By Sarah M Lasry, www.kosherstreet.com
With all the cooking that is about to commence for the up coming New Year, it’s nice to have a few easy, simple, tried & true recipes in my box. The foll
owing recipes are my go-to dishes that I make sure to put on my Holiday menu side-by-side with all the new and fancier Yom Tov fare I plan on serving.
Ingredients:
4 eggs, beaten
1 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c oil
1 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
6 tart apples, peeled & sliced
1/2 C raisins (optional)
Directions:
Combine first 4 
ingredients.
Stir in next 2 ingredients.
Fold in apples & raisins.
Pour into well-greased 9″x13″ pan.
Bake at 350*F for 45-50 minutes.
Pomegranate Poppy Seed Salad
Salad Ingredients:
1/2cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Head Romaine Lettuce, chopped
1 Pomegranate, seeded
1 pint blueberries
½ cup chopped up fresh dates
¼ cup blanched slivered almonds
For the Dressing:
½ cup olive oil
2 ½ tbsp. white vinegar
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. garlic powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 packet of Splenda (or 1 ½ tsp. sugar)
In a small frying pan toast the sunflower seeds for about 1-2 minutes. Pour into small bowl and add the confectioners’ sugar and cayenne pepper and mix well. Set aside.
In a larger bowl add the rest of the salad ingredients and the sugared sunflower seeds -mix well.
In a small bowl add all the dressing ingredients and whisk well together. Pour over salad and mix well. Plate and serve.
Moroccan Vegetable Couscous with Lamb
Tips: in a real
pinch I have used canned chickpeas -the dish was tasty – BUT not the same when I used real chickpeas. I have also made this couscous with beef and chicken.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup dried chickpeas, that have been soaked overnight
2 4 large yellow onions, quartered and sliced
3 Kosher salt to taste
4 Fresh Black pepper to taste
5 1 tsp. ground ginger
6 ½ tsp. ground turmeric
7 4 -5 strands of saffron crushed
8 2 tbsp. Margarine
9 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
10 1-2lbs lamb (you can use baby lamb chops, lamb neck or shoulder cut into pieces)
11 1 ½ lbs instant couscous
12 1 lb carrots, chopped
13 2 large zucchinis, chopped
14 ¼ cup sugar
15 1 1/3 cups dark raisins
16 1 ½ lbs of butternut squash, cut into cubes
17 1 tbsp. melted margarine
18 1 tsp. ground thyme
19 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
20 1 ½ cup toasted almond slivers
Directions:
In a large Dutch oven, cook the onions, salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric, saffron, margarine and olive oil. Mix the onions with a wooden spoon, and cover and cook on medium-low for about 10-12 minutes until the onions have softened.
Once they have softened, uncover onions and let them cook until they have turned golden. Add the lamb and pan sear on all sides. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium -high heat for about 2 hours.
After 2 hours add the chickpeas, carrots, zucchini, butternut squash, sugar, raisins and cook for another 30 -35 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl toss your warm couscous with the melted margarine, thyme, & cinnamon.
To Serve: Spread out the couscous onto the plate and ladle heaping piles of cooked lamb with a little of its broth and vegetables on top. Garnish with lots of toasted slivered almonds.
MAKING ONLY THE VEGETABLE COUSCOUS Tip: if you just want to make the vegetable part of this couscous dish. Toss all your vegetables including the rasins in a large bowl with olive oil, and all the spices (saffron, thyme, salt, pepper, ginger & turmeric and the sugar). Lay them out on a well-oiled cookie tray and roast in oven on about 325 for 40-45 minutes. Serve them on top of couscous for a great side dish.
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
