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APRIL
1997
Mel's
Mooey Delights for April
With Easter
arriving soon, memories of my childhood fill my heart
of a time well spent with my grandmother. I have come
to the conclusion that grandmothers are the "Domestic
Goddesses' of the Kitchen". Everything they create
has an appealing taste no matter how exotic or bizzare
the dish may seem. Even the most critical appetite
will savor the flavorful dish . The recollection I
have each year around Easter is spending spring break
with grandma. Easter without sweet bread was unheard
of in the Reis family. Grandma would prepare the dough
and the grandchildren would create their master pieces.
Since family is such a large part of the Easter season,
I decided to share a little piece of mine. From our
kitchen to yours, I give you our sweet bread recipe
that is filled with memories as well as a sweet taste!!
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Sweet
Bread - Reis Family Recipe
[Best to prepare the dough the night before]
18-Eggs
5 lbs of flour
5 cups of sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 Yeast Bar (this may be purchased at any bakery)
3 cubes of butter
2-+ cups of milk
Very Large Mixing Bowl
Mix eggs,
sugar, salt together-this part may be mixed with a
hand mixer etc.
When you begin to add the yeast and flour this process
is all done by hand -Kneading the bread.
(Sore muscles are usually accompanied by this whole
process. So here is my suggestion-do a trade off,
whoever prepares the sweet bread deserves a massage
from those who end up eating it-and if they won't
give it to you, well just let your fingers do the
walking through your local yellow pages and I'm sure
you'll find one there. After all, you did slave over
this huge treat!!)
Next add yeast and flour.
Now
the tricky part...
Once all of these ingredients have been added, you
must check the wateriness of the mixture while adding
the milk. Depending on the size of the eggs you used
will determine how much milk you will need-so it may
take the entire 2C or 1C-this is where the more or
less figure comes into play.
The butter is melted and added while kneading the
bread. This will help to keep the bread from sticking
to the sides of your pan and to your hands. But add
a little each time until all of it has been used up.
Once this process is completed cover the bread with
a light dishtowel etc. This will help to keep the
bread warm so that it may rise over night. Also be
aware if conditions are milder than usual the bread
may not rise etc. Some suggestions to help alleviate
the problem would be to keep the dough in a warm room
etc. If in the morning you have noticed the bread
has not risen, putting the dough on top of the stove
and turning it on may help it to rise. Sweet bread
is one of those temperamental types of breads to prepare.
So that is why I am stressing the heat issue!
Next morning!
If all went well the bread should have risen and now
it is ready to bake!!!
When preparing bread for the pan: Depending on the
types of pans you have available will determine the
final presentation of the bread. Typically the round
8 inch pans work fine. This is also a cheating step
to help in the clean up process by the aluminum-foil
type pans and throw them out-no clean up!! Final step,
melt some butter and brush on lightly all over the
dough.
Bake bread @ 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
Should make 6-8 loaves.
Sweet bread served warm with butter, is great!! My
personal favorite though-is slice cheese or cheddar
chesse (sliced) and served with the bread. To compliment
your snack add a tall, cool glass of milk!!
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Milk
Pudding - Mary G. Reis
12 eggs
7 cups of whole milk (Preferably
Whole milk or if you live on a dairy the milk from
the tank works well also.)
2 cups sugar (one
for pudding mixture and one for carmelization process)
Lemon extract
Large Strainer
Stainless steel bowl size-2 quart
Pot to put in the oven-NO PLASTIC HANDLES-This will
be for the double boiler method
On stove
top carmelize sugar (1 C) in the round stainless steel
bowl. Once mixture is carmelized twirl it all around
the bowl so that bowl is completely covered.
On stove top boil water that is to be used in pot
that will be placed in the oven-fill pot with about
1-2 inches of water-more or less
Boil milk while preparing eggs, sugar, and lemon extract.
Blend eggs, sugar, and a little lemon extract
While adding milk to the blended mixture, pour it
through a strainer.
Set stainless steel bowl in pot and set in the oven
to bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.
Check with a toothpick, if it is dry pudding is cooked.
Let pudding cool completely in pot (usually about
2 hours). Do not set in refrigerator to speed up cooling
or pudding will fall apart. Once pudding is completely
cooled take a round platter (about 2 inches of height
all the way around) set over stainless steel bowl
and flip upside down and the pudding should set on
the platter. Left overs should be preserved in the
refrigerator.
Rice
Pudding - Maria R. Sousa
5 C. Milk (Preferably Whole milk or if you live on
a dairy the milk from the tank works well also.)
1 C. Rice
1 C. Sugar
1 tsp. Lemon extract-If you have a fresh lemon around,
wash the lemon, peel it in strips and add it to
the rice while it cooks. But, remember to remove
the peels before serving!
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 cube butter
Mix all
ingredients in saucepan and cook until rice is done.
Remove from heat and pour it in a glass dish. Sprinkle
cinnamon over top.
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Beef
& Potato Cobbler
California Milk Advisory Board 1997 Calendar
Cheese tid bit~Real California Longhorn Known for
it's half moon shape, this full-flavored chesse is
excellent for cooking because it both melts and slices
well.
1 1/4
stewing beef cut into 3/4 pieces
salt, pepper and flour
2 T olive oil
3/4 LB wild or white mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
1 can (14 1/2 oz) beef broth
1 LB red-skin potatoes, cut into 3/4"cubes
1 1/2 tsp. each chopped fresh thyme and rosemary,
or 1 tsp. each dried
2 to 3 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Cobbler
Dough
1 C
flour
1 C Longhorn shredded
1 T sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk
1/2 heavy cream, plus 1 T
1/4 C Dry Jack cheese, grated
Season beef
and toss with about 3 T flour. Heat oil in heavy pot
on high heat and brown beef. Remove; reserve. Add
3/4 C water, mushrooms and onion; cook until liquid
has evaporated. Add broth, potatoes, herbs and beef.
cover simmer 45-60 min. Stir in vinegar.
Prepare Cobbler dough.
Heat oven 375 Degrees F. Ladle beef mixture into 1
1/2 qt. casserole. Place dough on baking sheet. Bake
casserole and dough 15 min. Arrange dough over meat.
Bake 5 min.
In a medium bowl, combine first 5 ingredients; mix
till blended. Add water if needed to form cohesive
dough. Make into ball. Roll dough 3/8" thick.
Cookie-cut into shapes. Beat together egg yolk and
1 T cream; brush on dough. Sprinkle with cheese.
Makes 6 servings
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