Love Apple Soup

Love Apples was the first name for tomatoes found in the Andes. They were thought to be poisonous at first and then thought to be an aphrodisiac.
They are tasty whatever they are.
Here is a lovely English recipe for them:

1 medium tomato chopped
1 Tablespoons of butter
3 1/4 cups of chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
1/2 teaspoon of thyme
salt, pepper to taste
a teaspoon of sugar
1 pound of large ripe tomatoes. If they are New Jersey tomatoes this will taste 100 times better.
chives to garnish

Cover the tomatoes with boiling water to help remove the skins. If they stand about a minute, the skin should slip right off.
Chop them up. If you want to mash them up or run through a food processor, you can. It will make the soup a puree in that case.
Melt your butter and gently cook the onion until it is transparent.
Add the tomatoes and onions and spices to your stock and season to taste.
Bring it to a good boil, then lower your temperature  and simmer for  half an hour.
Serve with chopped chives or chopped green onion on the top and hot crusty  bread.

French Fry Heaven

McDonald's fries are not on my list of things to eat. Nope.. don't eat there but their fries have a reputation as being delicious. 'Heavenly' was the word I heard used.

Now an article HERE tells the secret for making perfect crisp fries every time.
You can do it at home.

"McDonald's French fries are shipped to outlets frozen. "We do all of ours fresh everyday," says Myers who uses the same recipe at his restaurants and at home. Myers also uses the best Idaho russet potatoes, French sea salt, and super fresh cooking oil.
He says the key to making a perfect, consistent, McDonald's-style fry is in the advance preparation. The cut potatoes need to be soaked for at least two hours before cooking which pulls out excess starch and ensures the crispiest product. Also, Myers recommends that, "you have plenty of paper towels, a lined sheet pan, and have your oil ready to go."

So there is the secret to crispy fries. Soak them first to remove more starch.
Just be extra sure you dry them out pretty well or they will spit and crackle badly when placed in hot oil and that is dangerous.

Crock Pot Flank Steak

Cooking dinner in a crock pot saves time and energy. Your dinner can cook while you are out doing other things or at work and when you arrive home you have a meal waiting for you.

This recipe for flank steak is delicious. Because flank can be a tough piece of meat, the long cooking ensures tender meat.

You will need:

1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, cut in half
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup water
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Brown the flank steak in a pan with some oil and when it browns on the outside, place it into the crock pot.

Saute the onions in the same pan and oil.
Now add your water to this pan and stir to loosen up cooked bit left behind...hopefully not burnt ones.
Add the rest of the ingredients and pour it all over the flank steak in the crock pot. Cover and cook for 8 hours.

Now all you need do is make rice, potatoes or noodles and a vegetable and dinner is ready.

Winter Warmer Hot Drink

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It's cold! This hot drink is perfect for after school snacks or as a treat anytime. It does well at any event on a cold day. The plus is that not only does it taste good but it is good for you as well.
Another benefit is that as you are simmering this mixture your whole house will smell wonderful.

It's an old decorator's trick to simmer cinnamon and cloves in a large pot of water to give a warm and inviting winter scent to the house. Especially if you are trying to sell your home.

For a party you might keep it warm in a crock pot.
And for an alcoholic version you can adapt as you see fit try this.

You will need:

• 1 quart of apple juice or apple cider
• 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 stick of cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a 2 quart saucepan and simmer for 15 or 20 minutes.
To serve, remove the cloves and the cinnamon stick and place in mugs.
You can top it with slices of fresh orange if you wish and some people place individual cinnamon sticks in each mug.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

You can use wings, drum sticks and thighs for this recipe.


The Batter:
1 c. cornstarch or flour
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 beaten egg
1 tsp. savory salt or seasoning salt (garlic)
Add milk to make a paste. Heat oil to deep fry.

I never trust deep frying to really cook chicken as sometimes the outside is done but not the inside. I am also not a fan of deep frying things in general as its dangerous and too fatty as well.
I par boil my chicken to make sure it will be completely cooked before I fry it. Yup, I do. And yes, I have heard all the no no's about it. Its my own personal quirk.
Then I dip it in the batter and fry it in a frying pan with enough olive oil and turn the pieces often until they are crispy and golden.
Drain on paper towels to absorb excess grease.


The dipping sauce:

1 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
2 tbsp. ketchup
2/3 c. vinegar
1/4 c. soy sauce (use the low sodium)
Mix all ingredients, boil, stir. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
You can coat the pieces before serving or you can put the sauce into little bowls and let people dip for themselves.

Serve with Rice , with pineapple, with broccoli or just as an appetizer.

Wellesley Fudge Cake

When I first made this cake many years ago I was amazed at how rich and delicious it was.


The recipe  was created  in the 1800's at the Wellesley Tea Room in Massachusetts.
Here is the recipe. You will not believe how good this cake really is until you try it.



Here are the ingredients you will need:

3 eggs ,
 3/4 cup milk,
1 teaspoon full of vanilla extract. (use real extract. its better)
1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 2/3 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 3/4 cup sugar (divide this in half)
1/2 cup water

Here's How to Make It:


I use round cake pans since this is a layer cake.
Grease two of them and set oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt the chocolate with half the sugar and the water over a low flame. Keep it very low, and stir it continuously so you do not burn this.
Then let this mixture cool down to a tepid temperature.

Cream the butter.
Then beat the rest of the sugar into the butter and mix until it is fluffy looking.
Now add your eggs one at a time and beat them in as well.

Now for the flour. mixture:
mix all the dry ingredients together and stir them well to be sure they are dispersed throughout very well. Flour, salt and baking soda.

Now you can begin to add the flour mixture and the milk to the egg mixture.
The trick is to alternate adding flour, then some milk, then flour..etc until both are mixed in nicely.
Beat them in well to make a nice smooth mixture.
Now add the vanilla to the chocolate and stir in well.
Then add the chocolate-vanilla mixture to the rest of the ingredients.

Pour the cake mixture into the oiled and floured pans.
Bake for about 30 minutes at 350F
Test if its done by touching the center. If it springs back it is done.
Cool the cakes down on racks.

Frosting/Icing:


You will fill the cake with chocolate filling and cover the outside with it too.
You could use your favorite canned frosting but here is a nice fudge recipe that goes with this cake:

1 pound of confectioner's or 'powdered' sugar traditionally used for making frosting or icing .
4 squares of unsweetened chocolate
2 Tablespoons of butter
a little dash of salt. Not alot, just enough to bring out flavor.
1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Over very low heat, mix the butter and the chocolate , stirring until it is a nice smooth mixture.
Take it off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
You can let it stand a while if the consistency isn't right.
Spread between the layers then put the two layers together and frost the entire cake, both top and sides.
If it is too thick add milk in tiny amounts until its spreadable.

This recipe is very nice for cupcakes as well.

Good luck and enjoy.

Buttermilk Pie

Oh this is so delicious!

Here is what you will need:

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pie crust you make or buy. You only need one crust.

Heat up your oven to 350.
Beat the eggs together and then add your flour and sugar.
Pour this all into your unbaked pie shell.
Bake for about 40 minutes but keep an eye on it as baking time can vary a lot.
If you see the crust might get too dark, you can place foil on it or reduce the baking temperature a bit more as well.
It's done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream if you wish.

For a variation on the pie, you can also add a spoonful of lemon zest to the mix before baking. Also you might consider making these into tarts, like in the photo. They are tiny personal pies that are so good too and look adorable.

Lavender Sugar

There is nothing quite as  lovely as creating your own fragrant and flavored sugars.
You can use a variety of things to scent and flavor sugar but lavender is quite lovely.
You will need to obtain some culinary lavender buds. These are untreated and safe to eat
You can buy them online or in specialty shops.
The photo I found  is a sample of what they sell Here and it seems reasonably priced, though I have not bought from them as yet myself.  Just be sure it is culinary lavender so its not been treated with  insecticides, etc.
If you grow your own lavender you have it made in the shade!

For lavender sugar you will need the following:

2 cups of fine sugar.
3 generous Tablespoons of culinary lavender. You can use fresh buds if you grow your own and they are not chemically treated.
You may leave the  buds whole or you can run everything through a processor or spice mill to finely chop and mix it all.
But some people do not want the buds or even pieces to be left in the sugar. If that is the case, leave them whole mixed into the sugar and store in a tight glass jar that you place in a cool, dark place for a week or so.
Once the scent is completely through the mixture, you can strain out the buds using a mesh sieve and then place the sugar back in its jar.

 You can select a pretty mason type jar to both create the sugar and keep it.
To make a pretty touch, you might cut a circle of fabric a bit larger than the jar top  with pinking sheers and  decorate the top of the jar with it by securing with a ribbon.
I found this nice do it yourself tutorial on making them HERE.

Your lavender sugar is ready for tea or topping cookies... whatever you wish .

Lemon Ice

photo:NCR

2 cups sugar.
5 cups of  water
1 1/3 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice. (bottled just will not taste the same but, you can use it if it is what you have ) This takes about 8 lemons by the way.
2 Tablespoons of grated lemon zest (that is the rind of the lemon grated finely)
Do NOT grate in the white part because it is very bitter.  You can leave the peel out, children tend not to like it with the peel in it or even on it.

mint leaves for garnish.(Grow your own! Its wonderful to have)


Add  the sugar to the water and bring up to a boil. Let it cook for 5 minutes and don't stir it.
Pour the mixture into a ceramic bowl and refrigerate 2 hours at least then add the lemon and lemon zest.
Pour into an ice cream maker and continue as the ice cream maker recommends.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, just pour the mixture into a metal container and freeze for 5 to 8 hours. Then, to  serve, break off pieces and pulse quickly in a blender or food processor.

Easiest Preparation Instructions:
These are far easier but require more hands on time as you must stir it often.
Pour your mixture  into a freezer container or metal bowl.. Now freeze for about 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes  until mixture turns into  slush.. 

You can serve in tiny cups and garnish with mint leaves if you wish.

Gazillion Calorie Bourbon Macaroon Dessert

This cake is literally loaded with calories and guaranteed to put you on sugar overload for a long time. The thing is, it is also delicious and you ought to know how to make it!

You will need:
Macaroons....  about 2 dozen should do it.
Bourbon... 1/4 cup 
 8 ounces of softened cream cheese
14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces or so of whipped cream
toasted pecans chopped . or plain pecans if you wish.

Macaroons

Soak the crushed macaroons in some Bourbon. Don't make it watery or swimming in the stuff, just enough to thoroughly coat and let them soak in it.
Spray a Jello mold or a pretty bowl with cooking spray and then line with plastic wrap.
  Take your bourbon soaked cookies and press them into the pan creating a kind of shell.
With a mixer, combine the cream cheese  and condensed milk  into a smooth creamy mixture.
Now add the nuts and fold in the whipped cream.
Spoon this mixture into the macaroon shell.
Cover with tight wrap and freeze it until firm.

To serve this, just turn the bowl or mold over  and tap lightly. You can also use a warmed tea towel on the bottom for a few seconds to loosen the frozen dessert. You want it to come out in a ball.
Remove the plastic cling wrap and decorate with whipped cream.
  Drizzle   with some nice caramel sauce or chocolate sauce
You can find a nice caramel recipe   HERE.

Coconut Cream Pie

I love coconut cream, chocolate cream and banana cream pies.
They are delicious and I can't get enough.
Here is how to make Coconut Cream Pie the old way:

You will need:

1 cup of flaked and toasted coconut.(spread your coconut around on a baking pan and simply bake it at 350°F for a few minutes until browned. You might need to mix it up once or twice and keep an eye on it too. It should take about 5 minutes or so.)
2 large eggs
3cups of half and half cream
1/4 teaspoon of salt
 1/2 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
a  baked pie shell, your own or bought
1 cup of whipped cream
3/4 cup of white fine sugar.

How to assemble:

Combine the half and half, eggs, flour, sugar and salt in a pan and bring to a boil over low heat while stirring constantly.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 3/4 of  your coconut and the vanilla extract.
Pour the mixture into your pie shell.
Refrigerate the pie for several hours. usually around 3 is enough.
It should be firm.
Top it off with the rest of the toasted coconut and fresh whipped cream.
You can even put a cherry on top.
Now make a pot of coffee and one of tea and invite your friends over for dessert.

Ice Cream Sodas

These are wonderful for kids and you on hot summer days.
Grab the milk and ice cream ....

Here's How:

Pour 3oz of chocolate syrup in a large fountain style glass. 

(Gourmets and Purists always used to use the Kosher for Pesach Ubet which is sugar only and considered the finest chocolate syrup available. I have not used it in years however and have no idea as to its kosher status now.)

Fill the glass nearly half full with icy cold seltzer or club soda and stir it very well.

Add 1 or 2 scoops vanilla ice cream and watch the foaming begin.
Fill with more ice cream if you can manage it and top with Whipped cream.

Summer Lime Rice Salad

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This is a complete meal. Its very delicious and easy to prepare.
You will need:

1 can black bean, rinsed and drained
2 cups brown rice, cooked and hot
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
 a pinch  of salt and pepper(cracked pepper is nicest)
1/2 cup red onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
If you can think of other veggies to add, go ahead. 




Preparation:
Cook your rice, Keep warm.

Heat up the olive oil in a pan over a medium high heat and stir in  your corn . Brown them lightly. This takes about 8 minutes but watch them carefully. You don't want to burn the corn.
Add in the black beans, heat a bit and then remove from the heat.

In another bowl mix together your lime juice, 2 Tablespoons of oil , the salt and the pepper and then add in the rice.
Now toss in the corn and bean mixture and then the rest of the veggies in the list.
Toss it carefully and test the seasonings.
Garnish with lime slice and  Italian Parsley.
Tomato wedges are nice with it also.
Serve with crusty bread and tall glasses of frosty iced tea.
This is nice at room temperature.
Enjoy.

Dafina

For Shabbat, the Sabbath, I make a stew on Friday and it cooks until Saturday afternoon when it is finally eaten. We do not cook on shabbat.
Here is my recipe for what is called Dafina.

  1-1/4 cups  dried chick-peas (soaked over night or use canned if you like, drained )


3 tablespoons Olive oil (more if you need it)

2 mediums Onions, chopped (about 1 cup)  I like Vidalia but many like Spanish onions for this. You can add more if you love the taste.

4 whole cloves garlic (or to taste)

1 pound of  Beef  or veal bones (you dont need to use these but it does add huge flavor.)

3 pounds Beef brisket  ora nice chuck roast, cut into 4 pieces . You can use cheaper cuts because you are going to cook the dickens out of it . It will be fork tender.

12 medium Potatoes peeled (you can even use sweet potatoes or yams for extra flavor. I use both white and sweet potatoes)

5 Pitted dates cut up  or 3 tablespoons honey (up to 6 if you like things sweeter. I use sparingly)

1 tablespoon Paprika  (use good Paprika)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground tumeric (news item says tumeric is a huge cancer fighter)

 6  crumbled  saffron threads (this stuff is expensive. The recipe is nice with it, but you can do without.)

2 teaspoons sea salt, about ( be careful) and you can use whatever salt you like, not just sea salt of course

Ground black pepper to taste  . Freshly ground just adds more flavor

 6 jumbo or large  Eggs, in  their shell  or 8 small ones. As many as the crock pot will hold as far as I am concerned. I love these eggs like this!

Saute the onion and  the garlic  in a bit of the oil until onion is translucent.
Combine all the rest of the ingredients in a large crock pot. Add  the onion and sauteed garlic and  cover the whole mess with nice water.
Oh.. don't forget to put the eggs in., uncooked and in their shells. They will change color and take on the flavor of the stew. They are absolutely delicious.
Set on low and let it cook overnight.  It can cook for 12 or more hours and still be delicious.
Enjoy.
I have a computerized crock pot that cooks for 10 hours then sets itself on low for the rest of the time.
10 hours usually will cook it all nicely .
As I make it pre-sundown on Friday, it cooks all that time until Sat. afternoon. So, don't worry if it cooks a long time.

You can serve the eggs with the meal . I have one at least that day but I put others away in refrig. to have for lunch and breakfast during the coming week.

Cinnamon and Hot Sauce in your Coffee

Yahoo recently posted the idea of having coffee with Cinnamon and hot sauce to control cholesterol, stomach ailments and for diabetes. Seems Cinnamon and hot sauce as wonder products in that regard.

I know that if you feed black pepper to chickens in their mash they won't get salmonella nor will their eggs have it.

So I found a few recipes for coffee that might be interesting.

I am trying some Cinnamon and hot sauce in my coffee this morning and it's great and you don't taste the hot sauce.

Interestingly, hot sauce in chocolate candy is said to make it "gourmet".

Here is what Yahoo had to say:

Cinnamon goes back to ancient times and has been used to soothe indigestion, prevent stomach ulcers, prevent tooth decay and a whole host of other problems. Science finds that cinnamon has antiseptic qualities and also helps diabetics metabolize sugar.

Cayenne, also known as Capsaicin, has been shown to aid digestion, ease muscle pain with topical treatment, relieve cluster headaches, lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease, plus others. Cayenne pepper juice is found in most hot sauces and Capsaicin is found in many muscle rub creams.

Now I know you might be doubtful about adding hot sauce to your coffee, but you don't actually taste the difference. And it's been found that hot foods don't CAUSE ulcers, but may cause pain to an existing ulcer. Nonetheless, a few drops in coffee with your creamer should soothe any problems for those with ulcers.

Find their directions HERE

Cayenne Coffee:

(Makes 2-3 Cups)

1/2 Cup Coffee Beans ground to your liking.(or just use coffee as you usually do)

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne

unsweetened chocolate powder - to taste

Mix all these together before you add water to make the coffee.

Cinnamon Coffee:

Coffee of your choice for the pot

a teaspoon of Cinnamon and 4-6 drops of red hot sauce.

Add the Cinnamon to the coffee before brewing. Drop in the hot sauce to the pot.

Enjoy.

You can also use a Cinnamon stick to stir your coffee.

Homemade Pepperoni

Here is a great recipe for homemade pepperoni made from ground beef.

It will make about 2 pounds.

you will need:

2 lbs of lean ground beef. Use only lean. You don't want a lot of fat in this.

2 tsp of black pepper

1/2 tsp of sugar

2tsp of liquid smoke flavoring

2 tsp of mustard seed

a tsp of paprika

1/2 tsp of garlic powder.

2 big tsp of Curing Salt.

You can order Prague Curing salt online. Curing salt it NOT the same as regular salt. Mortons also makes one.

Combine all the ingredients , cover and refrigerate for 2 days.

Remove from refrigerator and shape the meat into rolls. You will have enough here to shape 2 long rolls.

Use a baking pan that has a rack in it so that the rolls can drain any fat.

Place the rolls on the rack and bake in a 200°F oven for 8 hours.

Yes, 8 hours. You are curing the meat that way. You can turn them over every few hours.

They won't be dark when done but more pink in color and thats what they should look like.

Wipe off any excess oils and cool the rolls.

You can slice them into thin slices after they are cool or just refrigerate the rolls and cut slices as you wish.

They freeze up nicely and in the fridge will hang out for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

Cajun Style Fish

Cajun doesn't have to mean blackened or super spicey hot.
Here is a recipe that is neither and yet very Cajun.
You can use whatever fish you prefer but Tilapia and flounder are especially nice in this dish.

You will need:

2 pounds of flounder fillets
16 ounces of tomato sauce
1 green bell pepper sliced thinly
1 yellow or red bell pepper sliced thinly
1 medium sweet onion sliced thinly
2 minced cloves of garlic
black pepper, cayenne pepper , salt to taste.
Olive oil for frying

Put a bit of oil in a frying pan and saute the bell peppers for a few minutes. Just get them a bit limp.
You saute the peppers first because they cook more slowly than the onion and the garlic.
Once your peppers are moving ahead but not yet really limp, add the onion and garlic and continue sauting until all are cooked well. They will be limp in appearance by then.
Sprinkle with black pepper, salt and cayenne to taste.

Now saute your fish about 2 or 3 minutes per side, also in some olive oil. You don't need too much oil but enough to keep the fish from sticking to the pan bottom. Don't turn the heat too high either.

Once you have cooked the fish for a few minutes on each side, cover the fish with the vegetables you have sauted and cover the pan and simmer it all for about 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to mix.

Serve on a bed of rice... or alone. Or, serve in taco shells.

If you do not like hot foods be careful when adding the cayenne pepper.
Some people love this recipe with Louisiana hot sauce but those are the die hard heat fans.

Enjoy .

EGG CREAM RECIPE.. YUM

Once more with Feeling!
This was very popular when first published so here it is again because people asked.
It is a staple at the Rock and Roll Cafe.
Once you try it , it will be a favorite of your own too.

The Egg Cream first appeared in NYC and Brooklyn in the 1800's and has been one of the most refreshing drinks you can imagine!! And tasty? You Bet!! No eggs and no cream in them though.


Here.. make one for yourself and you will see how wonderful they are:
About 1/2 cup cold whole milk
1 cup bottled seltzer
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Pour about half an inch of cold milk into a tall chilled soda glass. Add seltzer or club soda to within 1 inch of the top of the glass; stir briskly with a long spoon to make it frothy..really frothy.

Pour in some chocolate syrup, approx 2 heaping Tablespoons. Let it drizzle down the inside of the glass then give some more brisk stirring action.
Serve cold with a straw.
Ok.. ok.. if you really have to break tradition, you could add a couple spoonfulls of vanilla icecream and I wont't tell .

Substituting in Kosher Cooking

You don't have to let a recipe stymie you just because it contains meat and milk. There are ways around this.
When you find a recipe you think you would love just find substitutes for some of the ingredients.
One way is to find suitable pareve soy products that replace milk, creams and cheeses.
They come in all varieties now and they are quite good and very healthy.

Soy based yogurts are tasty and can be used to act like cream in a recipe. The idea of the cream is to make the recipe richer. Pareve plain Yogurt can accomplish the same thing.


Mayonnaise can be a good butter and oil substitute.


Soy cheeses are delicious and some are really indistinguishable from real cheese.

Beer in recipes is often substituted with non alcoholic beer or chicken broth. So, chicken broth might be substituted with beer.. if you are adventurous that is!

You have to experiment with these things to find out what works and what doesn't but over all I have had good results in using them.

If you don't like the idea of soy based products and want the real thing you can substitute for meat and its products in a recipe too.
If it calls for chicken broth, why not try a vegetable broth instead?

Also 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce in a cup of water will substitute for chicken broth.

Yogurt is a great substitute for buttermilk. You can use it in pancakes.

To substitute for cream use a pareve whipped topping.

Tofu can substitute for meat in so many things as well. Once cooked with spices and sauces it takes on it's own tastes and most can't tell it's not meat of some sort.

Recipes are rarely written in stone. You can and should add your own ideas and innovations to them.
Sometimes you will have a hit and sometimes a miss but you will be learning and having fun along the way.

Pumpkin Bread

This is a nice recipe for pumpkin bread.

2 tsp. cinnamon
one 16 ounce can of canned pumpkin
2 tsp. nutmeg
3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups of water
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 lightly floured and greased loaf pans( 9"X5")
2 tsp. baking soda

In a large bowl , stir together flour, spices , salt and baking soda.
Now add your eggs , oil, water and the pumpkin and mix in nicely until you have a batter.
You can add your nuts now if you wish. They are optional in the recipe, of course.

Pour the mixture into the loaf pans and bake for about one hour at 350° F
Test with a toothpick or tester . If it comes out clean the bread is finished.

Cool a bit and serve or wait one day as it tastes better the next day.
You can refrigerate it once you wrap it in clear cling wrap.

Enjoy.

Adjustment to Pumpkin Soup recipe.

A reader called to my attention that I failed to add the adjustments to the recipe as I have in all my other posts.
A substitution of pareve soy based yogurt and soy milk is what I use in place of the cream in the recipe. I have used both together, and just the yogurt and found it worked nicely with the recipe.
You can also use pareve whipped topping or pareve thick creamer as a substitute for cream. It works very nicely.

Most cheeses and milks and creams are now available in soy pareve form.
I have even found cheddar in a pareve form. Enjoy.
If you don't like soy foods, then you might not like the recipe.

Thanks for the help anonymous!!

Pumpkin Soup

Autumn is the time to cook up recipes that use harvest vegetables and are homey and soothing to the taste.
Pumpkin soup is one such recipe that can become an autumn favorite.
Here's are a few variations of it:

For a thick cream soup:
1/2 cup of half and half
2 cups of mashed cooked pumpkin. You can use canned pumpkin just be sure it has no spices or sugar in it.
1 tsp of sea salt
1Tablespoon of sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cups of good chicken broth... use a flavorful kind or make your own. Be sure its nice a chickeny .
3Tbs of butter
1/2 cup of yellow onion, chopped

Saute the onions in some of the butter , as they become transparent, add your pumpkin and heat through a bit.
Now add all your spices and pour in the broth while stirring.
Don't let this boil up. Keep it simmering to heat it and meld the flavors.
When just about to serve, add the half and half cream and stir through.


Spanish Pumpkin Soup :

Spices:
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1 can (15oz) pumpkin(spice free!)
1 cup whipping or heavy cream
3 Tbls of dark brown sugar
3 cups of chicken broth or stock

Mix the broth and cream in a pan and heat to very hot...almost boiling.
Stir in the pumpkin and the sugar and spices and simmer low til flavors mix from the heat.
Soup should thicken from the pumpkin . Simmer about 10 minutes or so.
Season off heat with salt and pepper.
Garnish with grated cheese. Cheddar is nice.


Enjoy!

Steak Wraps

Easy, fast and delicious. It's perfect for left over beef in any form as long as it's tender. Steak is fine, but so is pot roast.

You will need whole wheat flour tortillas, the large kind. Whole wheat is healthier.
You will also need some sliced left over steak or roast, etc.
Some tiny sweet salad tomatoes,sliced
Baby spinach or lettuce,
Thin cucumber slices
thinly sliced sweet red or yellow onion (vidalia is nice)
Sweet red peppers from a jar.
A salad dressing or sauce of your choice( a recipe for one follows)

Just layer the tortillas with the greens, tomato, cukes, peppers and onions.. roll up and heat for a few minutes if you wish, though its not necessary.

For a variation, you can use left over chicken or beef and left over potatoes which you fry til a bit crispy. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat the entire thing til its warm.
This makes a full and healthy meal.
Serve with sauce of your choice, even ketchup mixed with mayonnaise can be nice. For chicken try a honey mustard sauce if you like.
Any nice salad dressing will fit the bill also.
If you add salsa you can spice it up Mexican style too!

Saucy Marinade for steak or beef:
this marinade is from better homes and gardens recipes:

1 (1-1/2 to 2 pounds) flank steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for grill pan
Directions
1. Trim fat from steak and place steak in a shallow dish. Stir together rosemary, marjoram, oregano, garlic, paprika, salt, and peppers in a small bowl. Stir in the oil until combined.
2. Spoon herb mixture evenly over both sides of steak, rubbing in. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
3. Preheat grill pan over moderately high heat. Lightly coat pan with oil and place steak in pan. Grill, turning once, until a meat thermometer inserted into center of steak registers 125 degree F for medium rare, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Transfer to a cutting board. Cover and let stand 10 minutes before cutting, across the grain, into very thin slices. Makes 8 servings.

Herring in Cream Sauce

This is a lovely dish any time, any place.

You will need:
8 pickled herring fillets

1/4 cup of Mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons of whipping cream

1/4 tsp of sugar

1/8 tsp of lemon pepper

1/8 tsp of worchestershire sauce

1/2 cup of finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup of fine chopped sliced leek

fresh dillweed

coarse black pepper

Drain the herring and reserve a tablespoon of its marinade.

Combine your mayo with the cream, sugar, half the dill, lemon pepper , Worchestershire sauce and reserved marinade and mix together.

On a nice plate, arrange the onion and the leek and some dill in a pleasing arrangement.

Top with the herring filets and then drizzle on the cream sauce.

Grind fresh coarse black pepper on top and garnish with more dillweed on the very top.

Shaved carrot also makes a nice presentation.

To make it extra special, top with a large dollop of red Caviar.

Make sure it is not *real* caviar as that is from Sturgeon which is not a kosher fish.

But there are kosher caviar types out there that are very nice and made from Salmon roe. Look for that kind.

Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and Squeak is a British dish that is a delicious comfort food. If you have never tried it, you are in for a treat especially if you are a cabbage and potato lover as I am.
This recipe is easy and I give you here just a basic one, but you can add to it any vegetables from last night's dinner that you like. Its a perfect way to use up leftover veggies including potatoes.
The dish is perfect on a cold winter day with a serving of poached eggs for protein too. They just really go together well.


1 lb potatoes of unpeeled
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 oz butter
8oz cabbage, shredded
3 tbsp water
3-4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped well

How to:
Cook your potatoes in boiling salted water for about 20 minutes or so, til tender but not mushy. you stil have to fry them.. You can use potatoes from yesterdays meal and this is the best way to use them.
Peel them if you just made them.




Mash them with half of your butter.
Put the cabbage and remaining butter in a sauce pan with the water and cook on low medium for around 10 minutes or til nice and tender.
Now mix the cabbage in with the potatoes and season them with as much salt and pepper as you like. .

Heat half of the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion til clear and soft.
Now add the potato mixture and press down flat so it will brown nicely.
When one side is all browned, turn it over, adding more oil if necessary and brown the other side.
Remove to a plate to serve. You can cut it in wedges or just scoop and serve as a side dish.
This is hearty enough for a main meal though if you make enough of it and serve with thick slices of toasty bread and butter.

Comfort Food Potatoes

These are made with French's French Fried Onions, (kosher OU) , cream cheese and cheddar cheese and potatoes.

This is just out of this world and an ultimate comfort food. Worth a try at least once in your life time... calories or not!

Boil and mash 6 or 7 large potatoes.

chop a small sweet yellow onion (Vidalia if you have it) very fine.

You will need 4 ounces of cream cheese

4 ounces of sour cream,

and 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese.

1 can of French's French fried Onions. (about 3 ounces of them)

Mix the onion with the cream cheese , sour cream and cheddar in the hot potatoes.

Now if it is way too thick , which happens sometimes, use a very small amount of milk to thin them just a bit. Be careful now and don't make them runny. Just a small bit of milk to thin if they are just too thick to stir with a spoon .

Put the mix into a rectangle baking dish and you wil bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F.

When the edges are bubbling you know its done.

When its just about finished, maybe 5 minutes from being done, top it with the fried onions and pop back into the oven to complete the cooking

Now serve and eat! That's the best part of it all. Hope you enjoy them.

Morrocan Chicken

This is a great recipe and is served over couscous.
It is hearty and filling and tasty. Give it a try one chilly Autumn evening.
It makes a wonderful dinner party dish too.



Ingredients


1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), skinned
Cooking spray
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
24 pimiento-stuffed olives, coarsely chopped
8 lemon wedges

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. Add chicken; toss to coat. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.

Combine flour, juice, and broth, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken, tossing to coat. Top chicken with olives and lemon. Bake at 325° for 1 hour

Mashed Potatoes for a Change

"Hi Annie,
You say to serve mashed potatoes but don't they contain milk? How can I serve them with a meat dish?"

Mashed potatoes do not have to contain milk. If, however you like that texture that creamy milk gives, soy milk will do just as well.
There are other ways to make mashed potatoes though.
One of the most flavorful ways is to use Kraft or Gefen Mayonnaise .
Boil your potatoes, red, golden yukon or any kind of baker until soft but still a bit firm. You don't want them mushy. Drain them very well.
Rice or mash them as you prefer.
You can leave skins on or off as you prefer. If you have opted to leave them on, be sure you went over them carefully with a soapy(Rokeach soap does a nice job as does Dr. Bronner's Peppermint soap) vegetable brush first and rinsed them well.
Now add some Kraft or Gefen Mayonnaise (we love the taste of Gefen) it is pareve.(neither meat nor dairy) so you are safe with it. Begin with a tablespoon and whip it into the potatoes. Add some pepper if you like. White pepper gives potatoes a particularly nice taste.
If they are not as smooth as you like, add more mayo or add a wee bit of soy milk to make them creamier.
This makes hearty and filling mashed potatoes but be warned .. they are high in calories this way. Well, aren't most comfort foods?

Another way to prepare mashed potatoes to serve with meat is to use non dairy sour cream and non dairy margarine. Add those slowly to the riced or mashed potatoes to give them a smooth and creamy texture.

As always, if you whip your potatoes with an electric mixer they will be fluffy and light.
Adding too much liquid will make them runny so go slow on adding any additions and make sure the potatoes were thoroughly drained before mashing them.



For variety, try adding garlic mashed into your potatoes.
Take one pound of washed , cooked and drained potatoes and mash them
Add in a few cloves of mashed roasted garlic. You can roast a whole head in aluminum foil in the oven or in a skillet!
Take the whole bulb..cut off the top so the inside shows a wee bit.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350F til the garlic is soft and sweet.
Takes from 30 mins to an hour depending on your oven. Check often for the garlic insides to be pretty soft.
Add a few cloves of this to your potatoes along with other ingredients you decide to use. Roasting garlic makes it sweet but still retains the garlicy flavor.

Adding Horseradish or Crayonnaise to mashed potatoes is also a delicious change of pace. Try it ..add slowly !

Crock Pot Chicken

This is a quick and easy crock pot dish you will enjoy.

Crumple up some aluminum foil in the bottom of your crock pot.
Place a whole cleaned chicken on top and season it with garlic, paprika and whatever chicken spices you like. There are many of them out there that enhance the flavor of chicken so choose your favorite. You can even use dry salad dressing mixes if you like. Italian works very nicely. Season inside birdy too if you wish.


Set your crockpot on a high setting and allow to cook for one hour.
Then, reset the crockpot to cook on low for 7 more hours.
No liquid is used. The foil will keep the chicken from sticking and the paprika will lend a golden color.

Serve with Mashed Potatoes and green beans or salad for a lovely meal.

Chocolate-Toffee Trifle

This dessert if quick to make but looks and tastes like a million dollars and if you love chocolate you will certainly like this.
If you have a lovely trifle bowl you can put it to good use in making this lucious dessert.


You will need to bake a box of brownies from a mix. That is the 'hardest' part of this recipe.
You can bake two boxes if you wish to make tons of trifle!
You will need chocolate pudding mix .
Prepare according to box instructions. If you are pressed for time, buy chocolate pudding in the plastic tub and use that.
Next you will need some Heath Bars (OU-D) about 10 of them that you will crush up.
And some whipped topping in a container

Raspberries, fresh or frozen for topping. Raspberry syrup if you can find it. Kedem makes a nice one.

Once you have prepared the brownie mix, Fold about 3/4 of the whipped topping into the chocolate pudding.
Now place some crumbled brownies into the bottom of your trifle bowl.
Top with some of the pudding/whipped topping mix.
Now layer with some of the crushed Heath Bar.
Now top the Heath with a bit of plain whipped topping.
Continue this layering til you have filled the bowl and finished off your brownies.
You want to end the layering with a layer of whipped topping.
On the very top you place the raspberries to garnish. Some mint leaves look lovely also. As does a little handful of crushed Heath bar.

If you can find the raspberry syrup, you can alter the recipe a bit by drizzling a tiny bit of the raspberry syrup on each layer of brownie as well as the pudding mix.
It 's bright deep jewel red color looks beautiful in the dish and it gives added interest in taste to the final dish.
Do not add syrup on top though, since it melts the topping and will make the dish look kind of sad.
Layer carefully to prevent a whopping mess!
It will taste good no matter how it looks though.

Alternate toppings include: chocolate curls, crushed chocolate bars.

To make it even more special here is a trick you might try:
If you enjoy Kahlua or any coffee flavored liquors, brush some of the liquor lightly over the brownies before crumbling them into the trifle dish.
This will add a bit of a kick to the dish.
Don't get too wild with the liquor or you will have mush instead of brownies.

Cincinnati's Famous Chili

Use Non Dairy Cheese substitute on top! 

This chili recipe is really famous and one of the most unique and delicious I have ever tasted, though I never tasted it at the restaurants themselves but by making it at home.


It is served in Cincinnati Ohio at the famous Skyline Chili restaurants.


There are many soy or non dairy cheese substitutes now that are very tasty and you can pile them ontop just like in this photo. Ths is how it is served in their restaurants but I like it just plain with onion on top. Served over spaghetti or on hot dogs it makes a wonderful meal

1 qt. water2 med. onions, finely chopped

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

5 whole allspice or 1/2 tsp. ground

1 1/2 tsp. red pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

3-4 tbsp. chili powder

1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 lbs. ground beef

4 garlic cloves

2 tbsp. vinegar

1 whole bay leaf

5 whole cloves

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Put the ground beef into water in 4 quart pot. Stir until beef separates to a fine texture. Boil slowly for 30 minutes. (YUP! you will NOT saute the beef in this recipe. You can if boiling bothers you but the authentic way is to just boil it. Give it a try.)

Now, all other ingredients are put into the mix. Stir well and then bring it all to a boil.

Next, reduce the heat and simmer it all uncovered for about 3 hours.

You might have to cover the pot after a while when a good thick consistency has been reached. You don't want it to dry out.

This chili is best served the next day for two reasons. One, it just tastes better that way and two because after it sits in your fridge over night you can skim off any fat that layers on top.

If you used a very lean ground beef though, you can serve right away.

The key is to serve it over hot spagetthi.

Now at Skyline they serve it several different ways. Piles of onions on top, piles of cheese, piles of everything .. etc.

You decide what embellishments you prefer and add them to the plate.
This recipe is delicious served on hot dogs too so if you make up a bunch of it, freeze it in small batches for just that purpose. Your cook out guests will really enjoy it.

Chocolate and vinegar give this chili is addictive flavor. I never met anyone who didnt rave about Skyline chili!
I have never eaten it at the restaurant as I eat strictly kosher ..but I have made this at home and let me tell you it is really scrumptious.

If you are allergic to chocolate I can tell you it tastes almost as good without it. Just as always sample as you go along and regulate to your own desires.

Food isn't any good unless YOU like it no matter what anyone else thinks!

Bon appetite.

Kahlua Chili

Kahlua gives this Chili the best flavor and a bit of a kick too. This recipe will make a large amount, but you can cut it down or freeze some for later use.
Here's how to make it:







In about 1/2 cup of olive or other veggie oil, saute 4 chopped yellow onions til they are transparent along with 4 cloves of minced garlic.
Now add 1/2 cup of chopped green peppers and 4lbs ground beef and cook the beef til all red is gone and crumbled nicely with a fork.
If you prefer sweet red or yellow peppers or none at all, that's just fine too. It's your recipe so you adapt it as you see fit.
Some people like to add Mexican green chilies to the recipe and that is also fine.
Taste along the way , though, to be sure how things are going.

Now add in:
2 teaspoons Cumin powder

2 teaspoons Dried marjoram

2 teaspoons Dried oregano
2 tablespoons Tomato paste

4 teaspoons Salt

2 teaspoons Red cayenne pepper

1 cup Kahlua

1/2 cup Parsley -- chopped

6 tablespoons Chili powder


Simmer all this together for a good hour or up to 10 hours in a crock pot if you like.
The results will be pretty doggone good.

Serve with a nice big dollop of sour cream. There are excellant non dairy sour creams that are light and low in fat.
Corn bread or crusty French bread make a great compliment for a real hearty meal.

Next up will be a recipe for Cincinnati (SKYLINE) chili!

Taco Mac

Taco Mac is simply delicious and easy to make.It is a fresh new taste that everyone loves and I am sure if you try it you will also.

You will need a pound of spaghetti..cooked and drained.

1 pound of ground beef or ground turkey.

Sweet red, green and yellow peppers cored,seeded and sliced in small strips.

One packette of taco seasoning

I large can of crushed tomatoes

one large vidalia onion (any onion you wish is ok really) chopped fine

a bit of crushed garlic clove

1 small can of green chilies if you like them , otherwise don't bother.

small can or 1 cup of sweet white or yellow corn.

1/3 scant cup of brown sugar (not packed. The sugar cuts down on acidity in tomato sauces. always taste when adding sugar slowly so you don't add too much or too little)

In a skiller cook and crumble the ground meat til almost done. Add your onions and peppers and continue to cook til they are soft. Add your garlic now and heat through a bit.

Once they are sauted to your liking, add the crushed tomatoes , packette of taco seasoning, and the corn and 1/3 scant cup of brown sugar.

Simmer for about half and hour til the flavors are mixed nicely.

You can serve with a sprinkling of pareve cheese (soy usually) which are very nice .

Another variation of this recipe is Chili Mac. Simply serve your favorite chili recipe over cooked pasta. It's a hit with kids and adults alike.

Fish VeraCruz

Here is one of the all time favorite fish recipes from Rock & Roll Cafe. People have been known to order 2 portions for themselves!
Fish is excellant food. They call it brain food and it seems that it does promote a healthy brain. Most people do not eat enough fish.





Here is the recipe. Give it a try and let us know what you think would you please?


You are going to need :


About 2 pounds of fresh or frozen red snapper filets. You can use flounder or cod too, your call, but snapper is traditional with this. You need enough for about 6 people . Try to buy locally and make sure your fish is fresh if you can get it. Coastal states will have no problem with that.

2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
1 pound of tomatoes that you core, seed and chop fine. It should be about 3 cups worth of chopped tomato.
1 1/2 cups of finely chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon of snipped parsley
1 tablespoon of fresh snipped mint (dry if you have to)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small jar of jalapeno peppers rinsed, seeded and chopped fine . If you dont like hot pepper use green chilies.
1/4 cup of pimento stuffed green olives
1 tablespoon of capers
1 large bay leaf
1 tablespoon of snipped fresh thyme.

Take your fish, fresh of thawed and sprinkle with a bit of salt and then drizzle on the olive oil and set the filets aside.
In a 12 inch skillet you will cook the tomatoes, onion, garlic, mint, parsley in some olive oil til the onion is tender but not browned.
Now add your jalapeno or chilies, the capers , bay leaf and thyme and your olives (sliced olives are nicer I think)
Cover and heat til it boils.
Now add your fish , lower the heat and simmer covered for about 10 to 15 minutes til the fish is flakey.
When done place the fish on a plate and arrange the vegetables on top of it in a pleasing manner.Throw out your bay leaf.
Take the liquid from the cooking and bring back to boil after removing veggies and fish and reduce it . Takes about 3 minutes. You can use this to pour over the fish .
Garnish with parsley , capers and more olives.
It will serve 6 to 8 people nicely





A good side dish with this is always rice and a cheesy rice goes very nicely. A crispy lettuce and tomato salad are excellant alongside this.


Add some lime or lemon wedges to the plate for extra flavor if you like.

Patriotic Pound Cake

This is a repeat of a wonderful recipe from last year.
Lemon Patriotic Pound Cake... Delicious
Try this to celebrate the Independance we all love .

1 pound unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for pans
4 cups cake flour, plus additional for dusting pans
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
10 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
2-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar, plus 4 tablespoons
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 3 large lemons)
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups assorted berries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Butter two 9- by-5-inch loaf pans. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper, then butter paper and flour pans, tapping out excess flour. Whisk flour, seeds, and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, milk, and 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla together in another bowl.
2. Beat butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, the zest, and salt together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. With mixer on low, alternately add flour and egg mixtures in batches, scraping bowl as needed, until combined.
3. Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops. Bake in middle of oven until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges and invert cakes onto a rack to cool.
4. Meanwhile, toss berries in a bowl with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the juice. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 15 to 25 minutes.
5. Beat heavy cream with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed to soft peaks.
6. Cut each cake into 3 horizontal layers. Divide and spread 3/4 berry mixture and all of whipped cream between layers to form 2 layered cakes. Top each with remaining berries and dust with confectioners' sugar. Makes 12 servings (2 cakes).

It's wonderful!

Bourbon Baked Beans

A bit of Bourbon adds a classy touch to this lucious recipe. Strong coffee adds flavor and depth. Everyone loves this dish.

5 cans (16 ounces each)Heinz Vegetarian Kosher baked beans
1/2 cup chili sauce or ketchup
1/2 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/3 cup strong coffee
1 can (15 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix together the beans, molasses, mustard, chili sauce, bourbon, and coffee. Let then stand for 3 hours to allow the flavors to grow and mix. Preheat your oven to 300° degrees F, and bake for 30 minutes. Now add in the pineapple and brown sugar and bake for another 30 minutes.
Warm in the tummy on a cold winter day. Serve with hot dogs , hamburgers or roast beef if you like. They are good alone with crispy hot bread as well.

Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie

This is an elegant pie for company. It isnt difficult to make and tastes wonderful. Give it a try.

I piecrust

1-1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup granulated brown sugar

1/4 cup bourbon or water4 large eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted2 teaspoons cornmeal

2 tsp vanilla extract1/2 tsp salt
Fit piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and fold edges under, and crimp.
Sprinkle pecans and chocolate morsels evenly onto bottom of piecrust; set aside.Combine corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients.

Gradually whisk about 1/4 hot mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining hot mixture, whisking constantly.
Pour filling into prepared piecrust.
Bake at 325 for 55 minutes or until set; cool on wire rack.

Sephardic Red Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup is traditional for some Sefardim during the 9 days of Tisha B'Av (usually served with cheese bourekas) and since it is fast approaching I thought I would post my recipe for Lentil soup.


It is good any time of year. Lentils are a truly healthy and nourishing food. If you cannot afford much, believe me, lentils will keep you alive when all else is gone. Rich is protein and calories it is an amazing food . It is rich in folic acid, B vitamins , magnesium and heart healthy fiber. You can't go wrong with this wonderful food.





You will need the following:
1 1/2 cups of red lentils


1/4 cup of olive oil


3 or 4 large carrots cleaned and chopped well.


1 Bay leaf


3 Sweet Yellow Onions chopped nicely


1 cup of chopped parsley.. use Italian style.


4 stalks of celery chopped well.


2 heaping Tablespoons of tomato paste


About 8 cups of water.


lemon juice, cayenne red pepper(to your taste and it's optional) and cumin (about 1 or 2 teaspoons)


Salt and black Pepper to taste





Wash and select your lentils carefully. Watch out for tiny pebbles!


Let them soak in water for a couple hours while you do other things.


Saute the onion and celery in the olive oil til the onion is transparent.


Now add in the lentils, carrot and bay leaf and parsley and tomato paste and the water.


Bring to a good rolling boil then reduce to low and simmer it covered.


Simmer for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.


When the lentils are tender add the cumin and cayenne if you like things spicy and hot.


Add a splash of lemon juice to wake up all the flavors.


Taste and see how it is.. and adjust seasoning as you like them.

Serve hot with fresh hot bread, salad .

Hope you enjoy.

Our Marinated Grilled Steak

This is one of our biggest hits and we know you will love it also. It is wonderful on a hot summer night when "thin" meals just won't cut it. You are hungry and you need filling food and steak is one of the best fillers there is!

We serve more of this in the summer than any other dish.






You will need the following ingredients:[ change to fit your crowd, this feeds 4 very hungry or 8 partially hungry people.. or 2 serious steak lovers]

Ingredients:

2-1/2 pounds steak.. you select the cuts you love. Make sure they are tender , however.
2 tablespoons minced garlic
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
7 cups assorted lettuces
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup capers

Combine garlic, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil in a resealable plastic bag, season it with salt and pepper. Put in the beef and seal bag. Shake and rub bag to distribute marinade evenly. Let stand at room temperature for around 20 minutes.

Fire up the Grill at this point so its ready for your meat when things are done.

Whisk together mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar in a small bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Add your remaining 5 tablespoons oil in a slow stream, whisking until thickened and emulsified.

Now in another bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, and capers. YUM!

Cook steaks on a lightly oiled rack over high heat, turning once, until medium rare, about 5 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer your cooked steak to a plate and let stand for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, drizzle vinaigrette over salad, tossing to combine.

Place some salad on each plate. Arrange extra tomatoes around the side, or maybe some tiny carrots.. whatever you like.

Now slice up the steak on the bias making attractive small pieces and layer them onto the top of the salad.

This dish is wonderful served with grilled garlic bread and freshly brewed Iced Tea garnished with mint and lemon. Or our famous violet Iced Tea

Just add a few violet blossoms or.. non sprayed rose petals to your hot tea for a wonderful difference!Add your ice after the violets or roses 'steep' a bit.

Eat Hearty!

Easy Saucy Beef Stew

This is perfect for shabbat or anytime during the week.
Start out with a nice cut of beef. This is a kosher angus beef cut, very lean and nice. Since you will be cooking all day it isn't important what kind of meat you use, it will fall apart in the pot. If you prefer, you can also use stew cubes.This is about 2 1/2 lbs of meat.
Now cut up a large sweet onion and add that along with a large hand full of small sweet carrots, peeled potatoes, chunks of turnip or rutabega. Sweet potato chunks also can add a nice flavor. You determine what you like. I have rutabega here as it lends a delicious flavor.
Add a healthy 4 Tablespoons of ketchup and a few teaspoons of A1 steak sauce. Also added are a few leaves of fresh Rosemary for seasoning. A bit of chopped garlic is tasty as well.
Now add about 4 cups of broth. You can use beef, chicken or vegetable broth it does not matter. The taste will be a bit different with each of course. Beef will give you the most intense flavor but chicken has its own delicacy.
Now I add a few tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce as it cooks. I usually have no problem with lumps but if you are worried about this you can beat the flour into the broth before you add it.
You can add a cup of beans to the pot now . Small dry Lima Beans add the best flavor.
Set on high and cook for about 8 to 10 hours. This automatic crock pot sets for 10 hours and then automatically goes to "warm".








The meat has fallen apart and there is a rich gravy surrounding the vegetables. If you added beans there will not be as much sauce but it will still be delicious.

This recipe is great during the week served over egg noodles and with a nice tossed salad and crusty bread.

Dinner is Served

It is easy to make a quick dinner from just a bit.
Saute one medium sized onion in some oil olive. When it is well on its way to being transparent, add some garlic chopped fine , some oregano and a couple of leaves of fresh basil if you have it.
Cook just a minute or so over a medium flame.

Now open and add one or two cans of crushed tomatoes to the mixture and grate in one carrot for extra flavor.
You can add a large teaspoon or so of brown sugar if you find it too sharp tasting.
Simmer for about half and hour on low heat til the flavors mix nicely.
Cook up some left over pasta varities.. whatever you have. Boil according to package directions.
Serve the hot sauce over the spaghetti and if you like add a bit of grated cheese. This makes a fast, simple, cheap but nourishing meal when you are in a hurry. Serve with a side salad and some crusty bread.

Butterfly Cupcakes

This recipe is fun to make. Which is important in teaching kids how to cook I think. I have been teaching a little one how to cook lately and this is one of the recipes we used. So far we have learned to make soft Philadelphia pretzels(recipe coming up soon), cake and cupcakes, and a simple dinner and pizza. Making things fun and cute goes a long way to helping children learn how to do things. It is especially good if they get to try them out afterward!

Here is a list of ingredients for these cupcakes. !

1 package (18.25 oz.) plain yellow cake mix ( or your own recipe if you have one you like)
1 package (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup whole milk
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Vanilla or Cream Cheese Frosting
Nontoxic food coloring to tint frosting
Jellied fruit slices, mini candied licorice sticks, and Gummi Worms for decoration .
Of course you can make any decoration you wish on top.








Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350º F and line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
2. Blend cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and extracts in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again, if needed. Spoon or scoop batter into each cup, filling it almost to the top.
3. Bake in middle of oven until cupcakes are golden and spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in pans on racks, 15 minutes. Remove from pans.
4. Meanwhile, divide frosting between two bowls. Tint frosting in one bowl with food coloring, if desired; keep frosting in remaining bowl white.
5. Place a heaping tablespoon frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it smoothly with a short metal spatula or spoon, covering the top completely. Decorate with candy. Makes 22 to 24 cupcakes.

Honey-Rosemary Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

A Ladies Home Journal recipe that is lovely and this can be made in a crock pot!

Ingredients
12 skinless bone-in chicken thighs (about 5 pounds)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes
2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
2. Place the potatoes, onion and garlic in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker; top with chicken.
3. Stir together honey, juice, cornstarch, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook, 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high. Serve garnished with rosemary sprigs, if desired.