Cheese Tortellini in a Cheese-Tomato Sauce

I recently found kosher frozen cheese tortellini at my local kosher market and knew I had to try it.  I had never had tortellini before so I was excited to try something new.  There are many different sauces that can be made with the tortellini but I stuck with a cheese-tomato sauce that resembles a rosa-rosa sauce.

Cheese Tortellini in a Cheese-Tomato Sauce

1 package frozen tortellini

1 jar marinara sauce

1 package of shredded cheese

parmesan cheese

1.  Cook tortellini according to package.

2.  While the tortellini is draining pour about half a jar of marinara sauce into a small saucepan/pot and heat until warm.

3.  Add about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cheese (cheese amount is flexible to each person's liking) and about 1-2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese.

4.  Stir the sauce mixture until the cheese has melted.

5.  Pour the tortellini into the sauce mixture and let it simmer for about 5-8 minutes on a very low heat.  (This is for the sauce to really get incorporated into the tortellini and not just having the sauce sit on top of the tortellini.)

6.  When serving, sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese on top for presentation.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Lava Cake

I have been wanting to make chocolate lava cake for the longest time but only recently I got ramekins.  I originally dusted the cakes with powdered sugar while they were still in their ramekins but then i decided to overturn them and place them on a plate which created a much prettier presentation.  This recipe takes 2 steps.  I made the truffles on a Thursday night and the cake right before Shabbos and placed them on the blech to keep warm.

Chocolate Lava Cake

TRUFFLES

8 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate

1 (8-ounce) container nondairy topping

CAKES
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour, sifted

For the truffles
1.  Chop chocolate into small nuggets.
2.  Heat nondairy topping until very hot, but do not boil.
3.  Pour over chocolate and stir until completely melted and combined.
4.  Let mixture stand, covered, for 8 to 12 hours until firmed up.
5.  With a scoop or melon baller, scoop the mixture into small balls.

For the cakes
1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.  Melt margarine with semisweet chocolate in a saucepan or microwave.
3.  Beat eggs, egg yolks and sugar with electric mixer until light colored.
4.  Mix in melted chocolate, then fold in flour by hand.
5.  Grease 8 ramekins.
6.  Pour batter into each ramekin until 3/4 full.
7.  Place a truffle in the center of each ramekin.
8.  Bake for 12 minutes.
9.  Cool slightly and dust with confectioners' sugar.
10.  Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

When trying the cake , I felt that it was missing a little something, so add whatever you like.  A little pinch of salt or some liqueur into the cake batter should suffice.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Pudding Pie

During the 9 days I like to try all those dairy recipes that I collect throughout the year.  This year I made a dairy chocolate pudding pie.  It was so easy and delicious!

Chocolate Pudding Pie

1 instant chocolate pudding mix
milk (amount according to directions on pudding box)
graham cracker crust
whip cream (canister)
rich's whip, whipped

1.  Prepare the pudding as directed on pudding box.
2.  Pour pudding into graham cracker crust.
3.  Place pie into fridge until the pudding solidifies (about 1-2 hours)
4.  Add whip cream to top using rich's whip and then decorate with whip cream from a canister.

Enjoy!

Hamantaschen

I find it very hard to find a good hamantaschen recipe.  Either it's too doughy or too dry, too thick or too thin.  This year, my sister sent me a hamantaschen recipe that uses a sugar cookie recipe.  I tried it and it came out great!  It is sticky like sugar cookie dough so you will need extra flour to sprinkle on your cutting board and rolling pin.

Hamantaschen

1 1/2 cups margarine, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon juice

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if the dough is too sticky

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Filling of your choice - I used raspberry jelly, apricot jelly and chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.

2.  Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth

3.  Beat in the eggs, vanilla and lemon juice, scraping the sides occasionally.

4.  Reduce the mixer speed to low, and stir in flour, baking powder and salt.

5.  Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour or overnight (don't skip this step!).

6.  Lightly flour your work surface.

7. Roll out the cookie dough to the same thickness as you would for sugar cookies, or slightly thicker.  Be careful not to roll the dough out too thin, or you will get holes in the hamantaschen as you fold it.

8.  Using a large glass or a round cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough.

9.  Spoon the filling of your choice into the center of the circle.

10.  Smear some egg white or water around the edges of the circle (this will help the corners stay together), and fold the top two sides until they are touching.  Fold the bottom side up and pinch lightly.  Your hamantaschen should look like a triangle now.

11.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.  Arrange the formed hamantaschen on the pan.

12.  Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the hamantaschen are golden brown around the edges.

Enjoy!

**You can also fill the hamantaschen with Nutella, but then they are dairy**

Butternut Squash Soup

I just bought a new cookbook and was excited to see a recipe for butternut squash apple soup.  I really love butternut squash soup so I decided to change the recipe a bit to create a plain butternut squash soup.

Butternut Squash Soup

1/4 cup canola oil

2 yellow onions, chopped
3 tablespoon cinnamon, divided
4 cups of vegetable broth, divided
3 containers frozen butternut squash (36 oz)
3 teaspoons salt, plus more for taste
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper, plus more for taste

1.  Heat the oil in a large pot.  Add the onions and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.  Cook covered over low heat until onions are softened, after 20 minutes.  Stir every few minutes to ensure all the onions get cooked evenly.
2.  Add 3 cups of vegetable broth and the squash.  Increase heat to medium-high or high.  Stir until the squash is defrosted.
3.  Using an immersion blender, puree the soup so that the soup is smooth.
4.  Add more vegetable broth if the soup is too thick.
5.  Add salt, pepper and cinnamon according to taste.
6.  Sprinkle each serving with cinnamon to garnish.

Enjoy!

Additional Pictures of Creations for L'Chaims

For directions on how to make any of these, please comment below and I will be more than happy to explain.

Bride & Groom Cupcakes

My sister recently got engaged and for her l'chaim I made bride and groom cupcakes along with other decorated cupcakes and cake pops.  These were such a hit and they were so easy to make!

Bride and Groom Cupcakes

1 recipe of cupcakes (I used a Duncan Hines mix) - flavor of choice

1 container vanilla frosting

1 container chocolate frosting

food coloring (a four pack should have red, yellow, green and blue)

edible pearls

1. Make cupcakes according to direction
2. Let cupcakes cool
3. Spoon about 1/4 of the container of vanilla frosting into a bowl and add 1 drop red food coloring and 2 drops yellow food coloring in order to get a skin color (some playing around with the amounts may be necessary depending on how much frosting you spooned out and what color you are looking for)
4. Spoon about 1/3 of the container of chocolate frosting into a bowl and add about 3 drops of blue food  coloring and 3 drops green food coloring (you are looking for a charcoal gray or black color)
5. Spread the skin color vanilla frosting on half the cupcakes and the charcoal gray/black chocolate frosting on the other half of the cupcakes
6. Allow the frosting to harden a bit - this can be hastened by placing the cupcakes into the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes
7. Using a piping bag or a ziploc bag with a small hole at one corner filled with vanilla frosting draw a heart shaped neckline on the bride cupcakes.  Then fill the "dress" with vanilla frosting.  I used a piping bag with a bigger hole and then using a knife I spread the frosting to be even.
8. Using the same piping bag as used when making the outline of the dress, make a triangle on the groom cupcakes.  Then fill in the triangle using the same method as filling in the bride's dress
9. Using a piping bag or ziploc bag with a small hole at one corner filled with the charcoal gray/black chocolate frosting draw 2 small triangles with a dot between the too by the top of the vanilla triangle creating a bow tie.  Then draw three "buttons" down the vanilla triangle or the "shirt"
10. Add a necklace to the bride cupcakes by placing edible pearls in a "necklace" arrangement on the top of the cupcake
11. Place the cupcakes in the refrigerator or leave them open overnight in order to harden the frosting and reduce the chance for them to be smudged in transition.

ENJOY!