Christmas
We spent Christmas at home this year and it was so wonderful. While I love my family, traveling during the holidays sort of bums me out because I don't get to do my own traditions or wake up in my own bed. For traditions, I make my Grandma Rita's sticky buns for Christmas breakfast. They are somewhat hers, but since I could not find her real recipe in all of the mounds of cookbooks I got from her after she passed I sort of mish mashed this together.
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Here is what I make:
Ingredients
2 3/4 - 2 1/4 cups flour
1 package yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp softened butter
1 cup plus 2 tbsp warm tap water
Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Stir until blended then add butter and stir. Slowly add the tab water. I usually do this in my big mixer so it is stirring the whole time.
Beat with the mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes scraping the bowl as you go. add 1/2 cup more flour and mix on high for 1 minute.
Gradually stir in enough flower with wooden spoon to make soft dough which leaves side of bowl. In Seattle this usually takes more because we are wet here, but in Spokane which is dry it takes less...so just keep an eye on it!
Kneed for 5-10 minutes on lightly flour board or with a kneading hook (that's what I do because I'm lazy yo!)
Let rest for 20 minutes covered. Punch it down.
Roll dough out into 9x13 inch rectangle.
Filling
1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar packed
2 tbsp cinnamon
Spread the butter on the dough rectangle and then sprinkle the sugars and cinnamon on top. Add more if you want. I'm crazy so I add more...
Next take a pan - I use the smaller rectangle one and since I suck at measure I have no idea what the real size is. Whatever. Use the butter paper to grease or spray it with spray. Now here is where you can pick what you want. If you want frosting you can just put them in the pan. I do sticky buns like Grandma so I mix about 2 tbs brown sugar with two to four squirts of maple syrup in the pan. Swish it around and then add more or less if you want. This part is my make believe part because she didn't really tell us what was up with it...so yeah. Cut the buns 1 1/2 inch pieces and then squish them into the gooey pan. If you are frosting, you then put 2 tbsp of melted butter on the top. Don't do this for the sticky buns because that is a lot of butter.Just trust me...
Wrap the pan in plastic wrap and then into the fridge for 2 to 24 hours. I do this Christmas Eve and then they are big and risen in the morning for baking.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees and then when done let it rest for 20 minutes then here is the fun part - flip the pan on a platter and let the goo drizzle down. Yummers!
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So we ate these on Christmas while opening gifts. Ella was less than impressed with opening gifts but it was fun for us to actually have her with us! Last year we were telling everyone we were expecting and this year she is here! I feel so lucky to have her and a wonderful husband.
We then watched Christmas movies and took naps because you can do that when you don't have anywhere to go. It was heaven! I made a beef roast thingy and it was okay. I didn't keep the recipe because it was kind of hard and not really worth it. We ate, had apple pie, and just enjoyed being a family which sometimes is hard to remember to do when you are busy rushing around during the holidays. I can't wait until next year when Santa can make more of an appearance!
Here are some fun photos!
New Year
So for New Year we didn't really do anything! We are crazy people I know! A few days after New Year we had a wonderful treat - Ella rolled over! In one day she learned to roll over from tummy to back and from back to tummy. It was a little crazy and she now enjoys doing that all the time. She will roll and roll and rolls. Since we don't let her watch TV she has found she can roll until she can see it. Stinker! So now I have to watch her even more.
She has also found her voice. She hasn't yet found the volume button though. When we go shopping she likes to tell me about things. Loudly. People stare. I just smile at them and then talk to her back at a normal level. She will learn about inside voice, but right now I'm kind of enjoying her scaring people in the grocery store. We have some videos on YouTube but I can't find them right now. So yeah. Those will be coming!
For the New Year we also have had some very exciting new hobbies we are taking up. Brad bought an early birthday gift - a new bass guitar. I have no idea what kind it is, and he could probably go on and on about it. It is pretty - sort of brown with black at the edges. Whatever you call that in guitar speak. Ha! He also received a telescope for Christmas so he has been putting it together and learning about where we can go to see the stars. I am excited to be able to share this will Ella when she is older - even though she can't be an astronaut because apparently that profession doesn't exist anymore. Poor thing.
My hobby is sewing. I sewed a little in High School and am slowing picking it up again. I am taking an online sewing class and have successfully complete two projects and unsuccessfully bombed one. Who needs ric rac napkins anyway! It is fun and challenging, but keeps me busy! If anyone wants to give me tips please let me know!
So there you go...I think that is all we have been up to, plus or minus a few things. I feel like I just wrote a Christmas card letter for people. Sorry about that...now I'm back and track and can feel less guilty about it! To see some of Ella's monthly photos please visit that page - she is growing like a weed. Wait I hate that saying. She is growing like a beautiful and purposefully planted flower.
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