Easter

It was such a pretty day this past Sunday, and I'm never in more of a mood to bake than on a bright Sunday morning, when the house is quiet.

I decided on monkey bread, bc one of the most heavenly aromas in the world is warm yeast bread baking, and hot coffee brewing. And bacon.

Just before it was time to shape the dough and set it in the oven, my littlest Easter chick came downstairs. (She's always the first one up on holidays.)

She was very excited to receive a much-longed-for fragrance in her basket. It's called Carried Away, by Bath & Body Works.

She smelled marvelous for church.

And Papa Bear looked marvelous for church.

(She wasn't quite ready for the picture, as she wasn't zipped up yet, but she was gracious about it.)

Bre wasn't home to get in on the picture, but Mike snapped a photo of me and my two other sweet girls…

Bre did make it home in time for this, however:

I hope you had a lovely Easter Sunday!

If you'd like the recipe for the monkey bread I made (which originally came from Martha Stewart, but with my slight changes), here it is:

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EASTER MORNING MONKEY BREAD

FOR THE BREAD:

1/4 c. water
3 1/4 c. flour
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 c. granulated sugar, plus a pinch for yeast
3/4 c. milk, warmed
2 T. shortening
1 pkg. yeast

1. Put the warm water and pinch of sugar in small bowl; sprinkle yeast over top. Stir; let the yeast soften and dissolve, about 5 minutes.

2. Place shortening, warm milk, sugar, salt, and egg in mixer bowl. Grease Bundt pan and a medium bowl.

3. Once yeast is dissolved and foamy, add it to mixer bowl; mix well. Slowly add flour. Knead by hand for 5 minutes or so. Place in the greased bowl; cover with plastic. Set dough in warm place and let rest 20 minutes.

FOR THE COATING:

1 stick butter, melted
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 c. light brown sugar

4. Put melted butter in a bowl. In another bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon.

5. Shape dough into 1/2" balls and then roll in butter and then brown sugar mixture. Place into prepared Bundt pan.

6. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise about 1 hour or until double in size.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes in pan.

8. Turn bread out of pan; cool 20 minutes on rack or plate.

FOR THE ICING:

2 c. confectioners' sugar
1/4 c. milk

9. Make icing: In a small bowl, stir milk into confectioners' sugar. Drizzle over bread.

Enjoy! And be sure to have a fresh pot of coffee to go with it. 🙂