Pretty darn sweet...

As promised, and despite the misleading title I kept my promise and made a soup. A sweet potato soup. For all those of you who think that only dessert can be sweet, think again. This soup is orange, slightly sweet, very healthy and very feeling. More importantly, sweet potato is considered to help memory and protect against Alzheimer's disease (according to Runner's World, you can blame my reading habits on my father). This happens to be very important right now, since I'm studying for my psychometric (like sats, but in Israel, and without a caclulator), wish me luck.

And now, for your very own thick sweet potato soup:
Cook (in the microwave or oven) 3 very large sweet potatoes. This will take a while, so you can saute chopped onions (one white large) in butter meanwhile (fry them until they're clear but not brown). Scoop out the inside and puree them in a large bowl. Add 4 cups of chicken broth and one large plain yoghurt. Add the onion and heat over stove until bubbles form on the side (it'll start spitting at you - you'll notice). Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes (if it's still spitting, add some boiling water 1.2 a cup to a cup). Add Salt&Pepper to taste and one teaspoon nutmeg and two shots of dry red wine (great for women over forty, courtesy of runner's world, again). Simmer for fifteen minutes. Yes, it's supposed to be that thick. Serve in small portions. Very small. Enjoy and expect brainfood recipes for a while now, or maybe sugar rush foods :)

It's Black, It's White

Ok, most of you probably hate Michael Jackson, and so do I, but you have to admit that it is fitting, since I made black & white cookies this week. Well, actually, last week but I've been lazy. I solemnly swear it will never happen again. For those of you who don't know, black and white cookies are large cookies that taste slightly like pancakes, and are coated sugar, and sugar mixed with chocolate. Bring on the sugar rush!! Also been writing stories, and have posted them on fictionpress (great web site by the way www.fictionpress.com), and have got some favorable reviews. I think my next story is going to be about a house without a kettle. My aunt doesn't have one, and every time I babysit her kids I am forced to boil the water on the stove. It takes forever! Also, if you happen to live in Israel - go to Yishuvei Eshcol area (around Ashkelon) the poppies are in full bloom, I was there a couple of weeks ago and it was beautiful (poppies.... Ok, yes, I loved the wizard of oz). Now, bring on the cavities:

preheat oven at 375
First we make the dough: mix in a large bowl sugar(1 3/4 granulated), butter (or margarine 1 cup or 2 sticks) until fluffy (beware flying fluffiness). Add 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract. Mix until smooth. Separately mix 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt & 1 teaspoon baking powder. After it's mixed properly, mix everything together until smooth (beware flying, yummy cooking dough). Spoon it onto a greased baking sheet and bake until edges are brown, then let cool. Don't eat yet!! Make sure the cookies are space far apart, very far apart. And they are supposed to be big.
Now we make the sugar coating: pour 4 cups of confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) into a bowl and slowly add boiling water (V. Little) until it's spreadable, but not watery. Take half of the mixture add 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate and melt it (over a double boiler or in the microwave). Paint half the cookies with the white coating, and half with the black. Eat one at a time...
Yum... For those health freaks out there I'm planning a soup next time. Which soup? Well you'll just have to wait for the next episode of "The Cooking Lady, generation z?"