Middle East Cooking : Humous, Felafel, etc

Ten-Grain Whole Wheat Oats & Molasses Bread

2011-12-10T17:45:00.001-08:00

This wonderful bread is made with organic whole wheat, whole oats, ten-grain cereal, molasses and honey. It is packed with vitamins and is very healthful to the digestive system. I make this bread twice a week and know that I am eating something good for me and my family. You will love this hearty bread which is easily make in your bread machine.

Wet Ingredients
Into a 2 cup glass measuring cup add together:

1 cup + 2 tablespoons of very hot water
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon molasses
2 heaping tablespoons of dry milk

Mix thoroughly and add to your bread machine pan. Close the lid while you assemble the other ingredients to keep the liquid warm.

Mix 1 egg lightly in the glass measuring cup; set aside.

Dry Ingredients

3 1/3 cups of organic whole wheat bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tablespoons ten-grain cereal
1/4 cup organic whole grain oats

Mix these dry ingredients together.

Assembly
Add the egg to the liquid mixture now in the bread machine; add the dry ingredients on top of the wet. Make an indentation on the top of the flour and add 1 1/2 teaspoon bread machine dry yeast. Close the lid and begin the bread machine process for "whole wheat bread."

Take it out as soon as it is done and let it cool on a bread rack; store in zip lock bag. This bread will freeze well.

Maklubeh: Upside-Down Meat & Rice Casserole

2011-07-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

This is a particularly popular dish throughout the Middle East and in each region it varies. I say, take your liberties, use the meat and vegetables you prefer! The first time I had this was in Jerusalem, prepared by an Arab Christian friend...and it was love at first bite!

For this dish, you can use cooked chicken, beef, or lamb. I usually use chicken that I have boiled whole and deboned.

1 whole cooked chicken, deboned, shredded or cut into good-sized pieces
2 medium sized eggplants, sliced
1 large onion, sliced in half, cut up
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise or on diagonal
1 whole cauliflower, cut into florets
3 1/2 cups of meat broth (or use prepared stock)
Salt, pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp allspice - or other Middle Eastern spices you like
pinch of saffron - for color (optional)
2 cups Basmati white rice (I prefer brown rice, in which case I cook it 45 minutes)
1/4 pine nuts, toasted (optional)

PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:
Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick rounds and place in a colander; sprinkle with salt and let the bitter juices drain for about 45 minutes. Pat them dry and place on dish.

Slice the carrots and the onions and set aside.

Fry the eggplant and let it drain on paper towels; fry the carrots the same. (Alternatively, you can roast the vegetables in the oven with a little olive oil and salt. It is quite delicious like this and my preference.)

Saute the onions until golden brown.

NOTE: For a vegetarian option, omit the meat and add other root vegetables to fry or roast. Assemble with the rice and spices in the same way.

ASSEMBLE THE COOKING POT
In a large, wide pot, wipe around the pot with some oil, and then begin the layering with the eggplant on the bottom of the pot and up the sides. Next add the other vegetables, spices, pressing down lightly. Finally end with the rice, and add the broth, making sure the rice is covered with the broth. Put a dish on top of the food so it does not float around during the cooking.

Cover the pot with the lid, bring to a boil, and turn the heat immediately down to very low and cook for the suggested time for the rice. Test the rice at the end of the time and cook longer if needed. After the rice is done cooking, let it rest off the fire for about 20 minutes until it sets. With a spatula, gently loosen the rice and vegetables away from the edge of the pot.

PRESENTATION
This is the time when you get the "WOW!" response from your family and friends. Onto a plate larger than the pot, invert the pot into the middle of the platter. Gently tap around the top and sides of the cooking pot to loosen the rice and vegetables. Carefully lift the pot off the platter and your meal-in-a-pot should stay fairly centered on the platter. Some of the vegetables will be darkened, but they are quite delicious. Top with toasted pine nuts and a bit of parsley for color.

Serve the Maklubeh with yogurt, along with salads and Arabic bread. This is a crowd pleaser and makes a few ingredients go a long way.

Ka'ak: Anise-seek Rings

2011-01-31T08:32:00.000-08:00

Ka'ak - Savory Anise-seed Rings

3 tablespoons fresh yeast or 4 pkgs active dry yeast
3 tablespoons plus 2 tsps kosher salt
2 1/2 pounds (8 cups) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon anise seed
1 heaping tsp ground coriander seed
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
2tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 pound (1 cup) vegetable shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small glass bowl, add 2 1/2 cups of lukewarm water, a little sugar, salt, and yeast - mixing it well. set asisde until the yeast is dissolved and bubbles appear on the surfarce. Stir it up.
2. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and form a well in the center. Add the anise seed, coriander seed, cumin, oil, sugar, and vegetable shortening. Stir until well combined. Then add the yeast mixutre into the well, absorbing all the flour. Mix thoroughly.
3. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes. It should be soft, yet smooth and elastic, and it should no longer stick to the sides of the bowl. (Add a sprinkle of flour if it is too sticky as you knead.)
4. Cover the bowl with a dry towel, and let the dough rise for about 1 1/2 hours in a place where it is warm and not drafty.
5. On a lightly floured work surface, punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll half the dough into a 2-inch diameter log. Cut the log into 1/2-in rounds and roll each of the rounds to a length of about 4 inches, crimping each edge if yo ulike.
6. Shape each strip into a ring, crimped edges facing outward. brush each ring of dough lightly with the egg beaten with 2 tablspoons of water. Then dip each dough ring into sesame seeds. Place the Ka'ak on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking tray in even rows.
7. Bake each 10 minutes. When all the ka'ak are completely baked, reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Then crisp by reducing oven temperature to 200 degrees F for 20 minutes. The crisping stage is essential to produce the crunch and texture desired. The ka'ak should appear very light gold and crisp. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

This recipe is taken from my favorite cookbook: Aromas of Aleppo: The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews which can be purchased on Amazon.com

Sufganiyot - Jelly Filled Donuts for Hanukkah

2010-12-01T08:17:00.001-08:00

I came across this great video series of an authentic Israeli recipe.

Check it out:

Enjoy! Hag Hanukkah Sameach to all my friends!

Graybeh - Butter Cookies in Powdered Sugar

2010-06-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Graybeh are a kind of Middle Eastern shortbread - buttery and powdery white. Some people make them with a single raw pistacio in the center, but I prefer to make the little balls, and roll them in powdered sugar.

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup superfine sugar

1 cup water

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup shelled raw pistachios (skins removed) - optional

Melt the butter in a covered glass dish, watching carefully it melts slowly and does not boil. Strain off the melted butter and throw out the milky liquid....use only the clarified butter for this recipe.

Place the sugar in a large bowl. Add 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the clarified butter and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until it hardens.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Remove the sugar-butter mixture from the refrigerator. Beat on high speed with an electric hand-held mixer until it has the consistency of whipping cream, about 5 minutes. If the dough is too hard to beat at first, mix with a spoon, then use the electric mixer.

Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, blending with a wooden spoon. Knead with your fingertips to make the dough soft and pliable to work with, a good 10 minutes.

Take a piece of the dough and roll it into a small ball and set on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Try to make all the balls uniform. Don't worry about spacing them as they do not melt or spread out. (At this point, if you want to add your pistachio, flatten the ball slightly with a thumbprint and place 1 single unsalted pistachio in the center.) The dough is very delicate, so take great care in handling as it will be a bit crumbly.

Place cookie sheet in pre-heated oven and bake for only 10 minutes, taking care not to overbake! Then cool completely on the sheet (the cookies will appear almost raw and still soft when you take them out, but will harden when cool). This is the biggest mistake I make - assessing they are not cooked, and continue cooking them!

You can freeze in a tightly sealed plastic container for up to 1 month, but I'd be surprised if you have any left to freeze!

Lebane - Middle Eastern Yogurt Cheese

2009-05-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

4 cups of homemade Leban (Middle Eastern yoghurt)
1 tsp salt
Cheesecloth, or new cotton cloth

Procedure:Pour the homemade yoghurt into the cheesecloth and fold up the corners. Twist the cheesecloth and tie up the cloth with a string. Hang the cloth in the kitchen over a deep dish to catch the whey that will drip out slowly. Let the yoghurt in the cloth hang for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

The next morning, unwrap the cloth and carefully scoop out the cheese into a container; refrigerate.

To serve:
Use as you would for cream cheese as a spread, either plain or add herbs. You can also sweeten the cheese with sugar and top with sugared berries for a tasty dessert. This can also be used as the base filling for homemade cheesecake.

Leban - Middle Eastern Yogurt

2009-05-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

1 Gallon (2 liters) 3% (or higher) Milk
5-6 tblsp of good Bulgarian yoghurt or a natural nothing artifically added yoghurt of your choice!

Procedure:
Pour the milk into a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let the milk set until it is cool, skimming off the dried skin that accumlates on top. The milk is cool enough when you can insert your little finger into the milk and be able to count to ten comfortably. This is the trick of my Aunt Linda, a terrific cook of Middle Eastern food!

Put the starter yoghurt into a small mixing bowl and add the cooled milk to this mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. Add several spoons and mix well. Whisk this starter mixture into the saucepan. Pour the milk into a clean gallon jar and cover tight with a lid. Wrap a large Turkish towel, including the bottom of the jar, and set in a warm corner without drafts and leave there for at least 8 hours. The yoghurt should be set. Put in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before using.

Homemade Cheesecakes

2009-05-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

2 lb. container non-fat, preferably Middle Eastern "Lebane" - plain yogurt- at room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla flavoring
Prepared cookie crust
Fresh fruit, sweetened, set aside to weep a bit
Fresh Whipped cream (non-fat)

To the yogurt combine sugar, eggs and vanilla flavoring. Beat with mixer until smooth. Pour into cookie crust and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes. Serve chilled (or room temperature) with sweetened fresh fruit on each serving, and a dollop of fresh whipped cream (non-fat of course!).

Below is a great video about Shavuot and cheesecake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=surglUxi-Ac

Harvest Fruit Salad, Figs, & Vanilla-Honeyed Lebane

2008-09-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year - the end of the harvest is near. The fruit and vegetable markets are overflowing with an abundance of a brilliant array of color.

This is a good time of year to take advantage of eating fruits and serving them up in an attractive manner - appealing to your family and visiting friends.

This is a favorite of mine when invited to a barbeque or any kind of end of the summer get-together. Purchase a variety of fruits, including a small watermelon, a melon or two.

Harvest Fruit Salad

Cut the watermelon as shown in the picture below. When halved, use a melon baller and make as many balls as possible. Whatever is left on the bottom and sides, simply scoop out and transfer to a container for another use later. Next, use your melon baller for the other melons and add to the halved watermelons. Cut up the remainder fruits in smaller chunks. Add whole cherries, berries, grapes whole.

VANILLA-HONEYED LEBANE
To 1 cup Leban - or use an all natural low-fat unflavored yogurt - add the following:

1 tsp vanilla (use a good one)

1 tablespoon honey (or more, to taste)

Stir to mix well and put it in a small serving bowl. Serve a spoon or two over the fruit salad.

FIGS & HONEYED LEBANE

To your prepared 1/2 cup Lebane (Middle Eastern homemade yogurt cream cheese) add:

dash of vanilla

1-2 Tablespoon honey (to taste)

Mash in ingredients to Lebane and mix well. Halve the figs carefully; take about 1/2 teaspoon of honeyed Lebane to the top of the figs. Add 1/2 walnut if desired.

Pickles - Homemade

2008-07-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

Middle Eastern homemade pickles are offered as a simple appetizer to a number of Israeli restaurants. Using large jars to pickle the vegetables, they look pretty with a combination of cut up turnips, cauliflower, baby eggplants, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, onions, red peppers, garlic and even hard boiled eggs. Below is a typical pickling brine used:

Cut up your own combination of the following:
1 large beet, peeled and quartered
onion - white or red
cauliflower, broken into florets
green cabbage cut into 2-inch chunks
cucumbers
turnips
red peppers, sliced
carrots - cut into thick slices
garlic - left whole

Brine
4 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
4 1/2 tablespoons coarse or kosher salt (no iodine)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 small dried pepper
10 whole peppercorns
1 tsp mustard seeds

1. Fill a 1-quart jar with the vegetable of choice, placing the quartered beet on the bottom (if desired), red pepper flakes or dried pepper
2. Bring the water, vinegar, salt, and garlic to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Pour the mixture over the vegetables. Close the jar tightly. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 3 full days (72 hours). Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 months.

Malawach

2008-04-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

Malawach is one of a number of dishes brought to Israel by the Jews from Yemen. This is also a real favorite with Israeli's as it is so easy to cook up for a quick breakfast, lunch, or snack.

4 cups flour
1-1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick margarine
tomato sauce (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Mix flour, water, and salt until dough becomes soft. Add more flour if dough is sticky. Cut dough into two sections. Knead and roll each section into a 20x20 inch sheet. Spread margarine on the sheets. Fold each sheet like an envelope with ends meeting at center. Repeat folding process to get two layers of folds. Cover with a paper towel, let sit for 1/2 hour. Cut each sheet into 10 parts. Form each piece of dough to the shape of your frying pan and fry until golden brown on both sides.

Serve with tomato sauce or sour cream.

Pita (Pocket) Bread

2008-03-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
2 packages dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

PREPARATION:
1. Mix together yeast, sugar and lukewarm water. Let stand for 10 minutes in a warm place.

2. Mix together flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture.

3. Mix well. Knead.

4. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place for one hour or until the dough has doubled in volume.

5. Punch down the dough. Knead. Divide into 20 small balls.

6. Roll out each ball thinly on a floured surface. Place pitot on an ungreased cookie sheet, cover, leave in a warm place, and let rise for 30 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius). Place cookie sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for a few minutes until the pitot puff up.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:Serve pita warm with hummus and Israeli salad.

STORAGE SUGGESTIONS:After the pitot are completely cool, they can be stored in food storage bags in the refrigerator or freezer.

(recipe by Giora Shimoni)

Crustless Mushroom & Wilted Greens Quiche

2008-03-02T21:05:00.000-08:00

1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/2 head of garlic, roasted in the oven in olive oil
Olive oil
Greens (spinach, mustard, other), chopped fine
6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped very fine
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 cup Half & Half
4 eggs
1/2 cup Feta cheese
1 cup grated cheese (your choice)
Thin Slices of red peppers
Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Saute the mushrooms, onions, and add the roasted garlic in frying pan at the last minute. Add seasonsings and greens, stirring for a couple of minutes until the greens are wilted.

Whisk the eggs and half & Half. Add the ingredients from the frying pan to the cream cheese mixture in a large mixing bowl. Pour all of this into a greased baking dish. Bake Quiche for 15 minutes and then turn down oven to 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until it is set in the center.

Shakshuka!

2008-03-02T20:13:00.000-08:00

A Sephardi favorite. No Middle Eastern restaurant menu is complete without it, though Hungarians also delight in this dish with the addition of lots of paprika. Leshakshek means "to shake" in Hebrew. Every cook from North Africa has his or her own personal version of this egg and tomato dish. Whatever vegetable is used, it must be fresh, not canned.

1 lg. onion (finely chopped)
4 eggs
cooking oil
6 medium tomatoes
2 tsps sweet Paprika
salt and pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, saute onion until lightly browned. Slice tomatoes in quarters or grate on largest holes of a grater. Mix grated tomatoes, onion, and paprika and cover and cook over low heat for 25 minutes. Remove cover and break eggs over the surface. Stir gently to and circle around the yolks yolks to separate the eggs; cover and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes until eggs are slightly set. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with sliced baguette bread or fresh pita to sop up the delicious sauce.

Variations: One minced garlic clove may be added to the onion, or 3 to 4 slices of red pimento may be sauteed with the onion.

Shakshoka for Martin Berasategui from Elisha Ben-Haim on Vimeo.

Middle Eastern Pasta & Vegetables

2008-02-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 pound of Pasta - your choice
Water to cook pasta

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1-2 Courgettes or zucchini, cubed
Red and green peppers, sliced very thinly
1 onion, cut up
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced

Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain pasta and set aside.

Saute courgettes, peppers, onions in olive oil; season with spices. Add minced garlic and cherry tomatoes and saute for a couple of minutes. Turn this out onto the drained pasta and toss lightly. Drizzle with more olive oil, and sprinkle with minced parsley; adjust the salt and pepper seasoning.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

2008-02-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

1 bag (8-10 oz) of Black-eyed peas
1 tsp salt

Assemble the salad:
6 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced finely
3-4 large radishes (1/2 Israeli radish!), finely chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped

Dressing:
1/8 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp salt, to taste
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tsp McCormick's Grill Mates Steak Seasoning
1 tsp McCormick's Salt Free Herb & Garlic Seasoning

Whisk all ingredients for the dressing well. Add this to the salad and stir well.

Procedure:
Place the black-eyed peas in a heavy stock pot with salt; bring to a boil and then turn down to a medium-low boil. Cook the black-eyed peas until they are tender.

Drain the black-eyed peas and set them aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl, add the peas, vegetables, seasonings and dressing.

Serve the black-eyed peas on a platter of salad greens.

Lentil Salad

2008-02-29T22:00:00.000-08:00

1 pkg of Lentils (12 oz.)
Water to cover and cook lentils
1 tsp salt

Saute:
Cooked lentils
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsps cumin
2 tsps McCormicks Grill Mates Steak Seasoning
1 tsp McCormicks Salt Free Herb & Garlic
4 tblsps olive oil

Assemble Salad:
Seasoned lentils and spices
1 bunch green onions, chopped fine
1 green pepper, chopped fine
Several radishes, chopped fine
1/4 cup Parsley, finely minced

Dressing:
1/8 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 clove minced garlic (optional)

Whisk all ingredients for the dressing well. Add this to the lentil salad and stir well.

Procedure:
Place lentils in large stock pot and cover with water; add salt. Bring to a boil and simmer on low until lentils are tender, but do not fall apart or are mushy. Drain.

Add oil to frying pan and stir in cooked lentils; add cumin, seasonings, pepper and salt and stir well to coat. Set aside to let them cool.

Put cooled lentils in a large mixing bowl. Add all chopped vegetables with dressing and stir well.

Place lentil salad in a pyramid shape on large serving plate atop of variety of colorful salad greens.Top with pinch of coarse salt, fresh ground pepper and chopped parsley. Decorate with roasted red peppers, red onion rings, or fresh green pepper rings.

Middle Eastern Rice

2008-02-29T21:56:00.000-08:00

1/4 cup butter (olive oil can be substituted)
1 cup very thin egg noodles, broken
2 cups Basmati long grain rice
4 cups water
1 tsp salt

In a large pot, add butter and thin egg noodles, and cook over low heat until browned, turning constantly so the butter and pasta do not burn. Add rice and stir well to coat. Add water to this butter and pasta mixture and bring to a boil; turn heat down to low and cook for about 14 minutes, according to the rice package instructions.

Turn out into serving bowl and fluff up rice. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts or pistacio if desired.

Mejudara (Rice & Lentils)

2008-02-29T21:55:00.000-08:00

6 cups water1 cup of lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, sliced thinly2 cups of long grain white rice or long grain brown rice
4 cups of water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tblsp cumin
2 tsps salt
1 tsp finely ground pepper
2-4 cloves minced garlic
3 cups of thick unflavored plain yoghurt (goat or sheep preferred)

You do not need to soak lentils. Put lentils and water and in large stock pot and bring to a boil; simmer until lentils are tender but do not fall apart. Drain the lentils and set aside.

Add rice, water and 1/4 tsp salt in stock pot and bring water to boil; turn heat down to low simmer for 14 minutes or until rice is done. Drier rice is perferred as opposed to mushy.

Meanwhile, place olive oil and onions in a frying pan and saute on low heat until the onions turn a nice brown, but not burned. Add spices and minced garlic and saute another 2 minutes, being careful not to brown or burn the garlic. Reserve about 1/4 cup of onion mixture.

Add the drained lentils to the frying pan onion and spice mixture and toss. Turn rice out into large mixing bowl and add the cooked lentils and spice mixture mixing gently.

Turn this out onto platter in a pyramid shape. Top with reserved onion mixture on top of lentils and rice and sprinkle lightly with minced fresh parsley. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with a bowl of thick yoghurt and Israeli tomatoe-cucumber salad.

Israeli Pumpkin Soup

2008-02-29T21:53:00.000-08:00

Vegetable or Chicken Stock
2 onions, chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Olive oil
5-6 cups of fresh pumpkin pieces
Heavy cream
Finely ground nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper

Saute onions and root vegetables in olive oil. Add chicken or vegetable soup stock to a large stock pot and pour in the sauted onions and root vegetables. Add quartered pumpkin pieces. Bring this to a boil and turn down to simmer for about an hour or until the pumpkin is very soft. Take off heat.

Use a soup processor to make a creamy texture. Serve the hot soup with a drizzle of heavy cream in a swirl. Sprinkle finely ground nutmeg and pepper on top.

Beef & Vegetable Soup

2008-02-29T21:52:00.000-08:00

Basic Soup Stock
Beef, cut up into 2-3" cubes
1-2 Beef bones, optional
Leaves and end stalks of whole celery bulb
1 whole onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly cut
1 large head of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

1 cup of selection of favorite root vegetables, diced: potatoes, celery, carrots, parsnips, turnips, etc.
1 cup green beans, fresh or frozen (optional)
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen (optional)
Olive oil
A bit of butter
2 teaspoons of salt (to taste)
1 tsp finely ground black pepper
1 tblsp of Worchestershire Sauce
2 tblsps of A-1 sauce
Dash of hot sauce, optional

In a heavy oiled baking pan, put beef bones and beef chunks. Drizzle olive oil, coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the bones and beef begin to brown.

Crock Pot option: Scrap beef bones and beef into a large croack pot; add celery root, leaves, minced garlic, onions, carrots. Add 2 tsps salt and pepper. Cover with water and bring to a boil and turn down to simmer overnight.

Stock Pot option: Scrap beef bones and beef into a large stock pot. Add celery root, and leaves, minced garlic, carrots, chopped onion to a large stock pot filled with cold water, adding salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat for about 1 1/2 hours. Discard celery and carrots.

Saute finely in olive oil and a bit of butter root vegetables in frying pan until they begin to brown; add salt and pepper to this mixture and stir to incorporate for a couple of minutes; pour all of this into soup stockpot. Add peas and green beans, if desired. Bring the soup to a boil again and simmer until vegetables are done. Serve steaming hot.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

2008-02-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

Leaves and end stalks of whole celery bulb
1 whole onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly cut
1 large head of garlic, peeled and minced

2 tblsps of smoked turkey lunch meat, Kosher salami, or favorite smokey salted meat for good flavor
2 cups fresh whole mushrooms (any kind), sliced
1 cup of selection of favorite root vegetables, diced: potatoes, celery, carrots, parsnips, turnips, etc.
Olive oil
2 teaspoons of salt (to taste)
1 tsp finely ground black pepper
1 tblsp of Worchestershire Sauce
2 tblsps of A-1 sauce
Dash of hot sauce, optional

Add celery root, and leaves, minced garlic, carrots, chopped onion to a large stock pot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat for about 1 1/2 hours. Discard celery and carrots.

Saute finely chopped smoked salted meat in olive oil and a bit of butter in frying pan first, then add root vegetables, and finally the mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to this mixture and stir to incorporate for a couple of minutes; pour all of this into soup stockpot. Bring the soup to a boil again. Serve steaming hot.

Creamy Tomato Soup

2008-02-29T21:46:00.000-08:00

Saute:
2 tblsps butter or margarine
2 tblsps onion, chopped

Blend:
3 tblsps flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
dash of garlic salt, basil, oregano, thyme

Remove from heat and gradually whisk in:
2 cups tomato juice or V-8 (Tomato-Vegetable juice)

Bring this to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute.

Stir hot tomato mixture into:
2 cups cold milk

Heat almost to a boiling point. Serve with a twirl of heavy cream, if desired. Sprinkle a bit of minced parlsey in the center (optional).

NOTE: The recipe can be doubled for a larger pot of soup.

Creamy Garlic & Leek Soup

2008-02-29T21:44:00.000-08:00

This soup is so delicious, I'm sure it is the reason that the Israelites in the desert begged to go back to Egpyt...longing for leeks and garlic...!

Leaves and end stalks of whole celery bulb
1 whole onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly cut
2-3 large heads of garlic, peeled and minced

Olive oil
a little butter
2 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms
2 large leeks, trimmed, halved and washed well between the leaves, and sliced
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons of A-1
1/2 cup of heavy sweet cream (100 grams)

Add celery, minced garlic, chopped onion to a large stock pot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat for about 1 1/2 hours. Discard celery and carrots.

Saute finely chopped smoked salted meat, mushrooms and leeks in olive oil and a bit of butter in frying pan. Add salt and pepper to this mixture and stir to incorporate for a couple of minutes; pour all of this into soup stockpot. Bring the soup to a boil again. Add the heavy sweet cream and stir thoroughly and let it heat through. Serve steaming hot.

Israeli Creamy Garlic Soup

2008-02-29T21:38:00.000-08:00

Leaves and end stalks of whole celery stalk
1 Celeriac (optional, but it adds flavor)
1 whole onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly cut
5-6 large heads of garlic, peeled and minced

Olive oil
a little butter
2 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons of A-1
1/2 cup of heavy sweet cream (100 grams)

Procedure:
In a large stock pot, saute chopped onion over low heat for a few minutes; add minced garlic and stir for about a minute. Fill the stock pot with cold water, add the celery and carrots. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat for about 1 1/2 hours. Discard celery and carrots.

Saute finely chopped low-fat smoked turkey, mushrooms in olive oil and a bit of butter in sauce pan. Add salt and pepper to this mixture and stir to incorporate for a couple of minutes; pour all of this into soup stockpot. Bring the soup to a boil again. Add the heavy sweet cream and stir thoroughly and let it heat through. Serve steaming hot.

Authentic Israeli Chicken Soup

2008-02-29T21:34:00.000-08:00

1 Whole 2 pound (1 kilo) chicken
Leaves and ends of whole bunch of celery
2 Carrots, washed and chopped roughly
1 Potatoe, washed and quartered
1 cup of chopped orange pumpkin squash (this is the Israeli secret...it really is a great addition)
6 cloves of garlic, minced (more or less - your option)
Celery stalks with leaves, washed & chopped fine
2 Carrots, washed, peeled, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons of A-1 Sauce
1 Tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce
Dash of Hot sauce
1-2 teaspoons of coarse Sea salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon of fresh finely ground pepper (to taste)

In a very large stock pot, add the first 5 ingredients and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer for about 2-3 hours. (If you use a crock pot, you can do this overnight.) Remove and discard all the vegetables; debone chicken when cooler. Add deboned chicken meat back to the soup.

Meanwhile saute the remainder cut up vegetables, seasonings (except sauces) in a large pan in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add this mixture to the soup. Add sauces, and retaste for more salt and pepper. Bring to a boil again and simmer another 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Options (Use less vegetables in the soup for the following): Add prepared matzah balls, dumplings, or add thin or wide noodles the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Lentil & Spinach Soup

2008-02-29T21:33:00.000-08:00

12 oz bag (3/4 pound) of green lentils
3 medium onions, sliced
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 pound of fresh spinach
3 teaspoons of cumin
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons of sea salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Lentils do not need to be soaked. Add lentils to large soup pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and turn it down to a medium simmer, until lentils are soft but do not fall apart.

Meanwhile, slowly saute sliced onions in olive oil in saucepan until they are carmelized. Add spices, minced garlic, salt and pepper and stir for another minute, taking care not to burn. Add all of this to the cooked lentils and bring to a boil again. Boil soup for another couple of mintues. Finally, add the fresh spinach and simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring the soup, taking care not to overcook the spinach.

Serve about 1/2 cup of soup in bowls.

Navy Bean Soup Yerushalmi (Jerusalemite)

2008-02-29T21:29:00.000-08:00

1/2 pound of Navy Beans, soaked overnight
1/4-1/2 cup of smoked turkey, or your favorite Kosher salami or smokey salted meat
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 onion
3-4 Carrots, diced
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped small
1-2 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon of fresh finely ground pepper
1 tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon of A1 Sauce
Finely chopped parsley (optional)

Place soaked Navy beans in a large stock pot; cover with cold water. Add leaves of celery and/or celery root. Bring to a boil and turn it to medium simmer until the beans are very soft. Discard celery root and leaves.

Meanwhile, saute smoked turkey or Kosher salami in olive oil in a saucepan. Add onions until softened; stir in chopped carrots and celery, and saute for several minutes. Add salt and pepper. Add contents of saucepan to cooked Navy beans and stir well. Add Worchestershire Sauce and A-1 Sauce and bring to a boil. Season to taste. Serve with finely chopped parsley on top.

Fried Eggplant & Onions

2008-02-29T21:24:00.000-08:00

2 large Eggplants, cut into 1" cubes
1 large onion, cubed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a heavy frying pan, heat up the olive oil, taking care not to smoke it. Add onions and fry until softened; add in eggplant and cook until browned and tender. Turn into serving bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Fried Sliced Eggplant

2008-02-29T21:23:00.000-08:00

2 large Eggplants, sliced width-wise
Salt
Vegetable oil for frying

In a colander, place sliced eggplant and salt each layer. Place a plate on top of the eggplant with a heavy jar or can; set aside to drain for about 30 minutes. Place the slices on paper towels and dry thoroughly.

Heat a heavy frying pan with vegetable oil and fry slices of eggplant until browned on both sides; drain on paper towels. Add salt and pepper.

Steamed Vegetables in Season

2008-02-29T21:22:00.001-08:00

2 leeks, trimmed, washed thoroughly, and cut in 2" rounds
4 Red Potatoes, cut into small quarters
Large broccoli stalk, trimmed and made into flowerets
3-4 carrots, peeled, and cut into 1" inch pieces

Place the vegetables in a large heat proof collander or vegetable steamer on a pot of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam the vegetables until they are tender.

To Serve:
Transfer the vegetables on a serving platter, drizzle with olive oil, coarse sea salt, fresh ground pepper and shakes of Parmesean cheese. Toss gently, and serve hot.

Roasted Red Potatoes, Garlic & Rosemary

2008-02-29T21:15:00.000-08:00

12-15 small new potatoes, enough for your company
1/4 cup olive oil
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced very fine
2-3 tablespoons of minced fresh Rosemary
Kosher coarse salt
Pepper
2 tblsp parsley, chopped fine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice the pototoes and place them in a large serving bowl; coat well with olive oil. Add the Rosemary, salt and pepper and stir. Pour into large baking dish.

Stir the potatoes a couple of times during baking, and bake for about 1 hour, or until tender and browned. Toss with parsley. Serve as an accompaniment with your evening meal.

Small New Potatoes & Parmesean Cheese

2008-02-29T21:13:00.000-08:00

12-15 small new potatoes, enough for your company
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesean Cheese
2 tblsp parsley, chopped fine
Procedure:

Half the potatoes. Steam the potatoes until they are tender. Drain well. Toss with salt, pepper, olive oil and parmesean cheese. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve as an accompaniment with your evening meal.

Fried Onions

2008-02-29T21:12:00.000-08:00

2-3 onions, sliced thick and separated
Milk
Flour, seasoned with salt and pepper and McCormicks Steak Seasonings
Vegetable oil for frying

Dip onion slices into milk, then the seasoned flour. Fry in hot oil until browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Baked Cauliflower in Cheese Sauce

2008-02-29T21:11:00.000-08:00

2 large heads of caulflower
2 bay leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a sauce pan cook cauliflower, covered in a small amount of boiling water with 2 bay leaves and salt for 10 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain.

In a small mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, onion, horseradish, parmesean cheese, salt and pepper. In a 2-quart casserole combine cauliflower and mayonnaise mixture.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 oven for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Baked Vegetables & Feta Cheese

2008-02-29T21:10:00.000-08:00

1 large firm Eggplant, sliced width-wise
2 zuchinni, sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 firm tomatoes, sliced
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Filling:
12 oz (1 1/2 cups) cottage cheese (9%)
2 eggs
8 oz. (100 grams) Feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Oil a large heavy baking dish, and layer the vegetables, beginning with the eggplant. A each layer is finished, add dollops of the cottage cheese filling and crumble Feta cheese; salt and pepper each layer. Crumble Feta Cheese on top layer.

Cover baking dish with silver foil and bake about 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Roasted Vegetables

2008-02-29T21:08:00.000-08:00

1 Eggplant, cubed
6 small Zucchini or courgettes, cut into 2" slices or cubed
2 onions (red & white combination), cut into wedges
3 bell peppers (red, green, yellow), cut up into large pieces
Root vegetables (optional), parsnips, turnips, carrots, small new potatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Serving Option: 2-3 oz. (50 grams) Goat Feta cheese

Prepare a roasting pan and set the oven to 350 degrees. Put in cut up vegetables, seasonings and drizzle generously with olive oil. Stir until well coated. Bake in the oven uncovered about 45 minutes until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Drizzle more olive oil if the vegetables look too dry. The last 5 minutes, sprinkle on the minced garlic and stir well.

To serve the hot roasted vegetables, sprinkle of coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. For a tasty alternative, add crumbled Feta cheese to vegetables.

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs on the BBQ

2008-02-29T21:06:00.000-08:00

4 peppers (red, yellow and green) cut into squares, with the seeds removed
Cherry tomatoes
2 medium zucchini
2 onions1 medium eggplant
8 tbsp olive oil
A bunch of fresh herbs (oregano, basil, thyme or other favorite)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic (or more, if desired), minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Chop up the herbs with the olive oil, add the wine vinegar, the sugar and the garlic, and place in a jar. Slice the peppers, onions zuchinni, and eggplant into thick chunks. Skewer the vegetables by alternating them and adding in the cherry tomatoes. Brush the kabobs generously with the dressings. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill them on the barbecue and cover with lid over medium heat, turning the kabobs from time to time being careful not to burn them. You can brush the kabobs again with the olive oil dressing. Serve with meat Kabobs.

Delicious Green Beans

2008-02-29T21:04:00.000-08:00

2 pkgs frozen green beans (1/2 kilo fresh green beans, strings and ends removed, prepared for cooking)
1 pkg frozen peas (optional)
Water to cook beans
1 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup smoked turkey, salami, or your favorite smokey salted meat, cubed very small
1 onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups very firm tofu, finely cubed (optional)
2 pkgs (1/2 kilo) fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Serving (optional):
2-3 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
10-12 Roma cherry tomatoes, cut in half
salt and pepper

Procedure:
Cook green beans and peas in large stock pot in enough water - for about 6 minutes or until tender but not mushy; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, saute smoked salty meat in olive oil; add onions and cook until they begin to brown; add tofu and cook until they start to turn brown on the edges. Finally add mushrooms and stir for a couple of minutes; add seasonings and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add this mixture to cooked and drained green beans and peas and stir well. Turn this into a serving dish and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Add crumbled Feta cheese and halved cherry tomatoes and toss lightly. Season with another sprinkling salt and pepper.

Spring Greens & Pine Nuts

2008-02-29T21:03:00.000-08:00

1-2 pounds of greens (spinach, chard, mustard, other)
2 tablespoons of Olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 cup smoked turkey, salami, or your favorite smoked salty meat, chopped very fine
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon of pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan

1. Wash greens thoroughly and dry in colander
2. Fry smoked salty meat in frying pan; add onions and cook for a few minutes, stirring. Stir in salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a small frying pan with no oil, shaking continually so as to turn the nuts and not burn them
4. Add washed greens to smoked turkey, onions and olive oil; stir to coat well and cook for a few minutes.
5. Turn the greens into a serving bowl; add toasted pine nuts and drizzle olive oil over it all.
6. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesean cheese, if desired.
7. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Carol's Homemade Cheese Ball

2008-02-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

2 - 8 oz. containers of plain cream cheese
4 oz. soft goat cheese
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. Swiss cheese, grated
4 oz. Parmesean cheese, finely grated
2 oz. Blue cheese
2 tsp McCormick's Grill Mates Steak Seasonings
2 tsp McCormick's Grill Mates Chicken Seasonings
1 tsp McCormick's No Salt Herb & Garlic Seasonings
1 tsp dried Parsley
1 tsp finely ground pepper
Dash hot sauce
1 tsp Worchestershire Sauce

Add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. With clean hands, knead the cheeses and spices together until well incorporated. Roll into a nice ball as much as possible. Roll the cheese ball into finely minced walnuts and decorate the ball with a Maraschino cherry on top.

Roasted Tomatoe Salsa

2008-02-29T19:37:00.000-08:00

Roast
12-14 large tomatoes, washed and left whole

Salsa
bunch of parsley, minced
bunch of green onions, chopped finely
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tblsp Balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 tsps fine sugar
1/4 cup tomato or V-8 Vegetable Juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
dash of hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees or "grill." Put whole tomatoes into a baking dish and roast until the skins begin to burn, peel and the tomatoes soften. Take out the tomatoes and cool them. Peel off the skins and core the tomatoes.

To make salsa
In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled, peeled and cored tomatoes; break them up with a fork until the tomatoes are small pieces. Add tomatoe juice, parsley, vinegar, spices and mix well. Adjust seasonings. Refrigerate before serving.

Spicier Option: Add minced pieces of roasted hot pepper, but no more than 1/2 tsp at a time as it makes the salsa quite hot.

Grilled Bell Peppers

2008-02-29T19:33:00.000-08:00

12-15 assortment of colored large bell peppers
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar (or Red Wine vinegar)
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place peppers in baking dish and bake until theyare done, about 30 minutes. Take out of oven and cover with saran wrap or a plastic bag until they cool. The skin will easily peel; deseed the peppers. Store the peppers in a tupperware container.

To serve, drizzle the peppers with olive oil, a generous splash of Balsamic vinegar or Red Wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss lightly on occasion to coat the peppers.

Serve the peppers with grilled meats and your mezze (appetizers).

Roasted Baby Peppers

2008-02-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

1 Kilo of baby peppers
Olive oil
Seasonings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, add washed and dried peppers. Add course sea salt, freshly ground pepper, olive oil, and herbs du'Provence. Toss liberally with olive oil.

Place the baby peppers in baking dish and bake until peppers are done, about 30 minutes. Take out of oven and cover with saran wrap or a plastic bag until they cool. Store the peppers in a tupperware container, drizzling them with olive oil and a bit of lemon juice.

Serve the peppers with grilled meats and your mezze (appetizers).

Avocado & Salsa Dip

2008-02-29T19:31:00.000-08:00

2 Avocados, mashed well with a fork
3-4 tblsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tbslp prepared salsa (optional)
5-6 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
1-2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley (stems removed), or dash of dry parsley
1-2 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 tsp fresh finely ground pepper
Dash of Herb & Garlic Seasonings
Dash Hot Sauce, to taste (optional)

In a mixing bowl, add lemon juice to the mashed avocados and mix well. This will help to keep the avocado from turning black. Add the rest of the ingredients, and taste to adjust the seasonings. Serve immediately. This is a great accompanient with chips, appetizer toast or fresh pita.

Spinach Dip

2008-02-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen Spinach
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream (9% fat)
1 tblsp cider vinegar
1 pkg Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix
1 tblsp McCormick's Chicken Seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
dash hot sauce

Defrost frozen spinach; squeeze the excess water from the spinach and set aside. Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, and seasonings. Add the spinach and mix well with a fork. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Roasted Onion Dip

2008-02-29T19:28:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
Roasted Onions:
3 large onions, sliced thin
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil

Dip:
2 cups sour cream (at least 9% fat, in Israel use "Ski" or 6 cartons shemenit)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Buttermilk or sweet yoghurt

Add Seasonings:
2-3 tblsps dry Buttermilk dressing or 1 pkg of mix
--or--
1 tblsp McCormicks Steak Seasoning
1 tsp McCormicks Chicken Seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tsps Worchestershire Sauce
Dash of hot sauce

Stir in:
1-2 tblsp cider vinegar

Procedure:
You can prepare the onions two ways:
Oven method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees; place the onions in a roasting pan and drizzled generous amount of olive oil on the onions. Roast the onions in the hot oven stirring every few minutes so they do not burn. The last 5 minutes add the minced garlic stirring well to coat with olive oil; take out of the oven and let the onions cool. Add to the prepared dip mixture.

Frying Pan method: Add the sliced onions to a heavy frying pan and saute the onions slowly until well carmelized and brown. The last few minutes add the minced garlic and stir well, taking care not to burn. Add to the prepared dip mixture.

Dip: Add sour cream, buttermilk, seasonings, sauces and vinegar and whisk well. Add the roasted onions and garlic. Stir well to incorporate. Refrigerate.

Stuffed Grape Leaves

2008-02-29T19:26:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
80-100 grape leaves freshly picked or jar of grape leaves in brine
2 cups cooked long grain rice
1 pound of ground beef, minced very fine
1 onion, chopped fine
Olive oil
1 bunch parsley, chopped very fine
1 bunch of mint, chopped very fine
Salt, pepper
6 Lamb bones or 10 chicken wings
2 lemons, juiced

Procedure
If you use a jar of preserved grape leaves in brine, soak the leaves in clear water for about 1/2 hour. Drain and squeeze the excess water from the leaves and set aside.

If you use fresh picked grape leaves, make sure you pick the young tender leaves. Wash thoroughly, and drop them in a pan of hot water for a few minutes. Carefully lift out of the hot water and drain well on clean kitchen cloth.

Rice & Ground Beef Stuffing Mixture
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package instructions; set aside.

Saute the onions in a frying pan with the olive oil until onions begin to turn color; add minced beef, stirring frequently. When the beef turns from pink, add the pine nuts and stir for a couple of minutes; set the mixture aside.

Add minced beef, pine nuts and onion mixture to the rice in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

Prepare a large heavy stock pot by placing lamb bones or chicken wings on the bottom of the pot. Add about 1 cup of water. Set aside.

To Roll the Grape Leaves:
Lay out one grape leaf shiney side down. Add 1 tablespoon of stuff mixture at the base of the leaf where the stem is and roll down both sides of the leaf folding in the sides as in a cigar shape.

Place the stuff grape leaf in the stock pot on top of the bones, and tightly stack the leaves side by side, row by row until all leaves are finally stuffed.

Juice the lemons and pour this over all the grape leaves. Place a heavy heat-proof plate on top of the leaves and press down firmly; leave on the leaves and place a tight-fitting lid on the stock pot.

To Cook the stuffed Grape Leaves
Place the stock pot of stuffed grape leaves on a medium fire and bring to a boil; turn the leaves down to medium-low fire for 45 minutes.

When finished cooking, lift the lid and let the leaves cool. With tongs carefully lift out each grape leaf and put in a large tupperware container; refrigerate until ready to serve.

To Serve Grape Leaves
To serve the leaves, place the leaves stacked neatly on a platter; drizzle the leaves generously with olive oil and squeeze on fresh lemon juice. Serve with lemon wedges.

You can also heat up and serve the lamb bones or chicken wings on a separate plate; drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Chicken Liver Paté

2008-02-29T19:24:00.000-08:00

2 pounds Chicken Livers (1 Kilo)
2 onions, choped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tblsp mustard (optional)
2 hard boiled eggs, minced fine

In a large frying pan, add olive oil, onions and chicken livers; cook over medium-low heat, turning chicken livers to cook well on all sides, taking care so as not to splatter the oil. (Turn down heat if it is splattering too much or cooking too quickly.) Cover with a lid after about 10 minutes to allow the livers to cook through well.

Meanwhile, hard boil the eggs; peel; process the peeled and cooled eggs in a food processor into a fine mince; set aside.

When the livers are cooked, add the salt and pepper and stir well. Let the livers cool about 10-15 minutes. Place the livers, onions, oil and spices into a food processor. You will have to do this in two portions. Process the mixture until a thick paste and all pieces are well mashed. Pour this into a mixing bowl; process the next portion and add to the mixing bowl.

Add the minced hard boiled eggs and mayonnaise to the liver paste and mix well. Refrigerate before serving.

To serve, mound the liver paté on a plate with a dollop of mayonnaise, if desired. Add sprigs of parsley. Serve with hard crackers or small round toast crackers.

Homemade Hummous

2008-02-29T19:23:00.001-08:00

2 Cans of Garbanza beans, drained, reserving the liquid in a separate bowl
Juice of 2 fresh lemons
Olive Oil
Salt, pepper
1-2 Tablespoons of Tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 onion, chopped very fine
Sweet Ground Paprika

1. Add drained garbanzo beans into food processor
2. Process beans, adding about 1/2 cup of reserved bean liquid to the food processor, until a smooth paste.
3. Add lemon juice a tablespoon at a time - to taste; use food processor
4. Add Tahini 1 teaspoon at a time, to taste; use processor
5. Adjust consistency with more bean reserved liquid and/or lemon juice, to taste, taking care to keep it a spreadable consistency.
6. Turn into an oval serving plate and swirl with the back of a tablespoon.
7. Sprinkle with finely chopped onion (optional) and red Paprika. Sometimes I top with garbanzo beans, or "Ful" beans.
8. Drizzle generously with olive oil
9. Serve with warm pita.

8 servings

Red Onions & Lemon Juice

2008-02-29T19:22:00.001-08:00

2-3 White or Red Onions, sliced thin
1 Lemon, juiced
Sea Salt, Fresh ground pepper
Sweet Paprika

Place thinly sliced onions in a serving plate. Pour over lemon juice, sea salt, fresh ground pepper; sprinkle with sweet paprika. Serve with a mezze.

Shabbat Roast Chicken

2008-02-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

1 3-4 pound chicken, washed and dried
olive oil or cooking oil
coarse sea salt
fresh finely ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the prepared chicken in a heavy roasting pan. Rub the chicken with oil or dot with butter. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cover with with heavy aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 and check to see if it is done. Take off the foil the last 15 minutes to brown thoroughly as the skin will get crispy.

Take out the baked chicken and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Cut the chicken into portions for your family and guests and pile it on top of hot Syrian rice in a nice platter. Decorate around the sides.

Sprinkle with coarse salt, fresh ground pepper and minced garlic.

Lamb Patties in Grape Leaves

2008-02-29T19:10:00.000-08:00

1 pound of ground Lamb (beef can be substituted)
2 onions, grated into Lamb
1 bunch of parsley, minced very fine
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh finely ground pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tomatoes, halved and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, halved and sliced
20 fresh picked tender grape leaves (preserved leaves in brine can be used instead)
2 tblsp tomatoe paste
1 cup chicken stock

In a large mixing bowl, add minced lamb (or beef), onions, parsley, spices, olive oil and mix well with hands, adding iced water to make a smooth consistency.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make small hambuger-type patties. Wrap the patty in a single grape leaf and stack in a baking dish.

When all the patties are finished, add sliced tomatoes and sliced onions on top of patties. Pour over tomatoe paste mixture on the top of patties; cover with silver foil and bake for about 1/2 hour or until patties are done.

Serve on a platter with the cooked vegetables and the juices of the baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serve with creamy unflavored yogurt.

Israeli Grilled Minced Beef Kabobs

2008-02-29T19:09:00.001-08:00

2 pounds (1 Kilo) of ground beef (or half ground lamb)
2 onions, grated fine into the beef
Bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water
1-2 bunches of parsley, finely minced, stems removed
1 tblsp cumin
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Olive Oil
Ice water

In a large mixing bowl, add the beef and/or lamb, grated onions, parsley and spices. Mix well with your hands (or wooden mallet or spoon) until a nice smooth paste; drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Use iced water to get the pastey texture.

Form kabob over the skewers into an small ball-oval shape; stack on a platter.

Meanwhile, prepare the barbeque. When the coals are ready, brush the rack with 1/2 onion dipped in vegetable oil. Stack the kabobs carefully onto the rack, taking care that the kabobs do not slip off the skewers. Cover with the barbeque lid and check the kabobs, turning as needed.

Serve the kabobs with parsley dressing or humous/tahini sauce.

Grilled Beef & Chicken Kabobs

2008-02-29T19:06:00.000-08:00

2 pounds of steak or tender beef, cut into 1" chunks
2 pounds of chicken breast, cut into 1" chunks
Bamboo skewers for shish kabob, soaked in cold water
1 cup olive oil
2 tsps sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Skewer the meat chunks on the soaked bamboo skewers - about 4-6 pieces per skewer; stack on a platter and keep refrigerated until ready to barbeque.

Meanwhile, start the coals on the barbeque. When the coals are just the right temperature, brush the barbeque rack with 1/2 onion dipped vegetable oil. Lay the skewers on the rack and cover the lid; check the kabobs every few minutes and turn as they need.

Serve the kabobs with parsley and olive oil dressing, vegetable kabobs and fresh salads.

Mezze - Appetizers

2008-02-21T08:34:00.000-08:00

A mezze is a spread of appetizers of plates laden with small portions and finger foods. Below are suggestions of appetizers I often present for my guests.

Humous & Pita
Olives, Pickles
Roasted Seeds - pumpkin, watermelon, sunflower
Dried Fruits & Nuts
Onions in Lemon Juice
Chicken Liver Paté
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Meat Pies
Spinach Dip & Roasted Onion Dip
Avocado & Salsa Dip
Roasted Tomatoe Salsa
Roasted Bell peppers
Egg Salad
Tuna Salad
Stuffed Mushrooms
Hot Chicken Wings
Homemade Cheese Ball
Fresh fruits - cut up melons, apples, grapes, fruits in season
Cheese platter - assortment of hard and soft cheeses

English Tea

2008-02-18T20:32:00.000-08:00

English Tea
There is a strong British influence throughout the Middle East from their days of the Mandate Period. That is why so many of the Arab and Jewish population enjoy a good cup of hot English tea.

I worked for an Englishman who was a scholar. He was quite a tea drinker and it was necessary for me to learn to make a proper cup of tea, serving it the English way!

Ingredients:
1 heaping tblsp of good English Tea (i.e., Earl Grey) - 1 tblsp per person, plus 1 tblsp for the pot
Large Tea pot, filled with very hot water
Boiling water

Fill tea pot with very hot water and set aside. Boil a kettle of water. Empty out tea pot, add the tea, and pour in boiling water. Cover and wrap with a tea cozy or towel and set aside for 4-5 minutes.

Set out a nice serving tray of china cups and saucers, creamer, sugar, small silver spoons, plate of lemon slices.

Serve the tea in front of your guests from the serving table, asking which your guest prefers: milk or lemon and sugar. Pour in the milk first, then the hot tea. Offer your guests sweet tea biscuits, and a variety of dainty simple sandwiches.

Turkish Coffee

2008-02-18T20:30:00.000-08:00

Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee is a strong coffee made with the darkest roast available (French, or Italian roasts). You can buy the coffee and grind it to the finest setting possible. It is brewed with sugar and cooked in a special pot which can be found at specialty Middle Eastern stores.

Ingredients:
4 tsps Turkish Coffee (very finely ground)
4 demitasse cups of water
4 tsps sugar
Using a small Turkish coffee pot (or substitute small saucepan), put in the water, turkish coffee and sugar and bring to a rolling boil.

Take the pot off the fire until the boiling stops (few seconds) and place back on the fire, doing this a total of 3 times.

Take off the fire and lift the pot high about the cups, carefully tipping the pot to stream the coffee into the cup (takes a little practice). Pour a little into each cup, filling each cup up, leaving the grounds in the pot.

Serve with sticky and sweet dessert treats.

Serves 4.

Mint Tea

2008-02-18T20:29:00.000-08:00

Mint Tea
2 tblsps of Black Tea
Sprigs of Mint

Fill a tea pot with hot water and set aside. Bring fresh water to a boil. Empty out tea pot of hot water and put in black tea, filling it up with boiling hot water. Put a tea cozy on tea pot or towel, and leave it set for about 2-3 minutes for weaker tea.

Meanwhile, add a sprig of mint in glass tea mug. Fill tea mug with hot tea and serve.

Fresh Lemonade

2008-02-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

Fresh Lemonade
3 large fresh lemons
3/4 cup sugar
1 gallon or large pitcher of water (2 liters)
sliced lemons
Optional: mint sprigs

Squeeze lemon juice and strain the juice into the pitcher. Add sugar and water, stir well until sugar is incorporated. Taste to adjust flavor. Add lemon slices and sprigs of mint, if desired. Just before serving, add ice cubes to pitcher.

Cucumber Salad

2008-02-18T20:14:00.000-08:00

Cucumber Salad
4-5 large cucumbers
1 bunch of parsley
1 bunch of green onions
1 bunch of fresh mint, leaves only
1 cup of celery leaves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Basic Mediterranean Olive oil and Lemon Juice Dressing

If your cucumber skin is tough, peel them first. The following can all be done in your food processor if you prefer, since it is a very finely chopped salad. Process each separately and add them to your mixing bowl after dicing and mincing.

Cut cucumbers into spears and dice very fine. Chop green onions very fine. Mince parsley, mint and celery leaves very fine.

At this point, you can refrigerate the salad in a tupperware container.

To Serve:
Take out the portion of salad you will be using and add salt, pepper and toss with the dressing. Serve with your omelet in the morning, lunch or dinner as an accompaniment. Delicious and nutritious.

Cucmber & Dill Yoghurt Salad

2008-02-18T20:13:00.000-08:00

Cucumber & Dill Yoghurt Salad
4 large cucumbers
1 cup plain, thick Bulgarian-type yoghurt
1/2 cup fresh dill, minced, stems discarded
1 tblsp fresh mint leaves, finely minced
2 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Fresh dill and mint sprigs

With your potatoe peeler, run the peeler down the length of the cucumber peeling from end to end. Evenly space the peeling to create a thin green stripe effect. Take a fork and run from end to end piercing through the cucumber. This will create an interesting shape to the cucumber.

Trim off ends, and slice the cucumbers very thinly. Add mint, salt, pepper, yogurt and vinegar, stirring well.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh dill and mint sprig.

Avocado & Feta Cheese Salad

2008-02-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

Avocado & Feta Cheese Salad
20-30 cherry tomatoes, or 3-4 regular tomatoes, chopped
4-5 green onions, chopped
2 cucumbers (about 2 cups), peeled, cut in fourths, and chopped
1 ripe avocado, cubed
l/2 lemon, juice squeezed onto cubed avocado
1/4 cup (75-100 grams) Feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
1-2 tsp coarse sea salt, to taste
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Basic Mediterranean olive oil & lemon juice Dressing

To Serve:
pinch coarse sea salt
pinch freshly ground pepper
pinch freshly minced parsley

In a large mixing bowl, add the tomatoes, green onions, cucmbers, avocado, feta cheese, lemon juice, spices and seasonings and mix gently. Add the Mediterranean dressings just before serving and mix gently. On a serving platter, arrange attractive lettuce leaves and pile the salad up in a pyramid shape. Sprinkle on fresh ground pepper, pinch of coarse sea salt and pinch of freshly minced parsley. Decorate platter with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

Salad Dressings & Sauces

2008-02-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

Dressings & Sauces

Basic Mediterranean Olive Oil & Lemon Juice Dressing
3 tablespoons of Olive oil to 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice
Option:
1/2 clove of finely minced garlic (optional)
1-2 tblsps finely chopped parsley (optional)

Basil & Olive Oil Dressing
To the Basic olive oil & lemon juice dressing, add:
generous minced basil, minced very fine
3 tblsp parsley, minced very fine
1 tsp Coarse sea salt, to taste
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tblsp Parmesean cheese
2 tblsp Pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan until browned

Whisk first 4 ingredients until well incorporated. Toss with hot pasta. Add Parmesean cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Humous Dressing
4 tblsp Humous
1 tsp Tahini
1 tsp olive oil
1 tblsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tblsp water
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix the above together until it is a smooth dressing, adding more water a teaspoon at a time for thinning, if need be. For variation, add minced parsley, or minced garlic.

Vinaigrette Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tblsps red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon-style prepared mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Whisk above ingredients all together in a mixing bowl until well incorporated. Store in a jar.

Parsley & Olive Oil Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
3-4 tblsps parsley, finely minced
Pinch of coarse sea salt
Dash of McCormick's Grill Mates Steak or Chicken Seasoning
freshly ground pepper
Pinch of sugar
Dash of garlic powder (optional)

Whisk all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Serve with beef, chicken or fish dishes.

Israeli Salad-Cucumbers & Tomatoes

2008-02-18T20:07:00.000-08:00

Israeli Salad - Cucumbers & Tomatoes
4 cucumbers
4 firm tomatoes
Several radishes, finely diced
bunch of green onions or 1 white onion
Basic Mediterranean Olive Oil & Lemon Juice Dressing

Peel the cucumbers if the skin is tough, cut off ends, and cut into long strips. Finely chop cucumbers and put in large mixing bowl. Finely chop tomatoes and discard juicy portion. Finely chop green onions.

Add salt, pepper and toss with a generous amount of olive oil dressing.

Tabouli

2008-02-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

Tabouli
1/2 cup very fine bulghur wheat
2 bunches parsley, finely minced with large stems discarded
1 bunch green onions, chopped very fine
2 firm medium tomatoes, chopped fine, juicy portion discarded
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely minced, stems discarded
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 large lemon, juiced
Basic Mediterranean Olive Oil & Lemon juice dressing

Soak bulghur in hot water, enough to cover, for about 10 minutes. Drain well and place bulghur in a clean cotton towel and squeeze out excess moisture. Place wheat in a large mixing bowl.

Toss all ingredients and seasonings, including the juice of the lemon with the dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve, even overnight.

To Serve:
Prepare a large plate and lay out colorful lettuce leaves on the bottom and laid up the sides of the plate. Toss the salad again and then scoop out the salad with a slotted spoon so it is not soupy. Mound the Tabouli in a pyramid shape onto serving plate and garnish the outside of the plate with several scooped lettuce leaves to form a circle around the salad. Lay out lemon wedges around and garnish with parsley sprigs.

Roasted Peppers

2008-02-18T20:01:00.000-08:00

Roasted Peppers
2 pounds (1 kilo) peppers (either all red, or a mixture of colored peppers)
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
Coarse Sea Salt
Fresh Ground pepper

1. Wash & air dry peppers
2. Heat oven to "grill" setting
3. Lay peppers on their side on the oven tray under the grill element
4. Roast the peppers until the side turns black; turn each pepper with tongs; continue until each side is black
5. Remove the peppers from the oven; transfer them to a large bowl and cover the bowl with plastic bag or saran wrap. Leave the peppers to cool, about an hour.
6. After the peppers cool, they will be easy to pull off the blackened skin. Discard the core and seeds and slice the peppers to serving portions. Transfer the peeled peppers to a container.
7. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper to the peppers and stir gently to cover with mixture.8. Refrigerate the peppers until ready to serve.

Savory Pita Chips

2008-02-18T19:56:00.000-08:00

Savory Pita Chips
4-6 Pita bread, halved carefully, and cut into even triangles
1/4 cup Olive oil, or other vegetable oil
1 tblsp Coarse Sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp McCormick Salt Free Herb & Garlic Seasoning
1/4 tsp McCormick Salt Free Spicey Seasoning
1/4 tsp McCormick Grill Mates Steak Seasoning
1/4 tsp McCormick Grill Mates Chicken Seasoning
1/4 Parsley, dried
1/4 Oregano, dried

Preheat the oven to about 350 degrees. Lay the pita triangles on a cookie sheet. In a mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together, adding more oil if you need. Brush on the olive oil and herb mixture to cover the chips.

Bake until well dried and a bit toasty colored, about 5-7 minutes, checking frequently so they don't burn. Serve with your favorite dips. Store cooled chips in zip lock bags.

Pita Bread & Zahter

2008-02-18T19:54:00.000-08:00

Pita Bread & Zahter
4-6 Fresh pita bread
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 tblsps Zahter spice, found in Middle Eastern specialty import store or website
dash of coarse sea salt
pinch of fresh finely ground pepper
1 tblsp toasted sesame seeds
Preheat oven to about 375 degrees.

With the exception of the pita, put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk well. Lay the pita bread on a cookie sheet. Stir up the olive oil & zahter mixture well and brush on the tops of the pita, coating well. Bake in the hot oven about 4-5 minutes, taking care not to overcook as the pita will harden. Take out the pitas, and lay them on a cutting board; cut into triangles with a pizza cutter. Serve immediately to your guests with serving dishes and loads of napkins.

Shabbat Challah

2008-02-18T19:52:00.000-08:00

Shabbat Challah
1 pkg of fresh yeast, or 2 pkgs dry yeast
1 tblsp sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
7-8 cups flour (approximately)
1 cup lukewarm water
4 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsps salt
2 tblsps corn oil

Egg wash: 1 egg yok and 2 tblsps water
Poppyseeds
Honey

Place the yeast and 1 tablspoon sugar in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup lukewarm water, mixing well and disolving the yeast with the back of a spoon; cover with a saucer. The yeast will begin to bubble and form foam.

While you wait for the yeast to foam, measure the 7 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and mix. In another bowl, stir lukewarm water and honey until honey dissolves well; add oil. Break eggs into a separate bowl and mix them up.

When the yeast has risen to form a nice foamy cap, make a well in the center of the flour mixing bowl. Add the lukewarm water and honey, oil and beaten eggs. Stir up the yeast and pour into the large mixing bowl with all the other ingredients; stir this all well with a large wooden spoon. The dough will be sticky and you may need to sprinkle in a bit more of the extra cup of flour, a little at a time.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Oil and flour your hands. Knead dough well sprinkling on a bit more flour as needed. Knead about 5 minutes; let the dough rest and cover it with a clean cotton kitchen towel.

Meanwhile oil a large mixing bowl for the dough to rise in. Oil and flour your hands again and continue kneading the dough a couple few more minutes until smooth and elastic and no longer elastic.

Turn this ball into the prepared oiled mixing bowl; cover with a clean cotton kitchen towel and set in a warm non-drafty place. Let this rise until doubled. Tes the dough by plunging your finger into the center of the mound of dough. If your indentation remains in the dough, then it has raised sufficiently.

Divide the dough into 2 equal halves. Take the first half and divide it again into 3 equal parts. Pat and roll each of the 3 parts into a long cylinder and braid the three cyinders together. Divide the remaining the same as the first half. Braid the 3 cylinders and place on top of the first braid on a well oiled baking sheet. Cover tthe braided challah with the kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm non-drafty place until the challah has almost doubled, about 30-40 minutes.

Brush the top of the challah with the egg wash and sprinkle on poppyseeds. Place the challah in a 400 degree pre-heated oven and immediately lower the temperature to 375 degrees, baking the challah for 40-50 minutes. The bread should be well-browned and crusty outside.

Cool the challah on a rack. While the challah is cooling, brush the tops carefully with honey.

Moist Chocolate Cake

2008-02-18T19:13:00.000-08:00

Moist Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tblsps cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tblsp vinegar
5 tblsp vegetable oil
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Prepare a 9x13. Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. In the center of the dry ingredients, quickly add the measured wet ingredients: water, oil and vinegar last. Stir quickly and pour the batter into the baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Frost with chocolate frosting or simply dust sifted powdered sugar on top.

Chocolate Frosting
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sour cream (in Israel, use higher fat content shemenit)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In saucepan, stir chocolate chips over low heat until melted. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and valilla. Ice cake between layers, on sides and on top.

Crustless Cheesecake

2008-02-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

Crustless Cheesecake
3 - 8oz pkgs cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tblsp white sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, lemon zest, eggs and salt. Beat until smooth. Pour into a greased deep dish pie plate.

Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.

To Make Topping:
Combine sour cream, 2 tablspoons sugbar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Spread evenly on top of the b aked cheesecake, then bake 10 minutes at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) to set the top.

Let cool, refreigerate several hours before serving. I suggest you use sugared fresh strawberries, or you can use your favorite canned fruit pie filling and put a dollop on each pie serving.

Watermelon & Feta Cheese

2008-02-18T19:11:00.000-08:00

Watermelon & Feta Cheese

Ice cold watermelon, sliced and cubed
slab of Feta cheese (about 25-30 grams), crumbled or cubed

In a wide serving bowl, lay in the watermelon pieces. Add the Feta cheese and serve.

Honey Cake

2008-02-18T19:09:00.000-08:00

Honey Cake
4 cups unbleached flour
3 tblsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup honey
2 cups applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped almonds or walnuts, optional
Honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine eggs, honey, applesauce and vanilla; stir together until smooth.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined, then stir in raisins and optional nuts. Divide the batter among two lightly oiled 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Take out of the oven, and transfer to a cooling rack. Brush honey on the top of cake.

Middle Eastern Cooking

2008-02-18T18:48:00.000-08:00

I started cooking Middle Eastern food when I was 18, and then my husband and family lived 20 years in Israel. I learned that Israeli cooking evolved from Jews returning to their ancient homeland from more than 80 nations. They brought with them their favorite native dishes, incorporating them into the ancient Middle Eastern cuisine of their forefathers.

Living in Jerusalem for 20 years gave me an opportuntity to learn so much about Israeli cooking, and the Middle Eastern culture - often centered around a delicious meal, relaxed and eaten with of family and friends.

Middle Eastern cooking is unique in that instead of 3-4 entrees, it often consists of many plates of a variety of foods - as if to sample. This is quite satisfying and surpisingly filling. A selection of finely chopped fresh and roasted vegetables as colorful salads, drizzled generously with olive oil and lemon juice, platters of olives, humous, pickles, Kibbeh, felafel, salads and stuffed vegetables round off the meal.

Often I will prefer to set out a meal such as this for my guests and family when they come over in the late afternoon on the weekends, with large pitchers of lemonade and juices, so satisfying on a hot and dry afternoon.

I Love to Feed People
It is a Middle Eastern tradition to feed people copious amounts of food. I always prepare way too much food, enough to feed a unit of hungry Israeli soldiers! A friend once told me that it is in my blood - feeling the need to see people satiated from my home-cooked dishes!

I was about 10 years old when I baked my first cake. I remember how everyone loved the cake and raved about it. It encouraged me to continue trying out different recipes over the years. At 18, I cooked a holiday meal for about 20 people. It was a thrill to be able to work hard cooking several dishes, but more exciting, was watching my guests enjoy the food I had laboured over. Then I was brave enough to try cooking my first Middle Eastern meal for a large crowd, and it was a great success.

Over the years, I heard stories of how my own family members who immigrated to America from Damascus, Syria where they had been professional bakers and cooks. It helped to understand my love for cooking and my enjoyment of watching my guests enjoy my cooking.

To this day, I look for opportunities to feed lots of hungry people good home cooked meals, especially around the holidays and the weekends. I hope these recipes will inspire you to try Middle Eastern cooking.

Israeli Jaffa Orange Cake

2008-02-18T18:38:00.000-08:00

Jaffa Orange Cake
1 c. sugar
1 c. butter (room temperature)
3 eggs
1 c. sour cream (in Israel, you can use a higher fat content shemenit)
1 3/4 cup sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
grated rind of one orange
Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg yolks, sour cream, and orange rind; beat until light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder into the first mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and fold into the mixture.

Turn into a well greased and floured bundt pan; bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes. Loosen carefully around edge and turn-out onto a rimmed plate. Pierce the top of the cake with a very thin skewer (eg, like a wooden skewer used for kabobs) and then spoon the hot orange sauce over the top of the cake slowly. The hot orange glaze will spill from the cake, so make sure it is placed in a rimmed plate.)

Hot Orange Glaze
Juice of 2 oranges (a little less than 1 cup) 6oz. of frozen orange concentrate could be substituted
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 TBL)
3/4 c. of sugar
dash of salt
Combine ingredients; let sugar first dissolve over low heat, then bring to a rolling boil for 3 to 4 minutes.