RESTAURANT GUIDE

Easter Bread is a Tradition in Many Homes

4-cup container)

5 pounds unbleached all-purpose flour (approximately 17 cups)

1 additional pound flour for adding to dough if needed, cleaning hands, and dusting boards and pans

31⁄2 cups sugar

Pinch of salt

1 pound salted butter, softened, plus a bit more for coating rising dough

24 medium to large eggs, beaten

2tablespoons anisette extract

Decorating

6 ounces rainbow-colored nonpareil

3 egg yolks

3 tablespoons water Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a 16-quart pot. Add the butter and mix by hand, squeezing and merging butter with the flour mixture. Add proofed yeast to the flour mixture; continue mixing ingredients.

Slowly stir in all the beaten eggs and anisette using a fork. Continue to mix until ingredients are combined and loose until dough begins to form.

Knead the dough with floured hands for approximately 45 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. Add flour to the dough if needed, or to scrape the dough off your hands and the bottom of the pot.

Once the dough is fully kneaded, leave it in the pot, lightly spread some butter over the top to keep it moist, and cover with a cloth. Leave at room temperature to rise for 8 hours or overnight. The dough is ready when it rises about 5 times its size.

When the dough has fully risen, punch it down, turn it out onto a floured surface, and form it into a ball. Cut the dough into 7 or 8 smaller dough balls using a sharp knife. Then cut each ball in half. Roll each half into strands approximately 16-inch- es long. To form a loaf, lay the strands side by side and cross them over at one end, offset by 3 inches.

Continue crossing one strand over the other while working the braid into a circle. The tie off can be challenging. Join the circle by tucking one end under the other, pinch the dough firmly together to seal, maintaining the twist and thickness of the loaf. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Butter and flour one 9-inch baking pan for each loaf. Place the braided loaves in individual pans and set aside, covered in a warm, draft-free place to rise for another hour until the dough rises about 30 percent more.

At this point, preheat the oven to 250 F.

When the dough has risen, place the pans into the oven for about 10 minutes, then raise the temperature to 325 F. Bake until the bread is a dark gold- en brown and makes a hollow sound when lightly tapped on the bottom.

Prepare the egg wash for decorating. In a small bowl, beat the 3 egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of water and set aside.

When the breads are ful-

Potatoes Are the Star of This Irish Dish

Many cultures have a variation on the potato pancake, and the Irish are no different. Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake. Individuals who want to include boxty in their celebrations can try this recipe, courtesy of Chef Pádraic Óg Gallagher of Gallagher’s Boxty House in Dublin. Irish Boxty

Makes about 10 300 grams (approx. 101⁄2 ounces) raw potatoes, peeled 300 grams (approx. 101⁄2 ounces) cooked potatoes, mashed 300 grams (approx. 101⁄2 ounces) flour 10 grams (approx. 21⁄2 teaspoons) salt 850 ml (approx. 31⁄2 cups)

Lemon Pound Cake Brings Sunshine to the Table

“Lemon

Poppy Seed Pound Cake” is made from pantry staples.

Whether baking alone or with the family, try this recipe, courtesy of “The Pampered Chef® Stoneware Inspirations”

(The Pampered Chef®, Ltd).

Lemon Poppy Seed

Pound Cake

Makes 1 cake or 6 mini pound cakes

11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

11⁄2 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest

2tablespoons poppy seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

3⁄4 cup (11⁄2 sticks) butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon Pantry Double

Strength Vanilla

Powdered sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

Spray Stoneware Fluted Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt in a stainless, two-quart mixing bowl; mix well. In a stainless four-quart mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese on high speed of handheld mixer for 1 minute, or until blended (mixture will form a stiff paste).

2. In a small batter bowl, whisk eggs, milk and vanilla until blended. Add egg mixture to cream cheese mixture in four additions, beating 2 minutes after each addition. (Do not un- dermix). milk

3. Pour batter into pan. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan; carefully invert onto a stackable cooking rack, keeping pan over cake. Cool completely.

4. Place cake on serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or prepare glaze, if desired. For glaze: Combine 11⁄2 cups powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thick frosting. Spread glaze over top of cake.

1. Grate the raw potatoes into a muslin cloth and squeeze as much liquid as possible into a bowl. Let liquid stand for 20 minutes.

2. Gently pour off the liquid and keep the starch that settled in the bottom of the bowl.

3. Add grated potatoes to mashed potatoes and flour. Add starch and salt to mix.

4. Slowly add 3⁄4 of the milk to form a batter of pouring consistency. Depending on the potato, you may not need to use all the milk. If the batter is too heavy, add more milk.

5. Leave batter resting for 30 minutes.

6. Drop a ladle full onto an oiled nonstick pan over medium heat and cook on the first side for 2 minutes (this depends on how heavy the batter is and how much you use). Check color (it should be a nice golden color) on the bottom. Adjust heat if ly baked, remove them from the oven and pan using oven mitts, then decorate immediately. Brush the egg wash onto the hot surface of each loaf and sprinkle with the colored confetti. Set the loaves to cool the racks. Slice a wedge and spread with butter. necessary.

7. Turn and cook on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes more.

8. Boxty pancakes are best left overnight in a fridge and reheated in a pan in good butter.

When you are craving something sweet, sometimes you just can’t get it off your mind until you have just one bite. You need something small, delicious and something that will ease your cravings. This recipe for Chocolate Coated Strawberry Treats is not only fun to make, but will give you that perfect little snack you have been longing for.

The recipe begins with fresh strawberries and ends with a drizzle of mouthwatering peanut butter sauce. This is a great recipe for little ones looking to help out in the kitchen. These strawberries are fun to dip and even more enjoyable to devour.

This snack can also be perfect for date night, a romantic date or just a picnic in the park with friends. They are easy to transport from place to place

Adding salmon to your weekly menu can take dinnertime from drab to delicious. Combining it with bright, fresh veggies heightens the savory experience even more for a burst of seafood flavor.

Loaded with salmon and shrimp, this Salmon and Shrimp Coconut Curry is a perfect option for putting together a quick yet delicious meal. Fast becoming a leading