Monkey Bread (the original)

First sorry about the pictures on this post. My camera is acting up. It is not taking pictures where I am pointing it and the view screen is messed up too.

When I got married my husband asked me to make a few recipes from his mother and this one of them.

Its Monkey Bread and at first I thought it was just too sweet, but it grew on me.

I make this for quick lunches my husband can grab at a moment's notice. They freeze great and you can just put a few in a Ziploc bag and you're good for lunch!

First you make the dough. I make mine in my bread machine, but you can do it by hand or in a mixer.

First boil together:

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water

When butter is melted take off the heat and place in the bowl you will be using to mix for it to cool completely.

Meanwhile dissolve 2 Tbsp. yeast into a cup of warm water. Let that sit for 10 minutes.

When the butter mixture is cool add the yeast, 2 beaten eggs, and six cups of flour.

Beat together until it is a uniform ball and place in the fridge for four hours.

 I make these into little pockets so I set up a little station where everything is at my disposal to create these babies. They take some effort.

 Roll out the dough. I sometimes have to just pick it up and stretch it. It fights back.

 Cut into squares with a pizza cutter.

 Brush a little melted butter or margarine on each square and put cut up ham and grated cheese on each one.

 Then pick up the two opposite corners and squeeze them together.

 Then squeeze the other two corners together and you have a neat little pocket.
Then press all the seams together to make it secure.

 Place them on a sprayed pan or one with a Silpat on it and brush with melted butter.Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes until golden. Careful the bottoms seem to burn easily for some reason.
Store in the fridge in a container or a bag. You can freeze too. Just make sure they are completely cool before you put them in the freezer.

  Here's another topping choice you have. I make little pizza pockets too. Repeat the first three steps... roll out the dough, cut, etc. Then dab a spoonful of pizza sauce into the center of each square.  Then place a few pieces of pepperoni or your favorite pizza toppings.  Fold together the same way and bake for the same amount.

My kids and husband love them both ways. You can make this recipe healthier by decreasing the sugar, adding wheat flour or just by adding different fillings. I've added green peppers cut up before and that was good. Coming next is the dessert you can make with Monkey Bread.