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.