Orange Nut Bread

  

Ingredients

 2 cups flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans because walnuts make my mouth itch)

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg, beaten

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 large oranges, quarter and peel

Process

 "Slice oranges thinly and cover with cold water. Boil ten minutes and change water 3 times. Drain. Return to pan and add 1 Tablespoon sugar. Heat until sugar melts. Combine flour, orange rind, walnuts, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Moisten with egg. If not damp enough add 1 Tablespoon milk. Put into a greased loaf pan. Let stand covered for 10 minutes. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 45 minutes."

Haroset

I am a little late this year, but oh well, here's the yummiest part of passover. Well that's my opinion, from good ole WASPy me!
Haroset, or Charoset is a dish served during Passover. Charoset in Hebrew means clay, and the dish's color and texture symbolizes the mortar with which the Israelites bonded bricks when they were enslaved in Ancient Egypt.

There are many recipes for Charoset. A typical recipe would include nuts, apples, cinnamon, and sweet wine. Honey is used as a sweetener and binder: the mixture is not cooked. Variations for this recipe do exist that may include raisins or other ingredients native to the Middle East such as figs or dates. In Egypt, it is made only of dates, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon and sweet wine. In Greece and Turkey, it consists of apples, dates, chopped almonds and wine. In Iraq and Central Asia it sometimes consists of grape jelly. In Italy, it can include chestnuts. In Spanish and Portuguese communities of the New World, such as Surinam, it may include coconut.

I intended to put this recipe up a week in advance of Passover, but life got in the way of any blogging I was to do. I received this recipe from my friend Arona who I used to teach with in Connecticut. This recipe is tasty and healthy and loved by the entire family. I tend to use pecans in place of the traditional walnuts only because of personal preference.

Ingredients
1 apple - cored
1 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans) (whole or ground)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons honey
2 Tablespoons red wine

Process (there are 2 methods)

1. Combine whole ingredients in food processor and pulse until combined. OR
   
2. If using ground nuts - the alternative method would be to chop or grate apple coarsely and mix with rest of ingredients. Add wine and blend thoroughly.
   

Chicken Mousse with Nut and Celery Salad

This one is credited to my great grandmother. While somethings have clearly gone out of style in terms of eating gelatinous chicken for lunch, the use of salads in this recipe and another soon to come has not changed a bit in three generations! When we have leftover chicken we make it into a salad with celery and pecans. I like the use of French dressing over the top of this one!

Chicken Mousse with Nut and Celery Salad

Ingredients
1 cup cream, milk, or chicken broth (I live how this ranges from least to most healthy)
3 eggs separated
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
salt
pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
gelatin
water
1 cup cooked chicken, pounded and chopped very fine.
1 cup whipped cream
leaf lettuce
chopped celery
chopped pecans
French Dressing

Process

1. Scald one cup milk cream or chicken broth.
   
2. Beat yolks three eggs and add salt, celery salt, pepper, and paprika
3. Cook as a custard...

(So this is where this recipe comes to a screeching halt so that I can insert the proper directions from Joy of Cooking for modern cooks who don't eat or cook custard on anything close to a monthly basis.)

• ... whisking together ingredients until blended.
• Bring to a summer in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking gently all the while.
  
• In a separate bowl, add 1/4 package gelatin with 1/4 cup cold water
• Place chicken in bowl and strain custard over cup of chicken.
• Place over ice bath
  
• Stir over ice water until thick
• Add 1 cup whipped cream and stir.
  
• Pour into mold and chill.
  
• When ready to serve, place on lettuce.
• Cover with chopped celery and pecans.
  
• Pour French Dressing over the top.

The notes in the margin state: "4 lbs. chicken serves 18", but I wonder if she actually meant to write 4 cups of chicken and thus encouraging you to quadruple the recipe for a party?