You're Gonna Love Me...

Really, you are. Let me tell you why. I am going to share these buns with you. These delicious, soft on the inside, a little chewy on the outside, perfect buns. Are you interested yet?

A few weeks back I got an email from my lovely sister with a link to these amazing buns. My sister had seen them on Annie's Eats and oh-my-goodness am I glad she did. I was having a dinner dilemma tonight because after I went on a Mexican food dinner marathon last week, there was no way I was making the planned dinner of white bean chili. It has totally lost it's appeal. Instead I figured I would just make some easy BBQ Chicken sandwiches but I had no buns and I didn't feel like loading up the kids and driving to the store for some mediocre packaged buns. That's when I remembered these lovelies. The original recipe was a little complicated and I do not pride myself on my bread making skills so I decided to take a little risk (I live on the edge) and throw everything into the bread machine. So easy and worth it!

While I was working on the buns Maddox began working on a food masterpiece of his own.

Look at the precision. The balance. The composition.

A true work of art.

Back to the buns. Here is what you'll need for...

Light Brioche Burger Buns

3 tablespoons warm milk

2 1/2 tablespoons butter, barely melted

1 cup warm water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg, beaten

3 cups bread flour

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons yeast

For egg wash:

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon water

Sesame seeds (for topping)

Break out your beast of a bread machine. I love this thing. I don't think I've ever made bread by hand.

In the bottom of your bread machine container combine the warm water, warm milk, butter, sugar, salt and egg.

Next, pour in the flours and make a little well in the top. Don't make the well too deep. You don't want it to get down to the liquids on the bottom.

Fill the shallow well with yeast.

Put it all in the bread machine set to the dough cycle and let it work it's magic. Speaking of dough, check out those hands. Bella was quite curious.

When the cycle is over (my bread machine's dough cycle does the first rise too. If yours doesn't let the kneaded dough rise for 1-2 hours) plop the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Divide the dough into four pieces. Never mind the chopped carrot debris stuck to the dough from my beloved cutting board.

And then into eight.

Shape the divided dough into eight balls.

Transfer buns to a parchment lined cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart and cover them with saran wrap lightly coated with non-stick spray. Let them rise for another hour or two.

While they are rising do something fun with your squishies.

Or, I guess you could clean up your kitchen, but who really wants to do that anyway?

When the buns are done rising, mix up your egg wash.

Brush your deliciously doughy buns with the egg wash. Are Maddox and I the only ones completely obsessed with doughiness? We love it. We've got to have it.

Sprinkle on some sesame seeds. Put a shallow pan of water on the very bottom rack of a 400* oven. Bake the buns on the middle rack of oven for 15 minutes, rotating the pan half way through.

Loveliness.

Go make these now! And when they are fresh and warm out of the oven and your house smells amazing go ahead and forget the burgers or BBQ chicken sammies or whatever you had in mind for these and put some butter and honey on one. You are seriously going to love me if you do!! Seriously.

Cabin Fever

Meet Mr. Climbey.



He is Maddox's new favorite friend.

This is actually Mr. Climbey #3, but don't tell Maddox.

You see, we have had a little cabin fever. Maddox found Mr. Climbey #1 on Tuesday. Bella quickly squished him. We didn't tell Maddox.

Later, Maddox found Mr. Climbey #2, thinking it was Mr. Climbey #1. He decided to make a home for Mr. Climbey #2 to keep him safe from Bella, go figure. We gave Mr. Climbey #2 a little Tupperware container home with cookie crumbs and a few drops of water. The next morning Mr. Climbey #2 was no more. As in deadsies. I got rid of the evidence before Maddox woke up and crossed my fingers that he would either forget about his ant friend or find another Mr. Climbey. Is it odd that I am wishing for ants to infest my house? Cabin fever will do that to you I guess.

Luckily Maddox did find a Mr. Climbey who he still thinks is Mr. Climbey #1.

After all this ant drama I thought it might be time to venture outside. Besides it was a balmy 38*! Woo hoo! After taking an hour to bundle up the squishies we headed out. Unlike Maddox and much like her mother, Bella despises snow.

Really,

really,

despises snow.

There was one thing that made her smile. She loves that swing! Thanks Auntie Genny!!

Maddox, my snow lover, made a new friend that isn't an ant.

As always, it was nice to get out. And so nice to come back in and drink "The better-est hot cocoa I ever tasted!" according to Maddox. And I think Mr. Climbey would agree. ;)

Better-est Hot Cocoa:

Makes 1 cup

Serves 2 chilly squishies

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 Tablespoons Agave (can substitute sugar if you don't have agave, you just might need more)

2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Combine milk and vanilla in a small saucepan.

Add agave.

Add cocoa powder.

Stir it around until the cocoa starts to dissolve.

Pour it in a mug and drop in some marshmallows. It's not hot chocolate without marshmallows.

My Funk

The beginning of this week I was in a deep funk. I mean deep. I don't even really know why. Maybe it's because I woke up on Tuesday with a crazy bad headache that I'm blaming on the dry air and no sun. Maybe it's because the excitement of Christmas is over and now it is just winter..blah. Maybe it's that I broke yet another glass..

this is becoming a weekly habit. Maybe it's because I had been working on a grocery list for 3 days and still couldn't come up with anything that sounded good because it is 13 degrees out and I don't want to eat winter food.

Maybe it's because the princess has a cold and has been fu-ssy. Or maybe it's because I threw a tantrum in front of the kids (and I try really hard not to do that), then Maddox knocked over the fruit bowl and exclaimed "Ugh! What the heck?!" Hmm..I wonder where he heard that? Well that was it, I was done being in my funk and done getting frustrated over little things that don't matter and that I can't change anyway. Plus I'm lucky enough to have a superhero in the family to help me out when I need it.

"Super Duper Maddox to the rescue!" His words..not mine.

Once I made up my mind to get out of my funk everything came together and I used the spilled fruit to make a special breakfast for my special squishies. It's my barely adapted version of my favorite food lady's Apple Granola Crisp over at Smitten Kitchen and it was delish.

Breakfast Apple Granola Crisp

3 lbs. apples (i used a mix of granny smith and gala because I wanted it tart)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 stick of butter (i used salted, i always use salted)

1/4 cup of honey

1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour (you could use all purpose)

2 cups oats

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 400*.

Peel your apples, or not. I peeled about half of mine but I wanted some skin because that's my favorite part.

Chop the apples into medium sized pieces.

Toss all the chopped apple into a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Add the cinnamon, cornstarch, sugar, and salt all on top of the apples.

Stir it all up and set aside.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter and honey together. I have a little tip for you. To make sticky things like honey come out of a measuring cup oh so easily, spray the measuring cup with nonstick spray first.

To the butter and honey, add oats, flour, almonds and coconut.

Stir it around and clumps will start to form just a little.

Spread granola mixture over the apples and sprinkle with a few pinches of sugar if you want. Then pop it in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Start checking it around 30 minutes for overbrowning and cover it if it is. Uncover it about 5 minutes before you take it out to let the top recrisp.

Take a nap on the floor with your much adored pillow pet while you wait.

Let the crisp cool and top it with yogurt.

It was delish and a pretty perfect breakfast for a 13 degree morning!