Cornantine Muffins

It's now day 962,531 8 of quarantine, but it's also Monday which means it's time for #MuffinMonday! 

When I was trying to figure out which muffins to make for this #muffinmonday in quarantine I first started thinking about the word quarantine or bidud in Hebrew. I thought of what foods start with Q and B and also had to take into account what I have on hand. I thought of quinoa muffins, quiche muffins, banana muffins, and blueberry muffins and then as I was falling asleep last night it came to me - CORNANTINE muffins! 

I know it's super corny and yes that was super corny but these muffins are perfect for quarantine and the third lockdown that just began in Israel because these muffins don't have any fancy ingredients, just pantry staples. To take these muffins over the top I added a ton of blueberries to the batter and combined with the sweet corn flavor these muffins definitely make any day especially a day in quarantine so much better! 

One of the best food memories I have from growing up is my mother making corn muffins for a weekday breakfast. It made a regular Tuesday morning into something special. The batter comes to gather in minutes and they bake for about 20 minutes so we were able to enjoy these before we hopped on the bus to school. They are best served hot and fresh from the oven with a pat of butter and a little bit of jam.

Cornantine Muffins 

1 cup cornmeal - in Israel קמח תירס, not קורנפלור which is corn starch 

1 1/4 cups flour 

1 tsp salt 

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup sugar 

1/2 cup oil or 1 stick melted butter

3/4 cup buttermilk*

2 eggs

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (optional)

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

2 Tbsp turbinado sugar to sprinkle over the top 

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C

Grease a standard-size muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a large bowl mix together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until well combined. Add the sugar, oil/butter, buttermilk, and eggs and stir until just combined. If using blueberries and lemon zest fold them in now.
Fill the prepared muffin tin with the batter, sprinkle each muffin with sugar, and bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

*This recipe uses buttermilk which adds to the flavor and more importantly the texture of the muffin. If you want to make them dairy-free or only have regular milk on hand, no problem! Just mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the 3/4 cup milk or dairy-free milk of your choice and let it stand for 5 minutes and you're good to go. 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins

Like all the muffins on this blog, these should be stored in a zip-top bag or airtight container on the counter for 2 days (if you don't eat them all before hand) they also freeze beautifully. 

Cauliflower Chickpea Soup

I'm on day 839,426 seven of quarantine, but that doesn't mean that #SoupSunday wouldn't happen! I made this soup using ingredients that I always have on hand and that to me is my favorite type of cooking. Opening the fridge/freezer and pantry to go shopping for ingredients instead of going to the supermarket means I can make soup without changing out of my pajamas and if that isn't living the life I don't know what is :)

Every time I use a bag of frozen cauliflower I always save the little crumbs that aren't suitable to serve as a side dish. I collect all of those cauliflower crumbs in a Ziploc bag in my freezer and after a while, I had enough to make this soup. I actually thought about making this soup before I went to NY, but then thought, no this is perfect pantry staple soup, a soup perfect for quarantine. It's also really perfect for the next lockdown that Israel is heading into tonight, but let's talk soup. 

This soup starts out by roasting the cauliflower and chickpeas with a good pinch of cumin. This step adds an amazing layer of flavor to the soup so please don't skip it. While the cauliflower and chickpeas roast the onion and garlic saute in a pot on the stove and then some white wine joins the party to deglaze the pot which releases any stuck-on bits of flavor from the bottom of the pot. The wine reduces and adds another layer of flavor to the soup in the form of acidity and slight fruitiness which is a great addition to the soup. The roasted cauliflower and chickpeas get added to the pot along with some water the soup then cooks for a bit and then gets blended until smooth and creamy. If you want to go all out you can add a good splash of heavy cream or coconut milk to the soup to make it really rich, but honestly, it doesn't really need that because the cauliflower and chickpeas make the soup really creamy on their own. 

See notes below the recipe about ingredient explanations and substitutions.

Cauliflower Chickpea Soup 

800 grams of frozen cauliflower  or 1 large head of fresh cauliflower broken down into florets 

1 can chickpeas drained 

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

Salt 

1/2 tsp pepper 

3/4 tsp cumin 

1 medium onion, diced 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1/3 cup semi-dry or dry white wine 

5-6 cups of water 

Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F 

In a large pot add the cauliflower, chickpeas, 2 tablespoons olive oil, pinch of salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir to coat the cauliflower and chickpeas with the olive oil and spices. You can toss the cauliflower with the spices in a bowl, but why dirty a bowl when this pot is going to get dirty when you make the soup?

Place the seasoned cauliflower and chickpeas in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray. Roast for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp around the edges. 

With 10-15 minutes left to the roasting time start sauteing the onion. Take that same pot that you tossed the cauliflower and chickpeas in and place it over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the diced onion along with a pinch of salt. Cook the onion for about 8 minutes until slightly tender and golden. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the white wine and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. After the cauliflower and chickpeas have roasted you can reserve a few florets and chickpeas for garnish. Add the roasted cauliflower and chickpeas along with 5 cups of water. You don't want to add all the water at once because not all bags and heads of cauliflower are created equal and you might not need all 6 cups of water. When you blend the soup you can add more water if the texture is too thick for you, but you don't want to add all the water at once because you can always add more, but you can't remove it. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the flame and cover the pot. 

Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, remove from the heat and then blend until smooth using an immersion blender or work in batches in a stand blender. If the soup is too thick add some of the reserved 1 cup of water until you reach your desired thickness. 

Taste the soup and add more salt if necessary. Ladle it up and enjoy! 

Yield: 4-6 servings 

A few notes about the ingredients 

Cauliflower - fresh or frozen or even riced whichever you prefer. In Israel, the frozen bags are usually 800 grams and I've looked online and seen that in the States the bags are usually 24 oz or 32 oz you can use either size the soup will be just fine. 

Chickpeas - if you don't have use canned white beans instead 

Onion - you can use 3 shallots in place if you don't have an onion on hand just use 1 clove of garlic instead of 3 as shallots have slight notes of garlic. 

White wine - there is 1/3 of a cup in the recipe - please use a wine that you would drink, a wine that you enjoy because why would you add something that doesn't taste good to your soup? If you don't have any wine on hand you can use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 2 tsp white wine vinegar and 1/4 cup of water.

Hot Cocoa Muffins

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, well not here. I just got back to Jerusalem and the weather here in Israel is sunny and warm, but last week in NY when I made these muffins the weather was quite snowy. 

I absolutely love the snow. Everything is sparkling white and last week NY really was a winter wonderland. 

After spending time in the snow all I want to do is have a big cup of hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows. That cozy cup of post snow cocoa was the inspiration for this week's #muffinmonday. A rich chocolate muffin with plenty of gooey marshmallows and a lot of mini chocolate chips. These muffins will definitely warm you up after a walk through the snow or you can enjoy these muffins in a warmer climate and think about the snow. Whichever weather scenario you choose be sure to make these muffins! 

and now that I'm back in Israel that means quarantine so since I've got no place to go so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! 

Hot Cocoa Muffins 

1 3/4 cups flour 

1/2 cup cocoa 

2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp baking soda 

3/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup oil 

1/2 cup milk of your choice 

1 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1/4 cup water 

3 eggs 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup mini marshmallows / 6-8 regular sized marshmallows cut up 

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips plus a bit more for sprinkling on top before baking

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C

Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the oil, milk, coffee+water, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the brown sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in the mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips.

Scoop into prepared muffin pan and sprinkle each muffin with a few mini chocolate chips.

Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven. 

Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing and allowing to cool on a wire rack. 

Fluffy Cheese Muffins

On Chanukah there is a tradition to eat dairy foods. I know what you're thinking, isn't Shavuot the holiday that we ate dairy and Chanukah is the holiday with the fried foods? Well on Chanukah we have the custom to eat delicious dairy foods as well as fried foods because of the story of one heroic woman. During the Chanukah story, the brave Yehudit goes to the tent of a Greek general, she feeds him salty cheese which causes him to be thirsty, and she then gives him plenty of wine. While he is drunkenly asleep she kills him and upon finding out that their general had been killed, the Greek army fled. 

In memory of Yehudit's bravery, we eat dairy products. This should also prove as to why latkes should only be eaten with sour cream, but we're not here for latkes let's talk fluffy cheese muffins! 

I wanted to create a muffin that flavor-wise reminds me of cheesecake, but is texturally a fluffy muffin. This muffin is made with farmer cheese which a soft mild white cheese with a slightly crumbly texture. The batter has plenty of vanilla extract and a tiny pinch of cinnamon which gives these muffins a delicious flavor.  

These muffins are not overly sweet so they are perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee, but if you want to take these muffins to next level fold some chocolate chunks or berries into the batter or you can go full on Chanukah and make these into Muffganiot by adding a scoop of jam into the center of the muffin! 

Fluffy Cheese Muffins

2 1/2 cups flour 

1/4 tsp baking soda 

2 tsp baking powder 

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 Tbsp/55 grams butter, melted 

3 large eggs 

1 7.5 oz package farmer cheese (in Israel look for גבינת טוב טעם)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract 

2/3 cup milk (whole milk is best, but 1% is fine too)

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar plus more for sprinkling over the muffins before baking

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C

Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and set aside. 

In a separate bowl mix together the butter, eggs, farmer's cheese, vanilla, milk, and sugar. 

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients making sure not to overmix. If you would like to add a mix-in like chocolate chunks or berries add them now. 

Scoop into prepared muffin pan and sprinkle each muffin with a pinch of sugar.

Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven. 

Allow the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing and allowing to cool on a wire rack. 

Dairy Potato Soup

My mother has been making this soup since before I was born. I remember having it for dinner on a regular weeknight and my for a dairy meal on Pesach. It's hearty, filling, and really simple to prepare. 

The recipe came about a long time ago when my mother was chatting with a friend about dinner ideas for the nine days. Her friend told her about a very basic potato soup recipe, but over the years my mother has changed it up and added more vegetables. The original recipe was just potatoes, onions, and celery. After the soup finishes cooking it is partially pureed which results in a thick and rich soup, but some of the chunks of potato are left whole so every few spoonfuls you also get a bite of creamy soft potatoes. 

A thick and delicious soup with chunks of creamy potatoes, what's not to love? Bonus, the soup is packed with vegetables, but even the pickiest eaters in my family were none the wiser and we scraped our bowls clean. 

My mother finishes the soup with a little bit of chopped fresh dill. It brightens up this rich soup and the dill flavor pairs well the creamy potato. 

Dairy Potato Soup 

1 Tbs butter 

2 tsp olive oil 

1 large onion, diced

1 rib of celery, diced 

1 medium carrot, diced 

1 parsnip, diced (if you are unable to find parsnip don't worry just leave it out) 

1 handful fresh or frozen* green beans cut into 1 inch pieces (if using frozen see note below)

3 medium russet potatoes (in Israel used red skin), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks 

1 cup milk (1% is fine, but it's eve better with whole milk) 

3 cups water 

1/4 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp black pepper 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp chopped fresh dill 

Add the butter and oil to a large pot over medium heat and allow the butter to melt completely. Add the diced onion along with a pinch of salt. Stir to coat the onion in the fat and salt and cook for about 10 minutes until translucent - you don't really want to get any color on the onion. Add the celery and cook for another 5-8 minutes until slightly tender. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the dill. Cover the pot and cook over medium low heat for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Remove about a third of the potato chunks from the soup and set aside. Blend the soup until smooth and then add the potatoes back in to the soup along with the dill. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Ladel into bowls and top with fresh dill if desired.  

*If using frozen green beans add them about 5 minutes before the soup is finished cooking not when you add the rest of the ingredients. If you want to make this soup for Pesach and you don't eat green beans, just leave them out. 

Bourbon Maple Pecan Muffins

I often talk about inspiration in the kitchen. When I have no ideas of what to cook or bake I'll think about a childhood memory, an experience I had, or just take a walk around the shuk or supermarket to get inspiration for what to make. 

This week's #muffinmonday is also my brother's birthday so my brother is my inspiration for this week's muffin! To come up with the flavor I thought about what my brother loves to eat. I did not think a steak muffin would go over so well so I turned to his favorite dessert, pecan pie! I thought about what makes pecan pie so good and took the flavors from the traditional autumn dessert and translated them into muffin form. 

The buttery pecans pair really well with the flavors of strong bourbon and the sweet notes of maple syrup so why not enhance the pecan flavor by adding a little bit of both. 

My one issue with pecan pie is that it is a bit too sweet for me so for these muffins I scaled back on the sweetness, but the flavor of the muffin will remind you of a slice of pecan pie. If you would like to make the muffins a bit sweeter top each muffin with a little sprinkling of sugar before baking.

Happy Birthday Bro! 

Bourbon Maple Pecan Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour 

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda 

3/4 tsp salt

tiny pinch of cinnamon 

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup milk, of your choice

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla 

2 tsp bourbon

2 Tbs real maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1 cup chopped pecans + 1/4 cup for topping the muffins

Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C 

Generously coat a standard-size muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the oil, milk, eggs, vanilla, bourbon, and maple syrup. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the brown sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in 1 cup of chopped pecans.

Fill the prepared muffin tin with the batter and then top each muffin with a few chopped pecans. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before popping out and cooling on a rack. 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins 

Creamy Roasted Zucchini Garlic Soup

On Sundays, I try to cook with what I have on hand. I open my fridge and I take inventory of what produce is left from the previous week and I'll make my meals for the day from what's left or what's really on its way out.

I came up with this soup when last year when I opened my fridge and saw a few sad-looking zucchinis that I had bought and then forgot about. I thought, how I can use these up when I don't have much else on hand. I took the zucchinis out of the fridge along with an onion my last few cloves of garlic and a single potato and lo and behold this soup was born.  

What makes this soup extra creamy is the addition of chunks of potato that cook in the soup until tender and then everything gets buzzed up so the potato adds a really creamy texture to the soup. My secret to making the soup to be really decadent is the addition of a little more olive oil at the very end which gives the soup a really rich mouthfeel. 

This soup is very simple to prepare and only has 8 ingredients and I'm assuming you definitely have 4 of those ingredients already in your kitchen and the other 4 you most probably have as well. 

Creamy Roasted Zucchini Garlic Soup 

3 Tbs olive oil - divided 

2 large zucchinis, cut into chunks 

5 cloves garlic, smashed  

1 medium onion, diced

1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks 

5 cups of water 

Kosher salt 

3/4 tsp pepper 

Preheat your oven to 425°F/220°C 

Place the zucchini and smashed garlic cloves on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 20 minutes until the zucchini is slightly golden around the edges. In the meantime heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion along with a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion starts to become translucent about 5-8 minutes.  Add the roasted zucchini and garlic, potato chunks, and water. Add another pinch of salt and the 3/4 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes until the potato chunks are tender. 

Remove the pot from the heat and blend the soup using an immersion blender. You can use a stand blender just be sure to work in batches and to remove the small plastic cap in the cover and place a kitchen towel over the top being very careful with the build-up of steam. 

Whichever method you choose blend until smooth, then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and blend once more to mix that in and then taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. 

This soup is delicious as is, but I like to garnish the soup with some fresh parsley to compliment the zucchini and bring some freshness to a surprisingly rich soup.

Yield: 4 portions 

 

Muffganiyot - Jelly Filled Muffins

About a week after Sukkot ends there are bakeries in Israel that start selling sufganiyot even though there's about 2 months until the holiday of Chanukah begins. I have a firm rule that I don't have a sufganiya until the month of Kislev starts even when I walk by stores filled with trays of freshly fried treats I won't let myself have one until we are in the month of Chanukah. 

Growing up sufganiyot were fluffy doughnuts filled with really sweet strawberry jam or rich caramel with a heavy coating of confectioners' sugar. Nowadays every bakery is trying to outdo the other one with a more over the top filling and crazy decorations. 

I personally love the classic simple sufganiya with a dusting of powdered sugar so with Chanukah a little over a week away I thought why not take inspiration from this Chanukah treat for #muffinmonday to create muffganiyot!! 

I made these with strawberry jelly, the classic filling for sufganiyot, but I'm sure it would work with your favorite sufganiya filling like caramel, chocolate spread, lotus, and halva cream. If you try it with any of those fillings let me know how they turn out! 

This muffin is made from a simple vanilla batter and on the inside of each one there is a big dollop of strawberry jam just like a sufganiya. The most important step in this recipe is to dust each muffin with plenty of powdered sugar!

Muffganiyot

2 1/2 cups flour 

1 Tbsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt 

1 cup milk of your choice

1/4 cup oil 

2 eggs 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar  

1/4 cup strawberry jam

Confectioners' Sugar for dusting

Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C 

Coat a standard-size muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. 

The batter is quite thick, but don't worry you'll have a fluffy result. 

Fill each muffin cup about halfway with 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter place a small dollop, about 1/2 tsp, of jelly in the center of each muffin cup then cover with the remaining batter. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before popping out and cooling on a rack. 

Right before serving dust the tops of the muffins with a heavy coating of confectioners' sugar. 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins 

Shifra's Soup

Like most families, my family doesn't agree on everything, but one thing we do agree on is our love for this soup. My mother makes a big batch a few times during each winter because we can't get enough! 

We call this soup Shifra's Soup because my mother got this great recipe from her cousin Shifra. 

Two of my favorite soups are mushroom barley and split pea and this soup has the best qualities of those two soups. It is creamy from the split peas that break down and give the soup great body and it is rich and hearty from the barley. This soup also has lima beans that get really tender and when you bite into one it has a lovely buttery texture. 

The key to this soup is to make sure that it comes to a full boil before lowering the flame and allowing the soup to cook for a few hours. The soup needs to reach a boiling temperature in order for the barley and beans to breakdown properly. 

Shifra's Soup

2 Tbs olive oil

1 medium onion, diced 

1 large carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced 

Salt

6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) pearl barley*

6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) dried baby lima beans* 

6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) yellow split peas*

6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) green split peas 

3/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

9 cups of water 

In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery along with a big pinch of salt. Stir to coat the vegetables in the oil and salt and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables have begun to soften and onion and celery are translucent. 

While the vegetables cook place the barley, beans, and split peas in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with water and check for stones. 

Add the rinsed barley, beans, and peas to the pot along with the water, another pinch of salt, and the black pepper. 

Allow the soup to come to a boil then cover the pot. Place the pot over the lowest flame and simmer for 3 hours. Make sure to stir the soup with a wooden spoon every 20 minutes or so to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom. You don't have to be so diligent about stirring during the first hour as nothing has really broken down yet. However, during hours two and three the split beans will be soft and have a tendency to get stuck to the bottom of the pot. 

The soup is done when it is slightly thick, and the beans and barley are tender. 

Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. 

This recipe makes about 4-6 portions, but I recommend doubling it and freezing it that way you can have this soup on hand for those cold winter nights. Just make sure that when you reheat the soup to add a little bit of water. 

*if you would like to make this soup gluten-free use 1/2 cup short grain brown rice in place of the pearl barley. 

*if you are unable to find baby lima beans you can use any small white bean like navy, or cannellini. 

*if you are unable to find yellow split peas you can use green split peas instead.

Pumpkin Muffins

If you weren't sure yet, my favorite time of year is autumn.

There's a crisp chill in the air and it's a little bit rainy - everything about it just feels cozy. 

One of my favorite days of the year also happens during autumn, Thanksgiving. 

When I was little I remember my family had a big Thanksgiving meal a couple of times, but what I really remember is that a few years we went to the movies and had pizza for dinner. I loved those moments of just me, my siblings, and my parents just simply having a good time. 

When I got older, we had more traditional Thanksgiving meals with more people with the big turkey and all the works - stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, roasted squash, green beans, and cranberry sauce and of course trying to get the perfect bite of everything at once. 

Even though we were stuffed more than the turkey there was always plenty of dessert with a choice of pecan pie and pumpkin pie. Pecan pie is delicious and I could go for a slice right now, but there's just something about the pumpkin pie that makes me happy. 

The sweet rich flavor of the pumpkin enhanced by the cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove all come together in a creamy custardy pie, it's the perfect way to end off Thanksgiving.

Being that this week is Thanksgiving I thought it would be appropriate to make a #muffinmonday reminiscent of those pumpkin pie flavors. 

For this recipe, you can use a can of pumpkin puree or make your own - which is really simple to do! (see below)*

Pumpkin Muffins 

2 cups flour 

1 Tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda 

3/4 tsp salt 

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

    OR 1 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp nutmeg + 1/8 tsp ground cloves 

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla 

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree or 2 cups of homemade puree (recipe below)

1/4 cup oil 

2 Tbs milk of your choice 

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C 

Spray a standard-size muffin pan with oil or line with paper liners.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice. Add the sugars, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, oil, and milk. Mix until just combined and smooth. Scoop into prepared the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Yield: 1 dozen standard-size muffins 

Pumpkin or Squash Puree 

Bring a pot of water to a boil. 

Take a 700-800 grams / about 1 1/2 lbs butternut squash or a piece of pumpkin (those in Israel you know what I'm talking about) 

Peel and cut into about 1-inch cubes/chunks. You should have about 3 cups of cubes.

Add the cubes to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and puree in a food processor, blender, or by hand with a potato masher or even a fork. 

Allow the puree to cool to room temperature before making the muffins. 

Yield: about 2 cups pumpkin/squash puree

Roasted Tomato Soup

One of my most favorite combinations aside from peanut butter and chocolate is tomato soup and grilled cheese. I used to have this for lunch on Sundays when I was growing up so it's perfect for #soupsunday!

The tomato soup is rich and slightly tart and sweet from the roasting of the tomatoes. Then you dunk a crispy buttery ooey-gooey grilled cheese sandwich into the soup and it's such a delicious bite. 

Roasted Tomato Soup 

2.5 lbs / a little more than 1 kg of tomatoes, cut into large chunks

5 Cloves of Garlic, smashed and peeled 

3 Tbs Olive Oil 

Salt 

1/2  tsp Black Pepper

1 Onion, diced 

Pinch of chili flakes (optional) 

4 Cups of Water 

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream (optional) 

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C 

In a large bowl mix together the tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, a big pinch of salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Spread in an even layer on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Roast for 30 minutes. 

While the tomatoes roast, heat 1 tablespoon in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the onion is soft and slightly golden. Add the chili flakes if using and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes along with all the juices that are on the pan. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend the soup using an immersion blender or blend in batches in a stand blender. Mix in the heavy cream if using. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed. 

To serve: ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy as is or add a spoonful of pesto, a scoop of rice, or dunk a  grilled cheese sandwich right in there. A really fun way to get a bit of grilled cheese in every bite is to cut the sandwich into small cubes and then you have grilled cheese croutons! 

Apple Cider Muffins

When I was growing up in New York, every year I looked forward to autumn! There really is nothing like autumn in New York the leaves on the trees are all different shades of red, orange, and browns, the air is crisp and there are crunchy leaves to step on all over the ground. 

What I looked forward to the most were the jugs of apple cider that my mother would buy. The cups of apple cider that I would drink throughout the fall were such a treat. Right now I would love nothing more than to put on some cozy socks and sit by the fireplace in my parents' house with a cup full of cider. 

The big question is what is the difference between apple cider and apple juice? Apple cider is made from apples that are crushed into a mash that is then pressed to release juice. This juice is unfiltered and unpasteurized and has a much more distinct apple flavor like biting into a fresh apple. An important note when buying apple cider is to make sure that it is just apple cider no spices added and of course that it's not hard cider which is delicious in its own way. 

Apple cider donuts are a very trendy fall item, but why not make them in muffin form for #muffinmonday!

The batter of these muffins has cinnamon and nutmeg, two spices that work so beautifully with apples and if you are able to get whole nutmeg I highly recommend grating it fresh it's a world of a difference from the ground stuff in a jar. 

After these muffins come out of the oven they get rolled in cinnamon and sugar giving the outside a beautiful glistening coating. 

These muffins have the aroma of apple cider and remind me of my childhood enjoying autumn in New York. 

Apple Cider Muffins 

2 1/2 cups flour 

2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp baking soda 

3/4 tsp salt 

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil  

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 cup apple cider - if you are unable to find apple cider you can use unsweetened apple juice (In Israel I use the Keshet apple juice)

Cinnamon Sugar Coating 

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cooking Spray or 1/4 cup oil/melted butter

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C 

Spray a standard-size muffin pan with oil - you don't want to use paper liners because these get coated in cinnamon sugar when they come out of the oven. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the sugar, oil, eggs, and apple cider. Mix until just combined and smooth. Scoop into prepared the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

While the muffins bake mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a medium bowl.

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the pan and then spray or brush with oil and roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. 

Enjoy with a cup of apple cider for the perfect autumn treat! 

Yield: 12 standard-size mufifns 

If you would like to make these in donut form spray 2 donut pans with oil and pour in the batter bake for 10 minutes and then follow the cinnamon sugar coating directions. 

Creamy Red Lentil Soup

When the weather changes all I want is a big bowl of soup a warm and creamy soup, specifically a hearty lentil soup. Every time rain begins to fall in Jerusalem and it starts getting cold I have a craving for this soup. I first posted this recipe just over seven years ago when I first started The Katamon Kitchen, it actually was the first recipe I ever posted on this blog! I'm actually typing this post as it pours in Jerusalem. 

This recipe is perfect for this week's #soupsunday because this week we read Parshat Toldot. We learn that Yaakov was cooking a red lentil stew and Esav traded his birthright for a bowl of the lentil soup. 

Rich in fiber, iron, and protein, lentils should definitely become a pantry staple in your house and if you don’t have a blender don’t worry this soup is delicious either smooth or chunky. 

The original recipe is topped with lemony tachina, but this time I topped my big bowl of soup with a dollop of rich labne or you can use Greek yogurt for that tart creamy finish. 

Creamy Red Lentil Soup 

1 Tbs olive oil 

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced

Salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp paprika 

1/2 tsp cumin 

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1 Tbs tomato paste

6 cups of water

1 1/2 cups dried red lentils 

1 tsp lemon juice 

Optional Toppings 

Labne/Greek yogurt 

Cilantro 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and a big pinch of salt and sauté for 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and spices and cook for another minute. Then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute or so until the tomato paste takes on some color. Add the water being sure to scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon because those little bits are major flavor! Add the lentils and another big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then lower the flame and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes until the lentils are tender and just falling apart. Taste the soup and add more salt if necessary along with the lemon juice. At this point you can either blend the soup until smooth or leave it as is, either way, it's delicious.  

Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of labne or Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro. 

Yield: 4-6 servings 

Percinnamon! Persimmon Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel

I never heard of persimmons until I came to Israel and then I would look forward to eating them on every trip! Now that I live here I look forward to persimmon season all year long. When I was growing up in NY  I don't remember seeing them in the supermarket, but I know they are now available in regular supermarkets around the States.

Just make sure you know the difference between the two main types of persimmons - Fuyu and Hachiya. Fuyu has a squat shape that looks kind of like a tomato you want it to be firm and you can bite right into it like an apple. These are great as a snack, in salads, yogurt bowls, and salsas. 

Hachiya persimmons are larger than Fuyu they have a longer pointed bottom. You want to eat these when they are really ripe and mushy you can pierce the skin and eat the creamy flesh as is. They make for a really great frozen treat!

Persimmons are in season here in Israel in the winter months so they pair really well with the warm winter spice - cinnamon and also I really love how the two words just flow together to make percinnamon! 

Persimmon Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel 

2 1/4 cups flour 

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 tsp cinnamon 

3/4 cups milk of any kind 

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil 

1 tsp vanilla 

1/3 cup sugar 

2 Fuyu persimmons, diced - about 2 cups 

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

3 Tbs sugar 

1/2 cup flour 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

pinch of salt 

2 Tbs oil 

Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C 

Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in the diced persimmon. 

In a small bowl mix together the streusel until it resembles wet sand. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin sprinkle each muffin with some cinnamon streusel slightly pressing the streusel into the batter. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins

I Can't Believe it's Not Dairy Broccoli Soup

Winter has finally arrived here in Jerusalem so much so that I wore black tights so you know it's real. 

For the next few months, it will be chilly out and hopefully very rainy here in Israel. During these winter months, I like to make a big pot of soup on Sunday to have in the fridge all week so I can have a cozy bowl of deliciousness whenever I want. 

I hope to share a new soup recipe every Sunday so you too can have heartwarming soups all winter long.

The first recipe of #soupsunday is a broccoli soup that's so rich and creamy you won't believe that there's absolutely no cream in it of any kind. 

What makes this soup extra creamy is the addition of chunks of potato that cook in the soup until tender and then everything gets buzzed up so the potato adds a really creamy texture to the soup. My secret to making the soup to be really decadent is the addition of a little more olive oil at the very end which gives the soup a really rich mouthfeel. 

This soup is very simple to prepare and only has 8 ingredients and I'm assuming you definitely have 4 of those ingredients already in your kitchen and the other 4 you most probably have as well. 

I Can't Believe it's Not Dairy Broccoli Soup 

2 Tbs olive oil - divided 

1 small-medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced 

800 grams/28 oz frozen broccoli - doesn't have to be exact a little more or a little less is fine 

1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks 

4-6 cups of water 

Kosher salt 

Pepper 

In a medium-sized pot heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion along with a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion starts to become translucent about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the broccoli, potato chunks, and water just to cover everything in the pot add another pinch of salt and some pepper. Bring it to a boil which will take some time as the broccoli is frozen then reduce the heat cover the pot and allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes until the potato chunks are tender. 

Remove the pot from the heat and blend the soup using an immersion blender. You can use a stand blender just work in batches and be sure to remove the small plastic cap in the cover and place a kitchen towel over the top being very careful with the build-up of steam. 

Whichever method you choose blend until smooth, then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil blend to mix that in and then taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. 

This soup is delicious as is, but I like to garnish the soup with some cracked black pepper because the heat of the pepper balances out the richness of the soup. I also top the soup with a few sprigs of fresh dill because I think broccoli and dill work really well together and the freshness of the dill is a nice compliment to the creamy soup. 

Yield: 4 portions 

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

Inspiration can come from anywhere. Reading a book on Shabbat afternoon, remembering a dish that my mother used to make, or just a walk through the shuk to get my creative juices flowing. Well, this week's #muffinmonday flavor didn't come from any of those. 

A couple of weeks ago I popped into the supermarket to grab a few things and I saw that frozen fruit was on sale. I bought a container of raspberries and right away the idea for this muffin came to mind. Raspberries and white chocolate work really together. The super tart raspberries with the incredibly sweet white chocolate play off of each other. They make for a great combo as they really balance each other out. 

Just like in life, there are some moments that are a little bit sour, but then there are moments that are really sweet. You need both because without those sour moments you wouldn't be able to appreciate the sweet moments. 

It's funny that you can learn a life lesson from the freezer section at Shufersal because inspiration is all around us. 

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins 

This recipe uses buttermilk which adds to the flavor and more importantly the texture of the muffin. If you want to make them dairy-free, no problem! Just mix some acid in the form of lemon juice or white vinegar to the dairy-free milk of your choice let it stand for 5 minutes and you're good to go. 

2 1/2 cups flour 

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup milk/dairy-free milk of your choice mixed with 1 Tbs lemon juice

1/4 cup oil 

2 eggs 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup sugar  

1 cup raspberries fresh or frozen 

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C 

Coat a standard-size muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in the raspberries and white chocolate chips. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with the chocolate chips gently pressing them into the top of the muffin batter and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes 

Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before popping out and cooling on a rack. 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins

Granola Muffins

Granola is a staple in my family's fridge. Every few weeks my father makes a big batch of granola and my parents eat it for breakfast with yogurt a couple of days a week. He also brings a gallon size Ziploc of it to Israel for me and shares some with my siblings in NY as well. Since my parents are unable to come to Israel I had to resort to making my own granola. I followed my father's recipe exactly, but it doesn't even begin to compare to when he makes it. 

When I was coming up with this week's muffin flavor I was looking in my fridge for inspiration and saw my jar of granola staring right at me. I mixed some granola into my muffin batter and then topped each muffin with an extra sprinkling of granola so the granola in the muffin will get a little soft and chewy and the granola on top is extra crispy making for a muffin with many different satisfying textures. 

For this recipe, you can use your favorite granola recipe or store-bought or you can make a batch of my father's granola (because it really is the best). The recipe can be found at the bottom of this post. 

This recipe uses buttermilk which adds to the flavor and more importantly the texture of the muffin. If you want to make them dairy-free, no problem! Just mix some acid in the form of lemon juice or white vinegar to the dairy-free milk of your choice let it stand for 5 minutes and you're good to go. 

Granola Muffins 

2 cups flour 

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1 1/4 cups buttermilk -  or regular milk/dairy-free milk of your choice + 1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar

1/4 cup oil 

2 eggs 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup sugar 

1 heaping cup granola + 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top

Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C 

Coat a standard-size muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

In a liquid measuring cup mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the sugar. Mix until just combined. Make sure not to overmix your batter or else your muffins will be dense and chewy. Fold in the granola. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/2 cup of granola, gently pressing them into the top of the muffin batter.

Bake for 15-18 minutes 

Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before popping out and cooling on a rack. 

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins 

Abba's Granola 

10 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups chopped raw, unsalted walnuts

2 cups chopped unsalted almonds

2 cups chopped unsalted pecans

2 cups maple syrup/silan

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1 1/2 cup dried cranberries, optional

Preheat the oven to 300° F/150°C. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and cranberries, if using. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheets and bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. At this point, the granola is still soft carefully stir the granola on the baking sheet. Turn the oven off and leave the granola in the oven until the oven completely cools down or overnight. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or zip-top bag. 

Plum Muffins

Here in Israel, fall is slowly arriving. It's still quite warm during the day and it's getting to be cooler at night, but that doesn't mean that summer is completely gone. 

There is still a fruit that's associated with summer but is in season until the fall. 

The humble plum. 

I feel like plums get overlooked at the market when they are next to big juicy peaches and nectarines. However, plums are really delicious and have a lovely sweet and tart flavor and the best part is that their season starts slightly later than the other stone fruit so you can still get beautiful plums when those other fruits are no longer available.

This muffin has large chunks of plums folded into a cinnamon-scented batter to bridge the seasons together. When you bite into these muffins you get bursts of juicy plums that remind you of summer with the warm cozy flavor of cinnamon, these muffins are the perfect treat toease you into the colder months. 

Plum Muffins 

2 medium plums

2 cups flour 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp salt 

3/4 cup milk of your choice

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 cup sugar 

Cinnamon Sugar Topping 

2 tsp demerara or turbinado sugar (if you have neither not a problem just use regular white sugar)

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C

Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners, or spray with oil. 

Dice the plums into small cubes and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until combined. 
In a liquid measuring cup mix together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and add the 1/2 cup sugar until just combined. Fold the diced fruit into the batter. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon sugar topping and sprinkle on top of each muffin.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins 

Pomegranate Chocolate Muffins

Pomegranates really are one of the most beautiful fruits. They're sweet, tart, juicy, and those little jewel-like arils are truly stunning. One of the reasons I think this fruit is really beautiful is because you have to work hard to actually enjoy it which makes you appreciate it even more.

Pomegranates are one of the symbolic foods of Rosh Hashana. 

I remember when I was first grade, my teacher split us into groups and gave us pieces of pomegranate and we had to count the seeds. I'm pretty sure we didn't get the exact number because if I remember correctly some of us couldn't resist the delicious fruit and ate some of this math project. The reason my teacher had us count the seeds is that many people think that the pomegranate has 613 seeds to symbolize the 613 mitzvot/commandments. While this is not the case and every pomegranate does not have the same amount of seeds there are still hundreds of arils inside the pomegranate. We eat this fruit on Rosh Hashana in the hopes that we are blessed in abundance like the abundant amount of seeds in a pomegranate.

During Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we reflect on our lives and our relationship with G-d. If we look at the pomegranate we can find some inspiration as to how we can improve both. Before you can enjoy a pomegranate you have to cut through the thick outer skin and then you have to remove the arils by peeling away the membranes. You really have to put in some work before you are able to enjoy the fruit. Sometimes in life, you want to take the easy route, but that might not always be the best thing for you. If you work hard towards fulfilling your goals you will appreciate those sweet hard-earned results even more. When it comes to our relationship with G-d, sometimes you might think that He isn't there and that He isn't listening to you. G-d is always there if you just look past the hardships you're going through you will see that He has been there all along. Even during difficult times, He is there caring for and watching over each and every one of us.

I've never baked with pomegranate seeds before, but the results really are beautiful. Pair the sweet-tart crunchy seeds with some bittersweet chocolate and orange zest and you've got yourself a flavorful and well-balanced muffin as a delicious treat to bring in the new year. 

Pomegranate Chocolate Muffins 

2 1/2 cups flour 

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt 

1 tsp orange zest 

2 eggs, lightly beaten 

1/3 cup oil 

1 cup pomegranate juice 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 cup pomegranate seeds plus a few more to sprinkle on top 

3/4 cup chocolate chips 

Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners 

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C 

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Add the eggs, oil, pomegranate juice, and sugar. Mix until just combined making sure not to overmix as this will result in a tough muffin. Fold in the pomegranate seeds and chocolate chips. Scoop into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 18-22 minutes.

Yield: 12 standard-size muffins