Easter
Along with the celebration of Jesus' resurrection at Easter, my family always had traditional foods that we ate on this special day. Being the one in charge of planning the meals (not to mention having access to certain foods that we couldn't get in Uganda), I got to make those special foods for me and Anthony this year.
Asparagus salad, twice baked potatoes, croissants, and Canadian bacon (in case you hadn't figured this out, I'm not a vegetarian, but this is kindly raised, antibiotic and hormone free meat - unfortunately not local, but hopefully that will come with the summer).
Croissants:
These require a bit of work, but for some reason, they seemed easier to me this year than they have other times I've made them. But hey, when they turn out like this, it's totally worth it.
7 cups flour
1 envelope yeast (2 1/4 tsp) dissolved in 1/4 cup very warm water
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 sticks butter, softened (1 cup)
1 egg
1 Tbs. milk
1. Measure 2 cups of flour into a large bowl, make a well in the center and put the yeast/warm water mixture in it. Let stand 5 min.
2. Add milk, salt, and sugar; beat until smooth. Beat in flour 1/2 cup at a time to form a soft dough - knead dough about 3 minutes, then press it into a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours.
3. While dough is rising, knead the butter until soft, but not melted.
4. Roll the dough into a 12x10" rectangle on a floured surface, let rest 10 min. then spread the butter on the lower 2/3 of the dough. Fold the top third over the butter, then the bottom third up over that (layers: dough, butter, dough, butter, dough).
5. Roll dough to a 14x8"rectangle and fold it in thirds like a letter again. Let rest 10 min.
6. Give dough a quarter turn and roll it out to a 14x8" rectangle and fold in thirds again. Repeat this step once more, then wrap dough in a moist cloth and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours.
7. Roll dough into a 25x10" rectangle. Divide it into two long strips, about 5" wide. Let dough rest 5 minutes, then cut each strip into 6 pieces. Cut each square diagonally to make 24 triangles.
8. Roll each triangle from base to point to make a large, thin triangle. Roll it up from the base to the point and curve ends slightly to make a crescent shape. Place them on a baking sheet.
9. Beat the egg and milk in a small cup and brush it over the croissants. Let them rise 30 minutes, then brush again with the egg/milk. Let rise 30 more minutes and repeat the brushing.
10. Bake at 385F for 18 minutes.
And of course, there's always carrot cake for dessert:
Ingredients:
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3 cups raw, grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
Directions:
First mix together the oil, sugar, and eggs. Mix in the dry ingredients, then the carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes in a well greased 9x13" pan or make half the recipe (this is what I did) and bake it in a 9x9" pan.
Cream cheese frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese
5 Tbs. butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Beat together until smooth consistency - not runny.
Asparagus salad, twice baked potatoes, croissants, and Canadian bacon (in case you hadn't figured this out, I'm not a vegetarian, but this is kindly raised, antibiotic and hormone free meat - unfortunately not local, but hopefully that will come with the summer).
Croissants:
These require a bit of work, but for some reason, they seemed easier to me this year than they have other times I've made them. But hey, when they turn out like this, it's totally worth it.
7 cups flour
1 envelope yeast (2 1/4 tsp) dissolved in 1/4 cup very warm water
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 sticks butter, softened (1 cup)
1 egg
1 Tbs. milk
1. Measure 2 cups of flour into a large bowl, make a well in the center and put the yeast/warm water mixture in it. Let stand 5 min.
2. Add milk, salt, and sugar; beat until smooth. Beat in flour 1/2 cup at a time to form a soft dough - knead dough about 3 minutes, then press it into a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours.
3. While dough is rising, knead the butter until soft, but not melted.
4. Roll the dough into a 12x10" rectangle on a floured surface, let rest 10 min. then spread the butter on the lower 2/3 of the dough. Fold the top third over the butter, then the bottom third up over that (layers: dough, butter, dough, butter, dough).
5. Roll dough to a 14x8"rectangle and fold it in thirds like a letter again. Let rest 10 min.
6. Give dough a quarter turn and roll it out to a 14x8" rectangle and fold in thirds again. Repeat this step once more, then wrap dough in a moist cloth and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours.
7. Roll dough into a 25x10" rectangle. Divide it into two long strips, about 5" wide. Let dough rest 5 minutes, then cut each strip into 6 pieces. Cut each square diagonally to make 24 triangles.
8. Roll each triangle from base to point to make a large, thin triangle. Roll it up from the base to the point and curve ends slightly to make a crescent shape. Place them on a baking sheet.
9. Beat the egg and milk in a small cup and brush it over the croissants. Let them rise 30 minutes, then brush again with the egg/milk. Let rise 30 more minutes and repeat the brushing.
10. Bake at 385F for 18 minutes.
And of course, there's always carrot cake for dessert:
Ingredients:
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3 cups raw, grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
Directions:
First mix together the oil, sugar, and eggs. Mix in the dry ingredients, then the carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes in a well greased 9x13" pan or make half the recipe (this is what I did) and bake it in a 9x9" pan.
Cream cheese frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese
5 Tbs. butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Beat together until smooth consistency - not runny.
And it tasted really really good!
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