Doughnut Supper....

Usually during spring calving and lambing I make doughnuts. It's just something that must be done. This past week it snowed again so this called for a doughnut supper. Just doughnuts, that's all, nothing else. We like our doughnuts in various ways.... dipped in sugar, sprinkled with powdered sugar, drizzled with vanilla frosting glaze.

Springs on the northern prairie are not always warm and bright, but mostly drizzly, snowy, rainy and cold. Just today it decided to rain. We're rejoicing that it's rain and not snow, but we know that the possibility is there that we could awake to a layer of white stuff on the ground in the morning. The upcoming week the weatherman is calling for drizzly, snowy, chilly weather -- just perfect for doughnuts. Here's my recipe.

Raised Doughnuts

Combine and let stand for 3 minutes:

1 c warm water (not hot)
2 packages dry yeast

Sift and stir in:
1 c. flour
Cover this sponge and let rise about 30 minutes in a warm place.

Beat in:
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
2-3 eggs (added one at a time)
1 t. salt
3 1/2 c. flour (added gradually)

Beat for five minutes. Cover and let dough rise about 1 hour or until double in size. Punch down and then roll out on a well-floured cupboard. Roll out to approx. 1/4" and let it set for a few minutes. Then cut out with round cutter with hole or else cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Strips should be about 1" wide by long. Fold a strip in half and twist it together.

Heat Crisco in large pan to about 320-350*.

Before frying fold a strip in half and twist together and gently put into grease. Turn when golden and drain on paper towels. Drizzle powder sugar glaze or dip into sugar or cinnamon sugar OR leave plain. Best eaten while warm, but they do heat up in the microwave well.







I learned to make the doughnut twists after reading the book Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I loved reading this book to my kids. Almanzo’s mom made doughnuts practically every day and she twisted them because she said they would turn over in the hot oil without her help. She thought the new-fangled round doughnut was way too much work. And she didn't have time to waste! (I love a woman who sticks with the easiest ways to keep house!)