kosher cuisine

My ever-increasing dietary restrictions. Or, why is it so hard to find kosher organic food?

2011-06-06T23:25:00.000-04:00

Cross posted in Foodiscovery

Finally, after almost two months, here's the promised story of my transition to buying organic. I have this post that I saw posted on this Facebook Page to thank for motivating me to finally write this. It's going to be long so I'm going to divide it into sections. Here goes:

My first shopping trip upon going organic

I was already going to Whole Foods for most of my grocery shopping, so I continued there. I thankfully live within walking distance of the Whole Foods at Roosevelt Square. The only difference was I had to look for that "USDA Organic" symbol, besides looking for a kosher symbol. Basically, I'd apparently made my food life twice as complicated....Or so I thought. See, several items I'd been getting for their other health benefits, such as Rena's juice-sweetened puffs, my favorite vegetable broth, and these yummy tortilla chips were already organic. Other items, such as milk, eggs, and salsa, were easily found in organic versions.

Crackers

My main struggle that trip was finding crackers that would be acceptable to my husband but also healthy and organic. He had been used to eating a specific variety of Triscuits but unfortunately they are not organic. To complicate matters, there were for some reason two sections with crackers, which I didn't know at first. In the first, small section I found exactly one brand that was kosher and organic....but otherwise not up to my dietary standards. I thought, these can't possibly be the only crackers in the store! I asked an employee where I could find crackers, and she directed me to another aisl. Phew! Here I had some trouble as well. I found so many organic crackers but they weren't kosher. Finally I found one called Mary's Gone Crackers that was labeled both organic and kosher. Fun name, but were they healthy? Yes, whole grains and no sugar. I brought them home to hubby....Yum! :)

P.S. The next day I found other crackers called Two Moms in the Raw that Rena and I liked better.

Produce

Organic versions of my usual fruits and vegetables are readily available at Whole Foods. However, I decided to join an organic CSA that would deliver to my door, just for convenience. Full Circle Farm packs up a box for us every week with organic produce from their own farm and partner farms and delivers it to our apartment at some point on Thursday nights or early Friday morning. I love it because I don't have to think about my weekly fruits and vegetables if I don't want to, but if I want to change anything there's a window of opportunity. I could also tell them never to give me something if I don't want it. Customer service is great, always responding to your questions and comments. They'll even give you a credit if you're not completely satisfied with all your received produce, if you ask. They even called a couple weeks to make sure I got my box, since the deliverymen couldn't be buzzed in. All this for $46 a week, for a family order. I always end up buying other fruit because hubby and Rena eat TONS of fruit (and I barely get any!). Also there are a lot of greens, which sometimes spoil before I get to use them all. This is good, though, because I'm encouraged to get used to using more greens.

Also I love that it comes so close to Shabbat so I get fresh produce for Shabbat! :)

Meat

I wanted to make a meat dish for Friday night Shabbat dinner right after my organic transition, but I couldn't find any locally. Help! I resorted to making a vegetarian meatloaf in the hopes that hubby wouldn't even realize it was fake. Funny thing was, I realized as I went to serve it that it happened to be April Fool's Day, so even if he figured it out, it would just be an April Fool! Well, he didn't, and not only that but it came out awesome and he said it was deli-quality meatloaf! :) Unfortunately when I made it next time it didn't come out so good -- I think I just got lucky the first time because tofu isn't usually the best thing in the world -- so after that I just got regular kosher ground meat. As for chicken, for the following Shabbat I went online to search for kosher organic meat, as QFC only rarely has Empire Organic chicken. I tried ordering but they wouldn't even process my order for a single chicken because shipping costs would have been exorbitant! I'd promised hubby chicken for Shabbat so I had to run to QFC and get a regular kosher chicken. Hubby also likes when I get the precooked kosher chickens but unfortunately those aren't organic either. I once tried making General Tzo's Tofu in the hopes that hubby wouldn't realize it was tofu not chicken, but he could totally tell the difference because it didn't come out good. My only hope of avoiding non-organic meat of any kind is to make it to QFC right when they've just gotten a shipment of Empire organic chicken. They get so little so rarely that it's snapped up immediately. They supposedly get it every two weeks on Mondays, but last time I was told it was coming on Tuesday and then it was late. I've basically given up on that. In short, I'm resigned to eating non-organic meat, at least while living here in Seattle. If it were just me I might go vegetarian, but I can't do that with my hubby who goes nuts after just a few days without meat.

Fish

According to my Internet research, wild-caught is really the best way to go, even better than organic fish. So I called Whole Foods again to find out what wild-caught fish they had and found a recipe accordingly. I've also gotten wild-caught canned tuna and salmon.

Cheese

I had a big problem with cheese, as there didn't seem to be any available locally that was both kosher and organic. Initially I tried making my own but I could only make a soft cheese which is simple and doesn't need rennet, a thermometer, etc. I made Paneer cheese. Hubby and I liked it for a bit but then he got tired of it. I spent more long hours on the internet, and it turned out that a couple brands, including Tillamook Cheddar that's found at Whole Foods, were actually organic and kosher thought they didn't advertise that on their packaging or website. Though it's a bit annoying that I can only get cheddar but no mozzarella, parmesan, or others, I can't complain too much because I do get to have cheese. There's also kosher organic cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc. I love the brand Nancy's because it tastes good and it's cultured. Also Nancy's sells giant containers of yogurt which is wonderful because my husband is currently on a fruit-and-yogurt kick. (Please not, not all Nancy's products are organic so you have to make sure the package says organic when you buy.)

Sweeteners

I had been using Truvia, but it's not organic. Also I'd heard that it can actually make you gain weight because your body is tricked into producing unneeded insulin which is stored as fat. So I experimented with various sweeteners. I'll go into more detail in a separate post, but for now suffice it to say that there's no lack of natural sweeteners, such as honey and maple syrup, in organic versions.

Passover

I bought kosher organic grape juice that I'd finally found at Whole Foods awhile before that. However, my husband requested wine. I could not find a wine that was both kosher and organic so I resigned myself to getting Israeli wine. If it wasn't organic, at least I could support Israel with my wine purchase instead of Kedem.

Whole Foods actually had kosher organic matzah and matzah meal that were also whole wheat, amazingly enough, so that was that.

Hubby requested a couple of things -- horseradish and marshmallows -- that simply did not exist in kosher and organic versions. I complied like a good wife.

Other food wasn't a problem; I just had to make sure everything was up to the strict standards for Passover, i.e. nothing with leavened bread.

Gotta draw the line somewhere

At this point, I still accept food that someone gives me, is provided free at an even, etc. even if it's not organic. I'll eat Noah's Bagels still, for example, if someone else pays. I admit that free food is a weakness of mine, but it's also important to me to not look a gift horse in the mouth. As it is, my husband has local relatives who don't keep kosher, and it's hard enough for them to give us food that's ok, without making them also give us only organic food. I'll also use up non-organic food I had from before my transition, and I'll also use something non-organic that I bought accidentally. It's still food, an it's important to me not to waste.

Conclusion

While organic food has become important to me, and indeed most of the food I eat nowadays is organic, sometimes something else that's important to me trumps my desire to eat organic. I don't want to beat myself up over not eating 100% organic. As much as I can do is good. I don't have to throw in the towel when I encounter a snag.

Oh, no! How can I make the cookies now?!

2011-05-26T01:32:00.000-04:00

Cross posted in Foodiscovery (Sorry, I wrote this awhile ago but forgot to post it here.)

These apple-walnut cookies were a big hit for all three of us the first time I made them. I used all organic ingredients, whole wheat flour, and maple sugar instead of regular cane sugar. (I learned recently that Truvia can actually make you gain weight because your body is tricked into thinking you've eaten sugar. It produces insulin which is then stored as fat because it's not used. I learned this from a Facebook friend who's a holistic health coach. The accuracy of that information is a moot point because it's not organic anyway, but if anyone is interested I can request a source.) Also instead of following the directions I just tossed all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mixed them all together. I knew from past experience that you can get certain recipes to come out just as well by taking that shortcut.

So anyway, hubby asked me to make them again a few days later. I began going down the list of ingredients, measuring amounts, and tossing them in the bowl....Oh no! I needed an egg but I was totally out of eggs! I couldn't just run out and buy eggs half a block away here in Seattle, not like we could in New York. But I promised hubby I'd have them ready when he got up! What could I do?! I racked my brain, and suddenly I remembered reading that you can make a natural, vegan egg substitute with flaxseed and water. Yes, I had flaxseed on hand because I'd decided to put flaxseed, among other additions, in these bagels. (I'm officially insane, btw: I made these for the first time right before Passover when I was uber-busy and would have to cease eating unleavened bread shortly. Don't worry; they were all gone before Passover.) I hopped online and, sure enough, I found this simple recipe. Indeed it had an egglike consistency when I moved it around and even felt eggy to the touch! I tossed it in with the other ingredients, finished making the recipe with no other glitches, and hoped for the best. The verdict? Good but not as good as the first batch. I might have baked them a tad longer than the first batch, so the extra substitution might not have been the problem. The taste was the same, in my opinion.

FYI, the cookies were not actually vegan because they still contained butter. ;)

2011-05-15T02:45:00.002-04:00

2011-05-15T02:41:00.000-04:00

I didn't go grocery shopping yesterday because I was low on time...

2011-03-29T14:28:00.000-04:00

Cross posted in Foodiscovery

...due to yesterday's sudden recurrence of my obsession with organic food. What did I do for dinner? The only animal protein I had available was a can of sardines -- which I didn't dare use because hubby says he doesn't like sardines -- milk, cheddar and mozzarella cheese (already used lots of cheese for breakfast and hubby's lunch), and a single egg. I did have plenty of plant protein in the form of blackeye peas (which I didn't want to use because I prefer overnight soaking), soymilk (not much left), walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and some lentils. Help!

Google to the rescue! I think I searched for "recipe lentils nuts" and came up with this useful page. I decided to tweak the following recipe from that page, even though I was a little confused because some of the words were replaced with this weird "s&bp" or "s&gp" thing. I'll write next to each ingredient and step how I tweaked it. The original recipe will be bolded.

Lentil and Nut Cakes--or loaf

fresh white bread, 2 slices, crumbed (more volume than dried) ->I used instead a container full of crumbs of Delicious Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread that were in the fridge just waiting to be used in a recipe that called for bread crumbs.
1 C lentils (for this I prefer brown) ->I just used whatever I had left, which may or have not been a full cup.
2¼ C of slightly reduced veg stock OR water ->I used water to boil the lentils. I always use water if a recipe says stock or water because when I use stock, I use this expensive vegetable broth that's basically the only thing I can find that's both kosher and not full of icky stuff like sugar and lots of salt. I looked up how to make my own stock but I don't have a strainer as of yet.
1 med yellow onion, chopped ->I found about 3/4 of a large white onion in the fridge and sauteed that. I added a tomato and sauteed further for extra veg and extra flavor.
1 can black olives, coarsely chopped ->I was going to use instead a can of green olives that I thought I'd gotten, but they were nowhere to be found! So I just used what was left of a can of capers instead.
2 sprigs rosemary (around 8 inches each), minced ->I took a random number of leaves off of our rosemary from our brand-new garden! :) I forgot to mince them. I used some whole in sauteing the lentils, the onion and tomato, and threw some more into the final concoction for extra flavor.
nut of choice, at volume of choice, only partially toasted (a couple minutes at 300°) ->I used some walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds. I didn't bother to toast them at all, as I knew they would be baked with the final dish and I didn't want them to get burnt.
salt ->I sprinkled a little in the sauteing onion and tomato.
ground black peppercorns ->I have only ground pepper but I couldn't find it until well after dinner was made. Good thing, because it came out delicious without the pepper!
ground green peppercorns ->I didn't have any of those.
white wine ->I didn't have that either but I figured the vinegar from the capers would be a good substitute. (I'm no expert, but I guess that was ok.)
butter ->I was low on butter, but I did have some Earth Balance Buttery Spread (I usually use butter but I have that on hand to use with meat) so I used that instead. I only put some into the final concoction.
ev olive oil ->I use canola oil, as it's considered to be a healthy oil and it's cheaper than olive oil.
1 lg egg, whisked ->I didn't bother to whisk the egg; I just tossed it into the mixture.
Melinda’s Extra Hot Habanero Sauce or store or home hot sauce of choice ->I used instead some 365 Everyday Value Mild Salsa that I had on hand.
cooking spray ->I never use cooking spray anymore -- it's expensive and I don't think it's natural -- and I didn't even grease the pan at all because there was already a lot of oil and buttery spread in it.

In a saucepan, saute lentils over high heat in oil with s&bp until some brown and the aroma increases. Turn heat to low, add stock or water, s&bp. Simmer uncovered (not a low boil, so 1 bubble roughly 5-10 seconds) around 1¼ hr. S&BP again around ½ hour into it. Finish with a little butter, s&bp. ->I sauteed the lentils with rosemary, added water, and let it boil before turning it down to a simmer. I think I let it simmer for approximately the time stated.

Sweat the onion in oil, s& bp. Add ¾ C white wine, s&bp&gp and a little butter. Cook around 5 minutes. Finish with s&gp. ->I heated the oil in a skillet, added onion, sauteed for bit, then decided to chop up a tomato and add it. I sauteed it for a bit longer, then added a little salt and rosemary.

Crumb bread in food processor. Pulse nuts a few times if you wish.
Whisk egg with s&bp. Add butter (about 1 inch of a quarter pound stick). Add hot sauce to taste. Combine everything. Stir. S&GP to taste. Check seasonings ->I don't currently have a food processor but my bread was basically already in crumbs. I just left my nuts and seeds whole. I began mixing everything together, without whisking the egg, and with the buttery spread instead of butter and salsa instead of hot sauce. I added more fresh rosemary to the whole mixture. I tasted it. It tasted slightly strange because of the raw egg (not recommended if you're concerned about salmonella from raw eggs) but otherwise good.

Spray and fill the ramekins (I have 1 C ones). Put into a 350° oven around 20 minutes. ->It was still kind of soft after that amount of time, but it tasted delicious!

Tons of variations/omissions/additions possible. But I think green peppercorns are pretty important. They make things so round and supple. ->I'm so glad I made it anyway, even without the green peppercorns!

This post was written in response to a comment on Facebook.

chulent for 2?

2011-02-24T18:47:00.001-05:00

anyone have a recipe for chulent for 2?

More Apple Adventures

2010-11-01T15:48:00.001-04:00

cross posted on Foodiscovery

I step inside the front entrance, unlock the next door with my key dangling from my neck, and enter the dim, narrow hallway. I gingerly make my way to to the machine that will prove I'm here at work today and clock in....

...I leave my stuff in my office, as usual. It's another typical Sunday at my job working with people with developmental disabilities. While I serve breakfast, some consumers ask, as usual: "Are you doing computers today?" I answer, "Probably."

Or is it a typical Sunday? The supervisor in charge today announces, "We're going apple-picking today!" My face lights up at this opportunity to take my people outside and pick some fresh fruit right off the trees!...

...As we walk and pick through the pick-your-own apple "store" at Wilkens Farm, concentrating on finding the best apples, the usual arguing, fighting, and teasing amongst the consumers at my program gradually fall away and we just enjoy the experience. I raise my arms with our picking pole, successfully knocking an apple into the basket; and another staff teases me by asking me to get an apple that's too high up for me to reach. I'm having such a wonderful time that the supervisor photographs me holding the picking pole up to a treetop!

How incredible it is to say the blessing "Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the tree," then bite into a beautiful, juicy apple bursting with sweetness half a second after taking it off, with my own hand, the tree on which it grew!...

...I surprise my husband with a bagful of apples. I say to him, "Good thing I didn't buy apples already!" I use one large apple to make my promised apple honey pie (with fat-free plain yogurt), a recipe that I found one year right before Rosh Hashana to use instead of the traditional apple slices dipped in honey....

...My husband eats a few apples over the next couple of days; I use the rest to make applesauce that I use to make another baby cake (see previous post). Pancakes (made with whole wheat flour and with Truvia instead of sugar) are next, with the leftover applesauce used instead of margarine in the recipe, instead of canola oil for frying, and served on top. Yum!...

...We buy more apples. Good, because my husband has requested granola for breakfast (which I make with Truvia instead of sugar and instead of brown sugar; and without vanilla or cooking spray and just a small amount of almonds since those can get expensive), and I always serve it with fruit! I will layer two bowls -- one for me and one for my husband -- with one serving of granola, an apple cut in small chunks, and -- oops, we forgot raisins -- a banana instead of raisins. I pour fat-free milk into both bowls. My husband has also eaten his granola with watermelon and raisins, and also with pineapple and raisins; but granola with an apple and banana is my favorite so far!

What else could I make with apples or applesauce? Please leave comments with your suggestions!

A GIVE-AWAY IS ON ITS WAY!!!

2010-10-13T03:13:00.001-04:00

(Cross Posted on Guess Who's Coming To Dinner)

Heads Up Everybody!!!

I've been offered an advance copy of Susie Fishbein's new addition to the Kosher by Design cookbook series, entitled Kosher by Design Teens and 20-Somethings to review for my readers.

On top of that, I'll be running a contest and one lucky winner will receive their own copy of the book absolutely free.

Everybody else will receive a coupon code for 10% off the price of the cookbook and free shipping. All readers will also have the exciting opportunity to download a PDF version of the Kosher By Design recipe index – a guide to more than 900 recipes in the Kosher By Design series.

So get ready! A give-away is on its way (some time next week). Tell your friends and stop by Guess Who's Coming To Dinner soon.

Russian Vinaigrette

2010-08-20T14:40:00.001-04:00

(Cross posted on Guess Who's Coming To Dinner)

I work with a gentleman named George. George is Russian. George is often giving me recipe ideas, most probably because we all know that I have absolutely no interest in or affinity for cooking (snort). Most of George's recipes involve vodka or large quantities of beef. Some of George's recipes involve vodka AND beef. I seldom ~~even listen to~~ make George's recipes.... until this week.

George told me about a fascinating recipe entitled Russian Vinaigrette. It appealed to me because it is yet another one of those salads that, if served on Friday night, will still remain palatable as leftovers on Shabbos day.

Russian Vinaigrette

1-2 large bunch beets, cooked and cubed small
4-7 red potatoes, cooked and cubed small
3/4 - 1 bag baby carrots, cooked and cubed small
several scallions, chopped
1 bag sauerkraut, drained
4-6 pickles, chopped
splash of olive oil
salt - only if needed... test first (mine needed)

hmm..... I wonder how it would go with a shot of vodka......

"Cheese"burgers and "Pepperoni" Pizza

2010-07-21T12:34:00.000-04:00

Cross posted on Foodiscovery

My husband, who did not grow up keeping kosher, reminisces about cheeseburgers, pepperoni pizza, shellfish, and other delicacies he hasn't tasted in years. I wonder: What can I make for Shabbat this week to bring back those memories for him in a kosher way?

This week at Fairway, I head upstairs to the section with the soy products. It's incredible: One can buy so many foods made with soy that look and taste like meat or dairy but are actually completely parve! Sure, I've used soymilk in my meatballs recipe that calls for milk -- but oh, the possibilities of soy! I can buy any of several soy cheeses: cheddar, nacho, mozzarella....I pick mozzarella to make "cheese"burgers. Having never had a cheeseburger in my life (I grew up mostly kosher, so I never had anything that was a clear no-no), I have no clue what's the best cheese for a cheeseburger. Maybe I'll use cheddar next time. All I know is that I'll slice the soy cheese and melt the slices on top of the meat once it's been mostly cooked into burgers, according to my husband.

Ok, that takes care of one meal. I'm thinking for the other meal I'll do a pizza with real cheese and some kind of fake meat made of soy. Let's see what there is....OMG, there's fake pepperoni! Perfect! I'll make my pizza crust (with whole wheat flour, of course), spread it with sauce (I use spaghetti sauce), and lay the pepperoni slices over it. I can still use my usual cheesy veggie pizza recipe for the veggies this time, and perhaps I'll just put some mushrooms over the "pepperoni" next time for a change.

Wow, my husband is going to be so happy this Shabbat!

cheesecake perfection

2010-05-02T23:29:00.000-04:00

Found this realllly great article over at Kosher.com that gives you the Top 5 Tips for Kosher Cheesecake Perfection - a must read while you're baking for Shavuot this year!!!

Enjoy!

easy/yummy/healthy quinoa pilaf

2010-04-18T15:19:00.002-04:00

Quinoa is becoming the biggest food trend among today's health conscious. Because it's high in protein, fiber and iron, and because it's also gluten-free, it's truly a super-food that you should try.

If you've never made Quinoa before, I would highly recommend starting with this super-easy recipe. It's DELISH!

1 cup frozen peas
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2 carrots
1 red pepper
2 cups quinoa,
4 cups water
1 tsp chicken soup flavoring (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Put frozen peas in a bowl and set aside to let thaw.

Chop onion, garlic, carrots and red pepper into tiny pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add onion, garlic, carrots and red pepper, cooking until soft, about 5-8 minutes.

Add quinoa and water and chicken soup flavoring (if using).

Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Stir in frozen peas and salt and pepper.

Serves 6.

Per serving: 319 calories, 9 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 50 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 13 g protein, 94% Vitamin A, 55% Vitamin C, 6% calcium, 34% iron

pesach chocolate fudge brownies (nisht gebrochts)

2010-04-04T10:52:00.000-04:00

These are really fudgey, gooey brownies, almost lava-cake like. I like to serve them warm!

1 cup oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (optional)
1 cup cocoa
1/2 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 9" baking pan.
Combine all ingredients and pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 30 minutes.

Eggplant Fritters (Gebrokts)

2010-03-28T14:29:00.000-04:00

Cross posted on Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

My family will tell you that I'm always willing to try an interesting recipe - - - once. After that, we have a family "post mortem" and decide if it's a "thumbs up" or a "thumbs down".

I find that with pesach recipes, there are more in the "thumbs down" category, simply because in my opinion, the best recipes are NOT the ones that have been altered to substitute and compensate for chometzdik ingredients. The best recipes are those that never required chometz in the first place (think my individual chocolate fondues, instead of pesachdik cookies....).

Every once in a while though, I will try a new recipe that becomes a keeper.

These eggplant fritters are best, as with most fried items, straight out of the pan, but they reheat very well and are even great cold as a snack straight out of the fridge. Although it's a bit of a bother, I make a double batch and it is enjoyed by everybody because it doesn't taste like everything else, if you know what I mean.....

Eggplant Fritters

1 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons oil

2 teaspoons course salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 cup matzo meal

1 medium eggplant -- peeled, thinly sliced, salted & drained

potato starch

oil for frying

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, water, 2 tablespoons oil, salt, paprika and pepper. Beat until frothy. Beat in matzo meal. Set aside.

Eggplant slices should be salted on both sides, then allowed to drain on absorbent towels for at least 20 minutes. Press to drain more.Wash and dry eggplant slices after draining.

Coat eggplant slices lightly on both sides with potato starch. Dip into matzo batter. If the batter thickens too much, add enough water to make the desired consistency.

Fry oil in preheated pan containing oil until lightly browned on both sides. Drain.

eat out in the city - on pesach

2010-03-28T00:36:00.001-04:00

Koshertopia presents a list of restaurants that will open this Pesach in New York and New Jersey.

If you're someone who's more than ready to mish, click here for this year's guide.

Happy Eating!

Broccoli Cheese Potatoes

2010-03-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

(Cross posted on Guess Who's Coming To Dinner)

Oh boy! Are you all in for a treat!!

I made the most fantastic Broccoli Cheese Potatoes this week and I'm going to share the recipe with you.

6 large potatoes
1 cup sour cream (I used "light" sour cream)
16 ounces frozen broccoli, defrosted and pulsed in a food processor
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Pierce the potatoes and bake them at 400 degrees until they are soft (about 45-50 minutes). Gently remove a bit off the top of each potato and scoop the contents into a bowl, leaving only the shell. Mash the contents with the sour cream. Add the broccoli and two thirds of the cheese. Add salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

Stuff this mixture back into the shells and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes more.

These were soooo good. You've got to try them.

Sautéed Flanken

2010-03-02T13:50:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

4 pounds flanken
2 whole onions, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
2 whole bay leaf
1 tablespoon paprika

Directions:

1. heat oil in an 8 quart pan

2. add all vegies and sautee for 20 min

3. add flanken and rest of ingredients

4. sautee untill meat is rather tender

5. add water to cover meat

6. simmer for 2 1/2- 3 hours

Hazelnut-Dijon Crusted Salmon

2010-02-23T20:30:00.000-05:00

I found the original recipe from the Gatherings cookbook (definitely a must-buy) - I used hazelnuts instead of pecans and olive oil instead of margarine, and changed some of the measurements.

That photo above was taken tonight when I made this dish for my family. As you can see, I served the salmon with a side salad and my own dill sauce (just mayo + fresh dill).

Ingredients
6 medium Salmon fillets, no skin
4 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
3 tablespoons Honey
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup Hazelnuts, ground (or substitute pecans, crushed)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place salmon fillets in a foil-lined baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine Dijon mustard, honey and olive oil. Pour mixture on salmon and marinate for 30 minutes.

In a second bowl, combine nuts, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Sprinkle this mixture on top of glazed salmon, covering the fish completely.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Delicious, Dairy, and Greek (sort of)

2010-02-17T21:26:00.003-05:00

Spanakopita is a Greek pastry made of phyllo dough that is filled with spinach, feta cheese, and onions and baked until puffy and golden brown. It is somewhat similar to a bureka. I recently came upon a food blog post in which the blogger describes his efforts to create an open faced version of this treat, sort of a cross between spanakopita and pizza. He named it, of course, spanakopizza. He used layers of phyllo dough in place of pizza dough, and even rolled up some phyllo sheets to form a rimmed crust around the pizza. The phyllo is topped with spinach, feta, onions, red peppers, dill, and mozzarella and baked like a pizza. The end result looks absolutely delicious.
While the blog itself is not kosher, all of the ingredients in this particular recipe are kosher. Clear, step by step instructions are provided, along with beautiful pictures that will make your mouth water: http://www.macheesmo.com/2010/02/spanakopizza/#more-11458
Enjoy!

the BEST hershey's chocolate cake ever!!!

2010-02-16T23:38:00.000-05:00

This isn't my recipe at all. The only thing I added was the chocolate liqueur to the icing. But I made this cake this past Shabbos and it was honestly the best cake I've ever made. (and one of the easiest!!!)

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup Cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon chocolate liqueur

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla and liqueur. About 2 cups frosting.

caesar salad made easy

2010-02-14T23:55:00.000-05:00

My first-ever attempt at Caesar Salad was a success! The idea of using raw eggs and anchovies always turned me off... but then I discovered this recipe that calls for neither!

You can make this salad either Milchig or Pareve (it is absolutely divine served with grilled chicken breast).

For the croutons - you can buy those ready-made, but I love making my own and adding them to the salad when they're hot out of the oven. Just dice up some 'old' bread and toss with garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper, and a dash of olive oil. Spread out your croutons on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes, until golden and crispy.

(Side note: This recipe calls for Worcestershire Sauce... the brand I used does contain fish, but if you're concerned about mixing fish with dairy/meat, there are many other brands that are strictly 'veggie')

Ingredients

1 cup Light Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp Milk (or Soy milk)

2 heads Romaine Lettuce Hearts, diced

1 cup Croutons

Directions

In a large salad bowl, mix first 8 ingredients until well-blended. Add more milk if dressing is too thick.

Add Lettuce and Croutons and toss.

Top with additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Foodiscovery

2010-02-01T21:41:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Foodiscovery! :)

Food.
I LOVE food! I love to eat it. I love to cook it. It allows me to be creative and to do acts of kindness. It makes me and others happy. It is the most basic need of every creature and is one of the biggest pleasures in the world. But like almost anything, it must be handled well or it can cause problems. It can be used as a comfort, even when you’re not really hungry. Improper eating can cause sickness. Extra weight can lead to obesity, which can lead to diseases such as diabetes. Food is thus a neutral entity, and it is up to each of us to use it in good ways. I hope that readers will be able to learn from my blog to use food in good ways and to avoid using it in bad ways. I seek to inform and inspire as well as to entertain.

I welcome you, my fellow food lovers, to Foodiscovery – and invite you to join me on my journey. http://foodiscoveryblog.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Maidel, for inviting me to post to your blog! :) So far, Foodiscovery has the following five posts:

http://foodiscoveryblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/just-banana.html

Monday, February 1, 2010

Just a Banana?

Today's the day: I've gotta make three sales or this job isn't worth it for me. Why bother? Because you never know what can happen if you just keep trying! I'll go check out those big apartment buildings down the street....

http://foodiscoveryblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/im-loving-my-new-job-its-my-second-day.html

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Surprise On-the-Job Lunch

I'm loving my new job! It's my second day doing door-to-door sales for Culligan drinking water systems ( http://www.culligan.com/ ) in my own territory -- I was training in other peoples' territories last week -- and while I haven't made any sales yet in Teaneck or elsewhere, I've sure learned a lot! The more "doors" (businesses such as stores, salons, or doctors' offices) I see, the more confident I become. I think I'll do just another block or two of Cedar Lane and then stop to eat my usual Luna nutrition bar ( http://www.lunabar.com/ ) and drink my Naked juice ( http://nakedjuice.com/ ) for lunch....

http://foodiscoveryblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/our-first-date-without-baby.html

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Our First "Date" Without the Baby

A new spark of romance kindles within me as my husband and I walk hand-in-hand around Inwood, the Manhattan neighborhood we call home. Strange as it is for us to be just a couple again for a bit, at the same time I feel free skipping along the sidewalk excitedly and joking with my Sweety-Pie....

http://foodiscoveryblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/warm-your-belly.html

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Warm Your Belly

The howling winter wind bites at my face like an angry dog as I trudge through the icy white mounds on the ground. My whole body is frozen solid. Just one more block until I'm home, I tell myself. Finally I push open the door to my apartment building, and when I pass through the portal between the merciless open air and the secure shelter, my skin begins to thaw....

http://foodiscoveryblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/our-quest-begins.html

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Our Quest Begins...

…at my late-childhood home in Cincinnati, Ohio.

December 2002.

I’m in 12th grade this year. Sometimes I can’t wait to get out of here, but now is one time I love being at home with my parents and five cats. The Jewish holiday Chanukah starts this evening. Festive music emanates from the living room as I dash up and down the basement stares to gather decorations that are stored there. While helping my parents put them up, I sing and dance joyously with the music. I search through drawers to find the dreidles, special spinning tops that are used for a game that is customarily played on Chanukah. I look forward to playing it again with my parents this year. Even the cats are excited, what with all the new toys for them that have appeared....

Putting The Season's Bounty To Good Use

2009-12-17T19:45:00.003-05:00

(Cross-Posted on Guess Who's Coming To Dinner)

At least insomnia is good for something.

I was unable to sleep last night so I began trolling the internet at 3 a.m. (the internet never sleeps....) for something new and different to make for the shalom zachor of a very good friend who just had her FIFTH (!!!) boy. I chanced upon this post over at Life In the Carpool Lane: CHOCOLATE DIPPED CLEMENTINES. What a deceptively simple, yet elegant idea! And to make matters even better, clementines which are abundant right now, also happen to be on sale this week for $4.99 a box.

Here is my adaptation of her recipe:

Ingredients:

clementines

semi-sweet chocolate chips

sweetened shredded coconut

Peel and section the clementines
Melt good quality chocolate over a double boiler and stir
Dip each clementine section halfway into the melted chocolate and then in a bowl of shredded coconut
Put the pieces on wax paper in the fridge to set

These taste as good as they look, and they look like something you might find in a gourmet shop.

Beaver Tails - a different kind of Chanuka donut....

2009-12-16T00:56:00.000-05:00

I have a really great friend, Perla, who happens to also be Canadian. Whenever she has a party she makes sure that Beaver Tails are on the menu, and the first time I tried these donuts, it was love at first taste. Apparently they're really big in Montreal, where she's from. This is my version. Enjoy warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar!

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water
5 teaspoons dry yeast

1 cup warm milk
1 tablespoon + 1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
5 cups flour
oil for frying

Topping

2 cups white sugar, or as needed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast, warm water, and a pinch of sugar. Let stand until slightly foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. When the yeast is foamy (looks like beer), stir in remaining sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil and salt.
3. Add flour gradually to make soft dough. Knead 5-8 minutes (by hand on a floured surface or with a dough hook), adding flour as needed to form a firm, smooth, elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl, and cover. Let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Gently deflate the dough, and pinch off a golf ball-sized piece of dough. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the ball out to an oval. Set aside to rest covered with a tea towel, and continue with remaining dough.
4. Heat about 4 inches of oil for frying in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). If you do not have a deep fryer, a wok or Dutch oven will work. Test a tiny bit of dough and see if it sizzles and swells immediately. If it does, the oil temperature is where it should be.
5. Just before placing the beaver tails in the oil, stretch the ovals out into a tail shape, thinning and enlarging them as you do. Carefully place the tails in the hot oil one or two at a time. Fry, turning once, until the tails are a deep brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove using tongs and drain on paper towels.
6. Place 2 cups of sugar in a large bowl, and stir in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Toss beaver tails in the sugar bowl while they are still hot. Shake off excess.

Lebkuchen

2009-12-05T19:10:00.001-05:00

(Cross posted on Guess Who's Coming To Dinner)

I've had readers ask for more recipes.

I've had other readers ask for more posts with German Jewish themes.

I've had different readers ask for more controversial posts (OK, you guys are out of luck this time...).

I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone with this recipe for lebkuchen, a traditional German spice cake with the consistency of a brownie.

Enjoy it this Chanukah courtesy of yours truly:

Lebkuchen

1 stick margarine
4 eggs
1 pound brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 package vanilla sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 package ground walnuts -- (7 ounces)

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
hot water -- if needed
Topping:
nonpareils

Mix together all ingredients. Pour into greased 9" x 13" pan.

Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or more until it looks like brownies.

Mix glaze ingredients and ice while hot! Sprinkle with nonpareils.

Ever So Yummy Corn Bread

2009-12-03T13:18:00.001-05:00

1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup corn meal
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil (I use canola)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Beat egg and milk together. Add flour, corn meal, both sugars, oil, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well. Pour into a greased pan (I usually use one of those circular pans). Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Honey Chicken

2009-12-01T18:26:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, cut into 8 pieces

3/4 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Rinse chicken, pat dry and place in prepared pan.
In a small bowl, mix together honey, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic powder and pepper and pour over chicken.
Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 1 hour until slightly browned.

Teriyaki Chicken & Peppers

2009-11-24T20:50:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless chicken breast cutlets, sliced into strips
20 ounces teriyaki sauce (you can really use less, maybe 10 oz)
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 whole red bell pepper, seeded, veins removed, slice into thin strips
1 whole green bell pepper, seeded, veins removed, slice into thin strips
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Rinse cutlets and pat dry

2. place chicken in a sealable plastic bag with teriyaki sauce and honey, shake to coat and set aside

3. in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat and sauté peppers for 10 minutes, until tender

4. while that's cooking, in another large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté chicken strips for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked thorough

5. add balance of marinade (Whatever is left in sealable plastic bag) to peppers and heat thoroughly for about 5 minutes

6. combine peppers and chicken and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving

milkshake mishap

2009-11-13T01:06:00.000-05:00

The only thing you're going to get out of this post is a recipe for disaster.

So I went shopping for groceries today - one of my fave things to do because it combines two of my greatest loves - shopping and food. (ok three - the place I go has the hottest bag boys)

Anyhow, love #4 - sales - were abundant in this pre-Thanksgiving season. And much to my delight, my preferred brand of frozen fruit (including strawberries, blueberries and mango) was included in the discount. I was very excited to make my purchase of three bags of frozen goodness, and even more excited to go home and whip up some soy smoothies (soy milk was also on sale!).

I think I was a little too excited to show my bubbie my kitchen proficiency, because while you and I may know that making smoothies is practically child's play, well at least that's what I thought before the mishap hap'd, my bubbie comes from the land of kugel and kasha where food is either white or brown or speckled with carrot. Pink or blue food in Eastern Europe is something you throw out.

So here is where it all when to sh$t.

I filled my blender with some newly-purchased fruit and soy milk. That's basically it. I think I put too much fruit. Not enough soy milk.

As soon as I hit the 'Frappé' button, I knew something was going terribly wrong. My blender started screeching. My mixture had separated. The bottom half was strawberry pink, the top half blueberry blue. The mango pieces had formed an icy barrier against the blender blades. The soy milk must have freaked out because it was slowly freezing over into a chunky mess. My blender had somehow turned into an ice cream-maker.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my bubbie's perplexed stare. Giving her my best reassuring plastic smile, I grabbed a long wooden spoon out of its drawer hoping to save the smoothie. I managed to hand-mix the whole thing to a nice deep purple in a tribute to life before electronic gadgets.

Unfortunately, they didn't have smoothies in those dark ages, and neither did my bubbie today. I poured some of the soft-ice-cream, slushy-like mix into a cup, handed my grandmother a spoon and said 'L'Chaim!'.

Little Bites For Little Birthdays

2009-11-12T17:24:00.002-05:00

Thank you to Material Maidel for inviting me to contribute to Kosher Cuisine. While I was happy to be included, I wasn’t sure what I could bring to the table here (ha ha ha! That’s so punny!) I’m not the world’s best cook, and I don’t really have any recipes in my repertoire that are so exceptional that they deserve to be shared here. One thing I do know, however, is how to feed hungry kids on a tight budget. Another thing I know (hey! I know two things!) is how to throw a fun birthday party for the young’uns that won’t burn a hole in your wallet (think arts & crafts, jewelry beading, painting, and “manicures & makeovers” for the girls; outdoor ball games for the boys, because you don’t really want so many rambunctious little boys inside your house at one time).
So I thought I’d share with you some menu ideas that will allow you to host a fun, inexpensive and easy to prepare birthday party that DOES NOT INCLUDE PIZZA (kids eat way too much pizza). The rule of thumb here is that most kids like food that is cut up, crunchy, easy to eat, and presented in a fun way- in colorful little bowls, or on a stick. Added bonus: you won’t need to provide any cutlery- this is finger food (except for the ice cream).
***For ages 3 and up only. Some of these foods present a choking hazard to children under 3.

Dairy menu:
*Bowls of potato chips, pretzels, licorice bites, M&Ms, etc. for snacking.
*Miniature bagels filled with cream cheese, butter, strawberry or grape jelly, tuna salad, egg salad or grilled cheese.
*Cut up cucumbers, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and red/yellow/orange baby bell peppers arranged attractively on a tray or on colorful toothpicks. Provide small bowls of creamy salad dressing for dipping.
*For dessert (and instead of an expensive birthday cake that no one will finish) prepare in advance little 4 oz. cups with one scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with a bit of chocolate syrup. Before serving, top each one with whipped cream and colored sprinkles. Put a lit candle in the birthday child’s cup and sing Happy Birthday.

Meat Menu:
*Bowls of potato chips, pretzels, licorice bites, popcorn, etc. for snacking.
* Alternate cocktail franks on toothpicks with crunchy pickle slices. Provide ketchup and mustard for dipping.
*Put out trays of french fries, mini corn on the cobb, and small potato burekas (just fill store bought puff pastry squares with mashed potatoes and bake at 425 degrees Farenheit for 15-20 minutes).
*You can add a tray of homemade chicken nuggets if you’d like.
*For dessert: put out little bowls of fruit: grapes (plucked off the vine), baby apples, cubes of seedless watermelon, and orange sections. Put each type of fruit in a separate bowl, so the kids can select the ones that they like.
Instead of birthday cake: brownie squares with colorful sprinkles. Put a lit candle in the birthday child’s brownie and sing Happy Birthday.

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

2009-11-11T15:18:00.000-05:00

Crossposted on me-ander
When our firstborn was almost a year old, my in-laws came to visit and meet their first grandchild. They brought a gift, a blender, a Hamilton Beach one which lasted decades. The blender came with a nice big cookbook, which I read from cover to cover.

I must admit that I cooked very few of those recipes. The one I cooked the most was its cheesecake. And this morning I got a facebook message from an old friend asking if I still make it and a request for the recipe. So if she remembers it fondly from over thirty-five, yes 35, years ago, it's definitely worth blogging.

In those days we didn't have great varieties of food here in Israel. We always had to substitute, so I used plain cookies/biscuits instead of the zweibacks, the book lists. Honestly, to this day, I haven't the vaguest idea what zweibacks are.

It's a very easy cheesecake recipe using easy to find ingredients. It's simple to make and make lower fat if desired. I'm sure it'll taste fine with arificial sweetners, too. You can add cut fruit and anything else, including chocolate. Recipes are supposed to be "played with." Please let me know how it comes out.

Here's the recipe, including commentary:

18 "zweiback"
2 Tablespoons sugar (could be deleted, makes the topping too sweet)
1/3 cup melted butter (I must have used about 2 or 3 cubed inches)
1 cup milk
1 T lemon juice, which was awful, so I used vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar (I used brown sugar)
2 T flour (I used whole wheat)
1/4 teaspoon salt (I never add salt to cakes, so you can leave it out)
lemon rind, optional and not recommended
16 ounces of cottage cheese

blend the cookies into crumbs, making 1 1/2 cups
mix crumbs with the 2 T's of sugar and the melted butter
press just under half of it on the bottom of a 9x9x2 or 8" round baking pan
put remaining ingredients in blender, in order listed, and blend until smooth
pour into baking pan
spread remaining crumb mixture, actually, I used to just make less crumbs and only use them on the bottom. You can reduce the calories enormously by eliminating the topping, or top without bottom crumbs.
bake until center is firm, temperature a drop less than for a regular cake.

Bring on the Broccoli Salad

2009-10-23T00:28:00.000-04:00

Have you seen this salad recently? Quite possible - because it's become one of those dishes that graces almost EVERY Shabbos table in Brooklyn. I found the original recipe in today's holy bible of Kosher cooking, Susie Fishbein's Kosher by Design. Here's my version.

Ingredients
1 head broccoli, stems discarded, florets chopped very small
1 cup light or fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
3 Tbsps. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsps. sugar
1 package kosher Ramen-type soup noodles (discard seasonings packet)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, shelled and unsalted
1/4 cup raw cashews, unsalted
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup pine nuts

Instructions
Crumble soup noodles in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, onion, sugar and vinegar. Add broccoli and toss until evently coated.
Add noodles and remaining ingredients. Toss lightly.

This dish tastes great served right away or even the next day.

Never Dull, KCC on its way...

2009-09-24T00:06:00.002-04:00

The dust has barely settled on the latest Havel Havelim, and I must start planning the very next Kosher Cooking Carnival. it's due in less than a week! So, please get your posts in ASAP, thanks.

KCC isn't just a recipe collection. It includes Halacha, Jewish Law, traditions, menus, funny stories, cookbook/restaurant reviews and... of course, recipes. Being that we're in the main holiday and fasting season there's lots to blog about.

October's will be at Mimi's, and if you're interested in hosting subsequent months, please contact me, shilohmuse at gmail dot com

Thanks!

Butternut Squash Soup & Roasted Butternut Squash Seeds

2009-09-16T22:46:00.002-04:00

I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. Even my 8 month old son loved it! (Unless you're having a lot of people over for a meal, there will be plenty left over to freeze for a future meal). I actually found this recipe on the Food Network website, but I tweaked it a bit.

1 butternut squash, peeled

nutmeg (I tried it without a preferred it that way, but added it anyway to see if it enhanced the taste. My husband preferred it with the nutmeg though)

2 tablespoons of unsalted margarine

salt and pepper (Again, I liked it without, my husband preferred it with -- either way it's delicious though)

1 onion, chopped

6 cups of veggie stock

Cut squash into one inch chunks. In a large pot melt margarine. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer until squash is tender. Remove squash chunks with a slotted spoon and blend it. (Our blender is breaking so there were still plenty of chunks left in. I thought it was actually nice to have the varying textures.) Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper (if you so please).

I looked up online to see if the seeds in the butternut squash were edible and it turns out they were. I cleaned off the seeds. Dried them as much as possible. Sprayed a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Layed out the seeds evenly and sprinkled with salt. (You can sprinkle it with pretty much anything you think might taste good -- cajun powder, garlic salt, cheese powder, etc). Put it in the oven on 350 for about 30 minutes. (I didn't really time it. Just waited until I could smell it.

Pepper Steak

2009-08-30T22:24:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:

2 pounds pepper steak strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon prepared crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 whole green bell pepper, seeded, veins removed, thinly sliced
1 whole red bell pepper, seeded, veins removed, thinly sliced
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 package Jasmine Rice, prepared according to package directions

Directions:

1. Rinse pepper steak, pat dry and place in a large bowl

2. In a small bowl, blend cornstarch with cold water until smooth. Pour over steak

3. Add honey, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Stir to mix. Set aside

4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add peppers and onions and sauté for 3 minutes.

5. Reduce heat to medium, cook 10 to 15 minutes longer or until vegetables are softened.

6. In a large skillet, over high heat, sauté steak and honey mixture for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes longer or until beef is cooked through.

7. In a large serving bowl, combine peppers and onions with steak and mix. Serve warm with Jasmine Rice if Desired.

Bissli Chicken

2009-08-10T21:59:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast
Duck Sauce
2 bags BBQ flavored Bissli, crushed
2 bags onion ring flavored Bissli, crushed

Directions:

1. mix the bissli flavors together in a bowl

2. pour some duck sauce in another bowl

3. dip chicken in duck sauce then cover with crushed bissli

4. place in aluminum pan and bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or a bit longer until desired crunchiness is achieved.

Enjoy, this taste really yummy!

It’s really easy to make, I use chicken cutlets and Super Snacks, instead of Bissli, because Bissli is hard to find in supermarkets.

Sparkling Minestrone Vegetable Soup

2009-07-22T00:05:00.001-04:00

This is cross-posted on me-ander

According to Jewish Law and Lore there are two fast days in the summer, and I love to break my fast on vegetable soup.

Usually, I make a split pea soup, but I didn't have any peas on hand. Instead I found a package of mixed beans, which, as you can see, included:

kidney beans
lima beans
chickpeas

I checked them for bugs and stones and then left them to soak in hot, boiling water. After it cooled, I poured out the water and added more. I've read that beans are digested better if you change the water. Whether it's true or not, I don't know.

Since the beans began to get soft, it was time for stage two of the cooking. I added more boiling water to the beans and began cooking them for real, not just soaking.

In a larger pot, I put sliced onions, carrots and squash and sauteed them in vegetable oil.

Once the vegetables were partially cooked, I poured in the beans, plus the bean liquid and cooked everything together.

Since I'm trying to cut the carbs, I added some tomato paste for extra flavor. That gave me a low carbohydrate Minestrone style vegetable soup. I added whatever seasonings smelled right to me, like salt, pepper, garlic, parsley. These are all standards I keep in my pantry.

It's funny how the soup sparkles. I guess the flash played on the oil. It really tasted good, and my husband even complimented me on it.

The best thing is that it is very easy to make.

A Breakfast Better Shared...

2009-07-17T09:42:00.002-04:00

(Cross-posted at Guess Who's Coming To Dinner....)

Some things are just better when they are shared with others. We know this to be true about Shabbos meals to be sure. The more company, the more lively the conversation, the better the zemiros harmonies, the warmer the atmosphere.

But I will tell you a little secret. I have a breakfast recipe that is better shared as well. Of course you can make it for one, but the more people you share it with, the more variety you are able to present in each individual dish.

I am talking about Birchermuesli.

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe, so I figured that rather than have you all traipse over to my house in your pajamas on Sunday morning, I'll give you the recipe here to share with your own families. It's really easy. All you have to do is remember to set it up the night before, since it "cooks" in the refrigerator overnight. (No heat + taking advantage of the bountiful July produce = the perfect summer recipe) I should mention that it makes a great brunch or lunch as well.

Birchermuesli

1/2 to 3/4 cups rolled oats per person

1/2 to 3/4 cups milk per person (equal parts ;) )

1 handful of raisins per person (craisins may be substituted )

1 squirt of honey per person

Mix well and let set in refrigerator overnight where it transforms into sweet creamy perfection. In the morning add tons of cut up fruit. Now keep in mind that this is where you need the larger group of people because a whole peach and a whole plum and a few handfuls of assorted berries and a handful of grapes might be a lot for one person in a bowl of cereal for breakfast, but when divided more ways, your ability to increase the taste variety increases accordingly.

Have fun! Enjoy breakfast and let me know what you think!

They Asked For Chulent

2009-07-10T05:10:00.000-04:00

Very rarely do I make chulent, that slow-cooking stew, a lot of people eat as part of, or the main part of, their Shabbat day meal.

My family doesn't like it, or they don't like what I used to make, so I don't cook it.

But yesterday my neighbor who arranges meals for those who need them asked me to make someone chulent. If that's what they want, that's what they'll get. Here's the new version:

A couple of handfuls of mixed dry beans (lima, kindney and chickpeas.) Presoak, rinse and soak again for quite a while to soften.
A package of turkey wings, better ratio of meat to bones than turkey drumsticks.
Potatoes
spices, peppercorns, ketchup and whatever

After the beans have gotten soft, cook them up with the turkey and water. Then add the potatoes and ketchup and more water. If my pot hadn't been so full, I would have added carrots and onions.

It smells good!

Make your own Cookbook!

2009-06-26T12:12:00.002-04:00

Have you ever dreamed of compiling all of your mom's secrets recipes?
Need a good gift for a best friend's bridal shower?
Want to get published?

Tastebook.com is a great new website that lets you put together a very professional-looking cookbook for under $40. You can choose from hundreds of thousands of great recipes, or add your own.

The only downside is that you can't play with the layout that much. But it's not such a big deal when you get a gorgeous book in the mail!

Best Tuna Beigel?

2009-06-04T15:38:00.003-04:00

In honor of Tuna Beigels everywhere, I'm holding a contest for the BEST Tuna Beigel recipe!

Submit your recipes to materialmaidel@gmail.com !

Sesame Chicken & Chinese Rice

2009-06-02T18:04:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:

2 lb chicken cutlets cubed

batter:
1 Cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup water

sauce (optional,)
( you’ll notice in the picture I included one without the sauce)
1 1/2 cups duck sauce
3/4 tbs soy sauce
3 tbls honey
2 tbl corn starch
1/2 cup water
topping 1/2 cup sesame seeds

Directions:

batter:
combine oil & spices. combine flour & baking powder, mix with rest of ingredients until smooth and thick
dip chicken into batter coat thoroughly
deep fry place onto paper towel to absorb oil so they stay crispy

sauce:
combine 1st 3 ingredients bring to a boil, add corn starch & water, simmer until is gravy like
place nuggets into sauce top with sesame seeds

Chinese Rice

cook basmati rice as per directions
while cooking fry an egg slice thin and half
while rice is still hot add egg and sliced scallions
add soy sauce to your taste
a few tbl should be enough

Avocado Strawberry Salad

2009-05-18T12:41:00.004-04:00

This is an easy, breezy, yummy Shabbos salad that avocado fans will love!

Ingredients
2 large avocados
4 strawberries, sliced
1/2 red pepper
1/2 small purple onion
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely diced
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions
Halve and pit avocados. Julienne avocado, red pepper and onion into thin strips and place in medium sized bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Pecan Muffins

2009-05-15T15:16:00.005-04:00

1 1/2 Cups flour
1/2 tspn baking soda
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup chopped pecans
1 tspn vanilla sugar
1 1/2 Cups strawberries, cut up
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 Cup (2/3) oil

Cream the oil, eggs, strawberries, and vanilla sugar. Mix dry ingredients in another bowl. Then mix them both together. Add Baking soda last.

Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake on 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Nothing Like Matzah Brei!

2009-04-12T03:03:00.002-04:00

Crossposted on me-ander

What's your most reliable, filling Passover food staple?

For us it's the classic "Ashkenaz" Matzah Brei. I just made a nice big one for my husband to take to work. It's a day's worth of food for him. It's one dish we can't live without on Pesach. OK, this isn't diet food, and I doubt if I'll eat one this year. I'm not planning on traveling, so I can make my usual low carb goodies.

Matzah Brei is easy, simple to make and includes ingredients and equipment everyone (and if you don't have, they're worth buying) has at home:

matzah
eggs
water (milk optional)
margarine or oil for frying
something sweet to spread on it, honey or jam (optional)

The necessary equipment:

a large bowl
a spoon
covered frying pan (you can cover with a plate or foil)
spatula (or knife and spoon used in tandem)

Yes, that's it.

take a few matzot and break them up in a large bowl
add some water, half way unless you want milk, too, then the combination should be half way up the matzah
add eggs, at least one per matzah
mix
let sit for awhile, so the liquids can be absorbed by the matzot
heat oil/margarine in the frying pan
spoon the mixture onto the hot, greased pan
lower the heat and cover
when you can see that the top is cooked/solid/not eggy-runny, then turn over and cover
wait a minute and turn off the flame and let it sit for at least five minutes
That's it!

My Pesach Present

My son-in-law saw this for sale and knew he had to buy one. He and my daughter decided that it was just perfect for me. It's a well-made wooden cutting board, constructed like a "table." Underneath is a "bowl." It's for cutting salad.

The ironic thing is that a number of years ago, I also saw one of those and bought it... for my mother.

2009-04-07T13:27:00.001-04:00

Non-Gebrokts Chocolate Cake

2009-04-07T12:14:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
3/4 cup boiling water
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a nine-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper.
Place both chocolates and the sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground. Pour the boiling water through the feed tube and process for 10-15 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the work bowl. Add the butter and process until incorporated.
Add the eggs and vanilla and process until the mixture is smooth creamy, about eight seconds. Scrape the chocolate batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 55-60 minutes, until the edges of the cake are puffy and the center is just set. Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours or until ready to serve.

pesach recipes!

2009-04-06T10:48:00.002-04:00

Do you have a GREAT Pesach recipe you want to share?

Post them here!

Chicken Soup Tips

2009-04-05T01:43:00.003-04:00

I've been making chicken soup for a few years now, and have a few tips to making a soup go from good to amazing. Now, everytime I come home I have to make a batch for my mother which she freezes for the next few weeks, until I come home again.

1. Cook it overnight. The bones from the chicken with disintegrate, and between that and the marrow, you will get a superb taste. It will require very little salt as it comes naturally from the marrow.

2. Use the white Vidalia onions. They are naturally sweeter and less pungent. Once again you will not have to add sugar or any other sweetener to the soup. (You may have to depending how sweet it end up being, and I suggest using honey)

3. I don't know why I do it, this is the mesorah I have from a friends mother who makes it better than I do, but cook the onion with the peel on.

3. Dill, parsley, salt, and pepper only. The beauty is in simplicity of taste. (on a side note, the same for spicing a chulent, only simple spices)

Kosher Cooking Carnival!

2009-03-20T11:20:00.007-04:00

I'm so glad to be part of this month's Kosher Cooking Carnival! (and I've never been so hungry in my life after looking at all of your sites!)

So, here goes!

Shabbos

I know it's Friday, and maybe you've already done all your Shabbos cooking. But if you still need some ideas about what to serve, read What's for Shabbos by Shorty.

Need some good wine for Kiddush? Make your own! Make Easy and Quick Homemade Wine. How to Make Cheap Wine at Home? posted at Thoughtfully Vikram....

Dish up these yummy Fish Croquettes for Shabbat as a great gefilte fish alternative over at West Bank Mama.

You should definitely try making Eggplant Caponata. It's a great side dish posted by Ilana-Davita.

Did your chicken soup boil over today? Yisrael Medad presents Back to Basics: Chicken Soup so that you'll get it right next time.

Or maybe you're tired of having the same soup every week? At Blog d'Elisson, the Mistress of Sarcasm cooked up a delish Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup.

And for dessert, your whole family will beg for second slices of Clementine cake by Bowl of Plenty.

If you love chulent, you will definitely love this recipe for Vegetarian kishke brought to you by Our Shiputzim: A Work In Progress.

When Shabbos is over, who actually wants to cook? Read Creative Cooking Using Leftovers: Chicken Casserole A Mother in Israel posted at A Mother in Israel.

Pesach

Pesach is just around the corner! Make your annual countdown to the cleandown a little less stressed - read the amazing Batya's Painless Pesach Preparations And No-Starch Meatloaf .

At Beneath the Wings, Ricki's Mom talks about the new Recipe Book she bought for Pesach. Looks like she wasn't too happy with her purchase... (makes me wonder which book she bought...)

Learn

More interested in the History Channel than the Food Network? Read History of Cooking Cooking History History of Cooking .

Learn about the Acai Berry - Common Questions Answered. Apparently it's got some great health benefits!

Healthy Cooking

Think you can't eat healthy? Yes You Can! Get tips for healthy eating at Healthy Kosher Eating With Chana.

You should also definitely read The Vegetarian Activist & The Vegetarian Chassid: A Conversation In The Vegetable Garden – Part I posted at A Simple Jew. (deep down, we'd all love to be vegetarians, wouldn't we?)

Cheap eats

With the economy looking as bleak as ever (ok, I am hopeful that it will turn soon, but in the meantime, I gotta budget!), you might want to head over to the Culinary School Guide, where you will find links to the Top 100 Blogs for the Frugal Gourmet.

Random thoughts

The king of random thoughts, Yisrael Medad, talks about various topics you might find interesting (I certainly do!).
In Pork, Jews and One Jew , someone asks about making pork roast for Jewish friends.

And in Does This Sound Kosher To You?, Mr. Medad discusses the kosher-ness of kosher salt. Apparently there's a new 'Christian salt' on the market right now... (it's alright, we Jews love competition)

I like Israeli Salad

2009-03-17T19:02:00.002-04:00

For the past few weeks I have been experimenting with creating the perfect salad. What is a Friday night without a nice salad full of freshly chopped vegetables? and What is life without a little rabbit food?

The best type of salad is one that you have all the necessary ingredients for. What good is a fancy recipe if you don't have any of the things you will need? That is why I recommend making a salad with things you have and not things you will have to search a million stores just to find. However, there are a few things that are essential when making an Israeli salad: cucumbers and tomatoes. Once you have those two things, the rest is metaphorical icing on the cake.

This is the recipe that I used most recently for a nice tasting Israeli salad.

3 medium tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
2 cucumbers (not those small ones, the nice size ones: you don't want it to be totally tomato)
1 medium onion

Peel the cucumbers. De-seed tomatoes and peppers. Chop the all the vegetables into small pieces. (For instructions on how to cut vegetables into small pieces watch this video.)Mix in a big salad bowl.

Once you have chopped all the vegetables it is now time to create a salad dressing. Personally I am a big fan of the Italian style dressing. But if you are one of those types that don't like much dressing, just add some lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.

Otherwise:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Mix all the above ingredients together until your hand goes numb. Then pour in 1/2 cup olive oil and continue to mix with your other hand. Seal in some sort of sealable container and shake until frothy.

Pour as much dressing as you want over the salad.

Enjoy.

Serves: Depends on appetite of individual eating.

The Kosher Cooking Carnival

2009-03-07T15:54:00.003-05:00

First of all, here's the new logo for the Kosher Cooking Carnival. Graphics are by Pesky Settler. And here's the link to the latest one. The next one will be hosted by Kosher Cuisine's very own Material Maidel. Please send in any suitable posts you write or see via blog carnival. And if you'd like to host an edition, please let me know shilohmuse at yahoo dot com

Shavua Tov!

Red Cabbage Salad

2009-02-12T07:26:00.002-05:00

I love salads with red cabbage in them. An added benefit is the fact that if you make them for Friday night, the leftovers can still be served Shabbos morning.

The dressing for this particular salad is a bit different from the standard.

Sorry, I don't have a picture but I like to dress it right before serving and I usually serve it on Shabbos ;)

Enjoy!

Salad:

2 Bags Red Cabbage

1/2 cup Pine Nuts

1/4 cup Sesame Seeds

2 cups Chinese Noodles

Dressing:

1 cup Oil

1/4 cup Vinegar

2 Cloves Garlic (I personally love garlic, but sometimes go easy on this amount...)

2 Tbsp. Peanut Butter

1/2 cup Sugar

Dash of Salt and Pepper

Candied Dates

2009-02-10T19:49:00.002-05:00

I made this recipe back in January for a Middle Eastern-inspired potluck and then again for TuB'Shvat. They are very simple to make and I'm told that even non-date eaters like these dates.

The first batch consisted of organic Deglet Noor Dates and the second batch consisted of organic Golden Zahidi Dates and Deglet Noor Dates. I got both types on sale at the local grocery store after Christmas when they were discounting all the dried and candied fruits normally used for fruit cake. Each pound only cost me $1. Of course, you're welcome to use any dates that you prefer or are easily obtainable.

The candied almonds come about in the recipe as a way to use up leftover honey and they are quite delicious too.

Candied Dates
& Candied Almonds

1 pound whole dates
Whole almonds [the amount will vary]
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup almond meal
gluten-free cooking spray

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper then lightly spray the wax paper with the cooking spray. Set aside. Using a paring knife make an incision on one of the long sides of the date. Gently open the date and remove the pit. If some of the inner skin comes out as well, that's fine. If all the inner skin is loose, remove it. If the inner skin has orange discoloration on it, discard the date because it won't taste right*. If the interior has a gritty substance suspended in a string-like formation, discard the date because something was living in it. Once the pit removed, insert a single whole almond and close up the date. Repeat until all the dates are done.

Place the honey in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. The honey will boil up and create a foam. if there are particles on the foam, scrape them off the top and discard. Stir the honey frequently. Once to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract then remove the honey from the heat. Place 3 to 4 of the dates into the honey mixture using a slotted spoon. Swirl the dates gently in the honey to coat all sides. Remove the dates one at a time with the slotted spoon, drain off excess honey into the saucepan then place the dates on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dates have been coated in honey. There may be leftover honey and to use it up, I like to dip whole almonds into the honey - one at a time - then place them on the prepared cookie sheet to make candied almonds.

Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours so the honey can set. The dates will still be extremely sticky to the touch. Once the refrigeration is complete, sprinkle half of the almond meal onto a serving tray or plate. Remove the dates from the cookie sheet gently as to not break them apart and place them on the serving tray. [For the candied almonds, I like to dip the almonds in finely shredded unsweetened coconut before placing them on the serving tray.] Once all the dates are on the serving tray, sprinkle the remaining almond meal over them. [The almond meal helps keep the dates from sticking to the tray, etc. along with adding additional texture and flavor.]

Serve or wrap the tray in plastic wrap to store. They are fine at room temperature for up to two days. After that, they will need to be refrigerated.

*When I was living overseas in the Middle East, I encountered several dates that had orange discoloration on the inner skin. I was told that the dates caught a cold during the growing process. When a date catches a cold, the way it grows and the flavor it should develop changes. How the flavor changes varies depending on the type of date but typically dates that catch colds are not eaten. I rarely see dates grown in the USA with this "condition" but it is quite common in dates that are grown in the Middle East.

All of the dates I used with this recipe [so far] were cold-free but several had things living in them at one point. Out of a whole pound [about 30 to 35 dates], I discarded 5 or 6 dates because of grit and strings.

Baked Compote

2009-01-31T11:51:00.004-05:00

Sorry, but I didn't take a picture while cooking it.

We were invited for Shabbat lunch to neighbors and asked to bring dessert. We brought two things, one some pastry bought in our local store and the other was "Baked Compote." What's "Baked Compote?" Honestly, I just invented it. Since I've been on my Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet, I've been making Baked Apples for dessert, but I didn't know how many people would be at the meal.

The great thing about the Baked Apples is that there is no sugar, but it's very sweet, because it's baked. No water is added. So I put on my "thinking cap" and invented:

Baked Compote

use an oven-proof covered pan
peel and slice two apples per portion, (just to be safe,) and place them in the pan
add the juice of a couple of juicy oranges, or some natural orange juice. It shouldn't be enough to cover the apples, unless you want a liquidy compote.
sprinkle cinnamon and any other spice you'd like
bake, covered, in a medium oven until boiling for at least fifteen minutes
let it cool in the oven or in a warm place, where it can continue cooking

Now, that I've gotten you hungry, it's time to remind you that we need your posts in the Kosher Cooking Carnival! Please send them here. And if you'd like to host an edition, please let me know at shilohmuse at yahoo dot com Thanks

easy marble cake

2009-01-29T22:32:00.002-05:00

I wasn't kidding in my last post. This is version #3 of Mrs. Sebbag's Gateau à l'Orange! And how Jewish is marble cake?

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. grated orange rind
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder + 2 Tbsp. sugar (or 3 Tbsp. chocolate milk powder)
chocolate syrup

Instructions

Combine eggs, orange juice, oil, vanilla and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add flour, baking powder, baking soda and orange rind. Mix until well combined. Pour most of cake batter into a greased bundt or spring pan, leaving about a cup of batter in your bowl.

In your bowl, add cocoa powder and sugar (or chocolate milk powder) to batter and stir well. Pour your chocolate batter over the other batter. Gently cut a knife through the cake to get a nice marble effect.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. (use the toothpick test!).

Drizzle with chocolate syrup and Enjoy!

the ultimate blueberry cake

2009-01-29T22:19:00.003-05:00

I've been making variations of Mrs. Sebbag's Gateau à l'Orange every Shabbos since she gave me the recipe! This past Shabbos I made this version, and it was AMAZING.

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. grated orange rind

Blueberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. cinammon
1 tsp. brown sugar

Icing
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp. orange juice
1 tsp. hot water

Instructions

Combine eggs, orange juice, oil, vanilla and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add flour, baking powder, baking soda and orange rind. Mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine blueberries, flour, corn starch, cinammon and brown sugar until berries are well coated. Add blueberries to cake batter and stir gently until evenly distributed.

Bake at 350 degrees in a greased bundt or spring pan for approximately 30 minutes. (use the toothpick test!). Let cake cool completely.

In a small bowl, mix ingredients to make icing. Icing should be a syrupy consistency. Pour over cake or use a baking brush to give your cake a gorgeous sheen.

Let sit for a few minutes and serve!

Granola

2009-01-28T15:42:00.002-05:00

I saw this recipe on a facebook group and decided to try it out. It was quite yummy.

2 c old fashioned oats

1/2 c sliced almonds

1/4 c light brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c raisins

Set your oven to 350F. Mix everything together in a bowl except the almonds and raisins.

Try to mix thoroughly and get most of the brown sugar clumps out. Line a cookie sheet with

parchment paper. Spread the mix on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes until just

past golden brown, stirring every 5 or 10 minutes to prevent burning. Toast the almonds

separately and let them cool down. Mix the almonds, raisins, and granola together. Cool

the granola in dry open air on the same cookie sheet to crisp up. Store in an airtight

container.

Sprinkle on vanilla yogurt mixed with fresh strawberries.

BEEF TONGUE (WITH RAISIN SAUCE)

2009-01-25T15:49:00.002-05:00

The best time to cook is on an empty stomach. The best time to shop is on an empty stomach. The best time to read a blog about Kosher Cuisine is on an empty stomach. The reason for this wonderful advice is because the only way food can only really be appreciated is when the body is in the natural state to really enjoy it, and that is when the body is hungry.

That being said, this next recipe really makes my mouth water and wish that I still had room in my stomach for one more morsel. This next recipe is the hallmark of kosher food. A few hundred years after Noach ate the first steak, Avraham served the angels freshly cooked Tongue. I have no idea what recipe Avraham used to serve the Tongue to the angels; suffice it to say that this recipe was probably it. It seems like a recipe fit for heavenly beings and out of this world.

As a side note, Raisins may have a bug infestation problem. (The sun-drying process in the open fields attracts all types of insects which end up being attached to the raisins. This is an issue in all sun-dried raisins. KASHRUS magazine recommends not using any sun-dried raisins without thoroughly washing and visually examining them.)So if you want to be strictly kosher, you can leave out the raisin sauce, and replace it with good old mustard like Avraham did when he served the Angels.

Ingredients

1 fresh Kosher Beef Tongue
3 sm. onions
2 sm. carrots
4 stalks celery & leaves
6 sprigs parsley
8 peppercorns
Salt & pepper
1/2 c. almonds, blanched & split
2/3 c. seedless raisins
6 tbsp. cooking fat
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 c. crushed gingersnaps
1 lemon, cut into sm. Cubes

Directions

Place tongue in a large kettle with onions, carrots, celery and parsley.

Add water to cover.

Add peppercorns and salt.

Simmer gently until tender, 3 to 5 hours.

Drain.

Reserve liquid.

Melt fat and add flour and stir until blended.

Gradually stir in reserved raisin and almond liquid and enough tongue liquid to make 3 cups in all.

Add gingersnaps, almonds, raisins and lemon cubes.

Season with salt and paprika.

Pour over sliced tongue.

Serve hot.

Coconut Chicken

2009-01-25T09:58:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe in Kosher By Design Entertains (sure hope this isn't plagiarism...) and made it for my husband this past shabbas. He loved it and it was surprisingly easy to make. Two things to note: 1. This recipe was intended to be an appetizer, but I made it a main dish. (Instead of cutting the chicken into strips I just left them whole.) 2. This recipe comes with two dipping sauces which I didn't make and am not going to bother posting them for just that reason.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (all I had in the house was crushed red pepper, so I used that)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs or panko
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
honey

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Season thee chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Ass some salt and pepper to the flour. Add the garlic powder and cayenne. Toss too combine. Place the beaten egg into a second shallow dish. Mix the corn flake crumbs and coconut in a third dish.
4. Lightly coat chicken with flour, shaking off excess. Dip each piece into the egg, shaking off excess. Roll into coconut mixture, pressing the coconut into the chicken to evenly coat.
5. Place chicken on baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with honey. Here, the recipe calls for baking for only 20 minutes, turning strips halfway through, but I left it in the oven for about 40 minutes because it wasn't completely cooked after only 20 minutes.

The Best Peanut-Butter Pasta

2009-01-24T23:13:00.002-05:00

3/4 cup water with an instant soup cube (can substitute w/ a tspn. ful)
1/2 cup Smooth peanut butter
1/4 Soy sauce
1/2 tspn Crushed pepper flakes
1 clove Garlic crushed
4 tbsp Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Sugar
Add all the ingredients to pot, bring to medium high,
Don’t burn, once again be careful not to burn it.
I SAID DON'T BURN IT!
Ok, now so you don't burn it, mix while cooking.
Let cool in a tupperware, and refrigerate till ready to serve

Pour over a medium size batch of pasta,and mix in 2 table spoons of sesame seeds (optional)

Pie Cookies

2009-01-23T14:44:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I found myself with quite a bit of leftover homemade cherry pie filling and a dessert, made with said filling, that is unable to go to the potluck gathering it was intended for. The issue was that the place didn't allow red foods [something to do with the carpeting] and the pie filling was exposed on the surface of the dessert. I suddenly found myself in need of making a new dessert that require minimal ingredients and time. Utilizing the rest of the pie filling was ideal.

So I made gluten-free cherry pie cookies. These cookies can also be low-carb depending on the pie filling being used.

I doubt anyone attending the potluck will mind the change in dessert offering as everyone, who has tried my gluten-free low-carb cookies, loves them. The cookies don't look like much but they are absolutely delicious.

If you find yourself free of pie filling, a jelly or jam of choice can be used.

I apologize for the quality of picture. It was taken with my phone as my digital camera has gone MIA recently.

Pie Cookies

2 1/2 cups almond meal
1 stick unsalted butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats [or regular rolled oats if gluten-free is not an issue for you]
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons agave nectar or honey [optional, depending on the sweetness level of the pie filling]
2/3 cup pie filling
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together the butter and almond meal. Add in the remaining ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Beat again on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and the bowl. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Take 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie and put them down on the parchment paper. Lightly press the rounds flat. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes until they start turning lightly golden in color. Let them cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

To store: These cookies will stick together when stacked. I put a single layer down on a plate/serving tray. I rip the parchment paper that the cookies were baked on and divide it into halves or thirds. Put down one of the parchment paper pieces then another layer of cookies. Repeat until all the cookies are on the tray then wrap with plastic wrap/cling film. Keep refrigerated until served. They are best out of the refrigerator.

Curried Carrot & Bean Soup

2009-01-21T13:37:00.005-05:00

While I'm not a big fan of soups, I am a supporter of all things that can be cooked in a crockpot. There's nothing like coming home to a house that smells absolutely delicious and having a fully prepared meal waiting for you after a long day.

This soup is flavorful, vegan and makes a nice hearty but light dinner on a cold day. The recipe calls for a lot of spices - essentially making one's own curry powder - but I left off the traditional curry spice of fenugreek because I'm allergic to it.

Curried Carrot & Bean Soup

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks [if using baby carrots, cut them in half]
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 15 ounce can chickpeas or other bean of choice, rinsed and drained [or 1 1/2 cups cooked]
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 teaspoon each of the following spices: ground cardamom, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, anise seed, sesame seeds and ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon each of the following spices: ground cinnamon, fennel seeds and ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon each of the following spices: ground turmeric, cumin and ground cayenne pepper
4 strands saffron
Chopped parsley for garnish

[1/4 teaspoon of ground fenugreek seeds can be added to the spices if desired or, instead of the spices listed above, you can use 2 - 3 teaspoons of your favorite high-quality curry powder.]

Combine all the ingredients except for the parsley in a 4 to 5 quart crockpot. Stir, cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours. Puree the mixture with an immersion blender or - in small batches - in a blender prior to serving. Strain if desired to make an even smoother soup. Serve warm. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley if desired. Make approximately 4 meal-sized servings or 8 appetizer-sized servings depending on the amount of liquid evaporation during the cooking process. The final blended soup should look a little like cooked pumpkin pie filling. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Variations: 1 pound of pumpkin, butternut squash or acorn squash chunks can be used in place of the carrots. No other changes needed.

edamame

2009-01-21T13:30:00.001-05:00

I know this isn't a recipe, but I thought I'd tell you all about my latest fave snack!

Edamame are baby soybeans, similar to green beans, and contain tons of fiber and protein - and are an awesome healthy alternative to a bag of chips!

You can buy fresh edamame at your local Asian or specialty grocer (try Whole Foods), or frozen from Costco or Trader Joe's. I get the box from Costco which contains mini individually-packaged containers of the beans - the perfect serving size.

Cheesecake Brownie Bites

2009-01-21T09:33:00.006-05:00

No fancy French name here, as the French neither have a. cheesecake as we know it, or b. brownies, but I guess you could say "Les petits gateaux a fromage avec un croute de chocolate et enrobe de ganache" but that just sounds ridiculous. Anyway, I (Nameless Faceless) usually make my mini-cheesecakes with a regular graham cracker crust and some kind of fruit topping (mostly because my father likes them that way and he pays the bills), but yesterday I made this batch for a friend of mine who loves these. They are half cheesecake, half brownie, topped these with a chocolate ganache and baked in a mini-cheesecake pan, but we are going to cheat and use a regular muffin tin and hot fudge. It's the same thing, but your finished product will have fluted edges in lieu of the smooth sided picture above -- essentially, it doesn't matter: let's get this show on the road.

1 package brownie mix
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I cannot stress this enough. I've killed two electric mixers trying to be a hero.)
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Jar of hot fudge topping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease them individually
Prepare the brownie mix according to the directions on the package and fill each muffin cup about 1/3 of the way full.
Bake the brownie portion for about 15 minutes. If the brownie top is shiny and looks to be set, remove the pan from the oven. If not, stick it in until it does - and *then* take it out. Either way, let these brownies cool for at least twenty minutes.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Spoon this mixture on top of your brownies (while still in the pan!). Fill each muffin cup with this mixture, almost to the top.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely. Top with warmed hot fudge - you can make it look fancy or not, it's irrelevant. Cool and serve. Oh, and
Freaking delicious.

thank you

2009-01-19T23:04:00.002-05:00

Wow! Our KC team sure has grown in the last few days!

Thank you for posting your awesome recipes
- even if some don't exactly yield edible results (random you know i mean you) but as long as it's funny and therefore worthy of MM standards - then keep them coming!

Be sure to add Kosher Cuisine to your blog rolls
and get the word out about this fab new blog!

Always Fail Kosher Blog

2009-01-19T20:20:00.004-05:00

The AFKB is a dish best served rare(ly, or never for best results.) If done right though, it can serve hundreds and sometimes more.

Ingredients:

Bored teenager (preferably fresh out of sem/yeshiva,) slightly undone mentally
1 laptop
internet
a couple of dates (for material)
dash of unwarranted confidence in creative writing
a selection of similarly dysfunctional gen-Y'ers for feedback and comments.

Preparation time: Usually 1 rainy night after too much narcissistic self indulgent self doubt/pity/reflection. Beware: AFKB will become irrelevant within a year or two at which point the blog will either become moldy or destroyed somehow.

Directions: Bring laptop to young, bored person and attach to internet. At this point, young person might not be seen for extended periods and surface with square eyes. Do not panic - this is normal dysfunction.
Let them wonder what the hell they need the $700 thing for before slowly folding in inflated confidence in writing capability and whipping up the dates.
At this point, simply let the weird creation rise on its own as the other self-obsessed organisms pepper the blog with (what they think are) witty and relevant comments.

Variation: Have the main ingredient in conflict about their religion/recently divorced/in a retirement home with limited mental ability (for extra laughs.)

Tarte Aux Pommes

2009-01-19T14:27:00.004-05:00

[Not an actual pic]
This tarte is unbelievably easy and fast to make so jazz up the name if you have too :)

I am willing to go out on a limb here and say this is the worlds easiest Apple Pie, one which I absolutely love. No this is not the extent of my cooking, my recipe for pickling your own herring and liver saute will follow but I decided to start easy. Make this and you will be the consummate All-American Chef, all that's missing is an entree and a main dish :)

3 Apples peeled and sliced (whatever kind you prefer, I generally use green macintosh, I like the tartness but red or yellow is fine too)

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 1/4 stick margarine

1 egg

1 Cup Flour

Slice the apples and place them on the bottom of a pie dish. A standard size round one (9 or 10 inches or so I don't really know what "standard" is) will be fine.
Next, melt the margarine in a large mixing bowl (microwaving it is fine). Then add in the sugar, egg, and flour and stir until it is a smooth batter-like mixture.
Pour this mixture over the apples and bake on 350 for approximately 40 minutes until done (depending on the oven, cooking time will vary).

That's it! Congratulations you have dessert for any occasion.

Serving Suggestion - Chill and serve cold, but then again I like all m cake either cold or frozen so you may enjoy this one hot. whatever gets you going I guess :)

No-Mixer Fruit Crumb Cake

2009-01-19T00:30:00.002-05:00

This is Child Ish Behavior here; admittedly I can’t really cook very well. Just the other day I burned some frozen pizza in the toaster oven. And a few months ago I almost burned the house down because I left the water boiling while going out to the grocery. Luckily I got back home before all the water boiled out. All this doesn’t detract from the fact that when I was around 10 years old I used to make the best crumb cake with my mother. I can tell you without a doubt it was the best crumb cake I have tasted, ever. It was crunchy, crumby, moist, and yummy in every bite. Just writing about it is making my mouth salivate. If only I weren’t so lazy, I’d be eating crumb cake all day. Perhaps this Thursday, in preparation for Shabbos, I’ll bring back old memories and whip up some No-Mixer Fruit Crumb Cake.

The ingredients are pretty straight forward; they come right out of the Lubavitcher Cookbook. There is nothing more kosher than the Lubavitcher cookbook, from page one it tells you exactly where Kashrus falls in everyday thinking, “Kasherus belongs to a category of mitzvahs for which no rational explanation is given in the Torah. (3)” Just as Kashrus laws are God givenly good without rational explanation, so too the No-Mixer Fruit Crumb Cake, is good beyond any rational explanation, though looking back it seems my mother may have forgotten a few ingredients.

No-Mixer Fruit Crumb Cake

1.25 sticks margarine (Though if I recall correctly, I think my mother conveniently left this out.)

2 cups of flour (This is where the crumbs come from.)

1 cup sugar (for the sweet tooth)

2 teaspoons baking powder (I have no idea why this is needed. It is part of the Kosher thing, no rational explanation.)

1 teaspoon lemon rind (I believe my mother left this out as well, as I can’t imagine consuming lemon rind.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs separated (That means, put the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another.)

Jam (I like raspberry, you can do prune if you’re feeling especially masochistic.)

Lemon Pie filling [optional] (Definitely left out. Who has lemon pie filling lying around the house?)

2 apples, grated

Raisins (Also left out, the chewy raisins just weren’t my speed.)

Another .25cup sugar (for the sweet tooth)

And now for the directions:

Take two forks out of where ever you keep your two forks. With those two forks, Mix the first six ingredients together. Take the bowl of egg yolks, and mix into the powdery mixture until you get a crumbly consistency. Remove one cup of these crumbs, and like the Afikoman, set them aside for later.

Line a 9” X 13” baking dish with the remainder of the crumbs. Top with Jam, [lemon pie filling],(raisins), and apples.

Beat the left over egg whites and the .25cup of sugar and pour over the apples.

Add the Afikoman crumbs over the egg whites and sugar.

Bake at 350° for around 45 minutes.

Enjoy with a nice glass of Baron Herzog White Riesling Late Harvest 2005.

Sesame Chicken

2009-01-18T21:15:00.002-05:00

A hearty thank you to Material Maidel for allowing me to contribute to this blog. Now, onto the recipe. This recipe is brought to you courtesy of my mom.

Seasame Chicken

1 package boneless skinless chicken breast
1 onion
flour
oil
garlic salt (or powder)
3/4 cup of ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
salt and pepper
sesame seeds

Cut the chicken into preferred size (you can pound it down if you want to make it thinner). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bread chicken with flour. Heat some oil in a pan and fry breaded chicken. Put chicken off to the side (I used one of those aluminum roasting pans, but you can probably put it anywhere you like). Put some more oil in the frying pan, cut up onion into small pieces and put it in the frying pan and saute it. Pour in garlic salt (or powder) while its sauteing and stir onion till tender. Combine ketchup, brown sugar and water. Once onion is tender slowly pour the sauce over it and let simmer for 15 minutes. Pour the whole mixture over the chicken and sprinkle sesame seeds over it. Put aluminum foil over it and bake for an hour at 350.

Salsa Drumsticks

2009-01-18T20:49:00.003-05:00

First of all, thank you to MM for allowing me to post here. Secondly, for all those skeptics that think that guys can't cook, well we can (at least I could). I've been cooking in my house for over ten years now, that by now my mother uses my recipes

Here goes one of my favorite chickens

12 chicken drumsticks (skinned, its healthier, but you decide)
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup salsa
¼ honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon corn starch

Mix all the ingredients together (aside for the chicken) and pour over the chicken, covering all sides.
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes @ 350.
This recipe I find to be better served cold than hot, but both are delicious

Key Lime Cheesecake

2009-01-18T17:45:00.004-05:00

Much thanks to Material Maidel for allowing me to contribute to Kosher Cuisine. I have a lot of recipes that don't necessarily fit with my traditional gluten-free/vegetarian recipe writing so I look forward to posting those recipes here as well as others.

I came up with this recipe last year for a family member's birthday. The birthday person and my mom are both big fans of Key Lime Pie and Cheesecake so I decided to create the best of both worlds for the birthday dinner's desert. I actually juiced all the tiny little limes myself. It took a long time so I'd suggest using the bottled juice which can be found in the baking supply aisle of most markets near the sugar and lemon juice.

I garnished it with small wedges of key lime and whipped cream before serving.

Key Lime Cheesecake

2 8ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons custard powder or 4 tablespoons cornstarch & ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup Key Lime Juice or more to taste
A few drops of green food coloring [if you want the cheesecake to be green-ish in color]
1 stick butter, melted
3 cups cracker or cookie crumbs [3 cups almond meal and 2 egg whites to make it gluten-free]
1 8 or 9 inch Springform Pan

Mix the crumbs and butter together then press in the bottom of the springform pan. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat the cream cheese and custard powder together in a large bowl until smooth & creamy. Beat the sweetened condensed milk & eggs into the cream cheese mixture until well combined, scraping sides & bottom of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Stir in the Key Lime juice and food coloring. Beat mixture on high speed for 2 minutes. Pour into the springform pan. Smooth top with the spatula then place in the 325 degree F oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the center is set. Turn off the oven and let it sit in the oven for 1 hour. Chill for 2 to 3 hours or overnight prior to serving.

Serve with key lime segments, whipped or sour cream if desired.

Agneau Champvallon (AKA: Look, You Made Fancy Lamb and Potatoes!)

2009-01-18T15:21:00.008-05:00

I'm domestic - who knew? A very big thank you to Material Maidel for inviting me to contribute to this public service of a blog. Please don't be intimidated by this recipe - the secret to French cooking is just that it sounds so ridiculously intense that people have to be impressed you made it but really, its normal meat and potatoes, layered in a baking dish. It has a grand total of SIX ingredients in it. The hands-on time is around thirty minutes, ready to eat in two hours but don't be scared: you can easily do the first part ahead of time, which makes your hands-on time on The-Day-You're-Ready-To-Eat-It about 15 minutes and on the table in one hour! Enough yapping:

Agneau Champvallon

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
coarse sea salt and fresh pepper (but really, who cares - just salt and pepper will be fine)
4 c chicken stock (or vegetable or beef or whatever you have)
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (or even minced. don't sweat it)
1 bouquet garni (don't get nervous. this is 1 bay leaf/3 sprigs thyme/4 sprigs parsley/a finger-sized piece of celery tied up together with twine. if you don't have this, don't die of shame, just throw some 1 tbsp rosemary in the pot and have a drink.)
5 or 6 potatoes (I use Yukon Gold, you can use Russet, Idaho, whatever baking potato you have. again, it's really not a big deal.)

Okay, so this is Step One: Cook the Meat,

In a large dutch oven (or some kind of pot that can be used on a burner), heat as much oil as you need to put a thin layer on the bottom over medium high heat. Season your lamb generously with salt and pepper. Cook your lamb until golden brown, which is around 4 to 5 minutes per side. This may have to be done in batches if your pot can't accomodate all the meat at once.
After all your lamb is browned, take out the pieces and put them in a bowl. Now, deglaze the pan: stir about 1/2 cup of stock into your still-hot pan (this will make steam - relax, everything is fine) and scrape up and of the browned meat bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
At this point, throw in the onions, garlic, and bouquet garni (or rosemary, whatever) and cook this - stirring occasionally - for five minutes. P.S. This is what a bouquet garni looks like.

See? Not intimidating. Return all the browned lamb to the pot and add the rest of the 3 1/2 cups of stock. Bring this to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover. Simmer until the meat is tender, which is about an hour.

If you do not want to do all the work in one day, this can get cooled and refrigerated for a day. Then, it's time for Step Two: Assemble the Ingredients,

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Pull out a 12-inch gratin dish - its usually a circle or oval, very shallow baking dish (no more than 2 or 3 inches deep). If you don't have this, a regular cake pan/pyrex/whatever will work just fine. Using a mandoline/food slicer or just a really sharp knife wielded extraordinarily carefully, slice your potatoes very thin. Not as thin as a potato chip, but I'd say as thin as a regular issue of US Weekly. Rinse and pat your potato slices dry, then toss them in olive oil to coat. Cover the bottom of your gratin dish with a layer of the potato slices: starting at the outer edge, overlap each potato by half, working in concentric circles towards the center. At the end, there should be four circles. (Check out the picture. Also, if your dish isn't circular, obviously don't kill yourself making a spiral.) Spoon the lamb and the broth over this. Repeat the potato-circle thing with the rest of the potatoes. Sprinkle the top with rosemary, or thyme, or parsley and some more salt and pepper. Bake for about 1 hour: the top with be golden and the edges crisp. You'll also be able to see the juice bubbling.

Pat yourself on the back and let it cool slightly before serving about eight people or four really hungry men, who either way, should be singing your praises.

Desserts – Ambrosia & Ice Cream

2009-01-16T12:27:00.001-05:00

When I (Babysitter) was in High School we had a class called Home Economics, where we learned how to make lots of different types of food. My favorite 2 were Ambrosia and Ice cream, so here are the recipes. Enjoy!

Ambrosia

Ingredients
1 can maundering segments (11 oz.)
1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz.)
1 cup orange juice
1 kiwi (hard, peeled, diced)
1 bag frozen strawberries in sugar (16 oz. Bodek)

Instructions
Cool cans, defrost strawberries, combine, mix well
YIELDS: 8 portions

Ice Cream

Ingredients
1 coffee creamer (16 oz.)
1 Topping (16 oz.)
1 vanilla instant pudding
2 1/2 cups rice crispies
1 stick of margarine
1/2 cup ground coca nuts
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
Ice cream:
Whip topping, add coffee creamer and pudding, freeze it.

Topping crunch:
Bake on 350 deg. 25 min, mix ingredients, put on line cookie sheet, slice margarine, put on

Asian-inspired Broccoli Slaw

2009-01-14T23:44:00.004-05:00

This one comes from one of my favorite shows on the Food Network - Paula's Home Cooking. (I love her Southern drawl!) I've adapted the recipe to make it a little more 'Asian' and easier to make, but if you want to see the original, click here. If you can't find shredded Broccoli slaw at your local grocery store, feel free to substitute Cole slaw. I like to serve this salad the same day I make it, when it's still nice and crunchy.

Ingredients
1 package broccoli slaw
1 package kosher Ramen-type soup noodles and seasonings packet (any flavor)
3 green onions, finely diced (or chives or scallions)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds and/or slivered almonds
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Instructions
Crush noodles in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pan.
Combine all ingredients in one big mixing bowl. Toss until broccoli is well coated.
Serve! (Your salad will be a little bit darker than shown in the picture)

Mrs. Sebbag's Gateau à l'Orange

2009-01-09T15:21:00.003-05:00

I was looking everywhere for a recipe for this cake! By chance, my friend Rachel phoned me today and I asked her how to make it. So here is Mrs. Sebbag's fabulous recipe for French Orange cake. It's easy and delicious!

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. grated orange rind

Instructions
Combine eggs, orange juice, oil, vanilla and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add flour, baking powder, baking soda and orange rind. Mix until well combined. Bake at 350 degrees in a greased bundt or spring pan for approximately 30 minutes. (use the toothpick test!)

Serve with Raspberry Coulis or Orange Icing!

For Raspberry Coulis - put one cup of frozen raspberries and one tbsp. sugar in a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes. Strain and serve.

For Orange Icing - stir one cup icing sugar and one tbsp. orange juice until syrupy.

crunchy sweet carrot salad

2009-01-06T19:11:00.004-05:00

This carrot salad is perfect for a hot summer's day (ok - I know we're in the wrong season here - but it's delish right now too!). You can peel and shred your own carrots - or if you're feeling extra lazy, buy one of those ready-to-use bags you can buy in the grocery aisle.

Ingredients
2-3 carrots, peeled and shredded or one bag of shredded carrots
2 green onions or chives, finely diced
2 Tbsp. orange juice or 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. pine nuts and/or almonds
2 Tbsp. dried cranberries or raisins or dried dates (chopped into small pieces)
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in one large mixing bowl. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to allow flavors to set. Serve!

Teriyaki Salmon - made easy

2009-01-06T18:46:00.003-05:00

I have lots of people asking me for this recipe! And everyone is often surprised to hear how easy it is to make! The secret is to marinate the salmon for as long as possible - at least 45 minutes if not longer. Unfortunately, I never use measuring cups when I make this recipe - so amounts shown below are approximate!

Ingredients

4 Salmon steaks or fillets, with or without skin
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar and/or honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. mustard (yellow or Dijon)
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar (optional)
1 tsp. chili flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place salmon in a shallow baking dish or disposable aluminum pan.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. The marinade should be dark brown and have a slightly syrupy consistency. Adjust ingredients according to your taste.
3. Pour marinade over salmon and refrigerate. Allow to marinate for as long as possible.
4. Bake salmon in marinade for approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees or approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness. You can also grill or broil salmon for better flavor.

chocolate pretzel cookies

2009-01-05T12:19:00.005-05:00

I found a recipe online at Martha Stewart.com and made it for a cookie exchange party at work last year. While they looked nice, the taste was a little off. I then found this recipe below at Not Derby Pie and the cookies were a total success! Though they look very complicated, it's actually a very simple recipe. If you put a few of these stunning cookies in a pretty box it makes a great gift!

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine or shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 or 2 oz. good quality chocolate
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg yolk + 1 tsp. water, whisked
1/4 cup melted milk chocolate
1/4 cup melted white chocolate

Instructions

Over a double boiler (put a pot of water over medium heat, and then place a second pot or metal bowl of chocolate over the pot of water) melt chocolate until smooth. Set aside and let cool.
Using a handheld or stand mixer, whip butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add sugars and cream for about 2 minutes.
Add egg, vanilla and salt and mix for about 20 seconds until fully incorporated.
Add chocolate and mix at a low speed until combined, for about 30 seconds.
Add cocoa, flour, and baking powder. Mix on low speed until completely blended, about two minutes or less.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll into balls. Shape balls into 12-inch-long ropes. Twist each rope into a pretzel shape.
Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Brush cookies with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until dry, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
When cookies are cool, drizzle with melted milk and white chocolate.

Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

Turkish Salad

2009-01-04T13:01:00.003-05:00

I adapted this recipe from my favorite kosher cookbook, Gatherings. (you can buy Gatherings online at Amazon and even find it free at Google Books!)

It's similar to Moroccan Tchoutchouka, but made with eggplant - and takes much less time to make! I've been told that it's good enough to bottle and sell, but here's the recipe for your free enjoyment!

Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large eggplant
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
4 Tbsps. tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper and/or hot paprika

Instructions
1. Slice eggplant into 1 inch thick rounds, and then cut rounds into eighths.
2. In a large non-stick pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and fry until soft. Covering your pan reduces cooking time, but remember to stir your eggplant so that it doesn't get burned.
3. Reduce heat and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer (that means keep the cover on!) for approximately 15 minutes while stirring occasionally.

Let cool before serving. Enjoy with warm pita or challah! Keep refrigerated.

chicken masala cajun balls

2009-01-04T02:07:00.003-05:00

This was another hit at my dinner party! I actually invented this recipe this week with whatever I could find in the fridge - I was looking to make chicken burgers, but these balls I made with the leftover meat turned out much tastier!

Masala is an Indian spice mixture that is now widely available Kosher in any supermarket or click here to buy it online . If you can't find masala, use curry or substitute your own flavors! To buy cajun spice, click here .

Ingredients
1 lb. ground chicken (or turkey)
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsps. fresh chives, finely chopped (or green onion, diced)
3 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced
2 tbsps. masala
2 tbsps. cajun spice
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt

Instructions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients (except olive oil). Feel free to use your hands- just make sure they're washed! Add more breadcrumbs if mixture is too soft (meat should hold together in a ball).
2. Shape meat into ping-pong-sized balls (you can make them smaller or larger if you'd like, but vary cooking times accordingly).
4. Over medium heat, add olive oil to a large non-stick skillet. When your pan warms up (when a drop of water is dropped into oil, it should sizzle) add your chicken balls carefully. To get perfect chicken, do not touch the meat once you've placed it in the pan. After a minute, give the pan a couple of shakes to brown the balls on all sides.

Your chicken masala cajun balls are ready to serve when they are nice and brown, as shown in the picture above!

pasta salad with broccoli and pine nuts

2009-01-03T19:02:00.004-05:00

I recently made this pasta salad for a dinner party and as usual, it was a hit! It's a great way to make your favorite high carb dish a little more nutritious!

Ingredients
2 cups Fusilli Vegetable Pasta, uncooked (or substitute your fave pasta)
1 small head broccoli, chopped into big chunks
3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup pine nuts and/or almonds
5 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small purple onion, diced
1/4 fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp. + 1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. salt

Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Set aside in large mixing bowl.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add broccoli and 1 teaspoon of salt and let cook uncovered until broccoli is just tender (a fork should easily pass through a broccoli floret, but do not overcook!). Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Chop into finer pieces and add to pasta.
3. Over medium heat, in a small skillet or frying pan, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. When your pan gets warm, brown garlic and pine nuts. Add your garlic and pine nuts to pasta.
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients to the pasta and serve! Add more or less salt and pepper according to your taste.

Dill Potatoes

2006-05-30T03:32:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite ways to serve new potatoes. It makes a great side-dish during the summer when we grow fresh dill out of our backyard garden. Dill is a great fresh-tasting herb that is also easy to grow and doesn't require much care.

Ingredients
10 small red or white new potatoes, boiled
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. Peel potatoes if you like (sometimes I will keep the skins on). Cut potatoes in halves or quarters, depending on the size of the potato or preference. Place potatoes in a shallow roasting dish or aluminum pan.
2. Add dill, parsley, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Shake pan to mix or carefully use wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
3. Roast potatoes, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Extra-Moist Carrot Cake

2006-05-30T03:14:00.000-04:00

Carrot cake can sometimes get a bad rap, but this version, adapted from a recipe by Norene Gilletz, is super-moist and delicious. I think the apple is the secret ingredient!

Ingredients
3 large carrots, peeled
1 apple, cored (find a nice baking variety, but I've found that all types work well)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp ground cinammon
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps baking soda

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor or blender, puree carrots and apple. Dispose of leftover apple skin and carrot chunks.
3. Using a hand-held mixer, blend carrot, apple and sugar. Add eggs, cinammon, vanilla and almond extract and oil and blend until smooth.
4. Stir in flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Incorporate thoroughly.
5. Pour batter into greased bundt or cake pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes until set. When cake is ready, it will spring up when pressed.

Cool completely. Sprinkle powdered sugar over cake or frost with cream cheese frosting.

Shabbos Meatballs

2006-05-30T02:44:00.000-04:00

At our home, these meatballs are served every Friday night for Shabbos. With a nice piece of homemade challah, the sauce is delicious! This is very much a hands-on (literally) recipe, so make sure you wash up properly or use plastic disposable gloves.

Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 cups water

Instructions
1. In medium bowl, mix beef, egg, parsley, garlic, black pepper and paprika with your hands.
2. Add tablespoons of breadcrumbs at a time until mixture is well combined (meat should be able to hold together).
3. Shape meat into tennis-ball sized balls (you can make them smaller or larger if you'd like, but vary cooking times accordingly).
4. Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-low hot. When pan starts to heat up (touch your hand to the pot lightly to feel a slight heat), add olive oil. When olive oil is hot (when a drop of water is dropped into oil, it should sizzle) add meatballs carefully. Brown meatballs on all sides by shaking pan carefully or using a wooden spoon.
5. Add diced onion and red bell pepper.
6. After a minute, add tomato sauce and water to cover top of meatballs. Add additional spices if desired.
7. Cover pot and simmer for approx. 45 minutes until sauce has thickened.

Serve one hot meatball with a spoonful of sauce per person!
These meatballs are also great over spaghetti, and leftovers can be transformed by mashing up the meatballs to make a super meat sauce over other pasta.
1 lb. beef should make 5 medium-sized meatballs; recipe can be doubled accordingly.

Easy Shmeezy Pizza Bagels

2006-05-30T02:29:00.000-04:00

I literally began dishing up these pizza bagels when I was a kid. My mother would set up all the ingredients on the kitchen counter and then my little brother and I would get to work creating the ultimate lunch favorite. Topping choices are endless!

Ingredients
1 large bagel, sliced (any variety)
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp italian seasoning (a mix of dried oregano, rosemary and other herbs)
1/4 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or cheddar are great, feta is also quite delicious)
Other toppings of your choice (olives, diced bell peppers, mushrooms, etc)

Instructions
1. Spoon and spread tomato sauce over bagel slices.
2. Sprinkle garlic powder and italian seasoning evenly on tomato sauce.
4. Top bagels with cheese and any other toppings of your choice.
5. In toaster oven, toast bagel slices until cheese starts to bubble. You can also bake the bagel pizza in a conventional oven at 350.
6. Serve hot straight out of the oven!

It-Can't-Be-Pareve Cherry Cheesecake

2006-05-30T02:00:00.000-04:00

No one will guess that this creamy cheesecake is dairy-free! This easy to make dessert is the ultimate Shavuos or Shabbos treat!

Ingredients
2 tubs (8 oz each) Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, Plain, softened
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract or seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1 tsp lemon juice
2 eggs or 1 cup Tofutti Egg Watchers
1 graham cracker pie crust
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium mixing, at a low speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice.
3. Add eggs and continue mixing until combined. Do not over-beat (if you see air bubbles in the mixture, let sit for a couple of minutes until bubbles disappear).
4. Pour mixture into graham pie crust (make sure you have the pie crust on a baking sheet in case of spillage) and bake for 30-40 minutes. Cake will be ready when the top starts to turn a golden brown. Your cheesecake may bubble up in the oven, but will flatten out when cooled.
5. Cool cheesecake completely. Top with cherry pie filling and refrigerate until ready to serve.

You can substitute other pie fillings such as strawberry or blueberry or you can omit the pie filling altogether and serve cheesecake with chocolate or caramel sauce.

Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage Slaw

2006-05-30T01:24:00.000-04:00

It took me a while to find the perfect red cabbage coleslaw! My father doesn't like mayonnaise but loves cole slaw so this is a great mayonnaise-free recipe. I've also made this salad using green cabbage instead of red (or purple) cabbage and it turned out equally delicious.

Ingredients
1 small head red or purple cabbage
1 small white onion
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 red bell pepper (optional), julienned (finely sliced)
1 tbsp salt
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. Shred cabbage, onion, and carrot using mandolin or food processor. Place in bowl and add red bell pepper and 1 tbsp salt and mix.
2. In a small pot, add vinegar, sugar and oil. Bring to a boil and slowly pour hot dressing over cabbage. Add only as much dressing as necessary to fully coat cabbage. Cabbage will turn a bright fuchsia color. Do not mix.
3. Cool coleslaw and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Russian Potato Salad

2006-05-30T00:47:00.000-04:00

As in almost every recipe, ingredients may be added or removed to suit individual taste. This is my favorite version of Russian Potato Salad that my grandmother (from Vinnitsa in Western Ukraine) taught me to make. I like to serve the salad at room temperature, although my mother prefers to serve it after it is refrigerated overnight.

Ingredients

5 white potatoes (Idaho or any other waxy variety), unpeeled and whole
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 large egg, boiled and peeled
2 full sour pickles
1 small onion (Spanish or Vidalia are great) or 2 stalks of fresh green onions
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 cooked hot dog or 2 oz dry beef salami (optional)
1 can (15 oz) green sweet peas
2 cups Mayonnaise (or Mayonnaise-type dressing)
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika

Instructions

1. In large pot, add potatoes, 1 tsp salt and enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are tender (potatoes will be tender when can be pierced with a fork).
2. Pour out water from pot and cool potatoes to room temperature. When cooled, peel and dice potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and place in large bowl.
2. Dice carrot, egg, carrot, pickles, onion, bell peppers, salami into small cubes and add to potatoes. Add sweet peas, reserving liquid.
3. Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper and paprika to taste and mix salad with spoon. If salad looks dry, add 1 tsp at a time of reserved liquid from sweet peas.

Refrigerate and serve!

Welcome to Kosher Cuisine!

2006-05-30T00:25:00.000-04:00

Enjoy and Share Fabulous Kosher Recipes!

Note: Photos shown are not my own and may not accurately represent the given recipes. I have found photos online which best portray and closely match the appearance of my dishes. Where I have been unable to find a photo which closely resembles a recipe, no photo is shown.