The sour cream dinner roles recipe calls for active dry yeast but doesn't specify dissolving in water. Guessing it should be? How much h20?

I always make it this way, and have never had a problem. It's not the temperature, as I understand it, that's necessary in active dry yeast. It's moisture. The yeast is coated with a protective layer which must be dissolved in order for the yeast to work. There is plenty of liquid in the dough itself, if you follow the recipe as written. However, if you want to proof your yeast, to make sure that it's still active (not a bad idea, if you are not sure), then use 3 tablespoons of water to do so, and use that much less sour cream. You'll need to watch the addition of flour a bit more carefully, as the substitution is not exact (due to the fat in the sour cream). ;o)

Good question -- we tested the recipe 3 times as written and it worked fine, possibly because the other ingredients in the dough were in the right temperature range to activate the yeast. I'll forward your question to the recipe's author so she can weigh in.