Mandarin Salad

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
Salad:
½ C sliced almonds
3 T sugar
½ head iceberg lettuce
½ head Romaine lettuce
1 C celery, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained


Dressing:
½ tsp salt
¼ C olive or canola oil
2 T sugar chips
2 T cider vinegar
Dash Tabasco sauce

In a small pan over medium heat cook almonds and sugar; stir constantly until almonds are coated and sugar is dissolved. Cool and store in an airtight container. Combine all dressing ingredients and chill. Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Add celery, scallions and oranges. Just before serving, add almonds and dressing and then toss

Hint: When heating almonds and sugar, watch constantly so that they don't burn. The almonds may be caramelized several days in advance and stored in a tin. The only problem is that they are so delicious that there may not be any left when you go to serve the salad! This salad has gotten rave reviews at many of my cooking classes and dinner parties!

Contemporary Passover Recipes Cooking Class

Temple B'nai Torah, Sudbury, MA

Raspberry Orange Sauce

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
10 oz pkg frozen raspberries, defrosted
11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
¼ C orange liqueur
Combine all ingredients and place in a tightly covered container and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Serve over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Hint: To make this fancier, place ice cream on a slice of pound cake or on a meringue glacée and pour topping over it.

Donna & Moe's cooking lesson

Featuring Ellie's recipe in Reader's Digest

Chicken with Hoisin Sauce

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
1 lb boneless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
1 T soy sauce
1 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
½ can water chestnuts, sliced
2 T hoisin sauce
1 C mushrooms, sliced
¼ lb pea pods
1 red or green pepper, cut into 1" cubes
½ C cashews, salt rinsed off
2 to 3 T peanut or canola oil

Combine soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch and marinate chicken cubes in this mixture for at least ½ hour in the refrigerator. Heat wok and add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Stir-fry chicken until it turns white. Remove. Add 1 tablespoon oil to hot wok. Stir-fry vegetables until slightly cooked (still crisp). Add reserved chicken, cashews and hoisin sauce. Stir until heated through. Serve with white rice or fried rice.

Hint: This is one of the easiest and most delicious stir-fry dishes. You can substitute peanuts for the cashews. Organization is the key to preparing any stir-fry dish. Everything should be cut up before you begin cooking. You can do this several hours in advance. The chicken may be marinated for several hours or overnight. Once the wok is hot, toss everything together, as directed. Also, if you don't have a wok, an electric frying pan or Dutch oven will work well for stir-frying. The reason a wok is so beneficial is because you only need a small amount of oil to cook in it. The sloping sides allow the same small amount of oil to be tossed around, whereas a flat bottomed vessel seems to "eat up the oil" and you constantly have to add more to it.

Kahlua Brownie Heart

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 stick butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 C sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
1 C flour
3 T coffee liqueur (Kahlua)
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)
Whipped cream, for garnish
Raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Melt chocolate and butter or margarine over a double boiler or in a microwave on medium power for 2 to 2½ minutes. Whisk in eggs. Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased and floured 9-inch heart-shaped pan. Bake at 350° for approximately 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick, inserted in center, comes out clean. Do not overbake; cake should be fudgey and moist. Cool on wire rack and turn out onto a platter. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and decorate border with whipped cream. Garnish cream with fresh raspberries or strawberries.

Hint: If you are making this for Valentine's Day garnish with heart-shaped candies. You can also make this recipe as Kahlua Brownies in a 9-inch square pan or make 6 or 7 mini-hearts in 3-inch heart-shaped pans. Fill these pans halfway with batter and bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until toothpick, inserted in center, comes out clean.

Italian Ground Beef Sub

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
16 oz loaf Italian bread
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 C spaghetti sauce
1 tsp oregano
1 to 1½ C Mozzarella or Cheddar cheese, shredded

Cut loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Remove bread from inside of bottom half so that only the shell remains. Sauté beef and onion on top of stove until meat is no longer pink. Drain off fat. Add spaghetti sauce and oregano to meat. Place meat mixture in hollowed-out bread and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover with top half of bread. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts. Let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Cut into large slices and serve.

Microwave: Beef may also be cooked in the microwave by placing it in a plastic colander in a deep microwave bowl. (This allows any fat from meat to drain.) Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink. Stir halfway through cooking.

Hint: This has also been called a Superbowl sandwich for it is great to serve while watching the Superbowl or any football game. It's even good when you're not watching TV.

Quick Corn Chowder

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
16 oz can cream style corn
16 oz milk
1 large potato, diced
1 green or red pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 T butter or margarine
Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil diced potato until almost tender and set aside. Melt butter or margarine in a 2-quart saucepan. Add onion and pepper and sauté until tender. Add corn, milk, potato that has been cooked and drained, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Adjust seasoning

Yield: 4 servings

Hint: Since I've gotten this recipe, I always keep a can of creamed corn handy. The other ingredients are usually staples in my house so I use this as an emergency dish on a cold fall or winter evening. It's a real comfort food that everyone enjoys. This even tastes good with skim milk!

Roasted Peppers on Bruschetta

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
2 very ripe bananas
Scant 1/2 C canola oil
2 eggs
Scant 1 C sugar
1/4 C walnuts, chopped
1/4 C mini-chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1¼ C flour
1 tsp baking soda

Mash bananas in a large bowl or food processor. Add oil, eggs, sugar, nuts, chocolate chips and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix well. Fold in flour and baking soda until blended. Pour into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan and bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean. If you prefer, bake in (2) 3"x6" mini-loaf pans. However, reduce the baking time to 38 to 42 minutes.

Hanukkah Delights Cooking Class

"Thanks so much for such a great cooking class yesterday. Everyone who came had a wonderful time and all of the food we prepared was delicious.”

Amy S., Temple B'nai Torah, Sudbury, MA

Short Cut Spinach Lasagna

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
2 C (1 lb) low fat or nonfat cottage cheese
2 C (1/2 lb) part skim shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1 egg or egg substitute
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
29 to 32 oz spaghetti sauce
9 lasagna noodles (1/2 lb), uncooked
1 C water

Thaw and drain spinach. In large bowl combine cottage cheese, 1 cup of the Mozzarella, egg, spinach, salt, oregano and pepper. In greased 9"x13" baking dish, layer 1 cup sauce, third of noodles and half the cheese mixture. Repeat. Top with remaining noodles, then remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Mozzarella. Pour water around edges. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350° for one hour and 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Hint: This is a wonderful low cholesterol, low fat pasta dish that appeals to people of all ages. It is especially appealing to the cook, because it is so quick and easy to make! You don't even have to cook the lasagna first, which saves both time and mess. This may be made up to 2 days in advance. It also freezes very well.

Baked Brie Cheese with Apples and Honey

 
Nonstick spray
1 lb round Brie cheese
1 to 2 T honey, or to taste
1 apple, finely diced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste
3 to 4 T slivered or sliced almonds

Spray pie plate or other decorative oven-proof pan with nonstick spray. Place brie in middle of pan. Spread a thin coat of honey on top of the Brie. Combine diced apple and lemon juice and sprinkle over honey. Top with almonds. Bake at 350° for about 15 to 17 minutes, or until cheese is hot. Serve with chunks of crusty bread or crackers.

Hint: Camembert cheese may be substituted for Brie.

Apple Pumpkin Bread

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
1/4 C butter or margarine, melted
1/4 C canola oil
3/4 C sugar
1 egg
1 C pumpkin purée, fresh or canned
1 C unpeeled apple, grated (1 medium)
2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 C raisins and/or 1/2 C nuts, chopped

Topping:

2 T butter or margarine
2 T sugar
2 T flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl combine butter or margarine, oil, sugar, egg, pumpkin and apple. In a small bowl mix remaining ingredients except topping. Combine both mixtures and beat just until well moistened. Pour into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Combine topping ingredients until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle on top of loaf. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean.

Yield: 1 loaf

Hint: Instead of making one 9”x5” loaf you can make 2 mini loaves (3”x6”), however reduce the baking time to 30-35 minutes. This is a moist, delicious bread that is high in fiber. It is a good way to use fresh pumpkin and It freezes well.

Minestrone Soup With Beef

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
1 T olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
5 C beef broth
28 oz can crushed Italian tomatoes
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 T parsley, chopped
1/2 C small pasta (tiny shells, stars, orzo, etc.)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Heat oil in a large soup pot and add ground beef, onion and garlic. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Add eggplant, carrots, celery, broth, tomatoes, nutmeg and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add pasta and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Hint: This soup freezes well. You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef.