easter baskets.

every easter, my grandmother would send us a box full of cookies and breads. she did this for as long as i can remember…and when she was too old to send the box (we are talking 100 years old), she still had plenty of cookies on hand when we would visit. she passed away a few years ago so i decided to continue baking for my family. the first year i tried her recipes, i discovered that even though they were written down she never used them. she followed the “pinch of this” and “dash of that” baking method. i had a new found respect for her – i was only baking for 5 people and it took me DAYS. she would bake for her 7 children and their families…about 15 grandchildren. i went through 4 rounds of bread trying to get it to rise – i was in tears and JC was ready to ban me from the kitchen! a few years later, i almost have the routine down to a science and i love the smell of the bread baking. here’s a shot of the bread (unfinished) – it’s sweet bread and then is frosted and sprinkles are added. it’s supposed to look like an easter basket – hence the egg. has anyone else ever had this bread? i think lots of bakeries sell it….