Random Blog Award

Can I scream and shout!?! I survived (what I hope is) my last day of teaching primary for the next 2 months. I love the kids, and I'm not sure that I'd rather be anywhere else than primary, but I am so exhausted by the time church is out. I am officially called to teach the 6-7 year olds, but often have the 8 year olds too. There are only 6 of them if they are all there, so it shouldn't be that hard. However, I walk out of church looking for my pillow and the bottle of tylenol. It doesn't help when I am having contractions all through sacrament meeting and I'm as bad as the kids when it comes to sitting. (Not to worry about the contractions, I'm sure I still have a while left, Aynslee's just doing a lot of practicing. Jaycen practiced for weeks too and still came 10 days late.) Anyhow, a short break from teaching primary will be helpful. I am, however, going to miss the entertainment factor that you don't get in Relief Society. Like today, Sister Banana (thats what the kids call her) says something about a cutie patootie. Leave it to Gaven to pipe up from the sunbeams, "No, you have a cutie patootie Sister Banana." That then leaves the whole primary in hysterics, never to fully recover again.

Anyway, so I can maintain my random award-- I've been wanting to share one of my favorite recipes for a while now. They are the most yummy breadsticks in the the world (comparable to Olive Garden.)

Soft Breadsticks

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast


• 1/2 cup sugar, divided


• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees), divided


• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil


• 1 egg


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


• Butter


• Garlic Salt


• Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. 
   In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 cup warm water. Add the oil, egg, salt, 2 cups flour, and remaining sugar and water. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
   
   



2. 
   Punch the dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide into 36 pieces. Shape each piece into a 6-in. rope. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes.
   
   



3. 
   Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Melt butter and stir in garlic salt. Brush on top of breadsticks and add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Cook 2 minutes more.
   
   

This makes quite a few, so to prevent me from eating them all in one sitting I like to freeze some. I cut them into breadsticks and place them on a cookie sheet covered in foil. (Add a light spray of oil so they come off easily.) Then they go into the freezer. Once they are frozen solid, I put them in a freezer bag. Pull them out in the morning and place them on a greased cookie sheet to thaw and rise during the day. Throw them into the oven just before dinner time. YUMMY!! and not to difficult at all.

How's that for random Derrick?