Cooking With Kids: Recipe 2 -Bread in a Ziploc Bag

This is a recipe I have done with a classroom full of kids and it's always a big hit! Younger children will need help with measuring and baking the bread, but this is still a recipe they can do most of.  

Before you get started, I recommend reading through the entire recipe and getting all your materials and ingredients ready.

The materials you will need for EACH loaf are:

• 2- Gallon size ziploc bags
• Mini Loaf pans or Loaf pans
• Measuring spoons and measuring cups

Ingredients:

•  3 cups of flour
• 3 Tablespoons of sugar
• 1 pack of self rising  yeast
• 1 cup of water
• 2 Tablespoons of oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt 

Instructions: 

1. Put the ziploc bags together by putting one inside the other.
2. Put 1 cup of flour,  3 Tablespoons of sugar, and a yeast package into the bag.
3. Now add in warm water (about 105 degrees F) and squish the ingredients down to hold the ingredients together slightly.
4. Push all the ingredients to the bottom of the bag, then gently push out the air through the top and seal both the inner and outer bag.
5. Now squish all the ingredients together with your hands until well combined and dough like. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes at room temperature (bubbles will form in the dough, if you don't see nay bubbling yet, let it rest for a few more minutes).
6. After the dough has rested and started to bubble, open the bag and add 1 more cup of flour, 2 Tablespoons of oil, and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt.
7. Seal the bags again and squish until the dough is well mixed.
8. Add the last cup of flour and squish the dough again until it is well mixed.
9. Sprinkle flour on a hard surface then turn your dough out of the bag onto your floured surface.
10. Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes until it forms a nice smooth ball. (Kneading is the process of working the dough mixture to form a smooth ball).
11. Now you have options: a)  cut dough in half. Place each half in mini loaf pans, b) Place your whole dough ball in a Regular loaf pan, or c) Make your own unique load of bread.  Some fun shape ideas I have seen in the past are:  an animal, a square, or hot dog bun...anything you can imagine!  (Just make sure your dough has some thickness so it won't  turn out try and hard.)
12. Cover your loaves with a towel and let rise until doubled in size (about 30 minutes).
13. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.  If you choose to make the whole loaf it will take about 40 minutes. You can check smaller loaves and shapes at around 20 minutes by very gently tapping sections that look done, if it sounds hollow then it is done. You will want to let it cool for 10-15 minutes before you slice it up.

*****Fun Bonus****: 

Up for a challenge? Make your own butter! You will need:

• A small jar with a lid
• Heavy cream at room temperature. 
• A pinch of salt. 

Here's what you do:

Pour cream in the jar to fill half way and secure the lid on the jar. 

Start shaking the jar until you see a glob forming inside the jar (this is the butter starting to form and separate from the liquid of the cream). This takes a while so don't give up! 

Pour the liquid off from the butter and voila! You just made butter!

I  spread the butter on the fresh baked bread and maybe sprinkle with a pinch of salt for an amazing home made treat!