Bendy Bread

/

Now that Hannah is in school she is very much "activity oriented".  She is so used to going from one project to the next while she is there, that she has come to expect that same type of entertainment at home.  "I'm bored" has become one of her favorite sayings around here.  I tried to explain to her that Mommy doesn't always have to have the ideas, that it is fun to try and think of things to play by yourself too.  I love Hannah and as much as I would also love to spend the ENTIRE day playing dolls or doing puzzles with her, there are other things that I have to get done.  Not so sure that she got it, because in the next breath she asked if we could bake something.  I remembered a recipe I had found for bread that you play with before you bake it!  I changed it from the original version, so I guess that makes it okay to share.

Bendy Bread:

1 C unbleached white flour

1 C + 1T of whole wheat pastry flour (regular w.wheat flour is too heavy, we used Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)

2 t baking powder

2 T sugar

1/4 t sea salt

1 egg

1/2- 3/4 C milk- to obtain dough like consistency

1/4 c vegetable oil

Topping:

1/4 C brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

2-3 T melted butter

Mixing_dry_ingredients0001

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients separately.

Mixing_dry_ingredients_together0001

Add the wet to the dry and mix until combined, you may need to add more milk or more flour in order to achieve a doughy consistency.

Flour_the_table0001

Flour the table (and the floor, and your shirt, and your pants :) Knead the dough until it is more firm and elastic (a minute or two).

Mish_mash_roll_and_shape0001   Mish_mash_roll_and_shape_20001

Divide the dough evenly between your participants. Perfectly even.  Let them mish, mash, squish, squash, roll and shape the dough into the desired forms.  (keep in mind the baking time of a big blob.  I had to send Hannah back to the drawing board a few times.)

Sprinkle_with_topping0001

Combine the topping ingredients. Sprinkle onto the shapes (which should be on a greased cookie sheet.  I used "Pam with Flour".)

Wait_by_oven0001

Bake at 350 for 15-20min depending on the size and shape of your dough.  Try and wait patiently as the yummy smell oozes from the oven.

Enjoy0001

Cool and enjoy with a glass of milk.  (This was a person that Hannah made...she let out and evil laugh as she bit its head off)

And my thankful thought of the day goes out to my friend who gladly came to my rescue around 11:30 am when I had run out of ideas (and energy) to keep Hannah occupied.  She brought her girls over to play and we enjoyed some coffee together.

School tomorrow :)