Lekach (Traditional Honey Cake)

3 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 c sugar
6 eggs, well beaten
1 c honey
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 cup chopped citron
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 ts ground cloves
2 tablespoons brandy

Mix and sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add sugar gradually to eggs and beat until light.  Stir in honey and oil.  Add raisins, nuts, citron, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and brandy.  Mix in flour, beating vigorously. Pour into cake pan lined with greased paper. Bake in slow oven (300) for 1 hour.  Invert pan until cake is cold.

Honey, Rice, and Date Pudding

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped dates or raisins
1/3 to 1/2 cup honey
2 cups cooked rice

Mix beaten eggs and milk.  Arrange alternate layers of rice, dates or raisins in a greased baking dish.  Drizzle honey over each layer. Repeat until all rice and fruit is used.  Pour egg-milk mixture over all.  Bake in moderate oven for 45 minutes.  Serves 6

American-Jewish Cookbook.

Dried Fruit Tzimmes

2 lbs mixed dried fruits (apricots, peaches, pears, prunes, raisins)
1/2 cup white or brown rice
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of cinnamon
2 cups water

Wash fruit and drain.  Combine with remaining indredients.  Heat to boiling.  Simmmer slowly about 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is almost completely absorbed.  Shake pot occ. to prevent sticking, add in a little boiling water if necessary.  Serve hot or cold.  Or turn into a shallow casserole, dot with butter, and brown slightly under broiler flame. Serves 4 to 6

Source: The Complete American Jewish Cookbook

Deviled Avocado Eggs

Deviled Avocado Eggs 

– Mash 1 large avocado with 3 egg yolks. Add 1 tsp. cilantro, 3 tsp lime juice, 1 tbsp red onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Top with a sprinkle of chili or paprika —

Variations:
Add a dash of your favorite curry - I prefer green
Add some crumbled bacon.
Add a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
Add a bit of chopped jalapenos.  

Now, I wouldn't advocate adding all of those at the same time..:)  but you can play around with the combinations.

Sweet Garlic Crock Pot Chicken

Facebook Share.  Also on Just a Pinch
 
Ingredients

4-6 chicken breasts

1 c packed brown sugar

2/3 c vinegar (i used apple cider vinegar)

1/4 c lemon-lime soda

2-3 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

2 Tbsp corn starch

2 Tbsp water

pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken (frozen, thawed or fresh) inside slow cooker.

2. Mix together brown sugar, vinegar, soda, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper together. Pour over chicken

3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

4. Take chicken pieces out of slow cooker (mine basically fell apart) and pour remaining sauce into saucepan.

5. Place saucepan over high heat. Mix together corn starch and water, pour into saucepan, and mix well.

6. Let sauce come to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to thicken and turns into a glaze.

7. Remove from heat and let sit for a minute or two (it will continue to thicken as it cools down).

8. Sprinkle red pepper flakes on top if desired. This can be served over rice, noodles or baked potato!

Chocolate Turtle Cake

Easy Homemade Chocolate Turtle Cake
Ingredients
1 cup chocolate chips
  1 cups pecans
  1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 (14 ounce) bags caramels
2 boxes of your favorite chocolate cake mix - I used one box of German Chocolate and one box of Devil Food mixed together.


Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Spray and flour 13 x 9 inch pan.

Prepare cake mix as directed.

Pour 1/2 of the batter in the prepared pan.


Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Remove and let cool.

Place caramels, evaporated milk, and butter in glass or other microwave safe bowl.  Heat on high in one minute increments, stirring between increments until sauce is nice and thick.

Pour melted carmel over cooling cake.

Sprinkle on top 1 cup of pecans&  1 cup chocolate chips.

Pour remaining batter on top and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until done.
  
Let cool.

I topped mine with a chocolate ganache and sprinkled with pecans.

Potato Puffs.

POTATO PUFFS
Ingredients
3 cups of mashed potatoes
2 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream (optional extra for serving)
1 heaping cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease with butter 8 - 9 of the wells of a nonstick muffin pan. In a medium mixing bowl whisk the eggs then mix in the sour cream. Stir in both cheeses and the chives. Add potatoes and mix well. Spoon them into the pan filling the cups to slightly below the top. Bake 25- 35 minutes until they pull away from the sides of the cup and are golden bro