The Wonderful Sense of Smell

There is nothing as pleasurable as walking into a house where the smell of freshly baked cakes, cookies and pies is emerging from the kitchen. The aroma gives the house a very warm and inviting feeling. Over the years, I have accumulated many wonderful recipes, and I would like to share some of my family's favorite baked goods. All of my recipes are very easy and inexpensive to make.

Two great breakfast or snack time muffins:

Apple Muffins

• ½ cup water or apple juice
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 cup chopped apple
• 1 ½ cup flour
• 1 package baking powder (10 grams/3 teaspoons)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• coconut (optional)

Combine egg, water & oil. Beat well. Add dry ingredients and beat. Mix in the chopped apple and mix well. Grease muffin pan and fill ½ full. Sprinkle muffin tops with coconut

Bake on 350F for 30/35 minutes or until done.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

This recipe is from a newspaper with some changes from me.

Pomegranate and Apple Muffins

• 2 eggs
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 package of baking powder (10 grams/3 teaspoons)
• 1 tbs. vanilla
• 1 tbs. lemon juice
• ½ cup pomegranate juice
• 2 cups flour
• 2 apples chopped in small pieces
• ¾ cup raisins (soak for 1 hour so they won't burn)

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and lemon juice. Add dry ingredients and pomegranate juice and continue beating. Add apples and raisins and mix. Grease muffin tins and fill ½ full. This will make 18 muffins.

Topping

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

Mix well and sprinkles on muffin tops. Bake on 350F 30/35 minutes.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

My husband and I have been blessed with 12 grandchildren. When the children come to our house the first thing they want to know is, "Where is Rocky?" referring to our dog. Next question is, "Are there any cookies?" even though they know that the cookie jar is always full. Savta's (Grandma) cookies are their all-time favorite. Even the big kids, their parents, enjoy my cookies with coffee.

Savta's Special Cookies

• 1 cup sugar (or ½ cup white & ½ cup brown sugar)
• 7/8 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 package baking powder (10 grams/3 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange or lemon juice
• 2 ½ cups flour

Beat sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla & juice. Add baking powder and continue beating. Add flour and mix together until well blended. Line baking pans with baking paper. Using 2 teaspoons, drop cookie mixture.

Topping: sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (alternatives: coconut, colored candy sprinkles, sesame seed or drop of jam in the center of cookie).

Bake at 375F for 10/12 minutes or until brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Makes 5 dozen medium size cookies.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

We always like to end the Shabbat meal with dessert. Here are two of our favorites.

Fruit Cocktail Upside-Down Cake

Top

• ¼ cup oil
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 can of fruit drained, save juice (you can also use pineapple chunks)

Mix oil and brown sugar and stir into a large round baking pan. Place fruit in pan and arrange so that the bottom of the pan is covered.

Cake

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of saved juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 package of baking powder (10 grams/3 teaspoons)

Combine oil, sugar, eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with juice. Pour batter evenly over fruit mixture. Bake 350F for 40/45 minutes. Cake should be dry when tested with toothpick. Remove from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes before flipping cake onto a cake plate. Tip: to remove cake easily, place cake plate over the pan, flip gently and cake will left out perfectly.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Lemon Meringue Pie

Crust

• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt [optional]
• ½ cup oil
• 3 tablespoons cold water

Combine all the ingredients in a large round slightly greased pie plate. Gently knead with your hands until you have a ball. Cover the bottom of the pan with the mixture. Bake 15/20 minutes 350F or until dough is dry. Remove and let cool 5 minutes.

Filling

• 1¼ cups water
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar

Bring to a boil.

In a separate bowl, combine:

• 3 egg yokes separated (save whites for meringue)
• ¼ cup cold water
• ¼ cup corn flour (or corn starch/potato starch)

Beat together and on a very low fire, add mixture to boiling liquid. Continue stirring until lemon fill become desire thickness. Filling will burn if you stop stirring. Pour lemon filling into pie crust. Top with meringue.

Meringue

• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup of sugar

Beat egg whites until thick, adding sugar slowly. After covering the filling with meringue, brown in hot oven 390F for 5 /10 minutes.

Option: Prepare the same recipe in a large square pan and cut as squares.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Baking is fun whether you are a new or an experienced baker. The first time I prepare a new recipe, I follow the instructions completely. The second time, it is fun to experiment and see what else there is to do with the recipe. Happy baking and enjoy the recipes!