Bubby's "Get Drunk" Charoset
(This ain't rocket science. It's a very forgiving recipe, made
in accordance to personal preference and adjusted to taste.
It's best to prepare a day or two in advance,
to allow the flavors to mellow and blend.)

 

A Ziesen Pesach!

Need Haggadoth?

 

Bubby's Old Fashioned Kreplach Makes 4-5 dozen All measures are approximate. Honestly, I don't think I've ever come out even on the dough and meat. There's always too much of one of them. And yes, it's messy and time consuming, but trust me, if you make these, they'll be the hit of your holiday party! In most families, nobody has made these since great-grandma passed away, so they're a huge treat for all, especially those who have fond memories of Bubbe's wonderful cooking! It's like tasting your childhood again. Dough (per batch): 3 large eggs (FRESH! Very important! Will absolutely affect the lightness of the dough!) 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 - 2 cups flour (depending on how much meat you have, you will probably have to do anywhere from 3-5 batches of dough, so be sure to have plenty of FRESH eggs on hand! Filling: 1/4 - 1/2 lb beef chuck, cubed 2 TB rendered chicken fat* (absolutely essential for authentic taste!! No substitutions! If you're not going to use chicken fat, don't bother!) 2 large yellow onions, diced thin 1 egg salt and pepper *Usually available in the frozen kosher food section of your supermarket or from a kosher butcher. Note: Last time I made these, I had a heck of time finding chicken fat anywhere. (Rendered fat usually comes in a small can or jar and is the consistency of cold olive oil -- kind of viscous and creamy) After running around to about 10 stores, I finally found Empire brand UNrendered fat in the Food Emporium. This is the solid fat with skin. It comes in a small plastic bag within a butter-size box. Before use, you will have to render it: basically, throw it in frying pan on a medium heat, until the liquid separates from the solid pieces. Pour off and reserve liquid for frying your meat. (Freeze what's left over) As for the solids, this is gribenes, the kosher equivalent of "fried pork rinds." Sure, they are like little heart attack pellets, but wee doggies, they's gooood! Guhhead...taste just one! Jewish soul food! Directions: Make the filling first: Fry the onions and meat in the chicken fat. (The hell with your cholesterol! It's once a year!) Put the meat through a grinder or food processor until almost pastelike (like tuna salad or very moist chopped liver.) Pour into a bowl and add egg, salt and pepper. Blend well and set aside. Make the dough: Beat the eggs with the salt. Mound about a cup and a half of flour on a board or flat surface and create a well in the middle. Slowly add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, using a fork to gently incorporate the flour into the egg, until you have a workable dough. Knead gently for a few minutes until smooth, soft and elastic -- like a newborn's tushy! Be careful not to overknead or your dough will be tough. Stop kneading as soon as the dough holds together.    Roll out on a board until about 1/4" thick. Use a 3" round cookie cutter or small juice glass to cut circles and place a dollop of meat filling in the center of each. Fold over and seal the edges with damp fingers or even a little beaten egg. (Make sure the edges are well-sealed otherwise they will fall apart in the soup.) Drop into boiling, heavily salted water (I like to throw a little chicken fat into the water both for flavor and to keep them from sticking together), and remove as soon as they float, into a covered bowl or plastic container. NOTE: Don't leave the uncooked kreplach sitting out too long or they will dry out. As soon as you've formed about 5-6, drop them in the boiling water. Go back to forming kreplach and by the time you have another 5-6 ready for the pot, the previous batch will be floating and ready to remove. Refrigerate. You can make these a day or two in advance. On the day of your dinner party, drop them into your boiling chicken soup, giving them just enough time to warm through. (5-10 minutes) Serve 2-3 in each bowl of soup. Make plenty 'cause they go fast! Note: If you have extra dough left over at the end, try doing what I do: Use cookie cutters to make "pasta" shapes for the kids' soup. NOTE: Hooray for me! Today (9/28/08) I finally came out exactly even on the dough and filling! First time ever!!! I started with .83 of a lb of chuck and made (I think) 5 batches of dough. Watch video tutorial below:

Bubby's Blintzes (video tutorial coming next time I make them!) (approx 6-8) Oooh. Blintzes. Seems like such a complicated thing to make...Who makes blintzes from scratch, right? Well, wait until you do it! It's actually as easy as an omelet! Impress your family and friends! Great for brunches or after Yom Kippur break-fast, but honestly, easy enough to make almost any time. You can also make them in advance -- just refrigerate the filled/rolled but uncooked blintzes for later use. They'll last for a couple of days. You can probably freeze them, too, but I haven't tried it yet!) Filling: ¼ lb of farmer cheese ¼ lb of country style* cottage cheese (*dry-ish, large curds. I like Cabots.) 1 small egg (or beat 1 large egg and use half of it. Use the rest in the crepe batter. 2 ½ eggs in there will be fine.) ¼ cup or so of sugar (more or less to taste) 1 TB lemon juice Drop of vanilla Dash of cinnamon   Crepe: 1 cup flour 1 cup water 2 eggs (or 2 1/2, if using the extra from above) Vegetable oil for frying Powdered sugar, applesauce, sour cream, fresh fruit or jam, as topping ------ In a small mixing bowl, make the filling. Set aside. In another small mixing bowl, make smooth batter of crepe ingredients, taking care to break up any lumps of flour. Heat and lightly grease an omelet pan (a 10” is perfect.) Using a serving spoon, pour in a few spoonfuls of batter into the bottom of the pan, and quickly swirl it around, so you have a very thin layer coating the bottom. Let it sit, undisturbed for a couple of minutes, until you notice some bubbling on the top. (Use a spatula to lift the edge. If it holds together, it's done.) Fry ONLY ONE SIDE! (Don't let it get too brown, because you'll be cooking them again!) Slide the crepe onto a plate – uncooked side up -- and start making a new one. While your second crepe is cooking, place a large dollop of filling (couple tablespoons) onto the edge of the first one, and roll up, like a jelly roll. Set aside on another plate. By now, your second crepe should be ready to come off the heat. Repeat this process until you have used up all the ingredients. (You may not come out even, but I'd rather throw away crepe batter than filling.) When all your blintzes are all made/rolled, stoke up your pan again – greasing lightly oil (perhaps a bit of butter if so inclined) – and lightly fry them on both sides, until just golden brown. Serve 2-3 per person. Sift on some powdered sugar or use other topping of choice.

 

 

ADRIENNE'S ORIGINAL PUMPKIN RAISIN BREAD
Makes 2 loaves [9 x 5 x 3], 5-8 servings each
(unless you're a pig like me who can eat an entire loaf in one sitting!)

BREAD:
2/3 cup butter (or other shortening), softened
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup heavy, sweet red dessert wine, sherry, port, plum wine or apple juice/cider/Jack
(This is a great way to use up all that extra Manischewitz!)
1 (one) 16 oz. can pumpkin
1 2/3 cup white flour
1 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cardamom (optional)
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (plain or honey-roasted)
1 cup raisins

[Optional: Let the raisins soak overnight in the wine. Note: the alcohol will evaporate during baking.]

TOPPING: 2 tbls. butter; 2 tbls. flour; 2 tbls. brown sugar; 2 tbls. crushed walnuts

Heat oven to 350F. Grease bottoms only of two loaf pans (9x5x3 or 3 pans 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½)

Mix shortening and brown and white sugar in a large bowl.

Beat in eggs.

Spoon in pumpkin. Mix.

Add wine or juice/cider/Apple Jack.

Gradually blend in dry ingredients.

Stir in raisins and nuts.

Pour into baking pans.

Prepare topping by crumbling all ingredients
together with your fingers and sprinkling across the top
of loaves. (More topping may be added if desired by
combining equal parts of all ingredients.)

Bake until knife comes out clean, approximately forty-
five minutes to one hour. (Start checking after half an
hour)

Leave loaves in pans and cover with foil to retain freshness
(though in my house they rarely last long enough to get stale!)

ADRIENNE'S ORIENTAL SALAD DRESSING

3 TB rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp walnut oil
2 TB olive oil
1 tsp thick soy
1 heaping TB OJ concentrate
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp honey
1" piece of peeled fresh ginger

Blend all ingredients except ginger. Add whole piece of ginger to bottle of dressing
and leave it there to marinate.
(I usually double or triple the recipe since it lasts for a really long time in the fridge.
Best on mesclun salad or red leaf lettuce. )

 

Adrienne's Banana Bread

 

8 TB sweet butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup shelled walnuts, crushed (optional)
handful of raisins (optional)
¼ cup orange juice concentrate
1 TB fresh orange peel
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

  Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 9 x 5 x 3 pan

  Cream butter and sugar until light a fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together white flour, baking soda and salt.

Stir in whole wheat flour and add to creamed mixture, mixing well.

Add orange juice and peel.  

Fold in mashed bananas, vanilla and walnuts.

Pour mixture into prepared pan.

(Optional: mix together two TB of butter, white flour and
brown sugar and sprinkle on the top for a “struessel” topping)

Bake for 50-60 minutes or til knife comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes before eating.

Buffalo Cake
(No, it's not made from buffalos. Probably originally came from Buffalo, NY
The first my family heard of it was in the Catskills in the 60s )

This coffee cake is the most popular dessert in my family. It's just not a family function unless there's a Buffalo Cake.
It's my mother's signature pastry and she brings one to every holiday dinner (except Passover, of course).
I've baked many of these, myself, always to rave reviews. This cake freezes very well (which is why my
mother bakes several at time and keeps 'em on ice -- 'cause ya never know when you'll get invited...)
Can also be made without nuts for those who are allergic.

1/2 lb. butter (or margerine, if you must)
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 pkgs. chocolate chips, melted
(just nuke 'em in a bowl for 2 minutes)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup brown sugar.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda
Cream butter & sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.
Add vanilla and alternately add flour mixture & sour cream. 
(It will be a thick batter)

Butter the bottom only of a spring form pan
or a couple of loaf pans, and dust with flour. 
Put in about 1/3 of the batter and add the melted chocolate
and swirl it around trying to cover most of the surface. 
Sprinkle brown sugar (and nuts if used) over this. 
Then add the balance of the batter and top off
with the remainder of brown sugar (and nuts).

Bake in preheated oven for @ 350 for 45 min. 
Test with toothpick or clean knife.

Caviar - Egg Salad

Really impressive party food, This is VERY easy to make and looks beautiful! It seems as if every time I
put this out at a party, it's completely snarfed in about 3 minutes!
And except for the crackers, it's totally carb free!

10-12 hardboiled eggs (see recipe below) small red onion, chopped fine approx 1 cup of sour cream (my choice), softened cream cheese or whipped soft cheese (such as Boursin) 10-12 oz of Masago (or Tobiko) caviar (usually available at Japanese grocery stores) Dollop of mayo Crackers of your choice or bagels

Make a finely chopped egg salad, using just enough mayo to hold it together.

On serving plate, spead a thin layer of the chopped onion.

Mound the egg salad on top of this, shaping it into a low dome, no more than a couple of inches high in the middle. (Note: piling the egg too high will throw off the proportion of caviar-to-egg in each bite.)

Carefully coat the mound of egg with the sour cream or softened cheese, using an icing spatula if you have one. (If using cheese, it must be VERY soft, which is why I find sour cream easiest)

Carefully apply caviar to the sour cream/cheese layer and press it in evenly all around, so that none of the white cream/cheese shows thru.

The result is a beautiful, sparkling orange dome! For a pretty dab of color, top with a sprig of parsley or basil leaf.

Serve with crackers (also great on bagels!)

Perfect Hardboiled Eggs - Every Time

Sure, making hard boiled eggs seems easy -- until you've screwed them up a few times.
If you don't make them correctly, they're very difficult to peel, and if you need a lot of h.b.e.
for something, that's a real pain!! So, here's the secret to perfect, easy to peel hard boiled eggs

Place eggs in a saucepan and fill with enough
cold tapwater to cover all the eggs completely.

(note: If the eggs float, they are too old and should be discarded; fresh eggs will lie on their
sides at the bottom of the pan. Slightly older eggs will stand on their ends and bob a little.)

Add about a 1/4 tsp salt.

Put the pan on the stove and turn to a medium-high heat,
allowing the eggs to heat up (and boil) at the same rate as the water.

Once the water is boiling, turn a timer on to 8-10 minutes.

When the timer goes off, turn off the heat but leave the eggs in the water,
on the stove, to cool (even overnight is fine)

The point is the eggs and water should come
to a boil together and cool down at the same rate.

Peel when cool.

Note: Eggs which are at least a week old are easier to peel than fresh ones.

Brie in Puff Pastry

Another really easy but impressive looking party food...
consumed at parties in about 30 seconds!

1 one lb. wheel of brie
1 sheet of puff pastry (usually available in the frozen foods section)
Apricot preserves or mango chutney or pesto
Nuts (optional)
1 beaten egg for egg wash

Preheat oven to 350F

Follow package directions for defrosting puff pastry.
Lay out one sheet of pastry on cookie sheet
Spread preserves, chutney or pesto on the top of the cheese wheel.
Sprinkle nuts on top if you like.
(Pecans, pistachios or pine nuts are good choices)
Flip cheese over onto pastry sheet.
Shmear some jam/pesto on the sides and bottom of the cheese
and fold up the corners of the pastry so they meet in the middle.
Cut off excess and reserve.
Seal flaps on the bottom of the cheese and turn right side up.

If you want to make things a little more fancy,
use the excess pastry you cut off the bottom to form leaf shapes*
and create a wreath around the outside of the wheel.
Or roll and braid it and use as decoration.
Or roll it out and make shapes with cookie cutters and place on top
(good for themed or seasonal parties!)

*just cut with scissors and use knife to draw leaf veins

Give the whole thing an egg wash and
bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

*****

Most packages of puff pastry come two in a pack. You can use other sheet to make another party favorite:

Cheese Straws

Pastry sheets usually come folded in thirds. Unfold completely, then fold in half. Cut narrow strips (1/4"- 1/2" wide). Hold one end and twist the other, and lay them out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmagiano, paprika and a very light dusting of ground chipotle powder. Follow baking directions for brie, above.

Note: Keep the kids and hubby out of the kitchen when you pull these
out of the oven otherwise there won't be any left for the party!!!

 

Healthy, Relatively Fat Free cookies

I made another batch of my healthy cookies today and I gotsta say,
for an all natural, healthy snack, they're purdy darn good:

5 minute prep time.
(Preheat oven to 350)

2-3 very soft bananas (just on the verge of being too far gone)
1/2 - one cup of instant oat meal (enough that it holds together with the banana)

(this is the basic recipe. Now, add whatever else you might have/like
from the list below. Today, I used:)

Shredded coconut (I used sweetened but you could use plain)
crushed walnuts (I've used pistachios in the past)
chopped fresh cherries (because I happened to have them)
chopped dates (because I had them, too)
cinnamon
ground cardamon

(in the past, I've used leftover charosis and it was great.
You could you chocolate or carob chips, I suppose. Or raisins or any dried fruit. in small pieces)

Smoosh around with a fork until it's all mixed up.
Put cookie-sized dollops on a cookie sheet (I smash mine down so they are flat.)
Bake for 15 minutes. I let them cool in the oven.
I also store them in the fridge because I'm afraid they will get funky if left out for a few days.