Nice buns!

I know, it's a bit rude, but what the heck.

I've been baking today. I saw Rhonda's post at Down to Earth last night with an easy recipe for an Easter bread that looked really yum. So I printed off the details and made two lots today.

Here is the link to her recipe.

This is a recipe specifically for a breadmaker. When we were married 11 years ago, breadmakers were the new gadget, but still quite expensive. We were given one and it's been really great. I go through fits and starts using it, but I'd say I get it out from under the sink (that great receptacle of unloved appliances) at least once a fortnight. Most of the time it's because we have run out of bread and it's so easy to pop everything in before bedtime, and have a fresh loaf first thing next morning.

The first Easter loaf I made was a single bun, slathered with vanilla butter frosting. The frosting was heavily product tested by my ingredient boy, who has quite the sweet tooth. What we didn't polish off for afternoon tea, has gone with those imagined hunger pangs that seem to follow dinner!

Over Easter, we are heading to a city about 2 hours from here to attend a family reunion for DH's side. Some mad person organises over 500 people every 4 years to come to one place for a gathering, and it's a wonderful event. I'm the sort of person who quite happily walks into a room full of strangers and starts talking. Why do I digress from a bun recipe to a family reunion?......Well, I decided to take some fresh home made hot cross buns with us. We're staying with the rest of the immediate family in a motel, so I got to thinking how glorious it will be to share some homemade goodies on Good Friday. I'm not thrilled about the bought ones.

So I made up a dozen buns from Rhonda's recipe, and set them to rise on the cooktop. I was cooking a rack of lamb in the oven, so it was nice and warm on top.

And this is how they looked after 20 minutes in the oven.

You'll notice they aren't marked with a cross. On Friday morning before we leave, I'll take these babies out of the freezer, and pipe a frosting cross on top, and hope the journey doesn't mush the icing around too much.

I was talking with my eldest brother Mike yesterday. He and his family live in the US. He surprised me by telling me that in the states, Good Friday isn't even a public holiday?

Oh - and Kate, I made up your chocolate blancmange and the kids are raving! The temptation of missing out on dessert tonight even made a 4 year old anti-vegetable man eat a piece of broccoli without gagging.

Tomorrow is one of my work days at Uni. What I must do right now, is get three lunchboxes lined up on the counter, and sort myself out. Hope life is treating you well. Lisa x