A few years back! Our Easter Brunch! 2012

Re-Post from our Easter Brunch of 2012

We moved to Pittsburgh almost 5 years ago and I count my blessings every day for days and moments that we share with our children and grandchildren. Today was one of the days!

  This was the first year we tried having a brunch instead of our usual mid afternoon dinner. Our daughter and daughter in law decided the time and the menu.  Once that was established I added my touch, which was the lunch side of it. I have never been a breakfast kind of gal but my family loves anything breakfasteee..

The reason we moved to Pittsburgh!

Susan, our daughter, brought an egg, turkey bacon, cheese and English muffin casserole..(A big Hit)..(none for me).  Also Cinnamon Monkey bread!  I did eat that!!!!! Yummy!

Egg, cheddar cheese, turkey bacon and English muffin casserole

Angela, our daughter in law, brought the stuffed french toast (fresh raspberries, cream cheese and pecans )adorned that really appealing brunch addition. (Tried a bit and it was delicious)..Stuffed french toast is one of my hubby's favorites..

Raspberries, cream cheese and pecans stuffed french toast

Now we'll come to my touch..Fresh ham (did it the way my mother in law would make it)..Tender, moist and little waste..I love ham!

Small oven roasted turkey (Butterball)

Boneless Turkey Breast..I roasted a small Butterball boneless breast approximately 2 or so hours.That too was delicious...I added some mashed white potatoes (so creamy), gravy and the kids favorite corn..Nothing fancy but sweet.

Ham so tender and juicy( I boiled it with an orange, lemon, small pineapple juice and apple)  Yummy

Fresh strawberries and bananas

Easy fresh strawberries and bananas

A small antipasto

Olive mix antipasto (my creation)

Pomegranate Iced Tea

Pomegranate ice tea with lemon for our beverage along with O.J., Coffee and of course lemon water.

The kids enjoyed their usual Egg Hunt..It was a bit brisk but they ran around like crazy..Poppy hid the eggs too well so they had a much harder time finding them this year..Maddie, our oldest was the winner but everyone really tried and it was well worth the effort.  (cash inside).

On your mark, get ready, go!

Faster than a speeding bullet even in flip flops!!!

Hope you had a wonderful day!  Happy Easter from I Like to Bake and Cook! 

4/4/2015 

4/8/12 original

Easter 2015

Re-post 2015


This Easter we were miles away from family.  The first in many many years and I do miss it.

Fortunately the children and grandchildren spent the day together which makes Mom/Grammie very happy.  Poppy too!

Family is important to both of us and although we thought we would be back home for Easter things didn't work out that way this year.

Too much to explain but the last few months have had their ups and downs. All seems quiet at the moment so I really can't complain.  Blessings to you and yours.  Hope this Easter was a very nice one for you.

Here goes a little about our day and theirs.

I know it's early but our dinner with friends was amazing. I am so full! How about you? This was a little different than our usual Easter spread with our immediate family but it was very nice and one of the many things we can be grateful for are great friends. 


We have moved a lot in our married life and one thing stands out that we have met wonderful people along the way who we still remain good friends with. Blessings come in all ways whether we have known special people our whole life or those that come into our life later on. I feel so blessed.

We miss our grandchildren a lot but next week we'll be home. The kids sent us some photos of their day and I took a few of ours. Thankfully we are so blessed that they love each other and enjoy spending time together.  M.j.

 

Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter and Happy Passover.  

4/5/2015

Cheese Kolache~~ Mom's and Grandma's Recipe

This recipe comes from a Mom and Grandmother who were Slovak bakers.  Every Easter Homemade Kolache was made.  Raised dough that was so tender I would have to slice and eat with a fork as not to have kolache all over me...lol  So light and fluffy that your hands wanted to grab a piece hot but Mom would NOT let that happen.

We would wait patiently until she would melt some butter to drizzle on the top and let it cool.  If she would cut a slice or two from the cookie sheet kolache we would have to eat it with a fork.  She had so much topping it was to hard to eat without using a fork. 

Her recipe is large and would make 3 large cookie sheets.  Sometimes she'd make two cookie sheets and with the dough that was left  make small kolache danish and fill with raspberry or apricot preserves..  Oh my goodness!!  What memories that brings back to me.  Here is the recipe that mom would use.  Enjoy!  I made these last Easter but now I can't wait to make them again.  Love, M.j. From my family to yours...





12/1/13

Dough should double in size when allowing to rise

Cheese topping

I attempted to spread dough first and then wound up stretching with fingers.  I used wax paper and pressed and stretched.  This dough is a little difficult to work with but it is worth it..:)

Cheese topping.  My daughter helped making it with me.  She LOVES cheese kolache :)

Sprinkle cinnamon on top

drizzle with butter

YUMMY!

Cheese Kolache

This recipe yields 3 large cookie sheets.

Topping:

6 lb. creamed cottage cheese (small curd)
7 or 8 egg yolks (separate and beat whites and then fold in)
3 cups sugar
Sprinkle cinnamon on top before baking @350 degrees for 1/2 hour.. Turn heat to 325 and bake 10 minutes more or so. (Watch temperature. Oven's vary)!

Note:  Add melted browned butter on top as soon as you take out of oven. (melt 1 stick)

* I found that my kolache  was baked in the 30 minutes.  If center is still wet bake additional 5 or 10 minutes after lowering temperature to 325 degrees.


Dough

6 +cups flour ( I added a bit more because it was very sticky to touch)
2 cups milk(scalded and cooled)
3 pkgs. dry yeast
3 eggs
1 1/2 sticks oleo or  (3 tablespoons oleo, 3 tablespoon crisco) Note: Oleo is Margarine
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt

*Note:  mix yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar.   Stir well and add to flour mixture.
Mix all and let rise for 1 hour. (covered)

**This dough is a bit sticky so don't get discouraged.  Additional flour may be needed.  On a floured surface roll dough and if you have difficulty it can be pieced once placed on cookie sheet.  Crust will be fine once stretched and pressed in place.

original 4/2012

3/7/16

9/2013

Hawaiian Pineapple Cheese Ball

 Tomorrow night's one of several appetizers.  Easy to make so make two!  Enjoy!

I was getting tired of the same old appetizers and wanted something light but tasty so I choice this rather easy recipe. Thinking light and refreshing this recipe can be made with only crushed pineapple or add some thinly chopped ham and green onion to it.  I was going to chop macadamia nuts but never did.  I think they would really made it even better.  Enjoy!

2- 8 oz. packages cream cheese softened
1- medium size can crushed pineapple, drained well
4 T. powdered sugar but you can add more if you like it really sweet
1  to 2 T. chopped green onion(optional)
4 to 5 T. chopped ham(optional)
1 cup chopped pecans

With an electric mixer mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy.  On low speed add crushed pineapple, onion and ham, just enough to mix.  Transfer to bowl and chill into it is almost firm but easy to make into a ball or balls.

12/17/15

On a large sheet of wax paper place chopped pecans.  Take mixed cream cheese out and make either one large size ball or two smaller size.  I opted for the two smaller size.  Roll in chopped pecans and refrigerate until ready to use.

Note:  After I rolled the balls I wrapped each one individually in clear wrap and refrigerated them  until I plan on using them.  I will be using them by Christmas.  Remove from refrigerator 1/2 hour prior to serving. 

Serve as a spread with crackers. 

Rigatoni with chicken in a red sauce

When you have chicken and are tired of the same old recipes you can easily make red sauce with it.  Whether you add more veggies to it or make it with some fresh basil, onions and garlic it makes a light sauce that you can top some pasta with and add a green salad too to complete a meal.

I made the sauce as the below and  since I had a half box of rigatoni I decided to make this our meal today. Tender chicken breasts, yummy sauce topped the rigatoni while adding some grated Locatelli pecorino romano cheese. 

***Note:   If you opt out of pasta you can add some fresh veggies as carrots, celery, green beans and potatoes which are easily incorporated to complete a hearty stew.  

***If you decide to make it a stew you must allow a longer cooking time and I'd even try this recipe in a crockpot and allow to cook on low for 5 or 6 hours.  Carrots, celery and potatoes take a little longer to cook.  I would cook the green beans separately and add ten minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs

1 sweet onion grated
1 grated or finely chopped carrot or if you prefer cut the carrot in thirds and remove before serving.  Carrots sweeten your sauce so there is no need for added sugar.....

1 or 2  cloves minced garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3 to 4 fresh basil leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 large can Hunts Tomato Sauce

4 T olive oil
salt and pepper
10 oz. rigatoni cooked according to directions

In a large Dutch oven place olive oil. Add chicken. Saute on low then Add sweet onion, carrot and garlic. Saute slowly until chicken, onion, garlic and carrot start to sizzle. Cook for a few minutes more on low.

 When chicken is browned slightly on both sides add Hunts (or your favorite sauce) to the pot . 

Cook for approximately 1 hour or until tender.  Serve over pasta or make it a stew as mentioned below.

Today's choice pasta was rigatoni.

From my kitchen to yours,