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Lamb Kabobs and Carrot-Rice Pilaf

I’m still working on the box of lamb that I bought with Dorothy, and have been searching for something different to do with the ground lamb. Tonight I tried a recipe from Aromas of Aleppo, a book that Isabel Baker gave me. Isabel runs a fine children’s book catalog company and she knows good books. This gorgeous cookbook describes the cuisine of Aleppian Jews, who migrated from Syria to the U.S. in the early twentieth century. The lamb is exotic, yet so easy to prepare, combining finely chopped onion, allspice and cinnamon.

To make the rice pilaf I sauteed 1/2 cup chopped onion, a finely chopped large carrot, a teaspoon of cumin seeds and about 4 whole cloves in a little olive oil. I started brown rice in half water and half chicken stock, stirred in the sauteed vegetables, and then cooked the rice as usual.

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Ida, Suzie, Gert

Suzie’s chocolate bars are in the oven. For hamentashen or babka there’s nothing finer than Ida’s yeast dough, and for an elegant, flaky, bakery-class cookie I go for Gert’s. They are the baker matriarchs whose names head up the treasured recipes in my mother’s card box, and looking through the recipes is like following the jagged lines of a family tree. Recipes with names in the title are like found treasures, taking you back to a loved-one’s kitchen—that is if you know who the person is. I’m a little hazy on which Suzie made the bars that are in my oven, and I’m pretty sure Ida Cash, an old friend of my grandmother’s, is responsible for the yeast dough, but I do remember my great aunt Gert, and think about her when I make her cookies.

What names are on your recipe cards?

Suzie’s Chocolate Bars

For the crust, mix together, and press into a 13 x 9 pan:

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 Tbs. water
  • 1-1/4 c. flour
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 mins. Remove from oven and sprinkle with:

  • 1 12-oz package of chocolate chips

Put back in oven for 1 minute and then remove and spread around the chocolate.

Mix together the following:

  • 2 eggs, plus the extra egg white
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 6 Tbs. butter, melted
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 cups chopped pecans

Spread over the top of the chocolate, return to oven and bake for 30-35 mins. Cut into bars when cool.

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Caramelized Banana Pancakes with Toasted Pecans

I woke up entirely too early and decided to treat the kids to some Thursday morning pancakes. These are a bit of a fuss to prepare, as you have to hand-place banana slices on each pancake right after the first flip. However, the caramelized bananas and crunchy toasted pecans make them worth the effort.

Caramelized Banana Pancakes with Toasted Pecans

Toss together and set aside:

  • 2 bananas, on the firm side, sliced thin
  • 1 Tbs. sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Set in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees, then remove to cool:

  • 1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans

Prepare the batter:

  • 1-1/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 c. quick oats
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbs. oil

Using a non-stick pan, pour batter as usual. When bubbly, arrange a layer of banana slices on the top of each pancake and then flip to cook the other side. Serve topped with extra banana slices and toasted pecans.

Before flipping the pancakes over, after they are bubbly, top with a layer of the sugared banana slices.

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Quick Fruit Tart

I grabbed a bag of apples from the IGA today and they turned out to be mushy. There’s nothing more disappointing than a mushy apple, but I didn’t want to throw out an entire bag, so I decided to put together this quick dessert. This is just a simple pastry, filled with apple slices, a little sugar and cinnamon. Nothing fancy, but very elegant for a Wednesday night.

In my quest to pack more vitamins into my growing children, I used 100% whole wheat pastry flour. I’m a big fan of whole wheat pastry flour. It can be substituted 1-to-1 for white flour, bakes up a little browner, but is every bit as light and flaky.

Quick Fruit Tart

Blend together the following, as you would for a pie crust:

  • 1-1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1-1/2 sticks butter
  • 1/3 c. ice water

Roll it out on parchment paper, into an oval or a rectangle. Sprinkle with the following, blended together:

  • 1 Tbs. flour
  • 1 Tbs. sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

Layer on thin slices of fruit (apples, peaches, plums or pears), and top with berries if you like. Sprinkle with some additional sugar or cinnamon-sugar. Fold over the edges of the crust and crimp.

Slip the parchment onto a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until nicely browned. Serve hot. Scoop on some vanilla ice cream for a treat!

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Sister dinner: Chicken Jubilee and Fresh Garden Asparagus

Dori, Richard, Aaron and Maralee. Glencoe, Illinois, 1962.

My sister Maralee was on my mind today. At Joe’s piano lesson, I was sure I smelled Chicken Jubilee coming from Mrs. Todd’s kitchen. Our mother prepared the legendary Chicken Jubilee for Maralee’s Bat Mitzvah dinner, cooking and freezing chickens weeks ahead of the event, so as to feed the congregation and invited guests. I was only three at the time and I don’t remember the chickens. My earliest memory of my older siblings was sitting (kneeling, actually, on a piano bench in our living room) for this photograph, which was taken the following year. I remember how ridiculous it was to pose with my hands on my brother’s shoulder.

Everyone should be lucky enough to have a big sister like mine. Maralee is generous and thoughtful. She brings me gifts like my very own box of See’s chocolates, big red mixing bowls for my little red kitchen, silver earrings from Israel, a colorful lizard-shaped door bell, and fresh asparagus from her garden. She is selfless, and loves me more than anything. And this week, when I was sick with a chest cold and didn’t want to think about food, Maralee made enough soup and lasagna to feed our family for three days. I so appreciate the loving gift of a meal, of a soup over-flowing with vegetables and a lasagna thick with spinach and cheese. Perhaps that’s why, today, my head imagined the aroma of her Bat Mitzvah dinner, which I then made for our dinner.

The last time I made this dish for my kids, they turned up their noses at chicken with cherries in the name. So tonight I called it barbecued chicken and it became delicious to them. It’s all in the advertising. But I was sure to tell them, “this was the chicken that Grandma made for Aunt Maralee’s Bat Mitzvah dinner.”

Chicken Jubilee, topped with cherries, raisins and onions, hot out of the oven.

We enjoyed asparagus fresh from Maralee’s garden.

Chicken Jubilee

  • 2 Chickens, cut up
  • 1 c. water
  • 2 med. onions, sliced
  • 1/2 c. raisins
  • 1 12-oz. jar chili sauce
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 c. sherry
  • 1 can bing cherries

Season the chicken, brown in a little oil. Combine all ingredients except for sherry and cherries, pour over chicken, and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Pour sherry and cherries over wine, bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve hot over rice.

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Don’t throw out your back!

It's not haute cuisine, but there is no finer comfort than homemade chicken soup.

While my chicken was baking tonight I made this gorgeous little pot of chicken noodle soup, with enough for every one to have a bowl full. For a quick batch of soup, put the back of the chicken into a medium-sized pot, add an onion, a chopped carrot and celery stalk, a clove of garlic, salt and pepper, cover with water and let it simmer for a couple of hours. And if you’re not sick of rosemary yet, you can add a sprig, along with a handful of chopped parsley or some frozen peas if you have them. Right before you’re ready to eat pour in some tiny egg noodles.

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Mom’s Baked Chicken (with Matzo Meal), and Rosemary Potatoes

Mom’s baked chicken, served with rosemary potatoes, broccoli and strawberries.

Chicken and potatoes ready for the oven. Bake them together.

I just put this chicken and potatoes in the oven. It only took 5 minutes to prepare this crisp, flavorful and succulent chicken, and now I can sit back and wait for dinner. I’ll add some fresh steamed broccoli, and will enjoy a superb meal with less than 10 minutes of total prep time—does it get any easier than this?

If you’d enjoy the recipe, please visit the Apple iTunes store to download my app, iNosh. Here’s the link for that:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/inosh/id777362589?ls=1&mt=8

I’m donating half of the proceeds to Mazon, A Jewish Response to Hunger.

And here’s a preview of some of the content on the app. For now, it’s only available for iPad users.

iNosh blog ad v2

 

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This is the best iced coffee you’ve ever tasted.

This tastes better if you drink it in a clear glass.

I’m serious. And now I’m going to share my formula for preparing a super-strong, rich and smooth glass of ice-cold coffee.

Follow these three very simple rules:

  1. Make the coffee double-strength. Instead of 1 scoop of coffee for every 2 cups of water, use 1 scoop of coffee for every 1 cup of water.
  2. Don’t dilute the coffee while it’s chilling.
  3. Use at LEAST 2% milk; whole milk is preferable.

I use a simple little drip coffee maker—if you can find a little drip maker like this then snatch it up. I got mine from my grandparents about 25 years ago. They found it, abandoned, in a cabinet of a condo they bought in North Miami. I’ve since purchased a second pot on e-bay. However,  you can make great iced coffee using any coffee maker, as long as you follow the three rules.

Iced Coffee (for 1 tall glass)

  • Brew 2 cups of double-strength coffee.
  • After the coffee has brewed, stir in 2-3 teaspoons of sugar. If you do this while the coffee is still hot the sugar will completely dissolve and you won’t find yourself chewing on little granules while you’re having your drink.
  • Cool the coffee completely before adding the milk. Use an ice-bath, or cool in the refrigerator.
  • Stir in milk. Use at least 2% milk. If you want really luxurious coffee then splurge and use whole milk.
  • Add the ice last. Since you’re adding the ice to an already cold drink your coffee will not get diluted and you’ll enjoy pure, intense coffee flavor.

This is my Wearever 2-cup drip coffee maker.

I fill this with grounds for 2 cups,

and I add water for 1 cup, thereby making the coffee double-strength.

This is important! While the coffee is still hot, stir in a couple of teaspoons of sugar, so that the sugar can dissolve. Use an ice bath (or, if you plan ahead, put it in the refrigerator to cool for a couple of hours) to cool down the coffee before adding milk.

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Waldorf Red Cake

I make this every year, and every year I wonder “why the food coloring?” But who am I to break with tradition, so I diligently squeeze out the 20 drops of red dye into my family’s cake. And, actually, it is a lovely rosy color and tastes the way you wish the most gorgeous cake would taste. This cake is light and moist, and the frosting, a cooked variety, is elegant. Some day I may try it without the food coloring, but not today.

Waldorf Red Cake

  • 1 Tbs. vinegar
  • 1 tsp. soda
  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1-1/2 c. sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 20 drops red food coloring
  • 1 Tbs. cocoa
  • 1 c. buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2-1/4 c. flour

Mix vinegar and soda, and set aside. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and beat. Stir a paste made of the cocoa and red food coloring. Mix together the buttermilk, salt and vanilla, add alternately along with the flour to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in the soda and vinegar.

Grease and flour two 9″ square or round pans.

Bake 30 mins. at 350 degrees.

Cool in pan for 10 mins. then cool completely on rack. Frost tops only with Marshmallow Fluff Frosting.

Marshmallow Fluff Frosting

  • 5 Tbs. flour
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 c. butter
  • 1 c. confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Cook flour and milk until very thick, then let cool. Mix cooled mixture together with remaining ingredients. Beat until light and fluffy.

Refrigerate frosted cake. Serve cold.

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Birthday dinner by the book—a gift that keeps on giving

Red Beans and Rice, and Corn Bread.

Dorothy, my mother-in-law, is an inspiration to me in many different ways. She respects her son and his household, she is an amazing guest who claims to love ironing and laundry, and she is a doting and beloved grandmother who puts cat faces on every card she sends to the kids. Dorothy raised her three children alone, after losing her husband at a young age. She lived frugally on a military survivor’s pension, but spared nothing when it came to her kids’ welfare, education and health. She put her energy into her family, knitting them sweaters, being their den mother, and preparing them delicious food, made from scratch.

When my husband went away to college he asked for, and received, copies of favorite recipes. Hand written, and now laminated and placed in a notebook, we have Dorothy’s recipes for most all of Doug’s favorite childhood meals. Many of them have the name of a town (Quantico or Florissant or Hannibal) where she first tried the dish, along with that date (1962, 1950, 1973), and sometimes with a comment like, “Doug’s Birthday 1975, Very Good!”

This is the book that I go to when it’s Doug’s birthday, to get out the recipes for Red Beans and Rice, and Waldorf Red Cake (Louisiana, Mo, Aunt Margaret, 1961).

Happy Birthday, Doug!

Dorothy’s Red Beans and Rice (as copied from recipe book, below)

  • 1 lb. red beans

Bring to boil in 1-1/2 qts. water, set aside for hour or over nite is OK.

Add:

  • Ham hock — or bone — or several slices bacon
  • large onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/4 t. red pepper (or less taste)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 t. oregano
  • 1 can tomatoes (2 cups)

Bring all to boil and simmer for 2-3 hours.