Jewish Cooking Boot Camp: The Modern Girl's Guide to Cooking Like a Jewish Grandmother (23 page)

8. Place the hamantaschen about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.

9. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until very lightly brown or golden. Cool them on the
sheets 5 minutes and then move to wire racks to cool completely.

10. Repeat with the remaining dough until all the cookies are baked.

Purim is a celebration and, trust us, no one knows how to celebrate like Brazilians. In fact,
Purim has been compared to both Mardi Gras and Brazil's Carnaval for its festivities and joyous
celebration. So, in the spirit of our Jewish-Brazilian family (see the Carneiro side), we present a
Purim cocktail that is guaranteed to inspire good times. Just be careful and responsible, Cachaca
is not for the lightweight drinker! Seriously. (Warning: To incorporate her husband's background
into an otherwise traditional Jewish ceremony, Andrea and Gil served these delicious drinks to a
restaurant full of non-Brazilians at their wedding. Chaos ensued.)

1. Cut the lime in half lengthwise and squeeze the juice from each half into a glass, using a
lime squeezer.

2. Take the remnants of the lime and cut each side in half and then into thirds, and add
them to the glass.

3. Add the sugar (or Splenda). You can add more or less sugar depending on personal
preference.

4. Use a masher or wooden spoon to mash the sugar into the lime wedges as you stir.

5. Eyeball the amount of liquid now in the glass, and add a little less Cachaca than that
amount.

6. Use your masher to continue mashing the ingredients while stirring.

7. Fill the glass with ice and let the drink sit for a few minutes to chill.

You can use anything from a tumbler to a highball to a goblet to make this drink, but be sure
your glass has a thick bottom and plenty of room for ice.

Caipirinhas (and Caipiroskas) are best when very cold, so as your ice melts, continue to add
more ice to keep your drink cold.

You can substitute kosher vodka for Cachaca if you like, and the Caipirinha becomes a
Caipiroska!

"Food is an important part of a balanced diet."

-FRAN LEBOWITZ

Sometimes we don't have the time or the energy (or the space!) to host a crowd for dinner. In
those times we give thanks for friends, family ... and even in-laws. But in the grand tradition
of Judaism there can never be too much food. Hence we give you the Take-Along. Mostly consisting of desserts (though we did throw in a few sides), these recipes are delicious, simple, and
best of all, easily transportable. Whether a traditional raisin kugel, or the Markses' favorite
orange cake, we promise you'll be lauded as a great guest ... and a great cook!

We love our daughter-in-law/sister-in-law Sarah's Grandma Marilyn for many reasons:
her fabulous baby blankets, her embarrassing stories about Sarah, and her willingness to
accept the insanity that is the Marks family and still visit us for holidays. But one of the most
wonderful things about Grandma Marilyn's visits is her fantastic chocolate-covered strawberries
and chocolate-covered pretzels. In fact, sometimes it can get quite ugly when it comes to divvying
up the leftovers at the end of the night. We asked her to donate this recipe and were shocked at
how easy it is to make. These two desserts are not only easily transportable, but will leave your
hosts wondering just how you found the time to make such a fabulous dessert!

1. Put the chocolate candy coating in one saucepan and the white chocolate in another
saucepan over low heat and melt but do not bring to a boil.

2. Line two cookie sheets with waxed paper.

When the chocolates are melted, carefully dip the top third of each of the strawberries, one
at a time, into the chocolate and place on one of the cookie sheets to cool. Dip some strawberries in the white chocolate and some in the plain chocolate. When finished with the strawberries, place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them or to take them to
someone's house. They should be transported on a flat serving dish.

Take a few pretzels at a time and drop them in the chocolates. Pull them out when covered
and place them on a cookie sheet to cool. Put them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to
harden. Once they are hardened, you can transfer them into any container you like. They
won't melt or stick together.

There are numerous sweet noodle kugel recipes, and here is one of our favorites.
How bad can noodles, ricotta, sour cream, sugar, and raisins be?

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Grease a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish with the butter.

3. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package and drain them well.

4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, sour cream, and eggs until smooth.

5. Stir in the milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, raisins, and apples.

6. Add the cooked, drained noodles along with the melted butter. Mix well.

7. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.

8. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the kugel is set and golden brown on top.

For the carrot lover, this side dish is a great addition to any meal, with any crowd.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Peel and cut the carrots into bite-sized chunks.

3. Place the carrots in a saucepan with the cold water and bring to a boil, then cover and
simmer until tender (about 10 to 15 minutes)

4. Drain the carrots, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. Put the carrots in a bowl.

5. In the saucepan melt the butter; add the carrot liquid, and stir.

6. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cinnamon, cloves, salt, brown sugar, raisins,
lemon juice, and wine. Mix well, then add the carrots and gently stir.

7. Grease a 1V2-quart casserole dish (using butter or cooking spray) and pour in the carrot
mixture.

8. Cover the casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes.

Probably one of the most fattening recipes in the book, which is why you want to share it
with family and friends ... that way you won't feel as guilty eating it!

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Grease (using butter or cooking spray) a 1Y2-quart casserole dish.

3. Arrange a layer of potatoes in the baking dish; sprinkle some of both cheeses over them.
Continue layering potatoes and cheeses, ending with a layer of potatoes.

4. In a bowl, whisk together the cream, salt, and pepper and pour over the potatoes.

5. Dot the top with butter and bake for 1 to 1%2 hours or until the potatoes are tender and
golden brown.

6. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.