Welcome to My Kitchen

Easter and hot cross buns seem to go together. They are often on the menu for Easter breakfast or dinner. The history of hot cross buns goes back many centuries and tradition indicates they were first made for Good Friday.

Hot cross buns, as we know them today, appear to have originated with Brother Thomas Rodcliffe, a monk at St Albans, England, in 1361. The monks made them to distribute to the poor on Good Friday.

Originally the cross was made on the buns with a paste of flour and water, piped on after the buns were brushed with an egg wash that turned the rest of the surface a dark brown when baked. Fruit bits and small raisins added sweetness.

Today, most hot cross buns have sugar added and the cross is piped on in a white frosting after the buns are baked and cooled. The recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Bread Cook Book calls for cutting a shallow cross in each bun before brushing with egg. This makes a nice depression to hold the frosting or looks nice if you choose not to frost.

Hot Cross Buns

3 1/2 to 4 cups of all-purpose flour

2 packages of active dry yeast

1/2 to 1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup cooking oil

1/3 cup granlated sugar

3/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

2/3 cup dried currants, sultanas, or small raisins

1 slightly beaten egg white

Frosting

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

Reserved egg white

Dash salt

A small amount of milk for thinning

Combine 2 cups of flour, yeast and cinnamon in a large mixer bowl. Heat milk, oil, sugar and salt until warm (115 degrees). Add to the dry ingredient mixture and add eggs. Beat at low speed for 30 seconds, scrape the sides of the bowl, then beat for 3 minutes on high. By hand or with the dough hook, stir in currants and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface. Cover and let rise until double in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch dough down, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 18 equal pieces and form into smooth balls. Place on a greased baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Cover and let rise until double (about 30 to 45 minutes). Cut a shallow cross in the surface of each bun, and brush tops with the lightly beaten egg white (reserve remaining egg white).

Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet to cool a bit on a wire rack. Using a pastry tube, pipe on crosses with the following frosting.

Make frosting by combining the powdered sugar, reserved egg white, vanilla and salt. Thin with milk if needed. Yield: 18 buns.

Note: I chop regular raisins before adding them to the mixture. Also, if you are concerned about raw egg in the frosting, omit and use milk, but add carefully so the frosting stays thick enough.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars are minimal work bar cookies you can make ahead and freeze for holiday meals, bake sales, or treating a friend. The original Eagle Brand recipe called for regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I like to use mini chips.

Chocolate Chip

Toffee Bars

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

1 package (12 ounces) of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can (14 ounces) Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 package (10 ounces) of toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour and sugar. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and mix well. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips and the nuts. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture.

Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crust. Sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cups of the toffee bits and the remaining crumb mixture. Sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup toffee bits. Cool completely and cut into bars. Yield: 36 bars.

Lecia Fink made Lazy Lasagna for a potluck meal last fall. She shared this recipe she found on Pinterest. It is ideal for quick meals that appeal to most kids and adults. With just 4 ingredients, keeping supplies on hand in the freezer and pantry is easy.

Lazy Lasagna

1 bag (25 ounces) of frozen ravioli, any style

One jar (24 ounces) of your favorite pasta sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and spread with about 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce.

Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce. Top with half of the remaining sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese.

Repeat the layers with what is left of the ravioli, the remainder of the sauce and the last cup of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking about 15 minutes more or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Cool for 3 to 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

I had hoped to test avocado seeds for a pink Easter egg dye but have not had the opportunity yet. I hope to get that done before Easter. Check our Welcome to My Kitchen Facebook page for results closer to Easter.

Please share your favorite Spring time recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Record Times, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159, email [email protected] or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. It is an excellent time to start seeds indoors or greenhouse.