School and Melts!
Here we go, another week & another article! As you can see from the picture above, the food of this week is melts! Mmmmmmm, melts are so, so good… Let’s start with a basic treat I like to cook up. We start with a bagel, and spread the top with LOTS of smear (Cream cheese). Then we slice our favorite pepper up, and sprinkle that on top. Finally, toast the bagel halves for about 2-3 minutes in a toaster oven, or just microwave for the same time. Mmm, this is so damn good! Great way to wake yourself up, I bet! Next up is tuna melts. Damn, are they good! Let’s do this one up recipe-style:
Tuna Melts
1 can tuna
1 dab brown mustard
1 dab relish
1 dab minced garlic
1 dab minced onions
1/4 cup mayo
cheese
Mix all but the cheese together & spread on slices of bread.
Top with cheese, then bake for 5-10 minutes in a 350 F oven.
Take out, let cool for a minute, and serve.
Mmmmmmm, this is a dish best served on a cool night when there’s no tomato soup in the house. Its a delicious dinner, and another favorite of mine. Now, before I scoot, I wanted you all to know that Wednesday night, your favorite Kosher blogger starts his culinary schooling. YES! By the end of may, I’ll be a Pastry Chef! Wanna Donate? Hit me up!
Yes, the ‘Send Renegade Kosher Thru Culinary School’ fund is alive. Help me out, and let’s bring more awesome food to you, my readers! Until next time, Shalom, and Good Cooking!
Bread Bowls, French Onion Soup, & A Survey!
First off, I’m asking all of my readers to click here to take a survey about this blog. This is just something I’m doing to help figure out my reader stats, where they are coming from, and how to best serve you – my readers. Now, as for today’s recipe, its a basic recipe of sorts that ALWAYS goes over well. Today we’re going to explain how to make Sourdough Bread Bowls.
We begin by grabbing some Sourdough Bread Rounds from our favorite grocery store. To these we’re going to cut a hole in the top about 2-3 inches around, and scoop out the insides of the bowl. Try to leave about 1/2 inch of bread in the bottom. Next, we want to take some Olive Oil and lightly brush it ALL over the inside of the rolls, covering EVERY square inch if possible. Then, setting your prepared rolls on a cookie sheet, bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the inside of the bread bowls are NICE and crispy.
Now we get to the FUN part! These bowls can be used for LOTS of dishes. One of my favorite uses of these inexpensive rounds is to fill them with salad or a dinner soup. But, the most COMMON use of these bowls is in making French Onion Soup.
French Onion Soup
6 Cups Chopped Yellow Onions
1/3 Cup Margarine
8 Cups Vegetable Bouillon (Or Beef-Flavoured Vegitarian Bouillon is preferred if you can get it.)
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Cup Sugar
4 Tablespoons Flour
Cognac
White Cheeses Such as Mozzarella, Swiss, etc.
Cook onions slowly in a large cast iron skillet in the margarine until combined. Then cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
To a crock pot, add in the bouillon and set it to HIGH. Then stir in ALL the contents of the cast iron skillet after the 15 minuters is up, stirring well. Finally, add in the sugar, salt, & flour and cover. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
When ready to serve, pour 1 tablespoon of cognac into the bottom of each bread bowl, then top with hot soup. Finally, top the bread bowls with your favorite white cheeses & bake in a 425 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes.
Move to plates and serve still warm.
Serves 12
| Nutrition Facts | ||||||
|
Serving Size 157 g |
||||||
|
Amount Per Serving
|
||||||
|
Calories
335
Calories from Fat
101
|
||||||
|
% Daily Value*
|
||||||
|
Total Fat
11.2g
17%
|
||||||
|
Saturated Fat
3.9g
20%
|
||||||
|
Cholesterol
11mg
4%
|
||||||
|
Sodium
1660mg
69%
|
||||||
|
Total Carbohydrates
39.4g
13%
|
||||||
|
Dietary Fiber
1.8g
7%
|
||||||
|
Sugars
13.6g
|
||||||
|
Protein
10.7g
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
Nutrition Grade C-
|
||||||
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* Based on a 2000 calorie diet
|
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, nummy. I hope you all enjoy this recipe, and using bread bowls to help make ANY meal special! Also, please fill out the survey to help me out with needed information! Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!
The RETURN of More Side Dishes to Fill Any Table!
Last year I helped fill tables with enough side dishes to make any mouth happy. And life was good! People were happy, kosher food prevailed, and the world kept on turning. So how do we expand on this? Well, let’s invade your food-loving minds with the RETURN of More Side Dishes to Fill Any Table! Yes, for the low, low price of reading, we’re going to delve deep, deep into my culinary mind and bring you even MORE food!
First off, everyone loves Deviled Eggs as an appetizer. They’re easy to make, and are just so nummy! Actually, when thinking of this dish, I can’t forget my brother gorging himself on them at a wedding until getting sick. I don’t think he’s forgiven my mom & I for liking to remind him when there are deviled eggs at any location. But, the standard recipe is boring. What if we jazzed it up? Yes, my friends, it’s time to forgo the Deviled Eggs, and Welcome in Renegade Eggs!
Renegade Eggs
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Finely Shredded
1 Cup Cream Cheese, Softened
4 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Minced
1 Dozen Eggs, Hard-Boiled & Shelled
First off, we slice the eggs in half lengthwise & scoop out ALL the yolks into a bowl.
Mix the remaining ingredients together with the egg yolks until all combined and nummilicious-looking.
Scoop the mix into the egg whites with the cheesy stuffing and serve.
If you want to garnish these, I like to use a little paprika with some sprigs of parsley, just for some fun. Next up, we’re going to make a kinda’ salad. Since most of us will be having Turkey on Thanksgiving, why not kick it up a notch and make some Skillet Slaw
Skillet Slaw
6 Slices Turkey Bacon
1/4 Cup Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Scallops, Sliced
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
4 Cups Cabbage, Shredded
1 Teaspoon Carway Seed
In your cast-iron skillit, cook up the bacon until NICE and crisp, then take out the bacon but LEAVE the grease! Make sure you have about 1/4 cup of grease left in the skillet. If you need to help increase it, dribble in a little Crisco & let it melt down. The thing is we want that grease & that turkey flavor!
To the grease in the skillet, add in the vinegar, scallions, brown sugar, & salt – heating them all the way thru as you mix them in the skillet.
Add the cabbage and Caraway to the skillet and cook, tossing lightly as it cooks until all the cabbage has softened & soaked up a lot of the flavours. This could take anywhere from 5-10 minutes overall, but its WORTH it!
Remove from skillet into a large bowl, and tob with the previously cooked turkey bacon (All crumbled up, of course!) and Cherry Tomatos.
There we go! Easy, no? Now, for you readers, I want to pass on a Family Tradition! My grandfather wrote this next recipe, and I know it’d do his heart good to know others were still eating it to this day! Its a favorite holiday recipe, and I want to share it with you all now. (Please Mom, don’t kill me for this!)
Grandpa’s 3 Corn Casserole
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
2 Eggs
1 16 oz. Can Whole Kernel Corn, Drained
1 16 oz. Can Creamed Corn
1 9 oz. Package Corn Muffin/Bread Mix
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
Mix the sour cream & eggs together, then stir in both the cans of corn.
Stir in the cornbread mix, and pour it into a greased casserole dish.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about… 35 – 40 minutes, then open the oven and pull out. Top it with the cheese, then toss it BACK into the oven for another 10 minutes.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, this brings back memories! I so loved this recipe growing up, and now you can, too! Next, I think we need a sweet dish to round this out! Everyone knows that ONE person who brings a tub of cottage cheese to every family or company pot luck. Well, why settle for that cottage cheese when we can kick it up a notch?
Orange Cottage Cheese Salad
1 Large Tub/Container Small Curd Cottage Cheese
1 Can Chunk pineapple, Drained
1 Can Mandarin Oranges, Drained
1 Family-Size Package Orange-Flavored Kosher Gelatin, Dry
1 Carton Whipped Topping
1 Cup Swedish Pecans (Optional, but See Below for Recipe)
Mix together EVERYTHING in a large bowl & chill for 3-4 hours before serving.
Now, as promised above, you need the recipe for Swedish Pecans! I swore I already shared this with you all, but a search of my blog says i haven’t. Well, this tasty treat is a fun snack, an appetizer, or a side dessert that people can enjoy munching. My mom loved making these, and I loved eating them! So much I ha to start making them, myself!
Swedish Pecans
1 Pd. Pecan Halves
2 Egg Whites
1 Cup Sugar
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1/4 Pound Butter
Toast Pecans in a 325 defree F oven until lightly browned.
While they brown, beat egg whites to a foam and fold in the sugar & salt.
Once pecans are lightly browned, fold into your sugar & egg white mix.
Melt the butter on the pan you toasted the pecans on, then spread the pecan mixture over the entire pan OVER the butter.
Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, keeping the oven at 325 degrees F and turning the pecans every 10 minutes or so. Watch closely after the 20 minute mark, as they’re done when lightly browned & crisp.
These are OH, SO GOOD! Trust me, you’ll love these in salads, as a snack, or atop ice cream. They are just SO GOOD! After all this good food, we’re going to need something to settle our stomachs. So, as the final recipe, let’s do that!
Recipe to Settle Stomachs After Thanksgiving Dinner
2 Alka-Seltzer Tablets
1 8 oz. Glass of Water
Plop the tablets into the water.
Watch them fizz until dissolved.
Drink the water down.
Repeat as needed.
I hope that helps! Until next time, Shalom and good cooking!
NINJA Coleslaw!
I am a geek. We ALL know this by now. I often watch Ninja Warrior with the wife, and this is no exception today. So, as i watch the most INSANE show around, I also think of all the coming BBQs happening soon due to the coming holiday. Yes, I know, Rosh Hashanah… But I was more talking about memorial day weekend for us US folks. And, as always, people need a side dish. So, after some experimenting, I came up with a nummilicious dairy side that would make ANY BBQ happy! Ladies and gentlemen, let us begin…
Renegade Coleslaw
1 Medium-sized Head of Red Cabbage, Cored & Shredded (It’s about 6 cups, if you HAVE to use pre-shredded)
1 Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped Roughly
1 Cup Carrots, Shredded
1/4 Cup Blue Cheese, Crumbled
3/4 Cup Miracle Whip
1/4 Cup Coarse Grain Dijon Mustard
In the first bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, parsley, and cheese.
In a second bowl, combine the Miracle Whip & Dijon Mustard.
Combine both bowls together and cover before chilling for 2 hours.
Uncover, stir, and enjoy!
So, yes. Anther fine side dish JUST in time for BBQs. And with any such holiday coming up, PLEASE do not drink and drive! My cop father and future cop sister thank you in advance. Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!
What is it with me & Beans on Purim?
So, Purim is coming up. Time for desserts, alcohol, food, alcohol, costumes, alcohol, noisemakers… Oh, and alcohol! So, what to write about? What kind of recipe can I do that you’ll not read everywhere? Last year I did Steak over Black Beans since it was sharing ANOTHER holiday… But what to do this year? What dish can I write about that will tickle & tantalize taste buds, and help share the joy of the season? well, why buck tradition & write about beans, some more, since EVERYONE ELSE is covering Hamentashens?
We’ll start with a simple recipe for 3 Bean Salad. Basically, mix the following together in a large bowl: 3 15 oz. Cans Red Beans, Drained; 3 15 oz. Cans Green Beans, Drained; 3 15 oz. Cans Wax Beans, Drained; 1 Cup Virgin Olive Oil; 1 Cup Sugar; 1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar; and 1 Sweet Onion, Diced. Toss together, salt & Pepper to taste, and cover. Refrigerate for 24 hours to marinate, then serve!
So, that’s a nice salad. Ah, but salads need something else! Something to go with them! Well, why not more bean dishes? Let’s create a Green Beans with Lemon? Start with a cast-iron skillet over high heat, and add about 1 in. of water to the skillet until the water boils. Next add 1 pd. fresh Green Beans, Rimmed (The ends snipped off), and let cook until the water returns to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until the beans are tender. Drain the water, and return the green beans to the skillet. Toss in 1 Tablespoon Butter or Margarine, roughly 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest, and 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, then plate as a bed. Ah, but a bed for what? Personally, I like to lay Salmon steak over this, for a nice touch, but with the lemon zest it goes well as a bed for most fish!
So, another Purim, and more bean dishes! ^^ So, keep safe this Purim, and enjoy yourselves. and break out the noisemakers as you boo ‘He Who Shall Not be Named’! Let’s try it now… Ha-*deafened by noisemakers, clapping, stomping, and shouting the net over!*
Great job! Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!
Beets are Nature’s Candy!
Well, sad to say we have a double-whammy Kashrut alert today, and both for the same reason! Nature’s Finest Apricot, Plum and Peach Compote is being withdrawn due to infestation concerns, first off. Also, Bodek 10 oz boxes Broccoli Spears bearing the code #3193-ZK9 under OU, CRC, and Rav Shlomo Gissinger’s certification is being reviewed for possible levels of insect infestation. Anyone in possession of this product code number is asked to contact the OU. (NOTE: This product was packed in 2002 and has not been distributed to stores within two years.)
In happier news, Capcanes Wineries in Spain announced the release of their Kosher wines in Israel! Ooooh, lucky Israel! There’s also some discussion about a ‘Kosher’ Bed & Breakfast in Rhode Island. In fact, the ONLY one! Already I have seen some bloggers pondering if it can REALLY be Kosher, since the owner’s Catholic. I guess it’s perfectly fine for Asian Americans to cook you Kosher Chinese or Thai, but a Catholic can’t do similar… Ugh. I’m sure, in order to call her B&B Kosher, she has to have rabbi come in to light her stoves once a month or so… So relax and chill, all right?
Since beets are in season right now, beets have been my passion for cooking right now. I always get asked what to do to make beets ‘taste good’, and usually gasp in shock at this! Beets are good! Enjoy your beets! And I’ll help you with a fun recipe I love to make: Beet Pickles!
Taking 7 Medium Uncooked Beets, trip the tops off before washing off any dirt & the like. (Make sure there are no bug marks or bites! Come on, you know this…). Place the beets in a sauce pan and fill the pan with cold water until it JUST covers the beets. Bring it to a boil, and cook until the beets are tender before draining. Now, when you drain the cooking liquid, save aside 1 1/4 cups of the liquid. When the beets are cooled, snip off the tops & bottoms of the root before popping the beet out of it’s skin. Now slice it up and set the beets aside for now.
Taking your remaining ‘cooking liquid’ and pour it back into the saucepan with 1 1/2 cups Red Wine Vinegar and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the following: 1 1/4 Tablespoons Dry Mustard; 1/2 Teaspoon Salt; and 1 Cup Granulated Sugar. Stir constantly as you return the liquid to burning, then remove from heat. Setting aside clean sterilized jars, place your beet slices into the jars with 2 Medium Onions, Chopped Roughly and 2 1/2 Teaspoons Dill Seeds split among the jars. Now, pour the hot liquid over the beet slices. Before we continue, you have a choice here! The first is to seal the jars as you normally would for canning, and let them rest on a shelf until you need them. The SECOND option is something I do with one jar to be nice to myself. I cover THAT jar’s opening with wax paper before screwing the ring on as I would when normally canning a jar. Then I set THIS jar in the fridge for 2-3 days before getting a ‘sneak peek’ of my beet pickles to munch on. The other jars need to sit on a shelf in a cool, dark place for about a week or two minimum to turn out right (I know, quick pickling)!
Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this Beet snack! These pickles go great on sandwiches, chopped up into salads, and you can even toss a few pickles in with some horseradish bits to make a VERY unique-tasting Charoset! Anyhow, I hope everyone’s having a good day today! Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!
Give Us a Rebel Yell!
To start with, Me-Ander just released Kosher Cooking Carnival #13! Doesn’t look unlucky to me… Also, Sunday was tiring yet fun… I did learn several new things. When using frozen, pre-shredded potatoes, you need to thaw them overnight, and STILL strain the water out of them. Also, instant mashed potatoes don’t make good Pampushki. But, everyone liked the food, and everyone is happy! Also, check out The Sinai Mountain Boys & their Jewish Bluegrass music, “Jewgrass”. For a teaser of their music, here’s how they sing when they light the Hanukkah candles! ^^ Very fun, indeed!
In sadder news, publisher Judith Regan is blaming the tribe for her getting fired. No, no, no! You got fired because you wanted to publish OJ Simpson’s book! Stop taking the Mel Gibson defense, people! It doesn’t work! I’m going to listen to more Radio Hanukkah on XM Radio to calm down. This station is VERY good, and I wish they’d keep it after Hanukkah! I’m going to try to call into the live call-in show on the last night to tell them to keep the all-Jewish station! It’s good!
For today’s recipes, I’m going down south again. First off is a dairy casserole that I like to make with extra grits. Yes, my readers, it’s time for a Grit Casserole! We begin by bringing 2 Cups Water to a boil. Once boiling, we want to add 1/2 cup Grits. cook for 3-5 minutes before removing it from heat. Now, add in 1 Cup Garlic-Flavored Feta and 1 Stick Butter, and stir in until the butter is melted. Once melted, beat 2 Eggs in a separate bowl before adding 1 Cup Milk to the eggs. Stir into the grits, then spread the entire mixture into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 Degrees F for 30-45 minutes. When it nears finishing, pull it out and top with Shredded Cheddar Cheese before baking for the final 10 minutes or so for a tasty addition to any breakfast or brunch table!
But, let’s not stop there! Let’s say you want to continue the trip Down South, and add in some Fried Okra! Well, that’s easy, too! We’re going to start with 1 pd. Fresh Okra, Sliced into 1/4 in. Rings. We want to next put some corn meal in a container you can seal. Putting the okra into the container, close it up before shake, shake, shaking it up to cover every peace completely! I find pretending the okra is someone I want to shake sense into helps me de-stress! ^^ But, anyhow, when covered, we want to take out our trusty cast-iron skillet! Put about 1/4 in. of Vegetable Oil into the skillet, and let it warm up until a few droplets of water pop. (Don’t have a cast iron skillet? Go to the local camping store, buy one, season it, and use it! Call it a Hanukkah gift to yourself!) Once the oil is hot, use a netted scoop or slottes spoon to set the okra into the oil, turning it occasionally as it cooks for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown all over. Scoop the okra out with the netted or slotted spoon, and allow to drain grease & cool on a drying rack covered with paper towels. Salt lightly to taste before serving and enjoy with a dash of hot sauce!
While we’re on the topic of okra, I wanted to cover something that is a classic Down South. I speak, of course, of Gumbo. This is a dish that takes years to learn, but is worth it. Now, just because you can’t have Shellfish in it, that doesn’t mean you can’t have an awesome gumbo! So, let’s slip away from the dairy to some decidedly MEAT meals with this good ol’ fashioned soup that’ll make your family happy!
We begin by taking a bot of boiling water and a bowl of ice water. Set the ice water by the stove, because we’re about to blanch 2 Cups Okra! Take the okra, and drop it all into the boiling water. We want to cook it for ONLY 1-3 minutes, and no longer! Once 1-3 minutes is up, scoop the okra out and immediately drop it into the ice water. A technique I use to aid in the blanching of okra is to bind it loosely in a pantyhose or cheesecloth bag before setting it in the boiling water. Then, I can use tongs to pull out the bag and drop it into the ice water easier. Letting the okra cool, we next need 4 pds. Dark Chicken Meat, Cut Into Small Bite-Sized Pieces. We want to cover the chicken in Flour in a similar way as the okra was covered for frying. And, once covered we’re going to FRY it in Vegetable Oil in the same way! Our final cooking preparation is 6 Links Hot Chicken Sausage, Sliced into 1 in. Pieces and 1 Cup Onions, Diced. Pan-fry the sausage & onions until cooked, and set aside. NOW, we are ready to cook gumbo!
Using your stock pot, pour 2 Quarts Water -or- Chicken Stock into it. To this, we want to add the following seasonings: Thyme, Salt, Hot Sauce, Black Pepper, 2 Bay Leaves, and Gumbo File. Quite simply, the last ingredient is Powdered Sassafrass Leaves, and a kosher supply can be purchased here. Just add the spices and herbs to your personal tastes, then add in 2 cans Whole Tomatos and bring to a boil. Turning down the heat to medium low, add in the dark meat of the chicken, okra, onions and sausage. Cover and let the soup thicken and cook for about an hour.
Once done, serve in a bowl over a scoop of cooked white (Or a mix of white and brown) rice. This is great with cornbread, and makes a filling meal anyone will love (As long as they can handle spices!). I hope you enjoyed this! Anyhow, until next time, I want to say Shalom and Good Cooking!
GF For the Holidays!
So, it’s almost time for the festival of lights… But first, let’s look over the now Kashrut Alerts from the OU. First off, Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran is now listed as Kosher Dairy, contrary to the Kosher Pareve that it has been for years. Also Roberta’s American Gourmet Stealth Chips is Dairy, but was accidentally listed as Kosher Pareve. Also, I won a $150 roasting set from Chef Club.Net! See, you all need to get onto that BBS so you can win nifty prizes in their monthly contest, too!
So, rather than do the usual latkes, I feel the need to go a different route for this article. Partially because I’m busy as heck getting ready for Hanukkah, but also because I feel lazy right now over-worked. With that in mind, let’s do something few other Kosher blogs will touch with a 10 foot pole & make some Gluten-Free Latkes. This recipe was originally posted to the Celiac/Coeliac Wheat/Gluten-Free List, and all credit goes to the original creator. For those who are interested, the original post can be found here. I’m just sharing it at RKC because… Well… I seem to have a Gluten-Free following these days, and I want them to celebrate the holiday, as well!
Gluten-Free Potato Latkes
2 c. raw grated potatoes
2 eggs (large) — beaten
1 pinch (aprox. 1/4 tsp.) baking powder (I use Calumet)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 or 3 T. rice flour
1 small onion — grated (optional)
Pepper to taste (optional)
Grate, rinse & drain potatoes (add onion) — squeeze taters pretty dry!!! (NOTE: rinsing the starch off of the potatoes is important if you don’t want gummy latkes)
Add eggs, mix
Add baking powder, salt, and flour (NOTE: Add rice flour 1 T. at a time. The mixture should be somewhat watery. You may not need all of the flour depending on the stuff that makes cooking an art and not a science!)
Heat about 1/4″ (or a little more) in a frying pan, drop spoonfuls of batter into oil
Turn latkes when browned around edges (check to see if brown enough on bottom by carefully lifting the edge before flipping) — flip, fry second side til well browned (NOTE: flipping pancakes more than once toughens them)
Drain on paper towels.
So, this weekend I’ll be helping to make the latkes for Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista. Rabbi is quite excited, and put that they’ll be ‘gourmet latkes’. Oy, way to put the pressure on! But, I’ll be making fried potato latkes, baked potato latkes, apple latkes, cheese latkes, and a nice salad. If any of my readers find themselves in Chula Vista, CA on December 17th, stop by the temple between 4-7 PM! It’s free to enter, and a small donation satisfies your latke cravings!
Come eat, celebrate, and bug your favorite(I hope?) food blogger! Spin the dreidel! Light the menorah! Shlep your way back to the car to go buy some Tums from eating too much! Enjoy the nummy kosher & vegan Krispy Kreme Doughnuts! Watch kids bounce off the walls from chocolate gelt infusions! With that in mind, I am going to finish up my final preparations for the festival of lights. Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!
Kosher Cooking Carnival #12: Your Dinner is Served…
Kosher Cooking Carnival #12:
Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for the KCC..
This is the 12th edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival, a monthly treat of kosher blog posts from all over the world. KCC is much more than a list of recipes. Any post that relates in any way to kosher eating fits the bill. We have a very varied menu. Here’s the listing of the previous KCC’s: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11. Since this is the KCC’s birthday month, I want to give a big hand to those bloggers who have kept this running this past year!
…
Okay, enough clapping! Let’s get into this month’s carnival! Please have your tickets ready, keep your hands on the keyboard, and keep an open mind at all times! Thank you, and enjoy the ride!
Our first stop on this trip is from Me-Ander who shares with us Experiments in Ice Cream Making at Coldstone’s. Personally, I think she should have tried the root beer float ice cream, myself, but I happen to like the chain greatly!
Keeping in mind fun treats, we also have an article suscussing whether or not Thanksgiving is Kosher. Personally, I think it best to discuss with your own Rabbi whether or not to celebrate this holiday, but that’s just me!
Now, in other news, Judeopundit terrified us with the possibility that Gefilte Fish could be no more by 2048!!! Noooooooooooooo! Say it ain’t so! This is horrible news!
Let’s cheer up from this terrifying news with the fact that there’s a NEW Web Site for Jews in New York to look for their Kosher needs: Kosher-NY.com! In it it lists restaurants, groceries, and everything else you need to live a healthy Kosher life in New York! Which is all well & good, but when do we get Kosher-SDiego.com? Where does NY keep getting these wonderful toys?
As you ponder this, let’s head over to Food History and check out an old recipe for Salad Cream.
Salad cream
2 rounded tsp cornflour
1 teacup wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1-2 tbs sugar
1 dessertspoon dry mustard
1 well beaten egg
1 tbs oil
1 breakfast cup milk
Mix ingredients in the order given, then cook over a low heat stirring until cornflour is cooked. Pour into jars and when cold screw lids on tightly.
Note from the Food Past’s Author: My father believed in *big* breakfast cups and this is his mother’s recipe. Be generous with the milk. Also make sure you use milk with enough cream – modern 4% milk is scrawny and feeble. My grandmother had a cow for some years and my father’s estimate of the milk fat from that cow was 25-30%. I wouldn’t go as far as using cream (our tastes have changed and we’re more aware of the consequences of using that level of fat in cooking), but I would definitely never use low fat milk in this recipe.
I will say, it sounds quite tasty! Let’s keep the recipe train going with A Mother in Israel who shares with us a DELICIOUS Mushroom & Barley Soup!
Also, The Jewish BlogMiester spent a whine going over a TON of Jewish/Kosher foods. A Wrapup of all the articles is our gift to you, for easier reading! It’s nice and informative, and I think you’ll like it!
Switching gears, I also want readers to look into There Are No Feminists on a Sinking Ship where the writer shares with us the Orthodox’s view on Anorexia. This is a very serious and sad disease, and it’s a shame that even in Jewish communities, it rears it’s ugly head. Please, if you suspect someone you know suffers from an eating disorder, PLEASE get them help. EDIT: I found the original article from the Jewish Press.
Since we’re discussing medical issues, let’s next look at Gluten-Free by the Bay, a blog written for those who must keep a gluten-free diet. Well, friends, they have done the impossible by coming up with a recipe for Gluten-Free Knishes! Since this is such a tremendous undertaking, I PROUDLY share this recipe with you all so you, too, can try this wonderful AND tasty traditional food:
GLUTEN-FREE SPINACH POTATO KNISHES
Dough:
1 7.5-ounce package Chebe All-Purpose Gluten-Free Bread Mix
2 large eggs
2 tbsp oil or softened margarine
5 tbsp milk, liquid milk substitute, or water
3 tbsp oil or beaten egg, set aside
Filling:
1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped finely
1 large baking potato
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 large onion
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large egg
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a baking sheet thoroughly with cooking spray.
Dough Instructions: Using a fork or a dough mixer, blend the contents of the Chebe mix packet in a bowl with 2 tbsp oil or softened margarine and 2 eggs. Add 5 tbsp of milk, milk substitute or water while continuing to mix. Knead dough with hands until all ingredients are fully blended and the dough is smooth. Roll dough into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch or less. Using a knife or pastry scraper, cut into 5×7 inch rectangles (Scraps of remaining dough can be kneaded together and re-rolled to create additional rectangles).
Filling Instructions: Peel potato, cut lengthwise and then into 2-inch slices. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Add potato pieces to the water, and boil until tender. Turn off heat. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Mash thoroughly. Add chopped spinach to potatoes, and mix until combined. Cover with lid to keep warm.
In a frying pan over low heat, add butter, oil and onion. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until soft, then remove cover and cook until the onions begin to turn golden brown. Remove from heat. Add onions to mashed potato/spinach combination, as well as pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir in one egg. Use wooden spoon or masher to combine.
To Assemble: Using a pastry scraper, carefully transfer each rectangle of dough to the greased baking sheet. Place a small amount of the mashed potato mixture (approximately 2-3 tablespoons) in the center of each rectangle, arranging it so that it there is at least a 1 1/2 inch perimeter of dough around the filling on all sides. Make absolutely sure that no filling or liquid gets on the perimeter of the dough, as it will keep the knish from sealing. Fold dough over widthwise (shorter side to shorter side). Use a fork to crimp the edges of the dough. Make sure all edges are sealed, and patch any holes with small scraps of dough.
Brush the 3 tbsp of oil or egg you have set aside over the top of each knish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Eat while hot or warm. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers and reheat in the oven (without defrosting). Makes 5-6 knishes.
Now, by now we ALL know what Mel Gibson did. While we’re all sick of hearing either side, I was quite amused by Bagel Blogger and their take on the fiasco:
Next, I want to point out Esser Agaroth, and a wonderful article they wrote on a Jewish Legion Zucchini Salad. There’s a story to go with it, so feel free to learn all about this ‘unique’ dish.
While in Israel, let’s look at Mom’s Recipes & More. Filled with recipes and links for food in Israel, I REALLY was tickled pink to see their Chocolate Cake Recipe! ^^
But, in a blast from the past, Reci-please wanted to share with us their Honey Challah Rolls! Let’s look, shall we?
Honey Challah Rolls
3 3/4 cups bread flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1 tsp.. kosher salt
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 cup hot water (120 to 130°)
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon olive oil & extra for oiling bowl and pan
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the dry ingredients. Blend, using the electric mixer, until well mixed.
In a small bowl, combine one whole egg and one egg yolk (reserve egg white for later) and beat well. Add water, honey and oil, and mix well (by hand) until emulsified.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl, and mix vigorously by hand until fully incorporated.
Knead dough with hook attachment or by hand, working until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour (in small amounts) if necessary.
Coat a bowl with a very (very!) small amount of oil and place the kneaded dough into the bowl, rotating to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a damp towel, and put in a warm place (the top of the refrigerator is often a good bet) and allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, punch the dough down and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Divide the rested dough into 12 even pieces and shape into balls. Arrange in a greased 9 inch cake pan. Lightly beat reserved egg white, and brush over top of rolls. Cover with damp towel and allow to rise until doubled – approximately 15 minutes.
While rolls rise, preheat oven to 350° F (175° C) Bake rolls about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
As a final treat, we head over to The Kosher Blog to see a rather interesting article on whether Kosher meat is ‘better’ in any way.
That’s all for this month. Please be sure to announce the carnival in your blogs; that way everyone gets more visitors. If you’re interested in hosting an edition of KCC, please let muse know! You can also routinely send her all of your food links, whenever you post something that could be in the Kosher Cooking Carnival. And if you see something that fits the bill on another blog, please send her that link, too. Either send to shilohmuse at gmail dot com or to blog carnival, and at the same time you may discover other carnivals to visit and enter… Thank you for visiting RKC for this edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival. Let’s end this with our usual sendoff: Shalom and Good Cooking!
Enough Side Dishes to Fill ANY Table!
So, before we begin, I have gotten a lot of requests for pictures. Apparently people want to SEE the insane blogger bringing your recipes week after week. So, as a public service, I now present a picture of mine from my SHARP days…
For those who are now blinded, my deepest apologies. And to the guy who keeps e-mailing me to move to Israel and be his wife, STOP E-MAILING ME! I’m a guy! There’s the proof!Anyhoo, I promised an article of side dishes, what with the American Thanksgiving coming up soon. Yes, I know some feel it’s a ‘gentile’ holiday, but I disagree. It’s a holiday for ALL America to celebrate, eat good food, and be thankful for all the wonderful gifts we have in life. So, I proudly celebrate this day to feed as many as I can! Even going to look into helping out at the local soup kitchens, if they’ll have me, but that’s neither here nor there. No, my friends, when we think Thanksgiving, we think Turkey (Or Tofurky if you’re vegitarian/vegan!). But, a meal can not be made on turkey alone! Well, it can, but it’s not very healthy! That’s why, my dear readers, we’re going to go over a huge amount of side dishes to tickle the palates of anyone eating at your house! And besides, they’re handy for potlucks, as well! So roll up those sleeves, and let’s get cooking!First off, i have a fondness for Mixed Greens, but every one always swears you have to use ham! Ugh… So, let’s start out with Kosher Mixed Greens! First we need 1 pound Turkey Bacon that we’re going to parboil in about 3 cups water. After this, we want to add 1 Medium Onion, Chopped Corsely, 1 Garlic Clove, Crushed, A Pinch of Baking Soda, 1 Tablespoon Reb Pepper Seeds, and Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste. Next we need 1 bunch each of collards, spinach, and Turnip greens. Wash them to make SURE they are clean, then cut roughly into small pieces. Att the greens to the pot, and cook on low for 1 & 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every once in a while to mix the flavors. Take off the heat and serve!
But, for Turkey day, casserole is king. So, we’re going to slip to a favorite of mine for dairy potlucks that I learned growing up, Latke Casserole! First, in a large bowl, mix the following ingredients: 2 Pounds shredded potatos, 1/2 cup Margarine or Soft Butter, 1/2 cup Onion, Diced, 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt, 1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper, 1 Can Cream of Condensed Mushroom Soup, and 1 Pint Sour Cream. Pour the mix in a casserole dish, and top with 8 Oz. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded. Finally, Top with 2 cups Corn Flakes, Crushed. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30-45 minutes, checking to see if it’s bubbling slightly up thru the cheese & cornflakes. Sure to make anyone drool in delight!
But let’s get a bit more insane, shall we? Oh, yes, let’s go back down South for Yams with Oranges! We start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F. Next take 6 yams or Sweet Potatos that have been fully cooked & cooled. Peel & slice them thinly, then place one layer of slices in a shallow greased baking or casserole dish. Next slice thinly 3 Navel Oranges and lay a layer of oranges over the sweet potatos/yams. Next we want to break up 3/4 cup butter in stick form, and crumble the butter over the oranges and sweet potatos/yams. Finally, dust the top with brown sugar. Continue layering until near the top of the casserole dish, or you are out of oranges & yams/sweet potatos. Next, mix 1 Cup Orange Juice and 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice together, and pour into the casseroleor baking dish. Bake for about 1 & 1/2 hours, or until a thick syrup has formed, and the top is browned slightly.
But, don’t think I’m going to forget mashed poatos! Rather than go into some little recipe over how to make mashed potatos, I won’t think so lowly of my readers. Instead, I’ll teach you how to make mashed potatos AHEAD of time, so you can focus on cooking OTHER dishes. First, take 5 pds. Potatos and cook them up. Once cooked, peel and mash them before adding 6 oz. Cream Cheese, 1 Cup Sour Cream, 2 Teaspoons Onion Salt, 1 Teaspoon Salt, 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper, and t Tablespoons Butter. Mix until blended, then place in a sealable dish or bowl in the fridge for up to two weeks. When it’s time for dinner, place the potatos in a greased casserole dish. Dot the top with butter and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 60 minutes, depoending if you’re baking a half or whole batch. If in a pinch, the potatos can also be frozen.
Nice, huh? Next up, my wife may hate them, but I happen to LOVE beets! To quote Skeeter from Doug, “Beets are Nature’s Candy!” This I agree with, so let’s make some Beets With Pineapple! Start by pulling out our trusty cast-iron skillet and mixing 2 TableSpoons Brown Sugar, Packed, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt over Medium heat. Once mixed, stir in 1 8 oz. Can Pineapple chunks WITH the syrup. Cook while stirring until the mix starts to thicken and bubble. Once bubbling, add 1 Tablespoon Butter or Dairy-free margarine, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice, and 1 16 oz. can Sliced or Diced Beets, drained. Keep heating for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and serve!
Next up, let’s go for another favorite, Corn Casserole! We start by melting 1/2 cup Butter or Margarine in a 9×13 baking dish. To this we want to add 1 17 oz. can whole corn WITH liquid, 1 17 oz. can creamed corn, 2 Eggs, Slightly Beaten, and 1 8 1/2 oz. box corn bread mix; mixing gently with a fork. Next we want to drop dollops of Sour Cream over the corn & corn bread mix. If you want, you can just smooth out 1 Cup Sour Cream over the top. I just prefer the dollop method, myself. next fold the sour cream into the corn bread mixture, getting it evernly mixed. Finally, top with 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares.
Well, let’s try to do at least ONE dish for the Vegitarians, all right? Next up is Broiled Tomatos, and it is easier than you think! First we need 4 Large Fresh Tomatos that have been washed & pitted. Slice the tomatos in half, and marinate them in 1 Cup Italian Dressing in the baking dish. Once covered, drain off the extra dressing so the tomatos still glisten. Next we want to mix together 2 cups Bread Crumbs, 1 cup Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Or Soy Cheddar, if you prefer), grated, amd 1 Tablespoon Parsely, Minced Finely. Salt the tomatos with A Pinch or Two of Kosher Salt, then topp the tomatos with the bread crumb mixture. Broil in the oven until the tob bubbles and the tomatos are warm thru and thru. These tomatos can also be cooked on a BBQ grill, as well, as long as you keep an eye on them.
But, as a final treat, we ALL know Turkey day is ALL about the desserts! So, since I already shared my pumpkin Pie Recipe, let’s go over a dessert before I leave! Let’s start out with Coconut Pie. Now this recipe is for TWO pies, so you have some for yourself, and some to be devoured by fisiting family and friends, all right? As A kindness, I’ll post this one as a ‘normal’ recipe, and those who want to steal ‘borrow’ it can just use my name.
Coconut Pies
4 Eggs
2 Cups Milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup AP Flour
1/4 cup butter or Margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (7 oz.) bag flaked coconut
Dash of Almond Extract
Combine the eggs, milk, sugar, flour, butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract with a stand mixer or blender on its lowest setting for 2 minutes for a stand mixer & 3-4 for a hand mixer.
Put the mixture into two greased 8 in. pie pans, and topp with coconut flakes. As you top, press down slightly to press the coconut into the mix.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, and let cool in the fridge before serving.
So, sadly, most these dishess have had dairy in some form or another in them. I can’t help it, I’m partial to Dairy! Of course, this means your main dish better be fish! If you’re making these for your turkey dinner, don’t tell me! Your rabbi wants to hear from you! ^^ Seriously, no matter whatever you’re eating this upcoming holiday, I want you to all know I’m thankful for you, my readers. I do this for all for you week after week. And the comments, good and bad, that I get make me glad to know people out there care about what I’m cooking. Until next time, Shalom and Good Cooking!
Renegade Kosher Cooking 