Rosh Hashanah is coming

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the most important of all Jewish Holidays and the only holidays that are purely religious, as they are not related to any historical or natural event.

The Shofar, a well known symbol of Rosh Hashanah, is one of the earliest instruments used in Jewish music. Usually made from a rams horn, a shofar can also be made from the horns of other animals, including those of a goat or sheep. It is the one musical instrument that has not changed in over 5,000 years.

Honey Cake recipe:

3 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour

1/4 tspn salt

1 1/2 tspn baking powder

1 tspn baking soda

2 tspn ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tspn ground allspice

4 eggs

3/4 cup white sugar

4 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cups honey

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups honey

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1/2 tspn lemon zest

2 ounces slivered almonds for topping


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, gradually adding the sugar. Beat until thick and light in color, about 5 minutes. Beat in the oil, honey and coffee. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture. Chop the almonds coarsely and mix with raisins. Stir into batter.

3. Oil the two pans and line the bottom with waxed paper. Oil again. Fill each pan with batter to within 1 - 1 1/4 inches from the top. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes until cake tests done. Do not overbake. Let cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.

4. To Make Glaze: Boil together 1 1/2 cups honey, lemon juice, lemon zest and water. When glaze reaches a thick consistency, remove from heat and drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with almond slivers.

More Rosh Hashanah recipe can be found here-
http://www.chefkosher.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=627&Itemid=80
and here-
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/rosh-hashana

Great Brocolli & Cheese Quiche

I've tried this recipe from www.chefkosher.com and it was great.
5 stars, worth trying!

Potato latkes. Not only for Hannukah!

This week's Kosher recipe: POTATO LATKES & ONION

* 6 potatoes

* 1 onion

* 4 eggs

* 3 tbsps.

* matza meal

* salt and pepper to taste

* 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Grate by hand potatoes and onion.

Add eggs and then dry ingredients.

Fry in hot oil.

Replace two of the potatoes with zucchini for lighter pancakes.

Gondi - delicious Persian dumplings

Gondi (גונדי) is eaten by most Iranian Jewish families during their Shabbat dinners. Prepared as dumplings that are cooked and served in chicken soup, Gondi is the traditional side dish or appetizer Iranian Jews enjoy. It is eaten along with a Middle Eastern bread as well as raw green vegetables including mint, watercress, and basil. Gondi is typically served in a hot bowl of chicken soup with some families also adding in potatoes and a turkey leg. Many confuse gondi for matzah balls because of a similar appearance

Ingredients
1 cup rice (the sticky type of rice)
1 cup chopped dill
1 tb dry teragon
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
2 onions
6 dry lemons (can be found in middle east food shops)
2 lb. ground turkey (or beef or any mix)
Directions1. Chop the onions and fry.2. Mix all ingredients (except the dry lemon) in a bowl.3. In a large pot prepare a clear soup (or any kind of soup you like).4. While the soup is boiling make bowls. It should be at about the size of a tennis ball. Drop the balls carefully into the soup.5. Cook for about half an hour, then break the dry lemons and mix with the soup and cook for another half an hour.

recipe by www.chefkosher.com

strawberry cake

When it comes to strawberry cake, there are a shocking lack of recipes that are truly made from scratch....
We'll present you this simple version:

Ingredients:
1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3-ounce) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin
1 (15-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
Strawberry cream cheese frosting, recipe follows
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract7 cups confectioners’ sugarFreshly sliced strawberries, for garnish, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
For the frosting:In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree and the vanilla extract. (The rest of the puree is leftover but can be used in smoothies or on ice cream for a delicious treat.) Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.
Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, if desired.
Cook Time 20 min
8 servings

Shvuot Recipes

Jewish holiday Shavuot traditions include eating dairy products suchascheesecakes and cream puffs which are grounded in honor ofMosesreceiving the Torah on Mt. Sinai.Here you can find nice Shavuot recipes, at http://www.chefkosher.com/

About Shavuot at youtube

• Pictures tagged with Shavuot at Flickr

Shavuot Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:
Crust-
0.25 cup pecans (finely chopped)
0.25 almonds (finely chopped)
0.25 cup walnuts (finely chopped)
¾ cup vanilla wafers (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons melted butter
Filling-
1.5 lbs cream cheese
1 1/3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
16 ounces sour cream
0.25 cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 can blueberry pie filling

Directions

1. Pre- heat the oven to 325 deg. Mix all crust ingredients together, press into the bottom and 1 ½” up the sides of a 9” spring form pan. Then set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl- beat cream cheese til it’s fluffy and light. Add sugar (a little at a time) and beat til creamy. Add 1 egg at a time (beating after each one). Add flour, vanilla extract and the lemon juice. Mix well. Add sour cream and beat til smooth.
3. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Place into the oven on the middle rack and back at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. When time is up prop open the oven door and let cheesecake sit in the oven for one hour. Remove and allow cheesecake to cool and refrigerate overnight. Top with blueberry pie filling.
(makes 8 servings)