Holiday Spice Cake

2½ cups bleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable
2 cups dark brown sugar

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F (176°C)
2. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9-by-13-inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.
3. Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan.
4. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack. Let cool.
   
5. Frost...or, dust with confectioner's sugar.
   

Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil

For the sweet and sour sauce

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°F 163°C
Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
To make the sauce, whisk together sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce and garlic powder in a large bowl; set aside.
In a large bowl, season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in cornstarch and gently toss to combine. Working one at a time, dip the chicken into the eggs.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; discard excess oil.
Add chicken to prepared baking dish. Top with sweet and sour sauce. Place into oven and bake until the sauce has thickened, about 55 minutes, turning over every 15 minutes to evenly coat the chicken.
Serve immediately.

Welsh Rarebit

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 drops hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®) (optional)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 pound Red Leicester Cheese, shredded

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat; blend in the flour, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce; continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; gradually stir in the milk; return to heat and stir continually until the mixture comes to a boil. Melt the cheese into the mixture in small portions until completely incorporated. Remove from heat.

Serve over toast.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Place the sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, ketchup and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened.

Vanilla Tea Biscuits

2¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)

1½ cups white sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
   

This recipe makes 4 dozen Biscuits

Princess Lucy's Choccie Tea Biscuits

1¼ cups Vegetable shortening

2/3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

½ cup unsweetened Cocoa powder (no substitutes)

2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350° F (176°C)

Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla together. Add dry ingredients. Mix well.

Form into balls.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° F (176°C) for 20 minutes.

Cool completely, then dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Macaroni & Cheese

1 (16 ounce) package macaroni

1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced

1 tablespoon butter

1 (12oz) can evaporated milk

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Place a quarter of the macaroni in the bottom, followed by an even layer of one-quarter of the cheese slices. Dot with butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering three times. Pour evaporated milk evenly over the top of all.

Bake, uncovered, for one hour, or until top is golden brown.

Trot's Chicken-Vegetable Skillet Casserole

2 large baking potatoes, cut into 1/8” slices

1 lb. Chicken, cubed

1 cup Thinly sliced carrots

1 cup Thinly sliced onion

½ cup Thinly sliced celery

2 Garlic cloves, minced

2 tbls Flour

1 tsp Black pepper

1 can (16oz.) Green beans – drained

1 can (16oz.) Whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 can (6oz.) Vegetable Juice Cocktail ( V-8 )

Vegetable cooking spray

Cook potatoes in boiling water, 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Spray a large, deep skillet with cooking spray, brown chicken. Remove from skillet. Add onion, celery, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are tender. Combine flour and pepper and stir into vegetable mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken, green beans, tomato, and vegetable juice cocktail. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove skillet from heat; arrange potato slices over chicken mixture to cover completely. Spray potato slices with vegetable cooking spray. Broil for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown.

Makes about 6 servings.

NOTE: Be sure that the skillet has a broiler-proof handle.

Blaise's Quick Sausage Skillet

1. lb. fully cooked sausage
2. sweet green bell peppers
3. medium tomatoes

1. large onion, sliced

1. teaspoon paprika

salt & pepper to taste

1. Cut meat into chunks or julienne strips.

2. Cut green peppers in half. Remove seeds and slice lengthwise.

3. Remove core from tomatoes. Slice from top to bottom into ½-inch slices.

4. Heat the meat in about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large, deep skillet.

5. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes or until onions are limp.

6. Add green peppers, tomatoes, paprika, salt and pepper.

7. Toss over high heat until vegetables are tender. Lower heat to low, cover and steam for 10 to 15 minutes.

8. Serve immediately over hot fluffy rice or wide egg noodles if desired.

This is very good served with warm French bread & butter.

Toad in the Hole

4 large, fresh eggs, measured in a jug
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup plain/all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 sausages, partially fried

Heat the oven to the highest temperature possible.
Pour the eggs, milk and flour into a large, roomy, mixing bowl with the pinch of salt. Using an electric hand beater or hand whisk beat to form a thick, smooth, airy batter . Leave to stand for a minimum of 30 minutes, longer if possible - up to several hours.
10 minutes before the end of the batter resting time, place a tablespoon of oil into a roasting tin. Space the sausages evenly. Place the tray in the preheated oven and heat until the fat is slightly smoking.
Give the batter another good whisk then pour into the hot, roasting tin. Please be careful, the fat may splutter when the batter is added. The batter should cover the whole of the bottom of the tin and be approx 3/4 " deep. If you have batter leftover, don't worry, you can always make extra Yorkshire puddings, see notes below.
Return the tin to the oven to cook until golden brown approx 20-25 mins.

Serve the Toad in the Hole with gravy and fresh seasonal vegetables

Peach Bread Pudding

4. cups day old bread, cut into cubes

3. eggs

1½ cups milk

½ cup sugar

1. teaspoon vanilla

1. can (21oz.) Peach Pie filling

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C)

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan

Spread bread cubes in pan.

Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. Stir in 1 cup of the Peach Pie filling. Pour oven bread cubes. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Heat remaining peach pie filling in a saucepan and spoon over warm pudding.

Makes six servings.

NOTE: This is also good with Apple Pie Filling. All other ingredients

remain the same.

SILVER's BREAKFAST BURRITOS

1 lb. Fully-cooked chicken (shredded or cubed)

4 Eggs

2 tbls. Milk

1 tbl. Butter or margarine

6 Flour Tortillas (6”) Warmed

1 cup Shredded Cheddar cheese – divided

1 cup Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese – divided

1 jar Mild (or hot) Taco Salsa

Heat oven to 400°F ( 204° C)

In bowl, beat eggs, add meat and milk, mix well.

Melt butter in a large skillet; add egg mixture. Cook, stirring until eggs are set.

Warm the Tortillas just until they are pliable and easy to roll.

Fill each tortilla with mixture and half of the cheeses.

Roll burrito; place seam side down on 12x8” baking dish. Spoon some salsa over each burrito. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

Bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Makes six servings.

Note: You may substitute any kind of fully-cooked meat. i.e. ham,

turkey, beef, pork, sausage, etc.

Chicken-Filled Cabbage Rolls

12 large cabbage leaves

1 lb. Ground chicken

1 medium-sized onion – finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup cooked rice

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup tomato juice

2 tablespoons vinegar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup dark brown sugar

1. Wash the cabbage leaves, then steam them in a colander over boiling water for about 10 minutes – until they are pliant enough to roll.
2. Mix the chicken, onion, salt, pepper, rice, and egg.
3. Place a spoonful of the chicken mixture on the center of each of the 12 leaves. Fold sides of leaf up, over the filling; tuck sides in and fasten with a toothpick if necessary.
4. Place cabbage rolls in a greased 2-quart baking dish.
5. Mix the vinegar, oil, and tomato juice together and then pour over the cabbage rolls.
6. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
7. Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350°F (176°C).

Matt's Baked Halibut with Creole Sauce

3 lbs. Halibut

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

1 large can of diced tomatoes (do not drain).

½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C)
2. Spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray
3. Place fish in baking pan, sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, & Lemon Juice
4. Mix all the remaining ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and pour over fish.
5. Cover pan with aluminum foil...bake for 45 minutes to one hour.

Apple Buns

For Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour (add more if necessary)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) margarine
2⁄3 cup water

APPLE FILLING

4 apples, shredded
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

SYRUP

1 cup water
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons (. stick) margarine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

For dough:
Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, margarine and water in a large bowl.
Mix well. Add additional flour gradually if dough is too moist and hard to work with.
To make the filling, combine shredded apples, sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Set aside.
To assemble and bake:
Roll dough into a 11×17-inch rectangle. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the dough. Roll the dough, from the long end, jelly roll style. Slice the roll into 1-inch slices. Place the apple buns close together into two (9-inch round) glass baking dishes.
Prepare the syrup. Combine water, sugar, brown sugar, margarine and cinnamon in a small pot. Stir over low heat until all ingredients are melted.
Pour syrup over apple buns.
Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C ) Bake 1 hour. Serve warm.

Cornish Pasty

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, diced
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 pounds rump roast, cubed

1 onion, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 small carrots
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, cover carrots with water. Bring water to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool and slice. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add butter, and rub to the consistency of coarse crumbs. Mix in water. If dough is sticky, add more flour.
2. Roll dough out until about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out six circles, each about 5 inches round. Do not stretch the dough.
3. Mix meat and vegetables together, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover half of each pasty base with the filling. Moisten pastry edges, fold pastry over the filling. Press edges together with a fork. Transfer raw pasties to a baking sheet, brush tops with milk, and make a small slit in each top to allow steam out.
4. Bake at 450° F ( 230° C) for 10 minutes.
   
5. Turn oven down to 350° F (175 degrees C), and bake for 40 minutes.
   

Custard Creams

Ingredients:

For the biscuits:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 tbsps custard powder (or 8 tbsps corn starch and 1 tsp vanilla extract)
A few drops of vanilla extract
Filling:
2/3 stick (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
A few drops of vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsps custard powder (or 2 tbsps corn starch and ½ tsp vanilla extract)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. (176°C)
Cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Fold in the flour, custard powder and vanilla essence until you have a dough that you can roll out. This might involve you getting stuck in with your hands!
Flour the surface and roll out your dough to a thickness of ¼ inch. Cut the dough into whatever shapes you want ensuring that you have an even number of each shape. Custard creams are traditionally square but I used a glass to cut my dough into small circles.
Place your biscuits on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
To make the filling, cream the butter and vanilla together and gradually add the sugar and custard powder until you have something with the consistency of buttercream. When the biscuits are cool, gently sandwich them together with a heaped teaspoon of the filling.

This recipe should make about 20 biscuits.

Roasted Apple Brisket

2½ pounds beef brisket

3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium gala apples, cored and cut into wedges
1 small bunch fresh thyme or 2 teaspoon dried
2 cups apple juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. (190°C)
2. Season both sides of brisket with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add brisket and brown 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add apples to the pan, and cook 5 minutes or until nicely browned. Stir in thyme and return brisket to the pan. Add apple juice, cover, and bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until tender.
4. Remove brisket and apples from the Dutch oven and let rest.
5. Carefully set the hot pan on the stove and bring liquid to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Pour into a gravy boat or serving bowl.
6. Slice brisket into ¼-inch thick slices and place on a serving platter. Place cooked apples around brisket and serve with sauce on the side.

GEFILTE FISH

Fish Mixture:

3 pounds ground fish (2 lbs. whitefish, 1 lb. pike) (or 3 lbs of Whitefish)

4 medium onions, ground

½ cup matzo meal

4 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon pepper

5 teaspoons salt

5 teaspoons sugar

Water to Boil Fish:

3 Carrots

3 Celery sticks

1 Large onion – cut into wedges

1 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

Combine all the ingredients for the gefilte fish mixture into your mixing bowl and mix on medium speed.

Fill a dutch oven ½ of the way with water

Add all the vegetables and spices into the pot and bring to a boil.

Wet the palms of your hands and form oval shaped balls and gently drop them into the boiling water. Allow to simmer covered for 1 ½ hours.

Remove fish from water and place on a serving platter with the carrots, celery, and onion.

Serve (hot or cold) with Matzohs and Horseradish.

Kreplach

Kreplach are small squares of rolled pasta dough filled with ground beef or chicken or cheese, and folded into triangles. They can be boiled and served in soup or fried (after boiling) and served as a side dish.

They are traditionally served on Purim, at the pre Yom Kippur meal and on Hoshanah Rabbah, the seventh day of Sukkot.

DOUGH:

1 ¾ cups flour

2 eggs

½ tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Oil

In a large bowl combine dough ingredients together. Knead and roll out thin on floured board. Cut into 3-inch squares or circles.

In a small bowl mix filling ingredients well.

FILLINGS: See various filling recipes below.

Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in center of each square (or circle) of dough. Fold over. Seal with a fork.

TO BOIL:

Place in boiling salted water.

Cook approximately 20 minutes until kreplach float to top.

TO SAUTE:

Heat oil over medium flame in 10-inch skillet.

Saute boiled kreplach until golden brown on both sides.

NOTE:

Dough will roll out more easily after being wrapped in a damp cloth for

one hour.

This recipe makes about 18 Kreplach.

KREPLACH FILLINGS:

These are a few of the fillings I use when I make Kreplach.

Chicken or meat filling:

1 tbsp. oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 cup cooked chopped chicken or ground beef

1 egg, beaten

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Pinch of your favorite herbs, if desired

Saute the onion in the oil until golden brown. Once cooled down, combine with

rest of ingredients.

Cheese Filling:

1 cup dry cottage cheeese

1 egg

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. bread crumbs

Pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients together.

Potato Filling:

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ cup finely chopped onions, sauteed until golden brown

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. chicken fat or pareve margarine or oil

Add cooked onions to mashed potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add egg to potatoes followed by oil or fat and mix together.

Note: If you do not have leftover mashed potatoes and are making fresh mashed potatoes, be sure to let them cool thoroughly before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Sweet Potato Latkes

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. Place sweet potatoes in a colander. and squeeze the potatoes to release as much liquid as possible. Let the potatoes sit to release more liquid, then squeeze again.
2. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, eggs, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon; mix well.
3. Heat oil in large heavy skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Form mixture into pancake size cakes, and fry in hot oil. Flip cakes after 2 to 3 minutes (when bottom is browned) and brown other side. Drain on paper towels, and serve piping hot!

This recipe should make about 6 Latkes