Recipes to Celebrate Hindu Diwali

Diwali is the Hindu 'festival of lights'. Diwali (Deepavali) is celebrated for five days and includes much feasting. Sweets are an important part of the Diwali festival. Neighbors exchanges sweets and treats. Here is a compilation of best Diwali recipes. Other religions that observe Diwali, also called Divali and Deepavali are Jainism and Sikhism. All those who celebrate Diwali insist that the festival isn't complete without the feasting, especially with sweets or 'Mithai', so here are sources of Diwali recipes. Reading about these treats makes me wish to visit Bali and maybe get invited to participate in a Diwali festival! 

Diwali begins at Dhanteras. The Hindu "festival of lights" ushers in the Hindu new year. It continues through October 25 with the official Diwali (Deepavali) observed October 23 and 24 this year. It ends in the celebration of Bhai Dooj. Amid puja (worship) of the goddess Lakshmi, retelling the story of Rama and Sita (the central figures of Diwali) and lighting the ceremonial diya (lamps), the festival is about also about food. After all, the term festival comes from feast!

At the heart of Diwali, are sweets called mithai. It's a sign of respect for Hindus to exchange goodies. So be a good neighbor, even if you're not Hindu, Jain or Sikh (other faiths that observe Diwali). Make and share some mithai round. Here are Diwali sweets recipes. Be sure to try the gulab jamun; it's worth breaking any diet for. Michiganders, to find local Diwali festivals and sample these confections, visit MiIndia.

• Diwali Festival has dozens of special Diwali recipes. Common ingredients are ghee (claried butter or butter oil), coconut, almond, raisins, Maida, graham flour and dried or crystallized fruits.

• I Love India has a huge assortment of recipes for Indian foods and Diwali mithai alphabetized to help you find what you are seeking more easily. Check out the paneer. It's mouth-watering.

• Bold Sky has a list of best Diwali recipes (entrees, appetizers and sweets) with images of the different dishes. Tikka masala, butter chicken, curry and paneer call for an Indian seasoning blend called garam masala. You can it get it cheap at Walmart, under $3 a bottle.

• Sulekha has loads of printable Diwali recipes and links to Indian and Hindu blogs that may be useful. The carrot halwa (pudding) is delicious and super-healthy. Or try the kheer (rice pudding). But beware--it's highly addictive.

• KidsGen is a great site for kid-friendly Diwali recipes. Click around for printable Diwali rangoli crafts and greeting cards. Social studies teacher, use this website for a Diwali celebrations.

Shubh Deepavali!

Catholic Easter Lamb Cake Recipes

As a German Catholic homeschool family, Easter for us is about the Paschal Lamb of God, and His passion, death and resurrection. The Catholic Lenten season takes Catholic faithful on a journey to the Easter Triduum and Easter Sunday. Here are Easter brunch recipes featuring Lamb of God cakes. Make these lamb cake recipes as a centerpiece for your Easter brunch table. The Easter Lamb of God cakes are an ancient Catholic tradition. Our youngest son's godparents are Croatian and they brought us an Easter Lamb of God cake. 3D lamb cake recipes are usually made with a quick release 2-piece set such as the Nordic Ware or Wilton Stand Up Lamb Cake Pan set. If you don't have one of those, you can improvise with these lamb cake dessert recipes.

Godmother's lamb cake recipe featured a luscious cream cheese pound cake is perfect for Easter brunch. I've name it Osterlamm Gottes which is German for Easter Lamb of God. Also, in keeping with Polish Catholic Swieconka tradition, several items from Easter brunch or dinner should be brought to church on Holy Saturday for the Swieconka Blessing of the Easter Baskets. Items include eggs, butter, cheese and meat. You might bring ingredients from Easter Lamb of God cakes.

Easter brunch recipes for Lamb of God cakes.

Ingredients:
one 8-ounce package cream cheese

one and 1/2 cups butter

three cups raw sugar (Sucanat, Florida Crystals)

six large eggs (room temperature)

three cups unbleached white flour

one teaspoon almond flavoring

fresh sliced strawberries

whipped topping

coconut

green food coloring

Optional: white chocolate or white almond bark, cream cheese frosting, white mini marshmallows, jelly beans

Easter brunch recipes for Lamb of God cakes directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spray stand-up lamb cake pan set with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour.

Cream butter and cream cheese. Blend in sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until creamy. Add almond flavoring and blend.

Add flour all at once; blend until smooth.

Use Nordic Ware lamb cake pan set (available from Amazon). Fill one half of pan with batter, almost to over-flowing. Snap the top half in place; secure with clip or use household wire (to prevent the halves from separating. Bake extra batter in greased spring form or regular cake pan. Bake on middle rack for one hour and ten-twenty minutes. Top half may be removed for the last ten minutes. Carefully release pan lock after an hour to check cake. Cook on wire baking rack.

If you don't have a standup lamb cake pan set, use a bread or loaf pan. Trim cake down to oval for lamb's body. Bake one cupcake for the lamb's head. Add extra frosting or curls of white chocolate almond bark to sides of head for ears. Fill in with pink frosting for center of ears or place pink jelly beans in center. You can also bake a sheet cake, use free printable  Easter lamb patterns from Super Worksheets, trace on cake and cut out. Then decorate as you would the standup lamb cake.

When cake is hot, drizzle with thin icing made with warm water, powdered sugar, salt and almond flavoring. Sprinkle with coconut (for lamb's fleece). Or frost and cover with white mini marshmallows. You could also frost and decorate with shaved white chocolate almond bark for curly lamb's wool. Use black frosting or black jelly beans for lamb nose, feet and ears. Use black or brown decorator frosting to draw face.

To make this lamb cake into Easter Lamb of God cakes, draw a small cross near lamb's body with brown frosting. You can design a cross from Popsicle craft sticks painted brown. You can also attach two fudge stick cookies. Arrange eco-friendly Easter grass or green tinted coconut around the base of the lamb. Add a few Whoppers bird's egg candies, jelly beans or foil-wrapped chocolate eggs. Use as an Easter brunch centerpiece.