Cinnamon Raisin Buns

 
I haven't quite mastered the heart of making yeast doughs the old fashion way.... yet.  I have however figured out how to use my bread machine to make the dough for pizza & cinnamon buns.  I thought I'd share how I make my cinnamon buns:

Combine the following in order, in the bowl of your bread machine.
  - 1 1/3 cups milk
  - 2 tbsp sugar
  - 2 tbsp butter
  - 1 1/4 cups wholewheat flour
  - 2 cups ap flour
  - 2 tsp. cinnamon
  - 1 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast

Set on the " dough" setting and let it do all the fussy work.....When dough is finished roll out onto a floured surface into a rectangle.  Long side should roughly be the length of your rolling pin.  Lightly spread soft butter over dough, sprinkle with cinnamon & raisins.  Slowly role from the long edge into a log.  Slice into 12 equal size pieces.  Place pieces into baking pans.  Bake at 350 for approx. 30 mins.  Time depends on your oven & the type of pan used.

My kids REALLY like it when I top them with this yummy glaze from our Better Homes & Garden baking book:

Maple Glaze:

Heat 3 tbsp butter in small sauce pan for about 7 -10 minutes or until light brown.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups icing sugar & 1/4 cup maple syrup.  If needed stir in a little milk to thin enough for drizzling.

So, How do you like your oatmeal?

Ana's a maple syrup with no milk.

Keisha like brown sugar & rice milk,

Liam like a bit a everything..a few raisins, brown sugar & milk,

Anthony like most things, is a pile it on kind of guy...brown sugar, lots of raisins, cinnamon & milk

and little old me....I'm a raisins, sprinkle of brown sugar & rice milk kind of girl !!

How about you ?

Carrot Apricot Bread

Today, along with the laundry & phone calls I decided to whip up a couple of these.  One to be sliced up for the kids lunches & the other for a friend who needing to increase her iron intake.  Did you know the dried apricots are a super source of iron?

Carrot Apricot Bread

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup ap flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup apple sauce
2 eggs
1/4 cup veg. oil
2/3 cup diced dried apricots

Bake at 350 for approx. 45 - 50 mins.

Split dough into 2 loaf pans for best results.  If you'd like to switch it up into dessert just drizzle with a little apple glaze.

Apple glaze

1 cup icing sugar
4 tsp apple juice

* before drizzling, poke the top of each loaf all over with a toothpick for best results.

Hope you give it a try.....it's super good according to Anthony & Liam !!!

French Toast/ Cheslakees Elem.

...........kindies style !!!!

I did it !!!

I was given a really large display board in the school hallway about two months ago. For some reason it's taken me all this time to figure out some kind of plan for it. I was feeling quite daunted by it for some crazy reason !! It's not like I was going to be graded or fired or anything if it turned out ugly.

After formulating some what of a plan & giving myself a deadline I was left trying to figure out how I was going to pull it together. I started by printed off some of the MANY photo's I've taken of the kids during our lesson's. That was the easy part. As I was contimplating how I was going to title/label things...I remembered my good old friend...." The Cricut" !! This lovely machine cuts out almost anything your little heart desires out of paper.


So I spent a morning cutting out letters, forming words & hoping it all was going to work visually. I then spent the afternoon putting it together. The first bit was spent laying things out on the floor in front of my board. Our wonderful secretary Mary printed off the banner title for me and then I started stapling......



Everyone was so great ! The kids & staff kept passing by with words of encouragement. All my anxiety was just so silly. Well...I'm considering it a work in progress. I'm now wishing I had used a different color for the background and think it's looking a little flat at this point. I'm thinking of involving some of the kids in an art project to give it a little more flare or POP ! Any ideas?

After all that stalling I'm glad that my board is coming together and that my school kids smile each time they pass it !!

a little Easter experiment....

This week at school we've been experimenting with " natural" ways of dying hard boiled eggs for Easter. We used teas, coffee & concentrated fruit juices/puree. The kids colored designs onto their eggs with a pencil or wax crayons first. Then we dunked them in our natural dyes to see what would happen......



We found out that good old " Tentley" tea was the best ! Next year we have decided to possibly try using Turmeric, beets or maybe we'll smash up some blueberries or raspberries. It was an interesting easy to assemble experiment. It opened up several great line of discussion with the kids.

Some days I teach

When I was a little girl I was always drawn to organizing, nurturing, helping & care taking. It doesn't surprise me that apparently I wanted to be a " teacher, mommy & nurse" when I was little. It's funny how a persons strengths/talent/direction can make it self clear so early on.

Early last year I was asked by our principle to help with developing the schools " Healthy School Program". I had know idea how much I was going to enjoy my new found job. I don't receive any pay or freebies. I do however get to cook, play and teach about something I enjoy very much !

One of the program we're doing is called " Tastes". Every couple of weeks each classroom receives a bowl of a certain fruit or veggie. We discuss how it's grown, where we get this food, what it does to our body and finally everyone get to try some. Today was all about " Broccoli" one of my personal fav's.