A review of "Something Sweet"

Looking to give someone something sweet for Chanukah?  Try “Something Sweet” by Miriam Pascal, creator of overtimecook.com!  It’s a wonderful cookbook for those that are looking to bake...something sweet.  It’s perfect for the beginner as well as the more advanced baker.  The recipes are easy to follow too - Miriam put a lot of time into making sure that the recipes were easy to read and execute.  She also worked hard to eliminate some of the “unhealthier” ingredients like margarine and uses oil in her cookies instead.  

I spent a little time talking to Miriam about her journey into baking, transitioning from her “boring” (her words) old job to her interesting new baking and blogging/writing job.  She works really hard to accommodate her readers and you can see it in the quality of her recipes.

As a baker myself I find the “litmus test” of a good baker or cookbook is how their chocolate chip cookies turn out...the most basic recipe, but sometimes the hardest to execute.  We’re all on auest for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe, right?  Given that Miriam’s chocolate chip cookie was made with oil, I was curious as to how it would compare to another fabulous chocolate chip cookie that always gets rave reviews (wink, wink).   I made the cookies and gave them to a panel of seriously discerning pastry snobs (my kids).  They gave the cookies two thumbs up.  They said that although the texture was different than the ones they were used to, they were still really good - just different.  High praise indeed.  Really.

I also wanted to review another non-traditional recipe in the book, so I made the  Caramel Popcorn.  It wasn’t too hard to make at all.  I can’t make it again though.  I want to.  I can’t .  If I do I’ll eat the whole recipe again and gain 100 pounds and want to make more, again..and again.  Can’t. Make. More. Caramel. Corn.  Sigh.

You can find “Something Sweet” on amazon.com.  to order click below:

No-Margarine Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pareve - Yield: About 4 dozen

1 cup oil

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ cups good-quality chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375℉.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper;  set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together oil and sugars until smooth and creamy.

Add vanilla, baking soda, salt, eggs, and cornstarch, beating well to combine after each addition.  Reduce mixer speed to low.  Add flour; beat until just combined.  Add chocolate chips; stir until evenly distributed.

Using a medium cookie scoop (or heaping tablespoon), drop dough onto prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 8-9 minutes, until tops are set.  Do not overbake.

Easy Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Dairy or Pareve - Yield: 8-9 cups

POPCORN

3 tablespoons oil

½ cup yellow popcorn kernels

CARAMEL

5 tablespoons butter or trans-fat-free margarine

3 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

Prepare the popcorn:  Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  To make sure oil is hot enough, drop in one corn kernel.  When it pops, pour the rest of the kernels into the pot;  cover pot.

Keeping the cover on, shake the pot to help popcorn pop evenly and prevent burning.

When the popping sound slows, remove pot from heat.  Pour the popcorn into a large, greased, heatproof bowl.

Prepare the caramel:  In a medium pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add sugar, water, and salt.  Stir until sugar has dissolved.

Cook mixture over medium-high heat, without stirring, for 15-20 minutes, until it begins to brown around the edges.

Meanwhile, measure baking soda, grease two heatproof spatulas or spoons, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Coat parchment with nonstick cooking spray.  Time is of the essence in the next step so have everything handy and be ready to work quickly.

Once sugar mixture begins to brown around the edges, remove pot from heat; add baking soda.  Whisk for about 10 seconds.  Mixture will bubble vigorously and thicken.  Quickly pour sugar mixture over popcorn and toss with the two prepared spatulas until all popcorn is evenly coated.  

Pour popcorn onto prepared baking tray and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, break into chunks and enjoy!

The awesome Miriam Pascal!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

All wet the ingredients in the bowl....

 Add the dry ingredients

 

  Mix...then add the chocolate chips!

 Scoop them onto the parchment...

 Bake...look how pretty they came out!

 I want to eat it off the page!

 Oh!

 OH!

 

The Caramel Popcorn was so good this was all that was left.... 

Kosher Everyday is dedicated to the memory of my father

Dr. Theodore Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L

May his memory be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.

Look for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,

JewishExponent.com, aish.com, Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,

The Chicago Tribune Syndication,

 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!!

A review of "Spiritual Kneading Through the Jewish Months"

Passover.  A time of redemption.  Exodus.  Freedom.  Liberation.  By the time Pesach is over, although I’m super happy with having spent time with our family and friends (all 120+ of them), I’m pretty tired.  By the time the kitchen is sort of back to it’s pre-chametz status I’m blitzed.  Tired.  Wiped.  The “E” word (the “E” word is a restricted word in our family, only to be brought out under extreme circumstances due to frequent overuse of the term...ok, it’s exhausted).  In all the chaos, preparation, antibiotics, and re-cleaning, I managed to begin to lose focus regarding the purpose of all the prep.  I needed some Spiritual Kneading!

A while before Pesach I received the book “Spiritual Kneading Through the Jewish Months - Building the Sacred through Challah” by Dahlia Abraham-Klein.  I put it to the side with the intention of reviewing it after the chag when things weren’t quite so crazy. So, last week, I made a much needed cup of coffee, grabbed a pencil, highlighter, post-its and made my way to the Lazy-Boy recliner, put my feet up and started to read.  THANK YOU DAHLIA!!!

The book begins with a beautiful description of the concept of the first Mitzvah, to mark/sanctify the months of the year.  Dahlia then eloquently brings you into the celebration of a Jewish woman’s role in this important mitzvah, then ties it into the very important mitzvah of taking/baking Challah.   

While the writing is incredibly beautiful, there is a lot of practical information in this book as well.  I was blessed to be able to do a Challah Braiding class last week for Chai Lifeline here in Chicago.  I came prepared with my Spiritual Kneading book in hand.  With it, I was able to give clear explanations for most of the questions that the group had.  I also had the brachot, tehillim, and mitzvah specifics handy.

Spiritual Kneading is also a guide for Rosh Chodesh Challah groups, with Jewish Monthly themes, challah recipes, and braiding tips.  As a guide for groups, it’s excellent.  It’s also fun to have a new, seasonal/holiday theme ready to prepare.

I was very excited to try recipes after reading the rest of the book.  I tried the  basic Egg Challah recipe - pretty straightforward. I ended up having to add a little extra water, but once I did the dough was smooth and elastic .  I’m a little lazier and use my mixer to knead, so I probably didn’t get all the spiritual infusion or exercise I might have had I kneaded the dough completely by hand.  Also, in the interest of full disclosure, my plan had been to make the dough early in the morning on Thursday, let it rise, braid all kinds of cool and fun challot for my demo, then bring them all baked.  HA!  Let’s just say that didn’t happen, and I ended up leaving a big bowl of challah dough on the counter to rise as I left for the demo.  When I got back I was ready to braid!  The dough was wonderful after it rose (even though it rose longer than it was supposed to).  It was so nice to be able to pop open the book for the brachot and have them handy.  My friend and I had a blast trying out a bunch of the cool braiding techniques in the book.  

The challot were gorgeous after they baked and tasted great.  They were less sweet than the challot I bake regularly, but that's a matter of personal preference.   

I would highly recommend this book for the new baker to the experienced chef.  Especially for a new bride as a shower gift.  It’s a great way to bring you back to the origins of why we are making challah to begin with, connecting us with our spiritual “needing” via Spiritual Kneading.

You can find "Spiritual Kneading Through the Jewish Months" on amazon.com

Egg Challah

4 tablespoons active dry yeast

3 cups warm water

¾ cup organic sugar plus 2 tablespoons organic sugar

4 cage-free organic eggs

5 pounds organic white flour

1 ½ tablespoons sea salt

1 cup neutral-tasting oil, such as safflower oil

2 cage-free organic eggs beaten

1. In a large bowl, combine the yeast with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and the warm water.  Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to start activating.  Yeast activation should take about 10 minutes; it will be bubbling and foamy.
2. In the meantime, break 1 egg at a time into a small glass bowl and check that there are no red spots on the yolk.  Transfer the egg into a larger bowl and, when all the eggs are cracked, beat with a fork.
3. Set 1 cup of flour aside.  Sift the remaining flour, sugar and salt into the bowl.
4. Pour the eggs and oil onto the flour.  Combine all the ingredients, using a spatula.  When it begins to form a dough, it is time to knead.  At this point, you can remove the dough from the bowl and knead on the kitchen counter if it’s easier for you, or knead directly in the bowl.
5. To knead the dough: grab the side of the dough furthest away from you and fold it toward yourself.  Fold the dough in half and use your body weight to push the dough into itself.  If you find that the dough is sticking to much to the surface and preventing you from kneading properly, dust the dough with flour.  Give the dough a quarter turn (90 degrees).  Grab the other side and fold it in half. Again, with a lot of weight behind it, push the newly folded half into itself.  Repeat this process for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, silky, elastic and it does not stick to the surface.
6. After the dough is thoroughly prepared, lay it on the countertop while you grease the bowl with a fine layer of oil. Next, turn the dough in the oil several times so that the dough is greased lightly on all sides.
7. Cover the bowl with a large plastic garbage bag or kitchen towel and allow it to rise for 1 hour.
8. Make the blessing on hafrashat challah.
9. Knead the dough again for a few more minutes.  Use the remaining flour for the surface area and hands to prevent sticking.  Form it into shaped loaves of your choice.
10. cover the loaves again and let them rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough as doubled in volume from its original size.
11. If you cannot bake the challahs immediately then this is the time to wrap the shaped dough in plastic wrap to prevent drying.  You can store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.  On the day of baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand on kitchen counter until it comes to room temperature, about one hour.
12. Preheat the oven to 350℉.  Brush your challahs with beaten eggs and sprinkle with the topping of your choice.
13. Bake in your preheated oven for about 30-36 minutes, or until loaves turn golden brown and shiny.  Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.
14. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.  Wait at least one hour before serving.  If you are freezing the challah, wrap in waxed paper and foil.  It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Mix the ingredients - Love the new, fresh, yeast bubbling!!!

  Set it in a warm place to rise....

AND THE FUN BEGINS!!!!

Another one:

Next....It was "Shlissl" Challah Week!!!

More challah fun! 

 Into the oven....

 And they came out great!!! 

(If I humbly say so myself ;-) )

Kosher Everyday is dedicated to the memory of my father

Dr. Theodore Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L

May his memory be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.

Look for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,

JewishExponent.com, aish.com, Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,

The Chicago Tribune Syndication,

 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!!

Homemade Soft Pretzels and Jerry's Minestrone Soup

The past few weeks have been crazier than my “Sharon Matten Normally Crazy” life.  Since my dear Dad (A”H) passed away just before Pesach, our family has been trying to function daily – get up, get dressed, go to work, take care of the kids, and try to pick up a little where my Dad left off.  He left really big shoes to fill, and we really miss him.

It’s a custom in our family for the women to say Kaddish along with the guys.  I have never been to Shul so much in my entire life!  It’s taken a lot of adjusting, not just for me…but for my entire, very very understanding and supportive family.  Three times a day I daven in the little office just off of the Shul’s Beis Medrash and say Kaddish with the “men”-yan.  I’m really impressed with the guys that are on time and come to minyan every day.  It’s a huge commitment and it is because of them that I am able to say Kaddish for my father with a minyan.  I’m still learning the rhythm of the minyan davening too – what prayers are said when, what’s skipped in the siddur, and when to jump to another seemingly random page for a single tefilah only to jump back to where we started from.  This is also the first time in my whole life that I’m still counting sefirah with a bracha (yay me!).  I know that it’s been that number plus a little over a week that my life irrevocably changed. 

I never realized that there is a 15-20 minute break in between mincha and maariv when davening at Shul (I never went during the week before).  One of the weird plusses of the whole experience is that I bring cookbooks to review (Levana’s new one!) and some of my favorite culinary magazines to read during the break.  I have a quarter hour of complete quiet to chill and catch up on new and interesting recipes and articles.  I recently received the latest copy of the Penzeys Spices Catalog which not only has descriptions of all their fabulous spices, but articles and recipes as well.  This week I was looking for comfort food.  Something warm and welcoming that made a lot so I would have leftovers for additional meals during my “gerbil on an exercise wheel” week.  I came across an interesting recipe for Homemade Soft Pretzels that looked delicious and not too hard to make, and I could even top some of them with our favorite “Everything” spice mix (thanks Jamie!).  I figured it would make a great fast weeknight dinner (everything has to be fast these days!) along with a hearty Minestrone Soup.  Any leftover pretzels could be part of the kid’s lunches the following day.  I had a plan.  I then went to my favorite Mega Fruit store, Jerry’s, and found tons of amazing, fresh, beautiful vegetables.  Because time was short, I figured I’d make the soup with a tomato juice base and save time by purchasing the juice at the fruit store too.  As luck would have it, none of the tomato juices at the store had hashgacha.  ARGH!  I had to come up with a fast plan B.  It turns out that one of the other items that I purchase at Jerry’s is pasta sauce!  They have a great selection of sauces and the prices are cheaper than anywhere else.  I grabbed a few jars of tomato basil pasta sauce to use as the base of my Jerry’s Minestrone Soup. It had all the ingredients and spices that I would want to have in my soup, and thinned with some water it was perfect! I ended up using my favorite Hindy Chopper (see here for more information) to make what normally would be a huge, time consuming job into a quick “chop-chop” zippy fast task.  I could have even used frozen pre-washed cauliflower to make the job faster, but the cauliflower at Jerry’s was so fresh and appealing I figured it was worth the extra prep time to use it in the soup. 

Warm, hearty & comforting...

Well, the pretzels came out great – the kids were arm wrestling for seconds (what was I thinking…leftovers??).  The soup was thick, rich, healthy! and incredibly delicious too.  The recipe makes a lot so I was even able to have some during the week for tasty and nutritious fast lunches.  I guess there are times in our lives where warm and inviting food can be a comfort, and the simple, routine process of making it can bring some security and consistency to an otherwise out-of-control, crazy life. 

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Based upon the Penzeys Spice Catalog recipe Early Summer 2012.

This recipe is cool because the Pretzels are boiled in a baking soda and water mixture before being baked – not fried!  It also uses brown sugar instead of regular for a wonderful soft, chewy, home baked treat.

1 ¼                         cups                       warm water

1                             tablespoon              rapid rise yeast

¼                            cup                         brown sugar, packed

2                             cups                       bread flour

1 ½ - 2                    cups                       all-purpose flour

4                              cups                      water

4                              tablespoons           baking soda

                                                   Kosher or Sea Salt, or your favorite “Everything” spice mix

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.  Let the yeast sit for 5 minutes until foaming.  Add the sugar, bread flour and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour.  Mix by hand or with a dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic – around 10 minutes, adding the additional ½ cup of all-purpose flour as needed.  Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.  The dough will not necessarily double in size.

Preheat oven to 500° F.  Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Divide the dough into 12-18 pieces, depending upon the size of pretzel you want.  Roll each piece into a “snake” around 18 inches long.  Twist the dough into pretzel shapes and firmly pinch the ends to keep them from unfolding in the boiling water.

Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil.  Add the baking soda and stir to dissolve.  Dip each pretzel in the baking-soda/water for 5 to 10 seconds making sure the pretzel is completely immersed.  Shake off excess water, and place the pretzel on the prepared baking sheet.  Sprinkle with your favorite toppings.  Repeat with remaining pretzels.

Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.  Serve warm with your favorite hearty soup (Minestrone!) or dipping sauce (like hot spicy mustard).

Jerry’s Minestrone Soup

2              large                      potatoes (around ¾ lb. each), peeled and chopped

2              cups                      green beans, tips removed, cut into 2 inch pieces

½ - 1       pound                    baby carrots, chopped

3              large                      ribs celery (around 2 cups), sliced

2              medium                 tomatoes, diced

3-4          cups                      cauliflower flowerets

1              small                     onion, diced (around ¾ cup)

2              26 oz. jars            tomato basil pasta sauce (or your favorite flavor)

52           ounces                   water (use pasta jars to measure)

2-3          cups                      cooked ditali pasta (or other small bite sized pasta)

1              tablespoon           fresh basil, finely chopped

1              tablespoon           fresh cilantro (or flat leaf parsley), finely chopped

                                           salt and pepper to taste               

                                           croutons, crackers, or your favorite soup toppings (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a large 8 quart stock pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.  Serve with your favorite soup toppings and a toasted crusty bread or Soft Homemade Pretzels.

Notes:

1.       Use the large holed blade on the Hindy Chopper for bite sized vegetable chunks.

2.       To measure the water for the recipe, empty the sauce into the stock pot, fill the jar with water, swirl the water to get any remaining sauce in the jar, then add it to the soup.

3.       Depending upon how thick your sauce is, this recipe will most likely make a thick, hearty soup.  To make a more “liquidy” soup use 3 jars of sauce plus one additional jar of water. 

4.       You can substitute frozen vegetables for some of the fresh ones to expedite the preparation of this soup.

Homemade pretzels...

make the dough then cut it into 

12 pieces....

Roll them into pretzels & pinch the ends....

Boil 'em, top 'em, bake 'em, 

eat 'em warm!!

Minestrone Soup:

All the ingredients for a 

hearty, healthy, comforting soup!

 Use the Hindy Chopper to speed up

the prep time...

 Perfectly chopped veggies!

Perfect floweretts!

Can't wait to eat!

(and there's even enough for later!)

Yes...my kids do play with their food...sigh.

Kosher Everyday is dedicated to the memory of my father

Dr. Theodore Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L

May his memory be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.

Look for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,

aish.com, Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,

The Chicago Tribune Syndication,

 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!!

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