Reesa's Sweet and Sour Brisket from Sue Fishbach

From Sue Fishbach





















4-6 lb. brisket
2 onions, sliced (or 1 large)
3/4 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup works too)
1/2 cup vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar)1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1 T. salt (I omit)
1/2 t. pepper

Place brisket in a heated Dutch oven.  Brown on all sides on medium heat.  Add onions, garlic [missing from recipe]and brown again about 10-15 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover pot and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 

(That's the official recipe.  Here's what I do:  Skip the browning.  Trim fat from brisket and place it in a large roasting pan.  Put sliced onions on top of the brisket.  Sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder.  Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup and water and pour over the brisket.  Cover tightly (this is important) with heavy duty foil and bake at 325 for 3-4 hours.  The brisket should be tender when you stick a fork in.  After the brisket is cooked, scrape the onions into the juices in the pan (there will be a nice amount).  Remove brisket from the pan.  If you have time, chill juices to let any fat harden.  Remove the fat.  Then with a stick blender, blend the onions and juices.  Slice the brisket and pour the sauce over the meat and serve.

(Source:  The Cook's Book, Herzlia Adas Yeshurun Synagogue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)

Sausage and Lamb Stew from Laurie Segal

From Laurie Segal

I love stews and this is my favorite go to stew recipe that I have been making for 35 years (modified a little through the years)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (I now use some of the great chicken Italian sausages finally available)

1 - 2 pounds leg of lamb cut up or lamb stew meat  (as lamb has gotten more expensive through the years, I use less an less of it)

1 medium onion, chopped large                                          

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 zucchini, cut in half inch circles and halved              

1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, stems cut and halved 

2 cups beef broth            

1 cup red wine     

1 14 oz. can tomatoes 

teaspoon - paprika, thyme, rosemary, dried ginger  (I have been making it so long I don't measure spices, just throw them in.  this is an approximation, but the final dish is very flavorful, so don't skimp.)

3 cloves garlic chopped (or pressed)  2 tsp. dried basil or handful if using fresh

Directions
 

Toss cubed squash with 1/2 T olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Roast in 400 oven 10 minutes until just tender. set aside.  (Original way was to add it uncooked at last hour of cooking but then you can't control the consistency as well.)

In a large Dutch oven saute sausage in olive oil, set aside. 

Flour the lamb (shake in a plastic bag with flour S & P) and sauté, set aside.

Drain pan. 

Heat T olive oil, add a little flour and onions and sauté few minutes. 

Add wine to deglaze pan.

Add all ingredients except mushrooms, zucchini and squash. 

Cook 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

Add zucchini and mushrooms, cook about a half hour more.  

Can keep on a low heat until ready to serve. 

Add the roasted squash in the last 10-15 minutes.

I usually serve it in soup plates on top of a small amount of cous cous or bulgar.

Serves around 6.

Bon Appetit!

 

Oven Baked Fish Tacos with Chipotle Lime Dressing from Hannah Wurzel

 

From Hannah Wurzel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients (serves 6):

Fish:
- 1 pound tilapia filets (or other similar fish like Mahi Mahi), cut into chunks

Marinade for fish:

- 1/4 cup EVOO

- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

- 2 teaspoons lime zest

- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons honey

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/2 teaspoon cumin

- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Dressing (to put on finished tacos):

- 8 ounces light sour cream (greek yogurt works well too!)

- 1/2 cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers

- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

- 2 teaspoons lime zest

- 1/4 teaspoon cumin

- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

- salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

- 1 package tortillas

- 3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 

- 1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded

- some lime wedges for people to squeeze on top

Directions

1. To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning, black pepper, and hot sauce in a bowl until blended. Place the tilapia in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate for a bit - longer the better.
2. To make the dressing, combine the sour cream and adobo sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake fish in preheated oven until it easily flakes with a fork, 9 to 11 minutes. 
4. Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of tomatoes, cilantro, and cabbage; drizzle with dressing. To serve, roll up tortillas around fillings, and garnish with lime wedges.

Ginger Cookies from Joanne Hirsch

From Great Auntie Jo and AT

Lanie and Dan,

 

We hope you enjoy these favorites of every one of the San Francisco gang.  Please, know that this is the only time we ever give credit to the southern lady whose recipe we modified.  Enjoy!

 

With love, 

Great Auntie Jo and AT

(Paula Deen’s recipe, tested and modified by yours truly; consumed happily by AT.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or use non-stick baking sheets. 

¾ cup canola oil

1 cup sugar, plus more for rolling

1 large egg

¼ cup molasses

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 teaspoons ground ginger (Paula says 1 teaspoon, but don’t listen.) 

½ (to 1) teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped candied ginger (AT’s addition: he can’t get enough ginger.)

Using an electric mixer at low speed, cream the shortening and sugar until thoroughly combined.  Add the egg and molasses and beat until completely incorporated.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.  Add to the mixture.  Stir until combined.  Roll the dough into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Roll the balls in sugar.  Place ½-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.  Gently press your thumb to slightly flatten.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, taking care not to burn the bottoms.  Cool on wire racks.  As they cool, the cookies crisp.  The recipe makes 2½ to 3 dozen cookies.

 

Pauline's Peach Dessert from Ruth Irvings

From Ruth Irvings

This is always a hit and passed down from my family--an older cousin of mine.

Amy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crust:

1 stick of butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

Mix these together and press them into a square pan

Filling:

Peach halves (depitted and peeled, face down on crust)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pour sugar and cinnamon on top

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes

Topping:

2 egg yolks
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour over filling. bake another 30 minutes at 400 degrees

Enjoy!

Manicotti from JoEllyn Schultz

From JoEllyn Schultz

I love this recipe because it's "comfort food" and it is an easy vegetarian dish. Manicotti, a green salad and crusty Italian bread and a great bottle of red wine is easy to make for company, nice to bring to a friend in need, or just make it for yourself and enjoy. It is possible to make the sauce ahead of time then stuff the shells right before you're ready to bake. 

 

I have made this dish for over 40 years and it has become a family signature dish. I use a great 9x13 metal pan with a slide-on cover that is perfect for this dish. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sauce:

6 T olive oil

1 large onion diced

4 large cloves of garlic crushed and then minced

3 T dried basil

1 t. hot pepper flakes

1 t. oregano

1/2 t. black pepper

1 t. sugar

salt to taste

1 can tomato sauce 15oz.

1 large 28oz. and 1 15oz. can whole tomatoes

1/4 cup water

Heat the oil and then add the onion and garlic. Saute until softened. Add basil, oregano and pepper flakes. Stir to blend flavors.

Add tomato sauce, whole tomatoes, water, sugar, pepper and salt. Break the tomatoes apart as it cooks. I don't use diced tomatoes because the flavor is not the same. 

Bring to a simmer. Turn to low and simmer 20-30 minutes stirring frequently.

It is nice, but not necessary, to make the sauce a few days ahead and let it "age". The flavor is richer.

Cheese Stuffing:

1 15oz. container ricotta cheese

3/4# mozzarella cheese shredded

1/4 C. parmesan cheese grated

1 egg beated

1 T chopped fresh parsley

1 t. sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Stir all ingredients together. 

Assembling:

Use uncooked manicotti noodles. Stuff with cheese filling and arrange in 9x13 pan. The stuffing should be enough to fill 12-14 noodles. Ladle the sauce to cover all of the noodles. Be sure to cover all of the noodles. Cover the pan tightly with foil.

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove cover and check with a fork. If the noodle is al dente GREAT but if it is too hard recover and bake another 5-10 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle additional 1/4 C Parmesan cheese and bake 5 more minutes.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Excellent leftovers...if there is anything left!!  

 

 

Shurit Ads (Egyptian Lentil Soup with Cumin & Garlic) from Reesa Gottschalk

From Reesa Gottschalk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

2 cups dried, hulled split red lentils

2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
1 medium onion, peeled & quartered
1 medium tomato quartered
2 t. coarsely chopped garlic
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges

Directions

Heat stock (low sodium) in large pot.  Wash lentils in strainer under cold water until water runs clear.  Add to hot stock & stir.  Add onion, tomato, & garlic.  When stock is about to boil, turn to low & simmer partially covered for 45 minutes.

Cool soup & then process with a stick blender until smooth.  Return to pot & simmer over low heat stirring occasionally.  Stir in cumin, salt, & pepper.  Serve with lemon wedges & or additional onions that have been sautéed to golden brown.