Topic: Haven't had a recipe here for a bit

[Capt. Mike]

So...some Easter recipes from my home town of Buffalo NY....

 Ukrainian Easter Babka

1/2 cup lukewarm water

2 packages yeast

2 cups scalded milk

1/2 pound butter

1 tablespoon salt

Flour to make soft dough, about 7 cups or more

1 cup sugar

5 whole eggs

10 egg yolks

1 orange, juice and rind

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup golden seedless raisins (optional)

Dissolve sugar in lukewarm water; sprinkle yeast over it; let stand 10 minutes.

Beat the eggs and the egg yolks for 10 minutes, adding the sugar a little at a time. Add the salt, orange juice, milk, rind and the yeast mixture to the beaten eggs. Mix well and gradually mix in the flour, adding the melted butter a little at a time, until enough flour is added to make a soft dough.

Knead for 20 minutes or until dough no longer clings to hands. Let rise in a warm place until double in bulk. Knead down and let rise again as before.

Grease tall tins well and coat with bread crumbs. (Use coffee cans.)

Form dough into a ball small enough to fill one third of container. Let rise in a warm place until the dough barely reaches the top. Put in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Babka should be handled very carefully when being taken out of the tins, and should be laid on a soft, covered cushion to cool. (Recipe from St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church.)

 Beet Horseradish Relish

 6 cups water

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

6 medium-sized beets, washed

3 to 4 tablespoons prepared horseradish (not sauce), more if desired

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt to water; bring to boil.

Add beets and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cool.

Don disposable gloves if possible, and peel skin off beets. Grate finely on box grater.

Mix grated beets with remaining vinegar and salt, plus horseradish and sugar. Taste and add more if desired.

Store in a covered jar and refrigerate; best if made at least a day ahead.

Note: Disposable gloves help avoid stained hands. Three cans of small whole beets may be substituted for fresh beets. (Recipe from Francesca Kasa.)

 Ukrainian Cheese Paska

 1 pound farmers cheese or dry cottage cheese

4 egg yolks

1 whole egg

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

Press cheese through a sieve. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat egg yolks and whole egg together until very light and creamy. Blend the egg mixture into cheese, and add butter and sugar. Mix well.

Line a round, 2-quart casserole dish with foil so that foil extends over lip of dish, and butter foil well. Add egg mixture.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool thoroughly before lifting by foil out of dish and unmolding.

The tops of a cheese paska are traditionally decorated with cloves or raisins in the shape of a cross. Excellent with paska bread.

Variation: For a sweeter, more dessertlike cheese paska, use 3 tablespoons sugar, adding 1 teaspoon vanilla, and zest of one lemon. (Recipe from Francesca Kasa.)

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May you all have a blessed Easter

Mike