Recipe Talk

http://www.angelpage.com/Vegetable_Bouquet.htm

How to make an "Easter Basket"

Jim made his Easter Vegetable basket by following the recipe from an article in the March 23, 1999 Woman's World weekly magazine.

Ingredients and Instructions:

DIP: Either buy a bottle of dip or make your own by combining 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, 1/4 cup mayo, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp garlic, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp coriander, 1/4 tsp curry, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.

BREAD BASKET: 3 loaves (16 oz each) frozen bread dough, thawed, divided and 1 egg. The Pillsbury Breadstick Dough in the refrigerator aisle worked for us.
Basket and Handle:

Preheat oven to 375
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper
Invert a loaf pan (9x5x2 1/2) onto baking sheet and butter the outside of the pan
Butter the outside of a 2 quart ovenproof bowl on the other papered/buttered sheet. The idea is to form 9 braids of dough
Wrap 8 braids around the loaf pan to form the basket, and 1 braid over the bowl to form a handle. You will need to press the braids together as you go so that your basket doesn't fall apart
Combine an egg with a tablespoon of water and brush the mixture over the braids
Bake the handle for 30 minutes and the basket for 40 minutes or until lightly golden brown
Use a sharp knife to remove the basket and handle from their pans
Return the basket to the oven for 10 minutes to cook the inside of it a bit if desired.
Attach the handle to the basket using toothpicks.

VEGETABLE FLOWERS:
The basic idea is to cut up vegetables to look like flowers (use cookie cutters, or do free hand):
Place 3 baking potatoes into the basket and then put your flowers onto toothpicks and insert them into the potatoes.
That is why different size wooden skewers and toothpicks are desirable - tinted green if you are super crafty
Be creative, but consider using:

Cucumbers cut into 1/4 inch slices (cut 1/4" thick and 1/2 " thick long notches in each slice. Place 1 slice over another slice at the notches and insert skewer into bottom)
Red, yellow, orange and/or green peppers (Halve peppers lenghwise, remove seeds, flatten slightly and cut into flower shapes - with different color circles in the middle if desired - insert onto toothpicks)
Radishes (place radish stem side down on work surface - cut thin slices across the top but don't cut through, turn the radish and continue to cut desired pattern - crisscross, etc. Place in cold water to open these newly formed petals),
Scallions (trim away most of the green part and the root ends. Cut long slits in the white part, place in cold water to encourage curl)
Assorted veggies such as mini peeled carrots, endive, blanched asparagus, cherry tomatoes (cut small crosses in the tops and fill with enokie mushrooms (little white mushrooms) sugar snap peas, chicory or green leaf lettuce to tuck around the edges of the basket.
Don't forget to tuck a little cup of dip into your basket - You can even use a halved pepper as your cup.

the recipe from an article in the March 23, 1999 Woman's World weekly magazine.

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GORGEOUS GRANOLA

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 1/3 cups dried shredded coconut

1 cup raisins or dried cranberries, blueberries or chopped dried dates

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup safflower seeds

3/4 cup sesame seeds

3/4 cup flaxseed

1 cup chopped pecans, almonds, macadamias, Brazil nuts or nuts of choice

In two roasting pans, spread out oats and roast in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown. Remove and let cool. Mix with all other ingredients and store in an airtight container. Makes about 10 cups. Serve with yogurt and a sprinkling of fresh fruit, if desired.

"Weekends With Friends" by Maxine Clark
Woman's World magazine came up with its own version of it in its March 21 issue.

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