Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Monkey Bread.

When I first heard of monkey bread, I thought it'd be something involving bananas.

Or maybe peanut butter. Peanut butter and bananas. Mmm. 

That's just how my brain works.

But then my mom patiently explained that it was like a cinnamon roll pull-apart cake, with buttermilk biscuit pieces rolled in cinnamon-sugar, stacked into a bundt pan with raisins and walnuts, with a positively sinful mixture of melted butter and brown sugar poured over the top.

Um, yes please. Immediately. 

(As to why it's called "monkey bread", Google has several theories, but my favorite claims that the act of hungry humans pulling apart the biscuits resembles monkey-like behavior.)

Also, thank you, Jessica, for this awesome award! 
I'm supposed to tag 15 people, but anyone who wants to, consider yourself tagged. 

The guidelines for accepting this award are:
Thank the person who gave it to you.
Tell 7 things about yourself.
Pass the award on to 15 bloggers whom you have recently discovered and think are fantastic.

1. People are always surprised that it's my goal to work in a police department instead of a bakery. For me, baking is yoga. It de-stresses me and helps me think and ensures I don't leave a path of destruction everywhere I go. Except, you know, in the kitchen.

2. I can't pass a fountain without making a wish.

3. Every time I sing in the car, I wonder if someone's secretly installed a spycam on my dashboard and is streaming me singing Katy Perry to their computer.

4. Despite being the most accident-prone person you'll ever meet, I've never broken a single bone.

5. Things that make me happy: dating my best friend, rainy day reading, eating cheesecake, the scent of water on Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride, white zinfandel wine, elephants, hazelnut candles, Converses, and M&Ms in my popcorn. Peanut butter, please. Or dark chocolate. Oh, and elephant pancakes!

6. I think the best cookies in the world are those soft sugar cookies you find in the grocery stores, the kind with pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles.

7. My most favorite song in the world is "Boy With a Coin" by Iron & Wine. I have no idea what this song is about. 

Monkey Bread

Printable Recipe
                1/2 cup sugar
                1 teaspoon cinnamon
                2 cans (16.3 ounces each) Pillsbury Grands! Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
                1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired (we used pecans)
                1/2 cup raisins, if desired
                1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
                3/4 cup butter, melted

                Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a bundt pan.

                In a large Ziploc bag, mix cinnamon and sugar. Separate dough into 16 biscuits. Cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat.

                Arrange in pan, adding walnuts and raisins 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 the center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

                Source: Pillsbury.


                1. I always check my cell phone to make sure I didn't accidentally dial someone who can hear me sing! LOL

                2. Wonderful recipe! I have yet to make Monkey Bread.....even though I have been dying to try my hand at it. You have encouraged me to make it SOON! Yum!

                3. If you're a cream cheese fan, you might want to try Gorilla Bread as well. Think monkey bread, but with each piece of cinnamon-sugar coated biscuit surrounding a hunk of cream cheese. Just found your blog a few weeks ago, and I'm really enjoying it!

                4. Jennifurla: Lol! I do the same thing. I hate pocket-calls.

                  Avril: We've been putting off making it since Christmas and devoured the plate in one day. So worth it!

                  Erin: I'm so tempted to make Gorilla Bread right this second, even if it means running to the store in my pajamas for cream cheese. It sounds so good, like illegal good. Thank you for the idea and your comment!

                5. I love monkey bread because of its ease and fabulous flavor! I made them in a muffin tin so you could have your own little individual guy! And I loved your list of things about yourself :) I love Iron & Wine!

                6. OMG! I just tried this recipe and I can't stop eating it. I had to call some friends to come help me eat it so I didn't consume the entire thing in one single sitting. I added a powdered sugar icing over the top because what isn't better with liquid sugar?
                  I just have to say - I am LOVING your blog. I laughed out loud several times while reading recipes and told my co-worker that I had found someone who thought just like me. I love your train of thought style of writing. LOVE LOVE LOVE the recipes and your comments.