On Passover We Remember

PASSOVER

A FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM

Leviticus 23:5; Exodus 12



As the traditional Messianic song says, " On Passover we remember what the Lord has done. He set the captives free, led them to liberty, and parted the Red Sea that they might walk....."

   Passover is a festival of freedom. Passover celebrates God's deliverance of the Israelites from bondage to a cruel Pharoah in the Land of Egypt. Why did the Israelites want to escape from Pharoah and Egypt? They wanted to be free to worship their God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
   Just as the Israelites suffering under the cruel bondage of Pharoah is symbolic of our suffering under the bondage to sin into which we're born through inheriting Adam's  sin nature, Passover symbolically represents the amazing redemption (bought with a price) wrought by Yeshua (Jesus, His Greek name) on the cross which makes salvation (deliverance) available to all who believe.
   In Exodus 12, God told the Jewish people to a kill a lamb without spot or blemish and apply its blood to the door posts (sides) and lintel (top of door frame) of their home. This is a picture of a cross + (even the cross is a plus-sign:) God told them, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you and your household (Exodus 12:13.) God told them if they would do this they would be saved from the angel of death. Israel (the Jewish people) is God's first-born children. Since the cruel Pharoah would not let God's first-born "go," God sent a death angel to kill the Egyptian people's first born children. Symbolically, following God's instruction, the Israelites painted a cross in the blood of a spotless lamb over their household and they were saved from death. When the spotless (sinless) blood of the Lamb of God, Yeshua, Jesus is applied to the "door posts and lintels" of our houses (hearts) we are saved from eternal death. Then we, too, are free to worship our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Hallelujah!!!

   Let us celebrate our Passover Lamb, Yeshua, the Lamb of God - who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, but who will return for us as the Lion riding a white horse today - in a New Covenant context - Jew and Gentile, one-in-Messiah.

   As the Jews said through the ages and sages, " They tried to kill us, they couldn't, let's eat!"

   Here's a delicious recipe for Noodle Kugel. I'll bake and serve Noodle Kugel for dessert after our Passover meal of:

• Pomegranate Lamb
• Yukon Gold Garlic and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
• Green Beans Almondine
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Matzah
• Noodle Kugel

PASSOVER NOODLE KUGEL



 

  

You'll Need:

 

1 pound wide egg noodles

5 extra-large eggs

4 cups half -and-half

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of fresh nutmeg

1 1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspon freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup ricotta

1 cup golden raisins

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 by 13 by 2 1/4 inch baking pan.

 

Drizzle some oil into a large pot of salted water. Cook the noodles for 6-8 minutes, until tender. Drain well.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in the ricotta and raisins. Add the drained noodles. Combine.

 

Pour the noddle mixture into prepared baking dish. Place the filled dish into a larger pan filled half-way with water (bain marie, or "water bath"). Cover the entire assembly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 45 minutes, or until the custard is just set. Serves 10.

 

B'Tayavon!

(good appetite, in Hebrew)

 

                                          

 

 

Feasting with the Father: Shabbat Shalom...Celebrate the Sweetness of Yeshua...

Feasting with the Father: Shabbat Shalom...Celebrate the Sweetness of Yeshua...:  Celebrate Yeshua!    What I love most about the Shabbat is that God commands us to rest! He doesn't suggest it. He doesn't say,...

Shabbat Shalom...Celebrate the Sweetness of Yeshua... and Coconut Macaroons!



Celebrate Yeshua!

 



What I love most about the Shabbat is that God commands us to rest! He doesn't suggest it. He doesn't say, " Okay, since you're not going to the office today,  go ahead, wash that car, catch up on that laundry, wash those windows and vacuum that carpet. Then sit down and rest awhile.....then, how about that lawn? " No, God actually requires something of us. He requires that we obey His 4th commandment, "Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy." He requires we rest and "come away with Him." Why? He requires we rest for our own good. We need to rest! " Didn't God say, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath"( Mathew 12)?  I LOVE this! I love meditating (like a cow chewing its cud) on His Word. Just to spend time with Him is a blessing. And I don't have to feel guilty because I am not "accomplishing a task."; that I am not "getting things done." As much as I enjoy "getting things done," it's a treat to nestle in His loving arms and read His love letters to me. And He wrote them to me....... and you! I pray you get into God's Word today, relax and simply enjoy His company. After all, Yeshua IS our rest, our Shabbat Shalom! Isn't this marvelous!

What goes better with the sweetness of Yeshua than homemade "Cocoanut Macaroons" - one of Bruce's favorite cookies. Enjoy this recipe from "Tempting Kosher Dishes" by B. Manischewitz & Company (c) 1930. I bought this retro cookbook online at least a decade ago and enjoy making dishes from original recipes and ingredients.

 

Cocoanut Macaroons

 

 

You'll Need:

 

5 eggs

1-1/2 cup sugar

1 cup Manischewitz Matzo Meal

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded coconut ( I use Baker's)

2 lemons, juice and grated rinds

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Beat eggs well, adding sugar gradually; add and combine remaining ingredients. Drop by tablespoons on cookie sheet, greased and sprinkled with meal. Bake in moderate oven (325 degrees) 30 minutes increasing heat at the last to brown cookies. Makes 24 mouthwatering delights.

 

B'tayavon!





 

 

 



Shabbat Shalom! One of Many Reasons...with Recipe

One of Many Reasons
www.messiahsongs.com

One reason I deeply love my husband, Bruce, is his true and transparent love for the Lord Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus, the Messiah.) And this is one of many reasons, mind you. As I type these words, he is on the phone with a Jewish brother who wants Bruce, a minister with the Assemblies of God, to baptist him. Rereading my last sentence, I'm aware of what a mind-blowing statement this is! What???? A Jew being baptised? What???? Well, God came to planet earth in the form of a Jewish man (John 1:14.) So, this makes perfect sense. When the Israelites crossed through the Red Sea (Exodus 15) and came out safely on dry land, God painted this picture for us as the perfect portrait of baptism - for both Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14-15.) 
As I prepare a delicious shabbat breakfast for my husband (this is 'rest' for me....4th Commandment...and I do believe I'll have to reheat those organic cinnamon rolls.. but no matter), I can hear bits and pieces of their conversation. I am pleased Bruce understands that telling someone, in this case a Jewish person (whether they are a believer, or not a believer) what it means to truly be "a Jew born anew," as our Jewish friend, psalmist Marty Goetz sings in his song of same title, is more appealing to him than, say, ...eating! This is yet one of many reasons I love my husband!

Bruce will baptize our friend in the morning....thank you, God!

Bruce's Breakfast Menu

(which may have to be reheated is):

Scrambled eggs with havarti cheese and smoked lox

Beef bacon ( Pederson's, Whole Foods)

Steel cut oats with blueberries, pineapple chunks, and strawberries

Banana

Freshly baked organic cinnamon rolls

Freshly ground Trader Joe's Honduras Coffee

 

 I can hear him winding up his conversation. I better rattle those pots and pans....again; music to my ears and to the ears of our Messiah!

 

  Enjoy my recipe for:

 

Quick Cinnamon Rolls 

2 cups white unbleached flour

3 teaspoons Rumford Baking Powder (contains no aluminum)

1/8 teaspoon Hains Sea Salt

2 Tablespoons butter

2/3 cups whole milk

melted butter

1/2 cup raisins,or currants, chopped fine (ly)

2 Tablespoons citron (lemon) zest

2 Tablespoons (organic) sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

 

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine and mix well first five ingredients. Roll out to rectangular shape 1/4 inch thick, brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with raisins, citron zest, sugar and cinnamon. Roll up like a jelly roll. (You may have to chill roll so dough is easier to slice.) Cut in slices 3/4 inches thick. Place in buttered round baking tin cut side down and bake in a hot oven, 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Or, butter a 10 inch skillet (I like cast iron), spread bottom with a generous amount of brown sugar, place rolls in skillet and bake. Serve caramel side up.

 

So, there you have it! 

 

BTW~ These cinnamon rolls are just as delicious reheated!

 

 

B'Tayavon

(Hebrew for 'good appetite')

 

 

 

 

Shabbat Shalom! Look and Learn - with Classic Chicken Soup Recipe

Look and Learn

Do you consider walking out the Christian life a journey? One of the most difficult aspects of life in my twenty-seven year walk with the Lord has been not only to remember who I am, but more, whose I am....... and that I am on a journey.
    The Bible gives us a multitude (literally) of examples at which to look and from whom to learn. In Genesis 11, God's two covenant people, Abram and Sarai became Abraham and Sarah through obedience to God as they journeyed. God, the Holy Spirit breathed on them and anointed them to serve Him in newness of Life. Abram became Abra -cham (the 'ch' indicating, in the Jewish language, the gutteral sound "cha" as in a breath, i.e. the Holy Spirit), and Sarai became Sar-ah, (also indicating breath.) They realize their true purpose and journey when God changes their names and.......their nature.
     In Isaiah 51, (a sweet, beautiful promise) God tells Israel, "Look to the Rock from which you were hewn." God chiseled Abraham and Sarah separately from The Rock (Yeshua, Jesus) and called them together for His purpose. They learned obedience and God's purpose for their lives on their journey. So must I. It's a process......... As a Christian ( 'follower of Christ' of whom Abraham is a 'type'/Sarah is a 'type' of The Church), I have the privilege of looking at and learning from them. God uses these 'types' for our edification.  Frankly, I believe it's really all about who I am "becoming" (Christ-like) and not about what I am "doing." - although we must put "feet" to our faith!
      According to the Jewish calendar, we're in the tenth month, the month of Shevat, between Hanukkah and Purim. January is the 10th month ( Passover/April being the first month.) The number 10 according to Jewish thought is a number of testing and proving. Or, could it be a combination of two 5's - 5 being the number of Grace. How about a double portion of Grace? Thank you, Lord! 
There are many, many more delicious nuggets God has planted for our edification, but right now it's all about ............soup!

Classic Chicken Soup

 

 

On a cold January afternoon, what could be better and more therapeutic than a steaming bowl of homemade chicken soup. From my Feasts of Israel Cookbook my recipe for chicken soup warms the heart and stirs the soul. Be sure this is all that's "stirred."  I suggest simmering the soup all day not stirring it even once. Stirring makes the soup cloudy. For the most beautifully golden, translucent, flavorful chicken soup you've ever savored, enjoy making and serving this classic.

 

1 ( 3 to 5 lb) whole chicken, or quarters

12 cups good quality water ( spring, or distilled)

3 large carrots

1 stalk celery, with leaves

1 to 2 parsnips

1 large onion, whole, peeled

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

 

Clean chicken and remove excess fat. Fill an 8 quart stock pot with 12 cups water. Bring to a boil. Place chicken and vegetables in pot. Add salt and pepper. Turn the heat down (and here's the secret) so the water just barely "blip, blip, blips." Cover. Simmer all day. Enjoy the aroma wafting through your home! Remove whole chicken from the broth carefully with a slotted spoon. Set aside to cool. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon to cool. Ladle beautiful, golden chicken soup into awaiting bowls. Add bits of chicken and vegetables, if you like, or simply enjoy the broth. Ahhhhh....... simply delicious!

 

 B'tayavon ( Hebrew for 'good appetite!')

www.messiahsongs.com 

Happy Hanukkah, Y'All! Celebrate with my recipe for Mediterranean Chickpea Latkes. Delicious!

HAPPY HANUKKAH!



Ever wonder what Hanukkah is all about? Is it really just a Jewish holiday, or contained within this Festival of Lights, did God (the original 'genius') create this 8-day celebration as yet another means of pointing us to Yeshua, Jesus " the Light of the world?" He did!

Simply stated Hanukkah was first celebrated in the second century by Judah (meaning 'praise'), the Maccabee, and his band of followers. The Maccabee's, a family from Modi'in near Jerusalem, led an uprising against the Syrian King Antiochus IV. Antiochus decreed that all his subjects must become Hellenized (adopting Greek culture.) He desecrated the Holy Temple of Jerusalem strictly forbidding all Jewish ritual on penalty of death. Judah Maccabee and his band of brave men recaptured and cleansed the Holy Temple. When the temple menorrah was relit, there was only enough oil to burn for one-day. The legend of the "great miracle" is recorded in the Talmud (Jewish interpretation of scripture according to Rabbi's) - that the burning of that oil lasted not just one day but 8 days until more oil could be brought into the Temple. The Jews replaced the seven branch menorrah with a nine-branch menorah called a "hanukkiah." The middle branch ( highest branch) candle is called the "shamash" or "servant candle." This candle is always lit first and is used to light the other candles in celebration of thier victory. Is this beginning to form an image in your mind? Yes! Jesus, Yeshua, is that servant candle. He IS the Light of the world who came to light our lives. He came TO SERVE not to BE SERVED. We, as believers in Yeshua, Jesus, can celebrate this biblical feast by recognizing that, like Yeshua, we can shine forth the great Light of His glorious Gospel. We ( Jew and Gentile) can REDEDICATE our ‘holy temples’ to Him! Just as the Jewish people all over the world put these menorrah's in their window, let us keep His great Light shining in the window of our hearts during this 8 day celebration.....and all year long. Remember if it wasn't for Hanukkah, there would be no Christmas. If Antiochus IV had succeeded in annihilating the Jews, there would be no Jewish lineage from which our Jewish Messiah would descend. Let's fill our body temple (hannukiah's) with the oil of the Holy Spirit for all the world to see! You can find detailed information in my Feasts of Israel Cookbook-found by clicking on Products on www.messiahsongs.com)

Typically, foods fried in oil are eaten during Hanukkah celebrating the precious oil provided by God to burn brightly in temple. Enjoy my recipe for Mediterranean Chikpea Latkes. I'll be cookin' them up for our breakfast celebration in just a moment! Happy Hanukkah!

Mediterranean Chickpea Latkes

 

 

 

1-15 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained, rinsed

2 cloves garlic cloves

1 Tablespoon Rosemary

3 large eggs

6 Tablespoons water

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon bakig powder

6, or more, Tablespoons olive oil (for frying)

Sour cream, and or pomegranate seeds for garnish

 

Blend chickpeas, garlic and rosemary in food processor to coarse paste. Add eggs, water and 2 Tablespoons olive oil; blen until smooth. Add flour, cumin. salt and pepper, baking powder and blend. Pour batter into a bowl. Heat 6 Tablespoons olive oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Fry until golden - about one-minute per side. Use slotted spatula to transfer latkes to paper towel or rack to drain. Add more oil, as needed for frying. Allow oil to get hot before adding more batter. Makes about 24 latkes.

 

B'tayavon!

(Hebrew for "good appetite!")

 

Shabbat Shalom, Y'all - with a recipe for Bagel, Lox and Egg Strata!

    Can you believe it's December 1, 2012? Wow! And yet, each Shabbat, according to the 4th Commandment, is a day when the Lord requires we rest. Not only do we physically rest, but because Jesus, Yeshua, IS our rest AND our Peace, we can rest ( every day of the week) in Him. God is a genius, isn't He? I love Him today and every day. Why? For many reasons, but mainly because He first loved me (1 John 4:19.)
   Frankly, I find blogging about Yeshua restful. Combining Yeshua with a recipe is restful. After all, He is the bread of Life. In Him are the all the recipes for health, wealth and wisdom. He is my all in all. How about you?
    In honor of Yeshua, The Bread of Life, I'm posting my recipe for a bagel, lox and egg strata. I'm a big fan of all three ingredients - particularly lox. The combination of bagels (made with healthy ingredients found at Whole Foods, for example) smoked salmon ( no nitrates) and organic eggs is a winner - and you can put this together Erev Shabbat ( Friday evening) and have it ready to pop in the oven Shabbat morning. It's a tasty treat for our family, overnight company, or holiday guests.

 

Bagel, Lox and Egg Strata

 

 

You'll need:

 

1/4 cup butter, melted

8 cups plain organic bagels cut into small pieces(4 to 6 bagels)

1 - 3 ounce pkgs. thinly sliced smoked salmon (lox-style) cut into small pieces

8 ounces Swiss cheese or Monterey Jack, shredded ( 2 cups)

1/4 cups snipped fresh chives

8 organic eggs, beaten

2 cups organic whole milk

1 cup cottage cheese

1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Directions:

 

Pour melted butter in a 3 quart rectangular baking dish, spreading to cover the bottom. Place broken bagel pieces on top of melted butter. Sprinkle lox cheese and chives evenly over the bagel pieces. In a large bowl combine beaten eggs, cottage cheese and pepper. Pour over layers in baking dish. Press down gently using the back of a spoon to moisten all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes or until set and edges are puffed and golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 12.

 

B'tayavon!

(Hebrew for 'Good Appetite')