Yerushalmi Kugel Recipe

Kugel is a traditional Ashkenazi ( Eastern European) Jewish delicacy. A noodle casserole usually made for Shabbat and Holidays. As you will guess by the ingredients it is not low carb or particularly healthy but it is for special meals and is fantastically yummy. This should serve 10 people so share with friends and family:)
Enjoy!

You will need:
4 1/2 cups water 
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine 
1 cup sugar 
1/2  table spoon freshly ground black pepper 
2 teaspoons salt 
12 ounces fine noodles uncooked 
2 eggs 
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar 
3 tablespoons vegetable oil 

Directions:
Heavily grease a baking pan with nonstick spray or margarine. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350. 
In a pot, bring the water, margarine, sugar, pepper and salt to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the noodles. Stir. Cover the pot and let stand 12-15 minutes. 
In a small bowl, mix the eggs, brown sugar and vegetable oil. Once noodles have cooled add egg mixture to the noodle mixture. Re-cover the pot, let stand 10-15 minutes. 
Pour into the prepared pan, bake 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours, remove from the pan immediately when done. 

My Journey to Judaism

This is the first time I am putting this down on paper and there are a few things I need to preface this post with. First and maybe most importantly Judaism as a rule is a not a religion that proselytizes. We believe living out the Jewish faith is for those who are Jewish or choose to become Jewish because they feel they were born with a Jewish soul. Judaism is not right for everyone and I would never try to convince anyone to become Jewish.  I believe you do not have to be Jewish or follow Judaism to connect with G-d and I respect that everyone has their own spiritual path. Secondly, two awesome people raised me and showed me what it meant to live a life of faith. My choice to leave that faith to find my own was a result of much soul searching on my part and had nothing to do with the way Christianity was taught or demonstrated to me.

“Can I ask you a question? I mean you don’t have to answer, but how did you become Jewish?” This question has been asked to me in a nearly an identical manner hundreds yes hundreds of times. Converts fascinate people and frankly they fascinate me. The majority of people are happy to carry on and follow the faith their parents give them. I wanted badly to be one of those people.  I was raised as I mentioned by two awesome people my Mom and Dad. My Dad was raised in a devout Christian Science home but as an adult chose to follow Christ yes he became a born again Christian but I chose to say follow Christ because for my Dad he didn’t just become a Christian he was choosing to follow Christ wherever that led but more about that later. My Mom was raised with no real religion of any kind an odd thing in America in the 50’s and 60’s but that’s just how it was a remains with my Grandparents G-d does not come up. My Mom chose also as an adult to become a Christian and follower of Christ and my parents were married in a Four Square Gospel church in 1984 and I was born in 85.  As a baby my parents dedicated me to the L-rd. I wasn’t Baptized but dedicated an important distinction to my parents they were not saving my soul only I could do that they were giving my life to G-d and promising to raise me as a Christian with help from their church and G-d.

For the first 8 years of my life I went to Church each Sunday. I loved Sunday school, dressing up and seeing my friends. I listened carefully in church and prayed before dinner and before bed but other then that religion affected my life very little. At some point I am told I said a prayer to accept Jesus into my heart I to this day have no memory of this. One Sunday afternoon after church my Dad called a family meeting never really a good thing it usually meant I or someone but probably me was in trouble. Next came the sentence that changed everything for me “G-d has called us to the mission field” my Dad said. Awesome I thought I loved the stories missionaries told when they came to visit our church. Saving people in Africa or teaching little kids in Mexico, smuggling Bibles into China. Wow! This is going to be great I thought, adventure awaits.

Arkansas?!? In the United States?!? I asked. No beautiful African sunsets or Bible smuggling was in our futures my parents were becoming “stateside” missionaries. I must admit at first I was really disappointed and made it very clear that I didn’t want to move to Arkansas. As time passed though I saw that my parents were working hard to keep families together and I knew they loved what they were doing and believed in it.  They were missionaries with Family Life for 7 years. It was not always easy being an MK or missionary kid especially when your family was suppose to be demonstrating what a family should be like. I felt on display a lot and that was hard especially in my “tween” years.

The older I got the more I began to question so I dove into studying my Bible. In our house we read the Bible a lot my parents also had my sisters and I in Christian school so Bible reading was happening at school too. I became fascinated by the Israelites. To me their story more then any other in Bible captivated me heart and soul. The idea of a people chosen by G-d set apart to be His people living in a way set forth by G-d different from other nations amazed me. To me G-d was so up close and personal with these people splitting a sea for them and leading them with clouds and fire. I longed to feel connected with G-d the way the Israelites were. I asked my Mom what happened to these chosen people of G-d? What I found out changed me forever.

I must have read David Ben Gurion’s independence speech 100 times. How could this be I thought to myself? A Jewish State where the decedents of the Israelites lived and practiced a religion called Judaism? I had seen Judaism before not really knowing what is was called not from anyone I knew of course but from Fiddler On The Roof which my parents had taped from the T.V. . I loved that movie and watched it over and over and every time Golde lit her Shabbat candles I felt something inside me swell up and I would cry. From that time on I really became intrigued with all things Israel and all things Jewish.

I was struggling with Jesus something I told no one my biggest fear was that someone would find out. I had no problem with a belief in a higher power but the more I studied the more I began to question if Jesus was the promised Messiah. This terrified me I was in High School and was going to a school where not believing in Jesus was grounds for expulsion and I knew if I left Christianity I would break my parents hearts. I threw myself into youth group and mission trips I even asked to be baptized again hoping something would spark inside me and help to rid me of my overwhelming doubt but nothing worked. The way I would describe it was like walking with a small rock in my shoe. You walk like that for as long as you can but eventually you can’t ignore it anymore and you have to take off your shoe and shake out the rock.

When I was 16 had an incredible opportunity to go to Israel with a dear family friend a dream I had since I was 10 and had discovered Israel existed. I had already been visiting a local synagogue on Saturdays and had begun falling in love with the Hebrew prayers and ancient melodies. I was still going to church every Sunday and trying to make both faiths work in my life. The second I landed at Ben Gurion the airport named for the man who’s speeches I had read over and over I felt a peace in my restless soul unparalleled by anything I had ever felt before. I was home.            `

I prayed at the Western Wall and soaked in the feeling I had been searching for all those years. A light radiated out from that place and into my soul. There is a story that Moses as he looked into the land of Israel saw every Jew that was and ever would be and where they would stand in Land. When you stand there in place Moses saw you you can feel it. I believe that day I stood where Moses saw me. I knew at that moment at age 16 I would convert to Judaism. Judaism was calling me it was my destiny. It took 7 more years two of which were formal study to complete my Orthodox conversion Judaism. My husband and I converted together and he gave me the strength to finish what at times was a grueling process. The only thing I regret to this day was breaking my Mother’s heart. I like to think when I placed her Jewish granddaughter in her arms it helped to heal her heart but I know at Christmas and Easter it still breaks a little.

Now each morning when I wake up and say Modeh Ani “I give thanks” I am so thankful I am living each day as a Jew. Living out my faith as member of the Tribe who’s stories captivated me as a child adding my own chapter to the story of a beautiful people.  My people.

Me at the Western Wall during our Honeymoon in Israel in 2008

Recipe for French Onion Soup

Spring made it's appearance here then went back to bed this last week. The nights and mornings have been very chilly. Whenever it's chilly at night we love to make a nice warm soup for dinner. Last night for the first time I made French Onion Soup. I wanted to try an easy recipe. When I see a recipe with 20 ingredients and 15 steps I get overwhelmed. This one was easy and came out really yummy. Now this is an onion soup so if you don't like onions this one is not for you;)

Notes*
If you are making this Kosher I used the parve Osem Beef Consommé to make the broth and I used what Kosher cheese I could find. Still came out very good.
I am still counting my carbs but if you're not this would be so good with french bread;)


What you will need:
3 tablespoons butter
4 cups thinly sliced onions, about 4 to 5 medium onions
A few sprinkles of Garlic Powder
A drizzle of Worcestershire sauce
4 cups beef broth 
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: 
In a large skillet over medium low heat, melt butter. Stir in sliced onions sprinkle with garlic and worcestershire sauce and cook on medium low heat till the onions are golden in color, about 20 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine beef broth and sautéed onion mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add 1 cup shredded cheese to soup and stir well. Pour French Onion Soup into 4 individual oven safe soup bowls or crocks and top with grated cheese and place under broiler till cheese is bubbly. 

Enjoy!

Purim Recipe: Strawberry Hamantaschen With White Chocolate Drizzle!

Purim is the holiday we celebrate the miraculous salvation of the Jews from Haman's evil plot to destroy us. We read the entire book of Esther, feast and celebrate joyfully together. We also give our friends and family treat baskets or bags called mishloach manot. Included in these mishloach manot are yummy cookies shaped like triangles called Hamantaschen. They are shaped this way because the the villain in the story Haman wore a triangle shaped hat some say his ears were triangle shaped too. If you read the book of Esther she is clearly the hero of the story but you realize also that as she went before the King a choice that could have got her killed all the Jews in Shushan were praying and fasting for her. From this I take away the lesson that as a people we are all in this together. What happens to one of us on some level happens to all of us. I think that's why last week when Rashi Minkowicz OBM a 37 year old Rabbi's wife and mother of 8 died suddenly the devastation was felt by Jews all over the world. Triggering an outpouring of sympathy and mitzvahs (good deeds) done in her memory. I am dedicating this post to Rashi's memory and encouraging you to bake these Hamantaschen and give them away to someone. Continue to do good deeds in her memory and daven (pray) for her family especially her 8 children that have been left without a mother. We can't forget her and her family as we get wrapped up again in our busy lives. We are in this together we are all one family! 

You will need:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/3 cup water
4 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp vanilla
3 tsp baking powder
For Filling and Drizzle: 
Strawberry Jelly or Jam(still fuzzy on the difference between the two;) White melting chocolate. 

Directions:
Combine first three ingredients. Beat well.
Combine reaming ingredients and bled well.
Roll dough out flat and cut into circles.
Fold edges to make a triangels.
Fill center with strawberry jam or jelly whatever;)
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. May need more depending on your oven but they stay very white.
Once they cool some melt the chocolate over a double boiler and use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate on top.

Spaghetti Squash Pizza

Eliminating bread products has been much more challenging then I had originally thought to would be. I know it sounds crazy but I really didn't realize that I was eating bread products with breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. So needless to say I have been having to really rethink my meals especially dinners and I have had to get creative. Yesterday my sweet sister who knows my new way of eating has been a challenge posted a really interesting looking recipe to my Facebook for Spaghetti Squash Pizza. So last night we made it for dinner and I was pleasantly surprised at how yummy it was. So below is the recipe a wonderful healthier alternative to regular pizza.
Enjoy!
P.S. This recipe is not a quick one. To cut down on prep time cook the squash ahead of time remove from skin and store in the fridge.:)

You will need:

• 3 cups cooked spaghetti squash (about 1 medium squash)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup basil, diced
• 1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup pizza sauce ( look at the carb count and amount of sugar ) 
• 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

• Pizza topping of your choice ( I did cheese and Tofurky pepperonis. Wish I had also done onions;)

• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible from the spaghetti squash. The more moisture that you remove the crispier the crust will be.
3. Mix the egg, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper into the squash to form the crust. Then press flat onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crust sets and begins to get crispy on the edges.
5. Pull baking sheet from oven and top crust with sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice.
6. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes till cheese is melted.
   

Goodbye Goody Bags

Today was our sweet girls 3rd birthday party. It was really a blast. I loved seeing her really get excited to see all her friends and her cake and she really understood that it was her party this year. Let's face it birthdays 1 and 2 are really for the parent's but by 3 kids are really staring to grasp things much better.  At age 3 is when many Orthodox Jews choose to start helping their children better understand their role in world. For Abby we have started teaching her prayers in Hebrew as well as how to dress modestly and do good deeds for others. Even more importantly though I think we are teaching her why we live as we do. Helping her to see what a powerful force for good she can be with every positive choice she makes and how what we do impacts others. As I was preparing for the party  I went to the local big party store to get stuff for "goody bags" you know the little plastic bags full of stuff that kids play with for a couple minutes then break or lose. All of which ends up in a landfill or as a wad of trash in the ocean. I just couldn't do it, I know the thought behind goody bags is a good one but as I looked at all that junk I thought there has to be something else we can do. So in the end we chose to try something different this year we made a donation to a wonderful charity called Heifer International in honor of all Abby's family and friends instead of handing out goody bags. The money will go to help an impoverished family that so desperately needs it. I was worried though would the kids miss the bags? Would they be disappointed? Not at all, they each got a balloon and a sticker that had the Heifer International logo and website on it and they were happy. One Mom even said she was happy to not have to take home another bag of junk. As we try to teach our children about their impact we have to remember our choices impact others too. On average parents spends 5 dollars per goody bag per child think of all the birthday parties all over the U.S. the difference we could all make if instead we gave that money to a charity. All of us giving to those in need instead of to the junk door. We are  all powerful we can make a change!

Challah!

So tonight I'll be making Challah dough along with many of my Jewish sisters all around the world.  Challah is a special braided bread that we eat on Shabbat.  I once read that just as bread dough rises we to have an opportunity to raise and elevate the ordinary brining us all just a bit closer to G-d. Let's be honest though we are all really busy each women is juggling a million different responsibilities and making bread from scratch come on this isn't Little House on The Prairie it's 2014. I know it's so much easier to buy your Challah and there is nothing wrong with doing that. I am thankful to have a few places here to buy kosher Challah when I just can't get it made myself. But taking the time to make the dough and help elevate a mundane thing to a holy place is such a special opportunity. So I am encouraging each women reading this to give making Challah yourself a try. There are a few go to Challah recipes I have but I am going to post my go to Sweet Challah recipe it's easy and delicious.
So here you go:

You will need: 
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 and 1/3 cup white sugar
2 cups warm water
9 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs (plus one set aside for an egg wash)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
For egg glaze if desired: 
1 egg
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white sugar 
1 teaspoon water

Directions

1. Mix the yeast, 1/3 cup of sugar, and warm water together in a large bowl, stir to dissolve the sugar, and let the mixture stand until a creamy layer forms on top, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of flour to make a loose sponge.
2. In a separate bowl, beat 4 eggs, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 cup of sugar together, and stir the egg mixture into the yeast-flour mixture until well combined. Continue mixing in flour, 1 cup at a time, up to 9 total cups. Dough should be slightly sticky, but not so wet that it leaves dough stuck to your hands.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for 5 minutes to develop gluten. Form the dough into a compact round shape, and place in an oiled bowl. Turn the dough over several times in the bowl to oil the surface of the dough, cover the bowl with a cloth, and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and knead for another 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
4. Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. To make egg glaze, whisk together 1 egg, 1 teaspoon oil, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl, and refrigerate until needed.
5. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, and cut each piece into 3 smaller pieces for a 3-strand braided loaf. Working on a floured surface, roll the small dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand to the right, move it to the left over the middle strand (that strand becomes the new middle strand.) Take the strand farthest to the left, and move it over the new middle strand. Continue braiding, alternating sides each time, until the loaf is braided, and pinch the ends together and fold them underneath for a neat look. Place the loaves onto the prepared baking sheets, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes. Brush a coating of egg glaze onto the tops of the bread, and reserve the remaining glaze.
6. Preheat oven to 350.
7. Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, remove from the oven, and brush another coating of glaze onto the bread. Return to the oven, and bake until the tops are shiny and golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes. 

Recipe for Low Carb Eggplant Parmesan

What you're going to need:
1 eggplant
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded and divided
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 jar of pasta sauce (I use Silver Palate San Marzano pasta sauce)
italian seasoning
dried oregano
dried basil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Peel eggplant, if you wish, and cut into thin round slices.
Lightly grease a medium sized casserole dish and place half of the eggplant on the bottom.
Top with 1/2 cup of parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella and 3/4 cup of sauce, sprinkle with spices.
Repeat layers and again, sprinkle with spices.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes or until eggplant is tender.
Uncover and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and once again, sprinkle with spices; bake for about 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted. If you like the cheese bubbly and crispy place under broiler for a couple minutes but watch carefully;) 

Note:

I use only mozzarella because we can't get kosher parmesan cheese here and it comes out great;)

Most of my recipes serve 2 adults and a toddler so if you are feeding more adjust accordingly:)

First Post

So this is my first post on this new blog. I think most people reading this will know me but if not here is a little bit about me. I am a 20 something mom and wife who loves living out her faith, discussing current events and politics, traveling and trying new recipes. I have a wonderful Husband who is a full time engineering student and a 3 year old little girl who is the light of my life. I recently returned to being a stay at home Mom after a wonderful stint teaching preschool. My husband and I are both converts to Judaism and are raising our daughter in the Jewish faith. Being an Orthodox Jew here in the south poses it's challenges but also many opportunities for spiritual growth and joy. I am currently involved in our local Chabad as well as The Daughter's of Abraham an interfaith group and book club. On this blog I will be posting about family, faith and life. Family happenings how we are living out our faith and just everyday life stuff like recipes. Well here goes nothin;)