Cookie Brittle

1 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp fine sea salt

2 cups flour

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped nuts of some kind

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
Line a 10x15 jelly roll pan with baking paper and grease a bit.
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
Spread the dough in the pan. (Keep smushing - it will cover the whole bottom of the pan. It's supposed to be pretty thin.)
Bake 20-25 minutes (until golden brown.)
Allow the brittle to cool completely and then break it into pieces.

Hot and Sour Soup

 Hot and Sour Soup

Recipe

6 cups chicken broth

8 pieces Shiitake mushroom, sliced thinly

1/2 cup bamboo shoots

1/2 package firm tofu, thin sliced

1 cup carrot, julienne

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp sugar adjust according to your taste

1 tbsp sriracha hot sauce adjust to your liking

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup white vinegar add an additional if you like more sour

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons corn starch + ¼ cup water

2 eggs beaten

2 green onions, sliced

Salt to taste

Directions:

Slice the tofu, carrot and mushrooms. Set aside.

In a large pot, boil 6 cups of chicken broth on medium-high heat. Once the broth is boiling, add the mushrooms, carrot, tofu, and bamboo shoots. Cook for 5 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, beat two eggs and set aside. Make corn starch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of corn starch with ¼ cup water and set aside.

Start adding flavor to the soup. Add soy sauce, sugar, siracha hot sauce, white pepper, white vinegar, and sesame oil. Mix everything together and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Mix cornstarch slurry and slowly add in to the soup. Continue to stir while adding.

Add beaten eggs to the soup and continue to stir while adding. Add salt if needed. Serve while hot. Hope you enjoy.

Thai Coconut Curry Dumpling Soup

 Thai Coconut Curry Dumpling Soup

Ingredients:

• 20 gyozas or potstickers

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 4 garlic cloves, grated

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 can (14 oz/400 ml) unsweetened coconut milk (full fat)

• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• Chopped chives, for serving

• Your favorite vegetables (optional), for serving

Directions:

1. Cook the Dumplings:

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the gyozas (or potstickers) and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.

2. Sauté the Aromatics:

In the same pot, add the grated garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.

3. Make the Soup Base:

Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, toasted sesame oil, red curry paste, and brown sugar to the pot. Stir well to combine and bring the soup to a simmer.

4. Add the Dumplings and Simmer:

Return the cooked gyozas to the pot and simmer the soup for 5-7 minutes until the dumplings are heated through.

5. Finish the Soup:

Stir in the lime juice and adjust the seasoning with more soy sauce or fish sauce if needed.

6. Serve:

Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with chopped chives, and add any extra vegetables you'd like. Serve hot and enjoy!

Amish Onion Fritters

 Amish Onion Fritters

Ingredients:

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup milk

1 egg

Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

Prepare the Onions:

Thinly slice the two large onions and set them aside.

Combine Dry Ingredients:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Add Wet Ingredients:

Add ½ cup milk and 1 beaten egg to the dry ingredients. Whisk until the batter is smooth.

Fold in the Onions:

Gently fold the sliced onions into the batter, ensuring each onion ring is well-coated.

Heat the Oil:

Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan, filling it about 1/4 inch deep. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches about 350°F.

Fry the Fritters:

Using a spoon, drop spoonfuls of the onion batter mixture into the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Flip the fritters carefully with a spatula to ensure even cooking.

Drain the Fritters:

Once golden and crispy, remove the fritters from the oil using a slotted spatula and place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Serve: These Amish Onion Fritters are perfect as a side dish or snack, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with a delicious onion flavor. Enjoy them with a dipping sauce like ranch or ketchup, or simply as they are!

Asian-Style Crispy Garlic Chicken

 Asian-Style Crispy Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

500 grams boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1.5 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

⅓ cup green onion, chopped

⅓ cup oil for frying

For Chinese Garlic Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon Sriracha

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

Prep Sauce and Marinate Chicken:

In a mixing bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place in a separate bowl.

Add dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons cornstarch to the chicken, toss to coat evenly.

Cook Chicken:

4. Heat 1/3 cup oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add half of the marinated chicken spaced apart. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side.

5. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet.

Cook Aromatics and Sauce with Chicken:

6. Heat the remaining oil, add ginger and garlic, sauté for 30 seconds.

7. Add chicken, bell pepper, and green onions. Pour over the sauce, mix well.

8. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Serve hot with rice.

Mongolian Noodles with Ground Beef

 Mongolian Noodles with Ground Beef

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes

Kcal: 420 kcal per serving | Servings: 4

Ingredients:

8 oz ramen noodles (or any thin noodles)

1 lb ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (optional, for thickening)

Directions:

Cook the Noodles:

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Prepare the Sauce:

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Cook the Beef:

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.

Combine Everything:

Add the minced garlic to the cooked beef and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir to coat the beef. If you'd like a thicker sauce, add the cornstarch slurry and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until thickened.

Toss with Noodles:

Add the cooked noodles to the skillet and toss to combine, ensuring the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce.

Serve:

Transfer to serving plates and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve hot.

Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes + Marinating | Cooking Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes + Marinating | Kcal: 310 kcal | Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and black pepper.

Place chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best flavor.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the marinade. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side or until fully cooked.

While chicken is grilling, pour reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Mix cornstarch and water, then stir into the marinade. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened.

Brush the thickened sauce over the grilled chicken. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Korean Sloppy Joes

Korean Sloppy Joes 

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 85/15 fat content

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sriracha

2 green onions, sliced thinly

4 brioche rolls

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat, breaking it apart but leaving some chunks.

Once browned, add garlic, sesame oil, ketchup, hoisin, water, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sriracha. Stir well until the sauce thickens and the mixture becomes "sloppy."

Toast the brioche rolls, then spoon the beef mixture over them. Top with sliced green onions.

One-Pot Honey Garlic Chicken and Noodles

 One-Pot Honey Garlic Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb (450 g) chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce (use low sodium if preferred)

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)

8 oz (225 g) noodles (lo mein or spaghetti)

2 cups chicken broth

1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

2 tbsp green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the garlic and onion. Sauté until fragrant and the onion becomes translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir in honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and uncooked noodles. Stir to coat the noodles in the sauce. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender.

Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the cornstarch slurry and let the sauce thicken for 1-2 minutes.

Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

Corn Chowder

This is a very basic corn chowder recipe I got a long time ago. Of course, the measurements are for only a couple bowls of soup, and I tend to cook not just for several people, but for several people wanting several helpings. The original recipe called for green pepper, but I found it gave the soup a rather unappetizing grey tinge. The red peppers work much better.

Corn Chowder

1 potato, peeled & diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp unbleached flour
2 c. fresh or frozen corn
3 c. lowfat milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1) in a large pot over medium heat, saute the potato, onion and red pepper in the butter until the onion is soft, about 6-8 mins.

2) add the flour and mix well. then add the corn, milk, salt, and black pepper, stirring thoroughly.

3) turn the heat to low and simmer for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender and the chowder has thickened (do not let it boil). Using a stick blender, blend the soup to the consistency you want - longer for a smooth soup, less time for chunks.

Asian Chicken and Corn Soup

 I originally found the recipe on the Dumpling Sisters page, but needed to scale it up for a family.

First, I poach a whole chicken in a few inches of water. Once it's cooked, I remove it from the pot to cool, but keep the poaching liquid for added flavor. Once it's cooled, I shred the chicken.

I can't get creamed corn where I live, so I put approximately 500 grams of thawed frozen corn into a blender and add a couple cup of water. Once it's been blitzed, I add it to the pot of poaching liquid. Since frozen bags of corn comes in 800 gram bags, I add the remaining whole corn to the pot as well.

2 liters of water, shredded chicken, a few chopped scallions, a healthy splash of soy sauce, salt, black pepper, and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil go into the pot as well.

Once it comes to a boil, I stir in a steady stream of raw egg (3 eggs mixed with 1/3 cup water).

I let it simmer for 30 minutes, and then it's ready to eat.

Cheese Blintz Casserole

I don't like to make fussy foods, even if I enjoy eating them. I enjoy blintzes, but don't have the patience to make individual crepes, then stuff and roll them. And then there's the toppings - some might want plain cheese, I enjoy a blueberry blintz, my kids most likely would prefer with Nutella. Okay, that sounds delicious.

I have a recipe where you create a crepe batter and a cheese filling, but instead of making individual crepes and then individual blintzes, you simply pour half the crepe batter into an oiled baking pan, then the cheese filling, then the rest of the crepe batter, bake, slice, and serve. And folks can top it with whatever they like.

Batter:
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 and 1/4 cup milk
2 cups flour

Blend all ingredients together.

Filling:
1 and 1/4 pound (500 grams) cottage cheese (higher fat is better)
4 ounces cream cheese (I use 125 grams of gvinah levanah)
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix together.

Pour half the batter into a well greased 9x13 pan. Layer on all the filling and top with the rest of the batter.

Bake for about 45 minutes or so (or until golden brown) in a 350F degree oven.

(I actually double the batter recipe to give it more solidity).

When you serve it, feel free to have a topping bar - fresh fruit, pie filling, jam, chocolate syrup or spread.

Beef and Udon Noodle Soup Recipe

For some reason I found myself craving udon noodles last week. For those who aren't familiar, udon noodles are a thick, chewy wheat noodle popular in Japanese cuisine. And the weather was expected to be chilly, and I had a package of meat in the freezer, so it was a perfect opportunity to try something new.

I had Zach make the udon noodles using this recipe. We ended up using more water than they called for, and I don't think he kneaded the dough long enough, but for a first try, it wasn't bad. We used a pasta machine to roll and cut the dough. Actually, we had the boys do it.

They all had a blast. And want to do it again.

As for the soup, I started off using this recipe for inspiration and guidance, but then went completely in my own direction. I mean, the fact that the recipe is completely non-kosher since it uses pork, and calls for eleventy million ingredients were certainly motivations.

I went to the supermarket and picked up some beautiful mangold (it's what they call Swiss chard here in Israel) since that's available and bok choy isn't. I bought cremini mushrooms, because that's what they had (alternatives would have been shimeji mushrooms, and/or shitake mushrooms). I actually found fresh snow peas. I already had carrots, scallions, and canned baby corn. I also bought mung bean sprouts to add to the bowl, just before eating. So that's the vegetation I used. I wish I could get bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.

I boiled 1 kilo of "goulash meat" in about 3 liters of water for about 2 hours, uncovered. I skimmed the scum off (Asian soups tend to do this for broth clarity), and removed the beef. Cut up the vegetables, added that to the beefy liquid, sliced up the beef, added that back to the pot, and now for the seasoning.

No one had lemon grass, so I decided that instead of doing without, I'd use a healthy dollop of red Thai chili paste, which covered a good portion of the flavor profile in the original recipe. It's got the lemon grass, ginger, garlic, and the heat of chili peppers. I added soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Then I let the soup simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Holy smokes, was that good. And even better the next day. My big mistake - and take care not to follow in my footsteps - was to add the udon noodles to the pot of soup. After cooking them in a pot of salted water (they only need about 3 or 4 minutes), remove them to a colander and rinse them well. Add them to the individual bowls and ladle soup over the noodles.

SO delicious!

What recipe inspired you to come up with something similar, yet completely different?

Non-potato latke recipes

Chanuka is upon us, and that means we celebrate the miracle of the potato.

Wait, no, that's not right; we celebrate the miracle of the oil - a small pitcher of oil burning for 8 days in the Temple.

A favorite Ashkenazi way to observe this is by grating potatoes and onions, adding eggs, salt, and black pepper, and frying patties until crisp on the outside, and creamy on the inside.... and praying that the remaining batter doesn't go grey, brown, or black as natural chemicals in the potato react to oxidation.

One year, I cooked for a Medieval feast, where potatoes aren't allowed. And in an intentional bit of irony, I made the Chanuka menu Greek themed (for those who don't know, the ancient Greeks are the bad guys in the Chanuka  origin story). So I wanted potato alternative fried patties to make.

And here are the recipes I used:

Onion Fritters
1/2 kg (aprox. 1 lb) onions finely diced (leeks work wonderfully as well)
1/2 kg flour
Fresh spearmint
Oil for frying
Salt
Pepper
In a bowl, mix well the onions, spearmint, flour, salt and pepper. Add enough water to make a thick batter. Heat oil in a frying pan. Drop teaspoons of batter into the oil. Fry until golden brown. Drain the fritters well and serve hot.


Courgette balls (Zucchini)
1 kg (2.2 lbs) courgettes
1/2 cup grated cheese
200 gr grated feta cheese
3 eggs
spearmint
salt
pepper
flour for dredging
Olive oil for frying

Wash the courgettes and cut off their ends. Grate them and squeeze them to remove their liquid. Soak the bread crumbs and drain them. Beat the eggs. In a bowl mix the grated courgettes with the grated cheese, the grated feta cheese, the bread crumbs and the beaten eggs. Add salt, pepper and spearmint. Shape the mixture into balls. Flour the balls and fry them in olive oil until they take brown color.


Santorini Tomato Rissoles
* 500 gr. tomatoes, rinsed and dried
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped (not grated)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup fresh spearmint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

150 grams self-raising flour
sunflower oil, for frying

Put the rinsed and dried tomatoes whole into a large bowl. Squeeze and manipulate them with the hands, until they turn into a pulpy substance. This is the only way to do it as you need the skins to give some substance. Next, mix all the ingredients together, apart from the flour. Add enough flour gradually to make a thickish but moist paste. You will probably not need all the flour. The mixture can now wait until it is time to be cooked and eaten. Put about 2.5 cm oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, drop in tablespoons of the mixture and fry, turning the rissoles over once, until lightly golden all over. Serve immediately.

*(I use peeled, whole, canned tomatoes and crush them between my fingers and just use more flour. I don't like the texture of the peel once the tomatoes are smashed).

Delicious yogurt dip to go with the above latkes
1/2 kilo (1 lb) strained yogurt (I use a good quality goat yogurt)
1 cucumber
4 garlic cloves (more makes it with stronger taste)
salt
oil
lemon juice

Grate the garlic and mix it with salt and lemon juice. Peel the cucumber, grate it and squeeze it until all its water is removed. Put the yogurt into a bowl and add the cucumber into it. Then mix the yoghurt with the mixture of grated garlic. Whiz the content until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add some oil. Yogurt dip can be served in a normal temperature but it is rather preferred cold.

Variation: substitute chopped dill for the cucumber or garlic.

Chocolate Lovers Truffle Brownies

Crust:
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1-1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Brownie layer:
8 oz. best quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze:
6 oz. best quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup heavy cream or nondairy creamer


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9"X 13" baking pan.

Crust:
Cream the brown sugar and butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour and continue to mix until blended and smooth. Add pecans. When completely combined, press crust into bottom of prepared pan. Set aside.

Brownie Layer:
Melt the chocolate and butter in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stirring until smooth. Remove the bowl from heat and cool 10 minutes.

Stir the cooled chocolate mixture. Whisk in the sugar, vanilla, and eggs one at a time until batter is smooth. Stir in the flour and salt until just combined.

Spread brownie batter evenly over the crust and bake in the middle of the oven until top is firm and tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 25-27 minutes. Remove from oven and place immediately into the refrigerator.

Glaze:
Heat all the glaze ingredients in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until chocolate and butter are melted and glaze is smooth. Remove from heat and cool glaze to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Pour glaze evenly over the brownie layer and return to the refrigerator. Cut into 20 bars and serve cold. You may serve each brownie with a blackberry, raspberry, or strawberry.

Yield: 20 brownies.

Family Affair

My sister-in-law, we'll call her Molly, is here in Israel for an intensive 2 week seminar. Her days (and many evenings) are packed with lectures and meetings, and unfortunately it doesn't leave a lot of time for non-seminar touring and certainly doesn't leave a lot of time to visit family.

The last time we saw Molly in person was the summer of 2012, when Zach, the boys, and I flew to the States for a family visit. Nati was 5, Elchanan was 3. Neither were toilet trained... oh, that was fun. So the last time Molly saw my boys, they were barely out of toddlerhood. And it had been even longer since Molly saw my daughters, and she'd never met my son-in-law or my grandsons.

Needless to say, I wanted to arrange a family get together, despite Molly's tight schedule.

My original idea was everyone come to Jerusalem, where Molly was based, and we'd go to a restaurant. But then I started picturing the get together.

First of all, it would mean that my daughter and her family would have to travel by bus, minimum of 90 minutes, just to get to Jerusalem, and then depending on where the restaurant was, would have to get there as well.

Five minutes after arriving, Nati would start complaining that he wants to go home.

Ten minutes after that, Elchanan would start complaining that he's bored. And when he gets bored, he starts picking on... well, everyone.

We'd have to make sure that my grandsons (ages 6 and 3) would sit at the table for the meal, and the schmoozing.

Yeah, none of that seemed appealing.

But then I realized that this get together wasn't going to be about the food, it was about the family. The people, gathering together for the company and the conversation, reconnecting.

So then I suggested having a BBQ at my daughter's house. We'd pick up Molly in Jerusalem and then drive further north to where my daughter lives. By car, it's about 45 minutes. I made cole slaw, potato salad, a batch of chocolate chip cookies, brought burger and hot dog buns, and bag of chicken wings marinading in a home made sauce. I told my daughter to buy the burgers and hot dogs, and I'd reimburse her. The reason behind that was so those items would be cooked and ready (especially for the kids) when we got there. See, sometimes I have a good idea.

And it was amazing. The kids all got to eat and run, play as they wished, where they wished. The grown ups got to have pleasant conversation. And as a bonus, Molly got to see a part of the country that she'd otherwise not have had an opportunity to visit. And we took a 5 minute pause to do some amazing star gazing in mostly dark skies.

What kind of family get together have you been to that ended up being fantastic and amazing, despite being nothing like what you first planned it to be?

Recipe to save

Mexican Burghul Salad



2 1/2 cups burghul grains (I like the larger grain best)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 finely chopped spring onion OR 1/2 red onion
1 large red pepper, finely diced
1 large yellow or orange pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

DRESSING (see Cook's Notes for substitutions)
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon silan/honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander spice
Salt and coarse pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

1: Pour salted water over burghul grains - cover well with approximately 2 cm extra margin - and set aside to absorb for approximately 1 1/2 hours.
2: Whisk dressing ingredients together till well mixed and check seasoning.
3: Check water is fully absorbed - press out extra in a sieve if absolutely necessary but you shouldn't have to unless you added too much - and then add vegetables, beans and herbs to grains.
4: Toss through dressing to coat well and refrigerate till ready to serve.

COOK'S NOTES: Quinoa could replace burghul if you prefer but this will have to be cooked and can't just be soaked. I cook quinoa in the microwave for ease. If you insist, you could simplify the dressing even further, by simply adding cumin, ground coriander and silan to 2/3 cup ready-made French dressing. Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar can replace red wine vinegar.  Salad feeds approximately 8 and leftovers last for days.

Food, Glorious Food

Every year, one of the local North American organizations has a Canada Day/US Independence Day picnic and fair at the beginning of July. This year, for religious reasons, it's going to be an "end of summer" fair instead.

Last year, I rented a table and sold a variety of cookies, muffins, and cakes. Chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal craisin cookies, peanut butter cookies, banana walnut chocolate chip muffins, mint fudge brownies, and cinnamon fudge brownies. It was a big success for me.

The chocolate chip cookies and the mint brownies were sold out. No one really bought the cinnamon brownies. I was left with quite a bit of the oatmeal craisin, and the banana muffins. And the peanut butter cookies just didn't hold up. They were very crumbly.

Since I'm a list maker, I made sure to create a spreadsheet and make notes regarding the baked goods.

For this year, I'll be selling chocolate chip cookies and mint fudge brownies. I'll make a smaller batch of banana muffins, and also make blueberry muffins. I'll also be making a small batch of "brookies", which is where you drop a lump of chocolate chip cookie dough into brownies batter, and bake together. I'll be selling potato kugels and garlic monkey bread as well, and since it's going to be only a week and half until Rosh Hashana, I was thinking of also making small apple cakes.

Brookies

Garlic monkey bread

Do you have any local fairs you attend and/or sell at?

Chocolate chip cookie recipe to save

I haven't made these yet, but someone recommended it. And since I've been wanting a T&T (tried and true) recipe that uses oil, we'll give this one a try.

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar 
3/4 cup veg oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 & 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt


Cream together eggs & sugar. Add oil & vanilla & mix, add everything else & then chocolate chips. 

Chill dough for 20 minutes and then bake at 350

Do you have a cookie recipe that uses oil that you love? Care to share it?

On a wing and prayer

Orange BBQ Sauce

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

juice from one orange plus zest

1 cup ketchup

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon pepper

fry onions with garlic until tranlucent, add the rest. cook up to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes, blend and serve

(So I added a bit more orange juice, about 1/4 cup. It upped the citrus flavor by a lot.)

I tossed the wings with cornstarch, garlic powder, and chili powder. Then baked them on an oiled cookie sheet until golden brown. I tossed them with the BBQ sauce and popped them back into the oven so the sauce can caramelize on the wings.