This says it all.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Despite everything that happened to them, they still had Hatikva (The Hope)
This came to me via email from my cousin Gerald and my sister Marla. And now it comes to you. Make sure you have a tissue by your side.
Scott Simon of NPR reports on a rare recording of "Hatikva " from almost 62 years ago. If this doesn't give you goosebumps I don't know what will.
It was recorded by a British reporter on April 20, 1945 in Bergen-Belsen when the British army liberated the few thousand survivors in the concentration camp, half of which were Jewish, most of them at the extremes of their strength. It was recently discovered and apparently was loaned to NPR by the Smithsonian Institute.
The British priest organized prayers for Kabbalat Shabbat for the Jews. It was the first time after six years of war and after more than 10 years of persecution. With a lot of effort the Jews organized themselves and, knowing they were recorded, sang " Hatikva".
As you can hear they sang the original version as it was written by Naftali Imber.
Picturing them in the midst of the concentration camp singing afterall they had been through renders this a very moving scenario.
Put Your Speakers On.
http://genealogy.org.il/BergenBelsenHatikva.mp3
Scott Simon of NPR reports on a rare recording of "Hatikva " from almost 62 years ago. If this doesn't give you goosebumps I don't know what will.
It was recorded by a British reporter on April 20, 1945 in Bergen-Belsen when the British army liberated the few thousand survivors in the concentration camp, half of which were Jewish, most of them at the extremes of their strength. It was recently discovered and apparently was loaned to NPR by the Smithsonian Institute.
The British priest organized prayers for Kabbalat Shabbat for the Jews. It was the first time after six years of war and after more than 10 years of persecution. With a lot of effort the Jews organized themselves and, knowing they were recorded, sang " Hatikva".
As you can hear they sang the original version as it was written by Naftali Imber.
Picturing them in the midst of the concentration camp singing afterall they had been through renders this a very moving scenario.
Put Your Speakers On.
http://genealogy.org.il/BergenBelsenHatikva.mp3
Monday, September 24, 2007
Experimenting with the Cabbage Soup Diet
When I was taking courses to become a counselor one of my classmates came in one day saying that she found a great detox diet and she had started it. I looked at the copy she had and was interested. At that time I was over 300 pounds and not very healthy. Okay, about 356 pounds, see confession is good for the soul but oh so embarrassing.
When I got come from college I went straight to the computer and 'googled' Cabbage Soup Diet. I found pro and con articles, simple versions and more detailed versions. I did find one site that I liked.
The site was owned by an American dentist and his version of the CSD was good. So I copied and then started it. A funny ending to that site is the dentist realised how many hits he was getting, the CSD was big then, so he closed it down and you had to pay to get the diet. My timing was superb.
So in the first week I lost 17 pounds. Oh yes I did. Okay, it was mostly fluid but it did give me boost. According to the instructions I then had to go off the diet for 2 days. My body really missed the way I had been eating.
In 4 months doing this way of eating I lost 54 pounds. The rest dropped off as I tried other diets. I gained weight on Weight Watchers.
As a diabetic my big problem is really day 1 and day 4 when fruit is mainly eaten. I decided to find low GI fruit to do it and see how I go. So I picked pears, apples and mangoes. The mangoes, hopefully, will be ripen by the veggie and fruit day so I can add it to salads.
So here is my version of the Cabbage Soup Diet. I know that a book has come out, 'The New Cabbage Soup Diet' which allows you dairy and other foods but I'm sticking to something that I know works.
So if you want to join me, then please let me know so we can support each other.
Basic Cabbage Fat Burning Soup Recipe
Soup
6 medium onions
2 green or red peppers
6 carrots
1 parsnip or celery root
4-6 stalks celery
3 whole tomatoes or one 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes
1 large head red or white cabbage
2 cubes Vegetarian or Chicken Bouillon
Possible seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic, Italian seasonings, curry, hot sauce, parsley, dill, soy sauce, ginger, or other dried spices, as desired.
Consider dividing the basic soup into half during preparation and seasoning each half differently to allow you a variety of taste possibilities at different meals.
Preparation:
1. Cut the vegetables in small to medium pieces place in an 8 quart pot.
2. Add the seasonings and add the water/stock almost to the top of the pot.
3. Bring to a boil and boil briskly for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 30minutes.
5. Taste soup and adjust seasonings to your preference.
6. Let the soup cool and store in several containers, freezing half if you wish.
General Guidelines: the soup can be eaten anytime you are hungry. Try to eat a bowlful at each meal and as much as you like, whenever you want.
This soup will not add weight. The more you eat, the more weight you will lose.
For best results, do not substitute anything to the diet plan below. No popcorn, nor pistachios etc. If you ‘cheat’, your results will not be as pronounced. However, if you do slip up, forgive yourself, promise to do better, and immediately go back to following the plan.
Eat a big bowl of soup and think about how great you’ll look and feel at the end of the week.
Weigh yourself at the beginning of Day 1, Day 4, and Day 8.
Weigh yourself at the same time of the day (preferably in the morning before you have eaten anything) and wearing the same clothes or no clothes at all.
Record your progress on those days, but don’t worry about weighing yourself on the other days.
Concentrate on following the plan and be pleasantly surprised at the results.
Allowed drinks: Tea or coffee (unsweetened) and 6-8 glasses of water daily.
Avoid diet sodas. Positively no alcohol permitted.
Day One: Fruit Day
Eat as much as you like of any fresh fruits except bananas. No dried unpreserved or tinned fruit. Cantaloupe and watermelon are lower in calories than most fruit and are particularly good choices.
Eat only the soup and fruits.
If desired, you may have 8 ounces of apple or cranberry juice on this day only, however, it is more satisfying and less caloric to choose a fruit instead.
Day Two: Vegetable Day
Eat until you are stuffed with all the fresh, raw, or tinned veggies you like. Try to eat green leafy veggies, broccoli, spinach, kale, etc. Have a big salad for lunch and dinner, along with your soup.
Do not eat dry beans, peas, or corn.
At dinner time on this day only, reward yourself with a big jacket potato and 2 tsp butter or margarine plus, if you wish, vegetarian bacon-soy bits.
Do not eat any fruit.
Day Three: Fruit and Veggie Day
Eat all the soup, fruit, and veggies you want. However, do not eat potatoes, bananas, beans, peas, corn.
(TIP) Make a BIG bowl of salad, lettuce, and combine it with pre-washed pack of mixed greens. Then you can cut up apples and grapes and it to the bowl. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the apples so they won’t dis-colour. That way when you are hungry you can nibble from the bowl at any time.
If you have eaten for 3 days, as above, without cheating, you will find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.
Day 4: Banana/Peach/Pear Day
Eat up to 6 bananas or peaches or pears, and three 8z glasses of skim milk. Drink as many glasses of water you can on this day along with the soup for lunch and dinner. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates and so is the milk, but on this particular day your body will need the potassium and the carbs from fruit, and proteins and calcium to lessen your cravings for sweets.
(TIP)Cut up 2 bananas, put into blender, along with 4 ice cubes, and cover with skim milk. The ice cubes add an extra coldness so you won’t care what you are drinking.
Day 5:Tomato & Meat/Meat Substitute Day
Today you will consume 1-20 ounces of grilled or baked beef, skinless chicken or fish and tomatoes. The tomatoes can be tinned, juiced, or fresh. Your goal is to eat an equivalent (in whatever form) of 6 medium fresh tomatoes. Try to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water to wash away the uric acid in your body. You can broil fish.
Vegetarians may substitute 2 large Portobello mushrooms sautéed in1 tsp of butter and garlic or 6 ounces of marinated or BBQ tofu. Flavor with salt and pepper.
Eat the soup at less once this day.
(TIP) You can get mince , add the tomatoes, some lightly cooked broccoli and sort of have a pasta sauce without the pasta. Or I get a packet of Quorn cubes. Stir fry them in 2 tsp of oil, add the tomatoes, and some lightly cooked broccoli. I divide the Quorn pack into 2 for lunch and supper.
Day 6: Veggies & Meat/Meat Substitute Day
Again you will consume 10-20 ounces of beef, chicken, or fish (see above for vegetarians) and unlimited greens, leafy vegetables. Be sure to eat the soup at least once a day.
Day 7:Brown Rice &Vegetable Day
Eat up to 2 cups (16oz) of cooked brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice of any type (not cranberry) and unlimited veggies.
Be sure to have the soup at least once today.
(TIP)Make a risotto or a stir fry.
At the beginning of the 8th day, if you have not cheated on the above diet, you would have lost 10-17 pounds. If you have lost more than 15 pounds, stay off the diet for 2 full days before starting the diet again at Day 1. (When I had to go off it for the 2 days, I missed this way of eating)
General Notes: This 7 day eating plan can be used as often as you like each month. As a matter of fact, if correctly followed, it will clean your system of impurities and give you a feeling of wellbeing as never before.
This diet is fast fat burning and the secret is that you will burn more calories than you take in.
This diet DOES NOT lend itself to drinking ANY alcoholic beverages at any time because of the removal of the ft from your system.
Stay off the diet at least 24 hours before any intake of alcohol.
Because everyone’s digestive system is different, this diet will affect everyone differently.
After Day 3, you will have more energy than when you began if you did not cheat.
After being on the diet for several days, you will find your bowel movements have changed.
(TIP)Others have used a bit of bran, if you are a bit ‘bunged’ up, it does go away.
Make sure that you are drinking a lot of water, that really helps.
No fried foods or bread.
(TIP)Careful if you use an oil-free dressing. I find that the sweetener in them triggers off a craving so I use lemon juice.
Any prescribed medication will not hurt you on this diet.
When I got come from college I went straight to the computer and 'googled' Cabbage Soup Diet. I found pro and con articles, simple versions and more detailed versions. I did find one site that I liked.
The site was owned by an American dentist and his version of the CSD was good. So I copied and then started it. A funny ending to that site is the dentist realised how many hits he was getting, the CSD was big then, so he closed it down and you had to pay to get the diet. My timing was superb.
So in the first week I lost 17 pounds. Oh yes I did. Okay, it was mostly fluid but it did give me boost. According to the instructions I then had to go off the diet for 2 days. My body really missed the way I had been eating.
In 4 months doing this way of eating I lost 54 pounds. The rest dropped off as I tried other diets. I gained weight on Weight Watchers.
As a diabetic my big problem is really day 1 and day 4 when fruit is mainly eaten. I decided to find low GI fruit to do it and see how I go. So I picked pears, apples and mangoes. The mangoes, hopefully, will be ripen by the veggie and fruit day so I can add it to salads.
So here is my version of the Cabbage Soup Diet. I know that a book has come out, 'The New Cabbage Soup Diet' which allows you dairy and other foods but I'm sticking to something that I know works.
So if you want to join me, then please let me know so we can support each other.
Basic Cabbage Fat Burning Soup Recipe
Soup
6 medium onions
2 green or red peppers
6 carrots
1 parsnip or celery root
4-6 stalks celery
3 whole tomatoes or one 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes
1 large head red or white cabbage
2 cubes Vegetarian or Chicken Bouillon
Possible seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic, Italian seasonings, curry, hot sauce, parsley, dill, soy sauce, ginger, or other dried spices, as desired.
Consider dividing the basic soup into half during preparation and seasoning each half differently to allow you a variety of taste possibilities at different meals.
Preparation:
1. Cut the vegetables in small to medium pieces place in an 8 quart pot.
2. Add the seasonings and add the water/stock almost to the top of the pot.
3. Bring to a boil and boil briskly for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 30minutes.
5. Taste soup and adjust seasonings to your preference.
6. Let the soup cool and store in several containers, freezing half if you wish.
General Guidelines: the soup can be eaten anytime you are hungry. Try to eat a bowlful at each meal and as much as you like, whenever you want.
This soup will not add weight. The more you eat, the more weight you will lose.
For best results, do not substitute anything to the diet plan below. No popcorn, nor pistachios etc. If you ‘cheat’, your results will not be as pronounced. However, if you do slip up, forgive yourself, promise to do better, and immediately go back to following the plan.
Eat a big bowl of soup and think about how great you’ll look and feel at the end of the week.
Weigh yourself at the beginning of Day 1, Day 4, and Day 8.
Weigh yourself at the same time of the day (preferably in the morning before you have eaten anything) and wearing the same clothes or no clothes at all.
Record your progress on those days, but don’t worry about weighing yourself on the other days.
Concentrate on following the plan and be pleasantly surprised at the results.
Allowed drinks: Tea or coffee (unsweetened) and 6-8 glasses of water daily.
Avoid diet sodas. Positively no alcohol permitted.
Day One: Fruit Day
Eat as much as you like of any fresh fruits except bananas. No dried unpreserved or tinned fruit. Cantaloupe and watermelon are lower in calories than most fruit and are particularly good choices.
Eat only the soup and fruits.
If desired, you may have 8 ounces of apple or cranberry juice on this day only, however, it is more satisfying and less caloric to choose a fruit instead.
Day Two: Vegetable Day
Eat until you are stuffed with all the fresh, raw, or tinned veggies you like. Try to eat green leafy veggies, broccoli, spinach, kale, etc. Have a big salad for lunch and dinner, along with your soup.
Do not eat dry beans, peas, or corn.
At dinner time on this day only, reward yourself with a big jacket potato and 2 tsp butter or margarine plus, if you wish, vegetarian bacon-soy bits.
Do not eat any fruit.
Day Three: Fruit and Veggie Day
Eat all the soup, fruit, and veggies you want. However, do not eat potatoes, bananas, beans, peas, corn.
(TIP) Make a BIG bowl of salad, lettuce, and combine it with pre-washed pack of mixed greens. Then you can cut up apples and grapes and it to the bowl. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the apples so they won’t dis-colour. That way when you are hungry you can nibble from the bowl at any time.
If you have eaten for 3 days, as above, without cheating, you will find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.
Day 4: Banana/Peach/Pear Day
Eat up to 6 bananas or peaches or pears, and three 8z glasses of skim milk. Drink as many glasses of water you can on this day along with the soup for lunch and dinner. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates and so is the milk, but on this particular day your body will need the potassium and the carbs from fruit, and proteins and calcium to lessen your cravings for sweets.
(TIP)Cut up 2 bananas, put into blender, along with 4 ice cubes, and cover with skim milk. The ice cubes add an extra coldness so you won’t care what you are drinking.
Day 5:Tomato & Meat/Meat Substitute Day
Today you will consume 1-20 ounces of grilled or baked beef, skinless chicken or fish and tomatoes. The tomatoes can be tinned, juiced, or fresh. Your goal is to eat an equivalent (in whatever form) of 6 medium fresh tomatoes. Try to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water to wash away the uric acid in your body. You can broil fish.
Vegetarians may substitute 2 large Portobello mushrooms sautéed in1 tsp of butter and garlic or 6 ounces of marinated or BBQ tofu. Flavor with salt and pepper.
Eat the soup at less once this day.
(TIP) You can get mince , add the tomatoes, some lightly cooked broccoli and sort of have a pasta sauce without the pasta. Or I get a packet of Quorn cubes. Stir fry them in 2 tsp of oil, add the tomatoes, and some lightly cooked broccoli. I divide the Quorn pack into 2 for lunch and supper.
Day 6: Veggies & Meat/Meat Substitute Day
Again you will consume 10-20 ounces of beef, chicken, or fish (see above for vegetarians) and unlimited greens, leafy vegetables. Be sure to eat the soup at least once a day.
Day 7:Brown Rice &Vegetable Day
Eat up to 2 cups (16oz) of cooked brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice of any type (not cranberry) and unlimited veggies.
Be sure to have the soup at least once today.
(TIP)Make a risotto or a stir fry.
At the beginning of the 8th day, if you have not cheated on the above diet, you would have lost 10-17 pounds. If you have lost more than 15 pounds, stay off the diet for 2 full days before starting the diet again at Day 1. (When I had to go off it for the 2 days, I missed this way of eating)
General Notes: This 7 day eating plan can be used as often as you like each month. As a matter of fact, if correctly followed, it will clean your system of impurities and give you a feeling of wellbeing as never before.
This diet is fast fat burning and the secret is that you will burn more calories than you take in.
This diet DOES NOT lend itself to drinking ANY alcoholic beverages at any time because of the removal of the ft from your system.
Stay off the diet at least 24 hours before any intake of alcohol.
Because everyone’s digestive system is different, this diet will affect everyone differently.
After Day 3, you will have more energy than when you began if you did not cheat.
After being on the diet for several days, you will find your bowel movements have changed.
(TIP)Others have used a bit of bran, if you are a bit ‘bunged’ up, it does go away.
Make sure that you are drinking a lot of water, that really helps.
No fried foods or bread.
(TIP)Careful if you use an oil-free dressing. I find that the sweetener in them triggers off a craving so I use lemon juice.
Any prescribed medication will not hurt you on this diet.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Getting Ready For Rosh Hashanah
"L'shana Tova -- Ketivah vi-chatima Tova!"
"For a good year -- You should be written and sealed in the Book of Life."
Rosh Hashanah starts on Wednesday night so I have searching for new and interesting recipes for the holiday.
In the end my menu for Erev Rosh Hashanah is:
Vegetarian chopped liver (to die for)
Golden lemon chicken (for the meat eater)
Mushroom strudel
A warm baby potato salad
Lightly steamed broccoli and salads
For dessert, wild blueberry cheesecakes.(bought, holding hands up)
I have to admit that since being diagnosed as a diabetic in 2004 I haven't made the honey cake I used to make and it was so good. I had to make it 2 weeks before the chag so it could meld all the spices together. It's a recipe from Evelyn Rose.
Tomorrow I will put together the challah dough and then place it in the bottom of the fridge to rise overnight and then will form little round challahs on Wednesday morning and bake them.
The chicken recipe came from the woman, who to me, was the most wonderful Jewish cookery writer, Evelyn Rose. Sadly, she passed away a few years ago.
You can tell that her cookbook, 'The Complete International Jewish Cookbook' is my most used thanks to the stains and matzoh meal crumbs. lol
It was the first book I bought when I moved to England, 30 years ago, and it is still used.
GOLDEN LEMON CHICKEN BREASTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Serves 6.
Leftovers keep 3 days under refrigeration.
The breasts take on a beautiful golden glaze as they and the lemon halves bake in the exquisite lemon syrup.
9 oz. (250 g) caster [superfine] sugar
3 large lemons
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 grinds black pepper
6 partly boned chicken breasts, unskinned
fresh parsley to garnish
Place the caster sugar in an 8-inch (20 cm) saucepan with 1 pint (575 ml) water and slowly dissolve over a low heat. Bring to the boil and bubble for 3 minutes. Pierce the skin of the lemons with a fork or skewer, place in the sugar syrup, then cover and cook at a slow boil for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven at gas no. 8 (450 F, 230 C).
Remove the lemons, then halve when cool. Bubble the liquid over a medium heat for about 12 minutes or until reduced by half (approximately 10 fl oz/275 ml) and a golden caramel color. To check the color, take the pan off the heat, then allow the bubbles to settle.
Season the chicken breasts and place skin-side down in a roasting tin that is just large enough to hold them in a single layer with the lemon halves.
Pour the sugar syrup over the chicken and lemons.
Place the tin in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes, turning the breasts over half way through cooking. Nick a breast to make sure that it is cooked right through to the center. The chicken can now be kept warm at gas 1 (275
F, 150 C).
Alternatively, if the chicken is cooked before your guests arrive, take out of the oven, then return to a moderate oven while you are eating the starter. Garnish with the parsley before serving.
Note: the inside of the lemon is delicious to eat.
The mushroom strudel comes from Nigel Slater. I haven't made it yet but someone I know, another veggie, loves it. Instead of the puff pastry, I'm going to use filo, it's lighter.
5 medium-sized onions
enough butter or oil to cover the bottom of a medium-sized shallow pan
350g of any firm variety of mushrooms, or a mixture
chopped thyme, lemon thyme or oregano (just enough to sit in the palm of your hand)
about 200g crème frache
425g puff pastry
a little beaten egg or milk to glaze the pastry
Peel and roughly chop the onions and let them cook slowly with the butter or oil over a low heat for 20 minutes or so, until they are golden, soft and almost transparent.
Tear or slice the mushrooms into large, bite-sized pieces and add them to the onions, adding a little more butter or oil if they soak it all up. Leave them to turn golden and tender but stir them from time to time so they do not stick and burn.
Season them with the chopped herbs and stir in the crème frache, grinding in a little salt and pepper as you go. You want a mixture that is creamy rather than runny, so let it bubble for a minute or two to thicken.
Heat the oven to 200 C/gas mark 6.
The pastry needs to be rolled into two rectangles about 35cm by 20cm (conveniently the same measurements as the ready-rolled frozen stuff). Lay one piece on a lightly floured baking sheet and spread the mushrooms and onions over, leaving a good finger-thickness of bare rim around the edge.
Brush a little beaten egg, milk or even water around the rim, lay the second rectangle of pastry over the top and squeeze the rims together to seal. It is worth being zealous about pinching the pastry - there shouldn't be any possibility of the filling escaping.
Brush with more of the beaten egg or milk so the pastry will take on a rich golden shine in the oven, then cut a few little holes in the top to let out the steam.
Bake the pie until it has puffed up like a cushion and is the colour of honey. This should take about 25 minutes.
It is worth sneaking a look at the bottom to check if the pastry is crisp underneath (it should be fine, because this is not an especially wet filling).
The Vegetarian Chopped Liver is so good when warm. I normally make it for Pesach but since my meat eating son loves it so much, I'm doing it for Wednesday.
5 hard boiled eggs
1 cup walnuts
2 medium size onions
1.Saute the onions until nice and brown.
2.Chop the walnuts in a food processor.
3.Add the still hot eggs and the onions, including the oil that they were fried in.
That's it. How easy is that?
I just want to add a salad here.
BRAZIL NUT SALAD
1 crisp lettuce, separated into leaves
4x15ml spoon French dressing/4 Tb French dressing (see below)
3 bananas, peeled and thinly sliced
1x15ml spoon lemon juice/1 Tb lemon juice
100g Brazil nuts, finely chopped/4oz Brazil nuts, finely chopped
Arrange half the lettuce leaves in a shallow salad bowl.
Shred the remaining lettuce into a mixing bowl and pour over the French dressing.
Toss to coat well.
Sprinkle the bananas with the lemon juice.
Add half the bananas and the Brazil nuts to the shredded lettuce and toss to combine.
Pile the nut and banana mixture on top of the lettuce leaves in the serving bowl.
Arrange the remaining banana slices around the edge in a ring and serve.
FRENCH DRESSING
2x15ml spoons wine vinegar/2Tb wine vinegar
1x5ml spoon salt/1tsp salt
1x5ml spoon freshly round pepper/1 tsp freshly ground pepper
6x15ml spoon olive oil/6Tb olive oil
Put the vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil in a screw-topped jar.
Shake vigorously until well mixed.
Used as required.
Makes 120 ml or 4 fl.oz
I think that it will be okay for me to make these, it is getting more difficult for me to stand and cook with the arthritis. I have to chose recipes that won't make me stand for hours.
I miss not going to shul. I live in a non Jewish town and to get to the nearest shul would be such a schlep. So I have the prayer books and will do my own thang.
Then I will worry about Yom Kippur and what to make for my son before and after the fast. The diabetes makes me unable to fast. I have just about gotten over the guilt of that.
"For a good year -- You should be written and sealed in the Book of Life."
Rosh Hashanah starts on Wednesday night so I have searching for new and interesting recipes for the holiday.
In the end my menu for Erev Rosh Hashanah is:
Vegetarian chopped liver (to die for)
Golden lemon chicken (for the meat eater)
Mushroom strudel
A warm baby potato salad
Lightly steamed broccoli and salads
For dessert, wild blueberry cheesecakes.(bought, holding hands up)
I have to admit that since being diagnosed as a diabetic in 2004 I haven't made the honey cake I used to make and it was so good. I had to make it 2 weeks before the chag so it could meld all the spices together. It's a recipe from Evelyn Rose.
Tomorrow I will put together the challah dough and then place it in the bottom of the fridge to rise overnight and then will form little round challahs on Wednesday morning and bake them.
The chicken recipe came from the woman, who to me, was the most wonderful Jewish cookery writer, Evelyn Rose. Sadly, she passed away a few years ago.
You can tell that her cookbook, 'The Complete International Jewish Cookbook' is my most used thanks to the stains and matzoh meal crumbs. lol
It was the first book I bought when I moved to England, 30 years ago, and it is still used.
GOLDEN LEMON CHICKEN BREASTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Serves 6.
Leftovers keep 3 days under refrigeration.
The breasts take on a beautiful golden glaze as they and the lemon halves bake in the exquisite lemon syrup.
9 oz. (250 g) caster [superfine] sugar
3 large lemons
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 grinds black pepper
6 partly boned chicken breasts, unskinned
fresh parsley to garnish
Place the caster sugar in an 8-inch (20 cm) saucepan with 1 pint (575 ml) water and slowly dissolve over a low heat. Bring to the boil and bubble for 3 minutes. Pierce the skin of the lemons with a fork or skewer, place in the sugar syrup, then cover and cook at a slow boil for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven at gas no. 8 (450 F, 230 C).
Remove the lemons, then halve when cool. Bubble the liquid over a medium heat for about 12 minutes or until reduced by half (approximately 10 fl oz/275 ml) and a golden caramel color. To check the color, take the pan off the heat, then allow the bubbles to settle.
Season the chicken breasts and place skin-side down in a roasting tin that is just large enough to hold them in a single layer with the lemon halves.
Pour the sugar syrup over the chicken and lemons.
Place the tin in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes, turning the breasts over half way through cooking. Nick a breast to make sure that it is cooked right through to the center. The chicken can now be kept warm at gas 1 (275
F, 150 C).
Alternatively, if the chicken is cooked before your guests arrive, take out of the oven, then return to a moderate oven while you are eating the starter. Garnish with the parsley before serving.
Note: the inside of the lemon is delicious to eat.
The mushroom strudel comes from Nigel Slater. I haven't made it yet but someone I know, another veggie, loves it. Instead of the puff pastry, I'm going to use filo, it's lighter.
5 medium-sized onions
enough butter or oil to cover the bottom of a medium-sized shallow pan
350g of any firm variety of mushrooms, or a mixture
chopped thyme, lemon thyme or oregano (just enough to sit in the palm of your hand)
about 200g crème frache
425g puff pastry
a little beaten egg or milk to glaze the pastry
Peel and roughly chop the onions and let them cook slowly with the butter or oil over a low heat for 20 minutes or so, until they are golden, soft and almost transparent.
Tear or slice the mushrooms into large, bite-sized pieces and add them to the onions, adding a little more butter or oil if they soak it all up. Leave them to turn golden and tender but stir them from time to time so they do not stick and burn.
Season them with the chopped herbs and stir in the crème frache, grinding in a little salt and pepper as you go. You want a mixture that is creamy rather than runny, so let it bubble for a minute or two to thicken.
Heat the oven to 200 C/gas mark 6.
The pastry needs to be rolled into two rectangles about 35cm by 20cm (conveniently the same measurements as the ready-rolled frozen stuff). Lay one piece on a lightly floured baking sheet and spread the mushrooms and onions over, leaving a good finger-thickness of bare rim around the edge.
Brush a little beaten egg, milk or even water around the rim, lay the second rectangle of pastry over the top and squeeze the rims together to seal. It is worth being zealous about pinching the pastry - there shouldn't be any possibility of the filling escaping.
Brush with more of the beaten egg or milk so the pastry will take on a rich golden shine in the oven, then cut a few little holes in the top to let out the steam.
Bake the pie until it has puffed up like a cushion and is the colour of honey. This should take about 25 minutes.
It is worth sneaking a look at the bottom to check if the pastry is crisp underneath (it should be fine, because this is not an especially wet filling).
The Vegetarian Chopped Liver is so good when warm. I normally make it for Pesach but since my meat eating son loves it so much, I'm doing it for Wednesday.
5 hard boiled eggs
1 cup walnuts
2 medium size onions
1.Saute the onions until nice and brown.
2.Chop the walnuts in a food processor.
3.Add the still hot eggs and the onions, including the oil that they were fried in.
That's it. How easy is that?
I just want to add a salad here.
BRAZIL NUT SALAD
1 crisp lettuce, separated into leaves
4x15ml spoon French dressing/4 Tb French dressing (see below)
3 bananas, peeled and thinly sliced
1x15ml spoon lemon juice/1 Tb lemon juice
100g Brazil nuts, finely chopped/4oz Brazil nuts, finely chopped
Arrange half the lettuce leaves in a shallow salad bowl.
Shred the remaining lettuce into a mixing bowl and pour over the French dressing.
Toss to coat well.
Sprinkle the bananas with the lemon juice.
Add half the bananas and the Brazil nuts to the shredded lettuce and toss to combine.
Pile the nut and banana mixture on top of the lettuce leaves in the serving bowl.
Arrange the remaining banana slices around the edge in a ring and serve.
FRENCH DRESSING
2x15ml spoons wine vinegar/2Tb wine vinegar
1x5ml spoon salt/1tsp salt
1x5ml spoon freshly round pepper/1 tsp freshly ground pepper
6x15ml spoon olive oil/6Tb olive oil
Put the vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil in a screw-topped jar.
Shake vigorously until well mixed.
Used as required.
Makes 120 ml or 4 fl.oz
I think that it will be okay for me to make these, it is getting more difficult for me to stand and cook with the arthritis. I have to chose recipes that won't make me stand for hours.
I miss not going to shul. I live in a non Jewish town and to get to the nearest shul would be such a schlep. So I have the prayer books and will do my own thang.
Then I will worry about Yom Kippur and what to make for my son before and after the fast. The diabetes makes me unable to fast. I have just about gotten over the guilt of that.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Happy Birthday to Me!!
Yup, so there I was thinking, I'm going to be 57 on the 1st and not feeling very good about it. Then my quirky sense of humor came into play and thought that I was a Heinz!! (Geddit? No? Think about it).
So I emailed Heinz and said that on the 1st I was going to be a Heinz. A couple days later I received in the mail a Heinz birthday card signed by the office workers (I guess). I also received a Heinz pen and postcards. U thought that that was nice of them.
Then a friend, Neets, told me that I had better stay in on Saturday because I was getting a delivery, so I did, and this came.
Apparently she threatened them that they had to be pink and they are.
So I emailed Heinz and said that on the 1st I was going to be a Heinz. A couple days later I received in the mail a Heinz birthday card signed by the office workers (I guess). I also received a Heinz pen and postcards. U thought that that was nice of them.
Then a friend, Neets, told me that I had better stay in on Saturday because I was getting a delivery, so I did, and this came.
Apparently she threatened them that they had to be pink and they are.
One of my favorite dishes
Being a veggie I am always looking for a new and different recipe that won't raise my blood sugar too much.
Several years ago I went to 'The Good Food Show' in London and was lucky enough to see Antonio Carluccio make 2 of his dishes.
I thought anytime he wants to leave his wife, I was his.
It was great watching him especially when he showed he was as human as the next cook. He forgot to add the cheeses to the dish below which made us laugh and him well, can't imagine.
So I got the recipe and tweaked it for myself because I couldn't find the exotic Italian cheeses he used. You could use any cheese that is flavorsome. I like using a really strong cheddar and a mozzerella that will be stringy and luscious.
He also used cubes of stale bread reconstituted with water instead of the matzoh meal that I add. The beauty of the matzoh meal is that it helps bind the veggies helping the egg but more important this dish can be used for Pesach.
I usually double the recipe so I have enough for an evening snack or for the next day's lunch.
Stuffed vegetables
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 eggplant
2 zucchini
5-6 tbsp fine matzoh meal
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
5 oz strong chedder cheese, cut into small cubes
5 oz mozzerella, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil for drizzling
salt and black pepper
1.Preheat oven to 400F
1.Cut the peppers in half. Clean out the seeds.
3.Cut the eggplant and zucchinis in half, lengthways and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a boot shaped vegetable.
4.Add the matzoh meal to the veggie flesh, egg, parsley, garlic, cheeses, and salt and pepper
5.Fill the cavities of the veggies with the mixture, packing it loosely.
6.Place the stuffed veggies on an oiled baking tray, drizzle each generously with the oil.
7.Bake for 35 minutes, until the veggies are tender and the filling is brown.
Can be eaten hot or cold.
Several years ago I went to 'The Good Food Show' in London and was lucky enough to see Antonio Carluccio make 2 of his dishes.
I thought anytime he wants to leave his wife, I was his.
It was great watching him especially when he showed he was as human as the next cook. He forgot to add the cheeses to the dish below which made us laugh and him well, can't imagine.
So I got the recipe and tweaked it for myself because I couldn't find the exotic Italian cheeses he used. You could use any cheese that is flavorsome. I like using a really strong cheddar and a mozzerella that will be stringy and luscious.
He also used cubes of stale bread reconstituted with water instead of the matzoh meal that I add. The beauty of the matzoh meal is that it helps bind the veggies helping the egg but more important this dish can be used for Pesach.
I usually double the recipe so I have enough for an evening snack or for the next day's lunch.
Stuffed vegetables
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 eggplant
2 zucchini
5-6 tbsp fine matzoh meal
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
5 oz strong chedder cheese, cut into small cubes
5 oz mozzerella, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil for drizzling
salt and black pepper
1.Preheat oven to 400F
1.Cut the peppers in half. Clean out the seeds.
3.Cut the eggplant and zucchinis in half, lengthways and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a boot shaped vegetable.
4.Add the matzoh meal to the veggie flesh, egg, parsley, garlic, cheeses, and salt and pepper
5.Fill the cavities of the veggies with the mixture, packing it loosely.
6.Place the stuffed veggies on an oiled baking tray, drizzle each generously with the oil.
7.Bake for 35 minutes, until the veggies are tender and the filling is brown.
Can be eaten hot or cold.
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