Paska - Easter Bread

 

Every year at Easter my large extended family enjoyed Paska, an egg-rich yeast dough made only during Holy Week. They always made plenty of loaves and covered the top with buttercream and then sprinkled candy decorations on top. The loaves were delicious, but I always saved the top crust piece until last to savour the sweetness of the icing along with the bread. 

When I was a young bride someone came up with the idea of making the yeast dough into buns rather than loaves. I thought that was a great idea, and Tim said he appreciated the different dough to icing ratio - less dough, more icing. 

This recipe makes about 3 dozen buns, perfect for sharing with friends and family. The buns are best enjoyed within a day or two, and can be frozen to preserve the freshness. We just eat our fill and don't bother saving any. 

Paska Buns

2 Tablespoons yeast 

1/2 cup warm, not hot, water mixed with 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup butter

5 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

juice and rind of 1 small orange

juice and rind of 1 small lemon

Flour (I never measure this, but it's likely 4-5 cups)

Heat the milk and butter gently, just so the butter melts. Remove from heat and when slightly warm, add to the yeast mixture along with the salt, sugar, lemon and orange rind and juice. Beat the eggs well and add them to the mixture. 

Add 1-2 cups of flour and beat until smooth and elastic. Gradually add more flour, beating well until the dough is too hard to stir, then turn out onto a floured counter and knead until smooth and elastic. 

Place in a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let rise until doubled (2 or more hours). Punch dough down, then form into buns and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise 40-60 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack.

Ice tops with buttercream and decorate as desired. 

Delicious with a cup of tea or coffee. Take time to enjoy with friends and family. 

Applesauce Cookies

 

Faced with a need to use up some of the jars of applesauce I canned last autumn, I found a recipe in my very old Betty Crocker cookbook which was given to me as a wedding shower present. The cover is held together with black book binding tape and there are many stains and notes throughout the pages. The recipe is called Jubilee Jumbles, with the applesauce included in an alternative version. 

These are cake-y cookies, quite soft, and because of that they don't stay fresh for long. But they freeze well. The browned butter glaze adds another layer of flavour that goes well with the mild spice of the cookies. 

Applesauce Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup soft butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Stir together the dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, salt, soda, cinnamon, and cloves). 

Add the applesauce, butter, eggs, and vanilla and mix together thoroughly. 

Stir in the raisins.

Drop dough by level tablespoons onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. The cookies should be about 2 inches apart. Bake 10 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched with finger. 

Cool on a rack, then spread with butter glaze.

Browned Butter Glaze

Heat 1/4 cup butter over low heat until golden brown. Mixture will foam. Watch carefully so as not to burn. 

Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of icing sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in 2-4 Tablespoons of hot water until of spreading consistency.

Note: As the butter cools, the mixture becomes quite stiff and more water may need to be added. 

Pumpkin Soup with Herbs

It's been a banner year for squash and pumpkins in our garden. I do love a good pumpkin soup, one redolent with savoury tastes. This soup freezes well and is lovely to enjoy with a slice of fresh bread.  

Pumpkin Soup with Herbs

6-8 cups of peeled, cubed pumpkin

3 leeks, cleaned and sliced

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

6-8 cups stock, either chicken or vegetable

sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage tied together in a small bundle

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the leeks, onion, and garlic and slowly saute until softened.

2. Add the pumpkin. Note: I added a small Red Kuri Squash into the mix, as well. 

3. Add the stock and place the herb bundle on top. Simmer until the pumpkin is completely softened and falling apart, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb bundle. 

4. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust. 

5. Serve and eat. A bit of cream on top adds smoothness. I saved the pumpkin seeds and roasted them to add for a bit of crunch, along with some toasted kale leaves. 

Apple Cake with a Crunchy Top

 

Our trees have been loaded with apples this year. There's another recipe for Apple Cake on my sidebar, which is still a favourite, but I wanted to try something else. Sour Cream coffeecakes are popular, and I thought to add some apples to mine. I subbed in plain yogurt for the sour cream, and am happy with the texture and taste. 

Apple Cake

1/2 cup (115 g) butter, softened

1 cup (200 g) white sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup (240 g) yogurt or sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 3/4 cups (218 g) flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon French Brandy (optional)

2 apples, unpeeled, cored and diced, about 1 1/2 cups (176 g) (I've included an image below the recipe to show you the size of the chopped apples.)

1. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

2. Mix together the yogurt and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

4. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, then 1/2 of the yogurt, followed by another 1/3 of the flour, remaining yogurt, and remaining flour. Stir after each addition; but it's not necessary to full incorporate the ingredients until the last. 

5. Stir in the apples, vanilla, and brandy (if using).

6. Place in a parchment lined 9-10 inch springform pan. 

7. Mix the following and sprinkle over top: 

       1/2 cup white sugar

        2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

        1/2 cup (60-80 g) chopped walnuts, pecans, or a mixture

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream. 

Tomato Garlic Basil Bake

 

If we've eaten a large midday meal, not much is needed for supper. I brought in the last of our garden tomatoes a couple of weeks ago and they've been ripening nicely on trays. This tomato-garlic-basil mixture, spooned onto slices of fresh focaccia bread more than satisfied us one evening last week. You could toast the bread and place the mixture on top, or let guests/family spoon on for themselves. Either way, it's easy and delicious.

Tomato Garlic Basil Bake

Ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice, about 2 cups

2-3 large cloves garlic, minced 

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, finely sliced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Fresh basil to top

Place tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a shallow baking dish. Stir just to combine. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle the feta cheese on top, then return to the oven for about 5 minutes.

Serve with more fresh basil sprinkled on top. 

Top slices of fresh focaccia bread with the mixture to serve. 

Onion Mushroom Gratin

 

Wanting something comforting and creamy to accompany rather plain chicken, I sauteed onions until soft, quickly fried onions in another pan and came up with this recipe that my husband and I enjoyed very much. Easy to make ahead and let sit in the fridge for a day or two before baking. 

Onion Mushroom Gratin

3 medium-large onions, sliced 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick (about 3 cups)

10-12 mushrooms, sliced (about 1-1/2 cups)

2 Tablespoons butter, divided

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

2 - 3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup grated Swiss cheese

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan

Heat half of the butter and olive in a heavy skillet over medium low heat. Add the onions and saute, letting them slowly soften and sweeten. This should take a good 15-20 minutes. They should not get too brown, but a little caramelization is good. 

In another skillet, heat the other half of the butter and oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute quickly, letting them brown a little before turning them. 

Add the mushrooms to the onions along with the thyme and salt. Stir in the heavy cream and grated Swiss cheese. Pour into a gratin dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly. 

White Chicken Chili

 

On a day with chilly winds and dropping temperatures, a favourite meal of ours is White Chicken Chili. The credit for the recipe goes to Penny, a former blogger. I've adapted it slightly. I like to make a double batch and freeze portions for the future. 

White Chicken Chili

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1-2 cups frozen corn kernels

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis

1/2 cup Salsa Verde

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 (15oz) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans) drained and rinsed

4 cups chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion until soft. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Remove the chicken pieces and shred them with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot.

Serve in bowls with toppings of grated cheese, crushed tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream, and avocado. All depending on your taste.