I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…the bread
is sometimes what makes a table. Hot Cross Buns are
traditionally served on Good Friday (the Friday before
Easter) and during the Lenten season, but they are also
good anytime so no time like the present to get you a
great recipe. You’re sure to already see these in bakeries
everywhere. They are a yeast roll decorated with a simple
frosted cross on the top. This recipe makes 18 buns but you
can also cut all of the recipe ingredints in half for a
smaller amount. Don’t be intimidated by the long directions
it’s pretty easy.

Enjoy! Marzee

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RECIPE: HOT CROSS BUNS

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INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
7 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup raisins (or currants)
1/2 cup mixed candied peel, chopped

* FOR GLAZE:
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons water

(In saucepan, stir sugar with water over medium heat
until dissolved.)

** FOR ICING:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1-2 tablespoon milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

(Combine all ingredients and mix well until smooth.)

DIRECTIONS:
In a small glass bowl combine warm water with 1 tb of the sugar;
sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy.
Meanwhile, in large bowl blend together remaining sugar, flour,
cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves; make a well in center.
In small bowl, whisk together milk, butter, egg and egg yolk; pour
into well. Pour in yeast mixture. Using wooden spoon, stir until
soft dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead for
8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning
to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place
for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down; turn out onto
floured surface; knead in raisins and peel. Shape into 12-inch log;
cut into 9 even pieces. Stretch, tuck and pinch sides of dough all
around to meet underneath. Using cupped hand, roll into seamless ball.
Place 1 1/2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise
until almost doubles, about 1 hour. With a serrated knife cut a
cross into the surface of each bun. Bake buns in a preheated 400
degree oven for about 16 minutes or until golden brown. When removed
from the oven, brush buns with glaze and let cool for 5 minutes. With
a tip of a butter knife or a small spoon, fill in crosses with white
frosting.

Yield: 18 buns
Category: Breads, Rolls, Holiday
http://www.thedailyrecipe.com

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MARZEE’s CORNER

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EGG COLORING SAFETY TIPS:

Thoroughly wash hands before all stages of egg handling
cooking, cooling, dyeing and hiding.

If eggs cannot be colored right away, store them in their
carton in the refrigerator until they can be properly colored.

Do Not Color, Hide or Eat Cracked Eggs

Use water warmer than the eggs when coloring the eggs.

Store cooled, colored, dry eggs in their cartons in the
refrigerator until hiding, eating or displaying.

DO NOT eat eggs which have been out of refrigeration for
more than two hours.

Carefully consider hiding places. Avoid areas where eggs
might come into contact with pets, wild animals, birds,
reptiles, insects or lawn chemicals.

After eggs have been hidden and found, keep them refrigerated.
DO NOT eat cracked eggs.

If you plan to use colored eggs as decorations or center
pieces where eggs will remain out of refrigeration for many
hours or even days, prepare extra eggs for eating and discard
the display eggs when they have served their purpose.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY EVERYONE!

Here’s my toast to you…May you live as long as you want,
and never want as long as you live. There are a few others
included below too along with a great potato soup recipe
that has beer in it gives an interesting flavor. This’ll
be for any lucky leftovers.

Enjoy! Marzee

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RECIPE: TIPSY POTATO SOUP

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INGREDIENTS:
2 TB butter
1 Tsp.garlic
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 stalk diced celery
6 cups boiled diced potatoes
32 ounces beer
1 TB sugar
1 TB chicken boullion
64 oz. chicken stock
Few TB flour to thicken
4 cups cream
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Saute garlic in butter for 1 minute, add vegetables and
saute for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Add potatoes and
beer and bring to a boil. Mash potatoes against sides of
pot. Add sugar, stock, boullion and salt and pepper. Add
flour and stir until thickened. Add cream, stir and serve.

YIELD: 10 Servings
Category: Soups
http://www.thedailyrecipe.com

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MARZEE’s CORNER

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May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil
knows you’re dead.

Here’s to me, and here’s to you, And here’s to love and
laughter- I’ll be true as long as you, And not one moment
after.

Here’s a toast to your enemies’ enemies!

Here’s to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A cold beer – and another one!

Here’s to our wives and girlfriends: May they never meet!

May the grass grow long on the road to hell for want of use.

May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent.

This is the time of year we’re all groggy trying to
get used to the time adjustment really missing that
extra hour but it’s getting me more daylight!

Well St. Patrick’s Day is in the air too lots of
festivities this weekend and corned beef and cabbage
a plenty this week too. What Hubby looks forward to
most is the leftober recipes for the corned beef like
hash and reubens 2 of his favorite things. I never
used to like the hash because the can of it smelled
like dog foor do me…enter the homemade stuff which
I totally do and I like mine chunky and a little
on the crispy side so just cook it a little longer.
You could also use a food processor on the beef
depending on your texture preference. This really
couldn’t be easier to make so there is no need to
reach for that can of pasty hash. Always served in
our house with poached eggs.

Enjoy! Marzee

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RECIPE: HOMEMADE CORNED BEEF HASH

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INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cooked potatoes, chopped
1 1 1/2 lbs cooked corned beef, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Heat cast iron skillet over medium heat, add butter to
coat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add
potatoes and corned beef, mix and allow to heat through.
Spread mixture in an even layer over bottom of skillet.
Cook for about 10 minutes. Flip the hash mixture in sections
and cook another 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Category: Breakfast, Leftovers, Holidays
http://www.thedailyrecipe.com

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MARZEE’s CORNER

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BASIC CORNED BEEF COOKING

To cook prepared corned beef, place it in a large pot
along with the liquid and spices that accompanied it in
the package. Pour in enough water to cover the beef, then
bring the water to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce the heat
to a simmer, and cover the pot. A three-pound corned beef
will take about three hours to become perfectly tender. Check
the meat occasionally, adding more water if necessary. The
beef is ready when it pulls apart easily. For a one-pot feast,
you can add shredded cabbage and chunks of potatoes and carrots
to the pot during the last half hour of cooking.

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I’ve SO got a case of the Spring fever! And I’m itchin’
to plant the herb garden too but I’m pretty sure we’ve
got another snow da in us. I’m not foolin’ myself but
we’ve got a St. Patrick’s Day parade to hit this weekend
and hope the weather is nice for the kids. If not I
sure have plenty of spring cleaning to do!

The weather really changes people attitudes and with
the time change this weekend and losing that hour here
in these parts I predict a crabby Monday morning for some.
Time for some feel good SPRINGTIME VEGGIE SOUP to nourish
that body back to business.

Enjoy your weekend! Marzee

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RECIPE: SPRINGTIME VEGGIE SOUP

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INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 small turnips, peeled and diced
2 new potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 carrots, diced
1 spring fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1 bunch (6 ounces) watercress, leaves only
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add
scallions, garlic, turnips, potatoes, and carrots. Cover and
cook until vegetables are starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
Stir in thyme, parsley, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce
heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add asparagus and peas and cook
another 5 minutes. Puree half the soup with watercress and
return it to remainder of soup. Stir in tarragon vinegar,
taste for salt and pepper, and serve.

Category: Soups, Vegetables
http://www.thedailyrecipe.com

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MARZEE’s CORNER

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ENERGY SAVING KITCHEN TIPS:

* Choose a burner that’s the right size for your pan and use
a lid when cooking.

* Avoid the temptation to keep opening the oven door during
baking.

* When possible bake more than one item in the oven at the
same time.

* Make sure foods are completely thawed before you try to
cook them.

* Avoid overloading your refrigerator or freezer.

* Keep the freezer defrosted.

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Whether you’ll be hunting down four-leaf clovers, kissing
the blarney stone or just wearing something green for
St. Patrick’s celebration next week, I thought I’d send
you a dessert recipe to top off all taht corned beef and
potatoes. A CHOCOLATE IRISH TIPSY CAKE saturated with
spirits and not for the kiddies.

Enjoy! Marzee

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RECIPE: CHOCOLATE IRISH TIPSY CAKE

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INGREDIENTS:
1 package chocolate cake mix
1 (3-4-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
3/4 cup Irish whiskey or bourbon, divided
1/2 cup cooking oil
4 jumbo or extra large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
whipped cream for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, 1/2 cup Irish
whiskey, and oil, add eggs and beat at medium speed of an
electric mixer for 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as
necessary. Spoon into a greased and floured 10-inch bundt or
tube pan. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) for
45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes
out clean. When cake is almost done, prepare syrup. Combine
sugar, butter, water, and lemon juice in a small heavy saucepan.
Bring to a boil slowly, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
or bourbon. Turn cake out onto two large sheets of aluminum
foil placed together to form the shape of a cross. Let cake
cool for 10 minutes, top side up for tube cake and upside down
for bundt cake. Using a skewer or long bamboo pick, make holes
all over top and sides of hot cake. Drizzle syrup very slowly
over cake, being careful that too much does not run into any
cracks on top of cake. Bring foil up around cake and wrap
securely. Cake may be served when completely cool, or store
in an airtight container overnight. Cake may be wrapped securely
in foil and stored in the refrigerator for several weeks or in
a freezer for up to six months. Serve with whipped cream.

Yield: 1 10-inch tube cake
Category: Desserts
http://www.thedailyrecipe.com

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MARZEE’s CORNER

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SOME IRISH TRIVIA: WHAT IS THE BLARNEY STONE?

The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney
Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the
stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive
eloquence (blarney). Thousands of tourists a year still
visit the castle.

The origins of the Blarney Stone’s magical properties aren’t
clear, but one legend says that an old woman cast a spell on
the stone to reward a king who had saved her from drowning.
Kissing the stone while under the spell gave the king the
ability to speak sweetly and convincingly.

It’s tough to reach the stone — it’s between the main castle
wall and the parapet. Kissers have to lie on their back and
bend backward (and downward), holding iron bars for support.
Can you imagine kissing something that has had people’s lips
all over it for 500 years?

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