What is it about rainy days?

Cold, wet days make me want to bake.  The smell of cinnamon, and the yeasty scent of bread dough, co-mingle, giving my  home a pre-Christmas happy feel.  There is nothing like the ambiance created by baked goods.  I'm reminded of the driveway we had growing up.  One long road, banded by birch trees, their limbs bare of leaves and weighed down by snow accumulation.  It's a magical scene in my mind, although I don't recall my mom baking a lot.  I just like to think of that setting, mainly because it's the classic winter scene. In any case, I do like to bake on a winter's day.  It's cozy.

Monkey Bread

One loaf frozen bread dough, thawed. Allow to rise.
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 white sugar
2T cinnamon

Coat the inside of a bunt pan with shortening.  As the bread dough thaws let it rise.  Using scissors, cut the dough into 1 inch pieces.  Between each cut dip the scissors into hot water, making it easier to cut through the dough.  Roll the pieces in melted butter.  Combine the sugars and cinnamon.  Roll the buttery dough pieces in the sugar mixture and layer in bunt pan. Let rise an hour or two.  Bake in a 350 oven, checking after 30 minutes.  The inside doesn't bake as fast as the outside so an additional 10 minutes may be needed, unless you like doughy bread.

Helpful Hints
If using a two part bunt pan make sure you put a cookie sheet underneath, otherwise the butter/sugar mixture will run all over your oven, burning and sticking.

I've heard some recipes call for putting the sugar mixture in a plastic bag and coating the pieces that way.  I don't like to use resources like that.  It's far easier to clean a bowl than to create the plastic used for gallon bags.  Also, it's better for our environment when we don't use disposable plastic.

~Julie