Each year a third grade teacher, Kathy Bold and I do a Chinese New Year Unit together. As part of our culminating activity we have a Chinese New Year's Day Parade. After the parade, we teach the students how to use chopsticks and serve this stir-fry to our students. It's always a hit!

Use an electric skillet or wok.

Heat a small amount of oil. Add about a handful of previously cooked and crumbled bacon, 2 to 3 hot dogs sliced in penny-shaped fashion, about 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion, and a handful of canned bean sprouts. Stir and heat for a minute. Add 2 to 3 cups of already cooked rice. Stir and turn over until everything is well-heated and well-mixed.

Let the children see and smell everything as it is added to the skillet.

Making bread goes well with The Little Red Hen. We read the story, talked about feelings, friendship and helpfulness. After we read it several times we made puppets for retelling. On the Friday of their puppet show they changed the story just a bit because they felt that everyone should help and we made bread in a bag. I used Jan Brett's masks but had the children wear them as necklaces while they each had a part in making the bread.

Bread in a Bag:

• 2 C. flour
• 1 package Fleischman's Rapid Rise yeast
• 3 T. sugar
• 3 T. nonfat dry milk
• 1 t. salt
• 1 C. hot water
• 3 T. oil
• 1 C. whole wheat flour

In a 1-gallon, heavy-duty freezer bag combine:

• 1 C. flour
• undissolved yeast
• dry milk
• salt

Force air from bag and shake to blend ingredients.

Add hot water and oil and reseal bag.

Mix by working with fingers.

Add whole-wheat flour, reseal and mix.

Gradually add enough remaining flour to make stiff dough that pulls away from the bag.

On a floured surface knead dough 2-4 times until smooth and elastic.

Cover dough with towel, rest 10 minutes.

Roll dough to 12x7-inch rectangle.

Roll up from narrow end.

Pinch edges and ends to seal.

Place in oiled loaf pan.

Place a 9x13 pan on counter and fill it with boiling water.

Place cookie sheet on top of the 9x13 pan and place loaf pan on the cookie sheet.

Cover with towel. Let dough rise 20 minutes or until double in size.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until done.

Mini-Bag #1 (Marked with bright-colored tie):

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons yeast
  (For Step #1)

Mini-Bag #2:

• 1-1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
  (for Step #5)

Mini-Bag #3:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• By using small plastic cups, you can also pre-measure liquid ingredients by placing 2 teaspoons honey in one small cup (Step #1)
• and 2 teaspoons honey plus 2 teaspoons oil in another cup (Step #5).

By using a 6-ounce plastic glass, you can mark with a magic marker both 1/2 cup and 1/3 cup measures for the warm water. This eliminates the need for expensive measuring cups.

REMINDER: Keep mixture in bottom of bag. When it starts creeping up the sides, slide it back down.

1. In heavy-duty, 2-gallon plastic bag with sides rolled down to form bowl, add: mini-Bag #1 plus 1/3 cup warm water and 2 tspns honey
2. Unroll bag, hold tightly at base and mix on outside of bag with fingertips (not nails).
3. With bag sides together, roll down as in log roll and let mixture rest (about 10 minutes). Note: Bubbles forming inside bag are a sign that the yeast is growing.
4. Roll sides into mixing bowl position.
5. Add: Mini-Bag #2 plus 2 teaspoons oil, 2 teaspoons honey 1/2 cup warm water.
6. Unroll; squeeze out air, hold tightly toward bottom and mix gently on outside. Keep mixing until all ingredients are distributed evenly.
7. Form bag into mixing bowl.
8. Add: Approx. 1/2 cup all purpose flour (or half of Mini-Bag #3)
9. Unroll; mix thoroughly until all flour is dispersed.
10. On lightly-floured surface, roll dough out of bag by rolling sides down, then turning bag inside out.
11. by using a dough scraper, gently work in enough flour to make dough soft but not sticky. Note: Too much flour will make dough stiff, thus tough bread.
12. Divide the dough in two equal parts if working with a partner.
13. Knead dough for approx. 10 min.
    To knead, use heel of hand and fingertips by folding dough voer, pressing with heel, turn, repeat.
14. Let dough rest by covering 10 minutes.
15. Without stretching dough, flatten dough with palms to form rectangle, On one of the short sides, hold dough over, making point. Press into dough. Starting with point, roll dough tightly to end. Pinch loose ends together to keep dough from unravelling.
16. Turn ends under to match length of greased pan. Make sure top is smooth. Place in pan. (mini-loaf pans) Do not press down.
17. Let double in bulk in warm place.
18. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

You can use these same ingredients and amounts for making terrific bread by using the traditional bread mixing procedures.

Gazette Recipes:

• AUGUST 2003
  Pyramid Kabob
  Pizzas on English Muffins
  Ants on a Log
  Seed Balls
  Fruit Leather
• JUNE 2003
  Uncooked Chocolate Cookies
  Mud
• MAY 2003
  Caterpillar Cake
  Ladybugs
  Mrs. Ferguson's Snickerdoodles
  Dirt pudding
• MARCH 2003
  Banana Fritters
  Arachnid (Spider) Cookies
• FEBRUARY 2003
  Hot Dog Stir-Fry
  Recipes for Bread in a Bag
• JANUARY 2003
  Tutti Frutti Playdough
  Snowman Soup
  Edible Glacier
  Ice Cube Painting
• DECEMBER 2002
  Two Cinnamon Applesauce Dough Ornaments
  Gingerbread Playdough
  Gingerbread
  Rudolph Sandwiches
• NOVEMBER 2002
  Pumpkin Pancakes
  Pumpkin Pie an a Cup
  Cranberry Salad
  "Mystery" Food
• OCTOBER 2002
  Bat Wing Stew
  Magic Chalk
  Making Butter
• SEPTEMBER 2002
  Sidewalk Chalk
  Magical Milk Colors
  Bubble Soap
  Heathly Seed Balls
  Easy Ice Cream Recipes
• AUGUST 2002
  Piglets in a Blanket
  Coconut Bread From Barbados
  Beach in a Bag Snack
• JULY 2002
  Ice Cream in a Bag
  No-Cook Play Dough Recipes
  Insect Theme Recipes
  Edible Insects
• JUNE 2002
  Butterfly Sandwich
• MAY 2002
  Swimmy Snack
  Edible Bird Nests
  Mother's Tea
• APRIL 2002
  April Showers Bring...Skittles Rainbows!
  Dental Health Activity and Recipe
• MARCH 2002
  Green Mashed Potatoes
  Magic Green Powder
  Glob
  Oobleck
• FEBRUARY 2002
  Graham Cracker Flag
  Pretzel Stick Snow People
  Groundhog's Day Cupcakes
  Cherry Turnovers For President's Day
  Valentine Kisses
• JANUARY 2002
  Tortilla Snowflakes
  Finger Paint
  Sticky Toffee
• DECEMBER 2001
  Creative Play Clay
  Sand & Cornstarch Modeling Dough
  Mice

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