Yule Kage: Start your year with a sweet bread! by Rolynn Anderson

Didn't have time to make this jewel during the holidays?  How about welcoming the new year with it?  Get crackin'! Happy 2016!

Rolynn's Favorite Jule Kage (a Norwegian favorite, but without the mashed potatoes)  

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/4 c. warm water 

3/4 c. lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1 egg

2 tbsp. shortening or butter

1 c. raisins

3 1/4 to 3 3/4 c. all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl.  Beat in milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, egg, shortening, raisins, citron and 1 1/2 cups of the flour.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.  Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up.  Cover; let rise in warm place until double; 2 hours or more.  Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Punch down dough; shape into round loaf.  Place in greased round layer pan, 9 by 1 1/2 inches.  Cover; let rise until double, about 2 hours.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Brush dough with Egg Yolk Glaze.  Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes.  While still warm, brush with butter, then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top.  Delicious warm with butter.  Also wonderful toasted with peanut butter...OMG!

Bucket List: Golf Trip with my Buds by Rolynn Anderson

Tomorrow, I head to Palm Springs with two of my golfing buddies.  We've downloaded a list of the top 30 golf courses in California, and by God, we're playing three of those puppies in three days, beginning a pledge to tick off three courses every year for ten years.  Now, for those of you who don't golf, this may sound like misery, but to the three of us, we're talking about fun!

We'll stay in a posh villa at Desert Willow (Westin), dipping into the pools and hot tubs whenever we have a chance.  The first day of golf, we'll play La Quinta, Mountain.  The second day, Desert Willow, Firecliff.  The third day, on our way home, we'll play Rustic Mountain in Moorpark.

The fun is obvious.  We'll play majestic, challenging courses in 90 degree weather.  In the evenings we'll have wine and appetizers in the villa while we strategize our dinner outing.  We'll search out fabulous restaurants and over delicious food, we'll debrief our day on the course as well as plan the next day.  In the evening, dressed in our comfy clothes, we'll watch the Outlander series (last season on TV).

The five hour drive to and from Palm Springs is just as fun.  Stops at Starbucks, chats about our lives and the plans we have for the future...nonstop, interesting conversation.

Checking off a bucket list with friends?  Nothing better!

Are you a golfer?  Then I'll bet you'd like the list of 30.  Here goes: