What do you do for easter?

[*julez* 124]

For some reason, we always go out for Chinese food on Easter Sunday.

[Amby 490]

julie do you think it's ok to make 24 or 36 smaller ones instead of 12 big ones? I'm making them to take to a big pot luck so I don't think anyone will want to eat one massive bun. with all of the other things on offer.

Oh yeah, sure! Don't go too small though, because they will be less moist. And play around with the oven temperature and baking time, I am sure the small ones need less time and a little less heat.

Well the dough is rising right now. Been going for 15 minutes so about another 45. My raisins were nasty so I omitted them because they kinda looked moldy (they had been open for forever). I made my own candied zest which was a pain in the #######.

My grandma is from Germany so I made a double batch and plan to bring some to her house on Sunday when we drop by for a visit. Hopefully she will enjoy them!

Will let you know how they turn out and take pics. Have fun baking with your mom!

[Amby 490]

Julie the buns are lovely. They're so sweet though I couldn't even finish half of one. The only thing I did differently is I put a few drops of yellow food color into the lemon icing on the top so that people would know what the flavor was. There will be way too many people there tomorrow to be able to tell everyone they're sweet not savory buns. Thanks so much for the recipe! Here's a couple pics. As you can see I made mine quite a bit smaller.

[Ms. Squirrel 11]

They look so yum, Amber! They actually look like figs, don't you think? The yellow icing idea sounds good, too. How did you make the candied orange peel? Did you use organic oranges?

My baking wasn't so successful this year. I made 48 Hot Cross Buns and it took me 8 hours because I had to do 16, wait until they are done, then do another 16 and so on...I had forgotten to bring baking dishes (I still had Mom's from last year LOL ), so it was all a bit tricky. I had also forgotten to bring my camera. That I had only slept two hours the night before and I was terribly hung over didn't exactly improve my baking skills.

The first 32 buns looked picture perfect, but I put too much glaze on them...of dear, they are so sweet, it bends your teeth. They taste more like baklava lolol But the last 16 came out really well, unfortunately by the time they came out of the oven, I was so annoyed by the whole bun thing, so I didn't make an effort with the crosses. My icing for the cross was too runny.

I just took a pic of the 6 buns (the not so pretty ones, but also not so sweet ones) I took home with me. They are a bit squished. I am having a cup of tea now and will eat another bun. Buns, buns, buns - if I eat any more, I will look like a bun soon!!

I am glad you had fun making them - we should try the same recipes together more often and compare results! LOL

I am making some chili con carne for dinner now - time for something savory after, all the sugar!

[Amby 490]

How did you make the candied orange peel? Did you use organic oranges?

To make orange and lemon peel candied you slice off just the outside (colored part only) of the fruit. Make sure you have all of the white part off because it will taste bitter. Using a zester is easiest if you don't have a really sharp knife. You then blanch the zest two times for 10 seconds each in boiling water. After the second blanch you put it on paper towels to dry it off most of the way and then toss it with sugar. Pull the peels out of the sugar and lay them on paper towels overnight to dry. Sometimes you need to leave them out a bit longer to dry. Way better than anything you buy at the store.

Everyone loved the buns! There were 4 left and I was walking out the door with them and my cousin's husband stopped me and said "man those were so good. did you make them? they were awesome! what are they? I never had anything like that before in my life! they were so amazing!" I explained to them what they were and he had never heard of them I said what about that song hot cross buns you have to learn in school when playing a recorder. He said "I'm from Boonville (quite a hickish area) we learned songs like ham & beans, ham & beans, they are so yummy, ham & beans"

I'm kinda a perfectionist when it comes to baking stuff so I didn't think they turned out very pretty. I actually weighed each one so they were the same size and then rolled them into balls of dough like you would to make dinner rolls or something. We should totally make the same recipes and compare our results. I will bake right handed instead of left since I'm a chef though hehe

Edited March 22, 2008 by Amber&Neil

[Caladan 19]

We decorated Easter eggs Ukrainian style this afternoon, and will have lamb chops tomorrow.

[Anna C. 4]

Easter Party & Egg Hunt with hubbies humongous family.

[Marilyn. 340]

we are going to hubby's brother's house tomorrow but it is more for our 5 year old nephews birthday then for Easter...

we got him a t-ball set from Kmart....

Edited March 23, 2008 by MarilynP

[Amby 490]

How did you make the candied orange peel? Did you use organic oranges?

To make orange and lemon peel candied you slice off just the outside (colored part only) of the fruit. Make sure you have all of the white part off because it will taste bitter. Using a zester is easiest if you don't have a really sharp knife. You then blanch the zest two times for 10 seconds each in boiling water. After the second blanch you put it on paper towels to dry it off most of the way and then toss it with sugar. Pull the peels out of the sugar and lay them on paper towels overnight to dry. Sometimes you need to leave them out a bit longer to dry. Way better than anything you buy at the store.

Everyone loved the buns! There were 4 left and I was walking out the door with them and my cousin's husband stopped me and said "man those were so good. did you make them? they were awesome! what are they? I never had anything like that before in my life! they were so amazing!" I explained to them what they were and he had never heard of them I said what about that song hot cross buns you have to learn in school when playing a recorder. He said "I'm from Boonville (quite a hickish area) we learned songs like ham & beans, ham & beans, they are so yummy, ham & beans"

I'm kinda a perfectionist when it comes to baking stuff so I didn't think they turned out very pretty. I actually weighed each one so they were the same size and then rolled them into balls of dough like you would to make dinner rolls or something. We should totally make the same recipes and compare our results. I will bake right handed instead of left since I'm a chef though hehe

OMG we should have a cookoff thread. like iron chef VJ. we all try one recipe a week (someone different can add a recipe each time) and post our photos and we can make a poll to see whose looks the yummiest!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

My husband threw a fit about dyeing eggs yesterday because he remembered that he thought it sucked as a kid. Now, he is fashioning all the eggs with proper hats and felt feet and loving every minute of it. Heh.

[pugsly 0]

i do nothing

[Ms. Squirrel 11]

How did you make the candied orange peel? Did you use organic oranges?

To make orange and lemon peel candied you slice off just the outside (colored part only) of the fruit. Make sure you have all of the white part off because it will taste bitter. Using a zester is easiest if you don't have a really sharp knife. You then blanch the zest two times for 10 seconds each in boiling water. After the second blanch you put it on paper towels to dry it off most of the way and then toss it with sugar. Pull the peels out of the sugar and lay them on paper towels overnight to dry. Sometimes you need to leave them out a bit longer to dry. Way better than anything you buy at the store.

Everyone loved the buns! There were 4 left and I was walking out the door with them and my cousin's husband stopped me and said "man those were so good. did you make them? they were awesome! what are they? I never had anything like that before in my life! they were so amazing!" I explained to them what they were and he had never heard of them I said what about that song hot cross buns you have to learn in school when playing a recorder. He said "I'm from Boonville (quite a hickish area) we learned songs like ham & beans, ham & beans, they are so yummy, ham & beans"

I'm kinda a perfectionist when it comes to baking stuff so I didn't think they turned out very pretty. I actually weighed each one so they were the same size and then rolled them into balls of dough like you would to make dinner rolls or something. We should totally make the same recipes and compare our results. I will bake right handed instead of left since I'm a chef though hehe

OMG we should have a cookoff thread. like iron chef VJ. we all try one recipe a week (someone different can add a recipe each time) and post our photos and we can make a poll to see whose looks the yummiest!

Awesome idea - count me in. The only problem I see is that I don't have an oven at home - everytime I want to bake I have to go to Mom's.

Candied orange peel sounds good - I will give that a try next time. I like using original ingredients instead of convenience products from the supermarket.

I didn't realise you are a chef LOL I did realise you talk a lot about food though My uncle, grandpa and grandma are chefs, so they started showing me how to cook when I was really young. I always say, that if I ever win the lottery, I am going to move to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico and open a lunch café, open from 11am - 5pm with six dishes on the menu that change every day. Good strong coffee and tea and lots of home made baked goods. Now all I need to do is start playing the lottery. lolol

[pedroh 21]

uhh, san miguel de allende, good place to go