Yogurt Pie

I tried a recipe last weekend that I found in the Publix sales flyer.  It turned out very good and I loved how easy and light the pie was.  I've thought of some possible variations like bananas and nutella with kiwi....But here's the original recipe.  I used Cabot Greek Yogurt - Vanilla Bean flavor and omitted the honey.

10.4 ounces or approx. 2 1/2 cups greek yogurt with honey
3 cups mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
1 TB powdered sugar
1 Shortbread pie crust

Layer half the yogurt in the bottom of the pie shell.  Add 1/2 of the berries.  Add the remaining yogurt and top with the remaining berries.

Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the pie and cover.  Chill the pie approx. 4 to 8 hours before serving.

Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes

I think if I had to pick a favorite vegetable/fruit it would be the tomato - hands down.  They are so versatile and I love the taste.  As I've gotten older I prefer fresh tomatoes to canned and even now eat my pizza with fresh tomatoes instead of tomato sauce or pizza sauce.  We love to grow them and they are always the first thing we plant and every year we plant more and more because we use them so much.  With the prices for tomatoes through the roof these days we planted several rows of plants this year.  I work full time so canning tomatoes is not something I want to rush home to do after work.  We have found a wonderful way to preserve them though and since all our friends love them I thought I'd post how we do them. 

First of all, you need a food hydrator.  You can purchase one or make one yourself.  My son uses the inside of his car since we live in sunny Florida and natural heat is in abundance.  My husband and I bought a great hydrator at a yard sale for $5 and have used it over and over.  But new ones aren't that expensive - maybe starting at $25....

My husband slices the tomatoes and places them in the hydrator.  We've experimented with different thicknesses to get various results after packed in the oil.  I don't really like them as chewy as store-bought sun-dried tomatoes but I also don't like them hard and crispy like they've come out in the past.  So experiment to find your ideal thickness.

After they are dried, you can place them in ziploc baggies and freeze for later.  You can also rehydrate them when you are ready to use them.  My favorite way is to pack them in olive oil with garlic and spices for topping on bagels, pizza, salads, or in pasta dishes. 

We love garlic so we use an abundance and really never think you can put too much.  Chop the amount of garlic you like.  Add about 1 cup extra virgin olive oil to a small cast iron skillet and add the garlic.  Heat until bubbly then turn off and allow the garlics flavor to seep into the oil.  Add about 1 to 2 cups dried tomatoes to a 1 quart canning jar and pour hot oil and garlic over the tomatoes.  Add basil, thyme, oregano, kosher salt & pepper.  I do not measure any of these so eyeball the amount you like.  I grow my own herbs and use them fresh in a lot of dishes but for this application I prefer dried because the flavor is a little more concentrated.  Clean the rim of the canning jar and cover with the lid.  I then turn the jar over and over several times to allow all the oil, garlic, and herbs to mix together.  If you want more oil, simply add more olive oil without heating and reseal. 

At this point you can leave them on your counter and use the tomatoes within a couple of weeks.  I've never timed how long they actually last this way but it seems like we use them up in a couple weeks and they are fine.  You can also put them in your refrigerator for how long???  Not sure.  You could also put them through a hot water canning bath to preserve them longer.  Since I'm no expert on this procedure I will leave you to research this on your own. 

Torah Themed Shabbat Menus

I am loving the new kosher.com blog called Joy of Kosher.  There are so many great recipes, menus, articles, and frequent giveaways.  It is so nice to have an online environment that is kosher with lots of ideas for living a Jewish lifestyle. 

Recently, they have been posting Shabbat menus that are well thought out and nutritionally balanced.  And the really neat thing about these menus is that they follow a theme based on the current holidays or Torah portion.  I thought this was a great idea and wonder why I never thought of doing that.  This week's menu uses barley which is great for a time when we are counting the omer and the Torah portion Emor which reviews the cycle of our holidays.  It is rare that I will use a suggested menu exactly but this one just really clicked with me.  Since my husband and I are dieting I am using a different dessert recipe that I've tweaked - it's Raspberry Cream Pie from Pioneer Woman's blog.  I am substituting sugar-free white chocolate pudding for the vanilla instant pudding and I'm using sugar-free chocolate sandwich wafers for the crust.  I'm not omitting the heavy cream however so we will have to just eat one small piece and then I'll send the rest to my sons house - far away from us.

I'd like to segue from this blog's topic to the pudding I mentioned.  The sugar-free instant white chocolate pudding (I believe it is Jell-O brand) is absolutely delicious.  The white chocolate flavor is subtle so it can be used in a variety of desserts where pudding is called for.  It does not taste sugar free at all and I actually like it better than any other pudding flavor (even with sugar) out there.

Well back to the advertisement for JoyOfKosher - check it out - I think you'll like it.  And that is just a joke about this being an advertisement - I am just sharing from my own opinion.

Jackie

Decisions and Grace

I hate making decisions.  I'm not talking about simple things like should I have an apple or a pear - I'm referring to those decisions that seem perplexing, confusing, and have gray areas.  I recently had a decision I had to make that seemed impossible.  It was a decision that no matter what I chose I was going to feel it was the wrong decision. 

Well, I made my decision based on what I felt G-d was telling me even though it did not feel right.  Even though I have cried many tears and it broke my heart.  And now the deed is past and I feel no better.  I've worried about the consequences; that maybe I missed G-d on this issue and found later that I made a wrong decision.  But this morning I heard a couple of verses of scripture that made me realize that G-d has grace to offer us as our Shepherd.  He knows our makeup; that we are human and really that we are dumb like sheep. 

I've been reminding myself of these verses all morning and they soothe my soul and spirit.  Perhaps you might scratch your head and wonder how these particular verses answer this need.  What these verses say to me is that my trust in the Messiah merits His grace and love that covers all my sins and missing the mark.  I don't have to always make the right decision.  I have to try and I have to let the Word guide me - but His grace fills in the gaps I miss. 

Think of parenting:  I have never met a parent who felt they were perfect parents or had never made many mistakes.  We have children when we are young and dumb.  We grow up with them really.  We aren't necessarily full of wisdom when we birth them - G-d's grace fills in the gaps.  Here are the verses.  I hope they minister to you too.

1 John 1:8 - if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us...

1 John 1:10 - if we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us

So I can have the freedom to go ahead and make those tough decisions with the best of my ability and understanding and always praying, "Thy Will be done."   Then I can rest in the assurance that as my Shepherd He goes before and behind me covering me with his Grace.  Instead of worrying that I missed Him and made a wrong decision, I can offer up a humble prayer of repentance so that His grace can flow from the throne and make me rise up with wings as an eagle and wait on His ability to restore.

Shalom

Stuffed Portabellas and Jalapenos

For my birthday dinner yesterday I was craving barbecued chicken using Pioneer Woman's barbecue sauce and her creamed corn.  But I wanted something else, something different and something I don't make often.  As I was shopping in one of my favorite produce places I spotted beautiful jalapenos and portabella mushrooms and my idea was birthed:  Stuffed Portabellas with spinach and romano cheese and grilled stuffed jalapenos.  And I used matzoh meal instead of bread crumbs since my birthday frequently falls during Passover.

I made a mixture for the jalapenos but wound up with lots extra and decided to incorporate the mixture into my stuffing mix.  Here's what I did:

Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos
6 fresh, plump jalapeno peppers
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
4 ounces (garlic & herb) Rondele cheese spread
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Carefully slit peppers down the middle.  Using a small spoon or paring knife, scrape seeds and membranes.  It may be necessary to cut a thin rectangular piece from the length of pepper. 

Mix all together and stuff peppers full.  Grill until outside of peppers is slightly charred and filling is melted.  Serve, eat, and enjoy.

Spinach Stuffed Portabellas

2 large portabella mushrooms, gills removed
4 to 6 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/3 cup minced onion
1/3 cup minced parsley
2 TB olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
fresh cracked pepper
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup romano or parmesan cheese, grated
remaining mixture from jalapenos above (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 to 1 cup matzoh meal

Add olive oil to small cast iron skillet and heat.  Add onion and allow to saute for 2 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until softened and aromatic.  Add spinach and saute until nicely wilted.  Transfer mixture to large bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Adjust seasonings and amount of cheese to your liking.  Mixture will be somewhat stiff.  You can add a little soft cheese to loosen up a bit.  Carefully stuff mushrooms and bake at 400 for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Years ago we attended a potluck dinner and sampled a wonderful casserole called Mexican Chicken.  It was so delicious served with the chef's homemade salsa.  They graciously shared the recipe with me and over the years I've tweaked and modifed it.  It is really good and there are never left-overs unless you make a huge amount.  The original called for Doritos but they are not kosher so that was one of the reasons for my modifications.  Because the casserole consists of mostly chicken and cheese, I like to serve it with Rice and Beans and extra homemade salsa. 

1 whole chicken
1 large bag tortilla chips (I like Santitas)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 can green chiles
cumin
chili powder
garlic powder
1/4 cup Sofrito or handful of chopped cilantro
salt & pepper
Colby/Jack cheese

Cover chicken with cold water and bring to a boil.  Boil gently for about 1 hour, skimming foam from broth.  You can add carrots, celery, and onion, etc. if you'd like to make chicken stock at the same time.  When the chicken legs are beginning to become very loose the chicken should be done.  Turn off heat and allow the chicken to sit in the hot water for about 30 minutes.  Remove chicken and allow to cool.  When cool, remove meat and discard bones and skin.

Combine chicken meat diced in large bowl.  Open bag of tortilla chips just a tiny big and release all of the air.  Use your forearm or a strong husband to finely crush the chips in the bag.

Add bag of crushed chips to your bowl and add the remaining ingredients (except the cheese).  Here's where you can use your own ideas.  The amount of spices is totally up to you.  I added these because the Doritos are highly seasonsed and I was trying to imitate the flavors.  You may also need more moisture if you are using a large chicken.  The approximate ratio is 1 can of each to each chicken. 

Once everything is mixed and incorporated you can add a little of the grated cheese to the mixture.  Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish.  Top with grated cheese and bake at 350 for about 30 to 40 minutes.  Allow to set for about 5 minutes before slicing.

A Great Rub for Fish

I cooked tuna steaks this weekend for the first time.  I had never prepared them so I read several recipes before starting to get an idea of how most people fix them.  The most common method of preparation for tuna seemed to be to use some sort of marinade or rub.  I gathered some ideas and this is what I used.  We then grilled the fish which held up nicely to the grill fire.

Tuna Rub
zest and juice of 2 lemons
4 plump cloves garlic
3 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp Ole Bay
1/4 tsp kosher salt
coarse black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Pour lemon juice all over fish and allow to sit while you prepare the other ingredients.  combine zest, peeled garlic cloves and rosemary leaves on cutting board.  Mince all together.  Transfer to small bowl and add all remaining ingredients.  Mix thoroughly.  Rub all over fish and press into flesh.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for about an hour.  Grill or broil fish as desired. 

Delicious Vegetarian Chard and Pasta

I found a recipe online the other day but didn't have all the ingredients it called for.  I made some substitutions and this is what I came up with.  I thought it was fabulous and was sorry to eat the last of it for lunch the following day.  The chard is absolutely fantastic in this dish but I happen to think chard is delicious fixed almost any way. 

Whole-Wheat Linguine with Swiss Chard

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 bunches Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped (about 14 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt diced tomatoes with juices
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
Black pepper (optional)
8 ounces whole-wheat linguine
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped 
2 tablespoons veggie parmesan
2 tablespoons unsalted, roasted sunflower seeds

Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the chard and saute until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, wine, and red pepper flakes.

Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and the chard is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season the chard mixture, to taste, with pepper, Mrs. Dash and/or more red pepper flakes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the linguine Add the pasta to the chard mixture and toss to combine.

Transfer the pasta to serving bowls. Sprinkle with the olives, cheese, and sunflower seeds.

Joy of Kosher

The kosher.com blog has a new blog/site:  http://www.joyofkosher.com/blog/
They have some nice contests and great recipes.  You should check it out.  I love the new format and you can even post your own recipes.  Right now there is a contest to win a 6 lb. roaster chicken.  I hope I win!

Quick and Delicious Dinner

Yesterday I wanted fish.  Crispy fish.  I've found that the frozen kosher fish I can get in our small town doesn't seem to get crispy.  But yesterday I was determined.  I had a package of tilapia in the freezer and decided to use that.  I also found some kosher panko bread crumbs in our local grocery store and have been wanting to try them.  I had yellow squash coming out of my ears so that was my next challenge.  I wanted carmelized squash.  Not watery, mushy squash with no flavor.  My dinner came out marvelous.  My technique produced wonderful results and was very satisfying.  I've posted my recipes below.  Hope you enjoy.

Carmelized Summer Squash

Place sliced squash in a large collander and set over a large bowl.  Salt liberally with kosher salt and make sure all is combined so salt is distributed.  Allow to sit at room temp for about 30 to 45 minutes.  Drain off water and place squash on thick   paper towels.  Blot as much liquid as possible from the squash without smashing it. 

Place dry squash in a large bowl and mix with about 4 TB olive oil, pepper, and garlic powder.  Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast at 450 for about 30 minutes until nicely browned.  You can turn over once if you desire.

Crispy Fried Tilapia
Cut tilapia filets in fingers by splitting lengthwise.  Season fish fingers with Ole Bay seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Prepare 3 dredging pans.  One with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko bread crumbs.  Sprinkle each with same spices used on fish.

Dip fish fingers in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.  Place on foil lined baking pan and refrigerate until ready to fry.

Add oil to pan to about 1/4 inch.  I used crisco shortening and a little olive oil.  You can fry in just olive oil if you like.  Heat oil and pan until very hot without burning oil.  Place fish in pan without crowding and fry until golden brown.  Remove to paper towels.

A good sauce for your crispy fish is made by mixing 1 cup mayo, 2 or 3 crushed garlic cloves, 2 TB fresh chopped parsley, and 2 TB lemon juice.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I have tried to make garlic mashed potatoes many different ways but never could get that wonderful garlic flavor to come through until I tried it with roasted garlic.  These amounts are approximate.  Roasting the garlic really mellows the flavor so you can add a lot without the flavor being over-powering (in my opinion anyway).

2 to 3 lbs. potatoes (preferably gold)
4 bulbs fresh, firm garlic
approx. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 oz can evaporated milk
1 stick unsalted butter
sea salt & pepper to taste

Trim pointy end of garlic.  Place entire bulbs in small cast iron skillet.  Add olive oil and cover with foil.  Bake in 350 oven for about 45 minutes.  Remove from oven, remove foil, and allow to cool.  Once cool, remove papery skins and let garlic flesh fall into the oil.  Discard papery skins and set garlic and oil aside.

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender.  Drain water and immediately add butter, garlic and oil to potatoes in pot.  Use electric mixer to combine and break up potatoes.  Add milk slowly until potatoes reach desired consistency.  You may not need the whole can and you may even want more.  Season with salt & pepper to taste and serve.

Calico Frittata

6 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 poblano, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 TB chopped fresh basil
2 TB chopped fresh parsley
1 spring onion, sliced
2 small yellow squash, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups fresh baby spinach
8 oz. quartered button mushrooms
Salt & pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves

Beat eggs with cheese, parsley, basil with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper.  Set aside.

Heat olive oil in heavy bottom deep skillet.  Saute peppers about 5 to 6 minutes.  Add squash, mushrooms and garlic and 1/2 tsp cumin.  Season with about 1/2 tsp salt and a little pepper.  Saute about 3 or 4 minutes.  Add onions and thyme; for another 2 minutes.  Add fresh spinach and allow to wilt. 

Pour egg mixture over vegetables and tilt pan if necessary to spread eggs evenly around.  Set pan on top of small cast iron skillet over burner to act as a diffuser.  Cover pot and allow frittata to cook until eggs are set.  Delicious served with home fries.

Plantain Soup

Plantain Soup

1 TB olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups chicken broth (or more)
2 green plaintains, peeled and cut in large chunks
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cumin
salt & pepper to taste
8 oz. Hebrew National Salami

Saute onion, garlic, carrot, and celery in olive oil about 8 minutes until browned.  Add chicken broth and plantains.  Stir in cilantro, bay leaves, and cumin.  Bring to boil.  reduce heat and simmer about 45 minutes until the plantains are tender.

Process in batches in food process.  If too thick, add additional chicken broth.  Adjust seasonings and serve.

Toppings
Fried plantain shreds
Grated Monterey Jack cheese
Crispy fried shallots

Creme Brulee French Toast (in Slow Cooker)

Use one of these liners in your slow cooker before you add your ingredients - clean up will be so much easier.

12 oz challh cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
Caramel ice cream topping (warmed)

Add bread to the slow cooker (prepared with liner). 

Whisk milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt.  Pour mixture over bread cubes.  Press bread lightly with the back of a large spoon to moisten bread completely.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours.

Remove from refrigerator.  Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Turn off cooker and allow to stand for 30 minutes. 

Carefully lift liner from cooker, using a plate to transfer French Toast to a cutting board.  If desired, slice French Toast to serve or spoon it into serving dishes.  Top with ice cream topping.  Makes 12 servings.

Smoked Whitefish Spread

I make this every Passover from salmon that my husband smokes himself.  I package it in containers for friends and family to be shared during Passover. 

1/3 cup flaked smoked fish (salmon or any white flesh fish)

8 oz. softened cream cheese
2 to 3 TB snipped chives
2 TB minced green onion
2 or 3 TB sour cream
dash cayenne pepper


Mix all ingredients except fish. Fold in flaked fish. Allow to chill for at least 4 hours. Great on bagels or matzah.

Harvest Soup

This is a recipe in my favorite Jewish cook book by Faye Levy. I have made a few changes so here is my version. This is a delicious soup. If you don't like spicy - use regular plain tomatoes without green chiles then add a separate can of green chiles where you can control the amount. They generally are not "hot" but will add a good flavor. You can serve this with packaged tortilla chips but homemade are best. Just cut corn tortillas in strips and fry in hot oil. Salt after removing to paper towels to drain.


Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
1 large poblano pepper, diced
5 or 6 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh plum tomatoes, diced
1 tomatillo, diced
2 cans hominy, drained and rinsed
3 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
3 to 4 cups chicken broth
4 lage carrots, diced
1 tsp basil
1 bayleaf
water (as needed)
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup chopped parsley and/or cilantro, divided
2 bouillon cubes (1 veggie and 1 chicken) - optional

Saute onions, pepper, tomatillo, and carrot until carrot just begins to cook. Add garlic and allow to cook a minute or two. Add fresh tomatoes, 1/2 cup parsley, salt & pepper. Allow to cook so tomatoes will begin to break down and incorporate spices. You can add bayleaf and other spices as desired.

Pour tomatoes into pot, add chicken broth and water if needed to get the ratio of broth to veggies you like. Also add hominy at this time.

Place lid on pot, adjust heat to low and allow to simmer until carrots are tender. Adjust spices as needed.

Just before serving, sprinkle last 1/2 cup of parsley or cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.

Cheese Ball Mystery

I first tasted this cheese ball several years ago and commited the recipe to memory. I never had a written recipe so I'm not even sure if I'm still making it the original way. However, it never fails to get rave reviews even when I don't think it came out as good. Everyone wants to know what's in it because the flavors all mesh in a way that it is hard to tell. The first time I tried it I could have sworn it had tuna fish in it. It did not even have fish. So play around with it - omit this, add that, and see what you come up with.

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, well-drained1 small onion, minced

1 small green pepper, minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 to 2 tsp worcestershire sauce

pinch cayenne pepper

light sprinkling of garlic powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients except nuts and form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and chill a few hours. Gently roll or coat ball with chopped nuts and serve with crackers.

Note: You can also mix some nuts in with the cheese ball mixture and coat with additional nuts, if desired.

Homemade French's Onions

One night I was making Tuna Casserole and realized I was out of French's French Fried Onions which we love on top of the casserole. It adds a whole other dimension of flavor that I didn't want to eliminate.  I decided to try making them myself. I really didn't think they would taste as good which is really strange for me to say because I rarely use convenience foods and prefer homemade. But believe it or not they were really delicious and so easy. Here's how I did it. I will never buy French's again - sorry.

2 or 3 thinly sliced onions
kosher salt
flour
egg

Slice the onions very, very thinly. Salt with kosher salt. Add flour to a shallow pan or bowl and sprinkle with salt. In a separate bowl, mix one egg with a little water for an egg wash and salt this also.


Dip the onion slices in the egg then flour and fry in hot oil (about 325 degrees) until lightly golden. Taste and add salt if necessary.

These are good just for snacking and to use as a topping for casseroles.

Tuna Casserole

This recipe's list of ingredients is easily modified and I probably never make it exactly the same each time. These are close approximations but do not hesitate to make adjustments where needed. I sometimes use a mixture of light and white tuna and sometimes I use just white, albacore tuna - whatever I have on hand. I list broccoli as the green veggie but I have used spinach, broccolini, as well as peas. Asparagus would probably work as well.


Ingredients
4 (6 oz) cans tuna
4 to 5 cups broccoli spears (frozen or fresh)
24 oz. broad egg noodles
12 oz. evaporated milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 to 12 oz. colby/jack cheese
1 medium onion, diced
3 or 4 stalks celery, diced
3 TB butter
3 TB flour
8 oz. quartered button mushrooms
French Fried onions (can use French's but checkout my homemade version)


Boil egg noodles with broccoli and cook until noodles al dente.  Drain and set aside. 
Saute onion and celery in butter until soft, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms begin to absorb butter - about 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in flour to make a roux and allow to cook 1 minute or so.  Add cream of mushroom soup and milk and stir to blend.  Heat thoroughly.  Add about 3/4 of the cheese and allow to melt and blend well.

Combine sauce mixture, tuna, egg noodles, and vegetables.  Spread in a 9 x 13 pan or  casserole dish.  Top with cheese and french fried onions.  Bake at 350 for approximately 20 to 30 minutes until nicely golden and bubbly. 

Cherry Blintz Souffle

I attended a brunch meeting today and discovered a wonderful "casserole" that I believe would be a great recipe for Shavuot or Hanukkah.  It works well with a large crowd like my family because it can be prepared ahead of time.  The "casserole" or souffle was baked in an oblong glass dish and resembled a cheesecake in texture and appearance.  It was served with a delicious cherry sauce. 

I have to admit....when I've seen recipes for cheese blintzes, I haven't been tempted to make them with the ingredients most of them call for such as cottage cheese.  I've thought that if I ever make them I would substitute all cream cheese.  I love cottage cheese but it doesn't appeal to me as an ingredient in something I perceived as being sweet or smooth-textured.  However, I ate this souffle and was really impressed.  I thought it was exceptionally good and the texture was wonderful.  The cherry sauce added just the right compliment of flavors and sweetness.