Three Cabbage Cole Slaw

These days we entertain outside.

By entertain I mean (other than my kids and grandkids) one couple at a time, six feet (at least) away from us on our back terrace.

Fortunately the weather has been good and the outdoor insects have cooperated by being elsewhere.

We recently had our cousins over for a feast: smoked salmon and really fabulous Long Island bagels (they brought). They also donated homemade potato salad. I made beet salad and this coleslaw. I call it three-cabbage because it has green and red cabbage plus shredded Brussels sprouts which, after all, are baby cabbages.

I like coleslaw made with buttermilk — it has a tang that other dressings don’t quite measure up to — but if you don’t have any, you can substitute plain yogurt plus lemon juice.

This might be nice for Father’s Day or July 4th or even Labor Day.

THREE CABBAGE COLE SLAW

• 3 cups shredded green cabbage

• 3 cups shredded red cabbage

• 2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts

• 2 medium carrots, grated

• 3 scallions, finely chopped

• 1 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt plus 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice)

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the cabbage and Brussels sprouts shreds, carrots and scallions in a large bowl and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, honey and mustard together and pour over the vegetables. Toss the ingredients, sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings

Vegetable Pie

Everyone who knows me or reads my blog or articles knows that I can’t stand wasting food. I make it my mission to at least try to use everything wisely, including all leftovers.

These days, during a global pandemic when certain items are scarce and it’s also difficult to shop, I’m feeling even more committed.

Fortunately I have a willing and supportive husband, who loves the idea and applauds everything I make and tells me how wonderful and creative it all is.

Last week I had an overabundance of vegetables and an extra quart of half and half. I always have cheese in the fridge.

And so, I gathered up all the leftover veggies and made a vegetable pie for dinner. We had a salad with it.

It was filling and tasted wonderful and we were both happy for a day off meat.

Bonus: this recipe is extremely versatile and easy to prepare: you can use whatever vegetables you have and if you wish, a store-bought pie crust. If you prefer to make your own crust, you can find a recipe here (it makes enough dough for a two-crust pie, but you can freeze half).

Besides all that — this is a good dairy lunch or dinner during Shavuot, which begins tonight at sundown (May 28, 2020).

Vegetable Pie

•  1 tablespoon butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 large shallot, chopped (or use one small onion or 2-3 scallions)

• 1 medium portobello mushroom cap, cut into bite-size pieces (2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms)

• 1 cup chopped cooked vegetable (broccoli, string beans, carrots, etc.)

• 1 partially baked 9-inch pie crust

• 3 ounces grated meltable cheese (Swiss, cheddar, mozzarella, Jarslberg, etc.)

• 4 large eggs

• 2 cups half and half cream

• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the shallot and mushroom pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add the cooked vegetable, mix the ingredients and place them in the pie crust. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Beat the eggs and cream together with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the ingredients in the pie crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Makes 4 servings

Simmered Strawberry Fool

This dessert may look very fancy and I placed it on a very fancy plate. 

BUT: other than serving fresh fruit as is, this is among the simplest, easiest desserts ever. And you can also serve it in a plain old dish, custard cup, individual ramekin. However you wish.

The point is, you can transform this into a festive Shavuot holiday dessert just by using a lovely serving piece. The prep is a cinch.

Most of the time a fruit fool is a simple blend of crushed fruit and whipped cream (sometimes with vanilla or another extract added). The extra step of cooking the fruit and adding Balsamic vinegar gives the dish a richer, deeper flavor. Well worth the few (less than 10) minutes of time it takes.

Strawberry Fool 

• one pint strawberries

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange peel

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Extra berries, cookie, chocolate shavings, mint leaves, etc. for garnish

Clean the strawberries, remove the stems and chop the berries into small pieces. Place the berries and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the Balsamic vinegar, cinnamon and orange peel and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the liquid is dark and syrupy. Remove from the heat and let cool. Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until thick. Fold the strawberry mixture into the whipped cream until well blended. Spoon the mixture onto dessert dishes (over berries or cookies, if desired). Garnish with berries, chocolate shavings, etc. 

Makes 6 servings
 

Maple Sweetened Corn Muffins

Maple Sweetened Corn Muffins

Looking to cook with stuff from your pantry?

Trying to use up chometz before Passover?

Try these.

Easy, tasty and useful.

Maple Sweetened Corn Muffins

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1 cup cornmeal

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 1 large egg

• 2/3 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 8 muffin tins. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In a bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl mix the maple syrup, egg, milk and cooled butter, beating until well blended. Pour the liquid into the cornmeal mixture and stir to blend the ingredients. Spoon equal amounts into the muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 8

Potato and Cheese Kreplach

If I knew that the world was going to end or that it was my last day on earth, I would want potato-and-cheese kreplach with sour cream for dinner before I go.

For me, this simple, rustic, peasant dish is the ultimate.

I hadn’t had any for ages and ages and then, one day Ed and I were in Bratislava, Slovakia, perusing the menu at Houdini, a small restaurant conveniently located in our hotel.

They had potato-cheese pierogi!

Oh my.

There was no question about what I would order for dinner. I don’t even remember what else I could have chosen.

All I know is that the pierogies — the best I had ever eaten — came laden with sour cream and topped with chopped fresh chives.

I would go back to Bratislava just to have some more.

And I have been fantasizing about those things ever since.

However, because a trip to Slovakia is not in my immediate future, I decided to make some at home, but I made them kreplach shape in celebration of Purim, when it is customary to eat triangular shaped foods. These would be just perfect whether you make triangles or half moons.

If you’d like to make some, follow the recipe and look at the photos to see how the triangles are cut, filled and folded.

This is truly good food. Last day on earth worthy.

Potato Cheese Kreplach

FillinG:

• 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about one pound), peeled, cut into chunks (about 3 cups mashed potatoes)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 cup farmer cheese

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the potato chunks in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes and spoon into a bowl. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes or until soft and golden brown. Add the onions to the potatoes. Add the farmer cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix the ingredients until well blended. Set aside to cool before filling the dough.

DougH: 

• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup butter, cut into chunks

• 2/3 cup water, approximately

• 1 cup dairy sour cream

Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it into the dough until the mixture is crumbly. Add 1/2 cup of the water and the sour cream and mix the dough until it is smooth, soft and well blended. If the dough seems too dry, add more water. (You can do this in a food processor.) Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. Using portions of the dough, roll the dough on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into 3-3-1/2” squares. Place about one tablespoon of the filling onto each square. Slightly wet 2 sides of the square along the border. Fold the dough over the filling to make a triangle, pressing down onto the moist strips to seal the dough. Use the back of a fork to press the edges. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the filled kreplach, 8-10 at a time, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until they are tender. Remove the kreplach with a slotted spoon and set aside; repeat.

Serve with sour cream and chopped chives or scallion tops.

Makes about 30

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

I have been a yogurt woman for decades. Even before it became as popular and ubiquitous as it is today. I mentioned it last week in a post about muffins.

Back in the day, at least where lived, there was only one brand of yogurt to buy — Dannon — and just a few flavors. No mango that I recall, or key lime, and most certainly no salted caramel.

My favorite was prune, which disappeared even before yogurt became au courant because, I’m guessing, there were maybe two or three people in the entire world other than me, who loved it.

I wish there was a good prune yogurt today (there is one brand but it contains gelatin, which I don’t want in my yogurt). I confess to buying plain yogurt and occasionally adding a blob or two of prune lekvar. For those who haven’t tried that — it’s awesome.

In fact, I almost never buy flavored yogurt, other than Chobani Passion Fruit flavored, because, after prune that is my top choice. I almost always get a large tub of unflavored Greek-style, so I can create my own flavors. Like prune.

This being winter, when citrus fruit is the best that a supermarket can offer (I do not buy out of season summer fruit!) I decided to prepare a citrusy flavor blend for my yogurt breakfast: roasted grapefruit and oranges, a touch of honey and butter, a texture crunch by way of toasted almonds.

Delicious. I’ve made this with all-oranges too. Equally delicious (substitute 4-5 oranges for the grapefruit).

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

• 2 large grapefruit

• 4 oranges

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 2-1/2 cups plain Greek style yogurt

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

Preheat the oven broiler. Remove the skin and pith from the fruit. Cut the fruit into bite size chunks and place the chunks on a parchment lined baking sheet. Heat the butter and honey in a small pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, stir the mixture to blend the ingredients and pour the mixture over the fruit and toss to coat each piece. Broil the fruit for about 6 minutes, tossing once, or until lightly crispy. Remove the fruit from the oven and set aside to cool. Spoon layers of the fruit and yogurt into 6 serving bowls. Sprinkle the nuts on top.

Makes 6 servings

Banana Muffins with Buttermilk or Yogurt

Today is National Muffin Day and it reminds me of what happened long ago when I first started working full time as a low-level attorney at a high-power firm, right after law school. All the other associates came to work carrying coffee and cartons of breakfast, which they proceeded to eat at their desks. Eggs, and everything with it.

I was always a yogurt woman, even back in the day when Dannon was the only one you could buy and there were only about 5-6 flavors.

But then someone told me about the blueberry muffins from the deli downstairs and unfortunately I tasted one. That was the end of my days of never even thinking about whether I gained a pound or two. I added a blueberry muffin to my yogurt breakfast.

Every day.

I gained a quick “freshman ten” and that was no small thing because back then I was really slim.

Alas, I gave up the morning muffins our of sheer vanity. But not my love of them.

Over the years I’ve occasionally made some at home. Blueberry. Cranberry-Orange. Pumpkin Spice. Zucchini. But it’s usually when we have sleepover guests because the muffin indulgence and the memory of how quickly they added to my girth has tempered my desire to eat them as often as I would like to.

Buying muffins is a no-no for me because the store-bought ones have become so ENORMOUS since the days when I had those luscious things from the deli.

I prefer the old-days size. The kind that comes out of a normal household muffin tin.

I made these Banana Muffins recently. They’re a lot less sweet the the typical muffin and have a vaguely robust hint of molasses. I’ve made these with stirred, plain yogurt for the times I didn’t have buttermilk on hand.

If you love muffins as much as I do, there are plenty of recipes on my blog. Type “muffins” in the box under “search my recipes” and you can find them.

Btw, if you give away food for Purim, these make a lovely gift.

Banana Muffins with Buttermilk or Yogurt

• 1-3/4 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large egg

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2-3 tablespoons old fashioned oats

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 9 muffin tins. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas, buttermilk molasses, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla extract. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix only long enough to combine thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Scatter the oats evenly on top of each muffin. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 9

Kourabiedes

Years ago, before even floppy disks, I would bake zillions of cookies for the Hanukkah-Christmas season and give baskets of different kinds to the editors of the various local newspapers and magazines that I wrote for.

There were always: butter cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chippers, oatmeal raisin, gingersnaps and Chinese cookies.

Occasionally: Dutch Butter cookies, St. Cupcake Brownie cookies, Orange Marmalade cookies and Fruit Roll cookies.

My house smelled as fabulous as any bakery. Various and sundry repair people, delivery people and dog walkers would occasionally stop by and ask if there were any “seconds” — you know, not pretty enough for the gift baskets — that they could sample.

I always gave away (still do!) a lot of food.

One year I added kourabiedes (Greek almond-butter cookies) to the assortment. They got rave reviews and I always included them after that.

Of course time passed and, thanks to technology, I no longer deliver hard or floppy disks to editors. Everything is sent over the internet. To places far and wide.

So, no more editor-and-media staff cookie baskets.

Less work (baking cookies, that is), but also less personal contact with the people I write for.

I still give away a few cookie baskets but I don’t bake the variety of cookies I once did. Hadn’t made kourabiedes for a year or three until a few days ago.

So glad I did! They are as delicious as I remember. A few simple ingredients. Not fancy or fussy. I like to think of them as “the coffeecake of cookies” — the kind you reach for with afternoon tea or coffee. Lightly sweet and buttery but not overly rich. Freezable. Perfect for giving away. Or not.

Kourabiedes

• 1 cup butter

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup ground almonds

• 1 egg yolk

• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• confectioner’s sugar for coating

• ground cloves, optional

Beat the butter with an electric mixer set on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until it is light and fluffy. Add the flour and almonds and mix for a minute or two until the ingredients are well blended. Add the egg yolk, confectioner’s sugar and salt and beat until ingredients are well blended and a uniform dough has formed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Take off pieces of dough and shape them into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Place the balls on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for about 25 minutes or until they are lightly tanned. Let cool. Roll the cookies in confectioner’s sugar to coat the entire surface. Place on a serving tray and sprinkle with ground cloves if desired. 

 Makes 4 dozen

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

There’s no particular food associated with the holiday of Simchat Torah, which begins on Sunday night (October 20, 2019), but lots of people make food that resemble torah scrolls.

Stuffed cabbage is a classic. But when I used up the last of my home garden zucchini and stuffed it with tomatoes and cheese I thought these look somewhat like torah scrolls too!

So, for me: Stuffed Zucchini boats are the order of the day for the holiday (or any other time).

Stuffed Zucchini Boats 

• 2 medium zucchini

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 2 tomatoes, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 6-8 tablespoons shredded mozzarella

• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and part of the flesh, leaving a wall of at least ¼-inch next to the skin. Coat the outside surface of the zucchinis with a film of olive oil. Place them in a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on size, or until barely tender (use the tip of a sharp knife to test tenderness). While the zucchini boats are baking, pour the remaining olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, to soften the vegetables slightly. Add the tomatoes and basil, stir and remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly. When the zucchini boats are ready, remove them from the oven and fill the cavities with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the filling. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the filling. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown.     

 Makes 4 servings

Chocolate Oat Bars

Back in the day — when I was a kid, that is — my brother and I walked home from school at 3:00 and knew it was our responsibility to practice the piano (our teacher required an hour a day), do our homework and get dinner ready.

Ours was a working Mom; she taught us how to set the table; she prepared the food and we put it in the oven at the appropriate time.

She was responsible for making sure there were cookies and milk when we got home — to feast on before said chores and stuff.

Sometimes she left us store-bought cookies. I have memories of fig bars, Hydrox and shortbread.

But mostly she baked. Butter cookies. Peanut butter cookies. Oatmeal-Raisin.

By the time I had my own children, life was very different. They took a school bus home and walked down the hill to our house. I was a working Mom, but my job as a food writer meant I worked at home.

I didn’t usually give them cookies and milk. Food styles had changed, so snacktime meant granola bars or those peanut-butter filled cheese crackers (I bought those because I mistakenly thought they were healthy). Sometimes a frozen burrito.

Looking back — I really like the milk and cookies thing. I miss those days. I miss the milk and cookies. Especially the dunking of cookies in the milk and then trying to bite off a soft milk-drenched piece before it fell into the bottom of the glass.

Cookies really are much better than frozen burritos and peanut-butter filled cheese crackers.

So, for all the parents of all the kids who are coming home from school now that the new term has begun — here are some cookies to consider for snacktime after school, before the piano practice or homework or whatever they have to do before the day is done.

Chocolate-Oat Bars

Cookie layers:

• 1 cup butter

• 2 cups packed brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3 cups quick-cooking oats

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

chocolate layer:

• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15-inch x 1-inch jelly roll pan.

To make the cookie layers: beat 1 cup of the butter with the brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and well blended. Add the eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and blend them in thoroughly. Add the oats, flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Beat for 1-2 minutes or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Press about two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared pan.

To make the chocolate layer, place the condensed milk, chocolate, butter and salt in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes or until the chocolate has melted. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and raisins. Spread this mixture evenly over the cookie layer. Sprinkle with the remaining cookie crumb mixture. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool and cut into squares.

 Makes about 48