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therealmelindastrauss

Are you planning your Pesach menus yet??? . I’ll

Are you planning your Pesach menus yet???
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I’ll be away at my parents (Seattle) and in-laws (Boynton Beach) this year which means no prepping for me, but that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about Pesach recipes!! So it begins with my cinnamon bun twist, which is so perfect for Pesach and great for anyone gluten free!
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GLUTEN FREE CINNAMON BUN TWIST
original recipe on melindastrauss.com
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Dough:
3 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsp honey
2 eggs, room temperature
Filling:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
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Preheat the oven to 350°f
Combine the almond flour, salt and baking soda.
Separately, whisk together the melted coconut oil, honey and eggs. Add the egg mixture to and stir with a spatula until a smooth dough forms. Let it rest in the fridge for 10 min.
Rip two large pieces of parchment paper and place one on the counter. Place the dough on the parchment.
Place the other piece of parchment on the dough then roll out to a 9x13 inch rectangle. Discard the top piece of parchment then drizzle the dough with the honey.
Combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the on the honey.
Carefully, using the bottom piece of parchment paper as a guide, roll up the dough from the wider side, keeping it tight as you roll. It's okay if there are some funny creases and rips in the dough but be careful not to rip it too much.
Using a very sharp knife, slice the dough in half lengthwise, leaving the top few inches in tact. Carefully open the dough to reveal the layers inside.
Twist the halves over each other then connect the end together to create a circle.
Transfer the ring to a 9-inch round baking pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is browning.
Top a slice with pure maple syrup and chopped pecans or use your favorite cinnamon bun icing.
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#passover #pesach #glutenfreerecipes #cinnamonbuns #bakersofinstagram #thefeedfeedbaking #jewishfood #pesachrecipes #grainfreebaking

Can you help me understand something? . If you hav

Can you help me understand something?
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If you have something really good in your life, what is a reason you don't share it?
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As someone who's a natural sharer (or even an over-sharer), I want to understand the perspective of those who don't always share the good things happening in their life. Maybe it's something small like a product you bought on Amazon that you really love, a recipe you're really enjoying, or a great pair of pajamas you just bought at Old Navy (the Sunday Sleep collection and I'm obsessed), or maybe it's something big like a physical or mental transformation. What holds you back from sharing?
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And yes, this is a picture of me wearing a sweatshirt of me 😂 and my very messy morning hair...I really do share everything, huh?!?
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#sharingiscaring #helpmeunderstand #empathy #mindsetmatters #mindsetshift #sharingthelove #oversharing #sweatshirtstyle #messybun

Not trying to scare you but Pesach is in less than

Not trying to scare you but Pesach is in less than 1 month 😱
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After spending last year in NY, making Pesach for the first time ever, putting together A LOT of puzzles, and having a quiet Seder of 4 (plus Louie, of course), I’m feeling grateful that we will be able to be with family this year. We’re starting off in Seattle then spending the second half of Pesach in Florida. We have felt very safe flying and and I’m so excited to see my family soon!
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If you’re new here, this pic is of my siblings, who all live in Seattle. Yes, we’re the loners in NY 😂 Franko (@francinesdesserts) on top, Jess (@jessicabraindelhoffman) on the right, and Josh (@redrussak) is my bro.
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Do you know what you’re doing for Pesach yet? I would love to hear your plans!
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#passover #pesach #familytime #siblinglove #seeyousoon #safetravels #travellife #staysafe #jewishlife #pesach2021

Super fun bonding happening with Nora tonight! . N

Super fun bonding happening with Nora tonight!
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Nora started reading Harry Potter! I read the series only a few years ago (not as a kid) and I seriously couldn’t put it down. The world didn’t even exist around me which I was reading it and you KNOW how much I love books about magic! It’s so much fun to watch Nora go through the same experience, getting lost in the pages ❤️
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Tonight we’re watching the first Harry Potter movie and she is LOVING it! I don’t know about you but when I read, I put faces to each character so it’s always fun when a movie does such a great job bringing the characters to life.
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We just can’t decide if Nora should be in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff...we’ll have to take one of those tests to find out. Which house would you be in???
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#mommydaughtertime #familybonding #harrypotter #saturdaynight #harrypotterfan #fantasybooks #gryffindor #bookstagram

WE NEED TO SPREAD THIS MESSAGE! . Please SHARE the

WE NEED TO SPREAD THIS MESSAGE!
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Please SHARE these images and make sure everyone knows that this man, Naftali Sharabani, has refused to give his wife Chava a Get (a Jewish divorce document) for 10 1/2 years. The pressure we are all putting on him through social media has forced him to come out of hiding (in California) and talk with the Bais Din (Rabbinical Court of Judaism) because he wants his face off of social media. There is power in our voices!
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#freechava @pinkoutthursday #pinkoutthursday @daliaoziel #yourvoicematters #agunaawareness #strongertogether #chainbreaker #wewontstop #nationalagunahday

It was a tie between the Jalapeño Popper Hamantas

It was a tie between the Jalapeño Popper Hamantaschen and this recipe so I’m sharing both! A Bagel 🥯 Lox and Cream Cheese hamantaschen sandwich sounds pretty good right now! Seems like a fun Purim Seuda idea.
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BAGEL LOX & CREAM CHEESE HAMANTASCHEN
original recipe on melindastrauss.com
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Dough:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup shredded Havarti Cheese (can use an cheese you want)
1 Tbsp fresh chopped dill
1/3 cup ice water
Lox and Cream Cheese Filling:
1 cup whipped cream cheese
1/4 cup chopped lox
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
Toppings:
1/2 cup Everything Spice mix
1 egg + 1 tsp water, whisked
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In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold butter and combine with a fork until the texture of coarse sand. Gently fold in the cheese and dill, then add the ice water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough comes together. Don't overmix. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
Preheat the oven to 375° F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to around 1/4 inch thick. Cut 3 inch circles and place them on the baking sheet.
To make the filling, fold together the cream cheese, lox, chives, lemon juice and salt. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of filling into the center of each dough round then fold into a triangle, pinching the ends tightly.
Brush the tops of the hamantaschen with the egg wash then sprinkle heavily with the Everything Spice mix.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese in the dough is beginning to brown. Enjoy these hamantaschen hot or cold.
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#hamantaschen #purim #bagelandcreamcheese #jewfood #loxbagel #cookiesofinstagram #savoryhamantaschen #thefeedfeed #f52grams #bakersofinstagram #jewishfood

A little last minute hamantaschen inspo. I asked t

A little last minute hamantaschen inspo. I asked today if you wanted me to share my Jalapeno Popper or Bagel Lox + Cream Cheese Hamantaschen and the vote was split 50/50. So you get both! First up:
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JALAPENO POPPER HAMANTASCHEN
original recipe on melindastrauss.com
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Cream Cheese Jalapeno Dough:
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1–2 Tbsp chopped jalapeño
Filling:
4–5 large jalapenos
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bread Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the flour, sugar and salt and stir to combine. Add the egg and combine until a dough has formed. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sprinkle flour on counter and roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut 2-3" rounds with a cookie cutter or the top of a glass cup. Place the rounds on the baking sheets. Roll out the scraps and continue cutting out rounds of dough.
Slice the jalapenos into one-inch rounds and remove the seeds.
In a small mixing bowl, blend together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese and transfer it to a piping bag or large ziploc bag. Cut off the tip of the bag.
Separately, stir together the bread crumbs, paprika, garlic powder, salt and olive oil.
Press a sliced jalapeno into the center of each dough round. Brush the edges of the dough with water or a whisked egg (both will help the dough stick together) and press the dough together to create a triangle. Fill the jalapeno with the cream cheese/cheddar mixture then sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
Bake the hamantaschen for 10-12 minutes, until the edges of the dough are beginning to brown.
Eat hot or at room temperature. Really, there is no wrong way to eat these jalapeno popper hamantaschen. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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#hamantaschen #purim #jalapenopoppers #cookiesofinstagram #thefeedfeed

For my Mishloach Manot this year, I'm dialing it b

For my Mishloach Manot this year, I'm dialing it back. I'm making less packages and making them smaller too. Yes, I'm still baking because baking makes me happy, even though some people tell me I'm crazy for the effort 😂 But I say do what makes YOU happy when making Mishloach Manot. If it means only making 1 because all you need is 1 to fulfill the Mitzvah, go for it! If it means matching it to your costumes because themes make you happy, go for it! If it means buying packaged items because it makes your life that much easier, go for it! Focus on YOU this year and find what brings you joy instead of worrying about the expectations from others or comparing your Mishloach Manot to someone else's. And hey, if you're going to bake, you can totally copy my idea and make these babka buns with coffee!
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BABKA BUNS
makes 24 buns
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Babka Dough:
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup sugar
__________
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
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Chocolate Filling:
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 packet (1.4 oz) chocolate pudding powder
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In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes to proof. Add the eggs, oil, flour, and salt. Mix until combined, then knead by hand for 2-3 minutes.
Cover the bowl and rise for 1 hour, until the dough is double in size.
Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured counter into a very large rectangle. As big as you can make it!
Combine the chocolate chips, sugar, cocoa powder, and oil and microwave. 90 seconds. Stir until smooth. Pour on the rolled out dough, spreading to all the edges.
Sprinkle the filling with the pudding powder. Thanks to @naomi_tgis for this great tip!
Roll up the dough (like a cinnamon bun) and slice into 16 even pieces. To twist, slice each piece of dough in half lengthwise, then twist the two sides together. Tuck the edges under and place in the baking cups.
Bake at 350°f for 25 minutes.
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#chocolatebabka #jewfood #thefeedfeedbaking #bakersofinstagram #purim #mishloachmanot #newrecipe #babka #f52grams

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