RICOTTA AND RADISH CROSTINI

Easter has made its appearance, and Spring is in the air, with all its possibilities of new growth and fresh produce.
Although this Ricotta and Radish Crostini could be made with any type of radish, I thought the watermelon radishes looked especially lovely and seasonal.

RICOTTA AND RADISH CROSTINI

18 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 pinch of pepper
24 thin slices of radish
grated lemon peel, for serving

Drizzle baguette slices with a little olive oil, and toast in a 350F oven.
Stir together the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Spread the ricotta mixture onto each toast and top with slices of radish, a sprinkle of salt and grated lemon peel.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray
www.rachaelraymag.com › Recipes‎

post for Motherlode - Easter 2014 - Truffle Eggs

Happy Easter - make sure and take a few minutes to check out the FABULOUS Motherlode site http://nwamotherlode.com
Always full of fabulous information and wonderful people - you can also find these fun eggs and many more delicious recipes.

Mealtime Mama: Truffle eggs for Easter brunch

By nwamamas - Last updated: Friday, April 18, 2014

Our foodie friend, Ceri Wilkin (who blogs at Recipe Doodle) sent us this awesome recipe for truffle eggs. Aren’t they beautiful?

Ceri said these adorable eggs are fun (and easy) to make — plus they taste delicious!

truffle eggs

1/4 cup cream

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons nutella

1/2 pound white candy coating disks

5 to 6 drops of blue food coloring

1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Directions: In a saucepan, bring the cream, butter and corn syrup to a boil. Add chocolate and nutella and remove from the heat (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until combined.

Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 15 minutes.

Shape 1 tablespoon of chocolate mixture into an egg. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. Refrigerate until firm, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating, stir until smooth. Stir in food coloring. Dip eggs into cane coating, allow excess to drip off. Return to baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with coffee granules. Let stand until set.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, Easter Recipe Cards, April 2012

- See more at: http://nwamotherlode.com/#sthash.wMOEyl4E.dpuf

CHOCOLATE NESTS

A sweet Easter treat - and fun for the kids!

CHOCOLATE NESTS

8 ounces of chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup chow mein noodles
miniature candy-coated chocolate eggs

Line two baking sheets with waxed paper.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and shortening. Microwave on medium, stirring at 1-minute intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Gently stir rice cereal and chow mein noodles into chocolate mixture until thoroughly blended.
Drop chocolate mixture by heaping tablespoons 1 inch apart onto prepared baking sheets. Using the back of a spoon, make an indentation in each spoonful of chocolate mixture to form a nest. Place 3 eggs in each indentation.
Place chocolate nests on baking sheets in the refrigerator, chill until set, about 1 hour.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Great American Home Baking, cookie collection
www.mygreatrecipes.com/home-baking

HOT CROSS MUFFINS

Basic bread for Good Friday.

HOT CROSS MUFFINS

MUFFINS
25 grams of butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup currants
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon all spice
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour
1/2 cup raw sugar
CROSSES
1/2 cup icing sugar
25 grams butter, melted

Line 12 muffin pans with paper liners. Heat oven to 200C.
Combine butter, milk and eggs.
Place the dried fruit in a large mixing bowl and sift in the spices, baking powder and flour. Stir in the sugar. Mix well. Add the liquid ingredients, stirring until just moistened.
Three-quarters fill the muffin pans. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
To make the crosses, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the butter. Add a tablespoon of milk if too thick. Pipe icing crosses on top of the muffins.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Foodtown Living Today
www.foodmag.co.nz/‎

ORANGE MIMOSA and COCONUT FLAN

This was the beginning and the end of our Easter feast.
With not having family in town, it was wonderful to have dear friends close with which to share the holiday. It was a joy to host a celebration for the entire clan - dogs included - although they didn't eat nearly as well as we did.

ORANGE MIMOSA

Place a sugar cube in the bottom of each glass, drizzle with a few drops of orange bitters. Top with
1 1/2 ounces of cognac, then sparkling wine.
Enjoy!

COCONUT FLAN

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk

Heat oven to 350F.
Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Continue cooking 3 minutes or until golden, stirring constantly (it took me a lot longer to get the golden color). Immediately pour into 8 custard cups coated with cooking spray, tipping quickly until caramelized sugar coats bottom of cups. Cool completely.
Combine rum, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, condensed milk and coconut milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Divide the egg mixture evenly among prepared custard cups  (about 1/2 cup each).
Place cups in a 13 by 9 inch baking pan, add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake for 30 minutes or until center barely moves when custard cup is touched. Cool completely in the water bath. Remove cups from pan, cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
Loosen edges of custards with a knife, place a plate upside down on top of each cup, and invert onto plates. Drizzle any of the remaining caramelized syrup over custards.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, May 2003
www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/

GARAM MASALA DEVILED EGGS and MUSHROOM STRATA and BAKED HAM WITH HONEY APRICOT GLAZE

Happy Easter!!

GARAM MASALA DEVILED EGGS

6 eggs
4 tablespoons mayonnaise or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
smoked paprika
chives

Place eggs in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch.
Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to a bowl filled with cold water, to cool completely.
Once cool, remove shells. Cut each egg in half lengthwise and remove the yolks to a bowl.
Mash yolks with mayonnaise, garam masala, red pepper, salt and pepper.
Spoon or pipe mixture into egg whites, dividing mixture evenly. Sprinkle with paprika and top with chopped chives.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, April 2012
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/

MUSHROOM STRATA

2 pounds of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
salt and pepper to taste
12 slices of white bread, crusts removed, buttered, and cut into cubes
4 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Saute vegetables in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and put into the bottom of a 9 by 13 casserole dish.
Add 10 slices of the cubed bread and mix.
Combine eggs, milk and mayonnaise, season to taste with salt and pepper, and pour over the casserole.
Sprinkle one cup of cheese over the top.
Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Pour the cream of mushroom soup over the top, sprinkle with remaining bread cubes and grated cheese.
Bake at 350F for about 1 hour.
Enjoy!

BAKED HAM WITH HONEY APRICOT GLAZE

1 (5 to 7) spiral sliced, fully cooked smoked ham
1/2 cup honey
3 ounces orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons apricot jam
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Heat oven to 325F.
Place ham on rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a medium bowl, make a glaze by mixing together the honey, orange juice concentrate, soy sauce, apricot jam, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
Bake ham for 30 minutes, then pour the glaze over the ham. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, March 2008
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/