Easter Bread

Soft, tender, traditionally eaten at Easter breakfast. It’s the typical Easter sweet bread of my areas. This easy recipe for homemade Easter Bread is worthy of a special occasion. A rich dough yields a memorable bread.


Ingredients :

· 1 tsp. sugar
· 1 cup lukewarm water
· 1 tbsp dry granular yeast
· 3 cups scalded whole milk, lukewarm
· 2 eggs, beaten
· 1 cup sugar
· 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
· 2 tablespoon honey
· ½ cup melted butter
· 1 tsp. salt
· 1 tsp. lemon zest
· 6 cups of sifted flour
· 1/ ground cinnamon


Preparation :


Place the yeast in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon of sugar and a 1/2 cup of water. Stand for 5 minutes until frothy.

In a large bowl, gently mix the flour, yeast, milk, butter, cinnamon, salt, honey, egg, and the zest of a lemon peel together. Knead until the dough no longer sticks to the hand. Cover the bowl of dough with a tea towel, place it in a warm place, free of draft, and let it rise until double in bulk

Shape the dough into a ball. Place a silicon parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place the dough ball onto the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size.

Do not let the loaves rise longer than necessary, because the loaves will lose their shape.

Preheat the oven to 200℃ (about 400℉)., and bake the bread for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 180℃ (350℉) and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until done. To prevent the tops from over browning, you may loosely drape large pieces of aluminum foil over the bread, once the crust is golden.

After baking, brush the top of your Easter bread with liquid butter and use a strainer to dust powdered sugar on top. Let it cool completely, to room temperature, then remove from the pan.

Your Easter bread is ready for Easter breakfast. If well-wrapped, leftovers will keep for 3-4 days.

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Green Burgers

Making healthy choices can be hard sometimes. You just want to eat a burger and forget about consequences. This is delicious and healthy burgers for you. This recipe is something quick, filling and healthy version of quick meal.


Ingredients:
· 300 gr sweet corn
· 500 gr spinach
· 1 Small onion
· 1 medium carrot
· ½ teaspoons garlic powder
· 1 teaspoon dried mixed herb
· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
· 2 eggs
· Salt
· Pepper
· ½ cup (100gr) bread crumbs



Preparation:

Put the corn, spinach, onion, carrot and eggs in a blender and mix until the mixture is compact. Add the remaining ingredients (garlic powder, mixed herbs, oil, bread crumbs and, salt, pepper) and mix well.

Heat the oil in a pan. Shape the burgers with your hands and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until cooked through.


Stay healthy!! Stay at home

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Cauliflower and Chicken

This is easy and delicious weeknight meal! These thin chicken cutlets served with rich and fragrant cauliflower are just perfect for those busy weeknights chicken meal



Ingredients


· 1 cauliflower, cut into medium florets

· 1 onion, thinly sliced

· 3 cloves garlic, chopped

· ¼ cup (60 mL) melted butter

· 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil

· 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

· 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh thyme, leaves only

· 1/2 cup (125 ml) cooking cream (15%)

· Salt and pepper

· 30g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated


Directions


Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).


Cook chicken cubes to the skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink in the centre. Add the cauliflower, onion and garlic with melted butter, and continue cooking for 4 minutes, stirring. Add the and cream. Stir and bring to a boil.

On a baking sheet, toss cauliflower, onion, chicken cubes and garlic. Sprinkle with thyme. Spread on the baking sheet. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper

Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Roast for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

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Christmas Gingerbread

This is a delicious gingerbread recipe - the dough is easy to handle, and I love the spices in it. This was by far the best gingerbread cookie recipe I have ever had.

Ingredients 

• 450g all-purpose flour
• 150g unsalted butter
• 110g cup dark brown sugar
• 125ml golden syrup
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 large egg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.

In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended. Add golden syrup, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.



Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Divide dough into two portions. Shape each portion into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 45 minutes or until firm.

Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour over the dough and rolling pin. Roll dough to a scant 5mm thick. Use additional flour to avoid sticking. Using a Christmas pastry cutters, cut shapes from dough, re-rolling scraps. Place on the lined trays, 3cm apart to allow for spreading. Repeat with remaining gingerbread portion.



Bake in preheated oven, 1 tray at a time, for 10 minutes or until just firm to touch (the lower time will give you softer cookies).

Remove from oven and set aside on trays for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like. Decorate gingerbread using writing fudge and rainbow choc chips, if desired. They look wonderful decorated with Royal icing.



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Grilled Garlic Bread

Need an easy appetizer or side dish that you can prepare in minutes? Grilled garlic bread is a perfect choice. The taste is wonderful. One of the best garlic butter I made. Also, it's great cooked on the bbq. Remember - this is flexible - you can leave out all the extras except for the garlic - or add other seasonings like oregano.


Ingredients 

• 1 large loaf French bread
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley (reserve half for garnish)
• the pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powde
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil for the grill

Preparation!


Slice the French bread into 1,5 cm slices. You want the slices thick enough so that they’re sturdy on the grill.Mince the parsley. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, half of the minced parsley, parmesan, salt, pepper, and the garlic powder.



Spread the butter mixture on one side of each slice of bread. Using an offset spatula or bread knife, generously butter both sides of each slice.




Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place the slices of bread on a pre-heated/oiled grill, butter-side down, until lightly browned. Then flip and grill the other side of each piece until lightly browned. Check frequently, because bread burns quickly on the grill!

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Homemade Donut

Really quick and easy donuts made from ingredients you probably already have. So easy, quick and the kids helped too. Use any topping you want. My favorite is powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture. I loved these, they were light and fluffy and reminded me of when my mother made doughnuts when I was a child.

Ingredients 

• Vegetable oil
• 500 gr of all-purpose flour
• 100 gr of sugar
• 12 gr of baking powder
• 15 gr of active dried yeast
• 1 pinch of salt
• 70 gr of butter
• 150 ml of milk
• 80 ml of water
• 5 ml of vanilla extract 

 For rolling

• 100 gr of granulated sugar
• 20 gr of ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, yeast, salt, and mix.

Using a pastry cutter cut butter into your flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. In a measuring jug, heat together milk, water, and heat until lukewarm. Stir in the vanilla.

Turn the machine on low and slowly add the milk mixture. Mix for 10 minutes to wake up the yeast.Mix until all ingredients are combined. Run a spatula under the dough to make sure everything is mixed well. Transfer dough onto a well-floured surface, and knead gently until it forms a cohesive ball. If dough is too sticky to manage, continue to work in flour until it is smooth and manageable.



Rub your mixing bowl with vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap tight and let the dough rise until doubled, 1 - 2 hours.

Once it has risen, turn out the fluffy dough onto a floured work surface. Roll out to 3 cm of thick. Using a round cutter, cut off your donuts circles. Dust your cutter in flour so it doesn’t stick to the dough. Cover your donuts with cling film and let them rise at room temp for 30 - 40 minutes.





Fill a medium-sized saucepan 4 cm deep with your oil over medium-high heat. You will have to monitor the heat pretty regularly and may need to increase/decrease your stove temperature to keep it consistent.

While your oil is heating, prepare your cinnamon/sugar mix by stirring together cinnamon and sugar in a small dish. Set aside.

Prepare two plates for your cooked donut by lining them generously with paper towels. Once the oil has reached medium-high heat, very carefully fry your donut, carefully transferring them to the oil with a slotted spoon.

Fry donut for approximately 4 - 5 minutes, remove carefully with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel laden plate. Allow them to sit for about 30 seconds and then use another spoon to transfer them to your cinnamon/sugar dish, roll them in the topping until fully covered, and then transfer to your other paper towel lined plate.

Repeat until all donut holes are cooked and have been rolled in cinnamon sugar.These donuts are best enjoyed warm/hot and do not carry over well to the next day.



Have leftovers for the next day? Pop them in the oven and refresh them for a few minutes. The cinnamon and sugar might melt but they will be warm and fresh again.

Notes: If you want a healthier version of preparation, you can prepare them in the oven with less oil: Heat the oven to 180°C. Unwrap the donuts. Brush the very top with melted butter. Sprinkle the tray with 2 tbsp of water. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes. Rotate tray during baking if needed to get color all over. You want to bake these just enough. If they get too much color they can dry.




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Chicken Meatball Soup

This recipe is beyond delicious!! So easy and so healthy! Lovely and light. Delicious, everyone loved it. This was a hit in my house! Great way to use up veggies. The meatballs are very flavorful, I would use them in other dishes. The soup overall is very tasty!

Ingredients 

• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1,2 l of chicken broth
• 200ml of water
• 300g of bulgur
• 400g of ground chicken
• 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 25g of fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon of dried crushed rosemary, divided
• 50g of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 25g of fresh parsley leaves

Preparation:

In a medium bowl combine ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs salt, and pepper. Add lemon zest and rosemary. Shape into medium meatballs ( about 1 tablespoon each). Sauté meatballs in a Dutch oven over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or until browned.



In a medium saucepan cook carrots, celery and onion in olive oil for 10 minutes, stirring. Add chicken broth and water, heat to boiling. Stir in bulgur. Reduce heat, simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes or until bulgur is almost tender.



Stir in meatballs, simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with cheese and parsley.

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