Holiday Weekend Recipes

Today is Good Friday; Sunday is Easter. And for our friends and family members who are Jewish, Passover begins this evening. (Here's a link I found to give a little more background on Passover, for anyone who's interested.) So, while today's blog has recipes to serve over a holiday weekend, they can be served anytime. Enjoy!

Note: If you follow a religion/faith, I'm not ignoring you. There are so many ways to worship God/Allah/the Great Spirit. I'd love to hear from you and hear what you follow, what this means to you, and (since this is a food blog) some of the foods you might use when you're celebrating.

CHAROSET

This came from the link from today's intro. It starts off, "This fruit, nut and wine mix is eaten during the seder. It is meant to remind us of the mortar used by the Jews to build during the period of slavery. It should have a coarse texture. The ingredient quantities listed here are at best a rough estimate; I usually just eye-ball it. The recipe below makes a very large quantity, but we usually wind up making more before the holiday is over. Other fruits or nuts can be used."

4 medium apples, 2 tart and 2 sweet

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1/4 cup sweet wine

1/4 cup dry wine

1 Tbs. cinnamon

Shred the apples. Add all other ingredients. Allow to sit for 3-6 hours, until the wine is absorbed by the other ingredients. Serve on matzah. Goes very well with horseradish.

HAM WITH COLA AND MAPLE GLAZE

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She writes, "This is an easy and delicious glaze to use on your holiday dinner ham." Serves 8 to 10.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 fully cooked ham, about 6 to 8 pounds

whole cloves, optional

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cola

1 tablespoon brown or Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Place ham, fat side up, on rack in a foil-lined roasting pan; score fat and stud with cloves, if desired. Cook at 325° for about 18 minutes per pound, until meat thermometer or instant read thermometer registers 148°. If your ham is labeled Ready to Cook, follow packaging directions. Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, cola, mustard, ginger, and cinnamon in saucepan; bring to a simmer and continue cooking over low heat for about 2 minutes. About 20 minutes before the ham is done, spoon about half of the glaze over top of ham, then about 10 minutes before done, spread remaining glaze over ham.

HONEY CUPCAKES (for PASSOVER)

This comes from Nichelle Stephens, About.com's Cupcake expert, who writes, "Honey cake is a Jewish traditional dessert that is often served at high holidays like Passover and Rosh Hashanah. I am not Jewish, but I had my first Seder meal at the Catholic elementary school that I attended in Alabama. Now that I have gotten your attention with the previous sentence, it is important as a food writer to sample foods from different cultures and countries. The cool thing about cupcakes is that you can be inspired to bake cupcakes from food all over the world. Honey cupcakes are a nice treat for both kids and adult that will be welcomed at Passover Seder dinner along family and friends. A Passover seder is a festive holiday meal. In some ways, it is somewhat similar to Thanksgiving where families gather, but there are prayers and a ritual that happens throughout the meal. These honey cupcakes are adapted from a Baked-Delicious.com recipe that originally had whole wheat flavor. For Passover, it is necessary to use unleavened bread like matzo for baking." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 18 cupcakes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

A pinch of salt

1 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup honey

1 lemon (only use the juice the zest)

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons milk

2 eggs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl, sift the cake meal, flour, salt, spices and baking soda. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the honey and butter. Add in the lemon zest and juice and stir until well blended. Make a well in the center of the bowl that has the dry ingredients. Slowly add the honey mixture, stirring until it is well blended.

Beat the eggs and mil together in a measuring cup or small bowl. Then slowly beat into the batter. Use an ice cream scoop to pour the batter into baking cups. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center cupcake is well risen and springy.

Set the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.

Make a honey syrup with 4 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons water and the grated zest of one lemon. Drizzle or brush honey syrup on top. For garnish you can add lemon zest and chopped almonds or peanuts on top. Honey cupcakes keep well and taste even better after two or three days.

VEGAN GINGERED CARROT SOUP

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, "Colorful and fragrant carrot and ginger soup is a light and soothing soup. Carrot soup with ginger is a nutritious and low fat soup recipe with just a touch of sweetness and a touch of spice." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced

4 cups chopped and peeled carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds)

3 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups orange juice

dash nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large pot, sautee onions and ginger in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes.Add carrots and vegetable broth and reduce heat to medium. Allow to simmer for about 40 minutes, or until carrots are soft.

Add orange juice and stir well.

Working in small batches and using a food processor or blender, process soup until smooth.

Return to pot or serving bowl and add nutmeg, salt and pepper, stirring well. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired and enjoy!

HAM AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY

This comes from Ina Garten, The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. I know I'm a vegetarian, but Ina's food could make me almost start eating meat! Total Time: 50 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 25 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ham-and-cheese-in-puff-pastry-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced

1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

EASTER BUNNY CAKE

This comes from The Food Network. I've never quite figured out what, exactly, rabbits have to do with Easter, but that's beside the point. Maybe because baby rabbits are born in spring, and Easter is in spring? Who knows.

Here's my short semi-rant: If you're buying things for children for Easter (or any holiday, for that matter), don't make it an animal, even rabbits. The only exception is if the parent (if you're not the parent) says it's okay, and/or it's an animal that's been approved by the parents. If it's a rescue animal, even better. But it's really best to wait until after the holidays.

This cake looks cute (a photo is on the link for the recipe), and takes 1 hour total time. Yields 12 to 14 servings; level: intermediate.

Read more (and view photo) at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/easter-bunny-cake-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Frosting:

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 cups confectioners' sugar

Pinch fine salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Bunny:

2 baked 9-inch round cake layers (your favorite recipe or a 18.25-ounce boxed cake mix)

1 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

2 store-bought biscotti

1 tube pink decorating icing

2 black jelly beans

2 marshmallows

1 white jelly bean, halved lengthwise

1 pink jelly bean

1 black licorice wheel, such as Haribo

Directions

For the frosting: Combine the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand-held electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk until the frosting is easy to spread.

For the bunny: Spread a thin layer of frosting on the flat side of one cake layer, about 2/3 cup, and top with the flat side of the second cake layer. Measure 5 inches across the top of the cake and cut down through the layers, creating two layered pieces that are slightly different sizes.

Place the larger piece of cake, cut-side down, on a large platter or cake board. If using a rectangular cake board, place the larger piece so that the long edges are parallel with the long edges of the board. This is the body of the bunny. Cut the smaller piece of cake in half crosswise, so you have two layered wedges. Place one wedge in front of the body, with one flat side on the board and the other flat side against the body. The curved side will be on top. Take a serrated knife and round off the sharp edges on top of the head. Cut the tip off (the nose) at a 45-degree angle. Reserve all scraps in a bowl.

Separate the layers of the remaining wedge of cake. These will be the back legs. Round the sharp edges of the cake wedges with your knife, and add to the scrap bowl. Place one piece on each side of the bunny, with one flat side down and the other flat side facing forward (the round side towards the back of the bunny), about 1-inch from the end of the bunny's body.

Mix the cake scraps in the bowl with a fork until mashed, and then pack into a ball with your hands. Place the ball behind the bunny's body and adhere with a dab of frosting. This is the bunny's tail.

Frost the entire bunny, tail and all, using 2 to 3 cups of the frosting, keeping some definition with the bunny parts, and frosting more generously around any sharp edges to give a rounded look to the bunny parts. Sprinkle the bunny with the coconut to fully cover. Gently pat to adhere.

Insert the biscotti between the head and body, pressing into the cake to secure them. These are the ears. Place the base of the ears close together at the center of the head and angle them out. Frost the front of each biscotti with some frosting. Then, using the pink decorating icing, frost a smaller strip in the center of each biscotti, going down to where the ears meet the head but not going all the way to the top.

To make the face, press a black jelly bean into each side of the head for the eyes. Cut one of the marshmallows into 3 circles, discard the middle piece, and press the 2 end circles, cut-sides-in, into the front of the face for the bunny cheeks. Take the white jelly bean halves and push them into face below the cheeks, round-sides-out, for the teeth. Place the pink jelly bean above for the nose.

Unroll the licorice wheel and cut 2 pieces about 1 1/2 inches long each. For each piece, peel the strips apart halfway down, and then cut each separated strip in half lengthwise so you end up with a piece looking a bit like a broom. Repeat with the second piece of licorice. Tuck each piece, with a dab of frosting, behind a marshmallow cheek, with the cut ends facing out, for the whiskers.

Cut the second marshmallow in half lengthwise. Make 3 slits in each half, going about halfway through (these are the toes), and place in front of the legs for the bunny's feet. Adhere the bottom of the feet with icing if necessary.

Cook's Note:

Take 2 1/2 sheets of parchment paper and cut in half. Line the edges of your cake board with these parchment rectangles so that they form a rectangle of open space in the middle. Build your cake on the edges of these pieces of parchment. When you are finished you can slide them away along with any excess icing and coconut.

Make sure your cakes are completely cooled before you being to ice and cut them.