holy jam.

Sweet Lord have I got something for you!

Seriously. Prepare yourself to be dazzled 'cause this recipe is going to blow your mind. If it doesn't, there's clearly something wrong with you and you and I should have a chat.

I stumbled across this recipe a few weeks ago and from it, I found a new blog and in the past two days it has made its way to my list of Top 5 Blogs. Do yourself a favor and check out Joy the Baker. Joy seems like one of those gals that I wish I was best friends with. We'd totally shop for new plates at Anthropologie together and drink coffee and exchange recipes on the weekends...I wish I had friends...

This recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread is fabulous.

I beg you, even if you don't like to bake, make this bread. It's warm and sticky and I could eat an entire loaf by myself. 

I got home on Friday afternoon and made the dough Friday night so it could rise a second time overnight and be ready for Saturday morning.

I woke up at 7 Saturday morning to let the dough rest for 30 minutes and then I rolled it out and smothered it in browned butter and then covered it in cinnamon and sugar.

Then I cut the dough in strips and then squares and stacked them.

Then I baked that bad boy .

Do you want it? Good, I thought you might so I copied the recipe below.

Happy Memorial Day!

photo source: Joy the Baker

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Makes: one 9x5x3-inch loaf

Recipe adapted from HungryGirlPorVida

For the Dough:

2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ounces unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

In a large mixing bowl (I used just the bowl of my stand mixer) whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted.  Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract.  Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.  Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.  The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together.  Keep stirring.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes.  The mixture will be sticky.  That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large,  greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning.  If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling.  Set aside.  Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned.  Set aside.  Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch  loaf pan.  Set that aside too.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.  On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out.  The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long.  If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay.  Just roll it as large as the dough will go.  Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough.  Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  It might seem like a lot of sugar.  Seriously?  Just go for it.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips.  Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again.  You’ll have six stacks of six squares.  Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book.  Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.  The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw.  A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.   Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto  a clean board.  Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the  upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.  Serve warm with coffee or tea.

summer nights

I am currently sitting in a rocking chair on the porch of my dorm. I'm jamming out to To Whom it May Concern  by The Civil Wars. It's about 85 degrees and there is a delicious breeze blowing. It's one of those breezes that makes you wish you were at the beach. I'm just waiting for the smell of sea salt to pass through but you don't really get beachy air in downtown Raleigh. I am in complete disbelief that my junior year is officially over tomorrow. While I'm so excited to finally be a senior, I'm pretty sure I just got to Saint Mary's yesterday and that kind of freaks me out. The past three years have truly flown by. I feel so old. Today, I chose teachers to write my letters of recommendations for college apps. and I'll be getting my SAT scores in the next few days. Crazy stuff.

I took this picture during exam week last year and thought it would be appropriate to revisit it. 

What time is it?

Summer time!!! I don't know why I made that the title of this post as I have a major dislike for all things related to High School Musical but it only seemed fitting. Only 2 and a half weeks of school left and I am outta here!

Get ready for barbecues, watermelon, endless sunshine, bare feet, sunscreen, sand in your toes and every other splendid thing that comes with summer.

summer = more free time = more time to take pictures = more blog posts!!!!!

Marmee.

For those of you who have never seen Little Women, you won't fully understand the title of this post but I'm not going to explain it in hopes that you'll go watch the movie :)

I have so many friends who always say that they hope that they won't grow up to be their parents. I remember once in my 7th grade science class this boy said, "Raise your hand if you hate your parents!" and everyone raised their hands saying "Oh yeah, parents suck!" and I was the only person that didn't raise my hand. Unlike many teenagers, I pray to God that I WILL end up like my parents. That's not to say that I agree with them all of the time but they truly are amazing people.

 My mom is the greatest person in the freaking world! She's done all of those things that mothers do: tucked me in, made me feel better, bought me clothes and so on. But my mom is special to me because she has taught me something that I wish all children could be taught. She has taught me to love God. She has taught me to have faith even when things seem like they won't get any better and I am so thankful for that. She says she is thankful that she had such awesome children but I am even more thankful that God gave me her as a mother. Thank you for all that you do, mom. I hope that one day I will be able to be at least half as good of a mother that you are today. Happy Mother's Day!