LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES

1 Tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1-cup whole milk ricotta
2 eggs
2 Tablespoon light brown sugar
Zest of 1/2  medium lemon, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8-teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4  teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons whole-wheat flour
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
Unsalted butter for frying
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1.    Place the 1 Tablespoon of butter in a 1 1/2 quart glass bowl and microwave on high for 40 seconds or until butter is melted.

2.    Add the ricotta and eggs and mix well with a whisk to thoroughly combine.

3.    Add the brown sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, nutmeg and salt as well as the two flours and stir well.

4.    Heat a griddle over medium high heat and rub the end of a stick of butter all over the surface of the pan to coat it well.

5.    Drop heaping Tablespoons of batter on to the griddle and cook for 3 minutes or until the underside of the pancake is golden brown and the top is slightly dry.

6.    Gently flip the pancakes over (it might be easier to use 2 small spatulas to do this) and cook for another 2 minutes until edges are barely crisp and both sides are golden brown.

7.    Serve drizzled with additional melted butter, honey, or a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Yield: About 20 silver dollar sized pancakes

Note: recipe may be doubled if desired.

Tina’s Tidbits:

•    These pancakes are light as air and delicate so turning is best achieved using two spatulas, one in each hand to evenly brown both sides.

•    Whole wheat flour contains more gluten than white flour so less is needed in delicate foods to bind ingredients together.

•    A rasp-type grater like the Micro plane© is perfect for creating fine shards of lemon zest that will flavor the batter evenly without any bitter white pith from the inner peel.

This rich challah dough is not formed into braids for the High Holy Days, rather it is shaped in the form of a turban or snail. This is symbolic of the hope that the year will be filled with continuous good health and well being. If the challah is made into one very large challah there is the risk that the center will be under baked or the outer ring will be dry and over baked depending on the baking time you choose. I never use more than 2/3 of the dough to make a large challah.

Ingredients

• 7- 7 1/2 cups bread flour, King Arthur or Gold medal Better for Bread
• 2 packages rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 sticks parve margarine or butter
• 1/4 teaspoon yellow food coloring
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup raisins, optional
• EGG WASH-1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon of honey

Preparation Instructions

1. In a large mixer bowl combine 6 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Stir to combine.
2. Heat the water, margarine, food coloring, sugar, poppy seed and the salt in a saucepan until very warm (140F). Water should be uncomfortably hot to your finger but not hot enough to burn you.(It will feel like hot tap water).
3. Add the warm liquid mixture to the flour while the mixer is on low. As the liquid is being incorporated, add the eggs. Mix thoroughly.
4. Gradually add the remaining flour only until a fairly firm dough is formed. This process should take about 7 minutes whether you are using the dough hook on your mixer or are kneading it by hand. The mixture will be satiny smooth and will not stick to a lightly floured finger tip when touched. If adding raisins, add after 5 minutes of kneading
5. Turn your oven on for 1 minute.  TURN YOUR OVEN OFF.  Lightly grease a bowl with oil and turn the dough in the bowl to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the TURNED OFF oven until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
6. Punch down the dough and divide in half or thirds. Divide each portion into 1 large rope and coil the dough around itself to make a round of dough that looks like a turban. Make sure to pinch the end of the dough under to prevent uncoiling during baking. Place formed breads on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and allow to rise until light and doubled, about 25 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 375F. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash and bake for 25-35 minutes depending on the size of the loaves. When the bread is done, it will be golden brown and have a hollow sound when tapped.

Joanne is now fifty but I am sure she has made this for her own children for many years. You will too!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preparation Instructions

1. Grease 2 coffee cans, OR 1 loaf pan, OR 2 mini loaf pans and some muffin tins or a combination of each.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Into a large mixing bowl add the first 9 ingredients. Stir to combine. Combine all of the remaining ingredients and add to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.
4. Pour into the prepared pans and bake as follows:

• Mini muffins ——— 12-15 minutes
• Cupcakes ———— 20-25 minutes
• Mini loaf pans ——- 35-40 minutes
• Loaf pans ————- 45-60 minutes
• Coffee cans ———- 60-75 minutes

GINGER ORANGE SPREAD

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 Tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon crystallized ginger

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a processor workbowl and process until smooth.

Occasionally the tops of the bread will be sprinkled with poppy or sesame seeds representative of the manna that fell from heaven. In my recipe, I add the poppyseeds to the dough. Flavor and texture are enhanced and the seeds don’t get caught in everyone’s teeth!

Ingredients

• 8 cups bread flour, I use Gold Medal’s “Better for Bread”
• 2 packages rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 sticks parve margarine or butter
• 1/4 teaspoon yellow food coloring
• 3/4-cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds, optional
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1-cup raisins, optional
• EGG WASH-1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water

1. In a large mixer bowl combine 7 cups of the flour and the yeast. Stir to combine.
2. Heat the water, margarine, food coloring, sugar, poppy seed and the salt in a saucepan until very warm (140F). Water should be uncomfortably hot to your finger but not hot enough to burn you. (It will feel like hot tap water).
3. Add the warm liquid mixture to the flour while the mixer is o­n low. As the liquid is being incorporated, add the eggs. Mix thoroughly.
4. Gradually add the remaining flour o­nly until a fairly firm dough is formed. This process should take about 7 minutes whether you are using the dough hook o­n your mixer or are kneading it by hand. The mixture will be satiny smooth. If you are using raisins, add at this point and incorporate evenly.
5. Pre-heat your oven to 400F for 1 MINUTE. Lightly grease a bowl with oil and turn the dough in the bowl to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a TURNED OFF oven until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
6. Punch down the dough and divide in half or thirds. Divide each portion into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a rope about 10 inches long. Braid each loaf using the 6 braid technique (you can always divide the dough into thirds and make a standard braid). Place formed breads o­n a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and allow to rise until light and doubled, about 25 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 375F. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash and bake for 25-35 minutes depending o­n the size of the loaves. When the bread is done, it will be golden brown and have a hollow sound when tapped.

Ingredients

• 2 cups matzo meal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 4 eggs

Preparation Instructions

1. Combine the matzo meal, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Bring the oil and water to a boil and add to the matzo meal mixture all at o­nce. Stir well to combine. Beat in eggs thoroughly o­ne at a time.
2. Let stand for 15 minutes.
3. With oiled hands, shape into rolls and place o­n a greased cookie sheet.
4. Grease your forefinger. Insert your finger into the middle of the roll and twirl the roll around o­n the cookie sheet until a hole is formed in the center.
5. Bake at 375°F for 40-50 minutes.

YIELD: 12 bagels

It is a custom to serve two loaves of bread side by side when welcoming the beginning of shabbat. The torah describes the specific way the 12 tribes of Israel were to present their loaves of bread to the priests in the Temple–in two rows,six loaves in each row. I can’t help wondering if two six-braided loaves placed side by side in a modern Jewish kitchen isn’t representative of this ancient custom?

Ingredients

Preparation Instructions

The following pancakes, although not salty like the o­nes Judith served to Holefernes in biblical times, is traditionally served for Hanukkah. I have tweaked the ingredients to make them a little more healthy (whole wheat flour) and more delicious with the addition of lemon zest. I enjoy these delicate pancakes plain but they are also delicious with fruit preserves, sour cream or maple syrup o­n top.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon melted unsalted butter
• 1-cup whole milk ricotta
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tablespoon light brown sugar
• Zest of ½ medium lemon, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8-teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• Unsalted butter for frying

Ingredients

• 1 12 ounce can vacuum packed corn
• ¾ cup milk, or more, if needed (see recipe)
• 1-teaspoon sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1-cup corn or peanut oil
• Maple syrup

Preparation Instructions

1. Drain the corn over a measuring cup. Gently press down o­n the corn to extract as much liquid as possible.
2. Add enough milk to the corn liquid to measure 1 cup.
3. Mix the sugar and egg with the milk mixture. Add the corn and set aside.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a 2 quart bowl. Add the corn-milk mixture to the bowl mixing just until ingredients are moistened.
5. Heat 1 cup of oil in a 2-quart saucepan to 375F. Drop corn batter by heaping Tablespoon into the oil. Don’t fry more than 4 or 5 at a time.
6. Using a slotted spoon, splash the top of the fritters with hot oil by making little waves in the oil. This will make the dough puff up o­n the top before you flip it over.
7. When bottom is golden (about 2 minutes), flip fritters over and cook o­n the other side until done, about 1-2 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels and drain.
8. Serve with maple syrup.