Special Occasions

Polish Crepes

Nalesniki (nah-lesh-NEE-kee) are Polish thin crepe-like pancakes filled with various fruit or sweet fillings. When filled with a cottage cheese filling, they are often called blintzes. Fillings vary - jam, cinnamon and sugar, Nutella or peanut butter.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour • ½ cup milk • ¼ cup lukewarm water • 2 large eggs • 2 tablespoons butter, melted (for the pan) • 1 tbsp sugar • ¼ tsp vanilla extract • ¼ tsp salt

You will need: • 6” or 8” pan • Silicone spatula • Blender • ¼ dry measuring cup

Contributor: Mrs. Michele Forsyth

Directions:

• In a blender, combine all the ingredients (not the butter) and blend until smooth.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. • Heat a 6” or 8” non-stick pan over medium heat. For pouring batter into the pan, use a ¼ cup measuring cup. Use a nonstick pan and very little melted butter. • Pour ¼ cup of batter onto the pan. Swirl your pan until you have a thin layer of batter on the bottom of the pan. Cook until it starts to pull away a little from the sides of the pan. Use your spatula to gently lift an edge to check for doneness. Turn and cook the other side until done, and is a slightly light brown. • Nalesniki will keep for up to a month in the freezer or can be served immediately. • To serve, choose a filling and fill about ⅛ cup of filling. You can either roll them up or fold into quarters.

Suggestion: Try drizzling a little melted chocolate over the top and fill with fresh sliced strawberries.

77 Desserts

Peachy Peaches Cobbler

Named after Ada Elizabeth Scott, better known as Peachy Peach, grandmother to Jordyn Williams ND Class of 2022. In our household, Sunday was the day for our beloved Ada to make her Peach Cobbler.

Ingredients:

• 2 (15 oz) cans sliced peaches in syrup • ½ cup (1 stick) butter • 1 cup self-rising flour • 1 cup sugar • 1 cup milk • Homemade Whipped Cream (recipe follows)

Homemade Whipped Cream: • 2 cups whipping cream, chilled in the fridge • 4 tablespoons sugar

Contributor:

Jordyn Williams ND Class of 2022

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. • Drain 1 can of peaches; reserve the syrup from the other. Place the butter in a 9x12 oven proof baking dish. • Heat the butter on the stove or in the oven until it’s melted. In a medium bowl, mix the flour and sugar. • Stir in the milk and the reserved syrup. • Pour the batter over the melted butter in the baking dish. • Arrange the peaches over the batter. Bake for 1 hour. • The cobbler is done when the batter rises around the peaches and the crust is thick and golden brown. • Serve warm with fresh whipped cream.

Homemade Whipped Cream:

• Yield: 4 cups • Chill a large metal mixing bowl and the wire beater attachment in the freezer for about 20 minutes. • Pour the chilled cream and sugar into the cold mixing bowl and beat until it forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes. • The mixture should hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Don’t over-beat or you’ll have sweetened butter!

Note: If you don’t have self-rising flour, substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ⅛ teaspoon salt.

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Special Occasions

Contribution by the English Department

Special occasions entail that human beings have chosen to gather together and to share those most precious resources: time and food. Whether gathered through joy or grief, success or failure, and even solemnity or laughter, we congregate with family and friends in order to identify as community. Food adds to that sense of communal identity and becomes an important part of the special occasion. Our emotional drive to connect with our fellow human beings at weddings, birthdays, parties, and even funerals, has, for many cultures and societies, become united with a belief that food brings people together - that food can be an expression of love for the people in our lives.

For all of the families at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur with treasured family heirlooms, is it any surprise that recipes and memories of that generational family dish have just as much value as any artifact? Recipes written in a beloved relative’s handwriting, that special pan or plate from myriad gatherings, and the priceless memories of meals and traditions handed down over the years help to make special occasions that much more meaningful. Julia Child once said, “People who love to eat are always the best people.” May the recipes in this book help us to gather with our best people during special occasions, and may we bring our best food with us.

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Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole

This casserole is made every Christmas morning in our house. It is easy, versatile and enjoyed by everyone. Make it the night before and simply put in the oven first thing Christmas morning.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground breakfast sausage or sweet Italian sausage • ½ tsp salt • Freshly ground pepper • 6 eggs beaten • ½ cup of half & half • 1 tsp ground mustard • 6 slices white bread toasted and cut into cubes (seasoned stuffing cubes can also be used, approx. 2 ½ cups) • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or any kind of cheese you prefer)

Directions:

• Grease a 9x13 baking dish, set aside. • In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until browned, drain. • In a medium bowl, mix the salt, pepper, eggs, half & half and powdered mustard. Then add the sausage, bread cubes, and cheese. Stir together until evenly coated. • Pour the mixture into the baking dish.

Cover with foil and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. • Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the casserole covered for 50-60 minutes. • Reduce heat to 325°F, uncover the casserole and bake for 20 additional minutes or until casserole has set. • Change it up! This recipe can be customized to your taste. • Add crumbled bacon to the top. • Use cubed ham instead of sausage. • Add diced red and green bell peppers broccoli florets, artichokes, sautéed mushrooms and fresh spinach. • Use your favorite cheese. • Use different bread like challah, French bread, Brioche, Texas toast.

ENJOY!

81 Special Occasions

Lithuanian Potato Pancakes (Bleenies)

These potato pancakes were made by my grandmother, and now all the ladies in the family make them for their families. Easy, delicious and brings back wonderful memories.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg • 2 tablespoons flour • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 tablespoon grated onion • 1/4 cup sour cream • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 2 cups grated raw potato, well drained

Directions:

• Combine first 6 ingredients and mix well. • Stir in grated potatoes. • Drop by tablespoon into 1/4” hot oil. • Fry on both sides until golden. • Top with sour cream or a side of apple sauce.

ENJOY!

Special Occasions

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Pierogi

My maternal grandfather was born in Poland. Every Christmas Eve, all of my aunts, uncles and cousins would gather at my Grandfather and Grandmother’s house in Philadelphia to celebrate the Wigilia, a Polish tradition. You may not eat meat on this night, so pierogies were the main course. My favorite part of the evening was when we broke the blessed Christmas wafers (opłatek) together. During this time, we all exchanged words of love for one another, as well as wishes for good health and prosperity in the coming year. Later in the evening, we all sing Christmas carols together. We still celebrate the Wigilia every Christmas Eve, all 40 of us. It remains my favorite day of the year.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 3 ½ cups flour • 2 eggs • 8 ounces sour cream • ¼ teaspoon salt

Filling:

• Potato, cheese and onion filling • 2 cups mashed potatoes • ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese • 1 medium onion chopped fine • Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

• Chopped onions • Fat back finely chopped or butter

Contributor: Mrs. Jen McCulloch

Directions:

• Sift flour and salt. • Add sour cream and eggs. • Mix well. If the dough is too soft, add flour. If the dough is too tough, add more sour cream. Let dough rise for 10 minutes. Divide dough in half and roll thin. • Use a coffee can (or something similar in size) to cut out dough into circles. • Place a heaping tablespoon of filling on half of the circle, (a bit off center). • Fold dough over and pinch edges of circle with a fork to seal. • Put filled, sealed pierogi in gently boiling water for about 7 minutes or until they rise to the top. • Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a shallow bowl or baking dish. • Sauté onions and fat back. Pour over cooked pierogies and serve hot. • Alternately, add pierogies to sautéed onions and fat back and serve.

83 Special Occasions

Italian Easter Bread Roll

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour • ½ cup cold water • ⅛ teaspoon instant yeast • 1 ¼ teaspoon salt • 2 teaspoons instant yeast • ⅓ cup granulated sugar • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature • 2 large eggs • 1 large egg yolk • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract • ¼ teaspoon ground anise seed (optional) • Grated peel of 1 large orange • 6 dyed raw eggs - they will cook as the bread bakes

Glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted • 2-3 tablespoons orange juice • 2-3 tablespoons decorating sugar/ sprinkles

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Directions:

• Mix the starter ingredients, cover the bowl, and let rest at room temperature overnight, or for up to 15 hours. • Next day, combine the bubbly starter with all the remaining dough ingredients.

Mix and knead, using a mixer or bread machine, until the dough is elastic and satiny. It’s not recommended to prepare the dough by hand because it is sticky and challenging to bring together. • Grease a large bowl and let the dough rise for 1-2 hours, until it’s noticeably puffy. • Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface, divide it into two pieces and shape each piece into a 20-inch long rope. Twist the two ropes together and pinch the ends to form a wreath (crown). • Place the wreath (crown) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and allow it to rise until puffy, about 1-2 hours. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F. • Before placing in the oven, gently spread the rope strands apart and place a dyed egg in between them. Space the eggs evenly around the crown. • Bake the crown for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes, tenting it for the final 10 minutes of baking.

The finished loaf will be golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will register at least 190°F. • Remove the crown from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool. • To make the glaze: Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons of orange juice.

Add more liquid 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is thin and pourable. • Drizzle the glaze onto the cooled braid, then decorate with the sugar crystals or sprinkles, if desired.

Note: You can eat the eggs but if you intend to let the bread sit out for several hours. Refrigerate the eggs and then eat them later.

There is a disparity in rising times because rich dough sometimes take longer. Just look how it’s rising, and let that be your guide.

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Thank You

Administrators & Staff Dr. Judith A. Dwyer, Head of School Dr. Liz Willis, Associate Head of School Mrs.Tina L. Williams, Director of DEI Mrs. Judy Korchak, Graphic Designer

Notre Dame Students Art II: Hailey Bodner Makenna Davis Sarah Duncan Madeline Evans Barbara Fahey Caroline Fullem Lucy Hughes Isabel Ioannidi Alexandra McCulloch Kiley Pegg Devin Tegler Taylor Brooks Mackenzie Clement Ava DelVescovo Caroline Doyle Maddy Franks Lily Hahn Scarlett Hart Katie Hull Rebecca Jackson MaryKate McGill

Bridget McTear Julia Vaughan Youakim Middle School Art: Kendyl Mordan Brooke Miller Ava Kennedy Avery Ovchar Bailey Jones Bridget Fahey Eliana DiGennaro Kendyl Mordan Maeve McDonald Kara Sweeney Raya Downs Sofia Mulligan Madison Vernisi Kaela Rosa Charlotte Hiscott Quinn Carpenter Jackie McGowan Kiersten Bodge Ava DiGiuseppe Emily Hamill Avery Balitsaris Brooke Walters Helen Coogan Annie Brogan Ava Fitzgerald

Maria Tufaro Alyssa Meakim Aubrey Barnes Rosa Morroney Amanda Hauptfuhrer Caroline Daniel Paige Moran Sophia Burke Emily Morley Bryn Galiffa Mae Hinckle Maeve Herrin Noe Pinto Raina Banerjee Jayla Gardner Joy Thomas Julia Romani Lila McCormick Lyla Offshack Creighton Czajkowski Ellie Shin Emma Canuso Essa Mayhall Isabella Everard Ashley Kelly Emily Sweeney Alex Gillin Grace Logan

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