Cinnamon Rolls, Kolaches, and Horn Rolls...OH MY.

After my first post, I decided to go out of my comfort zone and ask someone to teach me something that I thought would be enjoyable to learn in the kitchen.  I instantly thought of my Aunt Marie who has taken over the duties of Kolache maker for our extended family.  I sent her a quick text before Thanksgiving asking her if she could show me how sometime.  She was baking the upcoming weekend for Thanksgiving so I drove to Omaha, and she showed me the secret to making Kolaches.

My first solo batch with Sarah.  Not bad! 

Here is what I learned.  Marie is an excellent teacher.  It was almost like I was at a cooking show. She had most of the dough made and ready to go so we could get right to work on forming the Kolaches, but she left one batch to make with me (I can now scald milk).  She made sure I participated and didn't just watch.  I learned that you can make the pastries and the horn rolls from the same dough. I learned that lard and crisco are different things.  I learned it was not as hard or as messy as I thought it was going to be.  I also learned if it is well planned out like Marie had it planned, it is not as time consuming as I thought it would be either.

Our cinnamon rolls would have turned out better
if I would have remembered to let them rise.
They still tasted good :)

But the best part of the day was hanging out with my aunt and my cousin (and her friend).  I don't spend enough time just doing something fun with my family members.  I kept this in mind when I tried a few days later to make cinnamon rolls and kolaches on my own or should I say with the help of Sarah (my soon to be six year old).  Sarah used to say that her talent was talking to animals; now it is baking.  She loves to help in the kitchen.  Any of us who have or had young children know that having "help" in the kitchen doesn't always make the process easier.   Sarah and I made a much bigger mess than Marie and I did, but we also made a memory, and I have to remember that cooking can do that.  It is one of the reasons I want to get better at it and enjoy it more.  Oh, our kolaches turned out too!

Happy New Year...Resolution!

In my first post I mentioned that each year I set a resolution that revolves around being more adventurous in the kitchen.  Each year I toss this resolution out like I do the ones I make about exercising more or reading the newspaper daily.   But this year will be different!  I will make reasonable, achievable plans and go for it.  Here are three things I resolve to accomplish in January 2015 that will match with my three brave categories in the prior post.

1.  Cooking....I will cook three new things in January.  This doesn't seem like much, but it takes time to find recipes that everyone in my family MIGHT like, grocery prep, and find days we are all home to enjoy :)  Plus, given I don't LOVE cooking...yet, it takes effort to just get going.

2.  Slam poetry...I need a start.  By the end of January, I will have a rough draft of something that I will commit to working on.

3.  Control freak...Bob and I made a list of chores for the kids to do.  The list is simple - tidy rooms, help set and clear the table, wipe the toothpaste out of the sink when a mess is made, and put the breakfast dishes in the sink.  Not hard, but so far my kiddos have had very little personal responsibility for home chores.  The kids are nine and soon to be six.  They can do, my biggest challenge will be holding them accountable to these chores and not just growling when they forget as I do the chores for them.

Finally, the start of second semester at work is a great time for me to start fresh.  I have a new class of students who I am sure will be eager to write creatively everyday - I hope to try some new ideas with them.  I can also try to enforce the school rules that I may have became very relaxed with by the end of first semester in the classroom and the library - no more lattes in the computer labs....

We will see, my hopes are that putting this out "there" makes me more accountable.

Happy New Year.  I have faith that 2015 will be a great year!