Monday, March 4, 2024

Tahini Blondies

 Adeena Sussman

She has two amazing cookbooks out - Sababa and Shabbat. I have made a few recipes in each.

Here is the Tahini Blondie recipe which is amazing.


  • 1/2 cup 

    canola oil 

  • 1 1/4 cups 

    all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 teaspoon 

    baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon 

    ground cardamom 

  • 1/2 teaspoon 

    fine sea salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon 

    freshly ground black pepper

  • tablespoons 

    lightly toasted black sesame seeds

  • tablespoons 

    lightly toasted white sesame seeds

  • 1 1/4 cups 

    lightly packed light brown sugar

  • large eggs
  • teaspoon 

    pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup 

    pure tahini paste

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with Pam.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cardamom, salt, pepper, and the black and white sesame seeds. 
  3. In another medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, 1⁄2 cup melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. 
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated, then fold in the tahini until smooth. 
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden on the outside and the center doesn’t jiggle but is still soft, 25 to 30 minutes. 
  6. Remove from the oven, cool in the pan, and cut into 16 equal squares.





Thursday, February 29, 2024

Leap Day 2024

I know my blog hasn’t been updated in a bit. I have been a bit busy. In the last seven days we have been to UVM, UMASS Amherst and UNH Admitted Students Day. Great to spend time with my high school senior, but a lot of driving also.

Here are some photos from UVM (dairy barn)




And from UMASS (Goats and Sheep)






What have I been cooking????

My new favorite thing is sweet potato nachos from Half Baked Harvest. Basically you cut sweet potatoes and roast them with a bunch of spices, including paprika. Then at the end you add black beans and shredded cheese and roast for a bit longer. I can’t tell you how easy this is and how delicious it is.




Monday, January 8, 2024

Hadassah Boston Installation

 What an amazing night. I just have to share some photos















Saturday, December 30, 2023

Super Easy Broccoli Soup

 Years ago I attended a Jewish Italian cooking class in a private home in Newton. I can’t remember the year. I can’t remember the cook. But I saved this recipe, and made it years ago when my kids were little. It is a “parve” soup, which means it contains no dairy products and no meat products. Vegan!

Broccoli with Fresh Fennel Soup.

Makes 6-8 servings.

2 large heads of broccoli

1 large onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 T olive oil

Fennel feathers from one bulb of fresh fennel

6 cups water (I use 4 c vegetable broth and 2 c water)

Salt and pepper

Chop the broccoli and get rid of the large stem (but not the smaller ones). Chop the small stems.

Sauté onion and garlic in the oil for 5-9 minutes in a large pot.

Add broccoli, fennel and water, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the broccoli is soft. Purée the mixture in a blender (you can use a stick blender)

Return to pot and simmer 10 minutes, add salt and pepper as needed.

Serve.


Friday, November 24, 2023

Thanksgiving 2023

 Thanksgiving 2023


Chex Mix

Cheese, crackers and grapes and chips and dip (provided by Dave Follick and Erica Berliant Follick)

Mock Meatballs - Vegetarian Times Thanksgiving

Wine

Sparkling Apple Cider

Pomegranate spritzer

Mark’s Hard Lemonade

Beer

Cucumber and Apple Salad (from Adeena Sussman’s Shabbat)

Challah

Olives and Pickles

2 Turkey Breasts 

15 bean chili (Vegetarian Times Thanksgiving)

Gravy

Sweet potato with marshmallows 

Stuffing - Mom’s

Canned Cranberry Sauce

Mom’s cranberry relish

Kugel (from Robin Weiner Healey)

Roasted Broccoli 

Tiny Potatoes roasted


Fruit from Barbara Cohen

Coffee and Tea

Candied Cranberry Chocolate Tart - December 1999 Bon Appetit 

Pumpkin Pie - Pie and Pastry Bible

Apple Pie - Pie and Pastry Bible

Mae’s Chocolate Pie

Tahini Blondies - Adeena Sussman

Maple Brownies

Chocolate Brownies with Caramel (Foolproof Ina Garten)

Espresso Brownies (Half Baked Harvest website)

Butter Cookies

Pumpkin Bread






















Saturday, November 18, 2023

Blog is not forgotten

 It has been a bit busy this fall in the Weitzman house. I am incoming president of Hadassah Boston. I just returned home from my three day training in NYC. I received a lot of information, but I met 11 other women who are also becoming regional presidents on January 1, 2024! We are a diverse group of women, and live across the country. It was nice to meet our trainers, and each other.

And now I am home, am preparing Thanksgiving. I will post my menu later.

Work is busy, as it is at the end of every year. I like to be busy. Everything will get done by December 31, 2023.

Youngest child is applying to colleges, which is stressful and exciting.

More to come, but I didn’t want you to think I forgot about you.

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Baking

 I have been neglecting my cooking blog. I have been a bit busy.


I did attend two King Arthur Flour classes. I took a cupcake class and a tart and pie class. Both were amazing.

Let me share some photos.


Weighing ingredients is most important

Look at those amazing chocolate cupcakes

Making the vanilla filling for the cupcakes


Who knew that peanut butter butter cream is so amazing.

I filled a cupcake with the filling!!!


Peanut butter buttercream on top of chocolate cupcakes


My filled cupcakes


I can’t believe I made these cupcakes!



Tart shell


TASTY

Cranberry pecan tart

apple pie