Paska for Father's Day #SundaySupper

This week #SundaySupper is all about special recipes that remind us of Dad.  For me this was easy.  When I was little my dad worked the night shift so that he could stay home with my brother and I during the day while my mom worked.  Then he went to work after we were in bed. I am lucky to have two amazing parents in my life.  While my dad was home with us he cooked lunch for us everyday.  Mostly it was hot dogs, eggs, and other easy meals but the one meal I remember best was "Chicken a la Fig" which was a chicken coated in cornflakes (I think).

However, as an adult there are two foods that make me think of my dad.  They both come from his aunt's.  When I was a kid we would go to my great Aunt Mary's house where she always had a fresh loaf of Paska.  Paska is an Eastern European sweet egg bread that is often made around Easter.  My father's side of the family is Slovakian and Paska was always a tradition for them.  We would also go to my great Aunt Kaye's house.  She always had homemade pierogi's for us.  They were always one of my favorite foods and I loved when we got some to take home with us.

Both of my great aunt's have since passed away but in the last 10 years my father has taken on the tradition of making both Paska and pierogi's for Christmas, Easter, and many of our other family get togethers.  Everyone looks forward to both of these on the holidays and my dad always gives me a bag of frozen homemade pierogi's to take home with me.  While I really wanted to make pierogi's for Sunday Supper, I promised my dad I'd come home for a day and learn how to make them with him.  That left the Paska.

It was difficult finding a recipe that made less then 6 loaves.  It seemed most people make multiple loaves at a time.  When I did find one that only made two loaves, it was a bread machine recipe.  I will say that my dad makes his in a bread machine. However, I don't have a bread machine and since it's summer I don't have to work and have plenty of time on my hands.  I made the bread by hand and it turned out wonderfully.  The bread has a yellow tint from the eggs, is lightly sweetened, and is speckled with golden raisins and cranberries.  The crumb is beautiful.  It not only looks great but it tastes fabulous as well.  I love toasting it and spreading it with a little butter in the mornings.

Paska  (adapted from SparkRecipes)
½ c. warm water (110 degrees)
½ c. warm low fat milk (110 degrees)
1 package dry active yeast
½ c. butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
2 t. salt
½ c. sugar
4 ½ c. flour
⅓ c. golden raisins
⅓ c. craisins

1.  In a large bowl combine the warm milk, warm water, and yeast.  Give it a quick stir and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

2.   Stir in the butter.  Add the eggs one at a time stirring well after each addition.

3.  In a medium bowl combine the salt, sugar, and flour.  Add the flour one cup at a time until it forms a soft dough.

4.  Turn the dough onto a floured counter and knead for 10 minutes, adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

5.  Place the dough in a greased bowl.  Cover and allow to rise 1 ½ hours.

6.  Turn the dough out onto the counter and gently knead the raisins and craisins into it.  Divide the dough into two parts.  If freezing, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag.  If not freezing place the loaves in a greased loaf pan.  Cover and let rise for 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.

7.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the loaves for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.

8.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Check out these other delicious recipes that remind us of Dad!
Father’s Day Brunch:

• Dad’s Omelette Bar Small Wallet Big Appetite 
• Peanut Butter and Honey for Father’s Day Breakfast Yummy Smells 
• Healthy French Toast In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Paska Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks 

Dad’s Favorite Soup, Salads and Bread:

• Phil’s Pasta Tuna Salad The Watering Mouth 
• Simple German Potato Salad and Wiener Wursts German Foodie
• Roasted Beet Soup Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Dad’s Cornbread Magnolia Days 

Father’s Day Favorite Main Dishes:

• Greek Burger Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Dad’s Favorite Roast Beef Mrs. Mama Hen 
• Sonoran Hot Dogs Damn Delicious 
• Bacon Stuffed Jucy Lucy Burger Are you Hungry?
• Spicy Roasted Salmon in Coconut Sue’s Nutrition Buzz 
• Dad’s Pride-of-Mobile Fried Oysters Pescetarian Journal
• Smoked Baby Back Ribs Girl in the Little Red Kitchen 
• Grilled Pork Chops with Tarragon Butter Tora’s Real Food 
• Beef Tongue in Tomato Sauce Basic and Delicious 
• Bibim naeng myun Kimchi Mom
• Chicken Biryani Soni’s Food for Thought
• Black Beans, Corn and Rice Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Bacon Recipes for Dad Momma Cuisine 
• Curry Fish with Mixed Vegetables MyTrials in the Kitchen
• Roast Beef Roll Ups Daily Dish Recipes 

• Bread and Butter Pudding Cositas Bonitas  
• Tin Roof Sundae Ice Cream famfriendsfood
• Coconut Cream Pudding Chocolate Moosey
• Rich & Fluffy Banana Pudding Parfait The Meltaways 
• Black Forest Cheesecake Cravings of a Lunatic
• Macadamia Nut Cookies Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Peach Cobbler Bars Juanita’s Cocina  
• Iced Cookie Bars That Skinny Girl Can Bake
• Pudim Molotoff, Portuguese Meringue Pudding Family Foodie

Wine Pairings for Father’s Day ENOFYLZ

This post linked to:
Scrumptious Sunday, Not Baaad Sundays,  Sundae Scoop Sundays, Think Pink Sundays,