This blog has been dormant for a bit. I never meant for it to happen.
I miss blogging, and sharing my life with people. I love expressing my emotions/thoughts/life in online journaled form. But, I’m still trying to find my groove.
It’s been weeks since I baked. Weeks since I’ve sat down at my computer to do something other than online banking and accounting.
A few weeks ago, I met up with some girlfriends I met shortly after Avery was born. We all have daughters within the same age range, give or take a few weeks. Over some great Indian food and cold beer, she told me that she loves my pictures, but misses my blog. I felt guilty.
I seem to be finding excuses on why I can’t take time for myself, yet I will tell other people that’s what they need to do. I felt even more guilty that I told my friend I was too busy to blog, yet she has twins.
She has double the amount of work, and I can barely keep up with one child, plus a job, plus all the stuff at home.
I guess what I’m trying to get at is, I miss this. This whole sharing on the internet thing. I appreciate the people who visit my blog, even though I don’t have time for it. I appreciate your comments, your feedback, and your conversations on twitter.
I’m going to try to be here more often. Even if it’s once a month, and it’s just a picture. I’m going to try to keep that. I need my outlet, and right now I’m not doing that.
On the plus, I brought you a present. I finally caved into the monkey bread thing. It’s basically yeasty dough balls, dipped in brown butter, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and baked.
It’s all of my favourite things. Buttery, gooey, sticky, warm, and full of carbs. Perfect for any weekend morning (or evening dessert).
Monkey bread
[ from Smitten Kitchen ]
dough;
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided ( 2 tablespoons softened, 2 tablespoons melted)
1 cup milk, warm to touch
1/3 cup water, warm to touch
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast (1 package)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
coating;
1 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Grease a bundt pan with butter or non-stick spray, set aside. Preheat oven to 200 degrees, turn the oven off once it reaches the desired temperature.
To make the dough, in a large measuring cup mix together the milk, water, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour and salt and stir using the dough hook attachment. Turn the mixer to low, slowly pour in the milk mixture. Once the ingredients have come together, turn mixer up to medium and knead for 6 – 7 minutes, or until dough is smooth and shiny. The dough will be sticky, but not wet. If your dough seems very wet, add a few more tablespoons of flour.
Transfer the dough to a large heat safe bowl, which has been coated lightly with vegetable oil, cover with plastic wrap and place inside the warm oven until it has doubled in size, about 60 minutes.
To make the coating, place melted butter in one bowl, and mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a second bowl.
Transfer the risen dough on to a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a 8×8-inch square. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 64 pieces. I cut mine into a grid, so 8 horizontal lines, followed by 8 vertical lines. Make sure to separate the dough balls right after you cut your “grid”, or the dough will just form back into one big mass.
Take each dough ball, coat in melted butter, then roll it in brown sugar, and place tightly into the bunt pan. Continue with each dough ball until you have no more left. When placing the dough into the pan after the first layer has been done, try to place the top piece of dough over the seams of the bottom balls of dough. Also try to keep them tightly close together.
Cover and let rise once more in the warm oven until the dough is 1 – 2 inches from the top of the pan, about 70 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Uncover the pan and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until bread is deeply golden brown and the gooey sugar is bubbling in the pan.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before inverting the bread onto a platter. Let rest for 10 more minutes before serving.
