Gefilte Fish

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Stock

· 4 stalks celery, cut into 3-inch pieces

· 3 medium onions, sliced (onion skin may also be added to the stock for flavor and color)

· 6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias

· 14 cups water

· Fish bones (and heads, if using)

· 2 Tablespoons kosher salt

· 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 2 Tablespoons sugar

· A sprinkling of paprika

Fish

· 7 pounds ground fish (5 pounds whitefish and 2 pounds pickerel, or similar)

· 2 medium onions, very finely chopped in the food processor

· 2 Tablespoons kosher salt

· 5-6 eggs, lightly beaten (Start with 5 and be ready to add another one later to achieve the right consistency.)

· 2 Tablespoons sugar

· ¾ – 1 cup Matzo meal (I measure out a cup and add gradually until correct consistency is reached.)

· ¾ cup water

· 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 2 medium carrots, finely grated

Put stock ingredients in a very large pot. Bring the stock to a boil while you prepare the fish. Reduce heat and let the stock simmer while you finish.

In a large bowl, preferably made of wood, add the fish and the remaining ingredients on the “Fish” list, stirring and chopping with a hand chopper as you go. Keep blending and chopping until the desired consistency is reached and there are no large chunks of fish, onion, or carrot. The mixture should hold together, but still be moist. Your arm will probably get sore.

With wet hands, form the fish into fat, oval-shaped patties. The end of a largish wooden spoon is useful for this, and keeps the size relatively uniform. Slide each patty carefully into the simmering stock.  NOTE:  Don’t crowd the fish balls; they will swell during cooking.

Cook slowly for about 2 hours. Allow fish to cool in pot for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a container. Strain the broth. Remove and save carrots for garnish. Discard other veggies and fish parts. Pour the strained broth over the fish. Store the fish and broth in a covered container in the refrigerator. It is best when made 2-3 days ahead.

Easiest Holiday Cookies EVER

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Submitted by Debbie Tenzer

 

  • 1 roll of store-bought refrigerated sugar cookie dough, including the kind with holiday designs already in the dough
  • 1 box of store-bought chocolate wafers – any brand

Slice sugar cookie dough according to package directions, or use the pre-sliced ones. Place half of the cookies on a cookie sheet. Leave two inches spaces around each cookie, because cookies are going to expand.

On top of each sugar cookie, place a chocolate wafer. Then cover with another sugar cookie.

Bake per package directions. Keep an eye on your cookies so they don’t overcook.

Enjoy watching your guests faces when they discover the chocolate surprise inside each cookie

Oreo Truffles

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Submitted by Mandy Mills.

 

  • 36 Oreo cookies
  • 1 package (8 oz) softened cream cheese
  • 1 package melting chocolate discs
  • Your choice of decorations

Grind/crush the Oreo cookies in a blender. Place crushed cookies in a large bowl, add cream cheese, and mix with a fork until completely blended. At this point, it will be the consistency of cookie dough, with no streaks of cream cheese showing any longer.

Scoop up the truffle mixture using a melon baller or measuring teaspoon and roll into balls between your hands. Making the balls approximately one level teaspoon will give about 5 ½ dozen truffles.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler according to the package directions. Roll the truffles a few at a time in the melted chocolate with a fork, and use it to remove them and place them on waxed paper or parchment paper to cool and harden. If you are decorating them, sprinkle on your decorations right away, because the candy-type chocolate hardens quickly at room temperature. This is a good job for kids to do while an adult dips the truffles.

When the chocolate coating has hardened, store in the refrigerator and enjoy!

PUMPKIN BLACK BEAN TAMALES

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Submitted by Jeanne Marshall, who writes:
A tamalada is 2 parties in one – getting a group of friends together to make tamales and then an even bigger group to eat them! My Hot Tamale – http://www.sonofthesouth.net/tamales/ has great tips if you’ve never tried tamales before.
These pumpkin black bean tamales were a big hit. Yield is a dozen tamales; recommend doubling the recipe for a party. Source: By Larry Luttropp, LA Times

Tamale Ingredients

  • 1 package corn husks
  • 2 cups (heaping) Maseca corn flour (get Tamale version)
  • 2 cups to 2 1/2 cups warm chicken stock or water
  • 1/2 pound lard
  • 2 cups pureed cooked or canned pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, firmly packed (if you’ve got access to a Hispanic market, get 3 ounces piloncillo instead — grated or crushed) Salt

Bean Filling

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons anise
  • 2 To 3 pasilla de Oaxaca chilies OR dried chipotle chilies or canned chipotle in adobo sauce
  • 2 cups To 2 1/2 cups cooked or
  • Canned black beans, drained
  • 5 To 6 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons Lard
  • Salt

 

Prepare Bean Filling

Put water in small pan, add anise and boil until reduced by half. Strain and reserve infusion.

If using pasilla de Oaxaca or dried chipotles, cover with boiling water and let soak until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and remove stems. Canned chipotles need no preparation.

Working in batches, if necessary, puree beans with chilies, garlic and anise infusion in blender or food processor fitted with steel blade.

Melt lard in heavy skillet or wide, shallow saucepan over high heat. When very hot, add bean puree, watching for splatters. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until liquid is evaporated. Season to taste with salt. Cool to room temperature.

 

Assemble Tamales

Soak corn husks in water for at least 30 minutes. Take several and tear into long strips – you’ll use them to tie the tamales.

Mix masa harina in a bowl or pot with enough warm stock to make soft but not sticky dough. Beat lard in separate large bowl on medium speed until very light and fluffy. Add masa harina mixture and pumpkin puree to lard little at time, beating on medium speed and scraping down as needed. Mixture should be as light as butter cream. (If a small piece of dough floats in a small cup of water, you beat the lard enough)

Beat in cinnamon, piloncillo/brown sugar and salt to taste.

Place soaked corn husks flat on work space. Tear off some long, thin strips from a several husks. Place a large dollop of masa mixture in center of husk and spread across husk with spatula.

Place 1 heaping tablespoon Bean Filling in center of husk. Fold left and right edges of husk toward center to meet, overlapping to cover filling. Fold up bottom edge to center. Fasten by tying with thin strip of husk. Repeat with remaining husks, masa and filling. Steam the tamales for 45 -50 minutes.

Bonfire Toffee

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Submitted by Robert Crowe, who got it from http://britishfood.about.com/od/festivecooking/r/parkin.htm.  The website includes this description:  “Bonfire toffee is the absolute treat on Bonfire night in the UK. The Treacle Toffee Recipe for Bonfire Toffee is simple, quick and easy to make but must be approached with caution; toffee gets very, very hot (up to 140 °C/ 270°) as it is boils. Treacle Toffee keeps very well stored in an airtight tin so make enough for Bonfire night and extra toffee for Christmas.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

  • 1lb/450g dark brown sugar
  • ¼ pint/120ml water
  • ¼ level tsp cream of tartar
  • ½cup/115g black treacle/molasses
  • ½cup/115g golden syrup/corn syrup

Butter a 12″ x 4″/30cm x 10cm or 7″/18cm square tin.

In a heavy based 4-pint sauce pan dissolve the sugar and water over a low heat. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Using a sugar or toffee thermometer boil to 270°/140°C (soft crack). If you do not have a sugar or toffee thermometer – when you drop a bit of the syrup into cold water, it will solidify into threads that, when removed from the water, are flexible, not brittle. The toffee strands will bend slightly before breaking.

Once this stage is reached (about 10 minutes maximum) pour the toffee into the prepared tin and leave to cool.

Once the toffee is cold remove it from the tin and break with a toffee hammer or solid sharp object, and the toffee will crack into pieces.

Store in an airtight tin if you can resist it long enough!

Makes 1¼lb/500g toffee

Vegetarian Chili with Pumpkin

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The pumpkin flavor in this chili definitely stays in the background, but it adds warmth along with vitamins! Note: Don’t forget to soak the beans the night before.

  • 1 1/2 pounds dried beans (I use a combination of small pinto beans and black beans)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin or pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 Serrano chilies (fresh), seeds removed (membranes intact) and finely chopped
  • 3 chipotle chilies in adobo (canned), minced
  • 1 quart vegetable stock (I like Kitchen Basics brand)
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons cumin
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • Kosher salt to taste (2-3 teaspoons, depending on saltiness of the stock you use)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons chili powder, depending on your taste
  • Several dashes of hot sauce

Rinse the beans and soak overnight. In the morning, rinse beans thoroughly and place them in a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on high heat for 30 minutes and then switch to low heat for 8-9 hours or until beans are tender.

Serve with some, all, or none of these:

  • Chopped cilantro
  • Grated cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped fresh tomato
  • Chopped black olives

Serves 8-10

Jodi’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

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Submitted by Beth Isola, who calls them “simply delightful”.

  • 24 frozen white dinner rolls (Rhodes brand preferred)
  • 1 large box of butterscotch pudding (not instant)
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ t. cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Place frozen rolls in a non-stick, sprayed Bundt pan.  Sprinkle dry pudding over frozen rolls.  Sprinkle nuts over frozen rolls.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter.  Add brown sugar and cinnamon, increase heat to medium and bring to boil, stirring frequently.

Pour mixture over rolls.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Set on counter overnight.

In morning, preheat oven to 350.  Remove foil, place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before turning onto large plate.

Chicken Marinade

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Submitted by Renee Teer, who says, “You can’t miss with this recipe.  Everyone always asks for it. If throwing a party, make it the day before, put chicken in big crock pot and let it sit in marinade overnight before grilling.

  • 1  1/2 cup Oil (use one low in saturated fat)
  • 3/4 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1  1/2 Tablespoons fresh parsley ( I usually use more)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 4-5 chicken breasts

Put everything but the chicken in a blender and liquefy. Put marinade with chicken breasts in a zip lock bag and freeze. Take the chicken out of the freezer the morning of the day you want to use it and let it thaw.  The chicken sits in marinade all day and is extra tasty.  Cook on the grill.

I usually make a double batch.