Anna Sultana's Kwarezimal and Figolli - part 2 - Margaret Ullrich

continued from part 1

     When I was seven I had to follow the Church's rules during Lent.  I ate kwarezimal, an almond cookie iced with honey and chopped pistacchio nuts.  Ma said we could eat it during Lent because it didn't have any fats or eggs.  



     For Maundy Thursday Ma baked bread in the form of a ring.  It was sprinkled with sesame seeds and pierced with roasted almonds.  Our

Easter Bread and Food Traditions - part 1 - Margaret Ullrich

     Easter has more customs than the Bunny has eggs.  A popular tradition is to gather together and share a feast.  Over the centuries women have made this a glorious occasion with beautifully decorated eggs, colorful cakes and sweet breads.



     And that's where Easter goes to hell in a bread basket.



     According to tradition, an angel appeared to Mary to tell her that Jesus would

Saffron Paska (Saffron Easter Bread) - Margaret Ullrich

Easter, just like Christmas, comes with its own recipes.

Ah, tradition...  Gotta love it.

Or at least do it.

If you want to keep peace in the family.



Here's an old favorite.

Or, hopefully, a new one.





                        Saffron Paska



Combine

1/4 Cup boiling water            

3/4 to 1 ounce saffron             

Let steep until cool, then strain. 



Scald and cool to

Thyme (whole and ground) / Thyme Salad Dressing - Margaret Ullrich

You're right.

Some of those spice jars and bags are holding leaves.

Not seeds that look like beebee pellets.

Not ground seeds that look like some weird pepper.

We're talking leaves.

Some big, some teeny tiny, some ground up.





Okay... let's pick up a jar.

Let's look at thyme.



You've sung about thyme and its leafy buddies. 

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary

Cream Puffs - Baked Sfingi / Zfineg ta San Guzepp or Valentine's Day Cream Puff Heart - Margaret Ullrich

It's official!

It's Spring!

Really Spring for us in Manitoba, where we've been having 

record breaking warm days!!

Hurrah for Spring!!





I wasn't surprised to see that my post on Carmela Soprano's Sfingi, Anna Sultana's Zfineg ta San Guzepp was the week's top post.



Hurrah for Saint Joseph!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful time.





One thing that bloggers do, besides writing, is check

Eat local / Canadian Farmers Markets

Spring kicks off the growing season in Canada. It’s time to start filling your grocery cart with local produce. When you buy from Canadian farmers, the food tends to be fresher, more nutritious and doesn’t require travelling long distances – which helps our environment, too.


Walk the aisles of your grocery store and look for some local foods including vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and dairy.

Nutrition myths - busted

Nutrition myths are like fast food restaurants – they are everywhere, they’re hard to avoid, and they can derail your best intentions to follow a healthy, balanced diet. To mark Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month, let’s skip the fast food in favour of some home-cooked truths.




MYTH: A low-carb diet is the best way to lose weight. 

TRUTH: In a recent survey of Canadian dietitians, 97

Mustard (seeds and ground) / Homemade Hot Chinese Mustard - Margaret Ullrich

Mustard is not a mystery ingredient.

It's probably the first spice a kid grabs.

Especially in the summer.

I mean, what's a hot dog without mustard?



Everybody knows that creamy golden glop on top.

And prepared mustard comes in such a variety of strengths.



Notice I said "Prepared".



Yes, mustard, as most folks know it, is prepared.

Prepared from, you guessed it, seeds.



Just like

Heart Healthy Mushroom Squash Soup

You may have noticed the Red Dress Campaign last month.
If you didn't have time to check it out, no problem.You can visit The Heart Truth website now.
You can even email them a question through the site.
It does have a few sponsors.Like The Heart and Stroke Foundation.

And it does have recipes.A nice soup would be perfect right about now.

                        Mushroom and Roasted Squash Soup

Heart Healthy Macaroni and Cheese

I know February was Heart month.But heart attacks aren't very fussy about when they strike.And heart attack is the number one killer of women in Canada.
You know the rules:Get active.Live smoke free.Reduce stress.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation has an excellent website.There are recipes.And they don't taste like they're healthy.
Here's one of their recipes.Enjoy and stay well.

Caraway Butter for Vegetables / Caraway Seed French Bread / Caraway Seed Noodles - Margaret Ullrich

Want some actual Caraway recipes?

Okay... here are a few simple recipes to get you started.





Fennel would work well in these recipes, too.

Or any other favorite savory spice.

Just saying...





Caraway Butter for Vegetables



Melt 4 Tablespoons butter

Add 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, more or less

Heat until butter is lightly browned.



Pour over hot cooked cabbage, cauliflower,

Caraway (seeds and ground) - Margaret Ullrich

Caraway is another spice that I'm sure you've tasted.

Especially if you like German food.



But Caraway, just like Fennel, just doesn't get any respect.

Now is the time to respect Caraway by buying a bag or jar of seeds.

Trust me, they won't just sit there.





Some uses for those Caraway Seeds...



Add a few to meat loaf along with some dillweed and ground allspice.

Sprinkle a few on