Old Fashioned Apple Butter
I grew up making apple butter. Homemade is much better and is so handy to have around. It’s great to spread on bread, muffins or over pancakes. I like to use firm apples like Gala, Fuji or Granny Smith. By the way, there is no butter in Apple Butter!
INGREDIENTS
8 Large Peeled, Cored & Chopped Apples
3 Cups Apple Cider
2 Tablespoons Grated Orange Rind
2 1/2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
4 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
3 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoons Ground Allspice
1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
In a large size soup pot combine the apples, grated orange rind and apple cider. Cook for 5 hours over a medium-low heat. You will want the apples to be very soft and the mixture to be nice and thick. Remove from the heat and cool completely. In a food processor or blender add the mixture. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture back into the soup pot. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, allspice and cloves. Cook over a medium-high heat for 2 hours with the lid on. Stir often. Remove the lid and cook for 2 more hours. Pour into washed pint mason jars. Don’t fill to the top of the jar. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top. At this point you can put them into a canning water bath or not. If you choose not to then store the filled jars into either the fridge or freezer. Cool the jars completely before putting in the fridge or freezer. Makes approximately 3 Pint Jars – give or take.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
This cake is so light and not too sweet that it can be eaten for breakfast. You could also turn this recipe into muffins.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
3 Eggs
4 Teaspoons Lemon Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds
Preheat your oven to 350º F. In a large size bowl add all of the ingredients and beat with a mixer on low for 3 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Pour into the prepared Bundt pan and place into the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. Transfer to a cake plate. Serves 12
Rum Waffles
The rum gives these waffles slightly a unique taste. You can serve these delicious waffles for either breakfast or dessert. Serve simply dusted with powdered sugar or spread with homemade preserves and topped with whipped cream.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Milk
3 Cups Whipping Cream
8 Egg Yolks
1/3 Cup Rum
1 1/4 Cups Melted Butter
4 Egg Whites
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Butter To Grease The Waffle Iron
Preheat your waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a medium size bowl whip the egg whites until they form firm peaks. Set aside. Add the milk to the flour mixture and stir slightly. Add the cream, egg yolks and the rum. Stir thoroughly after each addition. Add the melted butter and stir. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Grease both sides of the waffle iron plates with butter. Pour batter into the waffle iron making sure all of the holes are filled. Close the waffle iron and cook until the waffles are nice and crisp. Serve immediately with either powdered sugar or homemade preserves topped with whipped cream. Makes 20 waffles.
Classic Granola
Both adults and kids alike will like this classic granola. It’s great for breakfast or a snack and the good thing is that you’ll know what the ingredients are that you and your family are eating. If you want to make this granola more wholesome then cut the honey and brown sugar in half.
INGREDIENTS
5 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Rolled Wheat
1/2 Cup Rolled Rye
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup Wheat Germ
1/4 Cup Bran Flakes
1/2 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
3 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
1/2 Cup Powdered Milk or Soy Powder
3/4 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Tablespoons Water
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Raisins (Optional)
Preheat your oven to 325º F. In a large size bowl combine the oats, wheat, rye, brown sugar almonds, pecans, wheat germ, bran flakes, coconut, sesame seeds, raisins and powdered milk. Set aside. In a small saucepan heat combine the vegetable oil, water and vanilla. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the dry ingredients and mix well. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the mixture evenly over the baking sheets and bake for 40 minutes or until evenly golden brown. Turn frequently. Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely at room temperature. Store in airtight containers. Makes 8 cups.
Fresh Blueberry Waffles
Dust off that waffle iron because these Fresh Blueberry Waffles are a wonderful way to start your day! If your family doesn’t eat all of the waffles then freeze the leftovers to use throughout the week. When there is a morning rush it’s so easy to heat up individual servings in the toaster.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Eggs
1 3/4 Cups Milk
1/4 Cup Oil
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Fresh Blueberries
Preheat your waffle iron. In a large size bowl combine the flour, baking powder and kosher salt. In a medium size bowl mix together the eggs, milk, oil and sugar. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. The batter will be a bit lumpy. Fold in the blueberries. Bake in your waffle iron until golden brown and serve warm. Makes 10 waffles.
Cherry Pumpkin Bread
This pumpkin bread is so moist and the dried cherries really add a little zip to the bread. It’s easy to make and holds up well. Sometimes if I have leftover I make it into French toast.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1/2 Cup Grapeseed Oil
3 Eggs
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Cup Dried Cherries
1/4 Cup Water
Preheat your oven to 350º F. In a large size bowl combine the sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, grapeseed oil and eggs. Beat until well blended. In a separate large size bowl combine the unbleached flour, kosher salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture. Fold In dried cherries.Spoon the pumkin batter into a 9x5x3 parchment paper lined loaf pan. Place into the oven for 70 minutes or until done. The bread should be golden brown. Remember that all ovens are different so it may take a bit longer or a bit shorter time for the bread to be done. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove the bread from the pan by pulling the sides of the parchment paper. Set on a wire rack and cool completely. Makes 1 delicious Cherry Pumpkin Bread! YUM YUM!!
Classic Hanukkah Sufganiyot
Sufganiyot is a popular Hanukkah food in the U.S. and Israel and means “jelly doughnut." They are believed to have first come from Spain and are similar to the sopaipilla. Many say, however, that the sopaipilla was actually borrowed from the Jews. Sufganiyot are widely eaten in the U.S., Israel and around the world in the weeks leading up to and including the Hanukkah holiday which commemorates the miracle of the Temple oil that lasted for eight days instead of one. Enjoy Hanukkah and eat your Sufganiyot!
INGREDIENTS
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
1/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Lukewarm Milk
2 Large Eggs Separated
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
6 Tablespoons Softened Butter
1 Cup Seedless Red Raspberry Jam
4 Cups Canola Oil For Frying
Powdered Sugar For Dusting
In a large size bowl mix together the yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar and the milk. Let stand for 5 minutes for the mixture to foam. In a separate large size bowl sift the flour and add the remaining sugar, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, egg yolks, softened butter and the yeast mixture. Combine and then knead the dough into a ball. Place the ball into a large size bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm place for 2 hours. You will want the dough to double in size and the temperature should be around 80º F. With floured hands, punch down the dough. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and let sit for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough into 24 rounds using either a biscuit cutter or glass. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the jam in the center of 12 of the rounds. Place the tops onto each of the round and press the edges and seal with the egg whites. Let them sit for 30 minutes so that they can rise. Heat the canola oil so that it is about 375º F. Carefully drop a few of the doughnuts at a time into the hot oil and turn to make sure that both sides are browned. Remove from the hot oil and place on paper towels to soak up excess oil. When ready to serve dust the tops with powdered sugar. Makes 12 sufganiyot.
**If you are serving these with a milk meal then use butter and milk. If you are with a meat meal then use water and pareve margarine.
Traditional Potato Latkes
I used to eat these as a kid and oh how I loved them! Fried Potato Pancakes, called Latkes in Yiddish and Levivot in Hebrew, are the most popular Hanukkah food. Fried food is traditionally eaten on Hanukkah in commemoration of the oil that miraculously burned for eight days when the Maccabees purified and rededicated the holy Temple of Jerusalem. Latkes are a holiday favorite and today one can find many creative twists to the traditional latkes recipe. They include cauliflower, sweet potato, broccoli, guacamole, cheese and even tuna latkes.
INGREDIENTS
5 Potatoes
2 Onions
3 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour
Canola Oil For Frying
Fill a large bowl with cold water so the potatoes won’t turn brown in color. Peel the potatoes and place in the cold water. When you are ready to make the latkas drain the potatoes. Place the potatoes and onions in a food processor fitted with the knife blade and pulse until smooth. Drain the mixture well. Pour the potato mixture into a large bowl. Add the beaten eggs, salt, pepper and enough flour so that the mixture holds together. Pour 1 inch of the oil into a large, deep frying pan. Heat the oil over a medium high heat. Carefully drop 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into the hot oil and flatten the pancake slightly so the center will cook. Fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Serve with applesauce. Makes 20 pancakes.
Carrot Oat Muffins
I love to eat muffins in the morning. Here is a healthy muffin that the whole family is sure to enjoy.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Carrot Juice
2 Egg Whites
1 3/4 Cups Olive Oil
1 Cup Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
Preheat your oven to 400° F. Line 18 muffin cups with liners. In a small size bowl whisk together the carrot juice, eggs and olive oil. In a separate medium size bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, raisins, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the carrot juice to the flour mixture. Stir until well combined. Spoon the batter 3/4 up to the top of the muffin liner. Bake for 18 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 18 muffins.
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
What to do with all of that leftover pumpkin pie. Make a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie of course!
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Greek Yogurt
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
4 Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie (Crust & All)
In a blender or food processor combine the Greek Yogurt, Cinnamon, Sugar and Milk. Pulse for 15 seconds. Add the 4 tablespoons of pumpkin pie. Pulse for 30 seconds. Pour into a tall glass. Makes 1 serving.
