Memories of Springs Past

When I think back to springtime when I was little, I think of our yard wet with brown grass and patches of new green grass growing; the yellow and purple crocuses popping their little heads up around the bushes in the front yard; and the "peepers" out back.  When my aunt who lived in the city would visit us, she'd say, "I don't know how you can STAND those things!"  We liked them, though they were pretty loud.  The Hockomock Swamp was right behind our backyard, and snaked along the back of our neighbors' yards, too.

I recall my next door neighbor, Mrs. Johnson, working out back in her flower garden.  It was a round-shaped garden with a gazing ball in the center.

I just loved those gazing balls!  Not only that, but Mrs. Johnsons's garden had large glass jugs filled with colored water.  That seemed to be a big thing in the 60’s.  I remember passing front yards and seeing bottles filled with colored water.  I used to tell my mother how much I loved them!  At Easter, after we decorated eggs, I would take the leftover dye and fill old jelly jars that my mother had kept under the kitchen sink.  I'd put them on the kitchen windowsill and see how the light shined on them.  I'm still doing that.  I guess you could say that old habits DYE hard! It seems like such a waste to throw away all those beautiful colors!

I don’t remember how I happened to start visiting Mrs. Johnson, or even how my mother felt about me going over there to visit.  I must have been about 5 years old when I started visiting her.  I remember her house looking and feeling very empty.  She and her husband were old and their children were grown.  I remember her oil paintings of birds that hung on the dining room walls, the shelf in the hall closet with a few old playing cards and toys that she would take down for me, and her delicious, chewy macaroons.  Now, that's a recipe I wish I had today.

Me and my sister Dottie

In honor of Spring and all things new, of Easter and breads risen, of Passover and Seder traditions, here are some absolutely delicious recipes that you and yours will just love.

This recipe is wonderful.  I've often made these cinnamon rolls the night before Easter and delivered them to neighbors for their Easter breakfast.  Thank you to the contributor of this one to the Yankee Kitchen.  

 

Sweet Dough for Cinnamon Rolls & Kuchen

2 c milk

½ c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 ½ ts. salt

2 pkgs. yeast

2 eggs beaten

7-8 c. flour

Scald milk.  Stir in butter, sugar & salt.  Cool to lukewarm.  Sprinkle yeast over ½ c. lukewarm water (110-115 degrees).  Stir to dissolve.  Add milk mixture, eggs & 4 ½ c. flour.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in remaining flour until slightly stiff.  Turn out onto floured board.  Let rest 5 minutes, covered.  Knead until smooth & elastic (~5 min).  Place in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled (about 1 hour).  Punch down & roll out.

For cinnamon rolls, divide dough in half & roll out one at a time into a rectangular shape  about ½ inch thick.  Cover with melted butter.  Sprinkle generously with brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts & raisins.  Roll from long side tightly.  Cut into 1” slices.  Place them touching on greased sheet or round pan.  Cover, let rise for a little bit, but not doubled.   Bake 350 F for 20 minutes.  Do not bake any longer than 25 minutes.  When cool, frost with almond butter frosting.  Makes 36 rolls.

 

Almond Butter Frosting

1 lb. confectioner’s sugar

½ c. margarine

~ ¼ c. milk (or less)

½ ts. almond extract

In mixer, combine softened margarine with confectioner's sugar, add almond extract and dribbles of milk until it is at spreadable consistency.

For apple kuchen, divide dough in half.  Roll out into a circle about ¼ inch to ½ inch thick.  Place on greased pizza pan.  Line with apples in a round. 

For filling, combine 1 egg, 3 TB evaporated milk, 3 TB sugar, ¼ ts. cinnamon.  (This is the amount for one kuchen). 

Pour over apples and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar.  Let rise for 20 minutes, covered.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Cut into 2” wedges.

When I feel like making a small amount of cinnamon buns, or don't want to spend a lot of time baking, I make these wonderful sticky buns. 

I first had them on our honeymoon at the Captain Lord Mansion, a gorgeous Bed & Breakfast in Kennebunkport, Maine.  These are so good and easy to make.

Captain Lord Mansion’s Sticky Buns

These treats need to be assembled the night before so they can rise.

Thaw a 1 pound loaf of frozen bread dough.  Slice in half lengthwise.  Cut each half in 6 pieces.  Grease thoroughly the bottom of a tube or bundt pan.  Place in bottom of pan: ½ c. chopped nuts and 2 TB raisins.  Place bread pieces in pan.  Blend together half of a regular size package of butterscotch pudding mix – cook type, not instant, and 1 tsp. cinnamon.  Sprinkle over bread pieces.

In saucepan, bring to boil – ½ c. sugar, ¾ stick butter and 1 TB brown sugar.  Remove from heat and pour over bread.  Cover pan with cloth and let rise overnight. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand 2-3 minutes.  Turn upside down onto plate & serve.

What is it about lemon and coconut that says, "Spring!"?  Here are two wonderful recipes, again from the Yankee Kitchen, that include lemon and coconut.


My notation on this recipe card says – “Can be made for Passover”.   I brought this dessert once to my mother-in-law’s house for her Passover Seder.  It’s wonderful!

Lemon Whipped Pie

Shell

4 egg whites a room temperature

Dash of salt

¼ ts. cream of tartar

1 c. sugar

1 pkg. grated coconut

Beat egg whites with salt & cream of tartar.  Add a couple of tablespoons of sugar at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form.  Spoon into a 9” pie plate to make a shell.  Sprinkle with  a little coconut.  Bake at 275 for 1 hour.  Let cool.

Filling

4 egg yolks

½ c. sugar

1 TB lemon zest

¼ c. lemon juice

1 pint heavy cream

Thin lemon slices optional for garnish

In a double boiler over simmering water, mix yolks, sugar, zest and juice.  Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.  Cool.  Stir occasionally while cooling.  Refrigerate.

When chilled, beat half a pint of heavy cream.  Fold into the cooled lemon mixture.  Put filling in shell.  Beat the remaining half pint of cream, adding a little sugar if desired.  Spread on top.  Sprinkle with the remaining coconut and lemon slices.

 

And now for a fabulous treat that will have you giving thanks to the Lord for your tastebuds.
 
These lemon coconut bars were contributed to the Yankee Kitchen by Mary the Rebel.

 Lemon Coconut Bars

1 c flour

¼ c. confectioner’s sugar

½ c. butter

¾ c. sugar

¼ c. flour

½ ts. baking powder

2 eggs

2 TB lemon juice

1 ts. lemon zest

½ c. coconut

Combine 1 c. flour and confectioner’s sugar and cut in the butter.  Pat into a 9” pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Cool.

Combine sugar, ¼ c. flour and baking powder.  Beat eggs, blend into flour mixture.  Add juice, zest and coconut.  Spread on crust.  Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.  Makes 12 bars.

If doubling for a 9 x 13 pan, increase the amount of butter in the crust to 1¼ cup.

And now, Easter gifts from Ann, who may have found the answer to Leslie's request for Cornbread with allspice.  Thank you, Ann!

Ann writes, "I have a cookbook given to me by an elderly neighbor.  It was published in 1938. In it there is a recipe for "Apple Cornbread".  There is a note on the recipe to add 'allspice'."

From Cookbook for all Occasions: Food for Family, Company and Crowd by Jessie Marie DeBoth.

Hot Cornbreads

3/4 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk

2 tbsp. melted shortening

3/4 cup apple, finely diced

(1/2 teaspoon allspice)

Method:  Combine sifted dry ingredients, add milk and egg,stir until smooth.  Add melted shortening and apples.  Bake in a shallow greased pan 20 minutes in moderate 375° oven.  Cut in squares to serve.

And another cornbread recipe Ann found from Grouprecipes.com that sounds good.

Cinnamon Cornbread

1/4 cup canola oil

1 1/4 cups stone-ground cornmeal

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons Turbinado sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk or milk substitute

1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus some extra

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees F.  Oil a 9-inch by 9-inch baking pan. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend, keeping it a bit lumpy.  Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle extra cinnamon on top, swirling it into the batter slightly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until done. The center should spring back when touched.  Let rest 5 or 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 6.

Wishing you all a Blessed Easter and Happy Passover.

Anita