Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

It makes me laugh to think of the foods that I hated as a child and love now! There were certain foods that my mother would always tell me were delicious, and I would always let her know just what I thought of those foods. I could never understand why people would eat sweet potatoes - and now I adore sweet potatoes. I couldn't fathom eating the dark meat of chicken - and now I am happy to. Amongst the foods on my "do not eat" list was peanut butter. I remember my mother telling me that I should try eating a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich and I also remember tasting it. I have this memory of standing at the sink drinking cups and cups of water after taking one little bite - because I couldn't stand the taste of peanut butter.

Well, fast forward a good number of years, and I am now in love with peanut butter! 

My father is the Kosher certifying rabbi at a peanut butter factory and the other day he brought me a bucket of peanut butter - fresh off the production line! Having a tub of super fresh peanut butter could only mean one thing for last night's Torah and Tea snack - peanut butter cookies! The cookies turned out great - and we even tried some with a little strawberry jelly:)

Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

White sugar for top of cookies

Pre-heat oven to 350. (I put my oven on convection for these cookies.)

Place peanut butter and both sugars in a bowl. Mix well using a hand mixer. Add the egg and baking powder. Mix well again. 

Using your hands, roll the dough into little balls and then gently push them down. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Dip a fork in sugar and then proceed to create criss cross marks on each cookie. (You will have to dip the fork in the sugar for each cookie.)

A Trip to Nags Head

Last week, Levi and I headed out for a little trip to Nags Head for a little, mini vacation. After a good number of very hectic weeks, we decided to catch a little calm before the next storm of activity begins. Nags Head seemed like the perfect place to chill (literally too - it was freezing!!) and relax. Having never been to to the Outer Banks before, I quickly fell in love with the area. I loved that we were on a little strip of land with water on both sides, I loved the sound of the ocean roaring as I fell asleep at night, and I loved the relaxation that comes with being on a very empty beach. We walked the beach, climbed the sand dunes at Jockey's Ridge State Park and then flew our newly purchased kite at the top! (I was just a little annoyed with our kite which within seconds of getting up in the air the first time, took a sharp nose dive straight into the back of my head.) It was truly an enjoyable two days.

When we arrived at home on Friday afternoon, we had to create Shabbat dinner for about 18 people. Knowing that we would have limited time, I fell back on my easiest recipes that require very little hands on time.  My menu consisted of, homemade Challah, chicken soup with noodles, brisket (that I took out of the freezer!), spiced potatoes, roasted baby peppers, a garden salad, hearts of palm-avocado salad and a corn salad. (I even baked a cake - but there is a first time for everything - and my cake didn't bake properly, and so we had to manage without dessert.)

The menu was super easy to prepare and I didn't have to spend hours in the kitchen :)

Here is the recipe for the potatoes - super easy and super delish!

Spiced Potatoes

Red potatoes (leave skin on)
Canola oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Paprika
A small amount of Osem Consomme

Preheat oven to 425. Scrub potatoes well and cut into small chunks. Place potatoes in a glass baking dish. Add a little canola oil and all of the spices and the consommé. Mix well and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place in oven and allow to cook until potatoes are very soft. Enjoy!

Strawberry Sorbet

In case you didn't already know, I love dessert. Sometimes I will figure out what we will have for dessert before I even come up with the Shabbat dinner menu :)

So it shouldn't surprise you that I needed a Pesach friendly dessert :) In our home we use only a select few processed foods, so this makes desserts a little more complicated for Pesach - making sorbet the perfect solution.

Luckily for me, sorbet happens to be VERY easy to make - because as you can imagine there isn't all that much spare time when trying to pull off two large Seders.

As we get ready to celebrate our freedom from Egypt so many years ago, I would like to wish you a wonderful Pesach!!



Strawberry Sorbet


A quick note about making sorbet...the best way to make sorbet is to use a sorbet maker. I have the Cuisinart one and LOVE it! It is my understanding that sorbet can be made without the machine, you would just need to keep taking the sorbet out of the freezer and stirring it as it freezes.


Fresh strawberries
Sugar syrup (1 cup water to 1 cup sugar)


Puree strawberries in a food processor.  Pour the pureed strawberries into a frozen sorbet maker bowl. Add the sugar syrup. Allow the mixture to spin in the machine for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a container and freeze. Enjoy!

110 Years Since the Birth of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

One hundred and ten years ago, on the 11th day of Nissan (which was today) a visionary was born into this world. With the birth of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the world was given an incredible gift.

The Rebbe was truly a visionary with an incredible mission. The Rebbe knew that there were Jewish souls all around the world with a thirst to connect with their heritage. The Rebbe knew that Judaism would need to be spread all over the globe, to places near and far. The Rebbe sent Shluchim (emissaries) all over the world who set up Chabad Houses to help accomplish this important goal. With Shluchim all around the world, people can now attend Seders in some very remote places - like Ghana for example, where one of my brother's will be leading Seders!

As a child I grew up being able to visit  the Rebbe and receive his blessings many times over the years. These special occasions have remained with me throughout the years and I feel  privileged to have been able to meet such an inspiring leader.

As I run our Chabad House together with my parents and my husband, I am honored that we are able to do our part to bring Judaism to life for so many people in the Tidewater area. It is our hope that our work will make our Rebbe proud!

In order to celebrate this special day in our home, I decided that I would make a great dinner - even with all of the hustle and bustle of Pesach preps. I created a new baked salmon dish and served it with green beans and roasted potatoes. My family and I had took a few moments during dinner to say "L'chaim!" and speak about the Rebbe.

Tomato-Basil Salmon


Salmon fillets
Lemon juice
Campari tomatoes (or tomatoes of your choice)
Fresh garlic
Fresh basil
Olive oil
Salt
Oregano


Preheat oven to 375. 
Place salmon fillets in a glass baking dish and sprinkle a little lemon juice on each one. 
In a food processor (fitted with a chopping blade) blend the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt and oregano. When mixture is a fine puree, spoon over then salmon. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!