Pistachio Hamantaschen with lekvar plum butter

Makes about 4 - 4 1/2 dozen 2-inch (2 bites) cookies

Dough:
1/2 cup raw pistachios
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Prune filling:
2 cups pitted prunes
1 cup water
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup brown sugar

Egg wash:
1 egg, beaten with folk

1/2 cup nuts of your preference, finely chopped + 1 tablespoon brown sugar for sprinkling

For filling, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan except for the brown sugar. Stir and bring to a boil for one minute. Reduce heat to medium low so the mixture simmers slowly and constantly.
Cover the pot. Let the mixture simmer covered for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove the lid from the pan. Let the prunes continue to simmer for 3-5 more minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated/absorbed. Keep a close eye on the pan to make sure the prunes don't burn. When there are about 3 tbsp of liquid left in the pan, remove from heat.

Stir the brown sugar into the prune mixture till brown sugar melts and dissolves. Mash the prune mixture with a potato masher till a smooth puree forms. Run a fork through the mixture to break up any pieces the potato masher missed. You can also use an immersion blender for a smoother puree, if you want to.

Let cool to room temperature before using. Store in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator. Refrigerating the filling to chill completely will make it easier to work with when filling hamantaschen. (Recipe from Tori Avey cooking site) Personally, I made the filling one day before dough and kept chilled for better results.

For dough, Pulse pistachios in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add flour, salt, and sugar and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse just until a coarse meal forms. With motor running, gradually stream in 1/2 cup ice water and process until dough comes together. Transfer dough to a work surface; form into a ball, divide into 3 equal parts, then flatten them into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes. (I chilled in refrigerator for 1 hour) (Recipe from Epicurious.com)

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove one disk from the refrigerator. On lightly floured pastry mat roll out dough into rectangle 1/4  inch thickness. Use 3-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 scrapes, re-roll, cut out additional circles. Repeat the process with remaining dough and filling.

Brush the hamantaschen with the egg wash and sprinkle  with nut mixture.

Bake in preheated oven until golden and browned for 12 minutes on lower shelf and 12 minutes on uppper shelf. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-7 minutes on a baking sheet and then transfer on a nice plate. Store in airtight container up to 3 days.

Asian Kale Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

If you're tired to serve just salads for potluck, try this one. The dressing is a star of the recipe.

For the Salad

4 cups chopped curly kale, thick stems removed (be sure it's dry)
3 cups prepared shredded red cabbage
2 cups prepared shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the Dressing

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sriracha
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Pomegranate seeds for sprinkling. I added this option and really like, because it brings unbelievable  flavor to the salad

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Bake the almonds until lightly golden and fragrant, 5-10 minutes. (Keep a close eye on them; nuts burn quickly.) Let cool.

Combine all of the ingredients for the salad in a large mixing bowl.

Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender; process until smooth and creamy.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

Recipe comes from Once upn a chef by Jennifer Segal

Blueberry & Almond Olive Oil Muffins with Infused Lemon Milk

Makes 12 medium size muffins

¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (175 g) sugar
1 cup (230 ml) milk
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp (100 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cups whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup ground almonds
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
3/4 cups blueberries, rinsed, drained and dried on paper-towels
flaked almonds, for sprinkling
Powdered sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly oil and flour a standard 12-cup non-stick muffin tin.

Place the sugar, milk, lemon zest and scraped vanilla bean seeds with the pod in a medium saucepan over low heat and bring just barely to a simmer while stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse and cool down.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk through ground almonds. Add the olive oil, beaten eggs and cooled milk mixture and whisk gently to form a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Mix a couple dashes of all-purpose flour with berries and arrange 4-5 blueberries on top of each muffin any way you like. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and leaving to cool completely.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Idea for recipe comes from Sweets by Christina Marsigliese

Farro Salad with Beets and their tops

Yield: 6

3 medium beets and their tops (or substitute 1 bunch lacinato kale for the beet greens)
2 cups cooked farro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot (or 1/4 of a red onion), diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons
¼-½  cup toasted nuts – hazelnuts ( crushed), pine nuts, walnuts.
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup pecorino, grated or shaved ( optional, or use goat cheese)
salt and pepper to taste
sunflower sprouts (optional)

Slice the beet stems and greens off of the beets ( saving), then cut the beets in half and steam or roast the beets.  Once tender, peel and dice the beets into 1/2-inch cubes and place in a medium bowl.

Add the cooked farro to the bowl.

Slice the beet greens and stems finely, then sauté in a skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil, shallot, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until wilted, about 3–4 minutes. Add this to the bowl of beets and farro, along with the basil, toasted nuts, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Toss well. Add the pecorino, then season with salt and pepper. I used smoked Gouda, which works very well.

Top with optional sunflower sprouts.

Salad will keep 3–4 days in the fridge ( without the sprouts) P.S. Personally, I would not recommend to keep this salad in a fridge.

Салат с красной свеклой и крупой Farro

На 6 порций

3 средних свеклы с ботвой (можно использовать kale)
2 чашки сваренной крупы Farro
1 столовая ложка оливкового масла
1 лук-шалот (или 1/4 красного лука), нарезанного кубиками
2 зубчика чеснока, мелко нарезанных
1/4 стакана базилика, нарезанного на тонкие ленты
½ чашки жареных орехов - фундук (измельченный), кедровые орехи, грецкие орехи.
3 столовые ложки оливкового масла
1 1/2 столовой ложки бальзамического уксуса
1/4 чашки твердого сыра, натертого на крупной терке или наструганного пилером (по желанию, используйте козий сыр)

Отрезать ботву от корнеплодов свеклы, нарезать ее на средние куски. Завернуть красную свеклу в фольгу и запечь в духовке до полной готовности или сварить. Очистить, нарезать кубиками и выложить в большую миску.

Добавить фарро в ту же посуду.

Нарезанную ботву свеклы обжарить на сковороде с 1 столовой ложкой оливкового масла, луком и чесноком. Тушить на среднем огне, пока ботва не станет немного мягкой, около 3-4 минут. Добавить содержимое сковороды в миску со свеклой и фарро. Добавить базиликом, жареные орехи, оливковое масло и бальзамический уксус. Все хорошо перемешать. Добавить сыр, затем приправить солью и перцем. Салат можно держать в  холодильние 3-4 дня, но я не рекомендую это делать. По желанию можно украсить ростками подсолнечника.

Recipe comes from Feasting at Home

Seeded Crackers

Absolutely puffy, delicate, crunchy and even crispy. You will enjoy with any drinks and even salads.

Serves 6-8

1/2 cup sunflower kernels
1/4 cup flax seeds (I used flax seed meal)
2 tbsp black chia seeds (substituted onto 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tsp salt flakes plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup  white spelt flour
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 Ф (180 C).

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Place half the mixture between two sheets of baking paper that you have cut to the same size as your baking tray. Roll the dough out to a large thin square, remove the top layer of paper and place the paper with the dough on to the baking tray. Sprinkle with some extra salt. Lightly cut the dough into favorite shape cookies. Repeat with the other half of the dough and then bake for  15 - 20 minutes until golden brown.

Allow to cool on wire. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Крекеры с семeчками

На 6-8 человек

1/2 чашки семян подсолнечника
1/4 чашки семян льняного семени (я использовал льняную муку)
2 столовые ложки черного чиа (Я заменила на 3 столовые ложки белой муки)
1/4 чашки семян кунжута
1 чайная ложка морской соли плюс еще немного для разбрызгивания
1 чашка муки  "spelt"
1/2 чашки воды
1/3 чашки оливкового масла
Разогреть духовку до 180 с.

Выложить все ингредиенты в миску и замшать тесто. Положить половину теста между двумя листами пергаментной бумаги для выпечки и раскатать тесто до того же размера, что и противень. Удалить верхний слой бумаги и выложить тесто на противень. Немного посыпать солью. Нарезать тесто на печенье любимой формы. Повторите с другой половиной теста и выпекать 15-20 минут до золотистого цвета.

Если хотите круглые крекеры, то сначала нарежьте формочкой круги и выложите их на деко, покрытое пергаментной бумагой.

Recipe comes from "Life in balance" by Donna Hay

Easy Refrigerator Pickles with Bay leaf

1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
5 cloves garlic, peeled
6 large sprigs fresh dill
1 bay leaf
(optional) 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more/less to taste (I used and it brings a real zing to pickles)
1 large English hothouse seedless cucumber, sliced into rounds or spears

Add the water, vinegar, salt, peppercorns, garlic, dill and bay leaf to a large (1-quart) jar — or divide the mixture evenly between two small (1-pint) jars — and stir to combine.

Add the sliced cucumbers to the jar(s).  Then place the lids on the jar(s), and shake to combine.

Refrigerate ideally for at least 2 days before eating, although you can totally dive in before that time.  The pickles will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe comes from Gimme some oven

Chocolate Mint Dips (Passover friendly)

Makes about 15 2-inch cookies

For the Cookies:
240 g of Ground Almonds (2 Cups)
25 g of Cacao Powder (1/4 Cup)
Pinch of Sea Salt
60 ml of Maple Syrup (1/4 Cup)
80 ml of Melted Coconut Oil (1/3 Cup)
1/2 Teaspoon of Peppermint Extract

For the Chocolate Coating:
180 g of Dark Chocolate
1 Teaspoon of Melted Coconut Oil
1 Teaspoon of Peppermint Extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180’C). Mix together the ground almonds, cacao powder and a good pinch of sea salt in a large bowl.

While mixing, add in the maple syrup, coconut oil and peppermint extract.
Shape the mixture into a large ball and roll it out on a clean surface until about half an inch thick. Don’t worry about the edges cracking, just use a cookie cutter or small glass to cut cookie shapes from the middle. Lay them out on a roasting tray lined with baking paper. Reshape and roll the mixture as needed.

Bake at 350 F (180’C) for about 12-15 minutes until starting to crisp. Then leave to cool completely on the tray on a wire rack.

Once they’re cool, melt the chocolate and whisk it together with the coconut oil and peppermint extract. Lay baking paper out on a chopping board. Dip each cookie in chocolate to coat, shake off any extra and leave them on the chopping board in the fridge to set.

Шоколадно-миндальное печенье с ароматом мяты

На 15 средних печенья

Для печенья:
240 г молотого миндаля (2 чашки)
25 г какао-порошка (1/4 чашки)
Щепотка морской соли
60 мл кленового сиропа (1/4 чашки)
80 мл растопленного кокосового масла (1/3 чашки)
1/2 чайной ложки экстракта мяты

Для шоколадной пзлазури:
180 г темного шоколада
1 чайная ложка растопленного кокосового масла
1 чайная ложка экстракта мяты

Разогреть духовку до 350 F (180’C). Смешать молотый миндаль, порошок какао и щепотку морской соли в большой миске.

Перемешивая, добавить кленовый сироп, кокосовое масло и экстракт мяты.

Скатать смесь в большой шар и раскатать на чистой поверхности до толщины около 1см. Не беспокойтесь о краях, просто используйте форму для печенья или маленький стакан, чтобы вырезать кружки. Разложить печенье на противне, выстланным бумагой для выпечки.

Выпекать при температуре 350 градусов (180 градусов) около 12-15 минут, пока края не начнут выглядеть хрустящими. Вынуть из духовки и дать полностью остывать на решетке.

Как только печенье остынет, приготовить глазурь: растопить шоколад и перемешать его вместе с кокосовым маслом и экстрактом мяты. Выложить бумагу для выпечки на разделочную доску.
Полностью окунуть каждое печенье в шоколад, стряхнуть лишнюю глазурь и выложить на разделочную доску. Поставить в холодильник для застывания на несколько часов. Вынуть.

Хранить в закрытом контейнере в прохладном и сухом месте.

Recipe comes from The Little Green Spoon

Sunday Soup: Veggies, Chicken & Barley

Makes about 10 cups (2.5 l)

2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks
4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
Half of a butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (I used a medium one)
1 zucchini, trimmed and cut into chunks
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons light olive oil
8-10 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 bunch fresh dill, tied with kitchen string (I used 2 tablespoons finely chopped barley)
1 cup (200 gram) raw pearl barley (I used 20-minutes barley)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the vegetables in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until all of the vegetables are chopped into tiny pieces, but don't let them get mushy.

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and saute for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, with a wooden spoon. cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until the vegetable are soft, 5-7 minutes longer.

Pour the stock or water over the vegetables, filling the pot three-fourths of the way. Stir in the chicken and add the entire bunch of dill. Cover covered, over medium heat for 1 hour. (I did not add dill and cooked for 30 minutes.)

Use a slotted spoon to fish out the bunch of dill, and discard. Stir in the barley and simmer, covered, until the barley is softened, but not mushy, 30-40 minutes longer. (I cooked for 20 minutes.) Remove chicken, use a large fork to shred it into small pieces, then return it to the pot. (I added chopped dill). Season generously with salt and pepper. (I cooked for more 5 minutes). Serve at once.

Recipe comes from "I heart Kosher" by Kim Kushner