One crazy cookie, to celebrate two great holidays - Purim and St. Patrick's day. These two fun holidays along with spring break are on this week. Here's a cookie kids wil
This year The Jewish Festival of Purim and St. Patrick's Day fall on the same week. Purim celebrates Queen Esther saving the Jewish people from total destruction in the ancient Babylonia. It is a joyful occasion where people dress up, drink, make a lot of noise, sing, and just have a good time. St. Patrick's Day celebrates Ireland's national Saint but has become a day celebrated by those of Irish descent all over the world with parades, music, contests, coloring everything green and singing. The only thing these two holidays have in common is that they are both fun occasions.
Just for fun, I wondered what food could encompass both traditions and I came up with green hamantashens. Hamantashens are a Purim tradition, this cookie's shape represents the three cornered hat worn by Haman the bad guy of the story. This is a cookie kids love to bake and eat. Since so many kids are home for spring break this week, get them in the kitchen mixing and rolling.
Green Hamantashens
Prepare dough a day or at least four hours ahead.
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon
• ½ butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup lime juice
• rind of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon green food dye (optional)
Filling: any preserve, or jam in keeping with the theme you might want to use lime or kiwi preserves or jam.
Cream butter, adding the sugar slowing in a mix master or Cuisenaire. Add egg and vanilla. Either by hand or on a lower speed add all dry ingredients, then the rind, lime juice and if you want the green food dye. Make sure all ingredients are well blended.
Refrigerate for a minimum of four hours or overnight.
Roll out dough on floured surface. Using a round cookie cutter or glass cup cut the dough into round shapes. Pinch to make the three cornered hat, the top and bottom corners. Put a teaspoon of jam or preserves in the middle. Brush cookies with egg yolk. Put in oven at 400 F until golden brown around 15 minutes.
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