Braided Mini-egg Loaves

Easter is next weekend already. That means spring is here to stay, hopefully, and that snow we had on Friday with be the last one. 

 I saved this recipe for braided mini-egg loaves last week when I was reading magazines on Texture, and couldn't wait to make it. Since Easter is next weekend, I plan on freezing two of them now, and thawing them out for our Easter dinner.

The whole process took quite a bit of time. The needed to sit and rise twice for an hour each time. It was a good way to spend a Saturday, and they turned out beautiful! It was worth it.

The recipe below was originally made for 6 loaves, but I cut it in half and made it a little healthier with whole wheat dough and organic sugar. The almond milk is all we have in our fridge, you can use regular milk instead.

Braided Mini-eggs Easter Bread

--------------------------------------------------------------

Total Time: 3 Hours 15 Min

----------------------------------

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/8 quick rise yeast
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup warm water
1 Tbsp Butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp water
mini eggs

1.  Combine 1/2 cup flour with sugar and yeast in a bowl (or stand mixer with dough attachment which I don't have) Beat in warm milk, water, butter, salt, and half of the beaten egg until combined. Beat in remaining 1 cup of flour on medium until dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 5 -6 mins. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with a damp towel. Let rest until dough is double in size, about 1 hour.

2.  Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat. Turn dough out on floured surface. Divide into 3 portions. Working with 1 piece at a time, divide into 3 smaller equal pieces. Roll each in long ropes. Braid ropes, then pinch ends flat so you can tuck them under each loaf. Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer to the baking sheet and cover with the damp towel and let rest for 1 more hour.

3.  Preheat oven to 350F. Which remaining egg with 1 tsp water. Brush over tops of loaves.

4.  Bake in oven until deep golden, 20 mins. Remove from oven and tuck candies into braids. Let stand 10 mins. Serve Warm

Recipe from Chatelaine April 2016

When you eat them hot, the eggs are slightly melted and taste great. Almost like a little nutella on your bread, It was suggested after I was finished that I should have added a little cinnamon to the dough. Which is a great idea, and I will try next time.

Wedding Dress Shopping: 10 Tips

My best friend from high school is getting married this year.  Although I have been to lots of weddings, I have never been in the wedding party before, so this was my first time dress shopping. I'd like to share a few tips I learned to make it a wonderful, stress free day out with the girls. 

1.   Make appointments with a few different stores. We did 3. And give a couple hours between appointments in case one goes long or you need a break to eat or get a coffee.

2. Try to make you appointments on week days.  Weekends can get busy with drop ins.  And you may not get the attention you'd like.

3. Shop early, 8 months or more in advance.  You might find a dress that takes months to order,  plus you might need up to 3 fittings after that.

4. Shop close to home, or somewhere you don't mind traveling to for the fittings. 

5.   Bring a camera,  water, pen and paper, and a snack. In terms of people don't bring to many.  You don't want a lot of conflicting opinions. Your mother,  future mother in law,  and 2 close friends is enough.

6.  What to wear?  For the bride,  wear heels close to that which you will wear on the day, so if the length of the dress doesn't work they can let you know if alterations are possible,  and perhaps how much. Also wear the same undergarments you are planning for the big day. 

7.  Wear you hair in the same style,  up or down,  so you can visualize it with the dress. But don't wear a lot of make up. The dresses will be put on over your head and you don't want it rubbing off on them.

8.   If you find a dress you love take a picture and write down the price,  designer,  and code.  But don't stop looking,  you might find the same dress at another store for a better price. If you are sure you found your dress early in the day, use the extra time to start looking for brides maids dresses.

9.   Don't expect to cry when you find the one.  Not everyone does that, and if you don't, that doesn't mean it's not the perfect dress for you. 

10. Enjoy the day!