Hamantaschen with Almond Streusel

Yields about 3 & 1/2 dozens cookies

Filling

5 oz. (140 gram) dry apricots

3/4 cup dry cranberries

1/3 cup water, room temperature

4 tablespoons fruit spread or thick jam

Streusel

1/2 cup almond pieces

2 digestive biscuits

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour

8 tablespoons (about 100 gram) butter, cold

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons almond meal or flour

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon kefir or buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg yolks (whites reserved for egg wash)

To make a streusel, place biscuits, sesame seeds, and almonds into a bowl of a food processor and process until a small bit resembles.

To make filling, place dry fruits and water into a medium saucepan and bring to boil on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Lower the heat and simmer for about 4-5 minutes until almost all water will be evaporated. Remove from the heat and give a couple of minutes to cool.

Place fruits and jam into a bowl of food processor and process until a small bit resembles. Remove filling into a plastic container, cover with a lid and keep on a kitchen counter.

To make a dough, place the flour into a big plastic bowl and shred butter with a grater in it. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour.

In a medium bowl, mix sugar, salt, almond meal, and baking powder. Add to a flour mixture.

In another medium bowl, mix vanilla extract, egg yolks, and kefir. Add to dry ingredients. Using your hands, make a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough from the refrigerator. Divide dough into smaller pieces and knead each piece in your warm hands. The dough will be enough good to roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 2-in round cookie cutter or glass to cut out as many circles as possible and place 1 teaspoon of filling into the center of each dough circle. Fold like hamantaschen. Pinch the seams firmly to seal. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, cut out additional circles. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. Brush the hamantaschen with the egg whites. Carefully lift each cookie and dip face down into streusel. Place on a cookie sheet.

Bake for about 12-14 minutes. remove from the oven and cool completely. Keep in an airtight container. 

Tangy Avocado Dip

Serves 2

In food processor combine 1/4 preserved lemon (chopped) and 1 scallion (coarsely chopped) with 1/4 cup each fresh cilantro and plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon hot sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until finely chopped. Pulse in1 ripe avocado until almost smooth. serve with chips.

Пикантный соус из авокадо

На 2 порции

В кухонном комбайне смешать 1/4 консервированного лимона (предварительно нарезать) и 1 зеленый лук (крупно нарезанный) с 1/4 чашки свежей петрушки и 1/4 чашки греческого йогурта, 1 чайной ложки острого соуса и 1/4 чайной ложки соли. Добавить 1 спелый авокадо и прокрутить до получения почти однородной массы. Подавать с чипсами.

Recipe comes from "Good Housekeeping" magazine

Double Mushrooms Creamy Soup with Coconut Milk and White Beans

Yields 4 servings

1/2 oz. (about 15 grams) dry mushrooms

3 cups cold water + more for boiling mushrooms

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, cleaned and chopped

1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk

3/4 cup white canned beans, rinsed

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

4 oz (about 120 gram) fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 tablespoons, fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon schmaltz (optional)

Salt, ground black pepper, lemon juice, garlic-chili sauce to taste

Place dry mushrooms into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain water and reserved it for future use. Cool and chop dry mushrooms.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. 

Combine onion, carrot, celery, and potatoes in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until all of the vegetables are chopped into tiny pieces, but don't let them get mushy. Using a spatula take out the mixture and place it in a medium bowl. Put into boiling water and sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for about 7 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir mushrooms until mushrooms are lightly browned, for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with some salt and ground black pepper. Remove from the heat to cool a bit.

Add coconut milk. Stir to combine everything and simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Add chopped dry mushrooms and two tablespoons reserved liquid. Using an immersion blender, puree vegetables with coconut oil.

Add mushrooms, drained white beans, and chopped parsley. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Check for spices. Add lemon juice, garlic-chili sauce. For fat-lovers, add chicken fat (schmaltz).

Remove from the heat. Stir together a couple of times and serve warm. Leftovers might be stored in a lidded plastic container and reheated before serving time.

Ready for Lunch Flaky Tarts with Chicken Filling

Yields about 2 dozen medium size pastries

Filling 

9-10 oz. cooked chicken meat, shredded by hand

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 medium yellow sweet pepper, chopped

1 medium red sweet pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons ketchup

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Salt, black and cayenne pepper to taste

Dough (https://www.kosher.com/recipe/easy-flaky-dough-5927)

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces margarine or butter (cold)

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup cold water

Egg wash

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Sesame seeds for sprinkling

Dough and filling must be done in a day before tarts will be served.

To make a dough, sift flour and salt in a bowl. Place flour into a bowl of a food processor and cut margarine into it. Process until small crumbs.

Add egg yolk and vinegar. Start processing and add cold water. Process until the soft dough will be formed. Wrap into plastic and refrigerate overnight.

To make a filling, in a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add peppers, ketchup, coriander, and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes. Add a bit of vegetable oil and chicken. Sprinkle with more salt and ground black pepper. Allow cooking for about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Check for spices and let cool for 2-3 minutes.

Place mixture into a bowl of a food processor and process until a smooth paste. Remove a paste into a medium bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

The next day after breakfast, remove dough and filling from the refrigerator. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat an oven to 350 F (180 C).

Cut the dough into quarters. Working with one part of the dough at a time, roll out into a rectangle 1/8 thick. Using a 6-inch cutter, cut into disks. Place a tablespoon of filling on one disk and cover with another one. Using a fork, firmly press the edges together. Reroll scraps and repeat this process with remaining dough and filling and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Wet a pastry brush with egg wash and brush each pastry. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and give half an hour to cool. Serve with a salad of your choice.

Delicate Almond Crescent Cookies

Yields 20-23 medium size cookies

2/3 cup almonds

1 & 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, very soft

1/4 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Place almonds into a bowl of food processor and process for about 1 minute. Add flour and sugar. Process for about 20-30 seconds.

In a big bowl, mix butter and salt. Add flour-nut mixture and knead a dough. The dough will be very soft. Make 20-23 balls and place them on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and store in a refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Preheat an oven to 325 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, grease with a bit of vegetable oil and non-stick cooking spray. Choose a cookie sheet, which fits into your refrigerator.

Remove the plate with balls from the refrigerator and roll out each ball into a 3' - 4' log. Carefully bend to shape into a crescent. Place on a cookie sheet. Store a filled cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Bake 14-16 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cool almost to room temperature, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Keep in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Нежные миндальные рожки

На 20-23 печенья среднего размера.

2/3 чашки миндаля

1 и 2/3 чашки белой муки

1/3 чашки сахарного песка

1 чашка (200 грамм) несоленого масла, очень мягкого

1/4 чайной ложки соли

Сахарная пудра для посыпки

Выложить миндаль в чашу кухонного комбайна и провернуть до образования крошки, около 1 минуты. Добавить муку и сахар. Провернуть еще в течении 20-30 секунд.

В большой миске смешать масло и соль. Добавить мучно-ореховую смесь и замесить тесто. Тесто получается очень мягким. Сделать 20-23 шарика и выложить их на тарелку. Накрыть полиэтиленовой пленкой и хранить в холодильнике около 1 часа.

Разогреть духовку до 325 F (160 C). Выстелить противень пергаментной бумагой, смазать небольшим количеством растительного масла и побрызгать антипригарным спреем. Противень должен умещаться в вашем холодильнике.

Достать тарелку с шариками из холодильника и раскатать каждый шарик в цилиндр размером 3–4 дюйма (до 10 см). Осторожно согнуть, чтобы получился полумесяц. Выложите на противень. Поставить заполненный противень в холодильник примерно на 15 минут.

Выпекать 14-16 минут.

Вынуть из духовки, остудить почти до комнатной температуры и посыпать сахарной пудрой.

Хранить в герметичном контейнере пару дней.