Breakfast Smoothie
1/2 cup skim or 2% milk
4 tbsp. mashed, ripe bananas
1/2 small (individual size) container of yogurt- fruit or plain
1/4 cup cut up fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.
2 tbsp. chocolate Ovaltine, or Nestle Quick
Optional: 1/2 tsp. instant coffee and 1 tbsp. peanut butter.
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. (or use a hand blender.).
Pour into a tall glass and enjoy! Serves 1 (in a big glass).
White Chocolate Cranberry Bark
8 oz. white chocolate chips or baking chunks
1/2 to 3/4 cup of dried cranberries
Optional: 1/4 cup roasted pistachio nuts, no shells.
Melt chocolate on defrost in the microwave, for about 3-5 minutes. Check often and do not let burn. Stir to complete the melting process. OR, melt chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat on stove.
Once melted, stir in cranberries and nuts. Stir to coat.
Pour onto wax paper-lined baking sheet. Let cool at room temperature, or place in fridge once mixture has cooled slightly.
Once hardened, break into chunks. Makes approx. 1 lb. of bark.
Cranberry and Pistachio Orange Couscous
1 cup instant couscous
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup dried cranberries (or cherries)
1/4 cup roasted, shelled pistachios
3 green onions, chopped
Place water and orange juice in a small pot. Add a drop of oil or a bit of butter or margarine. Bring to a boil.
Once boiled, stir in couscous, onions, cranberries and nuts.
Remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes.
Fluff with fork and serve.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups pecan halves
Unbaked 9" pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)
Combine and beat together (in mixer) first 5 ingredients.
Add next 4 ingredients and mix well.
Pour into pastry shell. Turn some of the nuts rounded side up.
Bake in preheated 300 F oven for 60 minutes, or until just set (it may not look really solid). Cool (it will solidify). Top with whipped cream, if desired. You may wish to serve thin slices, as this is extremely rich!! Enjoy!
Munch Bars
1/4 cup butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup rolled oats
1 cut unsweetened coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups Rice Crispies
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add marshmallows and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until marshmallows are melted and mixture is well blended.
Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients until thoroughly coated with marshmallow mixture.
Press into greased 3.5 L (9 x 13") pan. Chill and cut into bars. Store covered, in fridge. Yield: 48
Mom's Baked Gefilte Fish Loaf
2 lbs. chopped fish (a mix of whitefish, pike, salmon, etc.)
3 eggs
3/4 cup cold water
2-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar (or more if you want a sweeter fish)
3/4 tsp. pepper (or max: 1-1/4 tsp. if you want a more
peppery fish)
3 Tbsp. matzah meal
2 large carrots
1 sweet spanish onion (med/large)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare two 12 x 4 loaf pans by
spraying/oiling pans, then lining with foil, then
spraying/oiling the foil. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SPRAY
BOTH PARTS.
Finely grate carrots and onions.
Heat oil in large fying pan over medium heat. Add vegetables
and sautee until glazed and slightly soft. Set aside to
cool.
Meanwhile, put fish in large bowl of mixer. Add eggs, water,
salt, sugar, pepper and matzah meal. Mix on medium speed 3
-4 minutes until well combined.
Add cooked carrots and onion. Mix an additional 1 -2
minutes until vegees are well-combined with fish.
Divide fish between the two loaf pans. Even out the loaves,
and sprinkle with paprika if desired (my mom makes several
sweet batches on which she doesn't put paprika, and several
peppery batches on which she does).
Bake at 350 for 1-1/4 hours. Put a pan of water on the
bottom of the oven to add moisture to the oven. Fish is done
when the loaves are firm to the touch.
To serve, pull fish in foil out of pan and peel away foil.
Slice into 1/2inch - 1 inch slices and serve with garnish of
choice (lettuce, parsley, etc.)
Sea Bass with Vegetable Sauce
1 piece fresh Sea Bass, about 4-5 oz.
1/2 plum tomato, diced
3 baby new potatoes (red/white or both), diced (small)
1 small carrot, diced
1 large button mushroom, diced
1/4 sweet red pepper, diced
1 tbsp. medium salsa, divided
a few leaves each of: oregano, parsley, coriander and lemon
balm (or a mixture of your favourite herbs) -- chopped.
1 clove garlic, minced
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Spray a piece of foil, on the shiny side, with non-stick
cooking spray.
Place fish in the middle. Spread top and sides with half of
the salsa.
In a bowl, mix all the diced vegetables, salsa and
herbs/spices.
Spread the whole mixture over and around the fish.
Form a tent with the foil, sealing in the fish and
vegetables.
Place foil packet on a baking tray, and place in centre of
oven.
Cook for about 20 minutes, or until fish is cooked to your
liking.
Note: The tomatoes and mushrooms release so much liquid that they cook the potatoes and fish by steaming. Serve with crusty bread or rice to sop up the sauce! A nice, light, fruity Italian red wine is lovely with this! Makes 1 serving, but can be easily doubled, etc.
Cous Cous and Vegetable Salad
2 cups cooked couscous
4 green onions, chopped
2 medium-sized tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1/2 large English (seedless) cucumber, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 19 oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained, but reserve juice
1/3 cup sliced/chopped black olives
1 cup fresh parsley, washed and chopped
a few stems of fresh coriander/cilantro (if you like the taste), chopped
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the following dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice PLUS reserved mandarin orange liquid
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Whisk all together in a small bowl. Pour over couscous and vegetables; toss to coat.
This tastes best if chilled before serving. Serves approximately 8-10.
Skillet-Roasted Citrus Chicken with Potatoes
This is from the Jewish Food archives - and it's ALWAYS a big hit!!!
3 tsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 large lemon, sliced
1/2 large orange, sliced
1/2 tsp. grated lemon OR orange rind (or mix both)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon OR orange juice (or mix both)
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. pepper, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 skinned chicken thighs (3 ounces each)
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary, OR 1/4 tsp. dried
10 cherry or 16 grape tomatoes
10 kalamata olives
8 small red potatoes, quartered (about 1 lb.)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Rosemary sprigs for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Coat a 10-inch cast iron skillet or an enamel roasting pan with 1 tsp. oil. Arrange lemon
and orange slices in a single layer along the bottom of pan.
Combine 1 tsp. olive oil, rind, juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, and 4 minced garlic cloves in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Arrange chicken in a single layer on top of citrus slices.
Combine 1 tsp. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, chopped rosemary, cherry tomatoes, olives, potatoes, and 2 minced garlic cloves in a bowl, and toss to coat.
Arrange the potato mixture over the chicken. Top with rosemary sprig, if desired.
Bake at 450 for 1 hour or until juices of chicken run clear. Serves 4 (serving size is 2 chicken thighs and about 1 cup potato mixture. This recipe easily doubles. Enjoy!
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