Cookbook author Amy Stopnicki shows us how to make an amazing meal to impress your family and friends.
All recipes excerpted from “Kosher Taste “ (Feldheim Publishers)
Photos by Michelle Manzoni
Squash Zucchini Soup
Status: pareve / Yield: serves 8-10
Plan
I like to roast my squash whole and scoop out the insides for this soup. If you aren’t a fan of squash or don’t have any in the house, replace it with sweet potato. It will have the same feel and a similar taste. Add a little chili powder to this soup for an extra kick.
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
12 cups water or vegetable stock
4 cups cooked butternut squash purée
5 medium unpeeled zucchini cut into 1-inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare
- In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Sauté onion in oil until tender.
- Add water and bring to a boil.
- Add squash and zucchini.
- Bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and simmer partially covered for 1 hour.
- Blend mixture with immersion blender.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Old-Fashioned Brisket
Status: meat / Yield: serves 8-10
Plan
This is an easy and delicious recipe. Sometimes less is more. This brisket can be marinated in the refrigerator in advance to save time.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 4-5 lbs. brisket
3 tablespoons deli mustard
3 tablespoons old-fashioned mustard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 onions, sliced
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion flakes and paprika in a small bowl.
- Rub spice mixture over brisket.
- Let brisket sit for 30-40 minutes at room temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine both mustards, oil and onions. Coat the brisket well.
- Bake for 25 minutes in a roasting pan, then reduce heat to 300°F and continue baking for another 3 hours or until brisket is thoroughly cooked.
Herb Smashed Potatoes
Status: pareve | Yield: serves 8-10
Plan
Potatoes are a pretty typical household ingredient. This recipe is a great way to serve potatoes in a different and pretty way. If you don’t have fresh herbs, use dried, the taste will be a little different but still delicious.
5 lbs. mini potatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 market bunch fresh basil, cleaned and checked, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, cleaned and checked, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, cleaned and checked, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare
- In a large stockpot, boil potatoes for 20 minutes or just until soft.
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Lay potatoes approximately 1 inch apart on a large greased cookie sheet.
- With an egg masher or a similar flat surface, smash potatoes so they are flat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine, oil, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.
- Drizzle mixture over potatoes and bake for 10 minutes.
- Toss and bake for another 10 minutes or until potatoes are golden and crispy.
Sesame Green Beans
Status: pareve | Yield: serves 6-8
Plan
Green beans are a terrific vegetable to have stocked in your fridge. Take them out and they can be cooked and delicious in minutes. To save time, I buy the French green beans because they don’t need to be trimmed.
2 lbs. French green beans
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons canola oil
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare
- Boil green beans in medium stockpot until bright green in color, approximately 7 minutes.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a small jar or cruet.
- Pour dressing over green beans and toss.
Cranberry Lemon Tart
Status: dairy or pareve | Yield: 1 tart, serves 8-10
Plan
This is one of the easiest tarts you will ever make. Although it is broken into two steps, it is still simple to follow. Tart crust can be made and frozen, fill and bake before serving. If you prefer a plain lemon tart, simply leave out the cranberries.
Dough
2 cups flour
½ cup icing sugar
1 cup softened butter or margarine
Filling
3 eggs
½ cup almond milk
juice of 2 lemons
½ cup sugar
2 cups frozen cranberries
raspberry coulis, for garnish
mint leaves, cleaned and checked, for garnish
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, icing sugar, and butter or margarine.
- Press mixture into an 11-inch tart pan.
- Poke a few holes in the dough with a fork and bake tart crust for 15-20 minutes or until set, but not golden.
- Combine eggs, almond milk, lemon juice and sugar until smooth.
- Pour mixture into cooked tart shell. Add frozen cranberries.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden
Photos by Michelle Manzoni
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