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Welcome to Spike's & Jamie's "Spike’s Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection Archives"!!  Here we store all the back issues of the original "Spike’s Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection" and of the "Spike’s Jewish Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection". These newsletters were written by Spike (Jann McCormick) and published by Jamie from 2000 until Spike's death in 2008.  Spike loved to cook and share her cooking with those she loved.  Sharing her recipes was the next best thing.

[Spike’s Jewish Good Eatin’ Recipes]  [Spike’s Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection]  

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August 23, 2001
from: Spike's and Jamie's Recipe Collection

Many of these recipes have not yet been added to the recipe web site - so you are getting a "sneak peak" of future additions. We hope you enjoy these recipes!!! Spike’s comments are in [[brackets]].

Shalom, from Spike the Grate and Jamie the Webmistress

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CARROT AND SWEET POTATO TZIMMES 
Serves: 8 

An Eastern European standard, tzimmes is a roasted vegetable dish that is made a number of ways, depending on the occasion. For Rosh Hashana, the appropriate ingredients include carrots and sweet potatoes, with the added sweetness of fresh and dried fruits. 

2 tablespoons canola oil 
1 cup chopped onions 
3 large carrots, sliced 
3 large sweet potatoes, cooked (or nuked) in their skins, peeled and 
sliced 
1 large apple or pear, cored and sliced 
1/2 cup chopped prunes 
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots 
1/2 cup orange juice 
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon each: ground ginger and salt 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onions over medium heat until they are translucent. Add the carrots and continue to sauté until onions and carrots are golden. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the onion-carrot mixture with all the remaining ingredients except walnuts. Mix thoroughly; don't worry if the potato slices break apart. 

Transfer the mixture to a large, oiled, shallow baking dish (a round or oval shape is attractive). Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top begins to turn slightly crusty. 

[[ This is a good dish for any time of year, especially if you have a vegetarian in the family. You can toss on a handful of soy granules, or even put in some firm tofu cubes, to make sure there is sufficient protein.]]

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HONEY CAKE 
Makes 2 loaves, 12 slices each 

Ashkenazi Jews consider honey cake to be an integral part of their New 
Year celebration. 

4 cups unbleached white flour or whole-wheat pastry flour 
3 tablespoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoons salt 
2 teaspoons cinnamon 
3 eggs, beaten 
1 cup honey 
2 cups applesauce 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 cup raisins 
1/3 cup chopped almonds, optional 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

In another bowl, combine eggs, honey, applesauce and vanilla; stir together until smooth. 

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined, then stir in raisins and optional almonds. 

Divide the batter among two lightly oiled 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.

[[Since this cake has no shortening, it should be relatively low in calories and fat.

I don’t know why everybody is afraid of a little fat; I have noticed, however, that applesauce has been substituted for the fat in several cake and cookie recipes.

It is an absolute fact that applesauce tastes better than shortening!]]

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SEVEN VEGETABLE COUSCOUS 
Serves: 8 

Seven is a lucky number in Jewish tradition, so a soup or stew featuring seven vegetables is a New Year favorite among Sephardic Jews. [[If that is the case, why don’t we make recipes that serve 7 instead of even numbers of guests and family? I have wondered why we seldom see recipes that serve 5, 7, or 9. Maybe we are supposed to add water if surprise guests arrive!]]

Couscous: 

1 l/2 cups couscous 
3 cups boiling water 
1 tablespoon butter or margarine 
1 teaspoon turmeric 
1 teaspoon salt 

Vegetable stew: 

2 tablespoons canola oil 
2 medium onions, chopped 
1 cup finely shredded white cabbage 
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced 
1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced l/4-inch 
thick 
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced l/4-inch thick 
1/2 cups cooked or drained canned chickpeas 
1 1/2 cups diced ripe tomatoes 
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 
1/2 teaspoon each: ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt

Garnish: 

1/2 cup golden raisins or finely 
chopped dried apricots 
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds 

Combine the couscous and water in a heat-proof bowl. Cover and let stand until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the margarine, turmeric and salt. Cover and set aside. 

For the vegetable stew, heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over moderate heat until translucent. Stir in cabbage and sauté until both it and the onion are lightly golden. 

Add remaining stew ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Add water as needed to produce a moist, but not soupy, consistency . The vegetables should be tender, but still firm. 

To serve, arrange the couscous on the outer edge of a large serving platter. Pour vegetable mixture in the center, then sprinkle with the garnishes. Let each guest place a mound of couscous on his or her dinner plate and top it with the vegetable mixture. 

[[For almost ever I sought information on the exact nature of couscous, and it is elusive. There are many recipes for it, and seemingly a cult of people who use it, but nobody I know could tell me exactly what it is. “Pasta made of crushed and steamed semolina” is the definition I have recently seen. I also have recently seen a location in our supermarket wherein they offer small bags of unusual grains and pastas. That is where the couscous lurks. I told the store manager that they should have a sign indicating the location of weird stuff. I am thankful to be just weird enough to enjoy a culinary adventure.]]

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CHEESE BLINTZ CASSEROLE 

QUICK-AND-EASY 

Though cheese blintzes rate as an all-time favorite in my family, I don't always have the time to prepare them in the usual fashion. Therefore, I created the following casserole, which has a fantastic flavor very similar to blintzes (some say it's even better); yet it takes only a few minutes to prepare. In fact, I make it often throughout the year.

It is quite different from the popular cheese blintz casseroles made with frozen commercial blintzes. For my version, a layer of cheese filling is baked between two light layers of a special blintz-type batter. The casserole is then cut into squares for serving, making it a perfect choice for a dairy buffet and great for Shavuot.

Since the first edition of this book was published, this layered blintz casserole has proven to be one of its most popular recipes. The dish is served at the famous Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York, where it has become a favorite brunch offering under the name "Easy Cheese Blintz Puff." And the recipe has appeared in a number of books and magazines. Like some of the other "creative" recipes in this book, this one appears to be on its way to becoming a classic of "new" Jewish cooking.

Notes: The types of cheese in the filling were determined after much experimentation with various mixtures. It is the best combination to produce the desired results of separate layers.

The top of this casserole is rather plain. If desired, it may be sprinkled lightly with cinnamon or cinnamon-sugar before the casserole is returned to the oven for the final baking. 

Batter:
4 large eggs (no substitutes)
1 1/4 cups milk 
2 tablespoons sour cream 
1/4 cup butter, melted (for best flavor, no substitutes)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar 
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 

Filling (see notes):
2 (7 1/2- to 8-ounce) packages curd-style farmer cheese 
1 (15- to 16-ounce) container ricotta cheese, any type 
2 large eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute 
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar 
2 tablespoons lemon juice 

To serve:
sour cream 
plain or vanilla yogurt 
applesauce 
sliced fresh strawberries or other fruit 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or coat it with nonstick cooking spray.

In a blender or a food processor (fitted with a steel blade), combine all batter ingredients. Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the container once or twice. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the batter, and pour it into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until it is set.

Meanwhile, combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl, and mix them well. When the bottom layer has set, remove it from the oven and spread the filling over it, smoothing the top. Give the remaining batter a brief stir to re-suspend the ingredients; then very slowly pour it over the cheese filling so the filling is completely covered. Carefully return the casserole to the 350-degree oven, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is puffed and set.

Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before cutting it into squares. Serve with your choice of accompaniments. Serves 8 as main course.

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MODERN GRANDMOTHERS ROAST CHICKEN 

My grandmother made a great Friday night dinner in her two-story limestone in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. She might as well have run a restaurant. There was lots and lots and lots of stuff — kreplach, gribenes, gefilte fish, blintzes, homemade noodles, roast chicken, glazed carrots, egg barley with dried Polish mushrooms. In 1918 during an influenza epidemic my grandmother was 20 years old with two children. First her husband died and two days later her mother died. With eight younger siblings and two of her own she took care of ten kids in the family. Then an aunt caught the flu and died leaving 8 or 9 children. My grandmother then married her uncle and raised 18 kids.
The secret to her roast chicken was to cook it long enough to render the fat from the chicken and make it crispy. — Eddie Schoenfeld, New York restaurateur 

4 cloves garlic or to taste
1 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces 
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage 
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil 

Smash the garlic slightly with a knife and rub into the chicken well. Salt and pepper the chicken and cover with the herbs. Dribble with a little of the vegetable or olive oil. Cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight, turning the herbs and chicken once.

Remove the herbs from the chicken. Heat a heavy ovenproof skillet large enough to hold all the pieces. Add the remaining tablespoon or 2 of the oil and place the chicken skin side down. Brown the chicken over a medium-high heat for about 5 minutes on one side.

Remove the skillet with the chicken to a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is crisp and the juices run clear. Serves 6

[[What a marvelous grandmother! 18 kids and chicken too! ]]

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HUNGARIAN BLINTZ LOAF

(PALACSINTA FELFUJT) 

Originally this dish consisted of topfenpalatschinken (Hungarian cheese crêpes) baked in a rich custard. This variation skips the time-consuming process of making blintzes. Double the recipe and bake in a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. 

Batter:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs 
3/4 cup sour cream 
1/4 cup orange juice 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened 
3 tablespoons sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage or ricotta cheese 
4 ounces cream cheese, softened 
1 large egg yolk 
2 tablespoons sugar 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or ground cinnamon (optional) 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F if using a glass pan). Grease a 
9-inch square baking pan.

2. To make the batter: In a blender, food processor, or large bowl, beat together all the batter ingredients until smooth.

3. To make the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients.

4. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, drop the filling by heaping tablespoonfuls over the batter, then carefully top with the remaining batter (the layers will mix a bit). The loaf can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Return to room temperature before baking.

5. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm, accompanied with a fruit sauce or fresh fruit if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

[[I compared, rather carefully, to make sure this is not the same as the Blintz

Casserole shown above. I believe that the casserole form is preferable to the individual blintz form for the reason that one does not feel guilt when tearing into a casserole with their dining implements. It is akin to serving a plain-yet-delicious cake vs. cutting into somebody’s painstaking frosting design.]]

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WHITEFISH SALAD 
by MARK SIEGEL

Mark, a political consultant who served in the Carter White House, makes this for break-the-fast as well as during-the-year brunches. 

1 4-pound smoked whitefish
5 stalks celery, strings removed
2 cups sour cream (approximately)
3 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Garnish: sprigs of fresh dill and/or parsley 

1. Keeping the skin of the whitefish intact and the head still attached, carefully remove the bones from the whitefish and place the meat in a mixing bowl.

2. Dice the celery and combine with the whitefish, along with 1 cup of the sour cream, the mayonnaise, and the pepper. Add the dill and parsley and as much more sour cream as is wanted.

3. Stuff the mixture back into the skin of the whitefish, remaking the shape of a fish. Garnish with additional dill and parsley. Makes enough for at least 10 people 

[[ I guess Mr. Siegel would have told us if we were supposed to cook the fish.

Perhaps smoking does, in fact, cook it? Or maybe it is Jewish sushi… In any case, it looks pretty good.]]

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ANN ARBOR MUSHROOM AND BARLEY SOUP 
from ZINGERMAN'S 

When I first heard about Ari Weinzweig's delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I couldn't believe it. A deli in the home of my alma mater. It's not really a deli but more of an international food emporium like New York's Zabar's with a definite Jewish touch. Mr. Weinzweig, a drop-out Ph.D. candidate, has taken an academic and appetizing interest 
in updating Jewish recipes like mushroom and barley soup, going back in history to the nineteenth-century Eastern European version similar to that served at New York's Second Avenue Deli. 

2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons margarine
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery with leaves, diced
1/4 cup parsley
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound fresh porcini or other mushrooms
1 tablespoon flour
2 quarts beef broth or water
1 cup whole barley
2 teaspoons salt 

1. Soak the mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for a half hour. Strain through a filter. Reserve the water.

2. Coarsely chop the dried mushrooms.

3. Melt the margarine in a stockpot and sauté the onion, celery, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, carrot, garlic, and fresh mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.

4. Lower the heat and add the flour, stirring every 30 seconds for about 5 minutes or until thick.

5. In a soup pot heat the broth or water. Add a cup of mushroom mixture at a time to the pot, stirring.

6. Turn the heat to high, and add the reserved mushroom water and barley. Stir well and add salt to taste.

7. Simmer, covered, for about an hour or until the barley is tender and the soup is thickened, stirring often.

8. Add additional chopped parsley, mix thoroughly, and adjust seasonings. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings (P) or (M).

[[ I don’t know why mushrooms are so expensive and such a luxury. I should be ashamed to inform the world that I once grew one on my bathroom carpet! The shower apparently leaked, and when we moved away and took out the little chest of drawers I had in that bathroom, a huge mushroom was revealed! I did not put it in my soup pot. ]]

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Shalom

SHALOM FROM SPIKE & JAMIE


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