Delicious Recipe for Walnut Crescent Cookies

Another Ramadan Treat That Can be Eaten Anytime of the Year

One of the favorites of Ramadan, is Date Mamoud or Cake of Eid. These are served on the same platter with the many cookies served at the holiday after Ramadan.

The holy month of Ramadan brings many treasures and pleasures. None of those rewards at the holidays, after Ramadan can match walnut cookies. They are delicate with a hint of heaven. They are crunchy with the right spices and yes they are very easy to make.

Traditions in Ramadan are many and these are generally served with some nice hot Arabic coffee which is regular Persian Coffee, without any sugar. A guest who refuses to drink some Arabic coffee, has insulted the host. So when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

 

Dough

• 1 8 ounce package of cream cheese (any band)
• 2 sticks of butter or margarine at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1.5 tablespoon of sugar
• 6 cups of whole wheat flour (alternative would be to use half white and half whole wheat)
• dash of salt
• 3/4 cup of cold water ( try this slowly to see if you need this all)

Put all of the above ingredients in a bowl and mix very well. After wards, roll into a log, at least 10 inches long. Wrap in some plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator. Keep this in
Filling

• 1/2 stick of butter or margarine
• 1/4 kilo of walnuts ground to a slight chunky state
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup of milk plus one tablespoon
• 1 t. vanilla

Directions:

1. Place all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well. The walnuts can be placed in a plastic bag and with a rolling pin, hit the bag until the walnuts are small but still have some chunks. You can substitute some almond milk in place of the regular milk.
2. Using just a part of the dough, roll out to very thin circles. Placing a small amount of the filling on each circle and seal tightly with your fingers. Place on a well greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven of 350 degrees. Check the cookies oven to make sure they are lightly brown and that they do not burn.
3. Remove from the oven and quickly sprinkle with some confectioner's sugar. Let these cookies cool and then place them in a air tight container to store. You can freeze these delights but many homes will not have any to freeze.

Note: An alternative to using the traditional confectioner's sugar is to use regular sugar that has been ground up to a fine mixture. Take the sugar and place in a coffee grinder or a blender and grind to a white powdery texture.


Photo by Photobucket/ nutritionbylexy

Recipe for Jewish Stuffed Green Peppers

Three Delightful Jewish Recipes Made with Loving Care

Stuffed peppers with matzo meal, ground beef and garlic is a recipe to remember. Jewish holidays and Momma in the kitchen, nothing could be better.

There are three recipes here to pick from. Stuffed Green peppers were from the old school of cooking and they should be brought back to the dinner table tonight. Stuffing peppers is a simple 30 minute meal and Rachel Ray would be proud.

Ingredients

• 7 green peppers
• 2 pounds of ground beef or turkey
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of matzo meal
• 2 eggs
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of virgin olive oil
• 3 hard boiled eggs, grated
• Salt, pepper to taste

Cut the tops of the peppers off and save. Clean the peppers out of all the seeds and core. Mix all the above ingredients together and divide among the peppers. Place the tops back on and place in a baking dish or pan.

Ingredients for the sauce

• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 cup of chicken or turkey stock

Mix all the ingredients together and pour in the pan of the baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour.

 

Stuffed Peppers with Rice

Ingredients

• 6-7 Red and Green peppers
• 2 cups of cooked rice
• 1 pound of ground beef or turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparations

Cut the tops of the peppers off and save them. Remove the seeds and the core and clean them well. In a frying pan, place some cooking spray on the pan. Add in the turkey, and the onion and cook until the turkey is 3/4 way done. Add in the tomatoes and cook some more. Season the whole mixture with salt and pepper and add in the rice. Mix together thoroughly.

Divide the mixture among the peppers and place the tops back on the peppers. Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the peppers are heated through.

 

Low Fat Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 Green Peppers
• 1 pound of lean ground turkey or chicken
• 3/4 cup of oats
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups of chicken or turkey broth
• salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Directions:

1. Saute the oats and garlic in a pan sprayed with cooking spray. Continue to cook until the oats are browned, around 5 minutes. Slowly add in 1/2 cup of broth at a time until you have used 3/4 of the broth.
2. Set this aside for now.
3. Using the same skillet, brown the meat and the onions. Add in the tomatoes and seasoning. Cook for a few minutes more. Remove from the fire, at this point.
4. Take the tops of the peppers off and clean out the seeds and core. Place the meat mixture inside the peppers.
5. Place the peppers on a baking dish and pour the remaining 1/2 cup of stock in the bottom of the pan.
6. Bake the peppers in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, until they are softened.

A trio of recipes to please everyone in the household. A Jewish delight made possible with very little effort and one of the recipes being very health conscious. Whatever the decision is for supper, let it be "Peppers."

Strawberry and Banana Sherbet

Here is a wonderful and very simple way to make some sherbert cubes.  It is refreshing and very tasty any time of the year.

Sherbet Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries (frozen can be used)
• 2 large bananas
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Mash the strawberries and then mash the banana in a separate bowl.  Add the sugar to the strawberries and mix well. 
2. Add in the bananas and stir.  Add in the lemon and orange juice and mix well.
3. Add in the milk and the cream.  Pour into a glass contained and freeze.  Stir every 30 minutes until frozen.

Photo courtesy of Photobucket/CrookedRiver

Delicious Minestrone Soup with Green Pesto

A Fabulous Meal Made with Fresh Basil and Many Vegetables

Feeling lazy and want to just relax and enjoy the next few days. Why not make up a big pot of this minestrone soup and keep it in the refrigerator for a few days.

This is an absolutely wonderful soup and needs to be made often. It is the kind of soup that will make anyone want more and more. Of all the recipes that are posted here, this is the one that needs to be copied right now.

 

Ingredients of the Minestrone Soup

• 1 tablespoon of virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of green beans
• 1/2 cup of fresh okra
• 1/2 cup of corn
• 1 cup of white beans
• 1/2 cup of peas
• 1/2 cup of potatoes
• The rind of parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup of very tiny macaroni

 

Instructions on How to Cook the Soup

1. Place the oil in a large pot and heat. After the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes or until the onions are lightly brown. Add in the minced garlic and cook slightly. Now add the tomatoes and stir the tomatoes well with the onions.
2. Add the rest of the veggies except the peas. Add the chicken stock to the soup now. Drop in the rind of the parmesan cheese.
3. Cook the soup until all the veggies are almost tender. At this point add the peas in and the macaroni pieces. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the macaroni is done.

 

Ingredients for the Pesto

In a small food processor place the following ingredients:

• 1 cup of spinach or basil
• 2 tablespoons of walnuts
• 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. After the above ingredients are mixed and chopped, slowly pour in the oil.
2. 1/4 cup of virgin olive oil
3. Add the above pesto to the soup now. Cook only for a few moments and taste to see if the soup needs any seasoning such as salt and pepper.
4. Place the soup into bowls and top with some more paremsan cheese. Serve this soup with a nice arugula salad topped with some pomegranate seeds. Top the salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing.

Serve this salad and soup with some garlic toast.

To make the toast. Butter lightly some French toast slices and place in the oven to toast. After the toast is nice and crusty, remove from the oven and rub some fresh cut garlic cloves over the toast.

For a totally healthy meal, avoid the butter and serve just plain French bread that has been lightly toasted.

Note: Swiss Chard may be substituted for the spinach and basil.

Photo Courtesy of Photobucket:  wallflower1116

French Food Recipes by the Author of French Women Don't Get Fat

The best selling book "French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano has many French food recipes in one location. Learn how to eat for pleasure.

Mireille Guiliano, author and CEO of Clicquot, Inc., has written many books about recasting the stomach and avoiding offenders in the diet. The books are full of French food recipes that are very delicious and nutritious. Guiliano tells of her own plight with food and how to eat with pleasure.

According to Guiliano, "French women choose their own indulgences and compensations. They understand that little things count, both additions and subtractions, and that as an adult everyone is the keeper of her own equilibrium." The recipes in this article appear with written by permission from Guiliano's Website.

 

French Omelet With Herbs and Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons each: parsley, chives, chervil and coriander
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 teaspoon pimento
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 10 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons water
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 60 grams ricotta cheese or mascarpone

Directions:

1. Chop the herbs and place in a bowl along with the pimento, shallot and cayenne pepper.
2. Place the oil in a non-stick Teflon pan and heat. Add in the herb mixture and stir for one minute constantly. Set aside.
3. Place the eggs in a bowl with the water and using a whisk beat slightly. Add in the seasonings and the herb mixture.
4. Place the butter in a skillet and add in the egg and herb mixtures. Stir the egg mixture slightly until starts to set.
5. Add in the ricotta cheese and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve immediately.

 

Tomato Salad With Goat's Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 bag mixed leaf salad leaves
• 4 large tomatoes, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons of shallots, minced
• 1 teaspoon French mustard
• 2 Tablespoons vinegar (balsamic or champagne)
• 6 Tablespoons cold pressed olive oil
• 200 grams goat's cheese
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 Tablespoons parsley or basil, chopped

Directions:

1. Place a layer of salad leaves on each plate and then follow with a layer of sliced tomatoes. Salt the tomatoes generously.
2. Place the minced shallot, mustard, vinegar and olive oil in a bowl and mix well.
3. Crumble the goat's cheese over the tomatoes and season generously.
4. Top with some of the dressing over the salad. Lastly, put the chopped parsley all around the salad.

 

French Women and Beverages

French women drink water all day long. To understand how water helps the skin, simply soak a dry sponge in water and see the effect it has. French women do not care for hard liquor, but they do like their wine and occasional champagne. French women never overfill their stomachs and French women do not diet. Plainly said by Guiliano, "French women do not get fat."

French Food Recipe Books by Mireille Guiliano

There are many recipes the cookbook and even more on her website. The cookbook is not just about recipes, but how to set limits in the diet and learning which foods are offenders and should be avoided. Guiliano also teaches how to start on a path of good health.

French food recipes in these books are both easy to make and with limited and healthy ingredients. Guiliano's philosophy is to enjoy the food and to take small bites of the foods that are craved. Even to enjoy chocolate, as all French women love chocolate. The author guides and teaches about simple ways to live and enjoy life to the fullest. Here is a list of her recent books:

• French Women Don't Get Fat
• Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire
• French Women for all Seasons
• French Women for all Seasons 2010 Engagement Calendar

Photo courtesy of Photobucket:  misspearr