Creepy Crawly Bugs

Last Wednesday we made Creepy Crawly Bugs

Hot Roll Mix

5 lbs. (20 cups) Unbleached Flour

1-1/4 cups Sugar

4 tsp Salt

1 cup Instant Nonfat Dry Milk

Directions: Combine all ingredients in large bowl.  Stir together to distribute evenly.  Put in a large airtight container.  Label with date and contents.  Store in a cool, dry place.  Use within 6 to 8 months, Makes about 22 cups Hot Roll Mix

Bread Dough

1 Tbsp active dry yeast

1 ½ cups hot (to the touch) tap water

2 eggs, beaten

5 to 6 cups Hot Roll Mix

Directions:  In a large bowl, stir yeast into water until softened. Stir in eggs, Beat in 5 cups Hot Roll Mix until blended.  Let rest for 2 minutes.  Stir in enough o f the remaining mix to make a soft dough.  Knead until smooth, 7-10 minutes.  Grease bowl.  Place dough in bowl turning to grease all sides.  Cover with a damp towel.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough and divide into four equal parts.  This enough dough for 4 children to make their own batch of Creepy Crawly Bugs.

Creepy Crawly Bugs

Ingredients: Bread Dough, Smoked Mini Sausages or Hot Dogs, Chow Mein Noodles, Ketchup and Mustard.

Directions:

Roll out dough into ½ inch thickness,

then using a pizza cutter cut into 12 inch by 2 inch strips.

Wrap one piece of dough around each mini sausage or hot dog, leaving the rounded end showing. 

Place seam side down on an ungreased baking sheet. 

 

Bake at 350 F for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. 

Remove "bugs" to a serving plate and cool for 2 minutes.

Insert Fried Chow Mein noodles into baked dough to resemble legs and antennae. 

Decorate with ketchup and/or mustard.  Serve warm.

Big Soft Pretzels

First you must make a batch of Hot Roll Mix before making the pretzels.

Hot Roll Mix
5 lbs (20 cups) unbleached flour
1 1/4 white granulated sugar
4 teaspoons salt
1 cup instant nonfat dry milk

Combining all ingredients in large bowl. 
Wisk together to distribute evenly. 
Put in a large airtight container. 
Label with date and contents. 
Store in a cool, dry place. 
Use within 6-8 months,
makes about 22 cups Hot Roll Mix.

Big Soft Pretzels

1 Tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 cups Hot (to the touch) Tap Water
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter (tastes better with the butter)
1 Egg, beaten
about 2 Tablespoons Coarse Salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Sprinkle baking sheets with cornmeal.  In a bowl, dissolve yeast in Hot Tap Water.   Let sit for about 5 minutes, then blend in 2 eggs and oil or butter.  Add 5 cups Hot Roll Mix.  Stir well.  Add more Hot Roll Mix to make a soft dough.  Knead about 5 minutes until dough is smooth.  Roll dough into ropes about 1/2" diameter and 18-24" long.  Form into pretzels.  Place on prepared baking sheets.  Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt.  Bake immediately until brown and crips.  Makes 12-15 large pretzels.

Baking with young men is so fun.  They come up with the silliest things.
The boys decided that instead of making traditional pretzel shapes that they would make whatever they wanted and whomever came up with the idea first had the copyright. 

Here are some pictures of our baking adventure.

I.A. and J.G. worked together as a team.

J.G. getting ready to form his pretzel

M. Copyrighting his basketball

M.G. with his pan full of pretzels

J.A. making his pretzel

O.A. just wanted to eat the dough

I.A. making his Mickey Mouse pretzel

Pretzels in the oven

M's pretzels including headphones

J.G. pretzels all lined up ready to be baked

The pretzels puff up to at least twice their size

J.G. made a fight breast cancer pretzel 

J.A. pretzels finished baking.

The pretzels were so fluffy and tasty. 

The boys had a great time making them and I had a blast teaching.

Dirt Cake

Yesterday we made Layered Dirt Cake Cups

For the Spongy Dirt use the following recipe. 

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

The  link gives step by step and picture by picture instructions.

Here are our own pictures of the kids making the Cake.

Step 1

In a bowl, mix mayonnaise and sugar until smooth. 

(The kids said it looked like glue)

1 1/2 cups sugar & 1 cup Mayonnaise



J.M. was in charge of Step 1



Step 2

Combine Flour, Cocoa, Baking Soda and Baking Powder.

Wisk dry ingredients until well mixed.

2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder,

1 tsp baking soda & 2 tsp baking powder

F.M. was in charge of Step 2

Step 3

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the mayonnaise mixture

then

Add 1/2 of the water required. 

1 1/2 cups water & 1 tsp vanilla

 The kids said it looked like chocolate milk.

Step 4

Repeat step 3 until the flour mixture and water has been added to the mayonnaise mixture.

Add the vanilla extract last.

F.M, J.M & J.A. did a great job working as a team, good job boys.

Pour into cupcake liners and bake at 350 F for 20 min.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes before handling

For the Muddy Dirt we made Chocolate Pudding

Each boy made their own package of Chocolate Pudding

This one is and instant no cook version.  Perfect for young bakers.

In a large mixing bowl combine

1 Pkg of Chocolate Pudding Mix + 3 cups of Cold Milk

Using a hand mixer (with adult supervision)

mix on medium speed for about 3 minutes or until thickened. 

Let the Pudding sit for about 5 minutes before using.

We made the Dry Dirt with Oreo Cookies

Place Oreo cookies in a plastic sandwich bag

Then Crush, Pound, Smash or Squish the cookies until they look like soil

Well done, it sure looks like soil.

Assembling the Layered Dirt Cups

Use a clear plastic cup

remove the lining from the cupcake

and place in the bottom of the cup

Then add pudding on top of the cupcake

Drop in a few gummy worms

Top with crushed oreos

F.M. did a double layer in his dirt cup, wow!

Layered dirt cake, Yum!