‘Tis the season for some baking fun. There are so many goodies to make: cookies, cakes, and special family recipes.  Baking with your child is great fun as long as you plan a day when you are not rushed and you take your time to get all the ingredients ready before you start. Today I want to share one of our family’s favorite, baking turtle shaped yeast bread.
Sure, baking is important and educational, from motor skills and chemistry, to understanding where food comes from and what it takes to make your own food. Yeast breads can be especially rewarding, mixing the dough, watching it rise, shaping the dough, and the pride of accomplishment when you have made a beautiful and delicious addition to the family meal.
Here’ the link to a recipe thanks to Betty Crocker…
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/turtle-bread/02a87ed3-d9ae-4488-8985-15ab094e1b97


Ingredients
2 ½ to 3 cups flour
1 package rapid rise yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup water
1/3 cups milk
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 egg
2 raisins


Instructions
In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the yeast, sugar and salt; set aside.
In 1-quart saucepan, heat water, milk and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to 125°F to 130°F; stir into yeast mixture. Stir in egg. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. On lightly floured surface, knead dough about 5 minutes or until smooth and springy. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Lightly grease cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Shape a 2-inch piece of dough into a ball for turtle’s head. Shape 4 walnut-size pieces of dough into balls for feet. Shape 1 walnut-size piece of dough into tail. Shape remaining dough into ball for turtle body; place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Attach head, feet and tail by placing 1 end of each under edge of body to secure. Press raisins into head for eyes. Cover and let rise in warm place 20 minutes.
Heat oven to 400°F. Make 1/4-inch-deep circular cut around top edge of body, then make crisscross cuts in center to look like a turtle's shell. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.


Baking bread takes time, but it makes great memories – the fun, the learning, the smell, the taste - Enjoy!