8 ounces cream cheese

8 ounces SALTED butter

2 cups all purpose flour

Confectioner’s sugar

1/2-cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2-cup raisins

1/2-cup walnuts, chopped

1.  Cream the cheese and butter together on high speed with an electric mixer until well combined and light and fluffy (the mixture should feather out from the edge of the bowl).  Scrape down sides of bowl.

2. Add flour and turn your mixer on and off only until dough looks like the flour has been incorporated. Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly toss it on a smooth surface until it forms a compact mass.

2.  Divide mixture into 8 cylinders and refrigerate until dough is firm.

3. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts in a bowl.  Set aside.

4. Roll each portion of dough onto a board that is heavily “floured” with confectioner’s sugar.  Roll out into a 6 x 9 inch rectangle.

5.  After the dough is rolled out sprinkle with some of the sugar/nut mixture. Roll covered dough into a log from the long side. Pinch the bottom seam together and tuck the ends slightly under.

6.  Cut filled logs into 8 or 9 pieces and place on an ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet.

7.  Bake in a 350F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.  Cool completely before freezing.

MOHNBRODT

3 3/4 cup flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut oil

3 eggs

Zest 1 lemon, grated

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2. Cream sugar and oil on high speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, zest, juice, and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

4. Lightly oil your hands and then divide dough into four portions.  Lightly handle each portion as you form a loose log that is about 10 inches long and 2 inches wide.  Place 2 logs on each parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Gently shape the soft dough into a uniform log that is now probably 12 inches long.

5. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

6. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown,.

7.Remove the loaves from the oven.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Slice horizontally into 1/2 inch cookies.  Place cut side up and bake for another 5 minutes.  Turn cookies over and bake for another 5 minutes.  Cool and then store in air tight container for 2 weeks or freeze.

This is a very easy recipe, especially because you don’t have to make the dough from scratch.  I have given you detailed steps but in no time all of the cookies can be prepared.

Purchased puff pastry sheets are pareve so this can be served with tea after a meat meal.

EASY PALMIERS

1 17.3 ounce box of puff pastry sheets

Granulated sugar

1. Remove the two frozen sheets of dough from the box and defrost at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

2. Spread about ¾ cup of sugar over a pastry board or countertop and press the sugar into both sides of one sheet.

3.Roll the sheet lengthwise on the sugar surface until the dough is slightly thinner and about 16 inches long.  Do not change the width of the sheet.

4.Find the center of the dough on the long side and make a little mark with a knife.

5. Starting from each short end, tightly roll up the dough so that each side meets in the middle.  Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.  Repeat the procedure with the other sheet of dough.

6.When ready to bake, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil lightly   sprayed with cooking oil.

7.Slice the dough into ½ inch slices.

8.Use a rolling pin to gently roll each slice-cut side down- in the sugar until the dough is about 1/8 inch thick.  Turn the dough over and coat the other cut side with sugar and then place it on a cookie sheet.

9.Repeat the rolling and coating of each slice and place it on the cookie sheet with about 1 ½ inches between pastries.

10. Place in a preheated 400’F oven and bake for 12- 15 minutes or until the bottom and sides of the cookies are caramelized.

11.  Remove sheets from the oven and gently turn the cookies over using two spatulas.

12.  Return to the oven and bake for another 3-5 minutes until tops are golden.

13. When thoroughly cool remove from sheets and store in an airtight container for a week or freeze until needed.

HAMAN’S “EARS”

2 cups all purpose flour plus additional for rolling

2 Tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Tablespoons Brandy

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Vegetable oil for frying

Confectioner’s sugar

1. Combine the first four ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until well combined.  Proceed immediately to add this mixture to the flour and stir by hand or machine until soft, slightly sticky dough is formed.
3. Turn out dough onto a generously floured board and gently knead the dough for 15 strokes to form a soft ball of dough.  Cover with the inverted used mixing bowl and let the dough rest for ½ hour.
4. Divide the dough in half and roll one half on a moderately floured board until it is very thin 1/16^th of an inch and almost transparent.
5. Pour three inches of oil into a deep pot or fryer and heat to 375’ F.
6. Cut strips of dough that are about 4 inches in length by 1 inch.  As you lift up each strip the dough will stretch a little; this is o.k.  Bring the two ends of dough together and lightly press them to form a sagging O.
7. Fry dough 3 or 4 pieces at a time until golden. Drain on crumpled paper towels.
8. When all the dough is fried, place on a serving tray and sprinkle liberally with Confectioner’s sugar while still warm.  Serve.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS WITH DRIED FRUITS AND NUTS

8 ounces Israeli couscous
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or pareve margarine
1/4 -cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 7-ounce package of chopped mixed dried fruit, or 1½ cups assorted dried fruits
1/3 cup whole almonds, roasted and coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons pine nuts, lightly roasted
1/3-cup water or milk with 1 drop of almond extract added
Cinnamon and medjool date halves for garnish
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1.    Cook couscous according to package directions.  Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.

2.    Melt the butter in a 1 cup bowl.  Add the sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine.  Pour the mixture over the couscous to coat thoroughly.

3.    Add the dried fruit and toasted nuts.

4.    Mix the teaspoon of almond extract into the water or milk and then add just enough to moisten the couscous.  Do not add too much or the mixture will be runny.

5.    Pile the couscous into a pyramid shape on a clean serving platter.  Sprinkle with additional cinnamon and garnish with the medjool date halves.

Serves 10 or more people as part of a holiday buffet.

Tina’s Tidbit:

• An 8 ounce box of couscous contains more than a cup of couscous so add more water to the pot to keep the proportion of liquid to couscous consistent

• If you need to make the couscous in advance, stop after step two and refrigerate the couscous.  When ready to complete bring to room temperature or warm in a microwave for a minute before proceeding to step 3
• If you prefer to serve this pareve, use water or coconut milk for the milk and pareve margarine for the butter

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.

CARAMEL CORN CUSTARD ICE CREAM

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup good quality, fresh caramel corn
2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 bean cut open lengthwise
6 egg yolks
Pinch of salt

1.    Heat the cream in a microwavable bowl for 1 minute.  Add the caramel corn and let it steep in the cream for at least one hour or longer.  Press down on corn clusters occasionally to soften further.  Set aside until needed.

2.    Combine the milk and the sugar in a 1 quart saucepan. If using the whole bean add it now.  Stir constantly over medium heat until milk begins to scald (little bubbles form on the perimeter of the milk) and sugar is dissolved.  Add the vanilla or scrape the inside of the vanilla bean into the mixture and then remove bean and stir to combine.

3.    In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the salt until a light lemony color.

4.    Whisking rapidly, slowly add some of the hot milk to the egg yolks until combined and the egg yolks are warmed.  Return the milk and egg mixture to the saucepan with the rest of the milk mixture.

5.    Cook over low heat stirring constantly until the mixture forms a thick custard and coats the back of a spoon.  This will take 5-7 minutes.

6.    Stir in the 1 cup heavy cream with the soaked caramel corn and pour into a bowl.  Cool completely.

7.    When ready to make ice cream, strain the mixture through a sieve into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

8.    Place prepared ice cream into a freezer container and freeze until ready to serve.

Yield: about 1 quart.

These pralines are not the soft shiny kind found in New Orleans.  They are firm and opaque and so delicious.  A perfect ending to a great Fajita dinner.

1-cup sugar

1/2-cup brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

1/2-cup milk

1 Tablespoon corn syrup

1-teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine the sugars, butter, milk and corn syrup in a heavy 2 quart saucepan and cook at a low boil for 15 – 20 minutes. Stir constantly.

1. Cook the mixture until it forms a soft ball when a small amount is dropped into a glass of ice water.

1. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.

1. Add the pecans and remove from the heat. Stir to coat the pecans.

1. Pour the mixture by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and allow to cool.

Double Coconut Chocolate Macaroons

8 ounces almonds

1 cup sugar

2 cups lightly packed coconut

9 ounces dark chocolate, 60% cocoa butter

3 egg whites (approximately 1/3 cup whites)

1/3 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)

1 teaspoon almond extract

1. Place almonds in a processor workbowl and pulse the machine on and off until the nuts are finely chopped. Add the sugar and coconut and pulse once or twice to combine
2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave. 1 minute @ 80% and 45 seconds @50%. This time is approximate and based on a 1 ½ inch thick block of chocolate. It might take less time. Watch carefully and stir the chocolate after the first 45 seconds to check on the melting time.
3. In a small glass measuring cup combine the egg whites, coconut milk and the extract. Set aside.
4. Add the chocolate to the nut mixture in the processor workbowl.
5. With the motor running, pour the egg white mixture into the workbowl and just process until the mixture comes together and is well combined.
6. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
7. Wet your hands or lightly coat them with oil. Dough is very sticky. Freeze for 5 minutes if it is too hard to handle.
8. Scoop up one Tablespoon of dough and shape into a ball the size of a small walnut. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
9. Bake the macaroons for 12-15 minutes. (Convection ovens only need about 12 minutes at 350F.)
10. Cool completely and then store in air tight container or freeze. Do not over bake as cookie will harden more when the chocolate solidifies at room temperature.

Yield: 5 dozen macaroons

Ingredients

• 2-3 cups poaching liquid from Poached Pear recipe
• 1 ice cream maker-preferably 1-2 quart size

Preparation Instructions

1. Chill the poached pears in the wine mixture it was cooked in for 2 or more hours or until liquid is quite cold.
2. Remove the pears from the liquid and set aside in a glass or plastic bowl.
3. Pour the liquid into the frozen container from a small ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s directions until a soft, but thoroughly frozen mixture is formed. Store the sorbet in a sealed plastic container and serve when ready to use.