Extra Schmaltz!

Hooray for cheezy comfort food! The key to this recipe is to slice waxy potatoes ethereally thin (no more than 1/8", ideally more like 1/16"). I accomplished this with the slicing side of my grater. I tried using the food processor, but it didn't slice them thin enough. Even if you can't get them that thin, it will still taste good, but the texture won't be as nice. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 7"x11" baking dish.  1 quart very thinly sliced peeled, waxy potatoes (such as red potatoes or Yukon gold) 1 can Cream of Onion Soup 1.5 c. milk 3/4 c. grated Swiss cheese 3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese (mix cheeses together to form 1.5 c) 2 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. flour 1 tsp. ground mustard 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. seasoned salt 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. cayenne Make a roux: heat the butter in a small pan until it starts to shimmer, then add the flour. It will bubble up; stir frequently until it is a slightly browned pa...

This is a recipe* that I used back in the '70s BC (before children). I rediscovered chai recently and have tried many brands that are premixed. This is an easy-to-make, great drink for a cold winter day, and in the warm months it is delicious chilled. The directions are for stove-top preparation, but I seem to remember that I made it all day in my Harvest Orange crock pot. The final volume will be approximately 50% of the original volume. It will fill your home with a wonderful aroma. Plan on boiling for 3 hours if on the stove. Combine in saucepan: 2 quarts water 15 whole cloves 20 black peppercorns 3 sticks cinnamon 20 whole cardamom pods (split them first) 8 slices fresh ginger (1/4" - not necessary to peel) Bring water to boil, add cloves and boil one minute. Add remaining ingredients, cover and boil for 30 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. Remove from heat and add: 1/2 tsp. regular or decaf black tea (1-2 teabags) dairy or soy milk and your choice of sweet...

Here's a recipe from Melanie - I know we already have an ok-ish Moroccan bread recipe, but this one is a bit more authentic. However, every bakery/family does the bread a little bit differently. This recipe is heavy on the semolina flour, while others are more wheaty. It's also our first family-made video recipe! Here's a video so you can see the steps, with the recipe below. Moroccan Bread Makes about five round loaves of bread, approximately one inch thick and six inches in diameter. 1. Mix together flours. The below suggestion is my host family’s house recipe. I alter it by substituting some whole wheat flour sometimes; you can experiment with spelt if you like. 3 cups or 1/2 kilo of semolina flour (I use the Bob’s Red Mill variety from the co-op when I’m in the U.S.) 1 cup of white flour 2. Add the following to the flour mixture: - generous Tablespoon of salt, - about two teaspoons of seeds (I use white and black sesame seeds and anise seeds, but one could experiment wi...

This makes a nice combination of sweet, savory and a little bit of spicy, and is a really nice accompaniment to roasts and meaty entrees. "Sweet Potatoes in Chili Powder Sauce" is probably not the catchiest name, but I figured "Southwest Style Sweet Potatoes wasn't terribly clear, and I made up the recipe, so probably nobody in the Southwest actually makes this. Ingredients 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-1" cubes 3 large shallots, minced 1 small garlic clove, minced 1/4-1 jalapeno, no seeds, slice very thin, to desired spiciness. It's mostly just supposed to have a hint of spice 1 stick butter 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1.5 tsp chili powder 1 tsp salt Steps Heat oven to 350. If you have a microwave, to save yourself some baking time, nuke the potatoes for about 4 minutes, or until somewhat softened. You could also probably boil them for a little bit instead of the microwave. Note that you're not going for the same level of mushiness as in cand...

These sweet-and-sour pickles are a wonderful accompaniment to many dishes, and are an especially nice contrast to meat-heavy or fried main dishes. I also like to add them to salads, sandwiches, and even instant noodles. You can also make them with red radishes, which turns out beautiful and zingier than if you use daikon. These are best made at least an hour ahead, and they stay good for several weeks in the fridge. For 1 lb combined peeled carrots and radish: 1 lb. carrots and radish, julienned 1 tsp. Kosher salt 1/3 c. rice vinegar 2 heaping Tbsp. brown sugar After cutting the carrots and radishes, toss them with the salt and allow them to sit for 10 minutes. Drain the excess liquid and gently squeeze out the rest. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and pour this mixture over the carrots and radishes. Allow to sit for at least one hour before serving. Can be stored in a clean container in the fridge for several weeks.

Where better to turn for down-home comfort food than a church cookbook? We had these at Christmas and they were delicious in an old-fashioned way. They're basically like meatloaf in ball form, and can be spiced up according to taste. From Elim Centennial 1883-1983 Cookbook, Elk River MN. Makes about 55 1" balls. Great with mashed potatoes and a veggie side. Preheat oven to 375° Meatballs: 2 lb ground beef 1 c. quick cooking oatmeal or breadcrumbs 1/2 c. milk 2 eggs 1 package onion soup mix Roll into balls and bake on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 375°. Sauce: 1 c. catsup 4 Tbsp. butter 4 Tbsp. light molasses 2 Tbsp. vinegar 4 Tbsp. water Simmer the sauce ingredients for 15 minutes. Mix the meatballs into the sauce.

I got this recipe from my friend Christine, who got it in turn from one of her students. I've adapted it a bit, and she adapted it herself so it's probably a bit different from the original at this point. I make no claims of authenticity, just deliciousness. Ingredients Chicken Tikka: 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-2” cubes 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp cayeanne ¼ tsp garam masala ¼ tsp fresh ginger 1 clove garlic 1 Tbl plain yogurt Optional: 1 tsp aamchu (dried mango) powder) Other ingredients: 1 large onion, diced 2 Tbl chopped mint (optional) 1 (8oz) can tomato puree (or 3-4 tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then pureed) ¼ tsp fresh ginger 1 clove garlic 2 Serrano chilis, sedded, and minced (or just one, this can be spicy) ¼ tsp turmeric ½ tsp cayeanne 1 tsp garam masala 1 c. cream Cilantro (for garnish) Steps: 1. Mix Chicken Tikka ingredients, and marinate chicken at least one hour 2. Bake Chicken Tikkas at 375 for 30 minutes. Alternately, if you don’t want t...