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Delicious Passover Foods April 22 2016

Tonight marks the beginning of the Jewish Holiday of Passover. This holiday celebrates the exodus from Egypt of the Jewish people and incorporates the story of Moses, Pharoh and the ten plagues. As with most holidays, there are a lot of special foods for Passover. Unfortunately for this holiday, there are a lot of foods to avoid.  That doesn’t mean you cannot have something delicious during the holiday.

I’ve taken some of the products from the marketplace to make these holiday staples even better.

Matzoh Pizza is a favorite at my house.  This year, we’ll be using Due Cellucci Traditional Tomato Sauce to top our Matzoh. Just spread the sauce over a piece of Matzoh and  cover with your favorite toppings. Then finish with shredded mozzarella cheese.  Put under the broiler in your oven for about 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Chocolate Toffee Matzoh is one of my favorite Passover desserts. When you have to cut out leavened foods, there isn’t much to feed a sweet tooth but this always does the trick.  Cover a baking pan with aluminum foil and place a single layer of Matzoh on the foil.  Next heat one cup butter or margarine with 1 cup brown sugar.  Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour over the arranged Matzoh. Place in a 350°F oven until the toffee topping is bubbling. Immediately sprinkle with one bag of chocolate chips.  To make this even better we chopped up some Rococo Chocolates Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Artisan Bars and used them instead of Chocolate Chips.  As the chocolate melts, spread it to cover the toffee layer.  Cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, if you leave it too long it will become difficult to cut.  Cut and enjoy.

If you are celebrating Passover, I hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends and delicious food!

Happy Friday,

Julie


A Visit to St. Louis July 24 2015

I’ve been in St. Louis, Missouri visiting my family this week. I would say St. Louis is most famous for the Gateway Arch and the Cardinals Baseball Team.  By now you should know, when I travel I typically look for the food highlights in the city I am visiting.  St. Louis does have a few food creations to call their own and I try to enjoy them every time I visit.

Frozen Custard – A visit home isn’t complete without a stop at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.  Ted Drewes started selling Frozen Custard 80 years ago but it wasn’t until 1959 that the concrete was invented.  The concrete is a shake with mix-ins, similar to a blizzard. It is so thick you can turn it upside down!  Ted Drewes frozen custard was definitely an inspiration for Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack.

Toasted Ravioli – Basically a meat or cheese ravioli that has been breaded and then baked or fried. You absolutely cannot go wrong with toasted ravioli.  With a crispy outside and warm filling, dip it in marinara sauce and you’re all set.

Barbecue – St. Louis Style Barbecue involves direct grilling and a large volume of their signature sweet, sticky tomato-based sauce.  Typically used on spare ribs but delicious on most other meat products.

Even with all of these delicious options, I still find myself staying in for my mother’s home cooking. In the summer, this includes a lot of tomatoes from her plants outside. I’m enjoying all of the fresh produce and time with my family.

Happy Friday,

Julie