Banana Bran Bread

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  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups bran
  • 3 cups mashed bananas
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 3 cups flour
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups raisins (optional)

Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and beat until light.  Stir in bran.  Mix bananas with orange juice.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients alternately with bananas to creamed mixture, beating after each addition.  Fold in raisins.  Pour into greased and floured loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Makes 2 loaves.

Sephardic Charoset (Haroseth)

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From The Gourmet Jewish Cook by Judy Zeidler

· ½ cup pitted dates

· 2 cups apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

· ½ cup dried apricots

· ½ cup chopped walnuts

In a medium saucepan, combine the dates, apples, and dried apricots. Add water to cover. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the mixture is tender enough to mash with a fork. Place the mixture in a processor and process, turning on and off until the mixture is blended. Do not puree. Just before serving, fold in the walnuts.

Makes about 2 ½ cups.

Brisket #4

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  • · 1 4-pound beef brisket, trimmed
  • · 1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
  • · Kosher salt
  • · Garlic powder
  • · Paprika
  • · ¾ cup Coca Cola
  • · ½ can petite diced tomatoes
  • · ½ cup beef broth
  • · 4 cups shredded carrots

Preheat oven to 300◦.

Rub brisket with onion soup mix, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Place it in a roasting pan, on a rack if desired.

In a small bowl, mix Coca Cola, tomatoes, and beef broth. Pour mixture over brisket, being careful not to disturb too much of the rubbed-on ingredients.

Top with shredded carrots.

Cover with lid or foil. Cook at 300 for 2 hours. Lower heat to 250 and continue to cook for 4 ½ hours more.

Remove from oven. Scrape carrots off meat into pan juices. Remove meat from pan and cool. Wrap meat in foil and refrigerate.

Strain pan liquid, with carrots. Kind of squish carrots against sieve with the back of a spoon to get all the juice into the container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, skim fat from the top of the refrigerated pan juices. Slice meat against the grain and place in a freezer-worthy container or baking dish. Pour juices over meat.

At this point, you may reheat or freeze to reheat later. We have great luck with freezing this dish.

Serves 8.

Luccan Farro Soup

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Submitted by Robert Crowe, Lake Orion, MI

If you can’t find farro, use spelt. And if you can’t find spelt, use barley. And if you can’t find barley — where do you live? — use wheatberries or brown rice.

Ingredients

  • · 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • · 1 large onion, sliced
  • · 2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
  • · 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • · Salt and pepper
  • · 1 cup farro, spelt or barley
  • · 1 cup dried white beans, soaked for several hours or overnight
  • · 2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; do not drain)
  • · 6 cups stock or water, more as necessary
  • · 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • · 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, optional
  • · Freshly grated Parmesan

Method

· 1. Put oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat; a minute later add onion, celery, carrots, a large pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook until vegetables are glossy and onion is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, and stir; add farro, beans, tomatoes and stock, and stir.

· 2. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cook until farro and beans are tender, at least an hour, adding stock or water as necessary if mixture becomes too thick. Stir in parsley and basil (if using), then cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve with lots of Parmesan.

Makes 4 Servings

Fancy Schmantzy Passover Farfel Pudding

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Submitted by Liz Barash, West Bloomfield, MI

  • 7 eggs slightly beaten
  • 6 oz. margarine melted
  • 1 lg. can sliced peaches cut into chunks (save liquid)
  • ¾ T salt
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 lb. farfel
  • sugar & cinnamon for topping
  • We also add dried cranberries or cherries for color

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Save liquid from peaches and add H20 to equal 2 cups.

Run H20 over farfel in colander and drain well.

Add other ingredients and mix well.

Pour into ungreased 9×13 pan and sprinkle top with sugar and cinnamon

Bake @ 375 for 1 hr

Spinach and Orzo Salad

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Submitted by Suzy Bonnah from Allrecipes.com

* 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked orzo pasta
* 1 (10 ounce) package baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
* 1/2 pound crumbled feta cheese
* 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
* 3/4 cup pine nuts
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in spinach, feta, onion, pine nuts, basil and white pepper. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Note: Makes a lot! Could feed a small army!

Holiday Terrine

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From Health Magazine Dec. 2006

· 1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

· ½ cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

· 2 tablespoons fat free milk

· ¼ cup basil pesto

· 3 Tablespoons finely chopped pitted kalamata olives

· 3 Tablespoons finely chopped pimento-stuffed olives

· ¼ cup finely chopped, drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves (patted dry with a paper towel)

· 1 (6-ounce) package whole wheat crackers.

Line a 5-x3-inch mini-loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing extra wrap to extend over the edges of the pan so that you can seal the top when done. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, and milk; mix well. Spread pesto in bottom of plastic wrap-lined pan. Spread half of cheese mixture over pesto.

Combine the olives; spread over cheese mixture pressing down with back of a spoon or spatula. Spoon remaining cheese mixture over olives; spread to an even layer with a spatula. Spoon sun-dried tomatoes evenly over cheese mixture, pressing down with back of a spoon or spatula.

Bring edges of plastic wrap up over terrine; seal tightly. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours to set.

To serve, unmold terrine onto a plate or platter; surround with wheat crackers. Terrine can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days after making.

Tropical Rice

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  • 2 cups jasmine rice
    2-3/4 cup chicken broth
    1 cup coconut milk
    1 cup crushed pineapples
    2 T soy sauce (or Tamari on a gluten-free diet)
    1 T sesame oil
    1/4 cup chopped green onion

Optional toppings: macadamia nuts, almonds, toasted coconut flakes

1. Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear. In a medium pot, add the chicken broth and coconut milk and heat until almost boiling. Add the rice and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer rice for 18-20 minutes, until rice is tender.

2. With a fork, fluff up the rice as you add crushed pineapples, soy sauce and sesame oil. Top with chopped green onion and any of the delightful toppings.

Rice, Lentil, and Spinach Pilaf

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From Weight Watchers’ Simply Delicious Cookbook

· 1 teaspoon olive oil

· 2 shallots, minced

· ¾ cup brown basmati rice

· 2 14 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

· ½ cup lentils, picked over, rinsed, and drained

· 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

· ½ cup dried cranberries

· ¼ teaspoon salt

· ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

· ¼ cup pine nuts

Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan, then add the shallots. Sauté until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the rice, and sauté, until the rice is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

Add the broth and lentils, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Stir in the spinach, cranberries, salt, and pepper; simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, 10-15 minutes. Fluff the mixture with a fork and stir in the nuts.

Serves 4 as a main dish.