Recipe of the Week; CREAMY PUMPKIN DIP

Happy Halloween!!

I have been making this simple, yummy, pumpkin dip recipe for YEARS. It's quick, simple, and decidedly festive when served in a small, hollowed-out pumpkin lined with plastic wrap.


INGREDIENTS
4 cups confectioners sugar
2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (30 oz) pumpkin pie filling
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 ground cloves

Combine sugar and cream cheese in mixing bowl. Mix on low until well blended. Add remaining ingredients.

Place in bowl or pumpkin, set in fridge for at least two hours before serving.

Use a a dip with gingersnaps cookies, sliced apples, pretzels, marshmallows, Teddy Grahams and/or graham crackers. I especially like to use the little mini gingerbread men cookies that you can find around this time of year.

Easter Dinner Traditions and Recipes

Growing up, our Easter dinner was just as large as Christmas or Thanksgiving, especially on my Mom's side. My Grandma (Babka) Ann was a devoted Polish Catholic, and many of the traditions that were honored in Poland when she was a child are still part of my annual Easter celebration.

One of these traditions my Mom has shared with me through the years was the Blessing of the Easter Basket. Large meals were commonplace only during the holidays, and Easter was especially important because it represents the Resurrection of Christ. Because such a big to-do was made about dinner, Mom said that Babka's basket would be carted off to church Easter morning to be blessed by the priest.

A typical basket may include:

Butter - Often the shape of a lamb or cross.
Babka - The Bread of Life, decorated with a cross or a fish.
Horseradish - The Passion of Christ, also used as bitter herbs at Passover.
Pysanky (hard boiled Eggs, dyed)- Decorated with symbols of Resurrection.
Polish Sausage - God's favor.
Ham or Lamb - Joy and abundance.
Smoked Bacon - Overabundance of God's mercy.
Salt - Prosperity and justice.
Homemade Polish Easter Cheese - Moderation.
The Lighted Candle - The Light of the World.
Ribbons and greenery - Spring, renewal, and Resurrection.
Covering Linens - Like the covering of Christ's shroud.

PYSANKEY

This year, I'll be hosting Easter dinner at my house. It's going to be small gathering, with only two others in attendance, but I'm exciting about offering a meal that includes many of the foods served at every Easter dinner I've enjoyed since, well- birth. I will be tweaking my menu a little, making it more "Toni", but I think it would make Babka proud!

As of today, here is the tentative menu~

Pickled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

Homemade Easter Cheese

Beets and Horseradish

Ham

Polish Sausage
Lamb

Potato and Gruyere Gratin

Roasted Asparagus
Garden Vegetable Salad

Cheesecake Parfaits

Easter Cupcakes

EASTER CHEESE

If you're not familiar with Easter cheese, it isn't really cheese at all. It's made from eggs. There are a few variations of this recipe, but the one I most enjoy is the one I grew up eating. It's not the sweet, custardy kind that most are familiar with.

12 eggs
1 quart whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Crack eggs into a large saucepan and beat with a whisk. Whisk in milk, pepper and salt. Cook over medium-low to low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture fully forms curds and the whey separates. This will take 20 to 30 minutes. Using higher heat or failing to stir will result in a big pan of scrambled eggs.

Drain the mixture into a colander lined with several layers of cheese cloth. Use the cloth to shape into a ball and twist the top to remove excess moisture. Secure with a twist tie. Hang to dry. You will need several hours, but it's best to make this they day before. Hanging it on the kitchen faucet is the most sensible place to hang the cheese. When it is a firm ball, you simply slice into chunks and serve alongside your Easter ham.

There are other variations of this recipe, some include sugar and nutmeg, which makes it sweeter, but I much prefer this version.

My Grandmother raised seven children in a time when money wasn't so easily obtainable. With little education, the best she could do as a single mother was work in a clothing factory. But, if there was one thing she could do exceptionally well, it was sew- (not to mention cook all that scrumptious Polish food!) Being one to "think out of the box" so to speak, she knew that buying cheesecloth was a luxury and instead had a brand new pillowcase handy every Easter to make her Easter cheese. I remember seeing that freshly laundered pillowcase hanging on the clothesline outside drying her cheese!

MASHED POTATO GRATIN

A few nights ago, I was thumbing through the channels and I came across an episode of Jacques and Julia. (I can't tell you how much I adore the both of them... but that's another post perhaps.) Jacques had thrown together -literally- the most simple potato gratin, made with mashed potatoes and Gruyere cheese. I didn't write down the specific measurements, or ingredients for that matter, and I've been hunting high and low to find that recipe. I've come across some similar types, so using my memory and a few variations of that recipe that I've found online, I'm going to make the gratin in place of standard mashed potatoes. The best thing about it is that I can make the mashed potatoes the day before, then on Sunday just mix in the rest of the ingredients and bake! How easy is that? Of course, if you're not a fan of Gruyere, you could easily substitute Swiss, Cheddar, etc.

3 pounds mashed potatoes
3 eggs, whipped
1/4 cup butter, plus more to grease baking dish
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
salt and pepper to taste
sliced scallions, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare baking dish with butter. (If potatoes are cold, warm them up before adding the other ingredients.)

In separate bowl, combine mashed potatoes, butter, cream, eggs, salt, pepper and 1 cup of cheese. Spread into buttered dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake about 25-30 minutes, until edges are brown. Sprinkle with scallions before serving.

CHEESECAKE PARFAITS

1 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 package (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding

1 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip

24 vanilla wafers, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups mixed fresh blueberries and strawberries

Beat cream cheese, with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add pudding and mix well. Gently fold in 1 cup Cool Whip.

Layer wafers, berries and cheesecake mixture in 8 parfait glasses. Repeat layers, top with Cool Whip.

I plan on dipping the rims of my parfait glasses with pink colored sugar, and adorning the glasses with a Marshmallow Peep, for, you know- extra Easter charm.

Blog Side Note: I didn't realize under after I had finished with this post that it was written on my what would have been my Babka's 86th birthday! What special memories I have of her at Easter...

Recipe of the Week; KING CAKE AND MARDI GRAS FUN

Y'all wanna know what this time of year gets me in the mood for? Mardi Gras! You don't have to live in Nu'awlins to celebrate- I believe everyone should take the time to prepare at least one Mardi Gras-inspired menu and have their own little celebration at home!

Well, at least serve a simple jambalaya and a King Cake- no need to dress up and parade around, or flash anyone for that matter, unless you're into that sort of thing.

If you're a little uncertain about the relevance and history of a King Cake, read on! Recipe to follow is simple, tasty, and most appreciated when served!

Laissez les bons temps rouler!
"As part of our Christian faith, the coming of the wise men bearing gifts to the Christ Child is celebrated twelve days after Christmas. We refer to this as the Feast of the Epiphany or Little Christmas on the Twelfth Night. This is a time of celebration, exchanging gifts and feasting. The tradition continues today as people all over the world gather for festive Twelfth Night celebrations. A popular custom was and still is the baking of a special cake in honor of the three kings called a King's Cake.

Inside every cake is a tiny baby (generally plastic now, but sometimes this baby might be made of porcelain or even gold). The tradition of having King Cake Parties has evolved through time, and the person who receives the slice of cake with the baby is asked to continue the festivities by hosting the next King Cake party.

Originally, King Cakes were a simple ring of dough with a small amount of decoration. Today's King Cakes are much more festive. After the rich Danish dough is braided and baked, the "baby" is inserted. The top of the ring or oval cake is then covered with delicious sugar toppings in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold.

January 6, the Twelfth Night after Christmas, is also the day our Mardi Gras season begins. Mardi Gras Day is always 47 days prior to Easter Sunday. Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday."

INGREDIENTS

1 envelope active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water, about 105 to 115 degrees
2 tablespoons milk, scalded and cooled
4 to 5 cups flour
8 ounces butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 teaspoons melted butter
very small plastic doll, a large bean, or coin
light corn syrup for topping
green, purple and yellow colored sugars

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk and about 1/2 cup of flour.

In a large bowl, blend butter, sugar, salt and eggs. Add yeast mixture and mix thoroughly. Gradually, add 2 1/2 cups flour to make a medium dough. Place in a greased bowl and brush with melted butter.

Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise until double in volume, about 3 hours. Use 1 cup or more flour to knead dough and roll into a 4 to 5 foot long rope. Form into a oval on a 14 x 17" greased baking sheet, connecting ends of the rope with a few drops of water to make a good seal.

Press the doll, bean, or coin into the dough from bottom. Cover dough ring with a damp cloth and let rise until double in volume, about 1 hour. Bake at 325° for 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Brush top of cake with corn syrup and sprinkle with alternating bands of colored sugar.

Recipe of the Week; A YOM KIPPUR FEAST BEFORE THE FAST

Being that Yom Kippur was this past week, I felt it was fitting to offer some great recipes before the fasting begins. Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, marks the end of the Jewish High Holy Days.

To focus more completely on prayer, Jews take part in a 24-hour fast so their minds, bodies, and souls may be free from the distraction of daily life and physical desires. This fast begins at sunset the day before Yom Kippur and ends at the next sunset.

Well before sunset on the day before Yom Kippur, families gather around a sustaining meal to prepare their bodies for the coming fast. Generally, salty or spicy foods, caffeine, and alcoholic drinks (except in my Gravlox!) are avoided because they can make fasting more difficult.

I think it's important to recognize the significance of all Jewish holidays, because Judaism is the root of Christianity. Whether or not you fast, consider making the recipes anyway. They're really simple, but tasty!

BAKED HONEY-MUSTARD CHICKEN

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish

In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley. Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken, and brush to cover.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

GRAVLOX

(What's not to like? It's prepared with Vodka!)

2 pounds salmon fillet, bones removed
4 tablespoons coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon pepper
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
3 tablespoons vodka

Drape plastic wrap over a glass baking dish. Cut salmon in half lengthwise, and place one half in dish, skin side down. Mix together salt, brown sugar and pepper. Sprinkle half of mixture over salmon in the dish, cover with the chopped dill, and pour the vodka over the whole mixture.

Sprinkle the remaining salt mixture over the remaining half of salmon.

Place over the salmon in the dish, skin side up. Fold the plastic wrap snugly over the entire salmon. Place a board over the fish and weigh it down with a heavy object.

Refrigerate fish for 24 to 36 hours, turning every 12 hours. To serve, separate the fillets, and carefully brush off the salt, sugar and dill. Cut into very thin slices with a sharp knife.

PECAN RICE

(goes wonderfully with the chicken!)

1 cup brown rice
2 tablespoons margarine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

When rice is done, melt margarine in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute onions, pecans, parsley, basil, ginger, pepper and salt. When onions are tender stir mixture into rice and mix well.