Monthly Archives: April 2019

Traditional Ashkenazi Charoset–Apple/Walnut

DSCN2703This is my easiest Charoset and maybe this year we just have a little bit of this on the table for tradition sake.  It’s traditional in the sense that it’s an Ashkenazi (Eastern European) recipe. I add a little brown sugar instead of white sugar and it gives it just a bit more character. Remember, while a reminder of the mortar used in making bricks for Pharaoh, charoset is really just a sweet condiment of apples and wine!

Again try and have a Sweet Passover I know how difficult this year is. If you do nothing more than have a piece of Matzoh with charoset or Matzoh with butter for breakfast.

Stay Safe and Keep on Cooking at Home.

Ingredients:

3 medium Fuji apples (or any other kind you like), peeled, cored and finely diced (use processor to make your life simpler) I usually use whatever is in the house, but on Passover I go through so many apples, so buy what you like (I always like Granny Smith because they are nice and tart)

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped (buy them pre-chopped)

1/2 cup sweet red wine such as Manischewitz Extra Heavy Malaga or just Concord Grape is fine

*20 pitted dates, chopped; or 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

*for a bit of extra added flavor you can add 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger (optional)

Directions:

After chopping apples, stir all ingredients in a large bowl. Keep in refrigerator ’til ready to serve. Serve at room temperature. You can also pulse everything together in processor, just be very careful not to over-process. I often do this to save time. You don’t want it too fine, so just go gently with the processor if you go that route. I do it in the processor, and I know exactly how I like it to come out, so go easy with the chopping.  If it’s a little dry or too thick, you can always add more wine. I find this always tastes better after it sits and allows the wine  to really soak and ripen for 24 hours. Before serving, check for consistency and add a little more wine, if necessary.

Passover 2019

Passover is celebrated in commemoration of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. For eight days we do not partake of any leavening agent in our food. We read the Haggadah ( a narration of the Exodus) which is the central part of the first and second nights of Passover. Despite the dispersal of Jews throughout the world, we are united in the celebration of the 8 day festival, upholding family bond and family traditions over the traditional Seder meal. The central object of every Seder Table is the Seder Plate, arranged with the symbolic foods. There are no rules for menus for this meal , although many families like mine maintain specific traditions. My family has nostalgic customs for certain foods and everyone insists on having those beloved foods on the table. In our case it is more out of love for these particular dishes than any real religious significance. And since we only eat this way once a year I try to make as many of these special dishes as possible.

Since starting my blog I have tried to publish my most favorite recipes for the holidays . These recipes have become a tradition in my family . Along the way I have picked up some amazing new recipes that have now been incorporated into Cooking with Candi.

I have been posting these recipes since 2011 and I try and compile a list of all of these recipes every year. The list is here and if you enter that title or enter Passover into the search bar on my site the recipe should come up. If you’re having trouble you can google a recipe title or Passover along with Cooking with Candi and it should come up this way or send me an email in my comments section and I will get back to you. If you have any questions or comments I would like to hear from you as well.

These recipes have evolved over the years starting with my Great Grandmother and Grandmother. They are wonderful recipes and I hope you can make some of them part of your own family tradition and pass them down to your children and family.

Over the next couple of weeks I will be posting as many of these recipes as possible.

Remember to relax and enjoy the holidays and make some unforgettable memories for you and yours!

Happy Cooking!

Passover Recipes:

Homemade Chicken Soup with not so Homemade Matzoh Balls

Passover Popovers

Traditional Ashkenazi Charoset

Slow Cooked Brisket

Happy New Year Brisket–perfect for any holiday any time of the year

Un-Stuffed Cabbage –Probably one of my personal favorites in place of Sweet and Sour Meatballs and also frees up your oven because it is cooked on the stove-top

Grandma Regina’s Farfel–my Grandma Regina lives on in this recipe and it is always on our Seder Table–it’s a little difficult but totally delicious if you get it right

Honey Roasted Chicken

Chicken Marbella

Old School Meatballs

Apricot Honey-Mustard Chicken

Peach Farfel– a must

Bree’s Slow Cooked Skirt Steaks — this one I make in place of Brisket because everyone likes it better in my family –Obviously your family may prefer brisket and I personally love Brisket but I go with my family requests here and this is so super easy and frees up your oven.

Karyn’s Cranberry-Apple Crisp for Passover– a must have for every table you can even serve it as dessert!

Judy’s Apple Matzoh Kugel for Passover

Sweet Matzoh Pudding

Spinach Souffle for Passover–so very easy and it’s a Vegetarian but Dairy Dish

Passover Cobbler

My Favorite Macaroons–Traditional Style for Passover

Julie’s Brownies for Passover

Marcy’s Matzoh Crunch Candy–super delicious and easy and addictive–a most amazing dessert!

Meringue Cookies

Ellen’s Passover Apple Cake

Matzoh Brei

Spicy Caesar Salad Dressing

I love a good Caesar Salad and I love spicy and this dressing was a perfect combo of Caesar and Spicy. All made in the Food Processor what can be easier?

You can put it over traditional Romaine or on shaved Brussels — perfection. If you put on Brussels you can let it sit for a while longer because it will soften the brussels. If you’re putting on Romaine toss and serve.

My photos are with Shaved Brussels

 

Enjoy and follow me on instagram @cookingwithcandi

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Mayo

1 1/2 Tablespoons Anchovy Paste–instead of anchovies is sort of perfection in a tube

1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard–heaping

1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

2 lemons, zested and juiced

1 clove garlic

1/2 fresh Jalapeno Pepper

3 large egg yolks at room temperature

3/4 cup good Olive Oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Pinch Kosher Salt

Pinch Freshly Ground Black Pepper

I used 2 heads Romaine and had dressing left over. If using Shaved Brussels 2 lbs. for whole recipe. Save extra dressing in a bell jar in the fridge for a few days.

If you’d like you can make croutons or buy them and add to your salad

Directions:

In a Food Processor–pulse together the mayonnaise, anchovy paste, Dijon, Worcestershire Sauce, Cayenne Pepper, Lemon zest and juice, garlic and Jalapeno . Add the egg yolks and blend. While machine is running, slowly add the olive oil to ensure the dressing is emulsified. If you just drizzle in through the feed tube it’s perfect. Add the cheese and give it another pulse or two.

Done — dressing can be made ahead of time and will keep for at least 3 days in the refrigerator.

Blueberry Banana Bundt Cake

I had rotten bananas and I had some blueberries and I had all the other ingredients for this delicious bundt cake in the house. It took about 20 minutes to prep and another 50 minutes in the oven and it’s going into the freezer for another time and place. I cut into it to taste it and will cut it into 4 sections and freeze it for when we come back this summer to Colorado. It freezes so well and the bananas were going in the garbage so there you have it –snacking cake for another time. You can freeze this cake up to 3 months, but make sure you wrap it up carefully and mark the date you freeze it on the bag. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt (table salt)

1/2 cup butter unsalted and softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs — room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 bananas mashed– very ripe black bananas

1 cup blueberries — rinsed and dried

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I spray a Bundt Pan with Bakers Aid Spray– you can use other sprays but I prefer this one for baking

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Set it aside

Cream Butter and Sugar in an Electric Mixer. Add eggs one at a time and the vanilla. Beat until well combined

Add the flour Mixture to the bowl and Combine until just mixed. Fold in the Blueberries and Bananas with a spatula

Pour the batter into the sprayed Bundt Pan

Bake for 50 minutes. Check with a cake tester or toothpick till it comes out clean.

Enjoy!!