INDEX

SOUPS

Chicken Soup

Kenaidelach

Vegetable Soup

FISH

Gefilte Fish

Salmon Patties

MEAT

Roast Beef

Corned Beef

Tongue

Duck

POTATOES

Potato Latkes

Mashed Potatoes

Potato Salad

Potatoes with Onions

Extra Crispy French Fries
Potato Pierogi

VEGETABLES

Coleslaw

Tsimis

Eggplant Dip

Mushroom Sauce

CHOLENT

Cholent

Gluten-Free Vegan Cholent

KUGELS

Lokshen Kugel

Potato Kugel

Matzo Kugel

KNISHES

Potato Knishes

Vegetarian Potato Knishes

BLINTZES

Cheese Blintzes

Vegan Blintzes

CHALA

HUMENTASHEN

CAKES

Apple Cake

Blueberry Cake

Honey Cake

Krishkalach Cake

VEGAN CAKES

Vegan Apple Cake

Vegan Blueberry Cake

Vegan Krishkalach Cake

Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake

SOUPS

Chicken Soup

Kenaidelach

Vegetable Soup

Chicken Soup

2 chicken breasts and 4 chicken legs

Salt

4 celery stalks from the inside of the bunch with leaves

1 big carrot

1 parsnip with leaves

1/2 white onion

Fresh dill

Soak the chicken in hot water for 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse it in cold water.  Cover the meat in salt, and set it aside for 1 hour.

In the meantime, wash the celery.  Cut each stalk into a few smaller pieces.  Peel and wash the carrot and parsnip, and cut each into a few smaller pieces.  Peel the onion and cut in half. 

In a large soup pot, combine the celery, carrots, parsnip, and half of the onion.  Fill pot to halfway mark with warm water, and set it aside to soak.

Rinse the meat in cold water and then in hot water, and add it to the soup pot.  Bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat.  Reduce the temperature to low heat for a slow boil.  Skim off the white film that gathers on the surface of the water.  Boil slowly for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

Add salt and dill to taste.  Let the dill soak in the soup as it cools. 

Chill the soup in the fridge overnight.  Skim off the fat that rises to the top.  Reheat to serve.  Enjoy with kenaidelach or egg noodles. 

Kenaidelach (Matzo Balls)

4 eggs

½ c. vegetable oil

1 tbsp. powdered chicken soup stock

¼ tsp. white pepper

½ tsp. salt

2 c. matzo meal

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, powdered soup stock, white pepper, and salt, and mix well.  Add 1 c. of warm water and mix well. 

Gradually add the matzo meal while mixing to reach a texture like thick oatmeal.  The batter should hold together, but you can still stir it, and it sticks to your finger.  If the batter gets too thick, add some more hot water.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Fill a large pot to the halfway mark with hot water.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. 

While the water boils, wet a plate and your hands.  Roll the batter into balls about the size of your palm.  Place them on the plate while you work. 

Drop the balls into the boiling water.  They will rise to the surface and get very fluffy.  Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium.  Cook for 10 minutes, or until the kenaidelach are cooked all the way through.  Test them by removing 1 ball with a slotted spoon, and cut it in half.  If it’s well cooked, it will look fluffy on the inside.  If it’s raw, it will be a darker colour and different texture inside than outside. 

Remove the kenaidelach from the pot and cool.  Enjoy in chicken soup.

Vegetable soup

½ c. baby barley

¾ c. dried green split peas

¾ c. dried yellow split peas

4 celery stalks with leaves

1 small cooking onion

2 carrots

½ green pepper

4 baking potatoes

½ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 piece chuck beef steak or flunken (optional)

2 cloves garlic (optional)

Rinse the barley, split peas, and optional meat, and combine them in a large soup pot. 

Fill the pot to the ¾ mark with warm water, and cover the pot halfway.  Bring the water to a slow boil over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour.  Stir in the salt and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, peel the onion and carrots.  Chop the onion, carrots, celery, and green pepper into large pieces.  In a food processor, grate the carrots, and chop the onion, celery, and green pepper into small pieces.  Peel the potatoes, and cut them into medium-sized pieces.

Add the vegetables and potatoes to the soup and stir.  If you left out the optional meat, add 2 tbsp. vegetable oil and stir.  Add enough warm water so that the pot is three-quarters full again, and stir. 

Return the soup to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce the temperature to low heat and cook for 30 minutes.  Add the optional garlic and salt to taste.  Cook for another 30 minutes.  Cool and enjoy!

FISH

Gefilte Fish

Salmon Patties

Gefilte Fish (makes about 24)

1 Spanish onion

1 cooking onion

3 lb. white fish

3 eggs

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 ¾ c. sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. white pepper

3 celery stalks with leaves

2 big carrots

¼ c. matzo meal

Peel the Spanish onion and cut it in half.  Chop one half of the onion into pieces and dice them in a food processor

In a large mixing bowl, combine diced onion with fish, eggs, oil, sugar, salt, and white pepper.  Chop at the mixture with a small cleaver (or a large knife) until it is well mixed.

Cut the remaining half of the Spanish onion into 3 sections.  Peel and cut the cooking onion in half.  Wash the celery and cut each stalk in half.  Peel and wash the carrots and cut each in half. 

Fill a giant pot to the halfway mark with warm water.  Add the onions, celery, and carrots, and set aside to soak. 

Add ¼ c. of matzo meal to the fish mixture.  Chop and mix with the knife. 

Transfer half of the fish mixture to the food processor and blend it until it is very smooth.  If it looks kind of chunky, blend in a drop of water to make it smoother.  Transfer to a bowl.  Blend the other half of fish mixture in the food processor until it is very smooth.

Cover the giant pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.

In the meantime, transfer all of the fish to back to the large mixing bowl.  Kneed in a handful of vegetable oil.  Kneed the fish into a large ball.  If it’s sticking to your hands, wet them with cold water. 

Fill a bowl with cold water.  Cover a cutting board in cold water.  Wet your hands in the bowl.  Roll 1 handful of fish into a ball.  Place it on the cutting board and press it with the palm of your hand to flatten it. 

With a wet spatula, place (don’t drop) each piece of fish into the pot.  Let the water return to a boil.  The fish will float up to the surface.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a slow boil for 2 hours. 

Plug the sink and place the pot in the sink.  Fill the sink with very cold water (to surround the pot.)  Uncover the pot and let it cool. 

Cut the cooked carrots into thick slices.  Transfer the fish to a dish and garnish each piece with a slice of carrot.  Cover the dish and refrigerate.  Enjoy cold or at room temperature with horseradish. 

Salmon Patties

2 cans Pacific sockeye salmon

2 eggs

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ c. matzo meal

½ cup vegetable oil

In a large mixing bowl, combine the fish, eggs, garlic powder, and matzo meal, and mix to a medium-smooth texture, like tuna salad.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Coat a large frying pan in a thick layer of vegetable oil.  Heat the oil over medium heat for a few minutes.  Wet your hands and mix the salmon by squeezing it together.  When the oil is hot, roll handfuls of salmon into patties and place them into the pan.  If the oil is hot enough, it should bubble.  Fry the patties for about 8 minutes, or until the bottoms are nice and brown.  Flip the patties and fry to brown the other sides.

Transfer the patties to a baking or broiling pan covered in paper towel to absorb the excess oil.  Cool and enjoy!

Optional:  Place the patties in the oven at 250 degrees (without the paper towel) for 1 hour to crisp.

MEAT

Roast Beef

Corned Beef

Tongue

Duck

Roast Beef

3 lb. beef

3 baking potatoes

salt

garlic powder

Lipton onion soup mix

Fill a quarter of a big roasting pot with warm water.  Add the meat and cover the pot.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the meat is soft, about 2 ½ hours.  Check the tenderness with a sharp knife.  There should be a little resistance to the blade. 

In the meantime, peel and wash the potatoes.  Cut each potato into 3 or 4 pieces, and sprinkle them with salt.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. 

Transfer the meat to a cutting board, and rinse the pot.  Return the meat to the pot and add the potatoes.  Sprinkle garlic powder and Lipton onion soup mix over the meat and potatoes.  Add 1 ½ cups water and cover.  Cook in the oven for 2 hours. 

Check that there is still liquid in the pot.  If it’s dry, add more water and more onion soup mix.  Cook for another hour.

Check that the potatoes are browned.  If they are not, remove the meat from the pot.  Add more water and return the pot uncovered to the oven.  Cook until the potatoes are brown, 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Cool and Enjoy!

Corned Beef

1 pickled double beef brisket

Rinse the beef and scrub off the seasoning.  Place the meat in a large pot, and make several slits in it with a sharp knife.  Fill the pot to the halfway mark with warm water.  Cover and bring to the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. 

Pour out the cooking liquid and refill the pot to the halfway mark with warm water.  Cover and bring the water to a boil to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.  Flip the meat and cook covered over low heat for 2 ½ hours.  Occasionally, make slits in the meat with a sharp knife. 

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Remove the pot from the heat and cool slightly.  Transfer the meat from the pot to a dish or cutting board.  Place a colander over a bowl.  Pour the cooking liquid through the colander into the bowl.  Return the meat to the pot and add enough liquied from the bowl to cover the bottom of the pot. 

Cook uncovered in the oven for 1 ½ hours to brown.  Let cool and slice.  Chill in the fridge and enjoy cold.

Tongue

1 pickled cow’s tongue

Rinse the tongue and place it in a large pot.  Fill three-quarters of the pot with warm water.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 2 hours.  Turn the tongue over, and cook for 1 hour.  Cool and enjoy!

Duck

1 whole duck

½ packet Lipton onion soup mix

garlic powder

honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Wash the duck under running water and clean out the guts.  Cut off the neck and the fat from both openings with a large, sharp knife.  Wash the duck again very well, inside and out.

Place the duck in large roasting pot.  Coat it allover with a handful of garlic powder.  In a small bowl, combine the Lipton onion soup mix and a few drops of water.  Coat the duck allover with the soup mix.  Cover the pot and cook for 2 hours.

Remove the pot from the oven and reduce the heat to 275 degrees. 

Let the pot cool for 5 minutes.  In a small bowl, mix equal amounts of honey and water.  Transfer the duck to a broiling pan.  Coat it allover with the honey mixture.  Return it to the oven, underside up, for 1 hour or until brown and crispy.  Cool and enjoy!

Optional:  Turn the oven off and leave the duck inside to get extra crispy.

POTATOES

Potato Latkes

Mashed Potatoes

Potato Salad

Potatoes with Onions

Extra Crispy French Fries
Potato Pierogi

Potato Latkes

4 big baking potatoes (older are better)

2 cooking onions

1 c. flour/ matzo meal

1 ½ tsp. salt

white pepper

vegetable oil

Peel the potatoes and soak them in cold water for 40 minutes.  Dry the potatoes and cut them into big chunks.  Grate them using a food processor, and transfer to a large bowl.  Add ¼ c. flour/ matzo meal/ a splash of lemon juice to keep the potatoes from turning brown. 

Peel and chop the onions into large pieces.  Using the food processor, chop them into to very small pieces.  Add the potatoes to the food processor and blend everything to mush. 

Transfer the mixture back to the bowl.  Add ¾ c. flour/ matzo meal, salt, and a pinch of white pepper.  Mix well.  Taste the batter to make sure that you can feel the salt and pepper, but they are not overpowering.  Adjust the seasoning as needed.

Coat the bottom of a large frying pan in a thick layer of vegetable oil, and warm it over medium heat.  The oil is ready when a drop of water sizzles in the pan.  Cover a baking pan in paper towel.  Using a large, wooden mixing spoon, drop spoonfuls of batter into the frying pan.  Fry the latkes until the bottoms brown and the tops change colour.  The edges will turn green and then brown.  Flip the latkes and fry until the bottoms are brown.  Add more oil as needed.  Cool the latkes on the paper towel. 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 

Transfer the latkes to a broiling pan and bake them until they are extra crispy.  Enjoy them warm with applesauce, sour cream, or jam.

Mashed Potatoes

16 baking potatoes

½ tsp. salt

Butter

Milk

Black pepper

Peel and rinse the potatoes in cold water.  Transfer them to a large pot and fill it to the ¾ mark with warm water.  Add salt.  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium.  As the potatoes soften, split them with a fork.  Cook them for 40 minutes, or until they fall apart when you press them with the fork.

Drain the pot by tipping it over the sink.  Uncover it slightly, creating a small space for the water run out, but holding back the potatoes.

Return the pot to the stovetop. The stove should be off, but still warm.  Remove the cover and let the potatoes dry for 10 minutes. 

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.  Add butter, milk, salt, and black pepper to taste.  Cool and enjoy!

Potato Salad

2 baking potatoes

4 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. white pepper

2 celery stalks

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

1 ½ tsp. mustard

Wash the potatoes.  Boil the potatoes and the eggs until the potatoes feel soft when they are pierced with a fork.  Cool the eggs in a bowl of very cold water.  Peel and chop the potatoes into small chunks.  Peel and grate the eggs. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, white pepper, and salt, and mix well.

Chop the celery and peppers into very small pieces.  Stir them into the potato mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard.  Stir this into the salad, and mix well.  Chill the salad in the fridge to marinade and enjoy!

Potatoes with Onions

4 potatoes

4 onions

vegetable oil

1 tsp. Lipton onion soup mix

½ tsp. salt

Peel the potatoes and soak them in a bowl of cold water.  Peel and slice the onions into rings.

Coat the bottom of a frying pan in oil, and warm on low heat.  Add the onions and fry them until they are golden brown.

While the onions cook, cut the potatoes into thick slices.  Transfer the pieces to a large bowl and sprinkle them with salt. 

Add the potatoes to the frying pan.  Stir in the Lipton onion soup mix and ¾ c. warm water.  Cover the pan and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cool and enjoy!

Extra Crispy French Fries

5 baking potatoes

vegetable oil

white vinegar

salt

Peel, wash, and slice potatoes into wedges.  Let them sit in a colander for about an hour to dry.

Fill 1/3 of the deep fryer with vegetable oil.  Heat the oil for 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and drop in the potatoes.  Turn on the heat and cook for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Remove the basket of deep fryer and drain it over the sink, shaking it back and forth.  Transfer the fries to large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle them with a few splashes of vinegar and a handful of salt. 

Spread the fries evenly on a large baking pan.  Bake them in oven until they are dry and extra crispy.  Cool and enjoy!

Potato Pierogi

Filling:

3-4 baking potatoes

1 egg

¼ c. grated cheese

1 tbsp. flour

salt and pepper to taste

Dough:

3 c. flour

2 eggs

salt

½ c. warm water

1 cooking onion

vegetable oil

Filling:

Peel and rinse the potatoes in cold water.  Transfer them to a pot and fill it to the ¾ mark with warm water.  Add a pinch of salt.  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium.  As the potatoes soften, split them with a fork.  Boil them until they fall apart when you press them with the fork.

Drain the pot by tipping it over the sink.  Uncover it slightly, creating a small space for the water run out, but holding back the potatoes.

Return the pot to the stovetop. The stove should be off, but still warm.  Remove the cover and let the potatoes dry for 10 minutes. 

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher and let them cool.  Mix in the egg and cheese.  Then add the flour, salt, and pepper.

Dough:

Combine the flour, eggs, water, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.  Kneed the dough until it is very smooth.  Cover a counter or board in flour, and transfer the dough to the floured surface.  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to an even thickness.  Cut circles out of the dough with the open end of a drinking glass. 

Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of a circle of dough.  Fold the circle in half and press the edges together with your fingers.  Repeat until all the dough is used up.

Let the peirogi dry on both sides.  Fill a large pot to the ¾ mark with warm water and add a pinch of salt.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium, and transfer the pierogi to the pot.  Boil the pierogi for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they all float to the top.  Stir them gently every few minutes, so they stick to the bottom.  Fill a large bowl with cold water.  Transfer the pierogi to the bowl, and rinse them with more cold water so that they don’t stick together.

Slice the onion.  Coat the bottom of a large pan with vegetable oil, and warm the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and pierogi, and fry them until they are golden brown. 

Or, fry the onions on their own.  Transfer the pierogi to a greased baking pan and cover them with the fried onions.  Bake on the top rack of the oven at 200 or 225 degrees for at least 1/2 hour.  Serve warm and enjoy!

VEGETABLES

Coleslaw

Tsimis

Eggplant Dip

Mushroom Sauce

Coleslaw

1 green cabbage

1 carrot

4 celery stalks

1 red pepper

½ green pepper

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. white pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

2/3 c. white vinegar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

1 c. sugar

Using a food processor, shred the cabbage, grate the carrot, and chop the celery into fine pieces (like relish, not smushed.)  Combine the vegetables in giant mixing bowl with salt.  Shake the bowl, side-to-side and round-and-round , to mix

Add the white pepper and garlic powder, and shake the bowl to mix well.  Set aside for 30 minutes or more.

Add the oil, vinegars, and sugar, and shake the bowl to mix well.  Refrigerate the coleslaw to marinade and enjoy it cold.

Tsimis

12 carrots

1 sweet potato

1 tsp. sugar

salt

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. prunes

1 can crushed pineapple with juice (398 ml/ 14 oz.)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 Macintosh apple

1 tsp. butter or margarine

Peel and wash the carrots and the sweet potato.  Cut the carrots into thick slices and the sweet potato into big chunks.  Place them in a medium-sized pot.  Fill 1/3 of the pot with warm water and cover it.  Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes.  Add the sugar and a pinch of salt.  Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.

Peel the apple and cut it into chunks.  Add the apple, raisins, prunes, pineapple with juice, cinnamon to the pot and mix well.  Cook covered on medium heat for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to low.  Add 1 tsp butter.  Cook covered until the carrots are very soft, about 10 to 20 minutes.  Cool and enjoy!

Optional:  Add a drop of lemon juice if the tsimis tastes too sweet.

Eggplant Dip

1 big purple eggplant

4 eggs

1/3 Spanish onion

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. white pepper

1/8 c. matzo meal

Wash and dry the eggplant.  With a sharp knife, make slits all around.  Cook the eggplant (in the microwave for 20 minutes, in oven for 1 hour) until wrinkled, soft, and mushy.  Cool.

In the meantime, boil the eggs and cool them in a bowl of very cold water.  Peel and grate them into small pieces.  Peel and cut the onion into large chunks.

Remove the stem of the eggplant.  Cut the eggplant in half from top to bottom.  Remove as many of the seeds as possible while saving the meat.  With a spoon, lightly separate the meat from the skin.

Dice the onion in a food processor.  Add the eggplant meat, eggs, salt, and white pepper, and blend until smooth.  Add the matzo meal and blend again.  Transfer the dip to a bowl, cover and refrigerate.  Enjoy cold with crackers.

Optional:  Add ½ tsp. sugar if the dip is too bitter/spicy/salty.

Optional:  Add a few drops of milk if you plan to keep the dip for more than a few days (so it won’t turn green.)

Mushroom Sauce

20 mushrooms

1 onion

1 tbsp. butter

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. white pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. Lipton onion soup mix

Wash and slice the mushrooms.  Peel and dice onion. 

Melt the butter in a medium-sized pot over low heat.  Add the onions and fry them until they are golden brown.  Add the mushrooms, salt, white pepper, garlic powder, Lipton onion soup mix, and 1 tbsp. of water.

Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes.  Cool and enjoy with roast beef, tongue, or noodles.

CHOLENT

Cholent

Gluten-Free Vegan Cholent

Cholent

8 chicken legs

2 lbs. chuck beef steak

8 small cooking onions

vegetable oil

3 big baking potatoes

½ c. dried red kidney beans

½ c. dried baby lima beans

4 c. pearl barley

1/2 tsp. salt

2 packets Lipton onion soup mix

Cut the beef into big chunks.  Soak the beef in warm water with the chicken legs for 30 minutes.  Drain in a colander and set aside.

Peel and slice 4 onions.  Coat the bottom of a giant roasting pot in vegetable oil.  Place the pot on the stove top and warm the oil over medium-low heat.  Fry the onions until they are golden.  Add meat and cook, stirring often, for 45 minutes, or until the meat is brown on all sides.

In the meantime, peel the remaining onions and the potatoes.  Rinse the potatoes and cut them in half.  Rinse the kidney beans, lima beans, and barley. 

Add the onions, potatoes, beans, barley, salt, and Lipton onion soup mix to the roasting pot.  Fill the pot to the ¾ mark with warm water and stir well.  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium heat.  Add enough warm water so that the pot is three-quarters full again.  Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.  Uncover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. 

Cover the pot in aluminum foil, and then cover with the whole thing with the lid.  Bake for 12 hours.  Stir the cholent.  If there is no liquid in the pot, add some warm water, so that it won’t dry out.  Bake for another 12 hours.  Cool and enjoy!

Gluten-Free Vegan Cholent

2 large onions

olive or vegetable oil

12 mini-potatoes

½ c. dried lima beans

½ c. dried black eyed peas

3 c. sweet brown rice

½ c. sliced dried mushrooms

1 c. tvp chunks

2/3 c. miso paste

Optional:  Rinse and soak the lima beans and black eyed peas overnight, so that they’re easier to digest.

Rinse the potatoes and the rice.  Peel and slice the onions.  Coat the bottom of a giant pot in olive oil.  Place the pot on the stove top and warm the oil over medium-low heat.  Cook the onions until they are golden.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Fill the pot with hot water to the ¾ mark and stir well.  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium heat.  Add enough warm water so that the pot is three-quarters full again.  Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.  Uncover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. 

Cover the pot in aluminum foil, and then cover the whole thing with the lid.  Bake for 12 hours.  Stir the cholent.  If there is no liquid in the pot, add some warm water, so that it won’t dry out.  Bake for another 12 hours.  Cool and enjoy!

KUGELS

Lokshen Kugel

Potato Kugel

Matzo Kugel

Lokshen (Noodle) Kugel

1/4 tsp. salt

1 can crushed pineapple (398 ml/ 14 oz.)

5/6 of 12 oz. package of egg noodles

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

¼ c. vegetable oil

3 packets Dr. Oetker vanilla sugar (3 tbsp.)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. raisins

Cinnamon

Fill 1/3 of a large pot with warm water and add salt.  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.

In the meantime, set a colander above a small bowl.  Pour the canned pineapple through the colander to catch the juice in the bowl.  Squeeze the pineapple and set aside to drain.

When the water boils, add the egg noodles.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook the noodles, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until they are fluffy.  Drain the noodles.  Rinse them under cold water and set them aside to drain some more.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a large baking dish.  A transparent one is good, if you have it, so you can see the bottom.

Rinse out the pot.  Combine the eggs and the sugar, and mix well.  Add the vegetable oil and mix well.  Add the noodles, vanilla sugar, baking powder, raisins, and pineapple, and mix until very frothy.  If the mixture is too dry, add enough reserved pineapple juice to achieve a thick, liquid consistency.  Taste the mixture to make sure it’s sweet enough.  If not, add more sugar.

Cover ½ of the pot with cinnamon and mix well.  Pour the batter into the baking dish and sprinkle it with cinnamon.  Shake the dish from side-to-side to smooth out the top. 

Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the kugel is brown allover.  Cool and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Potato Kugel

4 big baking potatoes (older are better)

2 cooking onions

1 c.flour/ matzo meal

1 ½ tsp. salt

white pepper

3 eggs

Peel the potatoes and soak them in cold water for 40 minutes.  Dry them and cut them into big chunks.  Grate them with a food processor.  Transfer the pieces to a large bowl.  Add ¼ c. flour/ matzo meal/ a splash of lemon juice to keep the potatoes from turning brown. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a large baking dish. 

Peel and chop the onions into large pieces.  Using the food processor, chop them into to very small pieces.  Add the potatoes and blend everything to mush. 

Transfer the mixture back to the bowl.  Add the eggs, ¾ c. flour/ matzo meal, salt, and a pinch of white pepper, and mix well.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish.  Coat your hands in vegetable oil and smooth out the top.  Bake for 1 ½ hours or until the kugel is brown allover.  Enjoy warm.

Matzo Kugel

Old matzo

1/8 c. matzo meal

1 can crushed pineapple (398 ml/ 14 oz.)

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

4 packets Dr. Oetker vanilla sugar (4 tbsp.)

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. baking powder

½ c. raisins

¼ c. shredded coconut

1 Spy apple

½ orange

vegetable oil

Break the matzo into pieces in a large mixing bowl.  Soak the pieces in steaming hot water for 10 minutes. 

In the meantime, drain the crushed pineapple.  Grate the orange peel.  Peel and grate the apple. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a baking dish.

Drain the matzo in a colander, and rinse it under lukewarm water, pressing and crushing it into smaller and smaller pieces. 

Return the matzo to the mixing bowl.  Stir in 1/8 c. of matzo meal, or more, until the matzo sticks together.  Add the crushed pineapple, eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, coconut, raisins, apple, and orange zest, and mix well. 

Pour the batter into the baking dish.  Smooth a few handfuls of vegetable oil over the top of the kugel.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Cool and sprinkle with icing sugar.  Chill in the fridge and enjoy!

KNISHES

Potato Knishes

Vegetarian Potato Knishes

Potato Knishes

16 baking potatoes

1 tsp. salt

2 cooking onions

vegetable oil

1 lb. minced chicken

1 lb. minced beef

3/4 tsp black pepper

2 eggs

½ tsp. powdered chicken soup stock

¾ c. matzo meal

Peel and rinse the potatoes in cold water, and transfer them to a large pot.  Fill the pot to the ¾ mark with warm water and add 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium.  As the potatoes soften, split them with a fork.  Cook for 40 minutes, or until the potatoes fall apart when you press them with the fork.

In the meantime, peel and slice the onions.  Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with a thick layer of vegetable oil.  Warm the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and fry until they are golden brown.  Add the chicken and beef.  Break them up with a large spoon or spatula. 

Add ¼ c. of oil, 1/2 tsp. of salt, and 1/2 tsp. of black pepper.  Mix well and cover the pan.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until all the meat is brown.  Set the pan aside to cool.

Drain the pot by tipping it over the sink.  Uncover it slightly, creating a small space for the water run out, but holding back the potatoes.

Return the pot to the stovetop. The stove should be off, but still warm.  Remove the lid and let the potatoes dry for 10 minutes. 

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.  Set the pot aside to cool. 

In the meantime, transfer the cooled meat to a food processor and blend to mush.  Add the powdered chicken soup stock and 1 egg.  Blend well.  Add ½ c. of matzo meal and blend well.  The mixture should be fairly thick.  Add matzo meal to thicken as needed.  Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Mash the cooled potatoes again, and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.  Mix them with your hands, lifting upwards from the bottom of bowl and turning it round-and-round.  Add 1 egg, ¼ tsp. of black pepper, and ¼ c. of matzo meal.  Mix well with a large spoon.  Mix in enough matzo meal so that the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a large baking pan.

Pour some vegetable oil into a small bowl.  Roll a handful of potato dough into a ball.  Dip your fingers in oil and coat the ball.  Put it down on a dish or board and flatten it.  Place a spoonful of meat in the middle.  Softly roll the potato dough around the meat, forming a ball with potato on the outside and meat in the middle.  Dip your fingers in oil and coat the ball again.  Put it down again and press it lightly with the palm of hand to flatten it.  Place the knish on the baking pan and repeat until all the dough is used up.

Bake for 1 hour or until knishes are lightly browned on top and bottom.  Cool and enjoy!

Vegetarian Potato Knishes

16 baking potatoes

1 tsp. salt

1 clove garlic (or more to taste)

vegetable oil

1 bunch of spinach and/or 24 mushrooms

3/4 tsp black pepper

2 eggs

½ tsp. powdered vegetable soup stock

¾ c. matzo meal

Peel and rinse the potatoes in cold water, and transfer them to a large pot.  Fill the pot to the ¾ mark with warm water and add 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium.  As the potatoes soften, split them with a fork.  Cook for 40 minutes, or until the potatoes fall apart when you press them with the fork.

In the meantime, peel and press the garlic.  Chop the spinach and/or mushrooms into small pieces. 

Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with in a thick layer of vegetable oil.  Warm the oil over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and fry to golden brown.  Add the vegetables, ¼ tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp. of salt.  Cook well, stirring frequently.  Set the pan aside to cool.

Drain the pot by tipping it over the sink.  Uncover it slightly, creating a small space for the water run out, but holding back the potatoes.

Return the pot to the stovetop. The stove should be off, but should still be warm.  Remove the cover and let the potatoes dry for 10 minutes. 

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.  Set the pot aside to cool.  

In the meantime, transfer the cooled vegetables to a large mixing bowl.  Add 1 egg, the powdered soup stock, and ½ c. of matzo meal, and mix well.  The mixture should be fairly thick.  Add matzo meal to thicken as needed. 

Mash the cooled potatoes again, and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.  Mix them with your hands, lifting upwards from the bottom of the bowl and turning it round-and-round.  Add 1 egg, ¼ tsp. of black pepper, and ¼ c. of matzo meal.  Mix well with a large spoon.  Mix in enough matzo meal so that the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a large baking pan.

Pour some vegetable oil into a small bowl.  Roll a handful of potato dough into a ball.  Dip you fingers in oil and coat the ball.  Put it down on a dish or board and flatten it.  Place a spoonful of vegetables in the middle.  Softly roll the potato dough around the vegetables, forming a ball with potato on the outside and vegetables in the middle.  Dip your fingers in oil and coat the ball again.  Put the ball down again, and press it lightly with palm of your hand to flatten it.  Place the knish on baking pan and repeat until all the dough is used up.

Bake for 1 hour or until the knishes are lightly brown on top and bottom.  Cool and enjoy!