Thanks for stopping by A Family Place. I enjoy working with families, and sharing the power of music with them. Kindermusik provides this outlet for me. This blog will allow me to share thoughts and ideas that can help families in their journey.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

We interrupt this blog

to bring you a favorite recipe!  I know everyone is busy with holiday festivities and family, but I wanted to share a couple of recipes that are popular at my house.  I love to bake, and I wanted to share with my blog readers something besides music.

Yeast Bread
1 T. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1 T. sugar
1/2 c. oil
2 c. milk & 2 T. vinegar OR lemon juice
1/2 c. or less sugar
1/2 t. baking soda
5 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
6 c. all-purpose flour (extra as you mix)

Dissolve yeast & 1 T. sugar in warm water, Add remaining ingredients in a large bowl. You will probably need to stir in extra flour to get the consistency dough like. You can either continue mixing and kneading in the bowl OR on a floured surface.  Place dough in a gallon ziploc bag that has been sprayed with cooking spray ( or  greased with crisco). Squeeze air out of the bag, so the dough can expand. Dough can be refrigerated for up to TWO weeks.  Pull out as needed for dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls or pizza dough. Bake at 400. No need to rise. Prep time is 15 minutes.

This is a staple at my house, and so easy to make.  I no longer buy frozen dinner rolls or crescent rolls.  My kids can make their own pizzas by adding pizza sauce, cheese and other toppings.  Of course my kids are older (ages 11 - 21)!


Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
12 ice cream sandwiches
1/2 c. hot fudge topping, warmed
jello pudding mix - chocolate
cool whip - thawed and divided in 1/2
8 oreos - chopped

Warm fudge and whisk in 1 cup of cool whip. Add pudding mix and stir well.  Add chopped oreos cookies. On a 24 inch sheet of foil, place 4 ice cream sandwiches side by side.  top with 1/2 of topping. Repeat.  After placing last 4 sandwiches on top, frost with reserved cup of cool whip.  Fold foil to make a tent and freeze for 4 hours. Prep time is 20 minutes.

This is an easy treat, and often requested by the Nobles children as their birthday cake. I have never made this cake in the summer, always in December!!  

Awesome Apple Bread
1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups apple, chopped
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla and apple in large mixing bowl.  Add dry ingredients and mix well. Bake in loaf pans (2 regular or 5 small) at 350 degrees for 25 - 35 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. Prep time is about 20 minutes.

This is a wonderful breakfast bread, or for snacking during the day.  I make this in small loaf pans and give it as a gift.  You can also make apple bread muffins.  This freezes well, and you can take it out as needed.

Happy baking and Merry Christmas!  

December Winners!

Iva Palmer (Joseph) & Laureen Gilbert (Ricky) are the winners for December. This is the fourth in a series of drawings celebrating 20 years of Kindermusik at Berry College. Each month I will draw two names. The first person receives $20 Kindermusik credit and a small gift for their child. The second person can choose one item from an assortment of instruments, CD's, or books.

Enter weekly, one entry per child that attends a Kindermusik class. The drawings will continue through April 2010. Congratulations to our December winners!