Cloverleaf Rolls

There's nothing quite like a soft yeasty roll straight from the oven to remind you that sometimes the simple pleasures are the best.  Our hectic schedules rarely allow most of us to enjoy bread straight from the oven more than a couple times a year.  When you do decide the occasion warrants fresh rolls, it'd be a real pity not to give these a chance.  These rolls are easy to put together (though it's a bit time consuming to measure out 72 little balls of dough) and freeze wonderfully.  They're a perfect complement to any holiday meal or any non-holiday meal you'd like to make feel a little special.

You'll Need:

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Additional butter, melted for topping

Getting Started:

Soften butter.

Heat milk to about 110 degrees F.

Grease 2 12-cup muffin tins.
Now You're Cookin':

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk.

Add the butter, egg, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour.   Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch the dough down and into 72 pieces and shape into balls.

Place three balls in each greased muffin cup.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Brush with melted butter.

Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.