This week I was almost too excited to write my blog! A few weeks ago I was invited to write a Shavuot article for the world renown website aish.com…AISH.COM!!! Thanks to Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith and the referral by Stefanie Argamon (thanks again Stefanie!), my very first aish.com article was posted today!!! Given the significance of the article I wanted to come up with something classic with a modern twist that hadn’t been written about a million times. I knew that I didn’t want to write about cheesecake – everyone writes about cheesecake! I tried to come up with another food that when you talk about Shavuot you say “I’m having cheesecake and (fill in the food here) for Shavuot”. That food is the ubiquitous blintz!! I was very excited because I had already written one article about blintzes – GREEK YOGURT BLINTZES, and therefore was off to a good start. At that time our family was going on a cross country road trip, so I also had the benefit of a 12 hour car ride where I discussed different blintz possibilities with my dear husband (insert your personal comment here) and kids. Since a blintz is just a wrapper with a filling, we came up with a LOT of ideas. We actually came up with so many fillings that we had too many to put them all into the aish.com article, so some of the additional fun and interesting blintz fillings I’m sharing here.
Last Friday night we were visiting my Mom (KIH), and we were discussing the article and how meaningful it was that the original blintz recipe came from her and her mother, my Bubbie (Z”L). We started discussing the blintzes that my Bubbie used to make for my mother. “Did you put raisins in the cheese blintzes, because my mother used to put raisins in the cheese blintzes to make them extra special”, my Mom shared with me. She also told another fantastic story which had us all laughing hysterically. When my mom was growing up, my Bubbie used to make her blintzes filled with LUNG! While boiling the lung for the filling, she used to fry an onion in – what else – chicken fat, until it was golden brown. Then she would cut the lung into small pieces and fry it – in the chicken fat – with the onion, and then fill the blintz and fry that…in more chicken fat!! Really!! My Mom said that during that time things were so tight that nothing went to waste. While I won’t be making Lung Blintzes any time soon, this incredible story only reiterated my feeling that you really can fill a blintz with just about anything!
 |
| Is it a Hot Dog in a bun? A Corn Dog? NO! It's a GRILLED HOT DOG BLINTZ !! |
With much fanfare and a marching band I present the link to the aish.com article as well as the recipes (and photos…of course!) for the Shavuot Blintzes – the Sequel Blog. I even included a blintz recipe for the GFE (Gluten-Free Eater)! The GRILLED HOT DOG BLINTZES are a hit with everyone in the family, plus you get to grill and eat hot dogs – it’s a great day when you get to do both! The SWEET POTATO BLINTZES WITH NUTMEG CREAM SAUCE AND PECAN TOPPING is a great “healthy” variation of the classic tried and true potato blintz. (Ok, so it’s way healthier without the cream sauce…but who counts calories on Yom Tov anyway…right?) Finally, the SPICY MOZZARELLA BLINTZES are a fun, lighter way to eat those cheesy, gooey fried mozzarella sticks. I’m sure that you can come up with a few great ideas of your own…remember – your really can fill a blintz with just about anything!!
I hope that this Shavuot you learn a lot of Torah and eat a lot of blintzes!!
The aish.com article: BLINTZES FOR EVERYONE!
Note: Please go to the aish.com BLINTZES FOR EVERYONE! for a gluten-free version of these yummy blintzes!
The aish.com article: BLINTZES FOR EVERYONE!
Note: Please go to the aish.com BLINTZES FOR EVERYONE! for a gluten-free version of these yummy blintzes!
THE RECIPES
BLINTZ WRAPPERS:
Tools needed:
Whisk or fork
3 quart work bowl
Non-stick frying pan
Large spatula for flipping wraps
Silicone or metal spatula for spreading batter
Ladle (or 1 cup measuring cup)
1 cup measuring cup
Plate for stacking wraps
Waxed paper
Makes approximately 6 blintzes. Can be doubled.
CLASSIC BLINTZ WRAPPERS:
These are the classic Blintz pancakes that my grandmother used to make!
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water
1 large egg
additional salt or sugar (optional)
non-stick vegetable spray
In a 3 quart work bowl (medium) blend egg and water together using a whisk or fork. Whisk in flour until smooth.
Spray a large non-stick skillet with non-stick vegetable spray. Ladle batter onto the center of the skillet. Immediately spread the batter into a larger circle. When batter is nearly cooked through, use the large spatula to flip the wrap over to cook on the second side. Cook the wrap for another minute, then remove to a plate to cool. Stack blintz wraps between sheets of waxed paper.
GLUTEN-FREE BLINTZ WRAPPERS:
This recipe allows the GFE (Gluten Free Eater) to enjoy the Shavuot blintzes with everyone in the family!
3 large eggs
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
¼ cup potato starch
In a 3 quart work bowl (medium) blend egg and water together using a whisk or fork. Whisk in salt and potato starch until smooth.
Spray a large non-stick skillet with non-stick vegetable spray. Ladle batter onto the center of the skillet. Immediately spread the batter into a larger circle. When batter is nearly cooked through, use the large spatula to flip the wrap over to cook on the second side. Cook the wrap for another minute, then remove to a plate to cool. Stack blintz wraps between sheets of waxed paper.
HOW TO FINISH THE BLINTZES:
¼ cup liquid egg substitute (for sealing blintzes)
Your Favorite Blintz filling
oil, butter, or non-stick vegetable spray for frying
Remove a pre-made blintz wrapper from the stack. Place approximately one tablespoon of filling around 1 ½ inches from the top of the wrapper. Fold the sides of the wrapper over the filling slightly over lapping. Brush a small amount of liquid egg over the bottom of the inside of the wrap. Fold the top of the wrap over the filling and roll, pressing lightly to seal at the end. Set aside on a plate. Finish remaining filling with the rest of the wrappers.
In a large (preferably non-stick) skillet heat oil, butter, or non-stick vegetable spray until hot. Place blintzes in pan, seam side down and fry on medium-high heat until golden brown. Flip blintzes and repeat on second side. Remove from pan.
For a lower fat blintz, bake in the oven at 350° F for 10-15 minutes until brown, but they are crispier (and yummier!) fried.
FILLINGS:
GRILLED HOT DOG BLINTZES
This recipe can be doubled, or tripled, or quadrupled…you get the idea! You can never have enough grilled hot dogs!! I used the slightly healthier chicken hot dogs for this recipe. You can use whatever type of hot dog you like – you can even use kielbasa or knockwurst for a spicy grilled hot dog blintz…I’m getting so hungry writing this blog!!!
8 blintz wrappers
8 hot dogs of your choice
barbecue sauce of your choice
2 tbsp liquid egg (or 1 whole egg beaten well)
non-stick spray or oil for frying
Grill the hot dogs, brushing periodically with barbecue sauce. Set aside.
Brush a small amount of barbecue sauce on the center of a blintz wrapper. Place a hot dog on the barbecue sauce. Brush the bottom of the blintz wrapper with liquid egg. Roll the blintz wrapper around the hot dog pressing to seal.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray the skillet with non-stick spray, or coat with oil. Fry Hot Dog Blintzes on all sides until golden brown. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.
Note: Unless you make really large blintz wrappers, you will not be able to fold the sides of the wrapper around the hot dog. Instead, roll the blintz wrapper around the hot dog without folding in the sides, leaving the sides open. Don’t worry, they taste great anyway!!
SWEET POTATO BLINTZES WITH NUTMEG CREAM & PECAN TOPPING
12 prepared blintz wrappers
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon potato starch
1 large egg
½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
cinnamon for garnish
Bring a large stock pot filled a ¼ of the way with water to a boil. Add sweet potatoes, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for approximately 30 minutes until potatoes give easily when pricked with a fork. Allow to cool. Peel potatoes and set aside.
In a large bowl, mash potatoes with a potato masher or a fork. Blend in remaining ingredients. Fill blintz wrappers and finish blintzes as directed above. Top with NUTMEG CREAM SAUCE, a small dusting of cinnamon, and chopped toasted pecans.
NUTMEG CREAM SAUCE
1 tablespoon butter (because we can!)
1 teaspoon corn starch
¼ cup cold water
1 ½ cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Melt butter over medium-low heat in a 2 quart pot. Add heavy cream and cook until hot. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine cornstarch and water, stirring until starch is completely dissolved. Gradually whisk the dissolved cornstarch into the cream, making sure to whisk continuously to avoid lumps. Stir until the cream begins to thicken. Stir in nutmeg. Stir warm sauce over blintzes.
SPICY MOZZARELLA BLINTZES
This is the specialty spicy mozzarella that you find twisted in the package covered with yummy spices. If you can’t find this type of mozzarella in the store, you can use plain mozzarella, or mozzarella cheese sticks for a gooey, cheesy blintz!
8 blintz wrappers
10 ounces spicy mozzarella cheese, chopped into large dice
Divide the cheese among the blintzes. Finish according to the directions above. Garnish with one of the following toppings:
- Fire roasted peppers, onions and avocado (Thanks Tzipporah!)
- Your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.
- Your favorite ranch dressing
 |
| OMG!! |
GRILLED HOT DOG BLINTZES:
All the ingredients...just add
blintz wrappers!
We LOVE anything grilled!!
Spread the sauce on the blintz wrapper,
place the hot dog on the sauce,
roll over doggie!!
(note the open ends...)
Fry 'em up on all sides...
I used non-stick vegetable spray,
it's a little healthier and they
came out great!
Good thing these were so easy to make...
everyone wanted more
GRILLED BLINTZ DOGS!!!
(and who could blame them?!!!)
Look for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com or on Facebook at Edible Experience by Sharon Matten.
These recipes are for sole, personal use of visitors to Sharon Matten -Edible Experience Kosher Everyday. Edible Experience Kosher Everyday recipes are for your enjoyment but are not to be posted or reprinted without express permission from Sharon Matten. Thank you!!
No comments:
Post a Comment