Four fun baking activities for family an friends during COVID:

in Real Talk

With all that’s going on in the world we seem to have lost sense of importance of family time. An the value of bonding an still being safe during this pandemic. So let’s not talk about the pandemic an what’s going on in the world today. So here’s four fun baking ideas for family and friends to bond an do together.

Here’s A Couple From, Delish.

Leaf Cookies:

INGREDIENTS

2 tubes sugar cookie dough
1/4 c. flour
Red, yellow, orange, and green food coloring

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Place the cookie dough into a large bowl and mix together with the flour.
  • Divide the dough into four separate bowls. Dye each piece of dough a different color with the food dye, until you are satisfied with the colors.
  • In a large bowl combine all doughs. Onto a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/2” thick and cut leaves out with cookie cutters. Place on parchment lined baking sheets about an inch apart and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly golden on the edges. Let cool and serve.

 

Sorting Hat Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CUPCAKES
1 box white cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box

FOR THE HATS
1/4 c. chocolate chips, melted
20 chocolate kisses
10 Oreos, cream removed

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) butter, softened
6 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. butterscotch syrup
1/4 c. heavy cream, plus more if needed
Pinch kosher salt
Red, yellow, green, and blue food coloring
Gold sprinkles, for garnish.

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350° and line two cupcake tins with liners. Prepare cake mix according to package instructions and divide batter evenly between liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, make hats: Using a butter knife, spread chocolate onto bottom of a Kiss and press into center of Oreo cookie. Repeat until all hats are made and set aside to harden, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make buttercream: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat until combined, then add butterscotch, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt and beat until combined. Set aside 1/3 cup portions of frosting in 4 separate bowls. Dye each bowl house colors: red, yellow, green, and blue.
  • Using a melon baller or teaspoon, scoop out center of each cupcake to make a well. Fill each well with the different colored buttercream.
  • Frost all cupcakes with remaining white buttercream and top with gold sprinkles and hats.

 

Two Recipes From, Daily Meal

Pigs In A Blanket:

There’s nothing more rewarding than making something from scratch at home, and these classic appetizers are easy to make by keeping a few simple things in mind.

Ingredients

  • one 12-ounce package cocktail franks (about 30)
  • 1 package of puff pastry sheets, thawed
  • Dijon mustard, as needed
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the cocktail franks from their package and pat them dry with a paper towel. Poke 1-2 small holes in each frank and set aside.

Unroll each pastry sheet onto a clean work surface. Take a cocktail frank and measure out a little less than the width of it on the pastry sheet and cut the sheet into long, thin strips. Divide the strips into 3-inch pieces (you may want to test to make sure this is long enough to wrap around an entire frank).

To assemble, spread about a teaspoon of Dijon mustard onto each pastry strip, then wrap around a cocktail frank. Press the seam with your fingers to seal, and then set it seam side down on a baking sheet greased with cooking spray. Continue to assemble the rest of the cocktail franks with the pastry strips.

Add 2 tablespoons of water to the beaten eggs and whisk quickly to combine. Using a pastry brush, brush each miniature hot dog with the egg wash, then bake in the oven until the puff pastry is cooked and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Shareable French Toast Sticks:

Easy, affordable and shareable, these French toast sticks will be an instant favorite for kids and anyone with a sweet tooth. Make the French toast sticks in under half an hour, pop the leftovers in your freezer and bake them when you want a treat on a busy morning. Dipped in maple syrup, they are crunchy, sweet and warm. Plus, your house willl smell like cinnamon. No complaints there.

Notes
Once frozen, these French toast sticks are good to eat for about 2 months.

Ingredients

  • 12 slices of thick bread
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cups sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups Panko bread crumbs
  • powdered sugar, optional

 

Directions

Cut each slice of bread into 3 strips.

In a pie plate or medium bowl whisk together eggs, half and half and vanilla.

Then add ¼ cup of the sugar, ½ tsp of the cinnamon, and flour.

Whisk until creamy and smooth with very few lumps, if any.

Then while whisking, add melted butter in a skinny stream and whisk to combine while pouring.

Then whisk 5 seconds longer until well combined.

In another pie plate, mix using a fork to combine panko bread crumbs, remaining ½ cup of the sugar and remaining 1 tsp of cinnamon.

Dip each bread strip first into the egg batter, getting both sides, then lay into the crumb mixture, turning to coat both sides.

You may need to sprinkle the mixture as well to make sure each piece is well-coated.

Make it now:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place French toast sticks (after dipping and battering) on a lightly greased parchment-lined baking sheet, one inch apart.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Let cool 2 minutes, then serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a little maple syrup for dipping.

Make it a freezer meal:

Place a rack set inside of a baking sheet to set the sticks on for freezing.

Place each dipped and coated stick on the rack in the baking sheet, not touching.

Flash freeze by placing rack/baking sheet into the freezer for 30-45 minutes or until they are frozen.

Transfer the frozen sticks to labeled, gallon-sized freezer safe bags, careful not to squish them by piling too many inside at once.

Seal bags, removing as much air as possible, and freeze.

Cook from frozen:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place frozen French toast sticks on a lightly greased, parchment-lined baking sheet one inch apart.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Let cool 2 minutes, then serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a little maple syrup for dipping.

Here are just a few of many baking ideas for family an friends.

 

Written by LaLa💋

Instagram: official_lala_baby_

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