Cheesecake Pops

It sounds SUPER DELISIOUS for kids. I did not try them because of the last Seder, but now we should try to have a FUN.

Two ideas to explore:

Try them from scratch

Try them from cheesecake leftovers

Election year: try and compare....

Golda Meir vs Hillary Clinton

Black Bean Brownies (Passover and non-Passover)

Black Bean Brownies (Passover and non-Passover)
1/2 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 1 cup cooked black bean puree, 2 bananas, 4 eggs, 1 cup all-purpose flour (for Passover use Passover Cake meal), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder



Mix cocoa, butter, sugar, black bean puree, bananas and eggs together in a food processor until well blended.

Sift dry ingredients together and stir into wet mixture. Grease a 9 x13 inch pan with cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until done.

Американские шоколадные пирожные с черной фасолью

1/2 чашки кокоа-порошка, 1/2 чашки растопленного сливочного масла или маргарина, 1 чашка сахара, 1/2 чашки меда, 1 чашка пюре черной фасоли, 2 банана, 4 яйца, 1 чашка муки (на Пасху использовать Passover Cake Meal), 1 чайная ложка соли, 1 чайная ложка разрыхлителя

Всыпать в кухонный комбайн кокоа-порошок, сахар, мед, масло, пюре черной фасоли, 2 банана, 4 яйца. Все прокрутить до однородной консистенции. Добавить муку, соль и разрыхлитель, предварительно смешанные. Все хорошо перемешать. Вылить жидкое тесто в дечку размером 9 х 13 инчей. Поставить в духовку, предварительно нагретую до 350Ф и печь 40 минут до полной готовности.

BEANS AGAINST CANCER?

Research has found genetic mutations leading to colorectal cancer in Jewish people of Ashkenazi descent. In fact, Ashkenazi Jews are two-to-three times more likely to develop colorectal cancer than are members of the general population. This is part of the reason why colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Israel.

According to Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D, Mexican dry bean consumption (much of which is of antioxidant-rich black beans) is 33 pounds per year, more than five times the US total. Perhaps not coincidentally, Mexico has just 30 percent of the US colon cancer mortality rate. This fact brought me to the idea to create my own "black-bean" brownie recipe. Initially I found similar recipe on "A Dietician's Cancer Story". Later I reworked the recipe and used for Passover.

Celebrating Holidays, we have to think about QUALITY of OUR LIFE!

Bean, appetit!

Gefilte Fish (american way)

Gefilte Fish (american way)

This is one of the my favourite recipes. Try and you will love it.

2/3 cup dry white wine, 2 1/2 quarts water, 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally in 1-inch pieces; 3 ribs of selery, slices diagonally in 1-inch pieces; 1 large onion, peeled and shopped, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, tied with string; 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper by taste, 1 1/2 pounds frozen, ready-to-cook gefilte fish, 2-3 large potatoes;

Combine wine, water, carrots, onion, bay leaf, parsley, salt, pepper. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes uncovered.

Add frozen fish roll in it's paper wrapping and simmer for 1 hour.
After an hour, add potato slices and continue cooking 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the cooking liquid. remove the fish roll and peel off the paper. Wrap in plastic wrap, then foil, and chill at least overnight before serving.
Many brands of frozen gefilte fish are available in many supermarkets. I use this one:

Фаршированная рыба по-американски

2/3 чашки белого сухого вина, 10 чашек воды, 2 больших морковки, почишенной и порезанной по диагонали на средние кусочки, 1 большая головка лука, мелко порезанная; 1 лабровый листок, 1/2 пучка свежей итальянской петрушки, 1 чайной ложки соли, черный молотый перец по вкусу, 600 грамм замороженного рыбного филе(ready-to-cook gefilte fish), 2-3 картофелины, желательно большие.

Влить в кастрюлю вино и воду. Добавить туда морковь, лук, лавровый лист, петрушку, соль и перец. Поставить на огонь, довести до кипения и медленно варить в течении 30 минут.

Положить в кипящую жидкость замороженное рыбное филе (ни в коем случае не размораживать, и не снимать внутренней пленки). Варить в винном растворе около 1 часа. Потом добавить картофель и варить еще 30 минут.

Снять с огня и дать остынуть, потом вынуть рыбное филе из кастрюли и снять пленку. Обернув в прозрачную пищевую пленку, положить рыбу в холодильник на ночь. Подавать с холодными закусками.

Recipe from "Deliciously Healthy Jewish Cooking" by Harriet Roth

Delicious Passover

The editors of the Dining section in "The New York Times" propose ideas for your Passover meal.

Please read it

The most expensive TEACAKE....

Something interesting and unusual for all us to know...

Read on English and Russian

If you want to try some of these tasteful British creatures, London is one the best tourist destination in the world. By the way, if you don't know, Marks & Spenser has a VERY deep Jewish roots.

Enjoy it!

Salmon Chowder with Dill (Американский суп с лососем)

Salmon Chowder with Dill (Американский суп с лососем)

4 tablespoons butter, 2 cups chopped scallions, white and green parts (about 2 small bunches), 2 yellow bell peppers, diced, 5 cups fish or vegetarian stock, 4 cups, peeled, diced potatoes (about 4 medium), 1 1/2 pounds skinned salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces, 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill, 1 cup heavy cream

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add scallions and peppers and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add stock and potatoes and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Puree 2 cups of the soup in a blender until smooth, and return to pan. Add salmon and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in dill, cream , and salt and pepper to taste. cook more 15 minutes.

I'm sure, this soup will become one of the favourites at your table. It goes well with home-made bread.

Recipe from Byerly's

Oatmeal Buttermilk latkes

Oatmeal Buttermilk latkes

Serves 4-6.

1/2 cup oats (the regular kind), 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1 egg, well beaten, 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp brown sugar,Butter or extra vegetable oil for the frying pan
Put oats into a large bowl, add the buttermilk. Let the oats soak in the buttermilk for 10 minutes. Add egg, oil, and brown sugar
Mix in the flour, baking soda, salt. Add dry ingridients to a batter. Mix everything together.

Then proceed as with any pancake recipe. Heat a flat iron surface - griddle or large pan - to medium high heat. Oil the pan with either a Tbsp of butter or vegetable oil. Ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle to the desired size, usually about 5 or 6 inches wide. When air bubbles start to bubble up to the surface at the center of the pancakes (about 2-3 minutes), use a flat spatula to flip them over. After a minute, peak under one for doneness. When golden or darker golden brown, they are done. Note that cooking the second side takes only about half as long as the first side. And the second side doesn't brown as evenly as the first side. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Serve with butter, maple syrup, and macerated strawberries.

Овсяные блинчики


На 4-6 порций

1 1/4 чашки кефирa, 1/2 чашки овсяных хлопьев быстрого приготовления, 0,5 ч.л. ванильного экстракта, 1 большое яйцо, слегка взбить, 1 ст.л. растительного масла, 1 1/4 чашки муки, 2 ст.л. коричневого сахара, 0,5 ч.л. пищевой соды, 0,5 ч.л. солиВ чашке соединить кефир, хлопья и ванилин, оставить на 10 минут, периодически помешивая. Затем добавить яйцо и масло. В другой чашке смешиваем муку, сахар, соду и соль, добавляем жидкие ингредиенты. Жарим на разогретой сковороде, смазанной маслом. Получается примерно 16 маленьких оладушек (или 8 больших). Подавать с кленовым сиропом, вареньем.

Jewish Food Fundamentals

Jewish Food Fundamentals

Asking a Jew if he likes Jewish food
Is like telling a Christian it's fruitcake time dude.
It's just a thing, like a letter to Jude.
You have to eat it, whatever your mood.


There are the drunks who drink cheap kosher wine.
They make it stronger, so they're feeling fine.
That's just the rules and there's line after line.
I couldn't stand this sweet fruit of the vine.


There are a few that are always in favor.
There's a fish hamburger you have to savor.
It's not that bad if you sign a fish waiver.
Some are the bottom fed. Some are the braver


Sometimes it's salty. Sometimes it's bitter
Sometimes it's tasteless, but never is fitter.
Sometimes you feed some to your baby sitter.
She seems to like it, though you are a quitter.


You have to go without bread for a week.
You get a cracker that gums up your cheek.
You can't eat lunch! Every Gentile will seek
To sample this matzah when it's at its peak.


Sometimes the day means you can't eat at all.
This will come late in the summer or fall.
You stuff your face just before for the pall.
When it's all over, there's more left on call.


Then there's the boiling of chicken for soup.
There's lots of fat and you scoop and you scoop.
They used to keep it and spread it like goop.
This is the schmaltz and it fed a whole troop.

Everyone seems to like bagels and lox.
Buy lots of cream cheese. That really rocks.
You want the best and it comes in a box.
This is by choice and will knock off your socks.


June 9, 2007 Stephen Blumenkranz