Kira is the Pie'd Piper

This weeks offering from Kira O'Donnell was Jumbleberry Pie. Look at those layers.
It's a star for sure! My in-laws picked it up at Corti Bros. so they got half!
And it is a taste of heaven on a plate....no, even better! Kudos to Kira O'Donnell.
Here is a lovely article about Kira in an archived Appetizers.

Sundays with Marlena Spieler-- Putting the schnit back in Schnitzel

Salt, pepper, and lemon juice on the pounded-out chicken breasts
The dredging station..I just do the egg and then the flour/matzo meal blend.
After dredging, I put them on a rack, over a cookie sheet, and let them set up for 15 min.
I fry in a blend of olive and canola oil...be sure to drain on and blot with paper towels after!
I simply served with a small red baker with sour cream and Marlena's sweet and sour cuke salad...which I think Eileen is making or has already made. It is perfect with this. Sweet and sour red cabbage would be great too!


Schnitzel was originally made using veal and pork. Apparently Jewish folk appreciate the turkey variety. I love schnitzel..any way, any how. I decided to use chicken though..because I had these fabulous chicken breasts from Corti Brothers. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients: Serves Four

4 boneless turkey or chicken breast fillets, pounded to about 1/4 " thick each
juice of one lemon..or maybe a bit more :)
2 chopped garlic cloves
6 TBS all purpose flour
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 tsp paprika (I used hot paprika)
1 TBS water
2 eggs..blended lightly
a mixture of canola and olive oil for shallow frying (see photo)
salt and freshly ground black pepper (for the dredge and for on top of the uncooked meat)
lemon wedges to serve (lemon makes all the difference squeezed over top)

1. Lay each fillet between wax paper or inside of a large ziplock bag and pound to flatten. Use a rolling pin or the smooth end of a meat mallet. If the chicken falls apart..."glue" it back on with a tap or two.

2. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and lemon juice over the pounded fillets.

3. Arrange two shallow dishes for dredging. One with the blended eggs and one with the mixture of flour and matzo meal...I also added the hot paprika to this mixture. (my DIL gave me that dredging set, which includes three, ...came from Pampered Chef).

4. Dip each fillet into the eggs and then over to the dredge. You'll have to work quickly..make sure to press the dredging mixture into the fillet.

5. Then put fillet's on a drying rack..to kind of "set up" before frying. Not for too long.

6. Heat pan with oil mixture...when you can see little bubbles on the bottom, you are ready to fry! Be very careful when adding fillet's to hot oil. As they fried, I used a spatula to sort of push the hot oil on top of the meat..so it cooked the top almost as it cooked the bottom. The color should be golden brown...not dark brown! Watch the heat. A heavy cast iron pan would be perfect for this. Again...hot oil so be careful. It doesn't take long to cook at all.

7. Be sure to put a clean towel or paper towels down on surface and lay cooked fillet on top...then blot to get most of the oil off. You will probably have to cook one or two at a time. You can leave the prepared schnitzel in the oven on 175 degrees until the others are done.

Enjoy! Be sure and check out the Jewish Cooking project blogger's out to see what they cooked for Sunday with Marlena.... Just the Two of us and Sacramento Spice. I know it will be delish.

Sunday's with Marlena Spieler - Muhammara

Love the matzo crackers with it...and any fresh veggie. Pickles and cheese? Yes. On kebabs or fish? Natch.
Click on photos to enlarge

[Photos by my gold mine of a husband, Dave Koontz.]


So it begins. Three bloggers and three recipes every Sunday until we finish the book... or kill each other. Please check out Shankari's blog and Eileen's blog each Sunday and follow along with us. If you make the recipes, send me a photo and I'll post it! If you have a blog, be sure to include the link. Let me know where you are from...so I can make fun of you. (no)


I decided to make Muhammara..or my version of it. It can be found on page 74 of Marlena Spieler's Jewish Cooking cookbook. Due to my huge fear of being sued by a publisher, I will not infringe upon any copyright laws. I switched the recipes up a bit and besides .. I thought I had all the ingredients and then..didn't! Adapt. Actually, I was going to start with Bulgarian Cucumber and Walnut Appetizer but changed my mind. I felt an urgent need to add some spice to my life. I checked with Ms. Spieler before starting the project and she has been helpful in so many ways. She spoke of feeling flattered and was so kind. Whew! wipes brow.

Instead of roasting red bell peppers, which I didn't have...I decided to use some jarred ones that I had. I didn't have any mild peppers either, so I used a few teaspoons of salsa verde..to taste. I had the choice to use pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar and I used the latter. I have some really great balsamic which I purchased at Corti's. (I did not buy the one that costs $499 bucks). I have purchased some at Taylor's too..love both of those stores!

Okay..so it is a delicious dip or condiment. I am going to use it on sandwiches..absolutely. Veggies dipped in it is perfect too..as is just about anything. Hell, I'd slide Stanley's paw down in it and lick it off! He is our cleanest cat.

So here is my adaptation of the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 slices of toasted whole wheat bread
1 and 1/2 jars of Mezzetta roasted bell peppers
3 tsp of hot salsa verde...or to taste (oh baby, I like it hot and spicy)
one cup walnut pieces
3 or 4 medium sized garlic cloves
2 and 1/2 tablespoons of decent balsamic vinegar (I also like Oak Aged California Balsamic)
juice of 1/2 a lemon...a real lemon
1 teaspoon of ground cumin ( I toasted mine first in a med. hot dry pan.. and then ground it)
1/2 to 1 tsp. of sugar.. or I suppose you could use honey
7 tablespoons or so of good extra virgin olive oil

So I tore up the toast and through it in, added the walnuts and ground cumin and pulsed it all in my food processor until it was ground up..but not like flour or anything. An immersion mixer would work too..or a decent blender. Next, the rest of the ingredients go in and get pulsed.. except for the olive oil. That goes in last while the processor is still running. Pulse more until it looks like a thick puree. I slowly added in the olive oil until it had a smooth consistency. It is best to serve at room temp.

My new favorite party dip and sandwich spread. Smokey luscious goodness. From so much pleasure, one could plotz!

On Sunday, November 15th I'll be posting Bulgarian Cucumber and Walnut Appetizer and my husband is making challah! The man is a bread baking machine. If you make it, or this weeks, send me some photos and a bit of info. I'll post the pics next week! [I have decided to make Fragrant Beetroot/Vegetable and spiced lamb Kubbeh soup..as well]