Crumb Cake

Recently I bought a whole load of apples and have almost completed my yearly activity of making all sorts of apple desserts to put away in the freezer. I made pie, crisp, cake, my mother’s recipe for Raisin Bran crusted apples.

I also wanted to make apple sauce, but when I looked around I realized that in addition to all those apples, I had several plums and nectarines that were past their prime.

I hate to throw out food, so I made sauce, but only used two apples. The rest: 5 nectarines, 5 plums. A teaspoon of cinnamon. A tablespoon or two of sugar. All boiled down, just like applesauce, which we ate with roasted chicken.

But I had some left so I decided to use it to bake one of the recipes I have for applesauce coffee cake. I changed the formula a bit so that the seasonings would go better with mixed fruit, and I changed the streusel top to be nut-free (I used old fashioned oats).

The result: tender, moist, delicious coffee cake.

FRUIT SAUCE Crumb Cake:

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/2 cup applesauce or other fruit sauce

• 1/3 cup sour cream

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/3 cup milk

• streusel topping

 streusel topping: 

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup old fashioned oats

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons cold butter cut into small chunks

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease an 9-inch cake pan. Beat the sugar and butter together with a hand mixer or electric mixer set at medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the applesauce, sour cream, egg and orange peel and beat the ingredients for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger into a bowl. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until well blended. Add half the milk and beat until well blended. Repeat until all the flour and milk have been used up. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan 10 minutes then carefully invert the cake twice onto a cake rack to cool completely. Turn the cake right side up to cool completely.

To make the streusel: mix the flour, oats, brown sugar and salt together in a mixing bowl until they are well combined. Add the butter and mix the pieces into the dry ingredients with your fingers, a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is mealy.

Makes 8-10 servings

Roasted Eggplant, Tomato and Mushroom Gratin

Because of allergies, we don’t have a traditional smoked-fish feast at our annual Yom Kippur break-the-fast. It’s always a vegetarian/dairy meal. I always make mujadarah, my friend Susan always brings her most fabulous kugel in the world and there’s always a salad — usually tomato, also egg salad.

The rest changes from time to time. Once I served spinach gnocchi. Often, spinach pie.

This year I am serving this Eggplant, Tomato and Mushroom Gratin. I’ve made it several times this summer because I planted eggplants and tomatoes in my garden and there was a bounty!

So, with the last of my crop — this wonderful dish. It’s perfect for the occasion. I can make it two days ahead. It’s suitable for any dairy meal but looks festive enough for the holiday.

Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, Mushroom Gratin

•  1 medium eggplant

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2-3 tomatoes, sliced (or about 2 dozen cherry tomatoes cut in half)

• 4-6 ounces mushrooms, sliced

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the eggplant into slices about 3/8- inch thick. Brush the slices lightly, using about 3-4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place the slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 16-18 minutes or until the eggplant is softened and slightly browned, turning the slices once. Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees. Use any remaining olive oil to place a film of oil in a baking dish and place the eggplant slices in the baking dish. Cover with the tomato slices and mushrooms. Scatter the top with the basil, parsley, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake for about 25 minutes or until top is golden brown. 

Makes 4-6 servings

Stuffed Strawberries

“Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did.” — Dr. William Butler, 17th century English writer

I agree 100%. For me — strawberries are my favorite fruit (ok, I also like a good nectarine!).

Mostly I like strawberries plain, because if you get a sweet, fragrant, ruby-red strawberry you don’t need anything else, although whipped cream is always welcome.

But if you’re like most of us and aren’t able to get the perfect farmer’s market berries and you have to rely on fruit from the supermarket ok, they’re never the best there is, but you can prepare them in ways that make the most of the fruit.

For instance: stuffed strawberries! They’re really just larger berries that are cut and stuffed with sweetened cheese and whipped cream. They look fancy but actually quite easy to make and take very little prep work! Check out the instructions and see for yourself — also, if you don’t have a pastry bag or parchment paper or foil to make one, you can use a small spoon to fill the berry middles.

You can make this dish even more glamorous with a sauce — just melt some preserves. That’s it!

You can make them ahead!

Stuffed Strawberries

• 16-18 large strawberries

• 1/2 cup whipping cream

• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese (or use cream cheese at room temperature)

• 1 tablespoon dark rum, orange flavored brandy or orange juice

• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

• freshly grated nutmeg or chocolate shavings

• thin shreds of orange peel, optional

• orange marmalade or other jam, optional

Wash and dry the berries but leave the hulls on. Place the berries on a cutting board with the hull down. Cut the berries from the narrow end into quarters up to the hull, but without cutting through or breaking the hull. Gently separate the berry into quarters. Beat the cream and mascarpone cheese with the rum and confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is thick. Place the mixture into a pastry bag and fill each berry piping from the stem end up to the narrow end. Sprinkle with nutmeg or chocolate shavings. Garnish with orange peel if desired.

For optional sauce: melt the jam, spoon it onto dessert dishes and place stuffed strawberries on top

Makes 4-6 servings

Banana Bread with Yogurt and Raisins

Banana bread with yogurt and raisins

Here it is — the latest in my “bought too many bananas so I’m gonna make banana bread” banana bread.

This one is moist, gently warmed with cinnamon and studded with raisins (although you could substitute dried cherries or cranberries and such). It looks lovely, both whole and when sliced. And I can tell you that all my usual tasters have said it was delicious.

Banana Bread with Yogurt and Raisins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or dairy sour cream)

• 3 ripe medium bananas, mashed

• 1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9”x5”x3” loaf pan. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. Mix the sugar and vegetable oil together in the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until thoroughly combined. Add the vanilla extract and eggs and beat them in until well combined. Add the yogurt and bananas and blend them in thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and blend it in. Fold in the raisins. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about one hour or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes one loaf

Eggplant Parmesan

When I need a meatless meal, Eggplant Parmesan is one of my traditional go-tos. It’s familiar, relatively easy to prepare and you can cook it in advance and freeze it for about a month. Best of all, it tastes really good.

I especially love this dish in the summer when my garden is in bloom with thick, fresh purple eggplants!

The recipe below lists one cup of marinara sauce. I make my own and freeze that too. But in a pinch, store-bought works too when you want to make things easier on yourself.

Another thing that’s easy -- and less caloric too -- I roast the eggplant slices instead of breading and frying them.

Eggplant Parmesan

• 1 medium to large eggplant

• salt

• 5 tablespoons olive oil, approximately

• 1 cup marinara sauce

• 15 ounces ricotta cheese

• 1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 large egg

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the eggplant about 1/8-inch thick, sprinkle with salt and let rest for 20-30 minutes. Wipe the eggplant slices dry and place them on a baking sheet. Brush each side of each slice of eggplant with a film of olive oil. Roast the slices for about 15 minutes, turning them once, until they are softened and lightly browned. Remove the slices from the oven. Place 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in a baking dish. Place 1/3 of the eggplant slices in top (overlap the slices slightly). Mix the ricotta cheese with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the egg and oregano. Place half of this cheese mixture on top of the eggplant slices. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Add another layer of eggplant slices. Cover with the remaining ricotta cheese mixture. Spread with the remaining (1/2 cup) marinara sauce. Cover with the remaining eggplant slices. Sprinkle with the remaining (3/4 cup) mozzarella cheese and the remaining (1/4 cup) Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is beginning to turn lightly brown.

Makes 4 servings

The Benefits of Buttermilk: Summer Buttermilk Soup

Buttermilk makes you beautiful.

So they say.

I once read that Mark Antony fell in love with Cleopatra because she had silky, radiant skin -- thanks to baths in buttermilk. And that Scarlett O’Hara apparently used buttermilk on her face to get rid of her freckles.

Me? Silky and radiant? Not lately (if ever).

Also I have too many freckles to even contemplate rubbing them out. Also, I think freckles are cute.

So no, for me buttermilk isn’t about its beauty functions.

It’s about food.

No surprise there, right?

You heard it here: buttermilk makes a lot of food better, more delicious, more perfect in texture.

Buttermilk makes one of the tastiest, most satisfying, most thirst-quenching drinks (lassis).

It adds a whole new dimension to ordinary cole slaw.

Want moist, tender muffins, scones and pancakes? Make them with buttermilk. Ditto Cake! Pie! Even pudding!

And especially, at this time of year: make satisfyingly creamy, low-fat, low-calorie summer soups like this one, based on cucumbers.

Cold Cucumber-Buttermilk Soup

• 2 medium cucumbers

• salt

• 1 stalk celery, peeled and chopped

• 2 scallions, chopped

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chili pepper, optional

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

• Aleppo pepper (or use freshly ground black pepper)

Peel the cucumbers, slice them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and let them stand for 30 minutes. Wipe the cucumbers with paper towels. Chop the cucumbers into coarse chunks and place in a blender or food processor. Add the celery, scallions, garlic and chili pepper, if used, and process to mince them. Add the buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, parsley and dill (use a large bowl and whisk if your blender or processor isn’t large enough) and process until well blended. Season to taste with salt and either Aleppo or black pepper. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings

Beet Salad with Orange and Feta Cheese

Beet Salad with Orange and Feta Cheese

We’re all fully vaccinated and starting some sort of normal again.

So — the cousins are coming for the long Memorial Day weekend. It’s supposed to rain — so probably no outdoor grilling or eating!

And one of the cousins can no longer eat beef, veal or lamb. There will be lots of fish on the menu.

What to serve for side dish?

Cole slaw for sure. I have several versions, both parve and dairy.

Vegetables. Like these carrots, which everyone loves.

Salads. Like this one, chock full full of vegetables.

And this beet salad, which is tangy with feta cheese (you can use goat cheese) and is also amazingly refreshing because of the orange.

To all who observe —- have a good Memorial Day weekend.

Beet Salad with Orange and Feta Cheese

• 3 large or 6 small beets

• 1 navel orange

• 3 medium scallions, chopped

• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

• 2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the beets, then wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Place the package on a baking sheet and roast the beets for 40-70 minutes, depending on size, or until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Let cool, then unwrap and peel the beets. Cut the beets into bite size pieces and place them in a bowl. Peel the orange, remove the pith and cut the flesh into bite size pieces and add them to the beets. Add the scallions, feta cheese and orange peel and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the olive oil and toss the ingredients to coat them with the oil. Add the vinegar and toss again. Spoon the ingredients into a serving bowl and scatter the parsley on top for serving.

Makes 4-6 servings

Romanian Cornmeal Cheese Cake

My grandmother occasionally made a fabulous cornmeal dish — she called it mamaliga, the national dish of Romania — and served it with sweetened, mashed farmer cheese and sour cream. Sometimes with a drizzle of maple syrup over everything.

I never knew it as Malai, a classic Romanian Shavuot treat, but that’s what it was. But it wasn’t her usual, plain “cornmeal mush” because it also had eggs and sugar mixed into the batter.

All I knew was how delicious it tasted.

So, over the years I experimented over and over until I made a version that tastes something like what I remember.

Here it is, in time for Shavuot.

Romanian MALAI

The Batter:

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup finely ground cornmeal

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup milk, half-and-half or buttermilk

• 2 large eggs

• filling

• sour cream, whipped cream, ice cream, etc. optional

• extra sugar or maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch cake pan. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix to distribute the ingredients evenly. Add the milk, eggs and cooled, melted butter and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until thoroughly blended. Spoon one half of the cornmeal mixture into the prepared pan and spread the batter to make it even. Top with the filling. Top with the remaining batter (spread the batter to make a smooth, even top crust). Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake is set.

Serve the cake warm, room temperature or slightly chilled. Serve plain or topped with sour cream (traditional), whipped cream or ice cream. (I add about 2 teaspoons of sugar for each cup of sour cream used as a garnish).

Makes 8-10 servings

THE Filling:

• 1 pound farmer’s cheese

• 1 large egg

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon peel

Mix the farmer’s cheese, egg, sugar and lemon peel until the ingredients are well blended.

Butternut Squash Salad with Feta Cheese and Pepitas

This is the time of year (where I live, anyway) where one day it can be winter: cold, windy and snowy. OR spring: warm, sunny, go-for-a-walk weather.

This salad reflects the season: some roasted winter squash with young, tender greens in a salad that’s light, a first course to a spring meal.

Butternut Squash salad with Feta Cheese and Pepitas

• 1 medium butternut squash

• 2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• kosher salt

• Aleppo pepper or cayenne (optional)

• 2 cups packed baby spinach or other greens

• 5-6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

• 4-5 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh. Peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler. Slice the squash into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Coat the slices on both sides using one tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and Aleppo pepper if desired. Bake the squash for 15 minutes. Turn the slices over. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the squash from the oven. Place equal amounts of the spinach leaves on each of four serving plates. Place equal amounts of squash slices on top. Sprinkle with equal amounts of feta cheese and pepitas. Mix the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil with the white wine vinegar. Sprinkle over the salad. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings

Shortbread Hamantashen

I was heartbroken when my favorite bakery, the one that had the best hamantashen ever, closed a few years ago. It was The Bakery, in Plainview, Long Island, across the street from my contact lens eye doctor. They also had the best Mandel bread and the best Russian coffeecake, babka (both cinnamon and chocolate) and almond horns.

Also Jewish corn bread. And Chinese cookies.

I would call them in advance to place an order and after the visit to the eye doctor, would go get my stash, place it all (except for one hamantashen) in the trunk of my car and head home to Connecticut. I bought two freezer shelves worth, which was enough for six months (to time the next doctor visit).

I now buy hamantashen at Cafe Dolce, in Norwalk, CT. They’re awesome, like from The Bakery. Similar dough, same apricot and prune lekvar filling (but alas, no Mandel bread, babka, etc.)

Every year I bake a new hamantashen recipe to see how close I can come to those memorable ones. This year I came really close — these have a soft, crumbly, flavorful dough with just a hint of citrus. There’s a good balance of dough to filling. Lekvar of course. I didn’t have any jarred lekvar so I made my own (recipe is below the recipe for hamantashen, although I have made lekvar before using the recipe here.

But - this is a dairy recipe. My next venture is to try this dough using vegetable shortening. I’ll let you know how it turns out,

Meantime, these are delicious. All my tasters have said so.

Shortbread Hamantashen

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon peel

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 10 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 large egg

• lekvar (about half cup) or other filling

Combine the flour, orange peel, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a food processor) beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until thoroughly combined. Add the egg and beat the ingredients to blend it in. Add the flour mixture and mix for 2-3 minutes until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 35-40 minutes or until cool. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough on a floured surface to a thickness between 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch. Cut out circles with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Place a heaping teaspoon of lekvar in the center of each circle. Pinch the sides to close the filling and shape into a triangle. Pinch tight so the cookies won’t open during baking. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate again for at least 30 minutes. Bake for about 18 minutes or until beginning to brown.

Makes about 18

Prune Lekvar

• 1/2 pound pitted prunes

• 1 cup orange juice

• 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Place the prunes, juice and honey in a saucepan, bring to a boil over low heat, lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes until the prunes are very soft. Puree the ingredients. Stir in the lemon juice.

Makes about 2 cups