Flash Game Friday

Shot

A little like billiards, without the cues. One of those puzzles you need to think a few steps ahead.

Don't forget to get messy with your young 'uns for Kids In The Kitchen, training our next generation of food bloggers! ;)

Happy Blogoversary to Me!

It's been two years to the day since I started Dragon Musings. In that time, I've learned a lot of new things, made new friends and had lots of friends. I've gotten my children accustomed to having their dinner photographed before they can eat it, in fact, it appears to be an honour to have their serve being chosen as the one for the internet. And my kids and I have done lots and lots of cooking.

Cooking with my kids is my favourite type of cooking to do, even though it invariably takes longer, and makes more mess, than if I did it alone, and quite often I get abandoned in the middle of something so they can answer the siren's call of a favoured tv show's theme song. But it's a good way to give them skills that will come in real handy in about 10 years, and stops them from asking for the bland prepackaged rubbish you find in supermarkets (most of the time).

To celebrate my blogoversary, I'm hosting a blog event, sharing my favourite activity with you all. Kids in the Kitchen is open for anyone making a dish with their children. If you don't have children, borrow someone else's or just bake a dish that is easy enough for children to make. The deadline is Thursday 11th of March, with the round up posted the following Saturday.

The best part of any party, from a child's point of view, is the goody bag. So one lucky guest will receive this gorgeous mini cupcake pan.

It's about the height of a coffee mug

To enter, just cook up a storm with your (or someone else's) children, blog about it, and then send me an email to silvermoon[AT]tmbg[DOT]org containing:

• Your name
• Blog name
• A permalink to your entry
and
• A picture of your creation.

Using the button or banner is optional, but welcomed, but please do include a link to this post on your entry.

Kids Cooking Thursday: Speculaas Fruit Scrolls

This is a recipe I modified from a Hot Cross Bun recipe I tried a few years back. I wanted something spicy and fruity, but with a bit of a twist (har har) so we used dutch biscuit spices, and made a jam scroll-y type thing.

Speculaas Fruit Scrolls
4 cups good quality plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
15g dried yeast (I used 2x 8g sachets)
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsps speculaas spices (recipe follows, for those who aren't lucky enough to get it sent from Holland ready made)
60g soft butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
approx 1/2 cup jam (we used the last of our Strawberry, Blueberry & cranberry conserve)

Put yeast in bowl with the milk and 1 teaspoon sugar. Leave for 10-15 mins until it starts to froth.
Sift flour, salt, spice into bowl and add sugar. Rub in butter and add egg, milk and yeast mixture and fruit. Knead for at least 10 minutes or until elastic.
If the dough is sticky you may have to add a little more flour.

Place into a greased bowl, cover with glad wrap and leave in a warm spot until double in size. (No point giving times, with it being Summer over here and all, my kitchen is way hot).
Punch down to original size and knead lightly until smooth. Roll out into a thinnish rectangle (but no holes) and spread with jam.

Roll into a log, working from the long end. With a sharp knife, cut into slices about an inch thick, and place on a baking paper lined tray about 1 cm apart.

Cover with a tea towel and stand in a warm spot for about 15 mins or until double in size.
Place in 200 c oven for about 20 mins or until cooked.

Speculaas Kruiden(Spices)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground aniseed
knifepoint of pepper


If you'd like to join in with Kids Cooking Thursday please leave a permalink to your own Kids Cooking Thursday post, as per the rules.