BIZZY BAKES

I was right when I said, I would not be able to post for a while.  I have cooked literally dozens of new dishes but had no time to blog.  I thought, I would get at least one here to prove I didn't forget you. The holiday, we are celebrating is Succos and it is a time we eat and some sleep in the sukkah, a temporary structure covered with wood slats or branches or bamboo.  People decorate them with pictures and projects, the children make in school. If you are interested in learning more about the holiday and its meaning, I found should fill you in. Here is the inside of one which I found online.  Another: Some are fortunate and have a yard where they can build their sukkah which is relatively close to the kitchen.  Some live in apartment houses and have a shared sukkah outside meaning, all the food is taken from the floor they live on down several flights of stairs.  Since we do not use elevators on the holiday itself, it means carrying...

I have not added many new recipes in the last week because school started and I found it hard not to think about  my class and what will make it an effective year for them.  I believe strongly in a class personality and that factor determines how I handle the class both in learning and discipline. I am teaching two classes, this year, and when I walked into each one, I felt good.  The boys were normal with no one glaring as a discipline problem.  I know that in one class there is a child who has been difficult over the years.  I made it a point to connect with him immediately.  He behaved and participated.  One day of success.  Now for the days to come. Last year, the class was supposed to be a dream class and from the moment I walked in, I felt a tension, I never felt before in that room.  It remained for at least half the year and never dissipated completely.  It took me months to understand that this class felt entitled. ...

The clue to success - add pastrami .  I have been using pastrami recently, a meat, I rarely use because of the high salt content.  I seem to be craving it.  I see the word in print and I must make the recipe.   I make a dish and see pastrami as an added ingredient that will enrich the original recipe.  I am enjoying eating this but frankly, I have to crack down on myself and stop adding it to so many dishes.  In the meanwhile, I highly recommend the taste. Broccoli Saute Ingredients:  2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, sliced and halved 2 cups pastrami, sliced in strips  1 teaspoon minced garlic  1 large bag frozen broccoli  Method: Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add onions and sauté till golden and crispy, about 15 minutes.  Remove from skillet and place on paper towels.  Add pastrami and garlic to the skillet and sauté 3–5 minutes.  Add broccoli and s...

Pastrami cures the ills of the  world.  Give it to the enemy and he will convert to your side.  Recently, I have made a few dishes with pastrami and they became instantaneous successes.  I have a feeling, no matter what was with the pastrami, had no significance other than to showcase the meat. This is the kind of recipe, you can add other items to.  Celery would give it a crunch.  Pasta would turn it into a meal.  The pastrami will  be the star, no matter what one adds. Pastrami and Greens Ingredients: 1/2 pound sliced pastrami (sliced pieces into about 1/2 inch pieces) 1 bag romaine lettuce 2 carrots (shredded) 1 small red onion, sliced thin Dressing: 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon 1/4 cup hot sauce 1/8 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder Method: In a large bowl. place romaine, carrots, celery and green onions. ...

This is another dish that lights up with pastrami, a simple broccoli and onion dish with the meat to brighten it.  I  suggest adding some rice or pasta to this and serving it as a main dish. Broccoli Pastrami Side  adapted from Kosher Scoop Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil onion - 1 large, thinly sliced 8 ounces pastrami, cut into small pieces (1/2 inch) 1/2 teaspoon garlic frozen broccoli - 1 16-oz bag Method: Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add onions and sauté till golden -  about 15 minutes.  Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.  Add pastrami  to the frying pan and sauté for 3–5 minutes. Add broccoli and sauté another 5–7 minutes.  Sprinkle with onions. Eat and enjoy Linked to:    Showcase Your Talent Thursday               Full Plate  Thursday         This is How We Roll           ...

I have a cookbook called Chic made simple by Esther Deutch.  It is a beautiful book but I have not made very much from it.  I had noted, in the past, this recipe for potato kugel with pastrami included in it.   My hubby is the potato kugel maker.  He does a great job and is a willing kugel maker so I happily turn this over to him.  This time, I encouraged him to try this recipe.  He was hesitant because we seem to have a winner in ours by baking it at a very high temperature.  We get this white inside which was not touched the brown that potatoes can change to. This recipe is made at a lower temperature and we were both dubious about how well it would turn out.  I decided it would be worth a try.  Unfortunately, my photo looks almost green and that is not the color it was.  It came out as white inside as our original recipe except where the pastrami is. Before, I share the recipe, let me tell you a little abo...

Yes, I did look up all kinds of recipes to keep Wonton Warrior happy but when it came down to making these, my "creativity" won.  Perhaps, it was my appetite that inspired me.  I had turkey pastrami in the refrigerator and pickles and mustard....the makings of a deli sandwich.  No bread, though so what was I going to do....make deli wontons.  Another thought..... You know how thick, those wonderful deli sandwiches are, too thick to bite into neatly.  Something is always falling out you take more than you should and you have a coleslaw mustache or perhaps one from the mustard or ketchup.  If the mustache should look like this, don't worry about it.  Keep it. I have no idea how you like your sandwiches but feel free to add anything you want, that fits.  I wanted to add onions but a wonton is small and I could get in the three most important ingredients.  I have some egg roll wrappers and I am thinking, dreaming, imagining how good t...

If you are wondering why I have the ingredients for this recipe in the title, it is because I have no idea what to call it.  It is delicious, filled with flavor and textures.  It has four of my favorite foods in it.  It was made up, on the spot, although, I certainly realize that these ingredients have gone together, many times, in other recipes.  I can't even decide which is the dominant flavor.  Pastrami has the strongest taste but I am lusting for the potatoes and onions.  The cabbage is the background for the others. I started out, puzzled as what to do with the pastrami.  We had purchased a large package for the Sabbath but that was about the only thing, I had left , after my grandchildren returned to their own home, each ten pounds heavier.  This is the family whose children eat and I am thrilled about that.  I just wasn't prepared for the disappearance of all the desserts, the pickles, the salads, the side dishes and the challah. ...