Roasted Beet, Orange and Feta Salad

Roasted Beet, Orange and Feta Salad

Ed recently had a hankering for beets so I made this salad. It’s very refreshing and hit the spot!

I’ve made this salad using different kinds of cheese (blue, goat) and also without the cheese (I’ve added pepitas and chick peas on occasion).

Roasted BEEt, ORANGE AND FETA salad

• 4 medium beets

• 1 navel orange

• 3-4 medium scallions, chopped

• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

• 2 teaspoons grated fresh orange zest

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

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 zest 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.

Makes 4 servings

My Mango and Burrata Lunch

One of my favorite lunches if I’m able to find an Ataulfo or Haitian mango: slice the fruit, add a chunk or burrata and some slivers of purple onion (scallions work too) and a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper (or Aleppo pepper). It’s an “oh my, can lunch really be this wonderful?”

Apple Pie for a President

Apple Pie for a President

Without getting into politics, I think it’s safe to say that at least one of our presidents — Abraham Lincoln — is and has been held in high regard for over a century and a half.

So, in his honor, in commemoration of President’s Day (February 19, 2024), I offer my Mom’s recipe for Lincoln’s favorite dessert: Apple Pie.

MOM’S APPLE PIE

CRUST:

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks

• 1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening

• 4-5 tablespoons liquid (water, milk, yogurt, juice, etc.)

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and shortening and work the fats into the flour using your fingers or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor). Add the minimum quantity of liquid and work into the ingredients to form a dough, using the remaining liquid if necessary (or pulse in the food processor until a ball of dough forms). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling. Makes enough for a 2-crust 9 or 10-inch pie

APPLE PIE FILLING

• 3 pounds pie apples, peeled, cored and sliced

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces

• 2 tablespoons milk, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the apples in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Add the sugar, cinnamon and flour and toss the ingredients to mix them evenly. Roll out half the dough and fit into a 9 or 10-inch pie pan, leaving an excess overhanging the edge. Spoon the filling into the pan. Dot the apples with the bits of butter. Roll out the remaining dough and place it on top of the apple filling. Gather the top and bottom crusts at the edge of the pan and either press them with a fork to seal them together, or roll them slightly and press down to seal the edges, then flute the edge using your index finger and thumb. Cut holes in the dough using the tip of a sharp knife. Brush the surface of the top with the milk, if you like a darker crust. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

Mom's Corn Fritters

Mom’s Corn Fritters

Today is Shrove Tuesday, a Christian holiday, the day before Lent, when it has been traditional to eat pancakes. So it’s also known as Pancake Tuesday. I like that! Anyone can relate to pancakes! And enjoy a day feasting on some! Especially if the pancakes are my Mom’s Corn Fritters. Crispy on the outside, soft and puffy within and loaded with corn. For breakfast, lunch or dinner. With a little (lot?) real maple syrup.

CORN FRITTERS

2 tablespoons butter
1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 cups cooked corn kernels
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste
butter for frying
maple syrup, optional

Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In a bowl, beat the egg and milk together. Stir in the cooled melted butter and the corn kernels. In a second bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; add this to the corn mixture and stir ingredients gently to blend them together. Heat a small amount of butter in a saute pan over medium heat (about 2 teaspoons). When the butter has melted and looks foamy, spoon the corn batter by the 1/4-cupful into the pan, leaving some space between each one. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the bottom has browned. Flip the pancakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the second side is brown. Use more butter in the pan as needed. Serve with maple syrup if desired.

Makes 6-8 servings

Chocolate-Dipped Dried Fruit

I love when one idea works for so many different things. Take chocolate dipped dried fruit for instance. It’s easy to prepare. Who doesn’t like that? It’s a lovely Valentine’s gift (and a whole lot cheaper than boxed fancy candy!). It’s also a perfect mishloach manot gift for Purim (and a whole whole lot cheaper than a gift basket!). And here’s one more — it’s a delicious, sweet end to a Superbowl meal!

All of you have to do is melt chocolate, dip the fruit halfway in and place the dipped item on parchment paper or foil (it will set in about 30 minutes). Of course you can do the same thing with fresh fruit! How good is this!?

Scallion Cakes - a Three-fer Celebration

Scallion Cake

It’s almost Chinese New Year and also Ed’s birthday and also Super Bowl. I can think of no food that would be more perfect for all three occasions than Scallion cake. Crispy. Delicious. Freezable.

SCALLION CAKES

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup boiling water

• 1/3 cup cold water

• vegetable oil

• 4-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 3 scallions, finely chopped

Place the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the boiling water and mix at medium speed until a rough dough has formed. Let cool for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the cold water and mix until the dough forms into a ball. Knead for 4-5 minutes or until smooth and elastic (you can do all this in a food processor). Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 10-inch circle. Brush the dough with about 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Sprinkle with about 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle with about one tablespoon of the chopped scallion. Roll the circle jelly roll style. Form the rolled dough into a coil. Press down on the coil to flatten it slightly. Roll the coil into circles about 1/8-inch thick (don’t worry if some of the dough breaks and the scallions pop through slightly). Repeat with the remaining dough, salt and scallions. Keep the circles separated. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a skillet large enough to hold the circles. Cover the pan and cook each circle, one at a time, over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side, or until browned and crispy. Add more vegetable oil to the pan as necessary for each circle of dough. Drain the fried circles on paper towels. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Serve hot. Makes 48 pieces

Nut-Free Grand Finale Cookies with Regular Oats

Nut-Free Grand Finale Cookies with Regular Oats

Another day, another batch of Nut-free Chocolate Chip Grand Finale Cookies. I only had one cup of quick cooking oats (recipes needs two) so I substituted old fashioned oats. The result? Fabulous texture but fragile! Several broke when I lifted them to a cooling rack. You don’t see those here because, well, breakfast …… #chocolatechipcookies #oatmealraisincookies #grandfinalecookies #nutfreecookies #cookies #cookiesofinstagram

NUT FREE CHOCOLATE CHUNK GRAND FINALE COOKIES

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup raisins
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar at medium speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth, creamy and well blended. Add the egg, orange juice and vanilla extract and beat them in, blending thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and blend it in thoroughly. Add the oats, chocolate chunks, coconut and raisins and mix them in. Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and place on the cookie sheets, leaving some place between the blobs for the cookies to spread. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let cool on the cookie sheets for 3 minutes then remove to a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes 36-42 cookies

Curry Chicken Wings

I was a chicken wing fan long before they became a thing for Superbowl get-togethers. In fact, long before there even was a Superbowl.

My mother always gave us kids, my brothers and me, the chicken wings because she said they were the best part.

She was right. And she was generous, or maybe just being a good Mom, giving the best part to the kids.

Chicken wings are a staple in my kitchen. Here is one of my favorite ways to make them.

HONEY-CURRY STICKY WINGS

• 24-28 chicken wing parts

• 1/2 cup honey

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons curry powder

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry the wing parts and place them on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, Dijon mustard, vegetable oil, curry powder and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook for one minute, stirring to blend the ingredients thoroughly and remove from the heat. Brush the tops of the wings with some of the honey mixture. Bake the wings for 10 minutes. Turn the wings over, brush with more of the honey mixture and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the wings over again, brush with the remaining honey mixture and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the wings are golden brown and crispy looking. You can also grill the wings, turning them occasionally and brushing with the honey mixture.

Makes 24-28 pieces

Pineapple "Penicillin"

A friend of mine from Peru watched as I was about to trash what I thought were scraps and she yelled; “Wait! Don’t throw out that pineapple shell.”

She told me to cut the rind and place the pieces in a pitcher, cover them with boiling water and add cinnamon sticks. About 20 minutes later – there’s a soothing drink to be enjoyed either warmed up OR at room temp OR packed with ice for a summer refresher.

I’ve now done this numerous times. Here are just a few other ingredients that I’ve found make a most pleasant beverage that has almost zero calories and costs almost zero extra:

·      A few whole cloves

·      A broken cinnamon stick

·      A small chunk or two of peeled, fresh ginger

·      Several slightly crushed cardamom pods

·      A small piece of vanilla bean (split open)

·      Fresh mint, lemon verbena or lemon thyme

·      A slice or two of fresh orange

I am sure there are others, as with any tea or tisane, enhance the liquid with whatever you fancy. Maybe even a splash or two of rum.

This beverage sure came in handy recently during a bout with Covid, when I was intent on keeping myself hydrated.

Grandma's Stewed Fruit

Many of us over a certain age remember Grandma’s stewed fruit!

I call this Grandma’s Stewed Fruit even though it is way different than my grandma’s version, but I’m the grandma now……. and this is one of the many ways my grandkids have tasted this iconic dish.

It is one of the dishes I cooked for my Tu B’shevat class last week at Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT. I’ve made this so many times and keep changing the fruit, depending on what I actually have in my cupboard. The poaching liquid too — sometimes I use a different juice or add some white wine (I particularly love a German sweet wine). And of course — the seasonings. Cinnamon is always good but there’s also cloves, cardamom, dried coriander, mace, etc. to consider.

It’s always delicious, no matter how you cook it.

Eat some with yogurt for breakfast. Use it for dessert! Remember this for Passover. Or Break-the-fast. It’s versatile, attractive, useful, make-ahead! No wonder this is such an icon of Jewish cuisine.

Grandma’s Stewed Fruit 

• 2 cups orange or orange/pineapple juice

• 1-1/2 cups water

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1 3” cinnamon stick

• 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

• 1 teaspoon cloves

• 6-8 whole dried figs

• 6-8 pitted Medjool dates

• 1 cup dried apricot halves

• 8-10 prunes

• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Place the water, juice, maple syrup, cinnamon stick, ginger and cloves in a saucepan large enough to hold all the fruit. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the figs, dates, apricots, prunes and raisins and simmer another 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is soft. Let the fruit cool in the pan. Discard the cinnamon stick and cloves. Let cool. Serve with the poaching liquid.

Makes 8 servings