I love the kitchen. Always have. It’s always been my favorite room in the house. When I was a little girl, my favorite chair was in the kitchen, the step stool with the cream-colored vinyl seat and back rest. You could pull the bottom part up and out to give you another step. Gave a nice bird’s eye-view of things. When I first moved out on my own, what was one of the first things I bought? That very same type of kitchen step stool (that I found at K-Mart). It survived a few moves but got severely injured in the last move a year ago when it was exposed to all kinds of contractor dangers. It’s still in the garage. Just can’t get rid of it. And the original still sits in my mom’s kitchen.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking alone. Very contemplative for me. But I also love the camaraderie of a partner in the kitchen. My hands can’t chop the way they used to – I probably wouldn’t qualify for a kitchen-knife-wielding license if there was such a thing. No matter…. a spouse, a family member, a friend usually shows up at just the right moment (with a bit of advance planning on my part). My good friend Glenda is most often the one who I can count on to help me around the cutting board. I am so grateful for that. It helps the culinary visions dancing around in my head become a reality.
In this case, a bunch of yams needed dicing.
Apples, too.
Add some cinnamon and brown sugar – a little maple syrup already in with the yams.
Even if your hands are perfectly fine, let a friend or neighbor in your life come on over and lend a hand. They may even end up staying for dinner. It’s a good way to bring the people in your life closer to you. In the end, the connection we make with those around us is one of life’s treasures. I’m so grateful for those connections – they enrich my life every day.
Happy Day of Thanks to All!
EASY BAKED YAMS AND APPLES
Ingredients:
4 medium yams, peeled and roughly diced 1 medium tart apple (Granny Smith), peeled, cored and roughly diced 1 small sweet apple (Fuji), peeled, cored and roughly diced 2 T. safflower, canola or grape seed oil 1/2 t. sea salt 1 T. maple syrup 2 T. brown sugar (I used dark brown, but light brown will work too) 1/2 t. cinnamonDirections:
Grease a shallow baking dish. Toss apples and yams together with 1 T. of the oil, maple syrup and salt in baking dish.
Mix cinnamon, sugar and a pinch of sea salt in small bowl. Sprinkle over yams and apples. Drizzle remaining oil over the top.
Bake at 375° for one hour. Loosely cover with foil for the first half-hour, then continue baking uncovered. Pierce yams with fork to check for tenderness.
Serves 6. Recipe can be made in advance and can easily be doubled.
I hate recipes around this time of year (is that too strong a phrase for this kinder-gentler holiday? OK, then, let’s say it frustrates me) that call for 2 cups of fresh cranberries. And what are we supposed to do with the 2/3 of a cup, or so, that we have left? There’s no room in my fridge right now. It’ll get relegated to a corner in the back of a shelf where I have leftover cookie crumbs from several batches ago that I kept to sprinkle over ice cream. Did I just say that? I was thinking out loud.
I like to utilize the food I have. But I don’t know if I’ll mess up the ratio in the cranberry blankety-blank that I’m making if I throw in all the cranberries. So I really pick through them, thinking, “Oh, no, this one won’t do -it’s got a little wrinkle, and this one isn’t good, it’s got a bump… and this one’s got a spot.” Until I’m down to the 2 cups specified in the recipe. What if we treated humans this way? Not Good. I’d get thrown in the discard bag, along with a lot of other perfectly fine people I know. Maybe I should divest myself of this cranberry picking behavior. Unless they’re dirty rotten cranberries, keep em’! It’s truly a sound moral choice.
This recipe, I’m relieved to report, calls for a full bag of fresh cranberries.
There’s a lot more happening, too. The zest and juice of both a lemon and an orange, A chopped-up Granny Smith apple. And a lovely cinnamon stick.
Oh, and sugar. One does need sugar for all those cranberries, blemish-free and other-wise.
Zesty Cranberries
Throw some raisins in at the end of cooking time for some more natural sweetness and another layer of flavor.
This recipe comes from Ina Garten’s, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, with cinnamon stick IN and some of the sugar OUT.
Cranberry-Apple Sauce
adapted ever-so-slightly from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Parties! Cranberry Fruit Conserve
Ingredients:
1 12-oz. bag fresh cranberries, rinsed, drained, and picked through (in a good way) 1 1/4 c. sugar 1 c. water 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped zest of 1 lemon zest of 1 orange juice of 1 lemon juice of 1 orange 1 cinnamon stick 3/4 c. golden raisins 3/4 c. chopped walnuts or raisinsDirections:
Cook cranberries, sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes, or until skins begin to pop.
Add the apple, zests, lemon and orange juice and stir. Place cinnamon stick into sauce. Cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until cranberries are soft.
Remove from heat and add raisins. Stir in nuts, if using.
Cool and serve chilled.
Note: original recipe called for 1 and 3/4 c. sugar. I think the raisins add more sweetness and I like to keep some of the natural cranberry tartness.
Another Note: My Novio claims to hate (there’s that word again) fresh cranberries but he LOVES this cranberry sauce (and I didn’t even disguise it or anything) – proof that this cranberry source is a winner your friends and family will love.
Enjoy with your Thanksgiving Meal!
Back in the 60’s my Mom worked. We had a soda man. What’s the connection, you ask? You are about to find out. The soda man was a short, husky guy who regularly rang the bell and brought in a crate filled with large glass soda bottles that he carried in on one shoulder. He deposited them in the basement for us and went off with the last delivery’s crate, filled with the empty bottles. There were the bottles of plain seltzer topped with spigots that you see in black & white slapstick comedies. There were bottles of ginger ale, black raspberry and (my favorite) black cherry sodas.
My mom had no time to bake. That was a rare happening. She barely had time to cook. That was a regular Sunday thing. But one thing my mom often made in winter was Baked Apples.
Evening. Frost on the windows, dark outside. The kitchen filled with the aroma of baking apples. When they were done, all cracked and bubbly with apple juice goodness and syrupy sweetness of the soda, my mom pulled the tin baking pan out of the oven, placed the apples on a dish and poured the extra appley-red elixir in a glass for me. There was never a lot. Maybe a few ounces in a juice glass. But I’ll tell you – it was one of the most satisfying beverages I’d ever had.
So here’s my mom’s version of Baked Apples: Cortland apples, pierced all around with a sharp knife, cores intact, peel intact, stems intact. She was a working woman, after all. Who had time? Black cherry soda (from the, you guessed it, soda man!) poured over (just enough to wet each apple) and baked at 350 degrees until soft, about 45 minutes.. No soda man? Use 7-up, ginger ale or black cherry soda. No soda? Try a half and half mix of grape juice or cranberry-raspberry juice and sparkling water, about 1/4 cup total for 2 apples. Serve plain or with Redi-whip whipped cream in a can. I probably had equal parts apple and equal parts whipped cream on my plate then. That can was irresistible.
And here comes a grown-up version:
Peel the top thirds of the apples and core.
Let some raisins soak in a little liqueur for about 15-20 minutes. Try an orange liqueur, a lemon, like Limoncello, almond-flavored Amaretto, a little apple brandy, Calvados, or a red wine. Whatever strikes your grown-up fancy. If preparing for a mixed group, kids too, use juice or a juice/seltzer mix.
Stuff raisins into cores. Don’t over stuff. I kind of did that. The raisins on top burned a bit. I just picked them off.
Drunken raisins inside apples
Top with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon
When I told my mom what I was posting, she warned, “Be sure to pierce them through with a knife. Otherwise they get the oven dirty.” Then she remembered how I used to love to drink the hot juice when the apples were done baking.
GROWN-UP BAKED APPLES
Ingredients:
2 apples -Fuji (widely available in Southern California), Rome Beauty, Cortland (I’m covering different regions- use any apple you like for baking or ask your produce person at the market)
2 T. golden (or dark) raisins
2 T. orange liqueur or liqueur of your choice (if doing a kids’ version, soak in grape juice)
1/4 t. cinnamon
2 t. light brown sugar
3 T. regular or white grape juice
1 T. plain seltzer (sparkling water)
Directions:
Peel the top third of the apples and core.
Soak raisins in liqueur for 10-20 minutes.
Stuff raisins into apple cores to just below the top. Pour juice/seltzer mix over tops of apples. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Bake for 350° for 45 minutes, until skins begin to “pop’ and juices bubble. They are done when pierced easily with a knife.
Serving Ideas:
Whip up a batch of your own slightly sweetened whipped cream.
Get light whipped cream in a can.
Find yourself some vanilla ice cream. That’s always good.
Now that wasn’t so hard, was it? Consider adding baked apples to your holiday dessert table for a welcome change.
Looking for a dish that’s light, healthy and absolutely delicious to round out your Thanksgiving menu? Well, look no further. bb has something very fun and easy to make. The only ingredient that may not already exist in your kitchen is tahini. But no problema. Tahini, also known as sesame paste, is available in most major supermarkets (don’t be shy – ask the manager or ask him/her to order it if not stocked) and definitely can be found in Israeli, Kosher, Persian or Middle Eastern markets. Look for tahini that says 100% sesame or sesame paste or pure tahini. Don’t mess with the seasoned stuff. We can season it ourselves, thank you very much.
I got this salad from Judy Zeidler’s classic, The Gourmet Jewish Cook. She calls this her “telephone salad” because after she serves this to guests, she always receives calls the next day asking for the recipe! Serve this salad weeknights, for a special dinner or holiday meal, anytime. It’s like your favorite sweater that can go dressy or casual.
Tahini, combined with some top-quality mayonnaise, lemon juice and a bit of honey to round it all out, make up the dressing. Did I tell you it was easy? I meant it. I won’t even have you messing with lots of bowls.
This dressing mixes up very quickly. Taste to please your palate – more lemon? more honey? Your call!
Here are some basic Waldorf salad ingredients: apples, celery, green onion. The only thing missing are some walnuts for the top (you can throw some in too – what can be bad?)
When I think of “Waldorf Salad”, I think of Ladies (Wearing Hats and Possibly Gloves) Who Lunch. In the Old Bullock’s Building on Wilshire Boulevard in LA or anywhere on the Upper East Side of New York .
As soon as you dice the apples, always a good idea to toss with a bit of lemon juice. 
Toss apple mixture with tahini dressing.
The original recipe calls for spinach only. That’s a great way to go. I also like adding some chopped romaine for crunch and since little cucumbers are a must in my world, I also throw in a couple of diced Persian cucumbers. I love them! If you can’t find sweet crispy Persian cucumbers (don’t need to peel them), pickling cucumbers or Kirby (mostly on the East Coast) cucumbers are great too.
Consider this a Waldorf Salad with a Middle Eastern Twist. Yet another example of East and West coming together. A peaceful Thanksgiving to all -may you be surrounded by family, friends, fantastic food and a feeling of deep appreciation for life.
Apple-Spinach Salad with Tahini Dressing
from Judy Zeidler’s, The Gourmet Jewish Cook, with very few tweaks
Ingredients:
2-3 c. baby spinach leaves 1 heart of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped 2 little cucumbers, diced 2 apples, peeled, cored and diced 2 green onions, thinly sliced 2 stalks celery, diced juice of 1 lemon 2 T. tahini 2 T. mayonnaise, best quality 1 T. honey 2 T. chopped walnuts, optional 2 T. toasted sesame seedsDirections:
In a small bowl, blend the tahini, mayonnaise, honey and HALF the juice of a lemon. You’ll need the rest of the juice for the apples. The mixture will be thick – fear not. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes.
Using a large bowl, toss the diced apples, green onions and celery with the remaining juice of the lemon.
Right before serving, toss tahini mixture with greens and diced cucumbers in large bowl. Add chopped walnuts, if using. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
DO-AHEAD NOTE: The apple mixture combined with the tahini dressing can be prepared the day before and mixed with the greens before serving.
Serves 4. Recipe can easily be halved or doubled.
Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Remember me to the one who lives there. She once was a true love of mine.
When my older sister got married and moved to the other side of the country, she left behind her record collection. She had been in her teens during the sixties. Her tastes ran toward Simon & Garfunkel, Carol King, The Beatles, Linda Ronstadt.
I, a full decade younger, listened to them right alongside her. That music became my music. When she left, I wasn’t prepared for the seismic shift in my world. The one I spent the most time with in our small family was gone. But I loved music, I discovered. And one of my favorite things to do was sit, cross-legged, on the floor with my ear right up against the left speaker of the hi-fi* and listen to the songs that called me over and over again.
[*Hi-fi? It was a record player inside a rectangular piece of wood furniture that looked like a bureau without drawers. There were speakers in front on each side. Framed family photos sat on top. There was a lift-up panel in the center that hid the record player below and a small storage area for records. I always sat on the same side so I could quickly scramble up and move the needle to my next favorite song.]
FAST FORWARD TO THE PRESENT
I still love music and I’ve loved food for almost as long, as bb readers know.
I looked outside my window and Simon & Garfunkel’s song, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme, naturally started playing in my head as I gazed at the herb bowl on the deck with all of the above herbs plus more in it. That’s what I’ll do with the chicken… parsley and sage all over it!
Parsley…
…sage…
And a few other choice ingredients…
I make a rubinade ( I just made that word up) – not really a marinade because it’s thick and I just rub it all over the top instead of submerging the chicken and not a classic rub because that’s dry – what I do (aha! a rubinade!) is create a mixture (highly adaptable) that I spread all over the chicken breast. This mixture keeps the skinless breast moist as it locks in the juices in the same way that the skin would. In this case, I used lemon zest, lemon juice, a little olive oil, fresh garlic, fresh herbs and a bit of mustard.
Then I add some fresh bread crumbs that I like to prepare ahead and keep in the freezer.
Fresh bread crumbs from leftover challah
The bread crumbs give the topping more texture. But I’m not stopping there because I have something else waiting in the freezer.
Pine nuts!
This is what the chicken looks like before I have fun with the back of my spoon. Hey, that sounds slightly naughty.
OK, back to business. The mixture is spread all over the top and sides of each piece, sprinkle on some paprika for color, add a few pine nuts on each piece and give an ever-so-slight drizzle (I slowly pour the oil from a small spoon – that helps control the drizzle quotient) over the length of each breast to create a slight browning action.
I’ll be cutting these breasts in half anyway and it’s a surefire way for me to see that they’re baked all the way through.
Here’s a totally moist and flavorful chicken for you. And for the dark-meat chicken lovers, try this – you will be amazed!
LEMON-HERB CHICKEN WITH PINE NUTS
Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken breasts (I used large ones, any size works!) zest of 1 lemon juice of 1/2 lemon 2 T. olive oil, plus extra for coating pan and drizzling 1 garlic clove, minced 2 T. fresh parsley, chopped (I like Italian parsley, curly parsley works too) 2 T. fresh sage, chopped 2 T chives or green onion, chopped 1 t. mustard, Dijon or whole-grain salt & pepper 2 T. fresh bread crumbs 1 t. sweet Hungarian paprika 1-2 T. pine nuts, enough to give each breast a light sprinkleDirections:
Gather the following ingredients: lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped herbs and mustard. Place in a bowl or liquid measuring cup and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add bread crumbs and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Remove any visible fat from chicken breasts. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
Lightly grease a large baking dish with oil or cooking spray. Lay chicken breasts in pan in a single layer (if crowded, use two pans). Spoon herb mixture over each breast, equally divided (don’t let one of the chickens grab more yummy stuff than the others). Use the back of a tablespoon to spread mixture all over the tops and sides of each chicken breast.
Liberally sprinkle Hungarian paprika over each breast. Then sprinkle pine nuts over the tops of each chicken piece. Using about half a tablespoonful of oil, carefully drizzle a very small amount of oil across the length of each piece of chicken.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken (if the chicken is very very thin, it could take as little as 12-14 minutes to fully bake). The best way to chick if checken check if chicken is ready is to cut a larger piece in half across the width. If the pink in the middle is just cooked through and meat is juicy, pull it out and tent with foil. It’s done!
bb note : This recipe works equally well swapping out the sage for an equal amount of fresh thyme, basil or rosemary. Dried oregano is also great with the parsley, garlic and onion (a Greek combo).
Memories are funny things. I close my eyes and walk down the Corridor of Memories in my mind. No order, just all piled there on either side of me. Cascading images, snippets of conversations, flashes of sound, smells, touch.
Hungarian prune plums. Immediately I am 5 years old, sitting in the balcony of The Young Israel of Pelham Parkway, a large shul (synagogue) in the Bronx, with my mother and sister. The time of year is Rosh Hashanah and I am standing and straining to hear Mrs. Mermelstein in the row in front of us, as she regales those around her with full descriptions of what she served at her holiday meal the night before. What did I know back then? I actually remember thinking that there was a recess during the prayer service when the women in the balcony shared recipes with each other. My eyes were big as I listened to all this. I wanted to be at Mrs. Mermelstein’s table. Her skin was smooth, her hair swept up behind her head, her eyes clear. She always wore a beautiful, luxurious stole. I looked over at my mother who whispered solemnly in my ear, “Hungarians are excellent cooks.”
To this day, whenever the opportunity arises, I hear myself say, “Hungarians are excellent cooks,” as if I am intoning one of the Seven Absolute Truths of the Universe.
Hungarian prune plums had a brief season in early fall when I grew up in New York. I suppose they still do. Deep purpley flesh, greenish interior. Small egg-shaped plums with a seam down one side. Sweet and slightly tart at the same time. My mom adores them.
Italian prune plums are almost the same in size, texture and taste. I couldn’t find any in the market this year and I really wanted to bake something with them. Maybe a tart with a shortbread-like crust. Maybe a torte that’s more cake-like. I chose the cakier route. Torte, it is.
For a lighter effect, it always helps to sift the flour.
Siftin’, siftin’, siftin’ the night awayyy-hey
I found Empress Prune Plums which are like Hungarian or Italian Prune Plums on steroids. (ve vont to PUMP YOU UP). They would do.
Ahhh, the old greasing the pan with the butter wrapper move.
Places! Empresses!
There was a lot more pushing and shoving to get my Empress Plums to cooperate laying skin up in the baking pan. They were acting like prima donnas and didn’t want to share the spotlight.
Mrs. Mermelstein, wherever you are, this is for you.
PRUNE PLUM TORTE
ever-so-slightly adapted from NY Times Food Writer, Marion Burros
also appearing, with the tiniest of tweaks, as Judith’s Plum Torte from In Erika’s Kitchen
Ingredients:
3/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature 1 c. unbleached flour, sifted 1 t. baking powder pinch of salt 2 eggs 1 t. pure vanilla 10-12 pitted Italian prune plums, halved lengthwise OR 8 Empress prune plums, pitted, and cut in thirds sugar and cinnamon for toppingDirections:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream sugar and butter by hand or with mixer.
Add eggs, one at a time and beat well. Add vanilla.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into butter-sugar-egg mixture.
Spoon batter into a greased 9 or 10″ spring form pan.
Place the cut plums, skin side up, on top of the batter, pushing down. Sprinkle very lightly with sugar, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with a scant teaspoon. of cinnamon, or to taste.
Bake for 45 minutes, until top is golden and fruit juices are bubbling.
Remove onto rack and cool. Serve either lukewarm. or fully cool and pack in foil to refrigerate.
To freeze, place foil-wrapped cake in plastic bag. Thaw in fridge the day before serving. If you’d like to serve it warm, briefly heat through in a 300° oven.
So so good…
Hummus is a dip made from crushed garbanzo beans. Otherwise know as chick peas or ceci beans. It inspires great passion among its devotees.
People are adamant about their favorite restaurant that makes it, their favorite brand (Sabra, for me), or the way they or their mother prepares it.
And they are certain, beyond a doubt, as to how it is made.
The classic hummus recipe consists of pureed garbanzo beans, tahini (sesame seed paste), lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper, and a little liquid (either water or garbanzo bean liquid.)
I take that classic mix and start playing. I add a sliced green onion to the food processor (what!!??)
Super simple; Super good
Sometimes a few shakes of cumin (say what??)
Process until smooth
And here it is October. The fall bounty has arrived. Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere pumpkins. I have a tendency to stockpile Trader Joe’s Organic 100% Pumpkin. You know, for the breads, the muffins, the cakes, the soups.
I reached into my pantry to get out the cumin and saw a can of recently-acquired pumpkin. It called softly to me, “Yoo hoo!, Over here!” I thought, “Okay, why the heck not?” I tweaked, I twiddled, I consulted, and, voila! I present to you Pumpkin Hummus. Go ahead, give it a try, even you conformists out there. You may just be in for a pleasant surprise.
But, wait! If you’re going to get out the food processor, why not go all the way and make some baked pita chips out of whole wheat pita to go with it? You get to spice it up with whatever you like, they have way less salt and who-knows-what, than the store-bought variety, and way cheaper.
Let’s talk seasonings…
Sweet Hungarian meets Smoky Spanish
… and oregano too!
Baked to crispy goodness
When your friends exclaim incredulously, “You MADE these?” You can humbly respond, “Why, yes.”
Pumpkin Hummus with Spicy Baked Whole Wheat Pita Chips
CLASSIC HUMMUS
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans 1/2 c. reserved garbanzo bean water 1/4 c. tahini juice of 1/2 lemon 1 garlic clove, roughly cut 1 green onion, thinly sliced 1/2 t. cumin salt & pepper to taste 1 T. olive oil chopped Italian parsley or cilantro for garnishDirections:
Place all ingredients, except for garbanzo bean water and parsley/cilantro, into food processor. Pour about 3/4 of the water you have over the mix. Pulse until coarse. Add the rest of the water as needed to create a smooth consistency.
Place in serving bowl (or place in plastic container and freeze for later). Adjust seasonings and stir.
To serve, top with a small drizzle of olive in a swirly pattern. Add cilantro or parsley to top, or a light sprinkle of cumin.
PUMPKIN HUMMUS
Place all ingredients for classic hummus (see above) in food processor bowl, and add: 1/2 15 oz. can of pure pumpkin 1/4 t. cinnamon 1/4 t. powdered ginger 1/8 t. allspice a bit of freshly grated nutmeg (oh, I’m so exact!) If no freshly grated nutmeg, then add 1/8 t. ground nutmeg 1/8 t. cayenne pepper, or to tasteProcess till smooth.
Spicy Whole Wheat Pita Chips
Ingredients:
1 pkg. standard size (not mini) whole wheat pita olive oil spray (or olive oil) 1/2 t. sea salt 1/2 t. smoked paprika 1/2 t. dried oregano 1/2 t. cumin 1/4 t. black pepper 1/4 t. garlic powder 1/2 t. sweet paprikaOptional: sesame seeds (I tried using them, but they fell off the pita chips. Maybe the oil needs to be over them, rather than under them, once sprinkled on to pita chips)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400º
Stack 3-4 pitas and cut into 4, then cut each 1/4 in half. For the math-phobic, you should have cut your stack into 8 sections.
Mix salt and all spices together in a small bowl.
Lightly grease a large baking sheet (foil-lined optional) with olive oil spray, or a small amount of olive oil.
Arrange pita wedges in a single layer on greased sheet. You will need to do 2 batches or use 2 large baking sheets.
Spray pita chips with olive oil spray (the more time consuming method is to use a brush and brush pitas with olive oil).
Sprinkle half the seasonings over one sheet.
Bake for 3 minutes and toss the chips over, keeping them in a single layer. Return to oven and bake for another 3 minutes until crispy. You may need to put them in for another half-minute. Depending on the heat of your oven, they should take 6-8 minutes to go from chewy to crispy. Do not leave your kitchen during these 6 minutes. It’s amazing how fast time flies by. Blackened fish is great, but not blackened pita chips!
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A group of friends were sitting around my friend Fa’s (that’s what her grandson Jonah calls her) dining room table and we started reminiscing about this one dish that many of us had grown up with and lovingly remember and still make and/or eat.
Kasha Varnishkes. My mom made it, my grandma made it, my brother-in-law’s mom made it, Rik’s mom made it…
Kasha, or buckwheat, is one of Russia’s oldest and most traditional grains. Also dearly loved by the Jews of Russia, Lithuania and the Ukraine (barley being another top contender). My family may be from Romania, but kasha was big in our house too.
- This company goes WAY back
We started playing around with the name Kasha Varnishkes to update it and you know, make it sound sexy.
Kashisi-vá is the new name we all agreed on wholeheartedly. Okay, we’d also had a little wine.
Kasha comes in three varieties: whole grain, medium and fine. I grew up eating the medium kasha so that’s the texture that’s most appealing to me. How many times has my mom told me, “You’re making kasha? Make sure you buy the medium one!!” An Israeli friend tells me that she grew up eating the whole-grain variety, so of course, that’s what she uses. The whole grain has a coarser texture and all three have a wonderful earthy, nutty goodness.
You can roast the kasha initially in a bit of oil but the traditional way that I grew up with is to mix a beaten egg with the kasha in a bowl or in a cold pan (why wash an extra dish? Do you want to? I don’t want to).
Then you saute it for a few minutes to separate the grains, stirring the whole time. This ensures cooked kasha that’s light and wonderful.
Don’t stop stirring!
Add kasha to simmering broth/water or add broth to browned kasha. I do the latter.
A safety tip (from the Famous School of Experience): Turn heat WAY down before adding broth and you won’t have an angry burst of steam in your face. Stir again, bring up to a boil and simmer gently, partially covered until water is absorbed.
Can you put a lid on it?
While kasha cooks, bring a medium pot of salted water up to the boil.
We always ate it with bowties. This little pasta derives from little homemade egg pasta shapes made in Eastern Europe (prepared from egg, flour and a little water) that were pinched in the center and resembled bow ties.
The large bowties are more commonly found as farfalle these days, while the little ones, which I prefer (they’re so sweet) (not literally, of course), are called farfalline.
Oh we’re so sweet, we need another shot
Some add sauteed onions. I slice the onion in half-circles as my mom and grandma used to. Others add sauteed mushrooms with no pasta. I love the works: the kasha, the varnishkes, the onions, the mushrooms. And if there’s any kashisi-vá (did I just say that?) leftover the next day, I heat it up for lunch with a little scoop of cottage cheese (if I made the kasha with vegetable broth- I keep kosher and don’t mix meat with dairy) and possibly a dollop of light sour cream. The swirls of creamy goodness combined with the nutty kasha and mellow itty-bitty pasta. The gestalt of it all.
I need a moment.
Thank you.
After the onions are well-cooked and starting to brown, add the sliced mushrooms and quickly saute on medium-high heat.(We can’t wait to have some!)
Kashisi- vá?
Kashisi- WHA?
Call me old-fashioned but let’s just call a kasha a kasha and stick with Kasha Varnishkes… as delicious today as it was in our grandparents’ time.
Kasha! How I love ya, How I love ya!
Kasha Varnishkes
Ingredients:
1 c. bowtie pasta (farfalle or farfalline), I like the smaller farfalline (may also be available as small bowties in the kosher section of the market) 1 large onion, sliced into half-circles 1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms 3 T. oil 1 c. chicken or vegetable broth (I generally use vegetable broth but DELICIOUS with homemade chicken soup) 1 egg, beaten 1 c. medium kasha (also called buckwheat groats) salt and pepper to tasteDirections:
In a saucepan, heat 1 c. broth, 1 c. water, and 1 T. oil to boiling. Turn off heat and cover to keep hot.
In a separate, cold sauté or sturdy-bottomed saucepan (one with a lid), pour beaten egg over kasha and stir with fork until grains are thoroughly coated. Heat on medium for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to separate grains.
Turn heat to low and add broth mixture to kasha. Return to boil. Cover and cook over low heat with lid askew 12-14 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Transfer to serving dish or bowl. Fluff with a fork.
Put pasta uncovered in a large pot of boiling, salted water, and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well.
Toss with kasha.
Heat 2 T. oil in large skillet. Add onions, cook over medium-low heat, stirring often for 10-12 minutes, until onions start to brown.
Add thinly sliced mushrooms and continue to saute for a few minutes until mushrooms just begin to release liquid. Transfer to bowl and cover to keep warm. If your kasha and bowties are ready, add directly to kasha mixture.
Toss kasha and bowtie pasta with onions and mushrooms, and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot.
Makes 6 to 8 servings as a side. Freezes well- remove from freezer the day before using.
♥ My mom isn’t into making this dish anymore, but she adores it and she’s having some for dinner this Friday night.
♥ Special thanks to my sister, Master Brisket Maker, for contributing to the featured image.
There have been several dessert posts coming out of the bb kitchen lately. Have you noticed? I need to tell you that this is Not all that we’ve been eating. As a matter of fact, I had a beautiful globe eggplant sitting in my veggie bin waiting patiently for my attention. What to do with it?
I grew up in a Bronx neighborhood called Pelham Parkway, where the demographics were 50% Jews and 50% Italians. We were influenced by the smell emanating from Josie’s (Italian) kitchen next door, even though we probably didn’t realize it at the time. From that kitchen came a dish that we eventually adopted as our own, eggplant parmigiana. The breading, the frying, the layering, the massive amounts of cheese–delicious, but you get the picture. Not a good shot of living to a ripe old age if we continue eating this way. Is this a post for eggplant parmigiana? A glance at the title of the post indicates, no, it is not. I guess I digress. But it definitely calls for a future post to be titled Eggplant Parmigiana Redux. I’ll add it to my to-do list.
My thoughts turned to making a healthful sauce featuring that eggplant, supported by a few friends from our garden.
Look what we just brought in from our container garden! (OK, not the garlic)
My thoughts turned to pasta. I love pasta. My Novio loves pasta. But we’re coming out of a season involving mega-challah consumption, oodles of noodle kugel, and buffet tables groaning under the weight of all the desserts. Oy!
But wait! A quick inventory of my pantry revealed – drum roll, please – quinoa pasta!! That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, quinoa occasionally can be spotted around town masquerading as spaghetti (or macaroni, or rotelli). You heard me – I would never lie to you. And here is the proof:
And now, back to our regularly scheduled eggplant. Roasting’s the thing. Yes, my lads and ladies, I beseech you to get out your roasting pans and preheat that oven!
Cut fat way down by roasting eggplant
Roasted Eggplant: homemade lean cuisine
Cut up the sweet peppers.
Choose the seasoning.
There are several high-quality spice companies that I’m fond of, and Pereg is up on that list.
Remember our eggplant? Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Sauteed veggies await eggplant
Eggplant? Present!
Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant Sauce
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, sliced into thin rounds, about 1/8″ thick olive oil, 1 T. for eggplant, 2 T. for sauce 1/2 lb. spaghetti (use any favorite pasta, I used quinoa spaghetti) 1 onion, chopped 1 small yellow or red pepper (or a combo), diced 1 med green pepper, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced salt and pepper 1 and 1/2 t. Pereg meatball spice blend *see bb note below for spice blend details)*bb Note: I happened upon this Israeli Mixed Spices for Meat Balls by Pereg. It’s a high quality line of spices and food products and this is a terrific combo. BUT you can easily come up with a reasonable facsimile at home. The only item that’s missing is rosebuds (really). Here’s how:
- 1/2 t. ground ginger
- 1/2 t. cinnamon
- 1/4 t. white or black pepper
- 1/8 t. allspice
- 1/8 t. of nutmeg
- small pinch of cloves
Be sure to add lots of love, as the Pereg people do.
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400°.
Place sliced eggplant on greased baking sheet. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil (about 1 tablespoon), and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for 15 minutes or until tender. After the eggplant slices cool a bit, give them a very rough dice (you want to see them with the pasta).
Meanwhile, boil water for pasta.
As water is brought to a boil and pasta cooks, saute veggies. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. Saute chopped onion for 5 minutes with salt, pepper and seasonings. Add diced peppers and continue to saute until just tender, about 5 more minutes. Add garlic and stir into veggie mix.
Add bite-sized pieces of eggplant to skillet. Gently place pasta in skillet. Stir, cover and gently steam for 3-5 minutes.The oil and the moisture from the veggies should be enough to coat the pasta. If not, add a few spoons of the pasta water. Oops! Did I forget to mention to save a bit of that water? There’s a lesson to be learned here.**
Adjust seasonings.
** Second bb Note:
Always read a recipe through, no matter how simple or complex, to ensure you have all the ingredients/utensils you need.
ANOTHER NOTE: This recipe is highly adaptable. Use two medium diced tomatoes in last 3 minutes of veggie steaming. Use canned tomatoes. Don’t use tomatoes. Substitute peppers for zucchini or mushrooms or add both to sauce. Add 1/4 c. white OR red wine as veggies are sauteing.
Serve with a few spoons of shredded or grated cheese. Also great without cheese or with a shredded non-dairy cheese. A lot of choices? You bet!!
This dish fed two hungry people. We got to have seconds.
Great with shredded Parmesan
I’m generally an organized person. But in my office, the piles multiply just the way our mint proliferates in the backyard. One of those piles consists of newspaper articles I’ve saved from the recycling bin (an eclectic assortment but leaning towards all things food). I found a golden nugget in a Saturday section of the L.A. Times from a few weeks back. There was an article that featured food blogger, Erika Kerekes. It also covered the organization she co-created with Dorothy Reinhold, as weel as Patti Londre , called Food Bloggers LA. The group meets monthly to share experiences, sample each others offerings on the month’s food theme, and educate each other with technical tips related to blogging.
I went with my Novio and we had a blast! We had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know a diverse, creative, and warm group of people.
Sampling the goods at FBLA gathering
The month’s theme was apples and pears, and the table was laden with sweet and savory delicacies.
It’s all about apples and pears
Thank you, FBLA – I’m looking forward to sharing many more fun, enlightening and delicious times together!
So that’s how I was motivated & inspired to come up with these little guys.
This is a very straightforward way to go. First mix the dry ingredients.
Sometimes things get a bit gritty in life. Stone ground, 100% whole-grain cornmeal offers the best kind of grit. I love the texture and use it here. But if you want a more genteel muffin, go for a finer grain of cornmeal (but try to find whole grain, it’s got a lot more goodness). It’ll work either way, medium or fine.
tiny bubbles…in the batter…makes me feel fine
Always gently stir in dry ingredients to keep muffins tender.
Save vigorous beating for batters that can take it.
Swirl in yogurt after mixing in half the dry mix
Ahhh, Honey-Crisp Apples
Do a rough dice
Fold in the apples
It’s a great idea to grease or spray the tops of the muffin tins to help the muffins easily pop out of the tin. I appear to have been a tad overzealous.
Honey Crisp Apple Cornmeal Muffins
Ingredients: 1 1/2 c. unbleached flour 1/2 c. stone ground whole grain cornmeal, medium grind (if you prefer, use regular cornmeal, but you’ll miss the crunch) 1 t. baking powder 1 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1 t. cinnamon 1/2 c. canola oil 3 eggs 2/3 c. sugar (or 1/2 c. if the apples are very sweet) 1 t. vanilla 1/2 c. 2% Greek yogurt or low fat sour cream (Daisy is the best!) 2 medium Honey Crisp apples (or any sweet, crisp apple like Fuji or Braeburn), peeled and coarsely diced 2 T. light brown or turbinado sugarDirections:
Preheat oven to 425º.
Combine all dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs. Add vanilla.
Gently stir in half the dry mixture into the egg/oil mixture. Add yogurt (or sour cream) and blend into mixture. Gently stir in the rest of the dry mix, just until incorporated. Do not overmix as it can toughen up the muffins. We sometimes need to be tough in life – muffins don’t. Fold in diced apples.
Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Using 2 tablespoons, divide batter between the 12 cups. Sprinkle the light brown (or turbinado) sugar over the top of each muffin.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Turn oven down to 400°. Rotate muffins front to back and bake for 5 to 8 more minutes. They are ready when a toothpick comes out clean or browned and firm to the touch.
They’re delicious warm, but if storing in fridge or freezer, cool thoroughly before placing them in an airtight plastic container or zip lock bag. Cool in tin on stove for 10 minutes, then remove from tin, and place muffins on their sides on a cooling rack.
For more delicious apple and pear recipes and to discover some terrific food blogs, click below:
bumbleberry breeze 