Mom's Tzimus Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces pitted prunes
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons matzo meal (optional)

Directions:

• Place the prunes in a large saucepan, and add water to barely cover while you peel and cut the potatoes and carrots. Add the potatoes, carrots, lemon juice, and sugar to the water, bring to a boil, and lower heat. Simmer the mixture until the carrots are very tender and the mixture is thick, about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.
• If a thicker tzimus is desired, stir in the matzo meal and simmer an additional 30 minutes.

Unstuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup margarine
• 6 slices stale bread, crumbled
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

• Melt margarine in a large skillet over medium heat; saute bread, onion, and garlic in hot margarine until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes; season with salt, sage, basil, and pepper. Continue cooking until the tomatoes are hot, another 7 to 10 minutes.

Orange and Onion Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 large oranges
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup black olives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Peel the oranges and cut each one into 4 or 5 crosswise slices. Transfer them to a shallow serving dish and sprinkle them with the vinegar, olive oil, and oregano. Toss gently, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Toss the oranges again, arrange the sliced onion and black olives over them decoratively, sprinkle with chives and grind on fresh pepper.

Masale Aaloo (Spice Potatoes) Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 whole russet potatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon amchoor (dried mango powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds

Directions:

• Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature.
• Once the potatoes have cooled, peel and cut into bite-sized cubes. Place into a mixing bowl, and sprinkle with ground cumin, coriander, amchoor, red pepper flakes, and salt. Toss gently to evenly coat the potatoes with the spices.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the whole cumin seeds, and cook until they begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the potatoes; cook, stirring occasionally until the potatoes have heated through.

Capsicum Zunka Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 large onion, cut into 1 1/2 -inch pieces
• 2 large green bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour

Directions:

• Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir in mustard seeds. When mustard seeds begin to crack, stir in onion. Cook 1 minute, then stir in green peppers, turmeric, salt, and chili powder. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in chickpea flour, mixing well; cover, and cook 2 minutes more.

Mandarin Orange Couscous Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 (10 ounce) box uncooked plain couscous
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained and liquid reserved
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

Directions:

• Prepare the couscous according to package directions using the drained mandarin orange liquid as part of the specified amount of water. Fluff the couscous, and gently stir in the pine nuts and mandarin oranges. Serve hot.

Potatoes with Fresh Ginger and Chilies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 green chile pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• salt to taste
• 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh curry leaves

Directions:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and cool.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the ginger and chile pepper; cook 2 minutes. Stir in the turmeric; cook 30 seconds. Combine the potatoes with the chile pepper mixture. Add salt as desired. Stir and cook 5 to 10 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes and curry leaves; cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Special Spuds Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place the potatoes, minced onion, parsley, garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper, and olive oil in a large bowl; toss together until potatoes are evenly coated. Spread potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven; flip the potatoes and continue to bake until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Orange and Onion Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 large oranges
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup black olives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Peel the oranges and cut each one into 4 or 5 crosswise slices. Transfer them to a shallow serving dish and sprinkle them with the vinegar, olive oil, and oregano. Toss gently, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Toss the oranges again, arrange the sliced onion and black olives over them decoratively, sprinkle with chives and grind on fresh pepper.

Roasted Pumpkins Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 small sugar pumpkins, seeded
• 2 cups applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
• In a small bowl, mix applesauce, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Spoon 1/2 cup mixture into each pumpkin.
• Place pumpkins in the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake in the preheated oven 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until pumpkins are tender.