Just Monkeying Around...

I'm not sure why its called Monkey Bread. I did a Google search but didn't come up with much. Some suggested because its more fun than a barrel of monkeys (well it is fun but I'm not sure that's the reason for the name). Others suggested its because monkeys pick at things and in order to eat this bread you have to pick it apart (I find this theory to be a little more likely, although not very appetizing). Apparently Nancy Reagan served it every year for Christmas in the White House and thought the name had to do with all the monkeying around you had to do to make it. I say the verdict is still out on where the name originated from. But whatever the reason for the name of this silly loaf of bread we truly do enjoy it.

Easter morning Abe was still sound asleep while Caleb was up early and anxious to see what the Easter Bunny had bestowed upon him. So instead of waking Abe (who had awoken at 3:00 am and had fallen back to sleep) we all made Monkey bread together. This helped keep Caleb's mind off of chocolate bunnies and the small bounty that filled his Easter basket.

This is a quick version that can be whipped up in no time, its made with canned refrigerated biscuits. I know there are more complex recipes out there where you make your own dough, but this is a really easy version to make with the kids.

Making Monkey Bread together also made for a very nice Easter tradition. Believe me, this is not something you will want to have around the house very often. Biscuit dough covered in sugar and cinnamon and than drowned in butter and more sugar. Yes, I think once a year will be plenty of monkeying around for us!

Monkey Bread

adapted from Pillsbury website

1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (we used Pillsbury Grands)
1/2 cup chopped pecans, we left these out for the boys but both Cyn and I agreed that they

would be a welcome addition.

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan.
In large plastic food-storage bag, mix sugar and cinnamon. Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan, adding pecans among the biscuit pieces.
Mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.

Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.