The 2025 spring religious holiday season is about to heat up. Right now, Christians, and specifically Catholics are celebrating Lent — the 40-day period leading up to Easter– and for the fish fries in and around St. Louis CLICK HERE.
Special foods eaten during Passover include matzo (unleavened bread), matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, charoset, potato kugel, brisket, roast chicken, and flourless chocolate cake. Jewish delis like Protzel’s Deli on Wydown in Clayton get swamped with orders so be sure to contact your favorite deli and place your order.
They sell Matzo ball soup in bulk or you can stop in for lunch.For information on Protzels: CLICK HERE.
Along with Lent, the Christian spring season includes Palm Sunday on April 13th, Good Friday April 18th, and Easter Sunday April 20th. While Good Friday marks the day that Christ died on the cross, the celebration comes on Sunday which commemorates that He arose and is in Heaven, giving Christians the promise of everlasting life.
Tradition says that Roast lamb or roast ham is the traditional meal served for Easter Dinner. Hot cross buns are the traditional breakfast or brunch treat. The cross on the top symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus, specifically the cross.
While Christians and Jews are in the midst of their celebrations, Muslims have already observed Ramadan in March followed by Laylat al-Qadr on March 27 and Eid al-Fitr on March 30, and Buddhists celebrate their New Year April 13-15 and Buddha’s birthday (Vesak/Buddha Jayanti) on May 12.
There are many restaurants around the Greater St. Louis Area that have special dinners and we will have that information in another article.
Becky Hardin, better known as The Cookie Rookie often shares her recipes with STLSportsPage. She is a busy mother and wife who runs a cooking website that is just full of recipes for any occasion.
Check out her website: TheCookeRookie.com. For those who would like to make Hot Cross Buns or Matzo Ball Soup at home, try The Cookie Rookie’s recipe.
For more information and serving tips: CLICK HERE
Ingredients
For the Dough
- ▢1cup milk 227 grams, lukewarm (105-110°F)
- ▢½cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- ▢25ounces instant yeast 7 grams (1 packet)
- ▢4cups all-purpose flour 480 grams
- ▢1teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- ▢1teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
- ▢¼teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ▢¼teaspoon ground allspice
- ▢¾cup raisins 112 grams
- ▢2large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- ▢6tablespoons unsalted butter 85 grams, melted (¾ stick)
For the Egg wash and Cross Paste
- ▢1large egg 50 grams
- ▢½cup all-purpose flour 60 grams
- ▢5tablespoons water 71 grams
For the Icing
- ▢½cup powdered sugar 57 grams
- ▢2tablespoons milk 28 grams
- ▢½teaspoon orange zest 1 gram
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Instructions
For the Dough
- Combine the milk, sugar, and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit for a few minutes until the yeast becomes foamy
1 cup milk,½ cup granulated sugar,0.25 ounces instant yeast
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and raisins together.
4 cups all-purpose flour,1 teaspoon kosher salt,1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg,¼ teaspoon ground allspice,¾ cup raisins
- Add the eggs and butter to the yeast mixture. .
2 large eggs,6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer and mix on low until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add in the flour mixture in 2 installments and continue mixing on low speed for 4-5 minutes, until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems sticky, sprinkle in a little flour and continue mixing
- Cover the bowl with a towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take 45-60 minutes. If your kitchen is cold, let the dough rise in your oven set to 200°F or on its warm setting.
- Punch down the dough. Remove it from the bowl and gather it into a ball on a floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Then, divide those pieces into 3 equal pieces for a total of 12 (about 93 grams per bun).
- Roll each piece into a ball and place them in a greased 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Cover the baking pan with a kitchen towel, and place it in a warm spot to rise for 45 minutes until puffy. Preheat the oven to 350°F while the dough rises..
For the Egg Wash and Cross Paste
- Whisk the egg and a couple of teaspoons of water in a small dish. Brush the egg wash over the risen buns.
1 large egg
- In a bowl, combine the flour and water, mixing until it forms a paste-like consistency.
½ cup all-purpose flour,5 tablespoons water
- Transfer the mixture to a sealable plastic bag, and snip the corner of the bag.
- Once the buns have risen, squeeze the flour mixture in a straight line across each row/column of buns to form a cross on each bun.
- Bake the buns for 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to rest for a few minutes after baking.
For the Icing
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and orange zest.
½ cup powdered sugar,2 tablespoons milk,½ teaspoon orange zest
- Brush the icing over the buns.
Ingredients
Soup
- ▢4chicken thighs bone in skin on
- ▢1yellow onion diced
- ▢2celery stalks diced
- ▢2large carrots diced
- ▢4garlic cloves minced
- ▢6cups chicken broth
- ▢2cups water
- ▢5sprigs fresh parsley
- ▢1teaspoon salt
- ▢¼teaspoon pepper
Matzo Balls
- ▢3large eggs
- ▢3tablespoons melted butter
- ▢¾cup matzo meal
- ▢2tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- ▢1teaspoon salt
- ▢¼teaspoon black pepper
- ▢1/2teaspoon baking powder
- ▢3tablespoons chicken broth or water
Instructions (For tips and serving suggestions: https://www.thecookierookie.com/matzo-ball-soup/
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook until the fat has rendered and the thighs are deeply golden, 5-7 minutes. Set the chicken thighs aside and leave the rendered chicken fat in the pan.
4 chicken thighs
- Add in the onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook, stirring for another 60 seconds.
1 yellow onion,2 celery stalks,2 large carrots,4 garlic cloves
- Pour in the broth and the water. Add in the salt, pepper, and parsley. Give it a stir, and return the chicken thighs to the pot.
6 cups chicken broth,2 cups water,5 sprigs fresh parsley,1 teaspoon salt,¼ teaspoon pepper
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
- While the soup cooks, start on the matzo balls. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and melted butter.
3 large eggs,3 tablespoons melted butter
- Add the matzo meal, dill, salt, pepper, and baking powder, and mix well. Mix in the broth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
¾ cup matzo meal,2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill,1 teaspoon salt,¼ teaspoon black pepper,1/2 teaspoon baking powder,3 tablespoons chicken broth or water
- Once the soup has simmered, remove the thighs to a plate. Shred the meat, discarding the skin and bones. Return the meat to the pot and cover with a lid to keep warm.
- Form the matzo mixture into 1-inch balls. Drop them into the soup and return it to a simmer. Cover and cook, maintaining a simmer, for 20 minutes without removing the lid.
- Serve with extra dill on top
Worshippers attend church or synagogue for Easter or Passover. There is a seder supper for the Jewish and thosse who celebrate Easter love to celebrate with candy– and lots of it. Easter Baskets and Easter Egg Hunts are popular. One church has a unique twist on the Easter Egg Hunt.
It’s raining candy this Easter at Rooftop Church, 217 Gravois Rd, Affton, MO 63123l Your kids will love catching sweets as their volunteers launch candy from the roof. There wiull also be pictures with the Easter bunny, games, kids crafts, treats, and a petting zoo. Space is limited. RSVP online at: Rooftop.org.
