A Little Cake to Break the Fast

Hi, all, or should I say Shalom? Good yontif? (I know in Hebrew it is Yom Tov but that's what it sounded like when I lived in Borough Park a million or so years ago). GoofingOff here again doing what comes naturally, goofing off. Just thought I'd drop a few lines to wish everyone a good holiday.
Rosh Hashanah is past and the big one, Yom Kippur is coming up in the next few days. What does that mean besides lots of prayers? Food, what else? Two good meals before the fast (like I need someone to tell me to eat, right) and a big "Break the Fast" meal after. I look forward to it all, even the not eating. I kind of need someone to tell me not to eat, otherwise I have little willpower (like going to a buffet and being on a diet.....sheer torture). The fast is supposed to make us be more like the angels, free from human needs, and let's face it, food is a human need. No drinking, either, not even water. The fast starts at sundown the evening before and end an hour after sundown the next day. No short "NPO after midnight except sips of water" for us (sorry for the medical terminology...I am a nurse), we go all out. By the time the fast is over I have a new found appreciation for water, food, and anything else on the table.
Anyway, I broke the news to my a-little-less-than-Jewish husband that the holiday was approaching and I will be abstaining from food or drink.
"Nothing to eat? No water?Not even a cup of coffee?" he asked sounding shocked.
 "No, Babe, nothing."
"Well, I guess I'm staying out of your way." 
???? You'd think I get grumpy after not eating for 25 hours? hmmmm.
We go through this every year, same conversation, same reactions.  Like watching Abbott and Costello....you know the Who's on first but it's still funny.  Sometimes it's good to have a little predictable humor in your life.

Anyway, here's a couple of great recipes to break your fast with. Dairy is traditional so break out the tuna salad, blintzes, and sour cream. I'm telling you, after 25 hours you'll have a new found appreciation for sour cream and bananas.

Apple Streusel Crumb Cake (this recipe comes from the good folks at Woman's Day. I found the recipe back in the early 70's. It was one of my mother's favorites and was requested to serve for the break-the-fast at the shul in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Streusel

• 1 1/4 cup(s) packed light-brown sugar
• 3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 stick(s) (1/2 cup) cold butter, cut in small pieces
• 2 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
• 1 cup(s) walnuts, coarsely chopped

Cake

• 3 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1 1/2 stick(s) (about 3/4 cup) butter or margarine (not spread), at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 container(s) (16-ounce) plain low-fat yogurt
• 2  Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut in 1/2-inch dice

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 14-cup nonstick bundt pan.
2. Streusel: In a medium-size bowl, stir brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon with a fork or rub together with fingertips until crumbly and butter is completely incorporated. Stir in walnuts.
3. Cake: Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla and yogurt. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture just until blended, scraping down bowl as necessary.
4. Spoon 3 cups batter into pan, spread evenly. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the streusel, the apples, then 1/2 cup streusel. Spoon on remaining batter and spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining streusel, pressing down lightly so it sticks to batter.
5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Place cookie sheet over pan and carefully invert both. Remove pan and cool completely. To serve, invert onto serving plate.

Read more: Apple Streusel Coffeecake Recipe - Dessert Recipes at Womansday.com - Woman's Day 

Banana Nut bread  (this one's mine......easy to make without a lot of ingredients.....good when the bananas are overripe and cheap).
There's lots of banana nut bread recipes out there but what makes this one special is there's no milk. Use margarine and it's pareve.

1/2 cup margarine (one stick)
1 cup sugar
1 cup of mashed bananas (2-3)
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all liquids, sugar, mashed bananas, and eggs. Melt margarine and add to mixture. Add baking soda, salt, and nuts to liquid mixture. Add flour. Pour into pans lined with parchment paper. Bake approximately 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the top comes out clean. ......what kind of pan? A loaf pan works well but I usually use a tube pan. Looks prettier. I've also used coffee cans back when coffee came in real metal cans. It was so cool looking.

Well, that's all for now. Have a good holiday and an easy fast. Check out the wonderful shops of Team Etsy Chai. Beautiful jewelry, pottery, Judaica, and even calendars to help you remember when the holidays are.
And....don't forget to GOOF OFF!

Post by Eileen Patterson aka GoofingOff