ææææææææææææææææææææææ Easter Lamb with Honey and Almonds °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Clay pot w/ Lid 3 lb Boneless shoulder of lamb, -trimmed of fat and cut -into large chunks 2 lg Onions, chopped fine 3 tb Honey 1 c Raisins 4 Carrots, peeled and cut -into 1" lengths 3/4 c Whole almonds 1/8 t Saffron -OR 1/2 t Saffron threads 1 t Cinnamon 1/2 t Ground ginger 3 t Salt pn Cayenne pepper 1 cn Garbanzo beans (large can) 2 c Water 1 t Arrowroot It takes only 10 minutes to assemble this one-dish meal. Serve over brown rice or bulgur. Soak top and bottom of pot in water for 15 minutes. Pour all ingredients, except arrowroot, into large round bowl; mix thoroughly with your hands. Place mixture in presoaked pot. Place covered pot in cold oven. Turn temperature to 450'F. Cook 90 minutes. Remove pot from oven. Pour off liquid into saucepan, bring it almost to a boil, and thicken with arrowroot mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. Serve with brown rice or bulgur. Pour sauce over rice and lamb. Serves : 6 If I'm not there :>) MMMMM °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Easter Ham -------------------------------------------------------- 1 (7 to 8) pound fully-cooked, smoked ham shank 1 cup maple syrup 2 Tbsp cider vinegar 1 Tbsp prepared mustard whole cloves Combine syrup, vinegar and mustard. Place ham, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Pour about 1/2 cup mixture over ham and bake, uncovered, in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Baste every 30 minutes with additional sauce. Remove ham from oven and score fat into diamond shapes. Insert a clove into each diamond. Bake ham an additional 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 140 degrees. Let ham rest 15 minutes before carving. Makes 10 to 12 servings. °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°- EASTER SOUP/ ZUPA MIGDALOWA ---------------------------------------------------- 5 c Milk 1/2 lb Almonds (blanched), -finely ground 1 ts Almond extract 2 c Rice, cooked 1/3 c Sugar 1/4 c Raisins or currants Heat milk just to simmering in a large saucepan. Add all the ingredients; stir until well mixed. Cook over low heat 3 to 5 minutes. Yield: Serves 6-8. °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Easter Babka ------------------------------------------------------- Cake: 1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk 2 packages active dry yeast 6 Tbsp sugar 6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 10 egg yolks 3/4 lb plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter - softened 1 cup white seedless raisins 2 Tbsp finely grated orange peel 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon peel White Icing 2 cups confectioner's sugar 1/4 cup cold water 2 tsp fresh lemon juice Pour the lukewarm milk into a small bowl and sprinkle it with the yeast and add 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar. Let the mixture stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast completely. Set the bowl in a warm draft free place for about 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture doubles in size. Place the 6 cups of flour and the remaining sugar and the salt in a deep mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the center and the egg yolks, and with a large spoon, gradually stir in the flour into the liquid ingredients. Continue to stir until well mixed, and then beat in 3/4 lbs of butter a few tablespoonfuls at a time. The dough should be firm enough to to be gathered into a medium soft ball. If you have to, stir in about 1/2 cups more of flour, but add it by the tablespoons. Transfer the dough to a electric mixer equipped with a kneading hook and knead for about 20 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth, or knead the dough by hand for about 40 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly buttered bowl and dust the top with flour. Drape a towel over the bowl and set it aside in a draft free place for about 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size. With a pastry brush, spread the 2 tablespoons of softened butter over the bottom and the sides of a 12 inch tube pan or a turban mold. Sprinkle the butter with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and tip the pan form side to side to spread it evenly. Remove the excess flour from the pan. Punch the dough down and then knead the raisins, orange peel and lemon peel. Pat the dough evenly over the bottom of the buttered and floured mold, drape with a towel, and set aside for another hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Almost to the top of the mold. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake the cake in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Turn the cake out onto a cake rack and let it cool. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners sugar, water and lemon juice, and beat with a spoon until it is smooth. Pour the icing slowly over the top of the warm cake. Allow it to run down the sides. Let the Babka cool at room temperature before serving. °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° ! ! ! VERY IMPORTANT TIP ! ! ! °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Heart-smart eating is catching on. A survey by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute found 90 percent of Americans know the risk of heart disease is linked to high blood cholesterol levels and eating high-fat diets. Here are five tips to follow for heart- healthy eating: 1. Limit meat, poultry and fish to 6 ounces daily Saturated fat raises your blood cholesterol level more than anything else you eat. Red meat is a major source of saturated fat, but reducing fat doesn't mean bypassing the meat counter. Choose lean cuts: The amount of fat in meat varies with the amount of marbling. To reduce fat, choose the leanest cuts with the least marbling such as round or loin cuts. Trim fat: The real key to lean protein is paring visible fat. Trimming fat from a lean roast or chicken breast before you cook it prevents fat from "migrating" into the meat or poultry. This further reduces fat without loss of flavor. 2. Eat five fruits and vegetables daily When planning meals, take meat off center stage. Think of meat, poultry, and seafood as complements fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. 3. De-fat dairy foods Dairy foods can also be high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Instead of regular dairy products, use: Skim or 1 percent fat milk. Nonfat or low-fat yogurt. Low-fat or fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt. Reduced fat, fat-free or part-skim milk cheese. Low-fat or fat-free sour cream or cream cheese. 4. Re-stock your pantry In addition to limiting fat, avoiding excess sodium is a heart-healthy step. Too much sodium may contribute to high blood pressure and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Reduce dependence on fat and sodium to enhance flavor. Have a ready supply of substitute available, such as onions, fresh garlic, ginger root, Dijon mustard, fresh lemons and limes, flavored vinegars, sherry or other cooking wines, evaporated skimmed milk, cornstarch, vegetable cooking spray, and plenty of herbs and spices. 5. Snack smart When you reach for a snack, it's often a characteristic -- crunchy, creamy or cold -- that appeals to you, rather than the food itself. Once you've identified what you're looking for, choose a heart-healthy food that can satisfy your craving. Some ideas: Crunchy--reduced-fat or fat-free crackers, air-popped popcorn, raw vegetables, rice cakes, frozen grapes. Creamy or cold--nonfat frozen yogurt, fat-free ice cream, sorbet, juice bars, or fruit spritzers. Source: North Carolina Cooperative Extension °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Remember,Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,but by the moments that take our breath away... æææææææææææææææææææææ gaudeamus igitur °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Tish ;>)