September 08, 2008

Honey in Kiev...


Holidays are coming...

The posting about honey in Kiev (Honey in Lavra) brought a lot of memories... because I'm from Kasrilevke (60 miles from Kiev) No matter how many years we live in America and how americanized in a good sense we are, according to Sholem Aleichem, we're still from one of the most famous Jewish places in the world.

Picture from Yiddishe Lady

Я родилась и выросла в Житомире(Касриловка) и конечно мне было приятно увидеть небольшое сообщение о Киеве. Я думаю, что многим будет приятно прочитать об этом...

September 07, 2008

Potato, shrimp and pink radishes salad


Potato, shrimp and pink radishes salad
Serves 4.

1 cup boiled shrimp, 3 cup cooked potatoes, cubed, 1/2 cup thinly sliced pink radishes, 1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sour cream, 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, 1/4 cup finely shopped dills or parsley

Mix together the potatoes, shrimps, radishes, and salt. To sour cream, add mayonnaise. Combine the potato mixture with sour cream. Add dills or parsley. Refrigerate for half an hour.

Картофельный салат с редиской и креветками.

На 4 порции.

1 чашка варенных креветок, 3 чашки нарезанной варенной картошки, 1/2 чашки тонко нарезанной редиски, 1 чайная ложка соли, 1/4 чашки сметаны, 2 столовые ложки майонеза, 1/4 чашки мелко нарезанного укропа или петрушки

Перемешать картошки, креветки и редиску. Посолить. Перемешать сметаны и майонез и влить в салат. Добавить укроп или петрушку. Поставить в холодильник на полчаса.

September 06, 2008

Holidays are coming...


Enjoy the recipe and cake from Israeli Gerbera (on Russian)
Этот рецепт только на русском.

Cherry Sour Cream Coffee Cake


Cherry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature, 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 1/4 cups sour cream, 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 cups cherries, pitted

For the streusel:1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed. Carefully add cherries to a batter.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate.
Бисквитный кекс со вишней.

Тесто: 12 столовых ложек сливочного масла (150 грамм) комнатной температуры, 1 1/2 чашки сахара, 3 яйца, 1 1/2 чайных ложек ванильного экстракта, 1 1/4 чашки сметаны, 2 1/2 чашки муки, 2 чайные ложки разрыхлителя, 1/2 чайнох ложки соды, 1/2 чайной ложки соли, 2 ачашки свежей (или замороженной вишни)

Сладкая затирка: 1/4 чашки коричнового сахара, 1/2 чашки муки, 1 1/2 чайной ложки молотой корицы, 1/2 чайнох ложки соли, 3 столовые ложки сливочного масла, 3/4 чашки мелко нарезанных орех.

Нагреть духовку до 350Ф. Приготовить формочку для выпечки бисквита.

Смешать в миксере масло, сахар и начать взбивать. Добавить по одному яйца, ваниль и сметану. В отдельной посуде смешать муку, соль, соду и разрыхлитель. Включить миксер и постепенно добавить мучную смесь к смеси в миксере. Все перемешать, выключить миксер и аккуратно добавить вишню.

Для сладкой затирки: смешать коричневый сахар, муку, корицу, соль и масло. В конце добавить орехи. Выложить половину теста в форму и посыпать половиной затирки, затем наверх выложить вторую половину теста и посыпать остатком затирки.

Печь в духовке около 1 часа. Вынуть готовый кекс, остудить, вынуть из формы.

Recipe from http://www.notderbypie.com/cherry-sour-cream-coffee-cake/

September 03, 2008

More fiber in Jewish diet


You may be wonder how to bring more fiber into daily menu... It's easy, if you like CHICKPEAS. Enjoy easy recipe from NY Times (watch video for the clear directions)

Chickpea Salad With Ginger
Time: 10 minutes with precooked chickpeas


1 tablespoon cumin seeds or ground cumin, 3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas (rinse canned ones), 2 bell peppers, red, yellow or orange; cored, seeded and diced, 1 red onion, diced, 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced, or more to taste, 1 tablespoon sugar, optional, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves.

1. In a dry pan, toast cumin seeds over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Grind to a powder using a spice mill, coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. If using ground cumin, lightly toast.

2. In a large bowl, toss all ingredients but cilantro. (You can prepare dish up to this point in advance; let sit for up to 2 hours.)

3. Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if you like, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

September 02, 2008

"Чемодан – аэропорт – Касриловка!"


Are we coming back?..(This posting for Russian-speaking Jews)

Сегодня аналитики на www.zahav.ru опубликовали статью, которая будет интересна многим. Несколько лет тому назад многие бы просто отмахнулись от этой темы. Сегодня - это для некоторых актуально.

К этому могу добавить еще одну довольно резкую статью

Для меня интересен один вопрос: "Почему эта ситуация сложилась именно в Израиле?"

August 28, 2008

Glazed apple lattice coffee cake (Пирог-плетенка с яблоками)


Glazed apple lattice coffee cake (Пирог-плетенка с яблоками)

This rich dough takes a couple of hours to rise—just set it aside and forget about it.
My personal notes:
- for dough: I mixed 2 tablespoons warm water, 1 teaspoon flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 package active dry yeast.
- for filling: I mixed apples with 2 tablespoons sugar, added 2 teaspoons bread crumbs and 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
- instead of cookie crumbs I used bread crumbs and it works just fine.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Dough:
2 tablespoons warm water (105°F to 115°F), 1 package active dry yeast, 1/2 cup whole milk, 6 tablespoons sugar, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, room temperature, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 2 to 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Filling:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar, 1 1/4 pounds Golden Delicious apples (about 3 medium), peeled, cored, quartered, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel, 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Nonstick vegetable oil spray, 1/3 cup finely crumbled vanilla wafer cookies or soft ladyfingers

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (or more) orange juiPreheat oven to 375°F. Bake cake uncovered until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Gently run spatula under cake to loosen from foil. Cool 30 minutes.For glaze:Mix powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons orange juice in small bowl to blend, adding more juice by 1/2 teaspoonfuls if too thick. Drizzle glaze over cake. Cut crosswise into slices. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

For dough: Place 2 tablespoons warm water in small cup. Mix in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 6 minutes.Stir milk, sugar, butter, and salt in medium saucepan over medium-low heat just until sugar dissolves and butter melts (mixture should be just warm). Scrape milk mixture into large bowl; cool to lukewarm if necessary. Whisk in yeast mixture, egg yolks, orange peel, and spices. Add 2 cups flour; mix with rubber spatula until dough comes together. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead until smooth and silky, sprinkling with more flour by tablespoonfuls as needed, about 6 minutes. Place in clean large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towel. Place in warm draft-free area; let rise until light and almost doubled in volume, about 2 1/2 hours.

For filling: Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar. Cook until thick grainy sauce forms, about 1 minute. Mix in apples. Cook until apples are tender and sauce is reduced to glaze, tossing often, about 7 minutes. Mix in all grated peel and spices. Cool filling at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.Place large sheet of foil on work surface; spray with nonstick spray. Turn dough out onto foil. Roll out to 14x12-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle cookie crumbs in 4- inch-wide strip down center, leaving 1/2- inch border at top and bottom. Arrange apples with any juices atop crumbs. Starting 1/2 inch from each long side of apples, cut straight to edge of dough at 1-inch intervals, making about 13 strips on each side. Fold dough strips alternately and on slight angle over filling, forming lattice. Seal open ends of dough.Slide foil with dough onto large rimmed baking sheet; trim foil overhang. Cover cake loosely with plastic and towel. Place cake in warm draft-free area; let dough rise until light and puffy, about 1 3/4 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake cake uncovered until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Gently run spatula under cake to loosen from foil. Cool 30 minutes.For glaze:Mix powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons orange juice in small bowl to blend, adding more juice by 1/2 teaspoonfuls if too thick. Drizzle glaze over cake. Cut crosswise into slices. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.


Recipe from Bon Appétit October 2007

August 26, 2008


Do you want a woman-boss?..

Recently some numbers came out of Pew Research center Let's believe these numbers will bring some GOOD changes for the world. Make sure, not every woman can be a good leader. Be aware of the bad ones (from personal experience)!