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.

4 Tablespoons margarine (you can use butter if you are not kosher)
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1/4 cup dry white wine
2-3 pounds chicken wing drummettes or chicken cut into 1/8ths
1 cup mango chutney
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 Tablespoon finely chopped scallion
2 Tablespoons finely chopped peanuts

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1.    Melt the margarine in a saucepan and stir in the curry powder.  Cook for 2-3 minutes and add the wine.  Remove from heat.

2.     Remove any excess fat from the chicken parts.  Wash and pat dry.  If using whole wings, discard the tip and cut the two bone section and drummettes apart.

3.    Place the chicken parts in a roasting pan and baste with the curry sauce.  Bake for 20 minutes in a 350F Oven.

4.    Chop up any large pieces of mango in the chutney and then spread the chutney over the chicken parts.  Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.

5.    Place the chicken on a serving platter and reduce the sauce by 1/3.

6.    Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the coconut, scallions and peanuts.  Serve.

NOTE:  May be made in advance and reheated in the microwave or oven.  Garnish with the coconut, scallion, and peanuts only after reheating and before serving.

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.

LATKES-POTATO PANCAKES

6-8 large thin skinned potatoes, California long whites or Yukon Gold

3 eggs, beaten well

1 Tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2-cup matzo or cracker meal

1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces

Oil for frying

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1.    Grate the raw potatoes using the large grating disk on a processor or the largest holes on a grater if doing it by hand. Place grated potato in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain while you grate onion.

2.    Combine eggs, salt, pepper and matzo meal in a 3 quart bowl.  Mix thoroughly.

3.    Change to the cutting blade on your processor.  Add onions to the work bowl.  Pulse on and off 5 times.  Add ¼ of the grated potatoes to the onion and pulse on and off to make a coarse paste. Add to the egg mixture and stir to combine.

4.    Add the drained potatoes to the bowl and mix thoroughly using a large spoon or your hands.

5.    Heat a large frying pan or large skillet for 20 seconds.  Add enough oil to cover the pan to a depth of 1/4 inch and heat for an additional 20 seconds. Drop mounds of potato mixture into the pan.  Fry on both sides until golden.  Drain fried latkes on a platter covered with crumpled paper towels.  Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

Tina’s Tidbits:

•    Grated potatoes turn black when exposed to air.  Rinsing the potatoes under running water washes away excess starch and the discoloring culprit.
•    Always grate your potatoes separately from your onions that way you won’t lose any of the flavorful juice when you drain the potatoes
•    The best way to drain fried foods is on a plate covered with crumpled paper towels.  Crumpling gives more surface area for absorption.

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1 Tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
8 ounces cooked sweet potato, preferably with pale flesh
2 teaspoons Harissa, or more to taste
1 egg, separated
Salt to taste
12-15 regular sized (8 inch square) lumpia shells or thin spring roll skins

1 or more cups of vegetable oil for frying briks
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1.    Heat an 8 inch skillet over high heat for 20 seconds; add olive oil and heat for 10 seconds more.  Reduce the heat if oil is smoking and add the onion.

2.    Sauté the onion until golden.  Add the garlic and sauté another minute until mixture is fragrant; do not let garlic get too dark.

3.    Remove the skillet with the onion mixture from the heat and add the parsley and potato.  Mash the potato well to mix all of the ingredients together.  Add the Harissa, egg yolk and salt to taste and stir to combine.

4.    Combine the remaining egg white with 1 teaspoon of water.

5.    Lay one lumpia skin on a board.  Place 1 heaping Tablespoon potato mixture in the center.  Using your finger, rub some egg white on the bottom and top edge of the shell.

6.    Fold the bottom edge over the filling and lightly press down along the edge.  Do the same with the top edge.

7.    Rub some egg white on the left and right edge of the formed rectangle.  Fold the right edge over the filled section and gently press down to seal the edge.  Repeat with the left edge creating a packet that looks almost square. Place seam side down on a plate while you form the other packets.

8.    Pour the oil into a flat bottomed wok or a small saucepan so that the oil is 1 inch deep.

9.    Heat oil until hot, but not smoking and registers 350F on a frying thermometer.

10.    Place the packets, 2 or 3 at a time into the hot oil seam side down.  Fry until lightly golden and the tops begin to puff up a little. Turn briks over and fry just until lightly browned.  Immediately remove from oil with a wire spatula or slotted spoon.

11.    Drain on paper towel and serve immediately. Additional Harissa may be used for a dip, if desired.

1. Combine the apples with the lemon juice, zest, scallions, celery and raisins in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, almond butter and syrup.
3. Toss this mixture together with the apple mixture and chill until serving.
4. When ready to serve, toss the apple mixture with the spinach and garnish with toasted slivered almonds.