TRUST ME...THIS ONE IS TO DIE FOR!!!

Tonight Jews all over the world begin celebrating the holiday Shavuot. Shavuot means weeks in Hebrew and marks the seven weeks from our Exodus from Egypt to the giving of the Ten Commandments by G-d to Moses. It also is connected to the grain harvest. This is one of the fun holidays. Not the THEY TRIED TO KILL US...WE WON...LET'S EAT...ones. Well, that too. The eating, I mean.

The 'minhag' or tradition is that we only eat dairy meals on Shavot. No one seems to know why so I looked it up...of course I did! So, it says that since we were wandering in the desert and didn't have the laws yet concerning ritual slaughter they ate dairy. Another explanation is from King Solomon...(Song of Songs 4:11) where he portrayed the Torah as HONEY AND MILK ARE UNDER YOUR TONGUE.

After living in Jerusalem now for almost forty years, I am not sure about the land of milk and honey. Sometimes it seems more like the land of rocks and terrorists, but I am optimistic.

So, what am I making for this holiday? I made an eggplant/zucchini/red pepper/feta cheese delight and if any of you are interested then please email me and I will be thrilled to send you the recipe.

I am about to make canelloni stuffed with ricotta and parmesian cheese and baked on a bed of crushed tomatoes seasoned with garlic cloves and oregano and olive oil then covered in more parmesian cheese and bunged into the oven...yahooo.

Then I am making a baked eggplant and mozarella maychle with cherry tomatoes/penne noodles/cheeses and spices and also baked in the oven.

I am contemplating making a quiche with sweet potatoes/leeks/onions/pumpkin/cottage cheese/sour cream and condiments. Ok, sounds good. I'll make that one too.

BUT...AND ARE YOU READY???

I made my sister-in-law's TO DIE FOR CHEESE CAKE!!!

After Bubbie Channah passed away in January and I finally had the time and space to collapse, my husband came home one day carrying a covered cake dish. When asked what it was, he told me that his sister had baked me a cheese cake for Shabbat and hoped I would like it.

LIKE IT??? It is one of those cakes that never gets to a plate...you know the kind. Where everyone walks by with a fork or knife and is 'just evening out the line a little'. See, there are absolutely NO calories if you do that. Honest. Would I lie to you?

OK...GET READY...HERE IS THE RECIPE FOR THE BEST CHEESE CAKE YOU EVER ATE IN YOUR LIVES!!!

150 grams of crushed cookies
150 grams of melted butter
100 grams of grated halva (see I told you!!!)
MIX ALL THESE TOGETHER AND PAT INTO A GREASED PYREX OR SPRING PAN BAKING DISH
(I put it in the oven for a few minutes to set)

400 grams of sweet cream
2/3 cup of sugar
1 package of instant vanilla pudding
a dash of vanilla
BEAT WELL TILL STIFF

500 grams of 5% spreadable white cheese
250 grams of cream cheese
MIX WELL AND ADD TO THE PUDDING MIXTURE

PLACE THE CHEESE ON TOP OF THE COOKIES AND PUT IN FRIDGE FOR AT LEAST FOUR HOURS

1/2 cup of sweet cream
100 grams of bittersweet chocolate
HEAT THE SWEET CREAM AND ADD THE CHOCOLATE. MIX UNTIL THE CHOCOLATE IS MELTED AND SMOOTH. POUR OVER THE CAKE AND PUT BACK INTO THE FRIDGE.

That is it my dear family and friends. Forget the diet and enjoy. Sunday we can all go back to eating cabbage soup. Sigh. The story of my life.

Chag Shavuot Sameach!!!

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.