Hot Cross Buns

Storebought buns will never be the same for us now.

4-4 1/2 cups flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1/8 tsp. sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely snipped dried apricots
1/2 cup coarsely chopped raisins
1 egg white, beaten
1 Tbsp. water
Dried apricots cut into strips

In a large mixing bowl place 2 cups of the flour; set aside. In a small bowl combine the yeast, warm water, and 1/8 tsp. sugar. Stir until yeast is dissolved; set aside.

In a medium saucepan heat and stir the milk, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt until warm (120-130F) and butter is almost melted. Add to flour mixture along with yeast mixture and eggs. Beat on high speed for 3 mins. Stir in snipped apricots, raisins, and as much of the remaining flour as you can with a wooden spoon.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft (not sticky) dough that is smooth and elastic (3-5 mins total). Shape dough in a ball. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 1/2 hours).

Punch down dough. Turn out onto a floured surface. cover and let rest 10 mins. Grease two baking sheets; set aside. Divide dough into 20 portions; shape each into a smooth ball. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. cover; let rise until nearly double (45-60 minutes).

Preheat oven to 375. Make a crisscross slash across top of each bun with a small sharp knife or scissors. In a small cup combine beaten egg white and water. Brush misture over buns. Bake for 12-15 mins or until golden brown, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. Top with apricot strips. Serve warm.

Store remaining buns in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Asparagus and Green Onion Risotto

2 T. butter
3/4 c. chopped green onions
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 c. uncooked Arborio rice
5 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 lb. fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat; add green onions and thyme, and saute 1 minute or until onions are soft. Add rice, stirring to coat. Add 2 1/2 cups broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth, and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Repeat procedure with remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time. (Total cooking time is about 20 minutes.)

Stir in asparagus. Simmer 3 to 5 more minutes or until asparagus is tender and mixture is creamy. Stir in parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Garnish with shaved parmesan, if desired.