Easter table simplicity
I can remember helping Alma Copeland prepare for a Christmas gathering. She had planned the perfect party and we were busy with the preparations. As the day progressed, we found ourselves behind schedule. Has this ever happened to you?
When it was one hour to party time, Alma and I were still in our flour-covered clothes and guess what happened? That’s right, some of the guests decided to come early. As the car pulled up, Alma dropped the ice into the punch bowl and covered herself with spots of red punch, including her glasses. We were quite a sight and this is how we greeted our guests.
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Since then, I have learned of a simple meal from Taste of Home magazine, that can be prepared ahead of time for convenience and to allow the cook some relaxation time.
This Easter holiday try this easy one-dish meal that has great flavor. I have served this, and my guests were impressed. Throw in a crisp green salad, your favorite bread or roll, some cranberries and a vase of daffodils or tulips and your table is ready. I have also included a rice pudding recipe that can be made ahead of time.
Roasted chicken and vegetables
1 cup chopped 250 mL
celery
1 medium onion, 1
chopped
1Ú2 cup butter or 125 mL
margarine
2 tablespoons 25 mL
poultry seasoning
1Ú2 teaspoon sage 2 mL
8 cups cubed day- 2 L
old bread
1Ú2 cup chicken 125 mL
broth
1 5-6 pound 2.5-3 kg
roasting chicken
1Ú2 teaspoon paprika 2 mL
1Ú4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
pinch of pepper
6 baking potatoes, 6
peeled and quartered
6 carrots, peeled 6
and sliced
In a skillet, sautŽ celery and onion in butter until tender, about five minutes. Add poultry seasoning and sage. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Stir in celery mixture and chicken broth; mix lightly. Just before baking, stuff the chicken. Place in roaster; tie drumsticks together. Combine paprika, salt and pepper; rub over chicken.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 F (180 C) for 11Ú2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Place the potatoes and carrots around the chicken; cover and bake 11Ú2 hours longer or until potatoes are tender and a meat thermometer reads 185 F (85 C). Yields four to six servings.
Rice pudding
A comforting way to end any meal.
31Ú2 cups milk 875 mL
1Ú2 cup uncooked 125 mL
long grain rice
1Ú3 cup sugar 75 mL
1Ú2 teaspoon salt, 2 mL
optional
1Ú2 cup raisins 125 mL
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
extract
ground cinnamon
In a saucepan, combine milk, rice, sugar and salt, if desired; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour into a greased 11Ú2 quart (1.5 L) baking dish. Cover and bake at 325 F (160 C) for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add raisins and vanilla; cover and bake for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. Serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator. Yield six servings.
If you have extra preparation time, you may want to try this light new breadmaker recipe that my sister-in-law shared with me. We have called it The Good Bread.
Place an egg in a measuring cup and add water to equal 1 1Ú2 cups (375 mL). Beat and add to baking pan.
Next add three tablespoons (45 mL) sugar, three cups (750 mL) flour, one teaspoon (5 mL) salt, four teaspoons (20 mL) oil and 11Ú2 teaspoons (7 mL) yeast.
Cook on the longest cycle that your bread maker offers for yeast breads.
Bunny placecards
The Cadbury candy company’s website (www.cadbury.chocolate.ca/
easter) offers games, recipes, decoration ideas and much more to make the Easter holiday special. Here is a sample.
Everyone can have their own Easter bunny at the dinner table. Just make placecards with his picture on them and put them around the table.
You will need: two different colors of heavy card or bristol board, white glue, googley eyes, pipe cleaners, two squares of colored felt and cotton puffs.
Now follow these directions:
- Fold the chosen piece of card in half. Snip two little slits along the fold (for the bunny ears). Choose another color and fold a smaller square to glue over the first. Before gluing, write the name on the smaller square. Then glue into place. Allow to dry.
- Fold a piece of felt in half and cut into an ear shape. Repeat with a smaller piece to glue over top of the larger piece of felt. Allow to dry.
- When ears are dry, stick the ears into the slits in the card. Make sure the slits are slightly smaller than the ears to hold them in place.
- Glue on the plastic eyes. Cut a tiny piece of felt into a triangle shape for the nose and use pipe cleaners or stiff construction paper for the whiskers. Finish by gluing cotton puff on the back for the bunny’s tail.
Wheat grinder stones
Dear TEAM: Several decades ago we purchased a wheat grinder that used stones. Recently one stone broke and we were able to glue it together. However, we would like to locate a source for a new one. I’ve lost our original order form. Do you how where we might find replacement stones? – R.D., Fort St. John, B.C
Dear R.D.: After calling several health food and kitchen stores, I was advised to contact a store called Bosch Kitchen Centre in Saskatoon. Its specialty is kitchen accessories and appliances and it sells wheat grinders that use stones. Contact the store at 800-613-2253.
A complete protein
Many Canadians are experimenting with new ways of eating. Canada’s Guidelines for Healthy Eating recommend an emphasis on cereals, breads, grains, vegetables and fruits. But as people adapt, there is concern that they are not consuming complete proteins. Saskatchewan Health has a resource called Shopping For Food … Getting Value and Nutrition.
There are two types of protein – complete and incomplete. Protein is made up of substances called amino acids. There are 22 in total and eight of these cannot be made by our body and must come from our food.
Animal proteins (meat, fish, poultry, cheese, milk and eggs) contain all of the essential amino acids needed by the body. Therefore, they are called complete proteins.
Plant proteins (legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds) lack some of the essential amino acids and are incomplete.
If you rarely or never eat meat, it is important to know how to combine proteins properly to get the nutrients you need. Milk is a complete protein and can supplement either legumes or whole grain products to create a complete protein.
Here are some ideas:
Milk and whole grains
- Rice pudding.
- Macaroni and cheese.
- Cheese and rice casserole.
- Cheese and whole wheat toast
or a cheese sandwich.
- Bread made with milk.
* Milk in baked goods made
- Milk in baked goods made
with whole wheat or rye flour.
- Rice and whole grain bread.
- Porridge and milk.
Nuts, seeds and milk
- Sesame seed-topped buns
(made with milk).
* Loaf or muffins with chopped
- Loaf or muffins with chopped
nuts (made with milk).
- Cereal with nuts and milk.
Legumes and whole grains, seeds or nuts
- Baked beans with corn bread
or whole grain bread.
- Lentil loaf topped with cheese.
- Beans and rice.
- Tofu, rice and vegetable stir fry.
- Soymilk and cereal.
The food combination to remember: Legumes (peas, beans, lentils) + whole grains, seeds or nuts = complete protein.
Best wishes baby!
As I finish this week’s column, I am holding my newborn son Skyler with one hand and typing with the other. Is that efficient or what? In the meantime, Carter has colored his arms and face with bright purple marker. Consequently, we are still making adjustments to our new baby. We all have a lot to learn.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the best wishes that were sent to us upon our new arrival.
