Holiday brings to mind family dinners, memories

With the holiday just past, my thoughts turned to Easter — atime is a time of sadness and celebration: Acknowledgement of course, of Christ’s sacrifice and triumph of life over death — and the more mundane but caring celebration of Easter dinner as well as a salute to the Easter Bunny who makes everything all real for the toddlers.

I had planned a special column but some mundane problems took priority, so I’m hoping that everyone’s gatherings were as delightful as those my family used to celebrate in the ’60s. Sunday after church, we’d converge with other family members at my parents’ home and “Grandpa” would be given our pre-colored eggs to hide around his and “Grandma’s” yard and garden.

Mom would always have a fabulous Easter dinner to enjoy afterwards — a typical old-fashioned Easter that is probably still the norm in many families today.

Earlier, I had been chatting with daughter Diane about what recipe(s) to feature for the Easter column and she immediately said “carrot cake!”

That sounded like a great idea to me, so, belatedly, but good for up-the-road use, here’s one of my favorites.

Note: (Using soda instead of baking powder makes for a moister cake).

Carrot-Coconut

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsps. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

4 large eggs

2 cups granulated pure cane sugar

1 1/2 cups cooking oil

3 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup grated/shredded (not flaked) coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Butter a 9-inch springform OR a 9x9x3-inch baking pan. Important: Preheat oven to 375F for springform pan and 350F for square pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed beat together the eggs and sugar until well blended.

Add flour mixture to the egg-sugar mixture and beat well on low speed. Mixture will be thick. Add oil in a thin stream, beating well until mixture is completely mixed together. Stir in carrots and walnuts, folding and mixing in well and completely Spread batter into prepared baking pan.

Bake springform cake at 375 for 70 minutes; square pan at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes or until cake pulls slightly away from the pan sides. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.

When cooled to the touch, remove from pan. Top with whipped cream or a butter cream frosting as you wish, spreading over top and sides of the cake. Following is a tip for a tasty whipped frosting:

Whipped

Frosting

1 1/2 Tbs. molasses OR pure Maple syrup

1 12-ounce container whipped cream cheese

2-3 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar

In a small bowl, mix syrup of choice into the whipped cream cheese; stir in confectioners’ sugar to taste. Spread over top and sides of cake. Delicious!

Apropos to the season and after a lot of thought, I decided to share something personal – and very special to me, for those who may be open to it. One night about two years ago, I fell asleep after prayer/meditation and dreamed a poem – literally – and couldn’t get it out of my mind the next day. I tried to write down the words as I remembered them, but couldn’t recall all of them. That night I dreamed it again! – and the words were imprinted on my mind. I decided it was for a reason, and wrote it down. I thought maybe someone else might find it special ­— especially with Easter just past.

Though it doesn’t follow the original Biblical story, it’s what I dreamed. I call it “To Touch the Robe:”

“To Touch the Robe”

I know what you were thinking, woman, long ago in Galilee

When you first heard Jesus speaking to the crowd beside the sea;

and your sad heart filled with rapture and hope flamed in your soul -

and you thought ‘if I could but touch his robe, I would be clean and whole!’

Then from deep within you the burning answer came –

and you knew what you would have to do to redeem your blemished name.

So through the throng you struggled till you reached the rocky ledge

where Jesus stood a-preaching – and touched his garment’s edge!

The whole world seemed to hold its breath as a gentle question came;

then your answer bravely given, filled with faith and shame.

His loving judgment still resounds from those holy days of yore:

“Woman, Thy Faith has Saved Thee – go, and sin no more.”

Now it’s part of history and I envy you so much –

For every night in bed I pray for the blessing of that touch.

So I know what you were thinking – for I’d have done it too

If I had been in Galilee that glorious day with you!

Happy springtime to all you beautiful readers out there and may the returning flocks of robins and songbirds bring joy to your hearts and hearths.

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com or by phone at 208-265-4688.