Ranch Rolls

My Dad is turning 80 this week and the extended family is going to Maddox Ranch House to celebrate.  Your eyes are not playing tricks on you; this is not a birthday cake.  It is a roll, specifically a roll like the ones they make at Maddox Ranch House, a Utah icon.  

My Mom and Dad married in September on my maternal Grandfather's birthday and we always celebrated both occasions at Maddox, which was located halfway between our homes.  Mr. Maddox raised beef in a pasture out back and ran a butcher shop off to the side of the restaurant.  When our family visited for Grandpa's birthday, Wilma Maddox (the hostess) alerted Irv in the butcher shop that Orval had arrived.  Just as we were finishing up dinner, Irv would come out in his whites (minus the butcher apron) with Wilma,  bearing one perfect slice of house-made fresh peach pie from local peaches, whereupon a chorus of wait-staff would sing "Happy Birthday".  Grandpa and Irv were old friends from way back and Grandpa and Grandma would never think of going anywhere else for a special occasion.

The restaurant is still run by younger generations of the Maddox family and still serves steaks (now purchased from a local rancher), fried chicken, and house made pies and rolls.  The food is not upscale or gourmet; it's stick-to-your-ribs country fare and the menu hasn't changed much in 70 years.  When Wilma and Irv opened Maddox in this out of the way spot, they built a small log cabin on skids, just in case they had to move it into town.  It still stands in the same spot 70 or so years later, the original cabin being added onto many, many times.



The food is good (especially the steaks), but it's the rolls that that my family loves.  The wait staff brings them out in baskets and they just keep coming, and coming, as long as you want more.  Light and fluffy; just look at the crumb.  Slather them with honey or raspberry butter like they serve at Maddox. 

If you can't get to Maddox Ranch House, these rolls are the next best thing to being there.

Maddox Ranch House Rolls

2 Tablespoons of yeast (not rapid rise)

1/2 cup of warm water

1 1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup (or 4 ounces) of  butter

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

3 large eggs

5 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the milk and salt.  Scald but do not boil.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

In a measuring cup, mix the yeast and warm water.  Add a pinch of sugar from the 1/2 cup measure and stir.  Let the yeast sit and proof for a few minutes (to be sure your yeast is active.  Mine WAS VERY ACTIVE).

In a large bowl, mix the yeast mixture, eggs, sugar, milk mixture and flour just until blended and no lumps of flour remain.  Do not overmix.  The dough will be sticky and very loose.

Let the batter/dough raise until double (about 90 minutes).  Mine took only 50 minutes to double in size;  I live at high altitude so my dough raises quickly.  

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Spoon it into greased muffin tins and let it raise again until doubled in size. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack.  Serve with honey or raspberry butter.

This recipe makes about 30 dinner sized rolls.

Linked to Friday Potluck