Note: This custard style Acheese@ requires about 3 hours to drain, then 24 hours of refrigeration for the best flavor and texture. You can use almost any type of milk, from whole to skim, for this recipe. Traditional flavor versions range from bland to sweet. Sugar contents can be increased, reduced or eliminated, if desired. If unsweetened, you can add 5 to 6 crushed peppercorns to the mix. To begin: Line a large colander with cheesecloth, allowing fabric to overlap the sides. You=ll need to be able to hang the cheese over a bowl or sink to allow it to drain.
Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat slightly. Stir in sugar, salt, vanilla and nutmeg. Set aside. Heat milk in a large saucepan over low heat until almost boiling; be careful not to scorch. Slowly stir in the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to keep the mixture from scorching. Stir and cook until mixture binds or Acomes together.@ Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth lined colander. Lift the cheesecloth out of the bowl, squeezing or pressing to remove as much liquid as possible, and tie lightly. Let hang over a sink or bowl to drain for up to three hours. Cover with a damp linen towel or plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Remove cheesecloth and slice before serving. Wrap unused portions in plastic wrap. Makes one cheese ball.

 

Red Beets With Horseradish
3 cups cooked beets (canned or fresh), drained and grated
: cup prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 teaspoon salt

Note: Prepare two to three days ahead to blend flavors. Combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings by adding more brown sugar, vinegar or salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Presentation: Pass as a condiment with any of the Easter meats.

 

Sweet Easter Bread
1: cups milk
2 sticks butter or margarine, cut into pieces
62 to 7 cups flour, divided use
1 cup sugar
3 packages active dry yeast (1/4-ounce each) or 1 cake (2-ounce) fresh yeast
1 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
1 cup golden raisins (optional)
Crumb topping:
2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
3-4 tablespoons melted butter

Pour the milk in a saucepan and scald over high heat. Remove and add the butter. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Make starter by combining 2 cups of flour along with the sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Stir in the cooled milk and margarine until combined. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a very warm place for one hour.
In a separate bowl, beat the five eggs. Add the starter, the remaining flour and salt. Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a large, oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise until double in size, about an hour. When dough has risen, punch it down. Turn it out on a floured surface and knead well. Shape into three loaves and place in three 12-quart loaf pans or 92 x 4-inch tube pans. Cover and let rise for another hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees shortly before dough has completed second rising. Combine the sugar, flour and melted butter with a fork until the mixture is blended. Set aside to cool. Brush tops of the loaves lightly with milk. Use a spatula to spread the crumb mixture on top. Lightly drag the tine of a fork across the mixture to break it up and form Acrumbs.@ Bake in preheated oven 35 minutes until golden (25 minutes for nonstick pans).
Remove loaves from oven and cool in pans for 15 minutes. Turn bread out and let cool completely on a baking rack.

 

Kolbasz (Hungarian Country Sausage)
: cup water
5 cloves garlic (see note, below)
1 pound pork casings, rinsed
5 pounds lean pork shoulder, cubed and ground
12 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoon red cayenne pepper

Bring water in a small saucepan to a boil. Add minced garlic, then cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, rinse casings at least three times with lukewarm to cool water. Drain. Cut into yardlong sections, then tie off one end of each piece, making a double knot. Place ground pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, water, and seasonings. Mix well. Using a sausage stuffer, fill each casing with meat mixture. Lightly prick sausage with a needle. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Arrange sausages in a baking pan with 2 cup of water. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour. Makes 20 servings.

Note: All seasonings should be added to taste. These proportions make a flavorful kolbasz. To check seasonings, make a small patty from the seasoned meat and pan fry. Taste, then adjust seasonings before stuffing casings. Begin with five cloves of garlic and add more accordingly. If you are adding this to your Easter food basket for blessing, the sausage should be fully cooked, drained and cooled in the refrigerator the day before. For safety, return sausage to refrigeration no more than two hours after the blessing. Variation: If your kitchen is not equipped to stuff sausage, simply shape meat mixture into small links about three inches long and 2 inch in diameter. If shaping by hand, dampen hands periodically in cool water. For nice, even, breakfast links, place sausage mixture in a pastry bag without a metal tip and squeeze out uniform lengths; chill before cooking. To make patties, form into rounds about 2 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. Brown in a frying pan over medium heat.