and visions of kreplach danced in their heads...

From Christmas Eve 2010 post on arthursdays.blogspot.com
This all starts with dinner the other night, as we had meat rolled in cabbage and perogis. These came from a Polish food provider housed in a suburban basement with access through a ground level window with a door (or window) bell. They offer a range of home made and frozen Polish food items. They are very good, and we all enjoy them prepared in various ways. However, I am always reminded, when we have this kind of dinner, of my grandmother, a Jewish cook of great excellence, who made fantastic meat rolled in cabbage and kreplach.

I was thinking this morning about kreplach. This is a life long fantasy, dreaming about one of my favorite things made best (of course) by my grandmother, and never duplicated.

Kreplach (from Yiddish: קרעפּלעך kreplekh, קרעפפּל krepl neut. sg.) are small dumplings filled with ground meat, mashed potatoes or another filling, usually boiled and served in chicken soup. They are similar to Italian tortellini and Chinese wontons. In many Ashkenazi homes, kreplach are served on Rosh Hashanah, at the pre-fast meal before Yom Kippur, and on Hoshana Raba. Kreplach with vegetarian or dairy fillings are also eaten on Purim because the hidden nature of the kreplach interior mimics the "hidden" nature of the Purim miracle. A variety with a sweet cheese filling is served as a starter or main dish in dairy meals, specifically on Shavuot. Stuffed pasta may have migrated from Venice to the Ashkenazi Jews in Germany during the 14th century.

The word krepl is probably derived from the Old High German kraepfo meaning grape. The Middle English word grapple is related (from a grape vine hook).

There are recipes of course for kreplach, and there are delis and caterers who prepare them but some things in life are best in memory. My first pizzas, my first fast food hamburgers (when I swear they had taste) and maybe my first kiss. But for me and many more like me, its Grandma’s cooking (or Mothers cooking for some) that wins every time.

We had Jewish food, or Eastern European food or maybe Russian/Lithuanian food but whatever mixture it was, it was wonderful.

Her rolled cabbage had raisins in a tangy sweet tomato sauce and I did love it, but today I want to focus on kreplach.

She made huge ones, and mounds of them. They went in her chicken soup and were added just before serving. Some of them (I swear just made for me or so I felt at the time) were lovingly smeared in chicken fat (schmaltz) and put on cookie sheets and baked in the oven. They were hot, salty and fantastic! You could put them in soup or eat them on a plate. I think they may have been sprinkled with a bit of paprika and some cinnamon as well. They became browned and a bit crusty and it was heaven! The recipes below suggest frying them which works as well but does not include the loving and tender schmaltz treatment!

Here are a couple of kreplach recipes I found on the net. I have not tried them but thought I’d include some anyway.

#1
Kreplach Dough

½ tsp salt

2 eggs; slightly beaten

2 cups flour; unsifted (scant)

KREPLACH PREPARATION:

Add salt to eggs, add eggs to flour. Mix with your hands until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. It should be fairly stiff. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Roll out on a lightly floured board. Roll and stretch until it is paper thin. Cut into 3” squares. Place 1 Tblsp of filling i(see below) in center of each square and fold to make a triangle. Crimp edges with a fork and cook in boiling water.

Cook until they rise to the top; about 10 or 12 minutes. DO NOT COOK IN THE SOUP.

You may warm them in the soup.

FILLING

2 cups veal; cooked and ground

1 egg

1 tablespoon onion; minced salt and pepper to taste

FILLING PREPARATION:

Put all the ingredients for the filling in the food processor leaving the eggs for last.

Recipe makes about 30.

#2
DOUGH:

2 cups flour

½ tsp salt

3 tbsp. Oil

2 egg yolks

½ cup water

1 ½ tsps. Baking powder or baking soda

FILLING:

1 onion diced

2 Tbsp. Oil

1 cup cooked ground beef or chicken

1 tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

1 egg

1 Tbsp. Matzoh meal

DOUGH:

In a large bowl combine flour, salt and oil. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, water and baking powder (or soda). Add to flour mixture. Knead and roll out thin on floured board. Cut into 3-inch squares or circles.

FILLING:

Saute onion in oil. Add ground beef or chicken and brown for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Add salt, pepper, egg and matzoh meal and mix well.

On floured board roll dough out as thin as possible without tearing. Cut rolled out dough into 3-inch squares. Place a teaspoon of filling carefully in center. Bring point 1 up to point 4 and seal edges. Moisten edges with tip of finger dipped in cold water to keep seams closed.

Place in boiling water. Cook approximately 20 minutes until kreplach float to top. When ready, remove from pot and serve in soup.

NOTE: This can also be served as a side dish. For crisp kreplach, fry boiled kreplach in heated oil in 10-inch skillet over medium flame until golden brown on both sides.

Yields: 18 kreplach

#3
DOUGH:

1 ¾ flour

2 eggs

½ tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Oil

FILLING

1 cup ground cooked beef or chicken

1 small onion, grated

1 tsp. salt

DOUGH: in a large bowl combine dough ingredients together. Knead and roll out thin on floured board. Cut into 3-inch squares or circles.

FILLING: in a small bowl mix filling ingredients well. See Kreplach illustrated for filling and folding. Kreplach can now be either boiled and served in soup or sauted in oil.

TO BOIL: Place in boiling salted water. Cook approximately 20 minutes until kreplach float to top.

TO SAUTE: Heat oil over medium flame in 10-inch skillet. Saute boiled kreplach until golden brown on both sides.

NOTE: Dough will roll out more easily after being wrapped in a damp cloth for one hour.

YIELDS: 18 Kreplach

The Pie Crust from arthursdays.blogspot.com

My wife seldom or never reads this stuff, and usually my daughters don’t either. They hate my writing it, and wish I didn’t speak or write, unless spoken to. This is my lot in life and while I don’t understand it, I live with it. As a communicator by nature, I could really care less, because I will continue. However, there are a few stories I start to tell my wife which she immediately tells me I can’t say, usually because she feels it would embarrass someone somewhere. I generally don’t care about it, and enjoy the challenge.



This is one of those I guess, but I can’t imagine this embarrassing anyone, it’s just sort of funny. I will leave out all names and references, and the person I’m writing about will recognize herself immediately and find it funny.

I had a call on the weekend asking if either my wife or daughter were home. The caller, when asked, needed baking advice and wanted to speak to the bakers. I explained that they both were out and asked if I could help. I was baking and cooking before my wife was born, but this seems to be lost on most people. I do know how to do stuff, even though I’m seldom called upon to do it.

She was baking a pie shell and wanted to know if she should prebake and if it was OK to use rice as she had no dry beans. I thought she could, although I’d never done that myself and she thanked me. I made many assumptions, as did she.

She assumed I knew nothing!

I assumed she knew something!

In this there is a world of difference.

She made the pie crust with rice as a weight but failed to realize that one must put something on the wet pie crust first before you put in the weights, or you will bake the weights into the pie! She poured the rice onto the wet pie shell and baked! She made a “hard rice pie”.

Prebaking a pie or tart crust is done so that you partially or completely bake before it is filled. This is done to help keep the crust from becoming soggy from a wet fruit filling, or so that you have a cooked crust if you are filling the pie with something already cooked, such as custard.

To prebake a crust, you roll it out and put it in the pan. To keep the bottom from puffing and the sides from falling, you should line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil, with holes poked in it. Fill it with beans or rice. There are also special pie weights on the market.

Make sure to gently push the beans or rice up against the sides of the parchment or foil to keep the sides of the crust from collapsing in the heat of the oven. Place the crust in a hot oven (say, 425°F; 220°C), which will help set the flour in the sides before the fat starts to soften, and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and liner from the crust, prick the bottom with the tines of a fork to allow steam to escape, and return the crust to the oven.

If you are prebaking the crust, it may only need another 5 minutes in the oven, until it is a very light brown. If you want to fully bake the crust, it may need 10 to 20 minutes more baking until it is done. You may also have to prick the bottom again.

Now, having done all this prebaking, you also must take care if you're subsequently going to add a filling and bake some more, that you don't overcook the edges of the crust that you so magnificently crimped or fluted or otherwise decorated. You can buy a pie crust shield, or if you're a master of aluminum-foil origami, you can make your own.

Remove the beans, rice, aluminum foil, parchment paper, metal weights and anything else before you put in the pie filling!

This is from www.arthursdays.blogspot.com June 20, 2010.

Today I decided to go with a new recipe. Every now and then I’ve written about food, and it usually involves some earlier story about a food article we’ve done, but today I’ve decided to go with a new one. This was last night’s dinner, made up from a novel reference.

In a recent James Patterson novel (I have no idea what the name is) that I'm listening to on my MP3 player in the car, one of the characters makes a dinner for his girlfriend, a Crabmeat Stuffed Tilapia. He tells her that he can prepare it, put it in the oven, and they can have forty five minutes to make love, and the dinner will be ready.Now any cook would know that any tilapia dish made in an oven for forty five minutes would be like a fish brick.

I loved the sound of the dish, but knew the writer didn't research the recipe a bit. It had little to do with the story and he probably didn’t care. For me, I can’t remember the name of the book, but can remember the food item. It says much about the writer, and me.

I read through a number of crab meat stuffed tilapia recipes on the internet and realized that any boy from Baltimore knows more about crab than the food writers ever will. So I went with the combination of recipes and my gut instinct. This is not rocket science.

Crabmeat Suffed Tilapia

Ingredients: (This is for two people, not the usual four)

2 tilapia filets about 6 ounces each (170 grams)

1/3 lb. fresh crab meat (fresh if possible)

1 stalk celery

1 small onion

1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or dried if needed)

2 tbs. butter½ cup bread crumbs (I used whole wheat I made myself)

1 tbs. lemon juice

1 teas. Old Bay Seafood Seasoning (I guess you could use 1/4 teas. cayenne if you have no access to Old Bay, but a boy from Baltimore always has his Old Bay)

Sprinkle of paprika

Instructions:

Chop the onion and the celery into fine pieces

Sauté in a small skillet, with some butter, until softened

Chop the parsley and add to the onions and celery

Remove from the heat and add crab meat, bread crumbs, lemon juice and the Old Bay (or cayenne) and mix together very well

Form the mixture into two large crab oval crab cakes and place on a greased baking dish

Place a tilapia filet on top of each

Dot fish with butter and sprinkle on the paprika

Put in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes (mine was done in 15 minutes in a convection oven)

Serve on plate with lemon wedges (and anything else you'd like to add)

Serve with a smile, but make love before or after, there is not enough time while baking.

This one is from my other blog: arthursdays.blogspot.com

In 1995, my family appeared in one of many “Six O’clock Survival” features in the Calgary Herald. We cooked our way to “instant success” with a number of great meals with photos.

This favorite started as:

We’re back! Here’s a great dinner that we make together. It’s a little exotic, but Arthur chose this for his birthday dinner earlier this week.

We suppose that living in Detroit for 12 years, with its large Greek and Lebanese population, had its effect on us, and Mid-eastern food became an important part of our diet. Here’s a recipe that we love to make and it can be done in 30 minutes or less.

My recipe is based on many year’s of eating this at the Joe Zania’s Gnome Restaurant in Detroit, and this was my take on it. I’m sure Joe never used soy sauce in his life!

Ground Lamb and Pine Nuts Over Hummus

Basic Hummus Recipe

1 can chick peas (19 oz.)
5 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon minced garlic (2 to 3 cloves)
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until almost smooth.

3/4 lb. ground lamb
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Brown lamb in a frying pan in oil with all listed ingredients.

1/2 package pine nuts (50g)

Brown pine nuts in oven or toaster oven at 400 degrees F, for about 10-15 minutes, checking every 5 min.

Assemble on serving plate. Spread hommus on plate, cover with lamb mixture, top with browned pine nuts. Serve with warmed pitas and a Greek or tossed salad.

Serves 4.

This story is not really about the recipe, it’s about a pound of lamb!

On Saturday, my wife and I went to the grocery store in the afternoon. While wandering through the meat department, I spied ground lamb on sale, usually $8.49 per 500mg (a bit over a pound) on sale for $6.00. This was still much higher than it should have been (my thoughts), but it was $1.50 in savings.

I remembered the Ground Lamb, Pine Nuts and Hummus and thought how we haven’t made that for dinner in a year. Since both girls are home for the summer, we should make it! My wife agreed and we put it in the cart. The pine nuts were $45 a pound but we only needed a little!

At the checkout I checked the receipt and it rang in at $8.49.

I couldn’t argue with the cashier because he can only do what the machine says, so off I went to customer service, who were busy with elderly lottery players. I decided to wait while they painstakingly chose numbers. Why should I rush their fading dream?

I got to the counter and explained my plight. I was questioned a bit, and the store person called a meat department person to go and check out my story, as if I’d make this up for my $1.50!

A new person of authority appeared and was consulted. She asked the store person questions, and after determining I was correct, she said, “You get it for free!” and she than handed me $8.49!

I will enjoy my Ground Lamb and Pine Nuts Over Hummus more than ever!

From my Blog to my Mothers- A Cooking Addendum

Second Prize sounds OK, but not great. Wrong! In this case it was wonderful!

I received an email from the Shopping Channel about the Wolfgang Puck Recipe contest, in which there would be three prizes, first, and two runner up prizes. The prize would be for the best recipe (original I imagine) using Wolfgang Puck appliances.

OK, I am a good cook, and both my wife and I have appeared in the paper many times with cooking sensations. We did it mostly in Calgary, where we have been included in a Published Cook Book (not a church fund raiser) and once here in the Hamilton Spectator. So, I had recipes and I could find out quickly about Wolfgang Puck appliances.

I knew who Wolfgang Puck is, a very well know chef who has restaurants all over the world, and I had seen him cooking on the Shopping Channel selling his appliances and his cookware.

I quickly put together my entry and easily forgot all about it. The phone call from the Shopping Channel reminded me quickly enough, as I was one of three winners in the country!

The first prize was an all expense paid trip for two for two days to the Shopping Channel’s headquarters and the opportunity to cook your dish on the web. Maybe, if you were lucky, you might do it on television and you might meet Wolfgang Puck. The headquarters for the Shopping Channel is in Mississauga, Ontario, a forty five minute drive from my house. I may have been given gas money!

The runners up prizes were a 26 piece set of Wolfgang Puck cookware, which came in a forty two pound box currently sitting in my garage waiting for us to open it officially. It is big and beautiful!

The recipe is for Lion’s Head Meatballs, a gourmet Asian dish I had tasted once many years ago as it was made for me by a friend who was involved with gourmet cooking classes. I have seen it described in cookbooks twice, and put together my recipe, which I find wonderful. When we did this in the paper, my daughters were attacking it with chopsticks when my youngest was two years old. The photo was great but a bit fictitious as she could hardly do much with a fork at that time. Today, she is a wiz!

Enjoy the recipe!

LIONS HEAD MEATBALLS

1 pound Ground Pork or Ground Turkey

1/4 pound Cooked Shrimp

4 ounce (1/2 can) Water Chestnuts

2 Scallions

1/2-1 bunch Swiss Chard (trimmed of stems)

3 tbs Hoisin Sauce

1 1/2 cups Chicken Bouillon

1 teas Chopped Garlic

1 teas Ground or Minced Fresh Ginger

2 teas Soy Sauce

2 tbs Corn or Tapioca Starch

Salt and Pepper

2 tbs Cooking Oil

1/2 teas Sesame Oil

Combine shrimp, pork or turkey, scallions, water chestnuts, 1 tbs cornstarch, soy sauce, some salt and pepper and 1 1/2 tbs hoisin in a Wolfgang Puck Professional Series Food Processor with Flow Attachment and lightly blend. Shape into 8 large meatballs and dust with cornstarch.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add meatballs and brown on all sides and drain grease and oil. Add ginger root and garlic, bouillon, 1 1/2 tbs hoisin and some salt and pepper. Bring to boil and simmer meatballs for 5 minutes. Cover meatballs with as many Swiss chard leaves as possible, cover and simmer for 10-15 more minutes. Add remaining cornstarch, mixed in a little cold water to thicken the liquid.

Serve by placing cooked leaves on plate (Lions Mane) and cover with meatballs (Lions Head) and spoon on sauce. Serve four with rice made in our Wolfgang Puck 7 Cup Rice Cooker with Removable Lid. .

Rena's Cook Book

Rena’s Cookbook

When my mother passed away at the beginning of November,1997, we were left with the task of cleaning out her apartment. In that effort, we almost lost my mother's recipe box. It is a 50's printed red metal box that almost slipped out of our grasp and into the trash.
My mother was not known for her cooking, and often made fun of her own dishes. We used to joke about her cooking. For many years, as you know, we all lived together in the same house on Walcott Avenue, my Mother, my Father and my Grandparents. “Bubbe" did most of the cooking, especially at holiday time. But with her passing in 1967, and my Father's in 1970, my mother became the cook for herself and her father until his passing in 1976. After that, living alone, we often spoke of cooking, new ideas, and new ways to prepare old dishes. Most of these recipes reflect another time, where canned foods were the basis of food preparation, not today's lighter, fresher ingredients.
Many of the recipes stuffed into the box were from friends and relatives, some noted as such with names attached and others anonymous. Many came from Jell-O boxes, product inserts and newspapers. I have copied all the ones that were hand written and Xeroxed, and have not included the printed ones because you can get your own Jell-O box.
This is an amazing collection. Some of my personal favorites are not included, because she already knew how to fry chicken, or make our favorite family veal chops. These recipes must have been things she didn't make regularly so she needed a recipe. These are not a legacy as such, but a glimpse into a time, long forgotten. Holiday foods, special meals and even an alcoholic drink (from my Aunt Hilda) are included. I hope this all brings back warm memories for you as it does for me.
Enjoy!

Arthur Greenblatt November 2003

Baked Things

Blintzes – Unknown writer typed the following note:

This is my recipe for the “bletlach” for my blintzes – and it is infallible

2 eggs (beat with eggbeater)
½ c. water
½ c. sifted flour
½ t. salt

Rena, you have to experiment with the fry pan. I find if it is too hot – it doesn’t come out too well – just medium – so it can come out easily. Lots of luck. If you ever have a yen for blintzes – I’ll be happy to make them for you. The recipe makes about 11.

Fruited Noodle Pudding – Rose Benesch

Use Square Pan

1 pkg. wide noodles- 8oz. Pennsylvania Dutch
Cook with a little oil and salt. Wash with cold water.
4 eggs
Sugar to taste- salt and cinnamon
½ stick margarine
Grated apple-not too fine
1 can crushed pineapple (small-with juice)
½ cup white raisins
½ cup orange juice
Crisco at bottom of pan
Sprinkle on top cinnamon and sugar and thinly sliced apple.

Bake in 350 degree oven ¾ to 1 hour.
Hanukkah Potato Latkes (from the Jewish Times)

3 lg. Potatoes (2c. grated)
Small onion
2 eggs
2 T. flour or matzoh meal
1 t. salt

Grate potatoes and place in bowl.
Grate onions and place in bowl with potatoes.
Add eggs, flour and salt.
Drain off excess liquid.
Drop spoonfuls into a well oiled frying pan.
Fry on both sides in hot oil.
Serve with apple sauce or sour cream.


Meringue – Mildred
2 – egg whites (good size eggs) beat until stiff, not hard
1 T. cornstarch

In a pot boil ½ c water.
Dilute 1T. cornstarch in cold water until dissolved.
Then add cornstarch to ½ c. hot water and stir. Will thicken immediately (cool).
Put in bowl.

Beat 2 egg whites- add ¼ c. sugar.
Add cool cornstarch mixture.
Beat egg whites.
Beat good.
Add cool cornstarch mixture to egg whites after whites have been beaten well.


Noodle Kugel- Rose Zvares

1 box wide noodles
4 eggs
1c. corn crushed flakes
2-3 t. Crisco
Raisins (scalded)
Salt, pepper, sugar, cinnamon, ½ t. lemon juice

Heat pan, greased with 1T. Crisco
Cover bottom with ½ c. crushed corn flakes (or bread crumbs).
Pour in mixture (noodles with beaten eggs, salt and pepper, raisins) and top with remaining crushed corn flakes, cinnamon and sugar.
Place in hot stove (400) , gradually lower to 300 and bake until edges are loose around the pan.



Noodle Pudding #2 – Rose Sachs

½ lb. Broad noodles
½ soft container cream cheese
3 eggs beaten
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
1 container cottage cheese with fruit
½ pt. Sour cream
Sugar to taste
1 sm. can pineapple, drained
1 T. Vanilla
6 oz. raisins
Can include butter, if desired.

Boil (with salt) and drain noodles. Mix all ingredients together.
Grease pan. Bake at 375 for 45 min. to 1 hr.



Noodle Pudding #3 (Hilda Floam)

1 lb. Broad Noodles
1 lb. Cottage cheese- creamed
1 stick margarine
1 pt. Sour cream
¼ cup milk
5 Eggs

Beat eggs, add sour cream, cottage cheese and milk. Melt margarine and put into noodles. Let noodles cool about 5 minutes and put into entire mixture.

Butter pan and bake about 1 hour at 325 degrees.

Spinach Kugel

8 oz. noodles
½ stick margarine
1 pkg. frozen spinach-chopped
1 pkg. onion soup mix
3 eggs
*½ cup creamer

*If frozen spinach is not squeezed out, less creamer can be used.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Place in square cake pan; put in oven at 350 for 45 minutes.


Spinach Noodle Dish*

(Editors note, no name included)

9” x 13” – 3 quart pan, serves 16

1 lb. spinach noodles cooked (drain but do not rinse)
2 sticks margarine
¾ lb. fresh mushrooms sliced (can use canned)
2 pkg. Onion soup mix
4 eggs
2 - 10 oz pkg. Frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
2 c. Coffee Rich ( one container)
1 can onion rings

Sauté mushrooms and add to margarine and drained spinach.
Beat eggs and add onion mix
Mix all together
Grease pan
Bake about ½ hour
Remove from oven- add can onion rings on top- put back in oven and bake 30 minutes.


Sweet Kugel – marked “Happy Mothers Day” – Rose

½ lb. wide noodles
½ pint sour cream
¼ lb. cream cheese
¼ lb. margarine
4 eggs – separated
½ cup sugar
Cinnamon and sugar for top

Beat egg whites and set aside.
Melt butter in pan – remove from heat.
Thoroughly mix sugar, cream cheese, sour cream and egg yolks.
Add noodles, fold in egg whites.
Pour into greased 9”x13” pan.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Appetizers/ Beverages

Dip

1 pt. Sour cream or TREAT
Horseradish – 2 heaping tsp.
Add crumbled bacon or Bacon Bits
2 tsp. Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix


Use with fresh vegetables
Carrots-Celery-Cukes (rounds)
Cauliflower (slice)

Dip #2

1 or 2 pks. Veg soup mix
1 box frozen chopped spinach
Drain spinach 5 min. and squeeze dry
16 oz. Sour cream
½ c. mayo (optional)
1 small water chestnuts chopped
Mix ingredients together


Whiskey Sour (Hilda)

1 can lemonade
½ can orange juice
1 ½ cans water
1 can whiskey

Desserts

Apple Cake

4 c. apple slices
2 c. sugar
1 c. cooking oil
2 eggs
1 c. chopped walnuts
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. vanilla
1 c. flour

Let apples stand in sugar for1 hr.
Sift dry ingredients.
Beat eggs, add oil and vanilla, add apples and sugar.
Stir in dry ingredients and nuts.
Bake 350 for 45 min.

Brownies

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 can condensed milk
6 oz. mini chocolate chips
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.


Cherry Cake

½ lb. Butter
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
4 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
2 t. vanilla

Comstock Cherry Filling

Topping

2/3 c. flour
½ c. sugar
6 T. butter
Cinnamon

Put dry cake ingredients together. Add butter and mix with fork. Add 1 egg at a time, then vanilla.
Spread Comstock cherry filling over mixture. Cover with topping.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Use chocolate chip cookie batter (either from the recipe on the Nestle package or slice and bake).

Layer batter on the bottom of a 9”x13” pan.

Make filling:

Combine 2-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
¾ c. sugar
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Spread evenly over cookie batter.

Slice batter and dot top.
Bake at 325 until done (1 hour and 45 minutes).

Fruit Cobbler

1 ½ to 2 c. fruit
½ c. butter (1 stick)
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 c. milk

Spread melted butter in 9” pan.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Add milk and stir.
Pour batter over butter.
Lay fruit on top of batter.
Bake at 375 for 45 min.

Mandelbrot

¾ c. Spry or Crisco
1 scant c. sugar
Grated orange peel of one lg. Orange
3 eggs
1 c. flour
1 heaping t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped walnuts
Pinch of salt
Cinnamon and sugar

In mixer bowl, with electric mixer, blend shortening, sugar and orange peel. Add eggs, one at a time, and blend well after each.

Add flour, baking powder, salt, a little at a time, then add vanilla. When all is well blended, stir in walnuts.

Divide dough into thirds. Place each third on a piece of waxed paper on which a sizeable amount of flour has been placed, and lightly roll the dough (from side to side) in the flour, coating it sufficiently to handle. Place the dough on a lightly greased cookie sheet and pat into shape, about the length of the cookie sheet. Place all three strips onto the cookie sheet, about 3” apart. Shake cinnamon and sugar over each strip.

Bake in a 350 preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven and immediately cut each strip crosswise into ½” slices. Turn each piece on its side and shake cinnamon and sugar on the exposed side. Return to oven for 5 min. or until side is lightly browned.

Rice Pudding – Rose Benesch

1 c. Uncle Ben’s Rice (uncooked)
1/3 c. sugar
6 eggs
1/3 c. melted butter (about 2/3 stick)
½ tsp. Salt
2 c. milk
1 c. white raisins
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Boil, strain, and wash rice in cold water.
Beat eggs well, add milk.
Put in rice, sugar, raisins, melted butter, spices and mix.
Grease pan well. Place pan in larger pan with water.
Start oven at 400, reduce to 350.
Bake about 45 minutes.

Main Dishes - Fish

Baked Gefilte Fish - Hilda

8 pieces without juice
Bottom – slice of onion
Can or jar of carrots with juice
½ c. ketchup
½ c. mayonnaise
Coat pieces and add paprika
Bake at 350 degrees – 45 minutes – one hour
(Hilda uses minced onion on top).

Fish – Belle Fenster
Gefilte Fish (32 or 27 oz.)
In Blender put:
1 small onion
1 carrot
1 celery
¼ c fish liquid
2 eggs
¼ cup matzo meal

Mash fish.
Mix together in 8” or 9” greased pan for (and bake) one hour.

Fruited Tuna Loaf- Pipsie Welman
1 lb. 4 oz. crushed pineapple – drained
1 ½ c. mayonnaise
2 7 oz. cans tuna
¾ - 1 c. chopped celery
2-3 T. chopped onions (finely chopped)
¾ c. fine soft bread crumbs
(Pipsie got unseasoned cubes and put them in a blender- then measured ¾ c.)
½ t. salt
1 egg

Measure out ½ c. each – drained pineapple and mayonnaise – mix together and set aside for topping.
Combine remaining ingredients and press into a 9x5 loaf.
Bake at 350 for 20 min.
Remove and cover with topping.
Turn heat up to 400 and bake 15 minutes more until top browns.


Pickled Fish – Minnie Goldblatt

3 lb. Fish – cut into 6 slices
Cut 2 large onions and place in large pan. Place fish on top and cover with water, a little more then to cover. Add salt and pepper. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Place in Pyrex dish.

Add 1 heaping teaspoon mixed spices (go-slow on red pepper), about half a glass of vinegar and 3 T. sugar. Boil together for a while to absorb flavor, let cool off.

While cooking take 3 large onions, cut into slices, place in colander, scald with hot water, rinse with cold. Arrange on bottom of pan and top of fish, if desired, or only on top.

Strain juice and pour over fish.

Note: If pickling spices unavailable, use 5 Bay leaves and ½ t. peppercorn.

Tuna Casserole

8 oz. pkg. broad noodles, cooked
2 cans tuna
1 can mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk
1/3 c. milk
1 T. minced onion
1 oz. pimento
2 hard boiled eggs
1 sm. can peas
5 sliced olives and 1 t. olive juice
Small amounts of oregano, rosemary, parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine and bake.

Tuna Crunch Casserole – Elizabeth

2 cans solid tuna – drain and break into chunks.
1 can mushroom soup
½ can water (recipe calls for ¼ can – I like ½).
1 T. soy sauce
4 oz. can button mushrooms (drained)
2 c. canned Chinese noodles
¼ c. minced onions or chopped green onion tops
1 c. chopped celery
½ c. cooked peas (optional)
Reserve 1 c. Chinese noodles
Cashew nuts or peanuts

In casserole combine all ingredients and refrigerate before baking (375 degrees for 40 minutes or until hot).
Sprinkle top with remaining Chinese noodles.

Tuna/Shell Salad

1 10-oz. box shell macaroni - cook with 1 t. salt and rinse with cold water
#2 size can Giant Brand peas – drain
3 stalks celery – chop fine
Small onion – chop fine
3 carrots grated
1 jar pimento – mashed
Pepper to taste
1 or 2 cans Chicken of the Sea Tuna mashed with other ingredients
3 T. Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
After mixing, add more Miracle Whip if necessary.

Main Dishes – Meat and Poultry

A1 Savory Stuffed Peppers

1 lb. Ground beef
½ c. chopped onions
1 12 oz. can Del Monte Whole Kernel Vacuum Golden Corn (drained)
1 8 oz. can Tomato sauce
1 c. cooked rice
¼ c. A1 sauce
¼ t. black pepper
6 lg. Green peppers

In skillet over medium heat cook meat and onions until done; pour off drippings, stir in corn, tomato sauce, rice, A1 and pepper. Set aside.
Cut tops off of peppers, remove seeds, spoon meat mixture into peppers. Arrange in a 9”x9”x2” baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until peppers are done.

Serves 6.

Brisket – Dee Rash

Season with Season-All
Salt and Pepper
Garlic powder (if preferred)
1 can Hunts Tomato Sauce
½ can water (or more) add if needed
1 pkg. onion soup mix
Cook ½ hr. per lb. plus an extra 15-20 minutes.
Cook potatoes and carrots together with brisket in roasting pan.
Slice brisket against grain and put into gravy to heat.
Heat vegetables in gravy separately.

Mazetti – R. Seibert

¾ cup finely chopped celery
½ c. melted butter or margarine
1 c. minced onion
¾ c. minced green pepper
1 lb. Ground chuck
1 lb. Ground pork
1 ½ t. salt
½ t. pepper
12 oz. wide noodles
4 oz. canned mushrooms
2 10.5 oz. cans condensed tomato soup, undiluted
Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook celery in water until tender and drain.
Sauté onion and green pepper for 5 min. in half of the butter or margarine, add in chuck and pork, salt and pepper and cook until meat is just done.
Cook noodles, drain and rinse. Put into 3 quart casserole, toss with remaining butter or margarine, stir in meat mixture, celery, mushrooms, tomato soup; mix well. Sprinkle with Parmesan, cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until hot in center.

Serves 12

Meat Balls – Rose Benesch

Meat, salt, Accent, water, eggs (no filler)

In saucepan put a little grated or chopped onions and water and let boil. Put in Hunts Sauce and add a little ground beef for taste.
Put meatballs in sauce and cook a while on the stove and then “dempf” in the oven.


Sweet and Sour Meat Balls
Meat Balls
1 lb. ground beef
2 slices bread soaked in water
½ med. onion-grated
1 egg
Salt and pepper
Sauce
½ onion, cut up
2 medium cans tomato sauce
salt and pepper and cook together.
2 heaping T. brown sugar.
Taste for sweetness.
Add sour salt (couple pieces) and cook about 15 minutes until flavors blend.
Simmer meat balls and sauce together 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Meat Rolled in Cabbage – Hilda Floam

Meat
1 lb. Ground chuck
2 eggs
1 diced onion
(Mix ingredients)
Sauce
1 16 oz. can tomato sauce (I like 8 oz. better R.G.)
1 lg. Can tomatoes
Brown sugar to taste.
Cook sauce ingredients and add sugar.
Add layer of cabbage at bottom of a Pyrex baking pan. Add meat mixture to cabbage, roll with seams down.
Cook covered for 1 ¾ hours, cook uncovered for ¾ hour.


Meat with Cabbage – Esther Askin
Meat Balls
1 lb. meat
2 eggs
1 t. matzoh meal
1 T. catsup
2 T. water
Grated onion
Salt and pepper

Sauce
Shredded cabbage (little bigger then for cole slaw)
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans water
2 T catsup
1 t. sugar
Boil together for 15 minutes.
Then put in meatballs and cook 1 hour.

Add sugar to sauce.


Stuffed Eggplant- Esther Lavine

2 Eggplants
1 lb. Ground meat (combine veal, beef and sausage)
1 medium onion - minced
1 large green pepper- chopped
Butter, margarine or olive oil
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small can tomatoes
Grated cheese (parmesan)

Brown meat and cook with onions and green peppers.

Remove the inside of the eggplant and chop into small pieces and sauté.

Mix eggplant pieces with meat mixture, tomatoes and sauce.
Add seasoning to taste. Cover with grated cheese and stuff into eggplant shells. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.


Amelia’s Chicken

1 bottle - 1890 dressing
1 – onion, cut fine
2 – chickens cut up
1 – 4 oz. can mushroom pieces
1 – envelope onion soup
1 – cup water

Bake in Pyrex casserole at 325 or 350 for 2 – 2 ½ hrs.


Chicken Catciatorri – Minnie Goldblatt

Broiler – fry chicken until golden brown.

Cut onion into 2 small pieces. Sauté until brown.

3-4 Italian tomatoes - whole
Add tomatoes to onion and add a little water. Put in ½ juice glass of vermouth, simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add this gravy to chicken and cover, simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hrs.

Keep turning chicken.

Country Captain Chicken – Rose Geshekter

4 lbs. Chicken breasts
Seasoned flour
½ c. shortening
2 onions chopped fine
2 green peppers chopped fine
Clove of garlic minced
1 ½ t. salt
¾ t. curry powder
½ t. white pepper
½ t. thyme
2 cans (13 oz. tomatoes-Md. Chief)
1 T. chopped parsley
6 c. hot cooked rice (Minute Rice)
¼ c. currants (Buy in the raisin section)
¼ lb. toasted almonds
Parsley sprigs
Remove skin from chicken. Roll breasts in flour and fry in shortening until well browned. Remove chicken and keep warm in oven in the pyrex dish.

From fat left in pan cook onions, green peppers and garlic until tender. Stir in salt, pepper, curry powder and thyme, mix well. Add tomatoes and parsley and heat.

Put chicken in large casserole and pour over all sauce. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 min. or until chicken is tender.

Arrange chicken in center of platter. Mound cooked rice around chicken. Put currants in sauce, pour over rice. Sprinkle almonds over chicken and add parsley.

2 broilers may be used if desired. Use 3 cups uncooked rice.

Oven Fried Chicken – Joan Newcomer

½ c. flour
2 t. salt
2 t. paprika
½ c. oil
1/8 t. black pepper
2 ½ - 3 lbs. Chicken
Preheat oven to 400.
Mix dry ingredients, add oil, dip chicken and allow to drain.
Bake at 400 for 1 hr.
No need to turn chicken.


Passover Things

Bagel-Passover
6 eggs
1 c. matzoh meal
1 c. cake meal*
2 c. cold water
½ cup peanut oil
1 t. salt
2 t. sugar

Boil water, salt, oil and sugar. While boiling, add dry ingredients. Keep over low heat while mixing. Cool.
Add eggs, one at a time. Form bagel by dropping spoonful on greased cookie sheet. Make hole with finger.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

· If not available, substitute matzoh meal.
Passover Rolls (Makes 12 rolls)

½ c. oil
1 c. water
¾ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
Boil on top of stove.
Add:
2 c. matzoh meal
4 eggs
Mix ingredients together, adding eggs one at a time.
Let stand ¼ hour in refrigerator. Form balls with oily hands. Put on cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 for 50 minutes.

Farfel – Belle Zvares

8 oz. farfel
2 lg. onions sliced thin
¾ stick margarine
Mushrooms (sliced)

Boil farfel and strain.
Fry onions and mushrooms in margarine.
Mix

Matzo Kugel – Rose Zvares

3 eggs
Water
Schmaltz
Raisins
(brei uf)
2 apples
Sugar
Cinnamon
Lemon
Salt
Brei matzos

Use schmaltz (or Crisco, preferably) in frying pan and put matzo meal in Crisco in bottom of pan. Then put in remainder of ingredients.
Top with matzo meal, cinnamon and sugar.

There are no specific baking instructions or portion sizes included.
Matzoh Kugel

4 Matzos
3 eggs- well beaten (put in last)
½ t. salt
¼ c. sugar
4 T. fat
2 apples – grated
1 t. cinnamon
½ - ¾ c. raisins (whichever you prefer)
Soak matzos and press out water.
Beat up eggs and throw things together.
Grease pan.
Bake at 350 for 45 min.

Matzoh Dumplings

2 eggs, well beaten
2 t. cold water
½ c. matzoh meal
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 t. chopped parsley
pinch of nutmeg
3 bouillon cubes

Blend all ingredients (except bouillon) well. Form into balls the size of marbles.
Refrigerate several hours.
30 minutes before serving drop into 5 c. boiling water to which 3 bouillon cubes have been added
Drain and place in soup.

Passover Knadles – Rose Zvares

1 egg
1 T. schmaltz
Salt, pepper, cinnamon to taste
¼ c. water
Small piece onion (grated)

Matzoh meal to proper consistency (Try 2/3 c.)

Mix all ingredients then add matzoh meal.
Let stand until it becomes thick enough to make into matzoh balls (not too large as they swell in cooking).
Drop into boiling water or soup and cook for about 30 min. with cover.

Mom’s Passover Cake – Rose Zvares

8 eggs - separate- beat whites stiff
1 ½ c. sugar
1c.cake meal
Lemon and rind
Salt

Beat yolks until light – add sugar and beat again until light.
Add salt and lemon.
Add cake meal.
Fold in whites.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min.

Passover Sponge Cake – Rose Zvares

8 eggs – separate
1 1/3 c. sugar
½ lemon – juice and a little rind
1 orange – little rind
2 t. water in lemon and orange mix
1 c. cake flour, sift twice
1 T. potato starch
Mix yolks and sugar well: then add juice and rind; then add cake flour and starch.
Beat whites until stiff-then blend in.
Grease cake pan – put wax paper around.
Put in dough.
Put in stove at 350’ about 15 minutes; then down to 250 for about ½ hour. (See if brown.)

Passover Cookies
1 c. farfel
1 c. matzoh meal
¾ c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ c. raisins
½ cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil

Beat eggs and oil together and mix in all other ingredients.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes

Makes 20 cookies.


Matzoh Brownies (Israeli Style)

Frosting:
1 c. sugar
½ c. milk
2 t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
4 T. cocoa powder
2 sticks margarine
2 egg yolks

Bring all ingredients to a slow boil. Take of range, cool until luke warm. Add margarine and egg yolks. Stir well.
Soak 6 matzos in wine. Spread frosting between each matzoh. Sprinkle top layer with candy and nuts. Cool in freezer.

Salads

Applesauce Salad

1 pkg. lime gelatin
½ c. boiling water
2 c. thick applesauce
1 c. cottage cheese
Crisp lettuce leaves
Mayonnaise
Paprika

Dissolve gelatin in water.
Fold in applesauce and cottage cheese.
Pour into individual molds, chill until firm.
Unmold on lettuce leaves and top with mayonnaise. Garnish with paprika.

Apricot Nectar Salad

2 pkg. Orange Jell-O
1 ½ cup hot water
2 ½ c. apricot nectar
1 c. marshmallows
Mandarin Oranges

Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Add apricot nectar, marshmallows and mandarin oranges.

Chill (I guess).


Beet Mold

1 pkg. lemon Jell-O
1 can Libby’s Shoestring Beets
1 heaping T. Horseradish
Few drops lemon juice
Pour beet liquid into a measuring cup and add water to 1 ½ cups.

Place in saucepan, heat and add lemon Jell-O, horseradish and lemon juice.

Place beets on bottom of square Pyrex dish and pour ingredients over, let jell.

Bing Cherry Salad

1 #2 can Bing Cherries, pitted and halved
1 pkg. cherry Jell-O
¾ c. hot water
½ c. sherry
pinch of salt
½ c. finely chopped pecans

Drain cherries, reserving ½ c. juice. Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Cool; add cherry juice and sherry, salt, cherries and pecans. Mix with fork or mixwell. Chill quickly, refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Blueberry Salad

1 can crushed pineapple
1 can blueberries
1 pkg black raspberry gelatin
1 cup chopped peaches

Drain pineapple and blueberries, reserve juice.
Bring combined juices to a boil and add gelatin.
Stir until dissolved.
Add blueberries, pineapple and nuts.
Chill until set.


Cranberry-Apple Salad

1 pkg. Lemon gelatin
½ c. orange marmalade
1 c. boiling water
2 c. cranberries
2 apples, peeled and cored

Dissolve gelatin and marmalade in boiling water; chill until syrupy. Put cranberries and apples thru food chopper, add to gelatin. Chill. 8-10 servings.

Cranberry Salad

1 pkg gelatin
1 ½ c. boiling water
juice of ½ lemon
½ c. finely cut celery
½ c. crushed pineapple
1 c. sweetened cranberry sauce

Fruit Ambrosia #1 (from Dee Rash)

1 c. pineapple chunks
1 c. tiny marshmallows
1 c. sour cream
1 c. mandarin oranges
1 c. coconut


Fruit Ambrosia #2 (from Mrs. Miller)

3 pineapple tidbits (8 ¾ oz.)
2 cartons Cool Whip (Big Whip)
1 coconut-Bakers (bag)
1 bag marshmallows
1 maraschino cherries (large jar)


Gelatin – Apricot Nectar Salad

2 pkg. orange gelatin
2 c. hot water
1- 12 oz. can apricot nectar
1 lb. cottage cheese
Nutmeg

Dissolve gelatin in hot water.
Add apricot nectar, mix well, cool.
Pour into 1 qt ring mold. Chill until firm.
Unmold onto plate of shredded lettuce.
Fill center with cottage cheese.
Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Yields 8-9 servings.

Jello Mold – Dee

Lime Jello
Instead of water use gingerale
Walnuts
Celery
Peaches

Lime Applesauce Delight

1 ¼ c. applesauce
1 pkg. lime Jello
½ to 1 c. sugar
1 c. evaporated milk
1 T. lime or lemon juice

Heat applesauce.
Add gelatin and sugar and stir until dissolved.
Chill milk until very cold, whip until stiff.
Add lime or lemon juice.
Fold whipped milk into gelatin mixture.
Chill.
Yields eight servings.

Lime Jello

2 lime Jello (heat Jello with sour cream)
3 c. water
1 c. sour cream
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
nuts and maraschino cherries cut-up

Pineapple – Cranberry Salad

1 pkg. cranberries
4 c. water
2 c. sugar
2 or 3 pkgs. Lemon or lime gelatin
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. pineapple, drained

Simmer cranberries in water for 20 min.
Remove from heat, stir in sugar and gelatin.
Cool until slightly thickened.
Add remaining ingredients, blend well.

Refrigerate until firm.

Yield 15-20 servings.


Vegetable Mold

2 pkg. Jello
1 c. diced celery
1 c. grated carrots
2 grated apples
Small can crushed pineapple
½ c. chopped nuts

Dressing

Lemon juice
1 T. oil
Oregano
Sugar
Salt/pepper
Squeeze whole lemon
Feta cheese



White Salad Dressing

¾ c. plain yogurt
¼ c. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
2 t. Dijon mustard
1 T. lemon juice
½ t. pepper
½ t. salt
1 T. sugar
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and chill.

Side Dishes

Carrots L’Orange

5- medium carrots cut crosswise in 1” chunks
Cook, covered, in boiling salted water 20 min., until tender, drain
Meanwhile add:
1 T. sugar
1t. cornstarch
¼ t. salt
¼ t. ground ginger
Into a small saucepan. Add ¼ cup orange juice and stir constantly until mix thickens and bubbles. Allow to boil for 1 minute.



Baked Corn
2 c. crushed corn (or whole kernel white corn and crushed corn)
1 c. milk
2/3 c. cracker crumbs
3 T. melted butter
½ t. salt and a little pepper
1 T. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 t. minced onion
Mix together, grease casserole, dot with butter, bake at 350 for 40 min.


Corn Pudding

In one bowl beat:
2 eggs
2 T. water

Add 2 large cans corn
½ stick butter or margarine (melted)
1 pkg. Corn Muffin mix

Mix thoroughly. Grease 9x13 pan, bake in 350 oven for 1 hour.

Pea Casserole – Florence

2 lb. bag -frozen peas
1 can water chestnuts drained and sliced
1 can bean sprouts drained
1 small can sliced mushrooms drained
1 can mushroom soup
Mix together and cover with 1 can onion rings.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Spinach Soufflé

1 pkg. frozen spinach, defrosted
½ lb. Cream cheese
1 lb. Cottage cheese
½ c. matzoh meal
3 eggs, well beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease 1 qt. Dish.
Melt cream cheese, add to hot spinach, and add cottage cheese and matzoh meal. Mix well.

Stir in eggs, salt and pepper.
Pour into soufflé dish and bake 40 min. until light golden on top.


Tzimes – Rose Benesch

Prunes
Sweet Potatoes
Salt
Honey (1 or 2 T.)
Brown Sugar
1 T. Cornstarch

Place large prunes in pot and cover with hot water for a while.

Cut sweet potatoes in large pieces – add salt and cover with water until partially done.

Add brown sugar and honey to the sweet potato water and add prunes with a little prune water and cornstarch, and bring to boil.

Put in stove for ½ hour at 350.

Additional by Doris Schwartzman:

Matzoh balls may be stirred in if desired – ½ hour before they’re done.

Also might add a little orange juice