Matzoh Ball Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken Stock:

• 3 lbs. chicken breasts, skin removed
• 1 lb. carrots, halved
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, unpeeled, cut into quarters
• 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. salt
• 10 cups water

Matzoh Balls:

• 1 cup whole-wheat matzoh meal
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 cup seltzer water
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Garnish:

• 2 carrot halves, reserved from chicken broth, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Makes 8 Servings

1. For the chicken stock: Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, salt, and water in a large stockpot: bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, skimming foam as needed, until stock is rich and flavorful, 2-2 1/2 hours. Strain stock; reserve 2 carrot halves for garnish and the chicken meat for another use. Discard rest of solids. Return stock to stockpot. Skim off any visible fat.
2. For the matzoh balls: while chicken is simmering, combine the matzoh meal, oil, and seltzer in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, salt and pepper until foamy. Stir egg mixture into matzoh mixture until well combined; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. To cook matzoh balls: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, with wet hands to prevent sticking, form 16 walnut-size balls of chilled dough. Reduce water to a simmer, then gently lower matzoh balls into the simmering water using a slotted spoon. Cook until all the matzoh balls have floated to the top and are cooked through, about 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to a simmer. Divide stock and matzoh balls among 8 serving bowls, add a little chopped carrot and dill to each bowl, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts. with 1 matzoh ball, 3 pts. with 2 matzoh balls

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. Matzoh ball soup is the official soup that is traditionally eaten during the first 2 days of Passover. Passover is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated over an 8-day period commemorating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Because they fled so quickly, they were only able to take unleavened bread with them. Leavened bread is not eaten during Passover and matzoh is used in many traditional Passover dishes. Matzoh ball soup is a soup that is rich in flavor and essential during Seder. This was my first time making matzoh ball soup and it was a success. I was really nervous about making the matzoh balls and cooking them in the broth. The balls were nice in texture and blended very well in the soup. You can make the matzoh meal by processing 3-4 whole matzoh sheets in a food processor until it is finely ground to make 1 cup. The homemade chicken stock is also delicious too. You can use this homemade chicken stock in any chicken soup recipe and it will be yummy.

 

Flourless Chocolate-Orange Torte

Ingredients:

Torte:

1/2 cup trans-fat-free margarine

1/4 cup granular sugar substitute

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup ground almonds

1/2 cup matzoh cake meal

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp grated orange zest

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

sliced almonds

 

Glaze:

1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

 

Makes 12 Servings

1. For the torte: Heat oven to 325 F. Line an 8-inch can pan with wax paper.
2. Using a wooden spoon, cream margarine and sugar substitute together in a large bowl unti light and fluffy. Whisk in egg yolks. Stir in almonds, matzoh meal, chocolate, vanilla, zest and orange juice (batter will be thick).
3. In another large bowl, whit and electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold whites into chocolate batter. Turn batter into pan and bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool torte in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and cool for another 30 minutes.
4. For the glaze: When torte has cooled, combine half-and-half and chocolate chips in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 2 minutes. Spread glaze over top of cake. Garnish with sliced almonds, if using.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. I made this yummy dessert over the Passover/Easter holiday and it was SO delicious. This dessert is perfect for those who eat a gluten-free diet because there is not flour in this treat and it's filled with so much flavor. I'm not Jewish but I have come to love Jewish desserts and this dessert did not disappoint. I learned that chocolate, matzoh cake meal and nuts are popular ingredients in Passover desserts. This torte has all three PLUS the orange juice and zest for a more  bold flavor. The combination of chocolate and orange is so decadent I think it should be served for dessert whenever your having company for dinner. Dessert should always be a memorable close to a dinner meal because you always want to finish with a bang.

Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 3 large egg whites
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2  tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

Makes 32 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line one or two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg whites with sugar. Add vanilla and coconut; stir to combine.
3. Scoop up a level tablespoon of batter and form into a ball with your hands; repeat with remaining batter. Place each ball about 1-inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. 
4. Bake until tops just start to turn light tan, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove cookies to a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.
5. Place chocolate in a double boiler or heavy pot; melt over low heat, stirring occasionally (do not allow to burn). Keep chocolate warm and pliable as you dip tops of cookies into chocolate. Place dipped cookies on a metal tray evenly spread apart so they’re not touching; freeze until chocolate sets, about 20 to 30 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts (1 cookie per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Passover and Easter are appraoching and it's  a good excuse to bakse some delicious treats. Macaroons are the ultimate guilty pleasure for any Jewish holiday. These treats are easy enough to make and enjoy all year long. One bit of these and you'll never buy those brand name candy bars or cookies at the store again. These cookies are only 5 ingredients so 5-ingredient queen Claire Robinson will be impressed.

Challah Bread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water (105-110 F)
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tsp corn oil
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg white, beaten with 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Makes 10 Servings

1. In a small bowl, combine the water and  1 tablespoon of the flour; sprinkle with the yeast. Let stand untuil foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the egg and oil.
2. In a food processor, combine the remaining flour, the sugar and salt. With the maching running, scrape the yeast mixture through the feed tube until the dough just forms a ball. Knead the dough by pulsing it until it is smooth and elastic, about 30 times.
3. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray; place the dough in the bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in volume, about 1 hour.
4. Punch down the dough; lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour. Turn out the dough; divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece between your palms into an 18-inch rope. Pinch the ropes together at the one end and braid loosely. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray; gently transfer the braided loaf to the baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a smap towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush the loaf with half of the egg white. Bake about 20 minutes; brush with the remaining egg white and sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Bake until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, 10-15 minutes longer. Remove from the baking sheet and cool completely on a rack.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts (1/10 of loaf per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. My bread making has been successful so far this year and I wanted to make a bread pudding for dessert. I've read that challah bread is perfect for making bread pudding because it's sweet and airy. Challah bread is a traditional Jewish bread that's perfect for making French toast and other fruity and sweet treats. This challah bread was light and airy and worth the time and effort making.