Dairy Dishes Not Just for Shavuot

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Although Shavuot is over, dairy dishes are good all year round for an elegant breakfast or a light supper. The following dishes ( all served at this year’s Shavuot kiddushes) are easy to prepare and come together quickly even at the last minute.

Lokshen mit kaese has been called Jewish mac and cheese. It is an eastern European dish with German origins and can be savory (garlic, salt and pepper) or sweet (cinnamon, sugar and maybe some sort of fruit preserves).  Almost everybody loves this dish that balances protein, dairy and carbohydrates. A non-kosher version even features pieces of crisp bacon.

Noodles and cottage cheese (serves 6-8)

Ingredients
1 small onion diced or sliced (optional)
butter for sauteeing (optional)
1 (16 oz.) package pasta (penne, bow ties, egg noodles, fusilli, etc.)
1 (16 oz.) container small curd cottage cheese
grated garlic
butter
3-4 Tbsp sour cream (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
  2. Once cooked, drain the pasta well and add it back to the hot pot.
  3. (Optional) While the pasta cooks, sauté the onion in the butter until softened.
  4. Add the butter, onions (if using), garlic and cottage cheese to the pasta and stir until all of the noodles are well coated and saucy.
  5. Add sour cream, if using. Season with salt and lots of pepper to taste. Stir until well combined.
  6. Serve hot, and if desired garnish the dish with fried onions (freshly fried or canned), parmesan cheese, and/or chopped parsley.

NOTES: For a sweeter dish, eliminate the savory toppings and onions and add about 3 T of sugar or to taste. Mix in some cinnamon, too. You can also use farmer cheese.

A variation on bread pudding, overnight French toast is a great dish for a brunch since most of the prep can be done the day before. It’s always a hit. It’s sometimes called Mother’s Day French Toast.

Baked French Toast Casserole (serves 8-12)

Ingredients
10 cups of cubed bread such a hallah or brioche (approximately) 1-1 ½ loaves
8 eggs
3 cups milk
4 teaspoons sugar1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
maple syrup
whipped cream
diced fruit

Directions

  1. Place bread cubes in a greased or non-stick 9 x 13 pan.
  2. Lightly beat eggs..
  3. Mix eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla.
  4. Pour mixture over bread. Make sure all the bread is saturated.
  5. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  6. Take pan out of refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
  7. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over top.
  8. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes. The casserole should be puffed and brown.
  9. Let stand 5 minutes.
  10. Serve hot with extra butter, if desired, and syrup and toppings of choice.

NOTE: the casserole will sink as it sits.

Blintzes are associated with Shavuot but also make a good brunch or supper dish at any time of the year. The blintz casserole or souffle comes together quickly. Just remember to defrost the blintzes the night before. The recipe probably was created in the late 1970s when the Golden Company started making frozen blintzes.

You can use fruit blintzes if you want. However, I think cheese blintzes are better when served with a fruit sauce.

Easy Blintz Souffle (serves 8-12)

INGREDIENTS
2 (6 count) packages cheese blintzes, defrosted
1/4 lb butter
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, well beaten
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon frozen orange juice, undiluted (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Melt butter in an 9″x13″ pan.
  2. Place blintzes over butter in one layer. A package of 12 should fit perfectly in two rows.
  3. Blend the other ingredients with the eggs and pour over the blintzes.
  4. Bake 45 minutes at 350°F or until the top starts to brown.
  5. The souffle can be served with powdered sugar, fresh strawberries, or any other fruit.

Note: Make a delicious fruit sauce by cooking one package of frozen mixed berries with a little sugar until the liquid has thickened. Top with whipped cream.

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