Easter Treats? Where are the Peeps?

I haven't had much luck in finding Peeps, but I found my favorite mini chocolate chips on sale at Walmart as if the Baking Season were over and chocolate chips are out of style.  So I grabbed a few bags and put them in the freezer. The minis are great in the banana bread recipe. Even better in pancakes!

So what am I baking for Pascha (Easter)?  I haven't been able to decide.  It's so hard to start thinking about the folly of pastries when we've spent weeks avoiding them and trying to make food less of a distraction.  Yet, I'm sure I can manage.

I have a great recipe for custard french toast using croissants.  I reserve this recipe for holidays. It's easy but too decadent.   I also want to make pites, a sharp cheese filling in a bread pocket. (Future blog post.) They freeze well and are great with coffee after a few minutes in a warm oven.  My mom remembers eating them on the island when she was young.  I only recently fell in love with them and can't wait till I make them again this year.

Koulourakia are my mom's specialty and we will make them when she gets here. (Future blog post.)

I think that will be it for us.  Sure we'll pick up a few chocolate bars and a donut or two, maybe even a bakery made coffee cake.  (oh, definitely a bakery made coffee cake) but I don't want to bake too much. 

Other than that, I am very excited about using natural ingredients to dye my eggs.  Even more excited a restaurant has agreed to save their onion skins for me so I can have naturally dyed red eggs. 

So, dear readers, I leave you with this sweet song from the movie Popeye,  named after our Lenten Advocate, who is "strong to the finish 'cause (he) eats (his) spinach."

Everything is food, food, food.

Banana Bread Makes Fasting Easier

This recipe comes from one of my favorite blogs, Adventures of an Orthodox Mom  She calls it Curious George Bread.  We call it Delicious! 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients (and then set aside)

· 1 3/4 c. flour

· 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

· 1/2 tsp. baking soda

· 3/4 tsp. salt

 

Beat together

· 3/4 c. oil or tahini for non-oil days (I use coconut oil)

· 3/4 c. sugar

· 1/4 c. cold water

 

Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture.  The mixture will be thick but don't worry.  The bananas will add plenty of moisture.

I made a double recipe so we could have cupcakes and froze them for a ready snack.

 

 Mash 3-4 bananas and incorporate into mixture

 

 

Add 1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips, Ghirardelli are lenten



 

 

Pour into a greased loaf pans and bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  I like to add chopped walnuts inside and then put larger pieces on top so we can remember which ones have nuts and which don't. 

 

 

 

Or pour into lined cup cake trays and bake for 15 minutes.
 

 

If I need a quick cake, I pour the batter into a greased and floured glass cake pan and bake for 20 minutes.  I dust the top with cinnamon or powdered sugar for an added treat, but they are sweet enough that a topping really isn't needed.