Dinner At Sheila's

Baked pasta is a wonderful thing.  From lasagna to tortellini or pastitsio to mac and cheese there are countless variations that are always crowd pleasers.

The combination of hearty pasta with veggies and or some kind of meat, be it turkey sausage, ground beef or lamb just to name a few, with a cheesy sauce of some kind just oozes warmth especially on a chilly night.

I adapted the above recipe from one I saw in the March 2011 issue of Bon Appetit.  Here, from the article, are a few tips to keep in mind when preparing baked pasta dishes…

1.  Baked pastas usually need to sit for 10 to 15 minutes after baking.  This lets all the gooey ingredients (like melted cheese) set up a bit, preventing things like a piece of lasagna that oozes all over the plate.

2.  The basic French sauce bechamel (made of milk and the butter-flour mixture called roux) helps bind ingredients together.  The key to a beautiful bechamel is not browning the roux.  As soon as it begins to color, yank it from the heat.  Once you’ve mastered bechamel, you can mix in cheese and macaroni for basic mac and cheese, or layer it (and your other favorite ingredients) with lasagne noodles.

3.  If creamy baked pasta dishes stand too long, they can end up a little dry- the same can be said of leftover mac and cheese.  To revive these cheesy dishes, rewarm them and stir in some cream.

Rigatoni With Tomatoes, Zucchini and Pine Nut Crunch

(adapted from Rigatoni With Eggplant and Pine Nut Crunch, Bon Appetit, March, 2011)

8 servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes

1 large red pepper or (1 medium red and 1 medium yellow), cut into1/2-inch squares

2 cups grape tomatoes or (1 cup grape tomatoes and 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes)

3 large garlic cloves, divided

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cups (firmly packed) fresh basil leaves, divided

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided or (Parmesan Cheese)

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice

1  cup heavy whipping cream or (half cream and half milk)

1 pound rigatoni

1 pound whole-milk mozzarella cheese (or part-skim), cut into 1/2-inch cubes or shredded

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Toss zucchini and tomatoes together on baking sheet.

Using garlic press, squeeze 1 garlic clove onto vegetables.

Drizzle vegetables with oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.

Roast vegetables until tender, stirring often, 35 to 45 minutes.

Combine 2/3 cup basil, 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, pine nuts, and 1 garlic clove in mini processor.  Blend until crumbly.  Season topping with kosher salt.

Blend tomatoes with juice, cream, 1 and 1/3 cups basil, and 1 garlic clove in processor until smooth.  Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally; drain.  Return to pot.

Toss with vegetables, sauce, and 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano.

Transfer to 13x9x2-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and pine nut topping.

Bake pasta until heated through, 25 to 35 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

In looking for a vegetable soup to make to use up some veggies in the fridge I decided on this Provencal Vegetable Soup or Soup Au Pistou.

Normally considered a summer soup because of its use of summer produce such as white beans, green beans, tomatoes, summer squash and potatoes, it also makes  a great wintry soup.

The pistou (which means pounded in the Provencal language) is sauce made of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and  either Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.

This French version of pesto, (without the nuts), is mixed together in a blender, food processor, or mortar and pestle. The addition of this sauce defines the flavor of this vegetable soup.

It can be added to the soup during cooking just before serving, or offered at the table after the soup is served, or as I discovered, why not both?

While there are many recipes for this type of soup I chose to follow one from The Joy of Cooking, and adapted it to the ingredients I had.  With a vegetable soup there is certainly some wiggle room as far as the veggies go, but for this Provencal Vegetable Soup the pistou is perfect as is.

And, fortunately, with the availability of fresh basil in most of the markets and grocery stores year round we can enjoy this soup whatever the season.

Provencal Vegetable Soup (Soup Au Pistou) (adapted from Joy of Cooking)

Makes about 3 quarts

Heat in a large soup pot, over medium heat:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Add and cook, stirring, until tender but not browned, 5 to 10 minutes:

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium leek, thoroughly cleaned and chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 large rib celery, chopped

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped

Stir in:

2 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

3 small red potatoes, peeled and chopped

8 cups water, or a combination of water and chicken stock/broth

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon herbs de Provence

(pinch of saffron threads)

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.  Stir in:

one 15 and 1/2-to19-ounce can cannellini , Great Northern, or other white beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 to 2 cups cooked beans

( I used less cause I only had 1/2 cup of beans left in the fridge, so I used more potatoes)

1 cup broken thin spaghetti or macaroni

1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced

1/2 cup 1-inch pieces green beans (fresh or frozen)

Simmer just until the pasta is tender.  Meanwhile, prepare the pistou.

Pistou (This is delicious with fish and a great addition to soups and stews)

makes 3/4 cup

Combine in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth:

2 cups fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

Remove to a bowl and stir in:

1/3 cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano (you can also use Parmesan)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper ( Note:  If making this to add to the soup, omit this pepper)

Stir all or some of the pistou into the soup, along with:

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Serve the reserved pistou at the table.

The pistou will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days.  Serve at room temperature.

Waking up to an inch of snow last weekend I immediately decided it was time to make my first pot roast of the winter. I’ve always been partial to cooking hearty soups, stews, and  one pot meals that braise away for hours in the oven.

I can linger in the kitchen taking my time as the house fills with increasingly wonderful aromas of the meal to come.

I didn’t follow any particular recipe this time.  If you have a 4 pound piece of chuck, some onions, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, thyme and parsley, and hours to just hang out then you have the makings of a satisfying savory pot roast dinner.

Sheila’s Pot Roast Dinner

4 pound chuck roast

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and cut in large wedges

2-3 pounds small boiling onions, peeled

4 large garlic cloves, smashed

5-6 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces

2 -14 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice

2 cups beef broth

2 -3 sprigs fresh thyme, left whole

2-3 sprigs Italian parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons flour blended with 1 tablespoon softened butter

Place a large Dutch oven on medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter til hot.

Add the yellow onions, carrots, and boiling onions and cook til beginning to brown.

Set the carrots and onions aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Dry the chuck roast very well.  Generously season all over with Kosher salt and pepper.

Add another tablespoon of oil and raise the heat to medium-high.

Sear the meat in the hot oil, turning to  brown on all sides.  It might take 5 minutes per side.

Add the tomatoes with juice, beef broth, thyme sprigs, and smashed garlic to the pot.

Cover and place in oven, and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, carefully turn the meat over, and baste with juices. Cover again. Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees, and cook for another hour.

Add the carrots and onions and cook for 1 and 1/2 more hours, basting occasionally.

When the meat is very tender, remove pot from the oven.  Transfer the  meat, carrots and onions to a platter. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.

With an immersion blender, or in a regular blender puree the sauce with the remaining  bits of vegetables til smooth.

Return the sauce to the Dutch oven.  Place the Dutch oven on the stove top and heat on medium. 

In a small bowl blend the butter and flour together to make a paste.

Add this paste in  small amounts to the boiling sauce, whisking  until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.

Return the meat, carrots and onions to the sauce, and sprinkle with the  chopped parsley.  Check for seasoning.  Add salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles, boiled potatoes, or just some hunks of good bread.

I haven’t made cinnamon buns in a very long time.    

When I was first married I will admit to thinking Pillsbury’s Poppin’ Fresh Cinnamon Rolls  in that little tube sold from the freezer case at the grocery store were pretty darn good.

After some years had gone by, and my baking skills advanced to a point at which I had become comfortable with trying what would be considered challenging to some, I tackled cinnamon rolls from scratch.

I have made various recipes for these rolls over the years, and some came out better than others.  But, as I’ve said before it’s that whole practice makes perfect thing that tames the fear of the unknown. And this is especially true when delving into the mysterious world of working with a yeast dough.

In the act of doing, we can learn so much… until eventually for example, we know why the dough didn’t rise or the rolls came out tough…so I guess what I’m trying to say is in baking, as in life, if you persevere through what you may view as a failure eventually your success will be that much sweeter!

When looking for a recipe for cinnamon buns for an upcoming brunch I settled on this one from Maida Heatter’s Book of Great American Desserts.

As I read through the recipe which took up 3 good sized pages in the book I was intrigued by what she had to say about these cinnamon buns…

“These are the largest, lightest, old-fashioned, country-style, sweet yeast rolls.  Yeast loves potatoes.  When yeast dough is made with potatoes, as this is, it becomes especially alive and fat and happy.”

I  wholeheartedly agree with her assessment.  These cinnamon buns were “fat and happy” to say the least, and since the recipe makes 12 very large buns I had to force myself to freeze the ones remaining for another time to keep us from becoming “fat and unhappy”.

Here’s the recipe… (Don’t let the length of this recipe scare you…they’re well worth the time).

Cinnamon Buns (from Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Desserts)

(makes 12 very large buns)

1 cup mashed potatoes (see Notes)

1 cup milk

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut up

1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees-see Notes)

1 envelop active dry yeast

1 egg graded “large” or “extra-large”

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

About 4 and1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour or bread flour

Additional flour

Generously butter a 4- to 6-quart bowl for the dough to rise in;  set it aside. 

Place the mashed potatoes (which may be warm or cool) in a saucepan and, stirring constantly, add the milk very gradually.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the sugar (reserve the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar), and the salt and butter.  Place over low heat and stir occasionally until the mixture is warm (105 to 115 degrees).  It is not necessary for the butter to have melted completely.

Meanwhile, in a 1-cup glass measuring cup, stir the warm water with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, sprinkle on the yeast, stir briefly with a knife, and set aside for about 10 minutes until the mixture rises to about the 3/4 cup line.

In a small bowl beat the egg to mix and add the vanilla.

When the potato and milk mixture is warm enough, transfer it to the large bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat in the yeast mixture and the egg.  On low speed gradually add about 3 cups of the flour.  Beat on low speed for a minute or two.  Remove the bowl from the mixture.  the dough will be wet and sticky now.  with a heavy wooden spatula gradually stir in the remaining 1 and 1/4 cups of flour.

Flour a large work surface.  Turn the dough out onto the floured surface.  The dough will probably be too sticky to knead.  If it is, add a bit of additional flour and, with a dough scraper or a wide metal spatula, turn the dough over and over with the additional flour -adding still a bit more if necessary- until you can handle the dough. 

Then knead it for 5 minutes, again adding additional flour if necessary.  (You might have to add a total of 1/2 to 3/4 cup additional flour.  But potato dough has a tendency to remain a bit sticky even when it has enough flour so do not use more than you must.)  After about 5 minutes of active kneading the dough should be smooth and alive.

Place the dough in the buttered bowl, turn it around in the bowl to butter all sides, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours, ( see additional notes on Rising) until the dough is at least double in volume.

Then make a fist, punch down the middle of the dough, and fold in and press down the sides of the dough to deflate it all. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, cover it loosely with plastic wrap, and let stand for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, butter a -15 and 1/2 by -10 and 1/2 by- 1-inch jelly roll pan.

With a along, heavy floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into about an 18-inch square.  The dough will be rubbery and will resist you.  Just let it stand occasionally for a few minutes and then roll it again.  After a few tries it will do what you want.

FILLING

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 ounce (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

5 ounces (1 cup) dark raisins, steamed (see Notes)

In a small bowl mix the sugar with the cinnamon and nutmeg.  With a wide pastry brush, or with the palm of your hand, spread the butter all over the surface of the rolled-out dough.  With a large spoon, sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar on the dough, then sprinkle on the raisins.

With your hands roll the dough up like a jelly roll.  The roll of dough should be the same thickness all over; shape it as necessary.

Place the pieces cut side down (and up) in the prepared pan, making 3 rows with 4 buns in each row.

Cover loosely with a lightweight towel and set to rise again for about 1 hour.  During rising the buns will grow into each other.

(If the dough is rising in the oven, remove it about 20 minutes before the baking time and let stand, covered, at room temperature in a draft-free spot.)

Adjust a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bake the buns for about 20 minutes, reversing the pan front to back once after about 12 minutes of baking, until the buns are nicely but lightly browned.  (Do not overbake or the buns will dry out.)

Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare the glaze.

GLAZE

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 to 1 cup confectioners sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

A few drops almond extract

About 2 tablespoons light cream

In the small bowl of an electric mixer beat all of the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.  It should be thick, barely thin enough to pour-adjust the cream and/or sugar as necessary.

Drip the glaze in a rather narrow stream every which way all over the warm buns.

Let stand until completely cool.  (I think they are even better a few hours later.)

Just before serving, cut the rolls apart with a small, sharp knife and with a wide metal spatula remove them from the pan.

NOTES:  1.  The mashed potatoes can be made with instant dry mashed potatoes or fresh potatoes.  It takes about 3/4 pound fresh potatoes to make 1 cup mashed potatoes.  Peel, cut into chucks, place in a small saucepan with water, boil, partially covered, until tender, drain, and then mash the potatoes.  If you are using fresh potatoes save the water they boiled in and use some of it for dissolving the yeast
(first heat it as necessary);  since yeast loves potatoes so much, this will make it extra happy.

              2. To steam the raisins, place them in a vegetable steamer or a strainer over shallow water in a saucepan. Cover, place over moderate heat, and let the water boil for about 5 minutes until the raisins are soft and moist.  Then uncover and set the raisins aside until you are ready for them.

Most of all, when they are cool try one before serving to others to be sure they are perfect!

 

I’ve recently joined an online food community called FOOD52 and have been having so much fun exploring it.  Its mission is to support, connect and celebrate home cooks.  If you are not familiar with it you can check it out at www.food52.com.

This recipe for Shrimp Biryani (Indian Shrimp and Rice) is one I discovered while searching for shrimp recipes on FOOD52. 

I have had very little experience with Indian cooking since my husband has never really been a fan.  In all honesty we’ve never really eaten much Indian cuisine.

In looking at this recipe I decided this might just be the time to change that.   And I’m pretty sure I was successful because there was not much left over, considering I made enough to serve 6 and there were 2 of us.

I definitely see more Indian cooking in my future.

I followed the recipe with a few exceptions due to the fact that I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand.  I substituted some dried cardamom seeds for the green pods, and didn’t have any mint.  I also used brown basmati rice instead of white.

It was fantastic, even with the substitutions.  The spices are so fragrant, and the combination of them makes for a really delightful dish, and surprisingly fast once you have your ingredients in  order.  Next time I will have those green cardamom pods and the fresh mint!

Shrimp Biryani (Indian Shrimp and Rice) (by amreen from FOOD52)

Serves 6

2 cups basmati rice(I used brown basmati)

1 pound shrimp, shelled and de-veined

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric

1/4 bunch cilantro

2 serrano chilis (I used 1)

1 -1 inch piece of ginger

4 large cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons oil (I used canola)

1 large yellow onion

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick, 1 and 1/2 inches

1/4 stick of butter

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

10-12 whole green cardamom pods

2 bay leaves

3 cups water

2 sprigs mint

salt to taste

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Wash the rice and soak it in cold water until needed.

2.  Wash the shrimp and drain it well.  Add the salt and tumeric and mix.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

3.  Peel the ginger and garlic and use a food processor to blend it to a paste with the cilantro and chilis.  You can use a little water if it is too dry.

4.  Chop the onion and mint and leave to the side until needed.

5.  Heat the oil on medium in an oven safe dish.  Add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and 1 bay leaf.  Saute until fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes.

6.  Add the chopped onion and saute until light brown, stirring constantly.

7.  Add 1/2 of the paste and saute for another minute or two.

8.  Add water and salt (1-2 teaspoons depending on taste) and bring this to a boil.

9.  Drain the rice

and add it to the boiling water and add the butter and mint.  Bring this to a boil, cover and place it in the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes.

10.  When the rice has been in the oven for 10 minutes heat some oil in a saute pan and add the remainder of the paste (or less if you are afraid it’s too spicy) along with the other bay leaf.  Saute this for a minute or two and add the shrimp.  Saute the shrimp until done (they should be light pink) about 5 minutes.

11.  Remove the rice from the oven.  Top it with the shrimp and serve.

Belated Happy New Year to all!   I’ve taken a bit of a break from blogging (always feel guilty when I haven’t posted for a week), but don’t assume that means I’ve taken a break from cooking.
This week we had our first dusting of snow.  The temperature suddenly dropped yesterday, and when  I glanced out the sliding glass doors in my family room I was shocked to see a continuous gust of wind carrying with it a flurry of small snowflakes.

Within 10 minutes the snow had stopped, but the cold temps have remained.  A good day to make a pot of soup, and at the same time use up some things that have been lying around the kitchen for awhile.

So I came up with this Yellow Split Pea Soup With Winter Squash.  I had a bag of yellow split peas in the pantry that had been there for some time.  (I’ve also been on a mission to use up some of the items in my overflowing pantry).

The day before I had roasted a butternut squash and 2 small carnival squash that had been sitting around being decorative since Thanksgiving.  (It’s amazing how long winter squash will keep if in a cool place)!

With the addition of packaged organic chicken stock from the pantry and some onions, carrots, celery and herbs I had the makings for this warming, thick and fiber packed soup with just the right amount of sweetness and texture.

Also, if you substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock this would be a great vegetarian soup as well.

Perfect as is, but just begging for a hunk of good bread for dunking…

Yellow Split Pea Soup With Winter Squash

1 package dried yellow split peas, rinsed and any pebbles removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 and 1/2-2 medium onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2-3 celery stalks, diced

1 package organic chicken stock (32 ounces)

2- 3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 bay leaf

fresh parsley sprigs (or a few pinches of dried parsley if you don’t have fresh)

butternut and carnival squash (or any winter squash of your choice)… which has been cubed, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted with a couple sliced shallots…(a good way to use up left-over roasted squash…add it to a soup)

In a large pot, cook the chopped onions and garlic in the olive oil until translucent and golden, but not browned.

Add the chicken stock and water to the pot along with the rinsed yellow split peas. 

Stir well.  Add the carrots and celery, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and kosher salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and cook for about 2 hours.  If the soup is too thick you can add more stock or water.  Remove the bay leaf.

At this point you can add the roasted squash and continue to heat, checking for seasoning.

If you prefer, you can puree the soup, removing the carrots and celery (or not, it’s up to you) with an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor or blender. 

Then you can put the soup back into the pot and add your cubes of roasted squash.

If you want the entire soup pureed you can puree the squash along with the other veggies.  I prefer a pureed soup, but like the added texture of the veggies left whole.

Either way, heat before serving  and taste for seasoning.

In my experience molasses is one of those flavors that people either really love or really hate, but there’s no middle ground.  I happen to be one of those who really love it. And especially when it reinvents itself as it does in these Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies.

The crunch and chewiness of this cookie is the perfect vehicle for the molasses.  The more you chew, the more the molasses reveals itself.  The crunchy sugar along with the cinnamon and nutmeg give it just the right amount of sugar and spice. *Note: The only change I made in this recipe is that I used sanding sugar to roll the cookies in.  It really makes them glisten and gives that added crunch.

I was looking for a molasses cookie to make when I came upon this recipe from Martha Stewart.  If you like molasses this cookie is a keeper.  And if you’re not a fan of molasses,who knows…this cookie might convert you!

Chewy-Molasses-Spice Cookies  (Martha Stewart.com)

Ingredients (makes 36, less if you like them larger)

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups sugar *(or 1 cup sugar for batter, and 1/2 cup sanding sugar for rolling)

3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside, *or measure 1/2 cup of sanding sugar and set aside.

2.  With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. 

Beat in egg and then molasses until combined.

Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.

3.  Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon.  Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat. (or use sanding sugar to coat).

4.  Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10  to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly).  Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.

When I was growing up throughout my junior high and high school years the week after Christmas I would go over to my best friend’s house to see her beautifully decorated tree, and get a first hand look at her many Christmas gifts.

I will admit now that as a Jewish girl who looked forward to lighting a menorah, eating latkes, getting a new pair of pj’s and some chocolate “gelt” (awful tasting chocolate wrapped in gold foil to look like coins) for Hanukkah, I found our festivities more than paled by comparison.

At some point during my visit my girlfriend’s mother would enter the living room from the kitchen carrying a plate of freshly baked cookies…these were Mrs. Snyder’s Sand Tarts, and so delicious!

Whatever feelings of envy I was battling inside, one crispy cinnamon sugary sand tart after another after another and yet another always seemed to make me feel much better.

My girlfriend and I have remained in touch over the years, even if only by annual holiday cards updating each other on our family’s news.  We both moved away from the town we grew up in, married our high school sweethearts (in fact, out husbands played on the same recreational basketball team in high school), and raised families. 

Recently we connected through facebook and last January my friend sent me her mom’s recipe for those treasured Sand Tarts.

I made them this morning, and it’s true what they say…foods from your past can transport you back with just one bite.

I don’t know that these are as good as Mrs. Snyder’s, but I do know this is a Christmas tradition that even a Jewish girl like me can look forward to each year.

Mrs. Snyder’s Sand Tarts

1 and 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

1 cup sugar

1 egg, well-beaten

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

egg white

sugar

cinnamon

nuts

Sift flour; measure, add baking powder and salt; sift again

Cream butter, add sugar gradually and beat until light.

Add egg and orange rind.

Combine dry ingredients and creamed mixture. Chill.

Roll thin on lightly floured board and cut in fancy shapes.

Place on greased baking sheet.  Brush with egg white diluted with water.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar or colored sugars.  Add nut pieces for eyes if you like, etc.

Bake in moderate oven (325 degrees) for 8-10 minutes.

When cooking during the winter months, the natural order of things is to decide on a dish and shop for whatever ingredients you might need to make it.  Common sense, right?

Whereas in late spring and summer when the farmer’s markets are in full force I like to buy what looks particularly great and then decide what I can create with my bounty.

But occasionally my impulsive nature wins out at this time of year when I’m in a store and suddenly come across something spectacular like the gorgeous Meyer lemons I spotted at Costco  a couple weeks ago.

Now if you know Costco you know nothing comes in small amounts.

Drawn to a box of 16 fragrant, bright, unblemished Meyer lemons that I had no idea what I was going to do with, I watched almost as an out of body experience while I  placed them in my cart.

Once home, I filled a bowl with them and just placed them on my counter to enjoy.

My kitchen is normally bedecked with bowls of fruit simply because I love the way it looks …art you can eat!

I may be impulsive, but I’m definitely not wasteful, so after several days I began thinking of what I might make with such a large quantity of Meyer lemons, and then it came to me…why not make Meyer Lemon Curd to give as gifts during the holidays?

If you are not familiar with the Meyer lemon it is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange.  The flavor blends the tartness of a traditional lemon with the sweetness of an orange, making it a great choice for lemon desserts of all kinds.

The fruit is rounder than a true lemon, the skin is fragrant and thin, and the color is  a deep yellow with a slight orange tint when ripe.

I found a recipe online for Meyer Lemon Curd that came from the December, 1999 issue of Gourmet Magazine.

Lemon curd can be used as a filling for cakes, pies or tarts, or as a delicious spread on toast, scones or muffins. 

It makes a great little gift to take to someone’s home during the holidays, which is what I plan to do with a few of the jars.  And with the rest, maybe a lemon meringue tart…it’s my husband’s favorite!  Here’s the recipe…

Meyer Lemon Curd (Gourmet, December 1999)

(makes about 1 and 2/3 cups)      (recipe can be doubled or tripled easily)

3 to 4 Meyer lemons (about1 pound)

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Finely grate enough zest from lemons to measure 2 teaspoons and squeeze enough juice to measure 1/2 cup.

Whisk together zest, juice, sugar, and eggs in a metal bowl and add butter.  Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, whisking until thickened and smooth and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees, about 5  minutes.

Force the curd through a fine sieve set into another bowl.  Serve warm or cover surface of curd with wax paper and cool completely.

*Lemon curd keeps,  covered and chilled, 1 week.  Can freeze up to 2 months.

*If substituting regular lemons, increase sugar to 3/4 cup.

Hanukkah begins this evening and that can only mean one thing.

  Tonight, as well as sometime during the next 7 nights many of us will be frying latkes for the festival of Hanukkah .

Traditionally latkes are served with a dollop of applesauce or sour cream on them. 

In our family we have always preferred applesauce…and not just any applesauce will do…I always make my own, and for the last 20 plus years I’ve been making this recipe.

I’ve used a number of varieties of apples through the years, but my preference has been Staymen (if you can find them),  Braeburn, Cortland, and Jonagold.  This year I combined Rome with the Jonagold.

I like to cook the apples with the skin on because it turns the sauce into a lovely shade of pink.  If you don’t have a food mill I suggest you put it on your gift list. It is an indispensable tool for making applesauce, tomato sauce, and more.

Beside the usual cinnamon the apples are cooked in apple juice or cider with lemon peel and a touch of nutmeg giving it a really delicious sweet yet tart taste.

So whether you top your latkes with it or simply eat it by itself you can’t go wrong with this version of homemade Applesauce.  Happy Hanukkah!

Applesauce

(The Jewish-American Kitchen, Raymond Sokolov, recipe by Susan R. Friedland)

4 pounds tart apples (McIntosh, Cortland, Northern Spy, and others mentioned above)

1/2 cup apple juice, apple cider, or water

Peel of 1 lemon, removed in large strips with a vegetable peeler

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Nutmeg to taste

Lemon Juice

Quarter and core the apples; don’t peel them.  (If the apples are very large, I cut the quarters in half).  (I use a melon baller to core the quarters).

Place the apples in a heavy saucepan.  Add the apple juice (or cider or water) and the lemon peel.  (I made a larger quantity so I needed 2 pans)

Cover the pan and cook over very low heat, stirring from time to time, for about 30 minutes, or until the apples are tender.

Put the apples in a food mill set over a large bowl.  Puree the apples, discarding the skins and lemon peel.

Return the puree to the saucepan and add sugar, cinnamon, and a few grindings of nutmeg, as you think necessary.  The applesauce might be delicious as it is.  ( I prefer adding nutmeg).

Cook the applesauce very slowly, uncovered, until it is thick.  Taste again for seasoning, adding more sugar and a sprinkling of lemon juice, if necessary.  Makes 4 cups.