It's So Delish!

This is a recipe that I only make for Pesach and I don’t know why, because it’s so delish. Maybe it’s the extra steps like double boilers and egg separating that puts me off when I’m cooking for our usual Ohr Chadash hordes. However, this year I’m super motivated to make a few of these Lemon Meringue Pies because we have our first real crop of homegrown organic lemons. We’ve tried to grow them before but as we say in Yiddish “geit nisht” loosely translated – “it just doesn’t go”. The trees either got attacked by flighty aphids or persistent voles – mole cousins, or funky weather. But this year it’s a Bumper Crop! So enjoy preparing a yummy pie and be sure to come over for some tea and leftovers after the Seder. PS This recipe is greatly improved by grandchildren helping to squeeze out every drop of juice and practicing the chanting of the “Mah Nishtana” in the kitchen while it bakes.

Prepare a pie crust with 1-1/2 C ground nuts (optionally substitute ½ C matzo meal) a pinch of salt, another pinch or cinnamon, 1/3 C walnut or other oil and enough ice water to make a dough that can be pressed into a pie pan.

Slowly cook in a double boiler 7/8 C sugar with 3 whole eggs 1/3 C lemon juice 1T lemon peel grated until the mixture coats a spoon then pour into the pie crust and bake till bubbly about 30 minutes at 350

While baking prepare meringue by whipping 3 egg whites with ¼ C sugar until stiff but not dry peaks form. Heap onto baked crust and filling and bake another 10 minutes till meringue is brown on top and have a “Zissen Pesach” as my mom of blessed memory would always say in Mama Lushen, Yiddish for Mother Tongue. PS I’m the big sister in this homey picture.   

Rebbetzin Rachel's Recipes - Winter Time!

My Russian Grandma Ida knew about cold weather. So when the winds howled off Lake Michigan she cooked up this warming ultimate comfort food. You start any Jewish food with sautéed onions, and now we scientifically know why. A recent study of nursing home residents showed statistically that appetite increased when the aroma of fried onions wafted through the air before dinner time!  While those marvelously pungent onions are gently browning in 2 Tablespoons olive oil throw in 3 cloves of chopped garlic, 3 nice slices of fresh ginger, 3 sliced carrots, 5 stalks chopped celery, 1 medium head of chopped green cabbage ¼ head purple cabbage, 2 diced beets ½ a diced green bell pepper. Continue to sauté until everything is cheerfully sizzling then add a large can of crushed tomatoes and fill the pot with water just to cover the veggies. Add to the simmering pot 3 Tablespoons each of brown sugar and apple cider vinegar, then sprinkle in some salt, pepper & cayenne to taste. The cayenne and ginger will warm you down to your toes and chase away any audacious diseases who would dare to enter your spheres. As we Jewish (grand) mothers say in Yiddish, “Ess mine kindt” – “eat up my children.”

To your health and warmth, with LOL Lots of Love 

Rebbetzin Rachel's Recipes for a Super Sweet Sukkot!

One of my neighbors told me her family didn’t like Tzimmes - a traditional sweet dish served at this season. Tzimmes in Yiddish means “a big deal” but this recipe is no big deal it’s actually easier than pie. She asked me if I had a twist on the old classic. This recipe was such a hit I just had to post it on our Ohr Chadash Blog!

Put a package of red turkey chunks (found in the frozen meat section of your local store - in Hebrew הודו אדום on top of some sliced onions and fill the pot with water up to half the height of the meat. Sprinkle on top some onion soup powder,sweet paprika and black pepper and let it steam on a very low fire for about an hour. Then add chunks of those wonderful vitamin A rich veggies such as pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash and sweet potatoes and a generous handful of pitted prunes and there it is. Let it all steam until tender. Add a tablespoon of honey a pinch of cinnamon a dash of Allspice known locally as English pepper פלפל אנגלי  (I guess the Middle Eastern pepper temperature tolerance is fiery hot as compared to the mild mannered and not so spicy Anglo). The sweet potatoes should break down and make delightful gravy; the meat should be so tender it just falls apart.  

Sweet Chag Sameach to ya’ll, LOL Rachel