creative jewish mom

Simple Vegetables With Cream Cheese Appetizer

I have a really simple idea for creating a great looking platter of fresh veggie appetizers or finger food for a buffet: cream cheese topped whole veggies with a touch of whimsy, and placed on a mirrored tray, or even just a round mirror, which is what was used here. The vegetables are lined up like little soldiers and with relatively minimal effort you can create something that looks quite elegant. Gotta love the minimal effort part right? Oh and of course you don't have to use cream cheese, just as long as whatever you'd like to use can be piped in a pastry bag.....like  possibly whipped cooked egg yolks, chopped liver, and  certainly there are many spreads, dips and relishes that might have the right consistency, any ideas? (I was thinking it would be great to try with hummous.)

And do take the time to make those carrot flowers, a great little vegetable carving trick everyone should know! I'll try to do a little tutorial for that, in the mean time check out my carrot hearts tutorial.

Jerusalem Artichoke Tastes Like Artichoke Hearts

If you saw these tubers in the store, or even just sitting on a counter in someone's kitchen, would you be able to identify them? Truthfully these Jerusalem artichokes only slightly resemble the ones usually for sale so I was quite surprised by their truly fascinating look. in past years they have only consisted of the middle section, (see my previous post with photo here) without those little fingers, and so they weren't nearly as photogenic! When I served Jerusalem artichoke with my standard Moroccan meat with tumeric and celery last shabbat, most of the guests just assumed that those oblong yellow things on the platter were potatoes, and when I brought out these to show them what the raw version looks like there were many wide eyes at the table.

Easy To Braid Round Challahs For Rosh HaShana!

With Rosh HaShana just a week away, now is a great time to bake traditional round braided challahs for the holiday, with raisins of course! Thanks to some readers who left comments on my post showing how to braid these beauties, I realized that I ought to share some photos I took last year just before the holiday!

This technique is so simple and while the braid can split a bit in the middle during baking, as you can see in the challah above, it is still lovely and retains its round and full shape quite nicely.

Check out my post how to braid a round challah for rosh hashana, and you're all set. And this might sound funny, but you can certainly practice with knee socks or knee highs to get the braiding down before you start with the real thing!

And no, my house does not exactly look like this at the moment, as I'm very busy preparing not only my own container garden, but a garden with actual dirt that I'm in the middle of designing for the New Year. This year we are entering a year called "shmittah" which has specific laws regarding gardening in the land of Israel, more on that later! Happy baking!

Cooking Beets, Beans And Brown Rice In A Pressure Cooker!

As a child I remember my mother cooking artichokes in a pressure cooker, oh and maybe corned beef, but that was about it as far as my knowledge of pressure cookers. Fast forward to today.....I am a busy mother who often cooks for a crowd, and I often ask other women for cooking tips as there are so many ways that one can make healthful meals for one's family without stressing out!

Introducing dear readers, the pressure cooker! A very wise woman by the name of Rebettzin Yehudit Tzivia Kenig, of blessed memory, always gave young brides the gift of a pressure cooker so that as she liked to say "the pressure will stay in the pot!" Because as you may well know, sometimes the pressure of preparing a homecooked meal that needs to be ready for the family at a certain time can be a bit stressful at the end of, or in the middle of a busy day!

Pressure cookers quite simply allow one to cook things at a fraction of the time. My family loves beets, which I serve hot out of the pot, or slice to make Moroccan beet salad. Gone are the days of waiting for hours for the beets to cook in a regular pot, they're now ready in about 40 minute once the pot reaches full pressure. Just be sure to cook the beets whole so as not to loose all of their juices into the water....did that once and almost gave up on the idea, thankfully tried it again with whole beets and with great success!

This week I also tried cooking brown rice in the pressure cooker with great success, and I regularly cook many kinds of beans as well. There are many charts online that will tell you how long each food type needs to be cooked, so I'll let the experts provide the details. 

Pressure cookers come in a variety of sizes, depending on your needs, and do invest in a quality stainless steel pot, you won't regret it!

Gorgeous Cake Decor In Minutes With Powdered Sugar

Decorating a simple cake with powdered sugar is something I do often, but I'll never go back to just sprinkling sugar on the cake, as with the addition of a simple paper silhouette, your cake can look simply fabulous! Cut out a simple paper shape, or even a few shapes, or use a ready made paper doily, place it on your cake and sprinkle the powdered sugar over your cake using something like a little strainer to make sure the sugar goes on in a fine layer, not in clumps. Carefully remove the paper by slipping a knife under it, and voila!

Kids & Veggies: Try Fresh Zucchini Salad! (You'll like it too!)

Not to brag, but my kids are big vegetable eaters. And truthfully all the hard work that has gone into achieving this wonderful state of being has been endless hours preparing all the fresh and cooked Moroccan salads that my husband introduced me to, and that we can't live without! (see recipes here) My kids will even fight over alfalfa sprouts! Can you believe that? And last week one of my teenage sons even snuck a handful of sprouts to the Shabbos table behind his back (!) prompting one of the guests to say "uh, we used to do that with cookies?" A proud mothering moment indeed!

Nonetheless, zucchini just hasn't scored high on the list of favorites, and I even started making grated soup (recipe here) to hide the zucchini. And then something magical happened, thanks to a recipe I saw for raw zucchini salad that is prepared by creating slivers with a vegetable peeler. As simple as that!

So the other night while preparing dinner I simply starting filling a plate with zucchini peels and my kids literally went wild! "What are you doing? Can I try some?" It was all I could do to add some seasoning (salt, pepper, olive oil) before the plate was attacked. My six year old said "a meal fit for royalty!" "can we have this every night?" And then as the zucchini started to disappear they begged me to take if off the table so there would be some left for dinner! My daughter said "remember when we didn't like zuchini?" Yes , I remember, that was just yesterday! I just took it all in, and smiled to myself. And the cherry on the top of the cake was when my husband came home for dinner and said "wow, what a suprise! Is there more?"

Note: Due to differences in genetic makeup and environmental influences, each family is different, so I really can't guarantee that your results will be similar to mine, but good luck!

Beets: Helpful Hints For Pesach Or Anytime!

I'm really glad that I'm giving away a copy of Tamar Ansh's Pesach Anything's Possible,  because the information she has graciously shared with us, below is so useful! I never knew that one can freeze beets! Here's what Tamar has to say about this:

"Beets are one of those foods that for literally generations, has been associated with Pesach. Beets keep well for longer periods of time, are full of healthy vitamins, and have so many varied uses. Instead of just average borscht or chrein, why not try something new this year? Another great beet tip that I've discovered: you can freeze cooked beets and when they are defrosted, they are just as good as the day they were cooked. This is a GREAT time saver. I buy a lot of beets at one time, and then peel, check and boil them all on the same day. After they are cooled, since they shred and/or chop nicest when they are cold, I cut/shred/slice them into whatever form I want to store away. Then I pack them into disposable plastic containers, label what they will be for, and freeze them. This saves tons of time during the holiday, and also saves me some valuable fridge space. Plus, I do not have to worry about the beets going bad in the fridge, nor wilting or going moldy in storage before they are even cooked."

Thanks so much Tamar! I'm going to be using this amazing time saving tip year round for my Moroccan Beet Salad here, which you could also make for Pesach if you eat kitniot. If not, so omit the cumin, and use more garlic and lemon juice.

Grated Vegetable Soup: A Great Recipe For Sneaky Moms!

A few years ago when we first moved into our new home a few very thoughtful neighbors sent over hot lunches for several days. One day we received a delicious soup that to my surprise consisted of broth and grated vegetables. We enjoyed the soup and I forgot all about this idea until my daughter ate lunch at the same neighbor's house the other day and came home raving about the soup. Were the vegetables grated? I asked her , at the same time realizing that this would be the perfect way to get my kids to eat some of the vegetables they haven't learned to appreciate!

The next day I made my own version of grated vegetable soup, and the zucchini and sweet potato that were mixed with potato and carrot snuck by unnoticed, and let me tell you, there was a lot of zucchini! Another score for mom.

Ingredients:

• All the odds and ends of vegetables in your fridge that need to be used up!
• A grain of some kind to make the soup more hearty (rice, barley etc.)
• How about some beans? (if your kids like them that is, mine don't)
• Spices and or soup powder/bullion or soup stock

Preparation:

You decide! I saute onions, add water and spices or soup powder (try one without msg) and then the grated vegetables and simmer for about 45 minutes, though it could probably be ready much sooner. Last night I wanted to add a grain for extra nutrition, so I cooked barley in soup broth for 30 minutes before adding the vegetables.

Enjoy! And never, never reveal our little secret! Can I trust you?

Rosh HaShana: Simply Elegant Table Decor For The New Year

Rosh Hashana is less than three weeks away, so it's time to start thinking about how to enhance our family's experience of the holiday with a little bit of creativity!

A beautiful and memorable holiday table can be both inexpensive and simple to set. The key is planning ahead, making a few key purchases, and allowing yourself to be creative! After investing hours and hours on food preparation you will most certainly want to place your delicacies on a elegant table. Convinced? Here's how you can make this year's table look like a bountiful feast befitting royalty:

1. Invest in an assortment of artificial jewel toned fruit— especially apples and pomegranates in all sizes and colors.

The artificial fruit can be used in several ways. First of all, you can assemble a centerpiece, by ideally arranging the fruit on a pedestal of some sort like a cake plate, footed bowl or elevated tray. (You can even make your own pedestal by placing a plate on top of a few overturned wine glasses!) The second way to use the fruit is to scatter it along the length of the table and display single pieces placed in teacups and atop candlesticks.
Note: You'll be able to use these fruit for years to come and they're great to have on hand anytime for an instant centerpiece.

2. Choose a tablecloth that will be a stunning backdrop for your festive table.

For those whose custom is to use a traditional white tablecloth for holidays, a beautiful runner or small square tablecloth placed diagonally in the center can give your New Year's table a special feel.  For those who don't feel the necessity to stick with white, sky's the limit as far as what could work for you! Depending on the depth of your table, you may be able to find some gorgeous fabric by the yard, which can easily be made into a custom tablecloth. (The sides (selvedge) of the fabric are usually finished nicely enough and the ends can be tucked under and hemmed with fusible hem tape and a hot iron.)  Choose fabric colors and patterns carefully such they will be harmonious with the color scheme of your home, and don't be afraid to layer patterns and colors. Before you go shopping for fabric, be sure to measure your table, and consider trying out some different color options by covering your table with any samples of fabric that you may have or even sheets or blankets in colors that might work.

3. Purchase some beautiful satin ribbon that coordinates with your tablecloth.

Tie ribbon around your candlesticks and one other item on the table. (You want the look to be elegant, not overdone.) You can tie a ribbon around each placesetting of silverware, make ribbon napkin rings,  tie a small bow at the foot of each wine glass, or even decorate chairs with a touch of ribbon! There are so many beautiful possibilities.

4. Usher in the New Year with joy, and sit back and gaze upon the  fruits of your labor with a great feeling of satisfaction for having dared to set a spectacular table!

Make Your Own Cooking Spray For Healthy Eating!

Cooking spray is a great way to reduce fat for healthier eating, but it's relatively expensive here in Israel, and the aerosol spray brands available here don't appeal to me. Not only that, the cans seem to run out so quickly! This morning as I was doing some research to double check a recipe, I came across this idea of making your own cooking spray! I just had to share it with you!

You'll Need:
Spray Bottle
Oil of your choice (i.e. olive oil or canola oil)
Water

Recipe:
240mls/8.5 oz water
2 Tblsp oil

Place oil in spray bottle and then add water. You may need to use a funnel if your spray bottle has a small mouth, or make the mixture in a small pitcher and then pour into spray bottle. Shake well before use.

Note: Given the water content there is a potential for bacterial growth, so make small quantities and use right away, and/or store what you've made in the refrigerator.