MORAL FORTITUDE AND WALNUT WALKAWAYS

I thought I was going to get at least 9 hours of sleep last night silly girl I am; the boys fell asleep early so I went to bed early. I was jarred awake from my slumber by E at 10 pm last night. Seems the little fellow was burning up, but could not get warm. I laid down next to him, and tried to convince him to go back to sleep. Well that did not go so well, so I administered the children's Tylenol. E then proceeded to puke, in his bed and on the boys carpet. That was about the time I decided we should head downstairs, poor E. So after a round of laundry at 1 am I have decided to make some Walnut Walkaways today to have around to munch for New Year. I am hoping for the moral fortitude to make it through a full day of boys. I might be losing the battle...A is tantruming when I kick him out of the cabinets and drawers and I feel a little on edge. A little bakers therapy is definitely necessary. Love is patient, love is kind...on second thought groosefraba.

SIDE NOTE:
On a funny note Mister (who is home now) and I talked on the phone about 7am and I told him I was struggling with moral fortitude. Mister gets all goofy and asks what? I said it has been a morning and I am not very patient. Mister: Moral fortitude, your morals are questionable? Me: well maybe just fortitude, (pause)  no definitely moral fortitude because I might kill a kid today. Mister: oh good as long as you are not wanting to sleep around. Me: (laughter) but it is ok to kill one of our children? Mister: yeah we can always make more. LOL That made me laugh so hard I have had a smile on my face since. He cracks me up. Of course he was JOKING, we do not even hit our kids, just sometimes feel like choking them, but no hands ever laid upon the little dearies.
WALNUT WALKAWAYS (makes 3 rolls)

A tasty dessert I can remember my mother making throughout my childhood, this is one of those that everyone asks for the recipe. My father used to work at First National Bank of Chicago (no longer the name) and a co-workers wife sent these in. My dad had no qualms about requesting a copy of the recipe so here we are today. I have hoarded this recipe for long enough, here world enjoy!


 1 pkg dry yeast
1/4 C warm water
2 C flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 C butter
1 C sugar
8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 tsp lemon peel
1 C chopped walnuts


Soften yeast in the warm water. Combine flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yeast and egg; mix until just blended. Refrigerate until ready to use (see directions and pics below). Make the filling by combining the cream cheese, sugar and lemon peel. Take dough out of refrigerator and divide into thirds. Roll out one portion at a time on lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1/8" thick. These are going to look rustic (translation, not tidy and neat). Spread 1/3 of the filling all over the dough, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the nuts. Roll up jellyroll fashion, place seam side down on lightly greased cookie sheet. Starting one inch in from end (towards the center) slit roll lengthwise to within one inch of the opposite end; spilt should be about 1/2 of the depth of the roll. Repeat for the other 2 pieces of dough. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Cool and cut into slices.

Just a few pics and notes to help anyone trying this recipe. This is a persnickety dough, I usually put down a piece of cling wrap, use my had to rub flour all over it, then place a piece of dough sprinkle a little more flour down and then pat it down a little with my hand, sprinkle some more flour and the take another piece of cling wrap and flour that, place the cling wrap on top of the dough and roll it out that way. It makes it easier to flip the dough, and roll the dough jelly roll fashion. I usually pull the cling wrap off and reflour a few times to make it easier on myself too. My mom sometimes uses confectioners sugar instead of flour when rolling out for fear of making the pastry too tough but I have never had that problem and I do not care for the extra sweet the sugar adds. So here are some pics

This has the filling and nuts on top, the filling was giving me fits so I was not able to go all the way out to the edge.

Roll it up, and mark it with a "b"...not wait sorry no marking only...

slicing it long ways stopping short of the ends about an inch. do not cut all the way to the ends.

Baked, it spilts open, very rustic.

In a lack of common sense I decided to bake this morning. Being sleep deprived I was foolish to attempt it. I made walnut walkaways, normally somewhat hard to make, but I have a knack for it. Today it was terrible the dough did not want to cooperate and the filling gave me issues, and then after cooking them I realized I think I added 3/4 C water instead of 1/4 C water, geez. They are still edible, just not as tasty as they should have been. LOL I try best intentions and all.

Well I am going to shoot this off to you before I get a bellow from E, he just woke and is a hot mess poor kid.