In honor of the 2009 Annual White House Easter Egg Roll, I thought I would include two recipes inspired by this time-honored White House event.

Egg Rolls
What food do you serve at an egg roll?  Why egg rolls of course!!!  Michelle Obama would give the thumbs up, especially if the veggies came from their garden.

1 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 quart peanut oil for frying
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
2 cups shredded cabbage (I prefer Napa or Savoy cabbage)
2 ounces shredded carrots
8 (7 inch square) egg roll wrappers
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Season pork with ginger and garlic powder and mix thoroughly. Heat mixture in a medium skillet, stirring, until pork is cooked through and no longer pink. Set aside.
In another large skillet heat oil to about 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) or medium high heat. While oil is heating, combine flour and water in a bowl until they form a paste. In a separate bowl combine the cabbage, carrots and reserved pork mixture. Mix all together.
Lay out one egg roll skin with a corner pointed toward you. Place about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the cabbage, carrot and pork mixture on egg roll paper and fold corner up over the mixture. Fold left and right corners toward the center and continue to roll. Brush a bit of the flour paste on the final corner to help seal the egg roll.
Place egg rolls into heated oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or rack. Put on serving plate and top with sesame seeds if desired.

Deviled Eggs
What food screams Easter/Passover more than deviled eggs?  I enjoy preparing these devilish snacks with a variety of stuffings, including froie gras mousse and bacon/cheddar.  Here is my take on this classic retro favorite…

6 eggs
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise (for a zestier variation, replace 1/2 mayo with yellow mustard)
1 T sweet pickle relish
salt to taste
1 dash hot pepper sauce
paprika, for garnish

Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool and peel.
Cut eggs in half. Remove yolks and place in a medium bowl. Mash together with celery, onion, mayonnaise, relish, salt and hot pepper sauce.
Stuff the egg white halves with the egg yolk mixture. Sprinkle eggs with paprika. Chill covered in the refrigerator until serving.

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I find it refreshing that first lady, Michelle Obama is tackling the issue of our nation’s obesity.  I think it one of the better subjects that a first lady should tackle -so much better than say, drugs or the nation’s health care system.  Obama, along with her private chef, Sam Kass, are touting the importance of introducing locally grown organic produce into one’s diet.  The picture was taken of Michelle Obama volonteering at Miriam’s, a soup kitchen in DC, last week.  The novel concept of Miriam’s is that they serve only fresh food to the homeless.

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Today is my first post.  And since today happens to fall on Purim, the Jewish day of charity and celebration, I thought that it would be fun to post a recipe for vanilla challah.  I found this recipe on Paul McCool’s blog, “The Fresh Loaf”.  Paul found this recipe in Beth Henseperger’s informative as well as indispensable cook book, “The Bread Bible”.  Here is the recipe:

The dough ingredients include:

1 tablespoon yeast (instant or active dry)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

6-1/2 to 7 cups of flour

1-3/4 cups hot water (120 F)

4 large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

The glaze ingredients include:

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Process

Combine the yeast, sugar, salt and 2 cups of the flour; mix by hand or by mixer.

Add the hot water, eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Beat hard until smooth.  Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time.  Continue beating until the dough is too stiff to stir.

Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and springy and a layer of blisters shows under the skin, about 4 minutes.  (Note: I did not see any blisters forming, but kneaded until the dough was smooth and elastic.)  The dough needs to be slightly firm for free-form loaves.

Place the dough in a greased deep container.  Turn the dough once to coat the top and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  (Even with room temperature at a relatively cool 65F in my kitchen, it did not need this much time to double.  I could see this doubling in less than an hour with warmer, summer-time temperatures.)

Grease or parchment-line 1 or 2 baking sheets.  (I went with 2 sheets, not wanting to risk the two loaves growing together while they baked.  It turned out to be a good choice.  Note that Ms. Hensperger also offers the option of using springform pans.)  Gently deflate the dough.  Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured surface.  Divide the dough in 2 equal portions.  Roll each portion out into a smooth, thick strip about 30 inches long, with one end 2-3 inches wider than the other.  (Picture a shorter, thicker billiard cue stick.)  Roll to to lengthen and taper the thinner end.  With the wide end on the work surface, lift the tapered end and wind the rest of the dough around the thick end 2 or 3 times, forming a compact coil.  Pinch the thin end to the body of the coil and tuck it under.  Place the coils, with the swirl pattern facing up, on the baking sheet(s).  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise until nearly doubled in bulk, about 30-40 minutes.  Because of the eggs, this loaf does not need to double completely; it will rise enough in the oven.  (And how!  It sprang up to double or treble its original height.)

Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350F.  To make the vanilla egg glaze, whisk together the egg yolk, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl.  Beat until well blended.  Gently brush the dough surfaces with a thick layer of the glaze.  Place the baking sheet(s) on a rack in the center of the oven and bake 40-45 minutes, or until a deep, golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped with your finger.  Carefully lift the turbans off the baking sheet(s) with a spatula and transfer to cooling racks.  Cool completely before slicing.

The finished bread looks like this:

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