Easter Tomb Buns

As adults, we know that Easter isn't just about this bunny that hides eggs filled with candy and prizes...and if you didn't know that, we need to talk :)

However, even though we're adults, those of us with kiddos still put a lot of emphasis on the Easter egg hunts, photos with the Easter bunny, and finding the best deals on Cadbury Creme Eggs to stash away from the rest of the year - or, at least Carissa does that.

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for a great way to help my kids understand the religious significance of Easter. It is not only the awakening of our Earth as it enters spring, but also a holiday to celebrate the awakening and resurrection of our Savior. While we have tried our best to instill this in our children in the past few weeks, their minds were still on the jelly beans we bought at the store and who was going to get more eggs.

Obviously, we need a new approach.

Then I remembered "tomb buns", an idea presented to us by our dear friend (sometimes known as the "fourth" triplet), Christina. There are dozens of variations of these treats, but the idea is that a marshmallow is baked inside dough. As the marshmallow expands and dissolves, it creates a hollow center. Here's the symbolism:

The dough = the tomb Christ was buried in

The marshmallow = our Savior, Jesus Christ

The cinnamon and sugar = the oils and spices Christ's body was anointed with

The hollowed center = the empty tomb following Christ's resurrection

This is a great family activity. You can use your own bread dough, thawed Rhodes rolls, or crescent rolls from a can. Your children can help roll the marshmallows and secure them into the dough. As they bake, you can talk to your children about the story of Christ's death and resurrection and what it means for all of us. After baking, you can then open up each bun to find the "empty tomb".

I made small dough balls and used small marshmallows because that's just what I had. Larger marshmallows will make the hollow even larger (obviously).

Cut the dough evenly into four sections.

Cut each section into four more sections. This gives you the 16 dough rolls you need for large tomb buns. If you're making small ones, cut each dough roll in half, giving you 32 dough rolls.

After rolling the marshmallow in the butter and then the cinnamon-sugar mixture, place the marshmallow on a slightly flattened dough ball.

Secure each dough ball firmly around each marshmallow. You don't want the marshmallow to melt out of the bun because it won't create a hollow center.



Dip the top of the dough ball into the melted butter. And yes, I need a manicure.

Then roll the top of the dough ball into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Place each dough ball into a greased muffin tin. Both small and large rolls will bake nicely in a 12-muffin size muffin tin.

And, I have to be grateful for good friends. My cinnamon seemed to go AWOL on me and I panicked. Who wants to go to the grocery store at 9pm with no makeup and jammies on? Maybe some of you, but not me. Luckily, my Costco-loving friend, Tai, lives a few blocks away and doesn't judge me (openly) about my attire or non-makeup face. Thanks Tai!

Easter Tomb Buns
from Girls in Aprons

For the bread:
1 cup milk, warmed to 110-120 degrees
1 Tbsp yeast
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups flour

For the rest of the recipe:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
16 large or 32 small marshmallows

Place the milk in a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Wait about 5 minutes or until the yeast is starting to get foamy. Add the butter, sugar, and salt, and mix on low speed until incorporated (the butter will be lumpy). Gradually add the flour.

Place the dough on a large surface dusted with flour or cooking spray. Cut the dough into fourths and then cut those fourths into fourths. At this point, you have 16 dough rolls. If you are making large buns, you can start on the next step. If you are making small buns, cut each dough roll in half until you have 32 dough rolls.

Combine the 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.

Slightly flatten each dough roll. Roll each marshmallow in the melted butter and then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place one marshmallow on each dough roll. Wrap the dough around the marshmallow, sealing it carefully. Dip the top of the dough roll into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place each dough roll in a greased muffin tin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the bun is lightly browned. Serve warm (or reheat in the microwave for 10 seconds).

Savory Kale Chips

There are a lot of things I've learned over the years about cooking for my family: new recipes, how to persuade picky eaters, and tips to get dinner on the table faster. But the most important thing (I think) is what I learned about grocery shopping.

When I was first married (and for the first few years after that) my husband and I would go to the grocery store, spend over a hundred dollars and stuff and then we'd come home and say "What are we going to make with all this?" I'd come up with a dinner idea and then realize I was missing one or several ingredients. I thought grocery shopping was frustrating and expensive, and although we had plenty of snack foods, we lacked in fresh produce and dinner options.

Thankfully (and I'm sure the rest of my family is grateful too) I learned to plan my menu in advance, scour grocery ads for sales, and make a grocery list based of sales and what I already had in my fridge. And for produce? Thankfully Bountiful Baskets came to my area! Getting their baskets every week forces my family and I to branch out and try new fruits and veggies (because we are not throwing any of this away!). We try new recipes with the produce and because I want most of it gone before the next basket comes we eat a lot more fruits and veggies with our meals and for snacks.

Last week we got kale in our basket. I have never had kale and didn't know what to do with it! I did a quick search for "kale" on Google and saw all these recipes for "kale chips". Apparently they taste similar to potato chips, but way healthier! And my friend Heidi said her kids loved them, and if I can get my kids to love something dark green and full of antioxidants, then point me in that direction please! This recipe is super easy, and can easily be changed up with different spices.

This is kale. When I first saw it I didn't know what it was. 

Cut of the bottom stem with kitchen shears or a sharp knife.

Cut the dark green leaves away from the middle stem and tear them into bite size pieces.

After washing them well and drying them really well with a salad spinner, place them in a large bowl, season with olive oil and spices, and arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet (a non-insulated one works best) covered with foil.

Bake in your oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Let cool before eating!!

Savory Kale Chips



by Girls in Aprons

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Preheat your oven to 350. Cover a cookie sheet (preferably non-insulated) with foil.

With kitchen shears or a sharp knife cut the large stems away from the leaves. Tear the leaves into bite sized pieces. Wash well and dry in a salad spinner. Place leaves in a large bowl with oil and seasonings and mix. Lay the leaves on foil in a single layer.

Bake at 350 for 10 - 15 minutes until edges are browning.

**HINTS & TIPS:
1. If your kale is really curly, place the leaves so they curl down. This allows the air to move more under the leaves.

2. Don't use too much oil! This could make your chips soggy. You can also switch up the seasonings! Try salt and lemon, chili powder and garlic, salt and pepper, seasoning salt, Italian seasonings, etc.

3. Watch your leaves after they have cooked for 8-9 minutes. Once the edges start to brown you can pull them out. Depending on your oven you may want to turn your pan halfway through cooking. Don't let your kale chips burn - they become bitter.

4. If you find your kale chips are a bit soggy (my leaves in the middle of my pan were a bit chewy still) let them sit out on your counter overnight. They crisp right up!

Peanut Butter Crescent Rolls

I was going to name this post: "According to my kids the best snack ever" but I felt it just didn't fully describe the recipe. And they are a little biased - like their dad, they think anything with peanut butter is manna from heaven.

So anyway, as a mom, I always have this ideas in my head of the "perfect mom". You know what I mean, right (right? or am I the only one?). The mom who gets up early enough to do her hair and makeup, whose children never have messy faces or stains on their clothes, whose car is never a pile of toys, hamburger wrappers, and Diet Coke bottles rolling around the floor. I am not one of those moms, but in my weird little head, I also have this idea that "perfect moms" always have a homemade afterschool snack for their kids.

Well by golly - call me perfect. Well, at least for today.

My kids came home today, hyper because it's the weekend and excited for the movie night planned with their cousins. I happened to have a free moment to think about a snack instead of shoving a handful of Nilla Wafers at them - and created "the best snack ever". You be the judge! But really these are easy to whip up (if I can do it with four crazy boys underfoot you can too!). And they are so verstatile - I used peanut butter with chocolate chips and peanut butter with raspberry jam. Add Nutella (which sadly we are out of), raisins, thinly sliced apples, honey, or any other combo that works for you and your family.

All you need to get started!

Place about a teaspoon or so of peanut butter (more or less depending on your preference) along the bigger end of the crescent roll. Place chocolate chips or about a teaspoon or so of jam. Roll up like normal and shape into a crescent shape.

Bake at 375 for about 10 to 12 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and inhale. Or chew and swallow.

Submitted by Celeste - Girls in Aprons

Cinnamon Almonds

As I mentioned earlier, one of my favorite things to do at Christmas is sit on a bench at the mall and just people-watch. It may sound boring, but I love seeing all the different people with all their packages and just daydream a litle. Do you want to know what makes people-watching even better? Some Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (duh) and a package of fresh roasted cinnamon almonds. Just as soon as I enter the mall, I smell the cinnamon almonds and I have to have some. They just smell like Christmas to me.

I was perusing some of my fave food blogs last Christmas and found a recipe from The Sisters Cafe. They got this recipe from someone (who probably got in from someone, etc) and I made it right away. It was so super easy and the smell in my house was just like the mall! It smells heavenly while baking. These make the perfect addition to any Christmas treat plate, or make up a batch for New Years Eve to munch on while playing games (but I warn you, you won't be able to stop!) I had to promise to make a batch (or two!) for my family this New Years' because my kids wouldn't stop eating them :)

Aren't these so cute?

First add your cinnamon, sugar and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl whisk your egg white and vanilla until frothy (but not stiff, that's another dessert!). Just get your whisk out and we're going to be old-fashioned here and whisk by hand.

After you've coated your almonds in the egg, add your cinnamon mixture. And stir, stir, stir! Make sure all the almonds are coated in the yumminess!

Bake them low and slow. Seriously, so easy and delicious!

Cinnamon Almonds

submitted by Carissa (from The Sisters Cafe)

 

1 cup white sugar

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups almonds

 

Preheat oven to 250. Cover a 13×17” baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease well. In small bowl combine sugar, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl slightly beat the egg white. Add vanilla and beat until very frothy, but not stiff. Add the almonds and stir until well coated. Add the cinnamon sugar mixture and toss until evenly coated. Spread evenly on the prepared pan. Bake for one hour, stirring half way through. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container.