Funny Bunny and More (Easter Dinner)

While the homemade Easter coffee bread was the highlight of the meal, the Green Tea Salmon and Feta Dip were good too.  I had to try the bread shaped like a bunny when I saw the picture from Taste of Home.  Rather than use frozen bread dough, I chose to make the Fleishchmann's Yeast  Easter Egg Bread.  This is delicious!

Easter Egg Bread

(Serves 12)

Combine in mixing bowl:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon & 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat milk, buttery spread and water to 125 F.
Slowly add to mixing bowl with motor running and dough hook in place.
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.

Stir in egg and ground almonds.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
1 egg
1/2 cup ground almonds

Add flour, kneading with electric mixer, until dough leaves the sides of the bowl.
3 cups all purpose flour

Place in bowl sprayed with Pam.  Cover and let rise until double.

Punch dough down.  Divide in half.

Cut a fourth off of one half of dough; shape into a pear to form head. For body, flatten remaining portion into a 7-in. x 6-in. oval; place on a greased baking sheet. Place head above body.

Cut second half of dough into four equal portions. For ears, shape two portions into 16-in. ropes; fold ropes in half. Arrange ears with open ends touching head. Cut a third portion of dough in half; shape each into a 3-1/2-in. oval for back paws. Cut two 1-in. slits on top edge for toes. Position on each side of body.

Divide the fourth portion of dough into three pieces. Shape two pieces into 2-1/2-in. balls for front paws; shape the remaining piece into two 1-in. balls for cheeks and one 1/2-in. ball for nose. Place paws on each side of body; cut two 1-in. slits for toes. Place cheeks and nose on face. Add raisins for eyes and almonds for teeth.

 

Cover and let rise until double.  Brush with egg. 

1 egg, beaten

 

Bake at 350 F. for 35-40 minutes.

 

For veggie platter, cut a circle the size of the dip bowl in center of body.  Hollow out bread, leaving a shell.  Place cup in hole and fill with dip.

 

Feta Dip

(Serves 3)

Mix in food processor:
3 1/2 tablespoons feta cheese
2 teaspoons skim milk
4 teaspoons Greek yogurt
4 teaspoons Mayo with olive oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon oregano
Mrs. Dash

I modeled my fruit platters after a photo on social media:

    The fresh cut apples and pears are dipped in orange juice and sprinkled with fresh grated nutmeg.  

The Green Tea Salmon with Quinoa recipe is from Food Network Magazine.  This is super easy and sure to please most.  

Green Tea Salmon with Quinoa

(Serves 3)

Cook quinoa in water for 15-20 minutes, until all water is absorbed.

1/2 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cup water

Bring to a simmer in skillet:

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1-3 green tea bags

1/4 cup onion, diced

Add salmon.

3-4 ounce wild salmon fillets, skinned

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add edamame.

3/4 cup frozen thawed edamame

Simmer 5 minutes. 

Add broccoli.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

1 broccoli crown, stems removed

Stir in quinoa and serve. 

It was a pretty Easter.  Our son Chris joined us for dinner.  I wore my pretty apron my colleague Betty had made for me.

     

 Betty also gave me these pretty mats:

Here are three of my colleagues, Betty, Susan and Liz at our Good Friday get together.  That was the start of a very good weekend!

Have a great week!