One of our favorite breads

This is a delicious white version of Irish soda bread. We have a more traditional version using whole wheat that you can find if you click here. In my studying on the subject, I have found that, because soda bread does not traditionally contain extras such as eggs, this recipe would more likely be considered "cake" in Ireland. I'm going to keep calling it bread. Either way, it's easy and delicious, especially with a lovely dose of honey butter.

THE RECIPE:

1 1/2 c. buttermilk*
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
3 3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cold butter, cut into small chunks

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Whisk together buttermilk, egg and baking soda in large measuring cup, and set aside while preparing other ingredients. Eventually it will start foaming.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large mixing bowl. Cut cold butter into dry ingredients with pastry blender -- or rub chunks into flour between clean fingertips -- until mixture is coarsely combined. Stir in 1 1/4 cups buttermilk mixture, adding more as needed, until dough is a shaggy mass -- wet, but firm enough to hold its shape. Scrape out into a mound onto prepared baking sheet. Brush remaining buttermilk on top and sprinkle with flour, if desired, for a rustic look.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Baking times may vary by location. I live in a high-altitude state.)



*I usually make my own sour milk. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar into a large measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 1 1/2 cups. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes before adding egg and baking soda as written above.

Not your everyday breakfast

This praline french toast casserole makes a delicious breakfast for special occasions. I adapted the recipe from one by Paula Deen. I cut the butter in half and used whole milk instead of half-and-half. I'm sure the original was....to die for. My version is still plenty decadent, and my family loved it. This is a make-ahead dish. It's extremely easy to throw together, but plan for a long bake time. Enjoy!

THE RECIPE:

1 16 oz. loaf french bread*
8 eggs
3 c. whole milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt

Topping:

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

The night before serving, rip french bread into chunks and place in greased, deep 9x13 baking dish. Whisk together casserole ingredients and pour evenly over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Combine topping ingredients thoroughly with fork, then cover and set aside for later use. No need to refrigerate. (Or just make the topping in the morning.)

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place casserole, still covered, in oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and plop small blobs of topping all over the casserole. It's easiest to just use your fingers. Bake, uncovered this time, for 55 minutes more, or until a knife inserted in the middle of a bread portion of the casserole comes out clean. (Paula Deen listed a total of 40 minutes baking time, which was completely off for me. I live at a high altitude, though, so you might want to keep an eye on your dish.)


*I like to rip up my bread a couple of hours before assembling the casserole and leave it on the counter to dry out. Dried out bread often has better absorption. Paula Deen didn't do this, though, so it might not be necessary.

Autumn muffins

Remember all that lovely applesauce I made? Well, I used some of it to make a big batch of these healthy applesauce muffins. My family enjoyed them for breakfast several days in a row. They taste healthy and hearty, but they are moist and have a lot of flavor. We were really happy with them. As my husband said, these muffins taste like fall. You can't really taste the applesauce, but it adds great moisture and health value.

THE RECIPE:

2 c. rolled oats
2 c. applesauce
1 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tins, or line with paper liners. In large bowl, mix oats, applesauce, milk, eggs, vanilla, butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda and seasonings. Add dry ingredients to large bowl and stir just until combined. Don't overmix.

Distribute batter evenly among muffin cups (make each about 2/3 to 3/4 full). Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Set the timer a little early and check so you can remove muffins as soon as toothpick test allows. Overbaking will lead to dryness. Makes 24 muffins.

*Note: Refrigerate leftovers after 24 hours so they don't spoil. Reheat them in the microwave. Muffins can also be frozen.

Base recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Beautiful blueberries

For Mother's Day breakfast, we ate this blueberry strata, which I got from the Kraft website. It's a breakfast you assemble the night before, and it's a snap to throw together. It was good, and we were all happy to have something new, but I have to say it wasn't as flavorful as I expected. We couldn't really taste the cinnamon and syrup added into the egg mixture. The blueberry syrup poured on top, however, made the dish worthwhile.

I would make this again, but I might fiddle around with the recipe. Let me know if you have any suggestions! By the way, my young family only needed half the recipe.

THE RECIPE:

12 slices white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
8 oz. cream cheese
8 eggs
2 1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 c. maple-flavored or pancake syrup
1/4 c. packed brown sugar

Spread half of the bread cubes onto bottom of greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with blueberries. Pinch off small chunks of cream cheese and sprinkle around, then top with other half of bread cubes.

Whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, syrup and sugar. Pour over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake strata, covered, for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 to 35 minutes more, or until center is set. Pour blueberry syrup on individual servings.

Blueberry syrup:

2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 1/3 c. maple-flavored or pancake syrup

Combine blueberries and syrup in small saucepan and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour over blueberry strata.

O'Dougherty approved

This loaf is a foot across. It's dense and crusty and even a little dry, but there's something my family just loves about it. We are Doughertys, after all. And this is Irish soda bread. It really is tasty.

I got the recipe from "Bon Appetit," which published it as "Mrs. O'Callaghan's Soda Bread," from Ballinalacken Castle Country House and Restaurant, in Ireland. This is traditional Irish soda bread, with the exception of the addition of sugar, which cooks have started including only in recent generations. Many recipes online call for eggs or dried fruit. These may taste good but would be considered "cake" in Ireland, not bread.

I am in love with the idea of having freshly baked bread in less than an hour, start to finish. There's no yeast, no rising time, and very little kneading. The baking soda's abilities as a leavening agent are amazing and make a great science lesson for the kids.

THE RECIPE:

Nonstick cooking spray
3 c. all-purpose flour
3 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. (half a stick) chilled margarine or butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 c. buttermilk*

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray heavy baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Whisk together flours, sugar, soda and salt. Add butter and cut into flour mixture until no large chunks remain. Add buttermilk and stir until shaggy dough forms. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead only until dough comes together, about 10 turns. Shape dough into 9-inch round, about 1 inch high.

Place on baking sheet. Cut a large X, about 1/2 inch deep, in top of dough, almost all the way to edges. Bake dough in center of oven until a bamboo skewer goes in without sticking and comes out clean. Mine was perfect at 32 minutes. The original recipe says 55 to 60 minutes. I attribute the significant difference to my altitude, which is 4,200 feet. Transfer bread to wire rack and cool completely. Serve with honey butter or jam.

*Or pour 2 tablespoons vinegar into a 2-cup measuring cup, then add milk to make 2 cups liquid. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes.

Always worth it to try something new

We tried a new stuffing this year -- mushroom-artichoke stuffing. It was very good, but next time I make it, I'm going to make some changes. I loved the mushrooms and artichokes, but I used an egg as a combining agent, and it gave the bread a spongy, stick-to-everything texture. I know that's a common way of making stuffing, but you see, it reminded me of regular spongy Stove Top Stuffing. Maybe you'd love it, but I can't have that. I like my bread to be a star and hold its own. This recipe is definitely worth keeping and tweaking, though.

THE RECIPE:

1 lb. thick, crusty bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 c. butter
1 onion, diced
1 c. diced celery
16 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 beaten egg
1 c. shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out bread pieces on baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes, or until dry and crispy.

In large skillet, melt butter, then saute onions, celery and mushrooms until mostly tender. Add garlic and saute one minute more. Place mixture in large bowl and add bread. Add remaining ingredients one at a time and mix well. Spoon stuffing into 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Fancy french toast

The gal at Smitten Kitchen came up with an innovative way to make french toast. She calls it cinnamon toast french toast, and it tastes fantastic. You can make it ahead of time, even the night before, then have breakfast ready to go in a flash. I would never have guessed regular, cheap sandwich bread could make such great french toast.

THE RECIPE:

1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
16 slices white sandwich bread
1 stick butter, softened and spreadable
6 eggs
3 c. whole milk
 1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Lay bread in single layer on two cookie sheets, then spread butter on each slice. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Toast bread in oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until bread is golden and crisp.*

Butter a 9x13 baking dish. Cut two slices of cinnamon toast in half. Arrange toast in two rows, starting with a half slice, then fanning out whole slices and ending with a half slice.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and vanilla, then pour evenly over toast. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar on top. Let stand as little as 15 minutes or as long as overnight. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until puffed and until no liquid seeps out when toast is nudged around in pan. Cut into squares and serve with syrup.

*Switch cookie sheets halfway through if they are on different racks to ensure even cooking. Bake time in this case is more like 10 to 15 minutes.

Heavenly breakfast

This pile of beauty you see before you is called heavenly breakfast*. It is a yummy twist on biscuits and gravy. The recipe came from the Brewer family, who lovingly introduced it to my family years and years ago. It's comfort food at its best. Serve it with a side of fresh seasonal fruit and enjoy!

THE RECIPE:

1 16-ounce can jumbo flaky refrigerator biscuits
6 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
Pepper
Paprika

Bake biscuits according to package directions. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Mix flour, salt, and pepper to taste, then add to melted butter, stirring until smooth. Whisk in milk, then cook until thickened, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning.

Meanwhile, separate hard-boiled yolks from whites. Slice or roughly chop whites, and crumble yolks. Stir egg whites into finished sauce.

To assemble heavenly breakfast, break up a biscuit into chunks, then spoon white sauce over top. Sprinkle with crumbled egg yolks and paprika to taste.

*Dishes similar to this are traditionally known as eggs goldenrod.

Cinnamon rolls reinvented

Oh dear. It's terribly rude of me to suggest you should have these cinnamon roll pancakes for breakfast, because they aren't very healthy. But you should. You probably have a special occasion you could use as an excuse. Ours was St. Patrick's Day, as you'll see from the picture below with the green glaze. This recipe was delicious. I got it from a website called Recipe Girl. You can go there to find helpful tips for making these.

THE RECIPE:

Cinnamon swirl
Cream cheese glaze
Pancake batter

Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium heat. On my electric stove top, No. 4 worked great. Make pancakes as usual, except squirt a swirl of cinnamon onto each when bubbles start forming on the batter. Keep the swirl about an inch away from the edge of the pancake.

Flip pancakes when bubbles pop and bottom of pancake is golden brown. Cook a couple of minutes more, until other side is nicely browned. Wipe out pan with paper towel, then repeat the process. Serve pancakes with cream cheese glaze. Makes about 8.

Cinnamon swirl:

4 Tbsp. butter, very softened
1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Stir together ingredients and spoon into a piping bag or thick plastic baggie with tip cut off. Tip should have about a 1/4-inch opening.

Cream cheese glaze:

4 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Milk for thinning

Whisk butter and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, then thin with milk as desired.

Pancakes: (or use your own batter)

1 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1 egg
1 Tbsp. cooking oil

Mix dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients and mix until just moistened.

Southwest flair

These south-of-the-border turkey melts, from the Lion House recipes, are delicious, fun and easy. They would be great for dinner, appetizers, parties, whatever. We highly recommend them!

THE RECIPE:

French bread, cut into 3/4-inch slices
1/2 c. chopped olives
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. mayo or Miracle Whip
1/3 c. sour cream
1/3 c. chopped green onions
Sliced deli turkey
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 ripe avocados, sliced
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese, any kind or combo (cheddar, pepper jack, Monterey jack)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine olives, chili powder, cumin and salt; set aside 2 tablespoons of this mixture. To the remaining mixture, add mayo, sour cream and green onions.

Spread a generous amount of mayo mixture on each slice of bread. Top with turkey, tomatoes, avocados and cheese. Sprinkle reserved olives on top for looks. Bake on cookie sheet for about 15 minutes.

Bad buckwheat

I had no idea what buckwheat tasted like, until I made these buckwheat pancakes. I hated them with all my heart. Buckwheat has a really strong taste -- probably an acquired taste for those who like it -- with some lovely dirt and dust undertones. It is extremely healthy, however, and gluten-free, which is important for some people.

This recipe was a cute-looking one found in my daughter's Mother Goose cookbook. It called for half buckwheat flour and half white flour. I wonder if they would have been tolerable with just a fourth buckwheat? I'm almost crazy enough to try it.

THE RECIPE:

1/2 c. sifted white flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. unsifted buckwheat flour
2 eggs
1/4 c. melted and cooled butter
1 c. buttermilk

In medium bowl, mix white flour with salt, baking powder, soda and sugar. Stir in buckwheat flour. In a small bowl, combine eggs, cooled butter and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Batter should be lumpy. Heat an oiled griddle or skillet to medium. Pour 4-inch rounds of batter onto skillet and cook until bubbles form on surface and edges become dry. Turn and cook until nicely browned on underside. Eat, and try not to gag.

Blueberries are in season

My husband made these blueberry-cornmeal pancakes for breakfast a couple of weekends ago. We really liked them. There's only a hint of cornmeal, but somehow it gives a nice touch. And you can't go wrong with fresh blueberries. The recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens.

THE RECIPE:

1 c. flour
2 Tbsp. cornmeal
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 beaten egg
1 c. buttermilk or sour milk*
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Combine dry ingredients, then make a well in the center of the mixture and set aside. In another bowl, combine egg, milk and oil. Add mixture all at once to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Gently fold in blueberries.

Cook over medium heat on lightly greased griddle or skillet until golden brown. Pancakes are ready to flip when their surfaces are bubbly and their edges are slightly dry.

*Place 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar in measuring cup. Add milk to make 1 cup total liquid. Let stand for 5 minutes before using.

Nice buns

This recipe for sticky buns comes from the Whitesides family. It uses Rhodes rolls and is extremely easy to make. Just plan ahead for the rise time. The butterscotch sauce is delicious.

THE RECIPE:

24 Rhodes rolls, still frozen
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 package Jell-O cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Put frozen rolls in greased 9x13 baking pan. Pour butter over rolls. In medium bowl, combine dry pudding mix, brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over rolls. Cover with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray and let rise overnight. In the morning, place baking pan on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes, then invert onto cookie sheet.

Superior sandwiches

These sandwiches are so delicious. They make us happy. I've seen them all over the Web, so I don't know who deserves the credit, but pouring sauce over a sandwich is a wonderful idea. The recipe is quite versatile. You can change the meat, the roll size, the mustard type. You can use it as a main dish (large rolls) or an appetizer (little slider rolls) -- whatever you want. Enjoy!

THE RECIPE:

24 small dinner rolls OR 12 large French rolls
Ham or turkey slices (I used deli meat)
Swiss cheese slices
Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

Slice rolls in half and spread Miracle Whip on both sides. Place meat and cheese inside, then close rolls and place tightly together in baking dish. Pour or spoon sauce over all. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Uncover and bake a couple of minutes more. Serve warm. Sandwiches can be assembled ahead of time (including sauce) and refrigerated before baking.

Sauce:

1/2 c. butter, melted
1 1/2 Tbsp. yellow mustard or spicy brown
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Whisk together sauce ingredients, and then pour evenly over sandwiches.

Another great day for pesto

Pesto has never let me down. I had never tried it on fish, but it was a hit. Of course it was! I'm sorry I even considered doubting. That was rude of me. Give this salmon with pesto mayo a try for a fast, delicious and unique meal. The recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens.

THE RECIPE:

4 boneless, skinless salmon fillets, completely thawed
Salt
Lemon juice
2 Tbsp. bread crumbs
1/4 c. mayo or Miracle Whip
3 Tbsp. basil pesto
1 Tbsp. grated/shredded Parmesan cheese

Broil bread crumbs on high until golden brown. Set aside. Season fish with salt and place on greased baking sheet with rims or on greased rack of broiler pan, tucking under any thin edges. Broil 4 inches from heat for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness, or until fish flakes easily with fork. (Mine were 1/2 inch thick and took only 4 minutes. Don't overcook your fish!) If fillets are 1 inch thick, turn once halfway through broiling.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together mayo and pesto. Set aside. Stir together bread crumbs and cheese in another bowl. Sprinkle a hint of lemon juice on each fillet when fish comes out of oven. Spoon pesto mixture over all, then sprinkle with crumb mixture. Broil 1 to 2 minutes more.

Pastry-topped goodness

Sometimes a nice chicken pot pie really hits the spot. This is a yummy version I adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens recipe. It's not much of a pie, because it's baked in a 9x13 pan, but it's the right idea. And it's delicious and comforting.

THE RECIPE:

1 recipe pastry topper
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 c. diced celery
1/2 c. chopped red sweet pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk
2 c. chopped cooked chicken (I boiled mine)*
1 c. frozen peas
1 beaten egg

Cook onion, mushrooms, celery and pepper in butter over medium heat for a few minutes, until tender. Stir in flour and seasonings. Add chicken broth and milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add chicken and peas. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Place pastry topper over chicken mixture and brush lightly with beaten egg (you won't use the whole thing). Cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Pastry topper:

1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
4 Tbsp. cold water

Stir together flour and salt. Using pastry blender or fork, cut in shortening until dough pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle water gradually over mixture while tossing with fork until dough is moistened. Form into a ball. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 9x13 rectangle.

*Or use leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken.

French perfection

Crepes are amazing, aren't they? You can make them sweet or savory and serve them for breakfast, dinner or even dessert. I am in love with them. I am imagining the crepe pictured above drizzled with chocolate sauce. Oh my heavens. Below is Julia Child's recipe. Plan ahead, because crepe batter is supposed to be refrigerated before use.

THE RECIPE:

1 c. cold water
1 c. cold milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
4 Tbsp. melted butter

Whisk together ingredients, then refrigerate at least 2 hours. Preheat wide nonstick skillet to medium heat. Stir settled batter before ladling into pan. Swirl pan around until batter has spread out into a wide, thin circle. You can either flip the crepe or leave it. It's thin enough to cook through. They only take a minute or two to cook. Flip cooked crepes onto plate to cool.

We stuffed ours with our neighbor's homemade strawberry jam, our homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. We topped them with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Another option is powdered sugar, strawberries and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You can't go wrong.

Waste not, want not

My kids refuse to eat bread crust. For a long time, I didn't give in. I figured if they would just get in the habit, it would no longer be an issue. I'm the one who learned the lesson. They simply won't eat bread crust.

So now, I cut off the crust beforehand and toss it into a container in the pantry so it doesn't go to waste. I also toss in the heals and any other unused or stale bread, whether it's white or wheat. It all goes in together. I leave the container open to the air -- its lid is ajar -- so the scraps will dry out (but still be safe from dust).

I add scraps every day until the container is full and the bread is completely dry. (You see, moisture is what will make it go moldy. Dry bread will last forever.) Then I toss everything into my food processor and make bread crumbs for use in recipes such as this. Once you have crumbs, you can store them in an airtight container. When I see the pile of crusts I otherwise may have thrown away, I cringe. It really adds up. It feels good to be resourceful!

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater

My new 5-year-old got "The Mother Goose Cookbook" for her birthday. It's a cute little book full of nursery rhymes and their coordinating recipes. Olivia wanted to get right to work. She chose Peter Pumpkin's Pumpkin Muffins, and she helped me the whole way. The muffins turned out very moist and yummy. My husband thought they had molasses in them, so the brown sugar must give them a little kick. But they still don't beat my favorite pumpkin muffins of all time. Sorry, Peter. What's up with your poem anyway? Who keeps his wife in a pumpkin shell?

THE RECIPE:

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. plus 6 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 c. pumpkin puree

1/2 c. melted and cooled butter

1/4 c. plain yogurt or sour cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 c. warm honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. dried currants (I left these out)

3/4 c. chopped walnuts (I left these out)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and flour muffin tins. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Add spices. In separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, butter, yogurt, eggs, honey and vanilla. Stir in currants and nuts. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until batter is just blended. Fill muffin cups halfway with batter, then sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top. Bake about 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean. Makes about 15 muffins.

Easter object lesson

I've seen these fun "empty tomb" rolls on multiple websites. Some people use homemade roll dough, others use frozen roll dough, and still others use refrigerated crescent dough. These rolls are the perfect way to teach the story of Jesus Christ's death, burial and resurrection to a child. Each roll starts out with a marshmallow inside, a symbol of the body of Jesus. When the rolls are cooked, the marshmallows melt, leaving a hollow roll -- an empty tomb. My almost-5-year-old was riveted on the lesson. She asked me to tell the story again and again as we assembled the rolls. Each ingredient is a symbol.

THE RECIPE:

1 8-count package refrigerated crescent roll dough
8 large marshmallows
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Separate roll dough into eight triangles. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Dip each marshmallow in butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar and place on triangle. Roll up marshmallow, being sure to seal edges well. Dip tops of dough balls in remaining butter and cinnamon-sugar. Place sugar-side up in greased muffin tins. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Symbolism ideas:
(Scripture references come from King James version of Bible)

Marshmallow -- body of Jesus
Butter and cinnamon-sugar -- spices and ointments (Luke 23:56; John 19:40)
Roll dough -- linens for wrapping and/or tomb (Luke 23:53)
Oven -- tomb (or you can just have the dough be the tomb)
Hollow roll -- empty tomb/linens (Luke 24: 6; Mark 16:6)