Happy Conference Doughnuts and Happy Birthday Shane!

First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO UNCLE SHANE!
Shane is such a good guy, he probably loves having conference land right on his birthday. We hope he is having a great day. Interestingly, every year since he was a child, Shane has angel food cake and strawberries and strawberry ice cream for his birthday. Tonight we hear there will be Erin's gourmet pizza, too. We hope he has a Happy Birthday!


Second, for years Mom has been trying to implement this 'Doughnuts During Priesthood' idea. I think a few years (if you are lucky enough to live near Erin) it has actually come to pass. It all came of Elder Russell M. Nelson's talk:

'While the men in Elder Russell M. Nelson's family attend priesthood session, the Nelson women make doughnuts in preparation for their return. Then as everyone chomps, licks fingers and wipes mouths, the men share what they learned at priesthood meeting.

"It's a nice family tradition, symbolic of the fact that everything we learn and do as priesthood bearers should bless our families," Elder Nelson said in his April 1999talk "Our Sacred Duty to Honor Women."' by Trent Toone, March 30, 2010.

So good luck to you men off at Priesthood tonight.
Will anyone manage to get doughnuts made?

It is still fun to think that all of our family and other members worldwide are tuning in to Conference together this weekend--with or without the fried dough.

Here is Erin's Favorite Recipe (completely 100% shamelessly stolen from her blog--the photo, too) :)
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup mashed potatoes (I use 1 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes or buds)
4 and 1/2 cups flour, DIVIDED
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg (two quick shakes)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar and beat well. Add buttermilk butter, vanilla. Stir in mashed potatoes. Sprinkle exactly 3 and 1/2 cups flour, plus powder, soda, salt and nutmeg over the dough. Stir until just blended. The dough will be extremely sticky. Line a dinner plate with waxed paper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour on top of waxed paper. Gather sticky dough up and press onto waxed paper; sprinkle the top with remaining 1/2 cup flour. If you need to pat atop a little more flour to be able to work with the dough, go ahead and sprinkle/pat it on top but DO NOT mix it in. ( You can refrigerate dough for a couple of hours at this point if you want, but not for too long or the dough will turn black from the potatoes.) Let the dough rest on the plate for five minutes. Meanwhile, heat large heavy pot with 1 inch of oil until oil is about 375 degrees. Turn donuts out onto flat floured surface. Pat the dough into a square only slightly larger than the plate. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. (Do not knead in the flour that have you sprinkled on the donuts. It will cook away on the outside, promise.) Cut donuts with donut cutter, or use the top of a prescription pill bottle for donut holes. Holes are the best in my opinion. Fry donuts until pale golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Cool for five minutes before glazing.

Maple Glaze
Notes: This makes enough for half a batch of donuts, in case you want to make some powdered sugar donuts or plain sugar.
Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons maple extract and about 4 tablespoons cream (or milk) until smooth.