Carrot Cake

When we moved to Rockland county almost thirty years ago, we were invited to dinner by a woman who baked a most delicious Carrot Cake. I could not resist asking for the recipe and Susan Schwartz is the person to thank for this delicious cake. It is my niece Marcia's most favorite "birthday cake". You can prepare it, and freeze the icing and the cake separately. Defrost both, ice the cake and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
for the batter:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp cinammon, 1 tsp salt combined together
• 11/2 cup corn oil ( may use vegetable)
• 4 large eggs (room temperature)
• 3 cups finely grated carrots (just less than 1 lb)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

• Spray PAM and flour a 12 cup bundt pan
• Beat eggs, and add sugar to combine
• Alternate flour,baking soda, cinammon, and salt combination with the corn oil to mix the batter
• On a slow speed add the carrots, walnuts and raisins until blended
• Pour into the bundt pan
• Bake at PREHEATED 350 degree oven for 55 minutes -1 hour

INGREDIENTS

(for the icing)

• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
• 8 oz package of cream cheese at room temperature
• 3 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 box Confectioner's sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

• Cream butter with cream cheese until combined in a food processor with a metal blade, using a pulsing motion
• Add the rest of the ingredients, and pulse until smooth
• NOTE: You can freeze this icing. It usually makes enough for two cakes.

Tomato Soup

When I was a little girl, my grandmother made the simplest of tomato soups in August when the tomatoes were ripe. Once I was married I sought to find this simple tomato soup and came upon this recipe in Craig Clairborne's "The New York Times International Cook Book". My hope is that Craig would be happy to warm so many people's hearts on a cold Winter day. This year I am making it for Break the Fast after Yom Kippur. I hope whenever you choose to make it, it will warm your heart just a little bit.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced ( about 2 cups)
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 basil leaves, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 21/2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, cored, or 1 2 pound 3-ounce can tomatoes, preferably the Imported Italian style
• 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 cups Chicken stock (canned, or Osem brand consomme powder mixed with water)
• 1 teaspoon sugar ( if needed)
• 1 cup heavy cream ( very optional)

DIRECTIONS

• Heat most of the butter and the olive oil in a heavy saucepan.
• Add the onion, thyme, basil, salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is wilted
• Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to blend. Simmer 10 minutes.
• Place the flour in a small mixing bowl, add 5 Tablespoons of stock, and stir to blend.
• Stir this into the tomato mixture.
• Add the remaining chicken stock and simmer 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, scorching or burning of the tomatoes.
• Put the soup through the fine sieve of a food mill.
• Return it to the heat on a low flame.
• Add sugar to taste ( if needed).

NOTE

You can add cream if you like, and add a swirl of butter on top as you serve it, but I find it to be delicious without these.

Vegetable Stuffed Cabbage with Tomato --Mushroom Sauce

This is a fabulous recipe that my friend Zelda offered to me when my daughter became a vegetarian and I had nothing "traditional" to offer her for the Jewish holidays. I made it, and have made it again and again. Everyone seems to love it... even the "meateaters" in the family. You may double the recipe if you like. Happy New Year!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large green cabbage
• salt
• 1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 4 peeled carrots, shredded
• 1 parsnip, peeled and shredded
• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• 2 Tbsp raisins
• 4 mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 cup ground pecans
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• fresh ground pepper
• 16 oz can tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS

• Wash and cut off 1 inch from the base of the cabbage leaves. Place the cabbage in a large saucepot with boiling water to cover and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, covered for about 3 minutes or until the leaves have wilted. Drain and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large heavey skillet
• Add onions and garlic and saute until transparent
• Add celery, carrots, parsnip and zucchini, tossing well and saute for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften
• Mix in the parsley, raisins, mushrrom and simmer for 5 minutes longer
• Stir in pecans and wine
• Season to taste with salt and pepper
• Cook 5 minutes longer
• Cover and set aside

ASSEMBLY DIRECTIONS

• Separate the leaves from the head of the cabbage carefully, often you need to cut the thicker part at the base to separate the leaf.
• Place each cabbage leaf on a flat surface
• Shape stuffing into walnut size ball, place on the root end of the cabbage leaf and roll up to enclose the filling, envelope style
• Place the cabbage rolls close together and submerge into the saucepan of tomato sauce (If you prefer a sweet and sour sauce, you may add some brown sugar to the tomato sauce).
• Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Delicious and Easy!: Salmon with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

When I first moved to New York City, I subscribed to several cooking magazines in search of easy-to-make, inexpensive and healty dinner recipes. This Salmon and Roasted Cherry Tomatoe recipe I found in the "reader recipes" section of Cooking Light (April 2004) is one of the best that I found. Here are some helpful tips before you get started:
~I prefer using fresh Salmon - it might be a few dollars more a pound, but it tastes so much better than the farm-raised kind.
~I would buy the thinnest filets you can find- otherwise, you'll have to leave the dish in the oven so the middle cooks through, and this can dry the fish out.
~You don't have to season the fish itself, since the tomatoes will be fully coated with the herbs after you toss them.
~Serve the salmon on top of some cous-cous or rice pilaf, add a green vegetable like broccoli rabe or spinach, and you've got the perfect meal!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray

Toss to coat tomatoes

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes

Add fish to pan

Bake an additional 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork

Serve the tomato mixture over fish

Drizzle with lemon juice

YIELD: 2 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 1/2 cup tomato mixture)

Cuban Coffe with Espumita

Our good friends from Cuba have shared their family secret for incredible Cuban Coffee. We hope that you like it too!

INGREDIENTS

• Primula Express coffee maker ( the 6 cup expresso style coffee maker that sits on the stove)
• Bustello or Pilon expresso coffee
• Small metal pitcher
• Sugar

DIRECTIONS

• Fill lower chamber of coffee pot with water
• Place coffe in upper chamber, tamping lightly
• Heat coffee pot on the stove until it begins to "boil" ( be sure to move the plastic handle slightly away from the heat)
• Place 4-5 teaspoons of sugar in the metal pitcher
• Add the initial froth from the coffee
• Stir coffe froth with sugar to dissolve sugar and this should create a thick mixture
• Reduce heat and continue to heat the coffee for about 3 minutes
• Pour remainder of the coffee into the pitcher
• Serve in tiny expresso cups
• ENJOY!

Gazpacho

I love to make gazpacho when the summer weather turns HOT and the fresh vegetables begin to ripen in the fields. This is a very flexible recipe so look in the fridge and use a combination of these ingredients. I like my gazpacho to be chunky and spicy, but never pureed. I rough chop each of the vegetables and then chop them separately in the food processor. We had this dish last weekend for a light dinner, with mussels. You can make this in advance and keep it in the fridge for weekend guests!

INGREDIENTS
2 hot house cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
2-3 red or yellow bell peppers, cored and seeded
4-6 ripe tomatoes
2 medium, or 1 huge red onion ( I also love to use Vidalia)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
46 OUNCES of tomato juice ( 6 cups)
1/4- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 TABLESPOON kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

• Roughly chop the cucumbers, bells peppers, tomatoes, and onions into 1-inch cubes
• Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped (2-3 hits on the pulse button should do it). Do NOT overprocess!
• After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper
• Mix well and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes
• Chill before serving

NOTE: The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop

YIELD: 8-10 servings

Fannie's Chutney

Grandma Fannie made this delicious chutney recipe every year and brought it to both Rosh Hashanah and Thanksgiving dinners when our family would get together to celebrate the holidays. The combination of flavors - sweet and tarte - along with the consistency and crunch - makes this a wonderful, colorful addition to festive holiday meal. Serve in a beautiful glass bowl with a silver serving spoon to further enhance the aesthetic of your table. You can prepare several days in advance and use with any leftovers.

INGREDIENTS
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks cinammon
6 whole cloves

1 cup plumped raisins (soaked)
1 apple, wahed, cored, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 pear, washed, cored, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 cup walnuts

DIRECTIONS

• Place first set of ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the cranberries POP. Be careful, as once it starts to boil, it can boil over quickly and make a mess of the stove top!
• Add the second set of ingredients (raisins through the walnuts) and simmer for 5-10 minutes

NOTE: Chutney can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for at least a week. It's great with left-over turkey.

YIELD: 1 large bowl of chutney, enough for at least 10 people

Guacamole

My daughter has been making this guacamole recipe for years and people still can't get enough of it! The key to a good guacamole recipe is, of course, very ripe avocados, fresh limes and a love of tobasco sauce. You can never go wrong with guacamole and chips as a "starter," even when everyone is huddled around the kitchen waiting for dinner to be served. Unfortunately, guacamole is not something you can prepare too far in advance if you're having a big party because it tends to turn brown. Try saving the pits from the avocados and place them in the bowl with the guacamole after it's prepared to prolong the freshness of the avocados. This recipe will yield several cups of guacamole - enough for 8-12 people who want to snack before dinner is served.

INGREDIENTS
5 ripe avocados, remove pits but save them
1 large red, very ripe beefstake tomato, diced (or 2-3 smaller red tomatoes on the vine)
1 large yellow onion, diced (Spanish works best - if you use white onion, the onion taste is more potent)
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced the juice of 2 large limes (or 4 smaller key limes)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1-2 tablespoons Tobasco sauce (or more, season it to taste)

DIRECTIONS

• Dice the onion and place it in a large glass or wooden bowl
• Dice garlic and add to the bowl
• Dice the tomato and add it to the bowl
• Peel the avocados, remove the pits (but save for later use) and mash them up with the onions , tomatoes and garlic
• Squeeze limes directly into bowl & mix thoroughly
• Blend all ingredients together with spoon
• Add salt & pepper
• Add tobasco sauce
• Taste - add additional tobasco, lime or salt & pepper according to your taste preferences
• Serve with hearty corn or tortilla chips and enjoy!

Baked Brie

Many thanks to Jay for this recipe. I love to make this baked brie for crowds of people. I prepare it beforehand and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees when they walk in the door... I buy a large Brie at Price Club, prepare it, have it at room temperature and heat it on an oven ready glass dish so that I don't have to move it when it is ready to serve... I place it on a doily and serve it with plain Carr's Water crackers.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 8" wheel of brie
2 standard boxes of frozen puff pastry dough (I use peppered Farm)
1 egg yolk
1 Tbs. heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

• Thaw pastry dough fully.
• Stack two sheets (one box worth) on top of eachother and roll with rolling pin until about 1/8" thick.
• Place wheel of brie in center of dough and cut a circle around leaving a 2-3" border so that it can fold up to the top (reserve scraps).
• Combine nuts and sugar and place mixture on top of the cheese, leaving 1/2" around the edge.
• Fold dough up around the cheese.
• Place dough and cheese on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Repeat rolling process with remaining box of dough.
• Cut in a circle and use as cover for the top of the cheese, fold under the bottom.
• Roll out remaining dough and cut decorations (cookie cutters are good for this).
• Combine egg yolk and cream to create an egg wash.
• Use a pastry bruch to "glue" the decorative dough cutouts to the top of the cheese.
• Brush the entire cheese liberally with the egg wash.
• Store in refridgerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Spinach Balls

I never know when someone's going to drop by the house so I make these spinach balls in bulk at the beginning of the summer season, freeze them, and then simply pop them in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees when hungry guests arrive. They make the house smell really great and it looks like I've been cooking for days! When I served these at our recent 4th of July party, they were a huge hit!

INGREDIENTS
2 packages frozen chopped Spinach defrosted and then drained
2 cups Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix
1 onion finely chopped
6 eggs beaten
3/4 cup butter (room temp)
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. pepper

DIRECTIONS

• Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 45 balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Put onto cookie sheet and place in freezer about 15 minutes. Then place in zip lock bag in freezer.
• Bake frozen at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, then serve.
  

NOTE

• Can be made in advance and frozen for weeks.

YIELD

• Makes about 45 balls.

My Mission

My name is Arlene and I simply love to entertain. Over the past few decades, I've collected so many great recipes and hostessing tips from both publications and friends that keeping them organized was becoming a bit cumbersome. So, I've decided to simply publish my favorites on this site so my family and friends can access them whenever they want.

On my blog, Arlene's Recipe Archives, you will find recipes for traditional Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Passover, as well as great recipes for entertaining in all seasons. You will also find suggested menus, tips on entertaining, critical kitchen equipment and products, and inside tips on how to buy items in bulk (at PriceClub!)