Jam Streusel Bars

What you will need:

Shortbread Crust
½ cup oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar

pinch of salt

Jam Layer
Fruit flavored preserves of choice

Streusel Topping
½ cup oil

1 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

1 cup rolled oats

⅔ cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F, with the rack in the middle. Grease a 9 by 9” square pan and line it with greased parchment.

Crust
In a medium bowl, mix the oil, flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt, until it comes together in a uniform dough. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Press it down with your hands to pack it tightly into the pan. Place in the oven to par bake for 15 minutes.

Gooey Filling

Spread a layer of your fruit preserves over your warm crust. Spread as much or as little as you want. I like a thin layer. 

Topping
Mix together the oil, brown sugar, salt, oats and flour with your fingers, so the mixture forms small clumps. Scatter evenly over the jam. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is caramel-brown and the fruit is bubbling.

Cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting. It’s easier to cut when chilled. 

Enjoy! 

Honey Apple Biscotti

It’s almost Rosh Hashanah and apple picking season, so what better way to bring in the new year and celebrate with an abundance of apples from apple picking than with some biscotti. These biscotti are sweetened with honey and have traditional warm apple spices in them. Then, they are topped with some dried apples. Alternatively, you can cube fresh apples and add to the middle of the biscotti.

What you will need:

3 ½ cups of flour

3/4 cup honey

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. cardamom

½ tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. allspice

Pinch of salt

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1.5 oz dried apples (I use Trader Joe’s freeze dried Fuji apple slices)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

In a large bowl add flour, salt, baking soda, and spices.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla extract. 

Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Give it a quick stir to incorporate all of the ingredients, the dough will be a little crumbly.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Form the dough into 2 long logs.  The logs should be relatively flat, only about ½ inch high, otherwise you will have really big slices of biscotti.  

Crush your dried apple chips and sprinkle over the top. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F, until the center is firm to the touch.

Let biscotti cool for 15 minutes.  Use a serrated knife cut the log into 1 inch wide pieces.

Turn the oven to 300°F and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Biscotti may be still be a little moist and chewy, so if you prefer it crisp let it sit uncovered overnight in a dry space. 

Enjoy!

Cherry Apricot Preserves

I love cherries, but sometimes fresh ones cause me to have an allergic reaction. I bought a container of them so happy they were in season, ate a few, and then had an allergic reaction. I then thought to make a preserve with them so I can enjoy them again. I paired the cherries with apricots, which compliment the cherry flavor profile well. I also added some almond extract, which I learned from my many hours of watching The Food Network, that it enhances the flavor of cherries! 

This recipe is so easy and doesn’t use any pectin or preservatives! I will be using these preserves this week to stuff one of my challahs! 

What you will need: 

1 lb cherries, pitted and chopped 

1 lb apricots, pitted and chopped 

2 cups sugar 

1 tbsp lemon juice 

1 tsp almond extract 

Directions

Wash drain and pit the cherries and apricots. Chop into little chunks depending on the texture you need. Soft cherries can be used but discolored and bruised will ruin the jam so remove those. 

In a sauce pan, combine the apricots, cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. If you are using frozen cherries, let the cherries macerate in sugar and lemon juice for a few hours before cooking. This softens the skin considerably. 

Cook on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Then, turn the heat up and let the mixture come to a boil. Let it boil for two minutes on medium-high. Boiling the jam is important as it releases pectin from the skin. 

Then, turn the heat to medium-low. The jam should still be simmering but at a low simmer, not bubbling. Mash the fruit so you have a smoother jam-like consistency. 

Continue to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes more, stirring often so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. The jam will continue to thicken as well as deepen in color as it cools. Add the almond extract once the heat has been turned off and stir once more. 

Pour the jam into clean jars leaving ¼” space from the top. Use a clean knife or spatula to move the jam a bit, this will remove any air pockets.

Enjoy!

Potato Knish Challah

What do you get when you stuff mashed potatoes and mushroom inside of your challah strands? Potato knish challah! And that’s exactly what my house smells like as this challah is cooking. 

This challah is oh so savory, and so good served warm! One of my favorite savory mashup creations yet!

What you will need:

Challah dough {recipe here}

Filling

3 Maine or Yukon gold potatoes

2-3 garlic cloves

Salt 

1 container mushrooms

Topping

1 egg

Mushrooms

Fried onions {I use Trader Joe’s fried onion pieces}

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 300°F. 

On parchment lined sheet tray or greased aluminum foil, spread out the mushroom slices and bake for about an hour. This helps remove all the excess moisture in the mushrooms that could make the challah soggy! {or use Trader Joe’s Crunchy Champignon Mushroom Snack to save a step, but we just finished our last bag on a pizza!}

While the mushrooms are in the oven, start on the mashed potatoes. I peel and cube my potatoes so they boil faster. I place it all in the pot with a generous amount of salt and garlic cloves. Boil for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. 

Drain the potatoes, but save the starchy water! This helps the mashed potatoes become creamy without having my to add margarine. 

Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and gradually add the starchy water until creamy, but not too liquidy. Add salt and any other seasonings. 

Allow the mashed potatoes cool, if the filling is too hot it will be hard to shaped the challah. I usually do mine a day in advance. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Place cooled mashed potatoes along the log, and top with some dehydrated mushrooms. Pinch closed and braid. 

Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise 30 minutes. 

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with reserved mushrooms and fried crispy onions. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Bun Challah

What you will need: 

Challah dough {recipe here} 

Filling 

1 cup brown sugar 

4 tbsp cinnamon Oil or butter 

1 egg 

Topping 

1 oz cream cheese 

1 tbsp oil 

1 tsp vanilla

Powdered sugar 

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Divide dough into 3 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 4 inches wide. Shmear each section with softened butter or oil. Leave the edges unfiltered to roll up easier. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the oil/butter. 

Roll up each flattened log on itself like you would a traditional cinnamon bun.

Braid the challah. Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise for 30 minutes.

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

While the challah is baking, prepare the cream cheese glaze. Mix softened cream cheese, vanilla, and oil together and gradually add powdered sugar until a pourable consistency.

Once the challah is out of the oven and cooled, drizzle with the cream cheese glaze.

Enjoy!