SHAVUOT DAIRY DELIGHTS

SHAVUOT ….FESTIVAL OF FRUITS AND CHEESES, SUMMER BOUNTY

Cheeses  come in a large variety of local and imported kinds. I like to use local cheeses. The variety is enormous and the amazing goats cheese are simply are the best.

Create a few simple dishes with cheese. Cheese cake, scones a pasta dish and a quiche

Just add a bowl of fruit, ice cream  a bottle of wine ,a few wholesome breads and you have a wonderful meal.

CHEESE CAKE RECIPE BY MY FRIEND HANAH.

The Pastry base.

1 cup flour. 1 level teaspoon baking powder.

2 0zs butter/ ¼ cup sugar

I beaten egg.

Rub the butter and flour together, add the butter and sugar and egg.

Roll and place in a baking tin and refrigerate for an hour or two.

The Filling.

500grams 5% Cream cheese

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

¼ pint cream

 I dessertspoon vanilla custard powder, mixed with the cream.

 Mix all well and pour into the base. Bake in a 325 oven for 40 minutes.

Serve with a diced fruit salad, or cut up strawberries or a coulis of granadilla pips.  Enjoy

MOM’S SCONES

. 2 cups flour 4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons of sugar .1/2 teaspoon of salt.

4 tablespoons butter. 2 eggs

 1/3 cup of cream or milk. You can use soya milk.

Mix the dry ingredients. Work in the butter. Add the beaten eggs. Toss the dough onto a floured board and roll quarter of an inch  in thickness. Cut into squares  or rounds. You can grate in a few teaspoons of cheddar or parmesan cheese.  Bake at 180 degrees or 450,  for fifteen minutes. Serve with butter and ja, whipped cream and blackberries or strawberries.

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QUICK DOUGH FOR PIZZA, QUICHE OR BASE FOR SAVOURY PIES.

1 cup of Self Raising flour

2 tablespoons of butter. A pinch of salt

1 beaten egg  with a little cold water.

Rub the butter with the flour and salt.

 You can add ½ a teaspoon baking powder.

Mix in the water and egg . Roll into a dough on a floured board. Chill the dough for an hour in the fridge.

 Use a lightly oiled baking dish or pizza tray

 And press the dough in. Fill with your choice and bake in an oven of 180 until the dough looks firm and light brown.

SHAVUOT IDEAS THAT ARE QUICK AND EASY.

Serve a cut up fruit salad with ice cream balls and fresh bread and butter.

Yogurt in a bowl, with cut uo fruit of the season, a tablespoon of granola and silan, date mixture or honey. People love this.

For kids. Make a platter of diced cheeses with toothpicks, cut up cucumbers  and cherry tomatoes. Cut thin strips of peeled carrots and leave in iced water for an hour. Serve cut up watermelon and grapes. They love to choose and create their own plate. Have a lovely fruit drink with dizzy looking straws and colorful serviettes

Serve a slice of quiche with grated carrots, diced cucumbers, sliced radishes and kohlrabi. Use cherry tomatoes that have been in a marinade of olive oil, chopped basil and mint leaves. You wash and prick the tomatoes and simply leave them in a marinade for a few hours. Adds color and style to the plate.

Have a relaxed week, enjoy the fun and trips around our glorious land.

LOVE AND LIGHT 

RONA

SHAVUOTH...EASY DISHES AND NEW IDEAS.

SHAVUOTH.

Shavuoth is a holiday that celebrates the  harvest season. Shavuoth, being seven weeks since Passover.It

is the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelite people  at Mount Sinai.

We celebrate the first fruits of the season and eat fresh foods and dairy meals .

Plan your holiday with happy arrangements of flowers, leaves, fruits and  leaves. Use bright colors and make the table look like a tribute to the   land of milk and honey.

Cheeses.

Choose some  good cottage cheese, cream cheese and you can mix these to make  tasty dips and fillings for a quiche, blintzes or pancakes.

CHEESE PLATTER, CRACKERS AND BREADS.

Choose a large tray and  cover it with wax paper and fresh grape leaves or flower leaves.Place a few uncut cheeses on it, cubed cheddar cheese with a toothpick in each and some cheese balls.

I make the cheese balls with crushed nuts, a few spices and cream cheese. Grate some yellow cheese and add .Roll into balls and cover with zatar, sesame and sunflower seeds.

UNCUT CHEESES. Here you can choose  from Emek , Gilboa, Roquefort,  Rolls of Goats cheese and some Camembert and Emental. . I use cubes of Cheddar and sliced Mozzarella. Arrnage a few knives on the tray. Use Bulgari cubes, with a little zatar on it and olive oil. Feta is good on a salad. I grill Halumi, cut into strips and coat this with crushed pecan nuts. Use these on a green salad.

Place the cheese with some  washed dried fruit, figs, apricots and dates. I add a few flowers and grapes to the tray.

 Place crackers and breads nearby. You can have a techina spread in a bowl, pesto and some olive pate. People love creating their own nash plate. Olives and pickled cucumbers finish the picture.  This is a great starter for everyone.

 You can serve apple cider juice with mint leaves or some cold tomato juice. Cold grape juice , mixed with ice cubes, is great  for every one. Wines go well with this meal and a glass of cold cava with a few pomegranate pips and mint leaves make a good drink.

For  a quick quiche, simply  use crushed crackers mixed with a little olive oil and herbs.  Mix and spread into a baking pan. Place in fridge for an hour. Then fill with a mixture of eggs, cream cheese , a grated onion, apple and  a few herbs and  diced broccoli, cauliflower, zucchinis or cooked sweet potato. Bake and serve hot with a good green .

EASY CHEESE CAKE.

 I Packet of Marie Petit Beulah Biscuits.

100 grams butter.

1 packet Instant Lemon or Vanilla Pudding..

250 grams cream cheese.

250ml yogurt.

250 ml cream .

 Melt butter and crushed bixcuits. Press into a dish.

Beat the cream until it is thick and add the yogurt and cream cheese. Add the pudding. Mix and pour into the base. Refrigerate for two hours. Serve with  ice cream  or hot Nutella chocolate sauce.

I find that it is good with a  few slices of grilled mango, orange or peach and pear slices on the side. Sprinkle with icing sugar and voila , it looks great.

BAKED BANANAS..

Take 6 bananas and cut them into halves, lengthways. Arrange them in a large baking dish and sprinkle with orange juice, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle dots of butter all over and bake in a medium oven for fifteen minutes. Cover the bananas with chopped marshmallows and bake  for five minutes more..

Serve with ice cream, vanilla yogurt or a soya caramel pudding................

  DESSERT FOR EVERYONE..................

Take a large  deep dish or baking tray. Cover with foil   Fill with chunks of ice cubes ,petals and leaves of flowers. Arrange all the individual and mini ice creams on top. Use a variety of all kinds and the kids and  adults will love to choose their favourites. I arrange grapes, peaches and fruits in season between all the ices. Easy, do it last minute . Have fun.

Remember, planning and preparation ahead, makes entertaining easier.

LOVE AND LIGHT

RONA..