Crafting…er, Cooking With Mema – making Monkey Bread

Welcome back for our Monday series here at NanaHood, called “Crafting With Mema“.  These posts include patterns, recipes, and fun craft projects to do with your kids or grandkids.  The ideas aren’t difficult (if anything, we err on the side of SUPER EASY), and we hope we’ll inspire YOU to do more crafting!

Today I have something a little different for you.  When my mother (a.k.a Mema) was in town we spent three days filming videos for this series.  On the third day, I LEFT my kids with Mema, and my husband and I went for a much-needed 24 hour retreat.

Obviously this meant that I couldn’t film any more videos of the kids crafting with Mema… but do you think this stopped her from crafting?  NO!  They cooked, they created, they crafted… and she took pictures all along the way.  So, for the next few weeks, we’ll have photos instead of videos!

(And be assured that we’re heading to CA to see Mema in just a few weeks, where we plan to create several new videos!)

Today is also different because it’s not exactly crafting with Mema, as much as it is COOKING with Mema.  (And I’m sure bakers and chefs alike would tell me that cooking IS a craft, so I think we can still do this, right?)

The kids and Mema made some fabulous Monkey Bread.  Here is the recipe, and I’ll post the photos below with a little commentary:

MONKEY BREAD

• 4 cans of instant biscuits
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• one stick of butter
• nuts (walnuts or pecans) if you want them.
• bundt pan

Spray or butter your bundt pan.  Sprinkle nuts (if you are using them) in the greased pan.

Open the cans of un-cooked biscuits and cut each biscuit into fourths.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together, and pour enough into a smaller bowl to coat all the biscuit pieces.  Roll the biscuit pieces in the sugar/cinnamon mixture and completely coat them.  Place (or if you are three years old, THROW) the pieces into the bundt pan.

When all the pieces are coated and in the bundt pan, melt the stick of butter and dissolve the remainder of the sugar/cinnamon mixture in it, making a very, very yummy (and not so healthy) “syrup/glaze”.  Pour the glaze over the biscuit pieces in the bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.   Remove from oven, and place a plate over your bundt pan.  Flip the bundt pan and remove your Monkey Bread.  Wash the bundt pan RIGHT AWAY.  (Experience talking here).

Wait as long as you can before eating the Monkey Bread.  Have the cold water running and ready when you burn your fingers because you couldn’t wait long enough!

Happy crafting (and cooking… and EATING)!!

Don’t forget… if you and your children/grandchildren create something from one of our Crafting posts, we’d LOVE to see photos (or videos).  Along those same lines, we are also interested in posting YOUR video or photo tutorials, so if you have crafty kiddos and want to share, please send an email to admin@nanahood.com.

About “Mema”: Cheryl Booth has been crafting for more years than she cares to remember, and has shared her love of crafts with kids in her home, in Bible classes, at summer camp, and elsewhere.  You can visit Cheryl’s craft shop online at http://www.mycraftbooth.etsy.com