Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

4 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins (these are optional, it's great with or without them)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-10 inch tube pan.

2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized plastic bag. Cut the biscuits into halves or quarters and place six to eight biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Shake well.

3. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the greased pan. Continue layering until all the biscuit pieces are coated and in the pan. If you are using raisins, place them among the biscuit pieces as you are layering.

4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the layered biscuits.

5. Bake for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Pull apart and enjoy!

Icing:

Ingredients:

1/2 pound cream cheese
1/2 pound butter
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1.Allow cream cheese and butter to get to room temperature.

2. Beat butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl with a mixer.

3. Slowly add in the pound of powdered sugar.

4. After all the powdered sugar is added mix for 12 minutes (do not mix less than that).

Lesson 2- Bread

Learn to make a traditional style of white bread.

• 6 to 7 cups all-purpose or un-bleached flour
  
• 3 tablespoons sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon salt
  
• 2 tablespoons shortening
  
• 2 packages regular or quick-acting active dry yeast
  
• 2 1/4 cups very warm water

DIRECTIONS

Mix 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening, and yeast in a 4-quart bowl; add warm water. Beat on low spead, scraping bowl fequently, one minute. Beat on medium speed scraping bowl frequently, one minute. Stir in enough remaining flour, one cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about ten minutes. Place in greased 2 1/2-quart bowl; turn grease side up. Cover and let rise in warm place until double, 40 to 60 minutes. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

Punch down dough; divide in to halves. Let rest 5 minutes. Shape in to two loaves, brush loaves lightly with margarine or butter if desired. Let rise until double, 35 to 50 minutes.

Heat oven to 425*. Place loaves on low rack. Bake until deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped, 25-30 minutes. Remove from pand. Brush loaves with brush loaves lightly with margarine or butter if desired.