into a 10-inch circle. Cut into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Roll each piece of dough from the wide side toward the point, stretching the dough slightly as it is rolled. Place on baking sheet a little apart; curve ends.

Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

Bake dinner rolls on baking sheet 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size, in preheated 400°F oven.

Remove from pan and set on rack; brush with butter.