Favourite Recipes

1.  LINDA ZIMMERMAN

Coconut Macaroons

Click here for recipe

Someone must have posted changes to this recipe online.  The version I have does NOT use cream of tartar at all, and mine says 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. (I used just a pinch of regular salt.) 

My recipe says it makes 16 macaroons, but I got 27 this time. This recipe says it makes 42.  Must be tiny ones.  

My son-in-law makes these macaroons for our Passover seder, and his are fabulous!  You don't have to wait for Passover.  These are great any time, and it's a bonus to find a "cookie" recipe with no fat and no wheat.

 2.  LINDA ZIMMERMAN

Matza Maple Pecan Tart

Preheat Oven 450 Degrees • Preparation Time 30 Minutes • Yields 8

This tart has a great maple flavor with the rich nutty taste of pecans as the topping. It is also kosher for Passover because it is made without corn syrup. The maple flavor absolutely compliments our pecan-nutty matza crust. For your MAPLE PECAN TART you will need the following ingredients...

• 4 Prepared Matta
• 3 Tablespoons Margarine Or Butter, Softened (*Light).
• 1/4 Cup Orange Juice
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanille Extract
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Pecans, Toasted And Finely Crushed

Generously grease and sprinkle sugar on a 9" tart pan and set aside. Combine orange juice and vanilla in a small spray bottle. Spray both sides of prepared matza with orange juice/vanilla mixture. For better saturation, set matza aside for about 1/2 hour. Using a butter knife or pastry brush, generously spread margarine or butter on both sides of matza and generously sprinkle both sides with sugar. Place all four pieces of prepared matza in front of you so that they are arranged to form a square. Turn tart pan upside down over arranged matza square. Using a sharp knife, cut around tart pan leaving a one inch border. You should now have four matza wedges with points in the center of the pan so that pan is well covered to form a matza crust. Sprinkle the bottom of the crust with both toasted pecans and sugar, set aside. Now, for the FILLING...

• 1 Cup Maple Syrup (*Reduced Calorie)
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
• 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
• 3 Eggs (*2 Whole Eggs And 2 Egg Whites)
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine maple syrup, vanilla, salt, eggs and whisk until well mixed (mixture becomes light and a little frothy), then pour into Matza Crust. Sprinkle pecans over maple syrup mixture. Place tart on a baking sheet, (wrap baking sheet in aluminum foil to avoid a mess) and bake in preheated oven for ten minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for twenty more minutes or until filling is set. You need not serve with anything but coffee or tea because of its richness - Let cool completely... ENJOY!

3.  DINAH FRANK

Passover Cookies (from Judy Frank)

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 pear or apple, grated
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon 
• 3/4 tsp Passover baking soda
• 1 cup matzo cake meal
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
• 1/4 cup raisins

In large bowl, beat egg slightly.  Add oil, sugar, cinnamon, and fruit.  Add baking soda, cake meal nuts and raisins one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Batter will be thick.  Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with oil.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 1.5 dozen cookies.

4. JIM STEVENS

Pizza Seasoning

Did you know you can make your own pizza seasoning at home? It’s so handy to have whenever you’re in the mood to have a pizza night – one of our favorite dinner recipes! You don’t need much- just a few ingredients! So dig around in you spice drawer/cabinet and look for the following herbs and seasonings:

• oregano
• basil
• dried onion flakes
• garlic powder
• thyme
• fennel
• paprika
• ground black pepper

Use during Passover or anytime of the year.

5.  RAEL WIENBURG

Rael's Chopped Liver

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 lb chicken liver
• 2 Tbsp chicken fat or margarine
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 pickles, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Saute finely chopped onions and celery in chicken fat or margarine in a large frying pan until soft and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside for later. Place the liver in the pan (medium heat) cover and cook for about 7 minutes. Turn the liver over and cook for another 7 minutes or until most of the blood is gone. Do not overcook! Ideally, the liver should be a little pink inside. Return the onion and celery to the pan and add salt and pepper to taste. Blend the mixture to a pate texture and place on a platter. Decorate with chopped egg whites and yolk. Add sliced tomato, pickles and serve with crackers. Hors d'oeuvres for 10.

6.  SUSAN DEAN

Passover Cake

This cake is so good, you'll want to make it all year long.  Very rich.

TOO GOOD TO BE CALLED PASSOVER CAKE

"Some people think 'Passover' and they think 'boring and restrictive-can't be good,'" Judy says. "This cake will change their minds."

PREP: 25MIN. BAKE: 25MIN. COOL: 10MIN. OVEN: 350°

• 8 oz. unsweetened chocolate, very coarsely chopped (8 squares)
• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, very coarsely chopped
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup kosher for Passover margarine or unsalted butter
• 5 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with round of parchment paper and butter the paper.
2. In food processor combine chopped chocolates. Process until finely chopped.
3. In saucepan bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to boiling. Stir to dissolve sugar.
4. With food processor running, add boiling sugar syrup to chocolate through feed tube. Add margarine, 2 tablespoons at a time. Add eggs. Process only until smooth.
5. Pour chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Place pan in roasting pan on rack in center of oven. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out with just a few specks of chocolate clinging to it and cake begins to pull away from edges of pan. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes.
6. Using a small sharp knife loosen cake from pan sides. Cover cake surface with plastic wrap, and invert onto baking sheet. Lift off pan, remove parchment. Invert cake plate over cake, turn plate and baking sheet so that cake is right side up. Remove plastic wrap. Serve warm or cold.

MAKES 16 SERVINGS. 

EACH SLICE: 293 cal, 22 g fat (8 g sat.fat), 66g.chol,159 mg sodium, 26 g carbo ,3 g fiber, 4 g pro.

Daily Values: 12% vit.A, 3% calcium, 17% iron.

7.  SUSAN DEAN

Caramel Matzah Crunch - from Louise Shanfeld (you know it's good!)

CARAMEL MATZAH CRUNCH

• 4 - 6 Unsalted matzah boards or sheets (I just used regular matza)
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed firm
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet completely with foil. Cover bottom of pan with baking parchment - on top of foil. This is very important as mixture becomes sticky during baking Line bottom or pan
evenly with matzah boards, cutting extra pieces of matzah, as required, to fit any spaces on
the cookie sheet as evenly as possible.
Combine margarine or butter and brown sugar in-a 3 quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook
over medium heat stirring constantly. until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking 3 more
minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour over matzah.
Place in .oven and immediately reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake 15 minutes. Checking every
few minutes to make sure mixture is not burning (if it seems to be browning too quickly,
remove from oven, lower heat to 325 degrees, and replace).
Remove from oven and sprinkle matzah boards immediately with chopped chocolate or chips.
Let stand 5 minutes then spread melted chocolate over matzah. While still warm, cut into
squares or odd shapes. Chill in refrigerator until set. This makes a good gift. You can also
serve it in confectioners' paper cups as a candy.
Variation: You can also use white chocolate, coarsely chopped (or both white and dark) and
chopped toasted almonds (sprinkle on top).
(I sprinkle slivered almonds on the top).

8.  SHAUL SHECTER

Shecter’s Internationally Famous Matzah Brei:

This Matzah Brei has been in 4 US states and 2 Canadian Provinces as well as Israel
Finely chop/dice:

• Green Onions (both ends)***
• Tomatoes
• Green Peppers
• Red Peppers
• Orange Peppers
• Minced garlic
• Eggs (number depends on how many people you're serving) 
• Matzah* (pass it quickly under cold water)

Sear the veg ingredients
Start with the onions and once they begin to “clarify” add the rest.
Break the matzah into chunks and add into the eggs and cover with egg goop.
Cook the mixture in the frying pan with the veggies and mix together **to cook fully.
For variety you can add egg whites that you whip to a froth, then scramble the full eggs add the Matzah and while cooking you can “fold in” the egg whites.
*** You can use red onion etc. as well. Sometimes we also added potatoes 
**Add the secret ingredient in here while cooking [As Gibbs says on NCIS about secrets — unfortunately Judith knows this ingredient so we cannot share it here] 
*Yehuda unsalted matzah works best, Yehuda GF matzah with onion is better, finally Streits unsalted matzah 
OK I have tried Aviv Israel Matzah and it is passable.

9. IRINA SANATANI

German Ricotta or Quarkauflauf süß (i.e.sweet)

• 1 container smooth full fat ricotta ( 475 g) or 1.5-2 containers of quark (about 500g)
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp of heavy cream
• 125 g or about 1/2 cup sugar 
• 75 g or 1/4 cup fine almond flour or matzo meal
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• zest of 1 lemon or 1/2 tsp lemon flavouring
• butter for the form
• fruit for the top (your choice, we like mixed berries, pitted cherries or peaches fresh or frozen, apples work really well too)
• vanilla sugar 1 packet or cinnamon

• Brisket point (about 3 lbs)
• Beef consommé—1 can
• Oregano (touch)
• Bay leaf
• Sherry 1/3 cup
• Garlic
• Vegetables (including carrots, onions, and other root vegetables or potatoes)
• 2 onions
• Tomato

1. Brown meat.
2. Remove meat, brown onions, vegetables and garlic in meat pan. 
3. Add spices, tomato. 
4. Add consommé, sherry, bring to boil, return beef to pot.  Can add a little water. 
5. Cook at 350 degrees in oven for 3 hours or until done. 
6. Remove brisket and vegetables from pan, leaving a few soft carrots and vegetables to mash up with the juices to make a gravy.  Slice brisket and serve with vegetables and gravy. 
7. Or, if you prefer to make this the night before: Remove beef from the pan, when cool wrap in foil.  Put beef and the rest in fridge overnight. The next day skim fat off juice, reheat, adding small amount of water if needed.  Make gravy as before. Use flat, oven-proof dish.  Put some gravy in the bottom, then arrange sliced meat (1/8” slices) in pan.  More gravy on top.  Cover lightly with foil (leave edges open).  Heat for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with gravy, etc.