Happy Easter Everyone!!!!!

Our Easter was great even though my little Girl was sick really high fever she still had fun with all the sweets and eggs.  Here are some pictures from what w had today it was only for the 3 of us.

 I hope everyone's Easter was great!!!

Sweet Easter Bread

Traditional Russian/Ukrainian Sweet Easter Bread

These are traditionally made very tall baked in an a tin can from something like either canned beans or something similar that’s sold in large sizes for like restaurants then washed out really well to get rid of the smell and when they are prepared for them to be baked in they are lined with parchment  paper  that’s oiled really well and sprinkled with flour but I don’t have any of those tins so I just used a bunt cake pan for mine. (also a lot of Russian woman say that this bread will not come out right if you make it any time other then the week of or before Easter but I don’t know I didn’t test out that theory)

Ingredients:

800g Flour (by weight)

2 sticks butter melted

200g sugar

1 cup milk hot not boiling

5 large eggs seporated

50g fresh yeast (make sure the yeast is fresh or it will take way too long to rise)

200g raisins (I use less I don’t like raisins)

Pinch of salt

For the Glaze:

3 egg whites

1 ½ cup sugar

1tsp lemon juice (optional)

Prep:

Mix the milk and butter together, add sugar and salt mix and let cool to just a little warm.

Meanwhile take about ¼ cup warm milk and mix it with the yeast and let rise.

When milk and butter mixture cooled to just warm add the flour and the yeast

mix really well make a ball of dough and place in a warm place to rise

when the dough rises beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, add the egg yolks and the egg whites to the dough and mix in really well to form the dough and now add the raisins the dough should be smooth and will be sticky

spray the pan or pans with baking spray or spread generously with butter and sprinkle some flour inside

place the dough in to pans half way smooth evenly and let rise till the dough reaches the top of pans

Pre-heat the oven to 350F place the pans in the oven if your making them small like little bunt cakes bake for about 25-35mins just check by inserting a knife or a wooden stick if it come out clean it’s ready,
For the large pan it will take about 40-45mins test same with a knife or wooden stick

Take pans out of the oven and let the bread cool.

For the Glaze:

Mix the sugar and egg whites then place over a double boiler and whisk until all sugar is melted, then with a mixer with a whisk attachment and beat until doubled in size but still runny add the lemon juice mix in really well.

Spread over the top of the bread and sprinkle with some colorful sprinkles let dry for a couple hours and your done enjoy with coffee or tea.

Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1lb Beef roast or any piece

6-7 Potatoes

1 Onion diced in to small pcs

2 Carrots shredded

Salt and Pepper to taste

Boiling water

1tbs ketchup (optional)

Dill

Prep:

Cut the beef in to 1in pcs, put about a table spoon of olive oil a dutch oven heat it up and place the beef in to the dutch oven (you can use a regular pan) a little salt

Fry on high heat till ready when you cut in to it

Add the shredded carrots and cut onions and fry till onions are golden

Now add boiling water just to cover the potatoes and at this point you can add the ketchup also add salt and pepper to taste mix everything very well

Place in the oven at 350F for 40mins to 1 hour test the potatoes when they’re ready your done take the it out of the oven sprinkle some dill either fresh, frozen or dried mix close the lid let stand for a few minutes and your done.

 

Crepes with Farmers Cheese Filling

Ingredients :
½ cup lukewarm water

1 cup milk
4 Extra large or large eggs
½ stick  melted.
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 TBps sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 Stick of butter to spread on the crepes

Filling:

1lb of Farmers Cheese recipe Here  (you can substitute it with ricotta cheese but don’t use cottage cheese it won’t taste right)

1 8oz pack of cream cheese

¾ cup sugar (you can add a bit more of you like it sweeter)

 Preparations:

For the crepes place all ingredients in a blender or a mixer with a whisk attachment blend really well so there is no clumps but if you end up with a clump or two just run the batter through a strainer

Spread some oil on a 9in frying pan evenly heat it on medium

Fry each crepe only a few seconds on each side they should still be very light in color

Spread butter in each crepe when you take it from the frying pan

 

For the filling:

Mix everything together with either a mixer or a blender taste it to make sure you like the sweetness or you might want to add a little more sugar

Spread on each crepe

Roll up each crepe and cut them in half

Right before serving heat up some butter and fry the filled crepes on each side 

Serve with sour cream

 

 

Farmers cheese pastries (Sirkini)

Ingredients:

1 cup Farmers cheese (recipe Here )

1 egg
2-3 TBsp Sugar (you can use a little more if you like them to be really sweet)
½ cup flour

Preparation:

Blend everything together wither with a blender or a mixer

Take about a table spoon if batter make a ball with your hands and then flatten it out a little

Preheat oil in a frying pan and fry the Sirniki to golden brown on medium heat

 

Serve with sour cream