Czech Easter Bread Rings (HOUSKA)

makes 6 loaf rings

1 package Quick Rise yeast

1 1/4 cups scalded milk, let cool to room temperature

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup butter, at room temperature

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sugar

4 cups flour

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

In a large mixer bowl, put the yeast, room temperature milk, salt, butter, eggs and sugar. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until sugar is dissolved. Add 2 cups of the flour to the wet mixture and beat with wooden spoon until all incorporated.

Add  1 1/2 cups more flour; mix with wooden spoon until this additional flour is once again incorporated.. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in enough of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour until smooth. Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour and half.

*** ( If you would like to make half raisin bread and half plain: Divide dough into 2 halves and knead in the ½ cup raisins, into 1 half of dough. Then proceed with placing the 2 halves of dough in 2 smaller greased bowls, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour and half).

Punch dough down, divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece to form a 1" thick and about 14"  long log (or snake, like you do with play dough). Take two logs, twist to form a braid, pinching the ends.  Form each twisted braid into a circle.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheets. ( I put 3 on each cookie sheet in a zig-zag pattern). Cover with tea towel and let rise until double, about another hour and half. Make egg wash (1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water). Brush each loaf with the egg wash.

Bake at 350 ° until golden - about 18 minutes.  (Check after 16 minutes, for all ovens are different). Cool on rack.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

When I give these for gifts at Easter, I place a hard boiled egg in the center of each ring, as shown in picture above). 

Best Ever Biscotti

BEST EVER BISCOTTI

1 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. anise (optional)
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 300°.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together, butter and sugar.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Next add the vanilla and anise extract (if you don't use anise, use 2 tsp. vanilla).
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; and add to creamed mixture.
Stir in almonds.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a 3" X 11" rectangle on the parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35 minutes or until golden and firm to touch.
Remove from oven and lift parchment paper and logs to a cooling rack.
Cool completely.
On a cutting board, cut with a serrated knife, diagonally, 3/4 " wide.
Preheat oven to 325°
Place cut side down on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over and bake 10 minutes more.
Remove and cool completely on wire rack.
Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Chocolate Chip*Peanut Butter*Oatmeal Cookies

1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350°.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, peanut butter, and both sugars, on medium, until creamy (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the vanilla and egg and mix another minute or two.
Sprinkle in the baking soda and salt, and mix for a few seconds.
Add the flour gradually, a little at a time, until all is incorporated.
Add oats and mix in on low. Then add the chocolate chips and do the same.
Take a teaspoonful of dough, and roll into a 1-1 1/2" ball, and place on the parchment lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are light brown. Remove from oven and cool on pan for 5 minutes and then remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container and..........

.........Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

 ***I sometimes will decrease the chocolate chips to 1/2 cup and add in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts----my FAVORITE addition. 
 

Mummy's Broccoli Cheese Soup

1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced

1/4 cup flour
1 cup half and half
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 pound fresh or frozen, chopped broccoli
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a Dutch Oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until translucent.
Add the sliced carrots and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Mix in the flour and totally incorporate it into the butter, onion and carrot mixture.
Cook for 1 minute more.
Gradually stir in the half and half and milk and then the chicken broth.

Add in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
When it all comes to a simmer, reduce heat a little, and continue a slow simmer for 20 minutes.
(without a lid on the pot).
Add the broccoli and cook for 10 minutes.
Finally add the shredded cheese, stirring until blended in thoroughly.
Serve immediately.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

This soup is excellent on its own or serve with a crusty roll or soft pretzel.
It is great served in a Bread Bowl. (recipe to be posted soon).

April Fool's Day Breakfast

Tomorrow is April Fool's Day and I made breakfast for my family and neighbors---BACON & EGGS!!!

...aren't they cute???

BACON & EGGS

Ingredients:
120 mini pretzel sticks
60 yellow M&M's.
60 white chocolate candy wafers
1/4 tsp. shortening

Melt white chocolate wafers and the 1/4 tsp. shortening over low heat.
On a wax paper lined cookie sheet, lay out 2 mini pretzel sticks next to eat other.
Drop a small dollop of the melted white chocolate across the pretzel sticks and lay a yellow M&M on top of the melted white chocolate.
Place in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to harden.
Have fun offering breakfast to your family and friends this April Fool's Day!!!

 Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Bev's Soft Biscotti

3/4 cups sugar
1 stick margarine at room temperature
3 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp. whiskey
1 Tbsp. anise extract/flavoring
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream together sugar and margarine.
Add the eggs, whiskey, anise and salt, mix well.
Add baking powder and flour until thoroughly incorporated.
Divide dough in half and on a parchment lined baking sheet, form each piece into a 11" X 3 " log which is approximately!/2 " high.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool logs on wire cooling racks completely.
On a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/4 " slices.

Icing:
Mix together well:

1/2 cup powdered sugar 

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Drizzle freely over tops of the Biscotti and let air-dry.
After dry, store in an airtight container.

These Biscotti are different from the traditional ones that are twiced baked, thus giving you a Softer Biscotti.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!


 

Zuppa Toscano the Hungarian/Czech Way

ZUPPA TOSCANO

64 ounces chicken broth
16 ounces whipping cream
1 tsp. salt
1/2  tsp. pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 pound bacon (I use 1 package of 100% Real Bacon Bits (2.5 oz. bag)
10 ounce frozen, chopped spinach
1 lb Jimmy Dean's Original or Italian Pork Sausage Roll
2 large russet potatoes scrubbed and cut in half lengthwise, and then into 1/4 inch slices
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on when served.

 
      Cook and crumble the bacon, set aside. (or have Real Bacon Bits on hand).

      In a Dutch Oven, heat the chicken broth to boiling. Turn off the heat and add the spinach. Place a lid on the pot and let the spinach thaw in the chicken broth.

      Meanwhile, crumble and brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat.

*(Prep potatoes and onion while sausage is browning.)
 After the sausage is browned, place it into the hot chicken broth. Also add the bacon bits to this mixture. Cook over medium low, with out the lid, while you prepare the potatoes.

      In the same skillet you browned the sausage, add the Tablespoon of olive oil . Heat oil over medium heat, add the potatoes and diced onion. Cook potatoes and onions until slightly browned and softened, turning periodically. Halfway through browning, sprinkle potatoes and onions with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Continue cooking until potatoes are cooked almost through.

Add cooked potato/onion mixture to the chicken broth, sausage/bacon and

spinach. Stir thoroughly, replace lid and turn off heat. Let it set until almost ready to serve.

When ready to serve, add whipping cream in very slowly, with no heat on.

When thoroughly incorporated turn heat to medium/low and heat to serving temperature. (without a lid on.)

Have the fresh grated Parmesan cheese available to be sprinkled by each person to their liking.
I also serve this with homemade bread or pepperoni rolls...oh so yummy!

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!  

Graham Cracker/Jello Dessert Squares

1 box of Graham Crackers
1 small box lime jello
1 small box strawberry jello
1 jar of applesauce (25 oz.)
1 small container of Cool Whip, thawed

Put half of the applesauce into 2 small bowls each.
Stir the lime jello into 1st bowl and the strawberry into the 2nd bowl thoroughly.
Take a 13" X 9" pan and line the bottom with graham crackers.
***Spread half of the lime mixture evenly over top of graham cracker layer.
Now add another layer of graham crackers over the lime mixture.
Spread strawberry mixture over this layer of graham crackers.
Once again add another layer of graham crackers over the strawberry mixture.
Repeat from *** with remaining jello mixtures and end with the layer of graham crackers.
Top the entire top with the Cool Whip.
Cover with lid, foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours, so the crackers have time to soften.
This is sooo easy....soooo colorful and soooo delicious! Don't have to make only at Christmas---I like to make it in the Summer using lime and orange jello, for a citrus Summertime treat!!    
Decorate a 2" X 2" square with a thin slice of orange or lemon. Oh so refreshing!!!

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť

NOTE: It's a good idea to buy two boxes of graham crackers.Boxes of graham crackers seem to have gotten smaller. If you do run out, that's okay...just cover until you run out and the cool whip will cover the exposed jello mixture.   The person getting that slice/square will just get a shorter stack of cake----that would be ME!!! ha-ha

Hearty Oatmeal Waffles

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup quick oatmeal
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
6 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add eggs, milk, butter and brown sugar and stir until well blended.
Scoop batter onto a preheat, lightly greased waffle iron.
Close waffle iron and don't open until done. (usually when there is no longer steam escaping out of waffle iron).
Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Annie's Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl-cream sugar and shortening together well.
Add egg, vanilla and pumpkin mixing in until well blended.
Sift together next 5 ingredients; and then add to pumpkin mixture.
Fold in walnuts.
Drop teaspoons of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
Cool completely and ice.

Icing

1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan heat brown sugar, butter and milk until butter is all melted.
Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. 


Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

 




 

No Bake Cookies (Aunt Donna C.)

1 stick of butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup mílk
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
3-3 1/2 cups oatmeal

Add the first five ingredients into a sauce pan.
Bríng to a rollíng boíl and contine cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Add peanut butter ínto the hot míxture and stír untíl melted.
Add ín vanílla.
Míx ín the oats and beat like fudge until glossy.
Drop by tablespoons onto wax paper.Let cool untíl set. (about 1/2 hour).

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!
 


 

Wrapped in "Foil Sandwiches"

12 Homemade Buns

Filling
1/2 pound chipped or shaved ham
3 hard boiled eggs(chopped)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup ketchup
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut 12 sheets of aluminum foil (enough to cover a completed sandwich).
Mix remaining Filling ingredients together in a large mixing bowl well.
Split buns in half with a serrated knife.
Spoon Filling Mixture evenly among the 12 Buns.
Wrap each sandwich in foil.
Place on cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

This is a great item to have at a luncheon, picnic or "just because".

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies made with Chips and Walnuts

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter flavored Crisco shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
12 oz. bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine flour, soda and salt---and set aside.
Combine in large mixing bowl, Crisco and  sugars, beat until creamy.
Add vanilla and eggs and blend well.
Add the dry ingredients, mix in well then stir in the chocolate chips.
On 2 parchment lined (or ungreased ) cookie sheets, drop by heaping tablespoons.
Bake for 14 minutes.

This recipe makes 2 dozen large Chocolate Chip Cookies.
If you would like a smaller cookie, drop by rounded teaspoon and reduce baking time to 11-12 minutes.
***Another variation I like to make with this recipe (that you can see in the above photo,) is the addition of walnuts. I substitute 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped walnuts for the 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips. Oh so nutty and delicious! Give it a try!!!

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!