Wishing You and Your Family A Happy & Healthy New Year. From Michael, Debbie & Rachel Wolfe And The Staff At WOLFS TRAWL CORPORATION Crosswinds Mall 9/29 2000 154 4301 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 180 West Bloomfield, Michigan 48323 248.855-4100 Ii The Yom Kippur meal is quite unique. It's a meal that, by its nature, must be assembled ahead of time and served quickly. Gone are formalities such as appetizers and premeal . nib- bles. After all, following more than a day without food, after the last blast of the shofar there's no time for fool- ing around. Consequently, prepared foods like smoked fish, breads and cheeses usually grace the break-fast table. It's common, too, to see kugel, fresh vegetables or salads and one great "dish" that has the cook's thumbprint or touch. For many of our local cooks, this one dish is a casserole or side dish that's different from the everyday. Take a look at some of the ingredients in the recipes below and you'll see pre- pared items that aren't exactly, well, • gourmet. Don't be thrown by what may seem like something you wouldn't eat on a regular basis. The fact of the matter is that these shortcut items happen to create super-easy foods appropriate for the holiday. This alone is a blessing during this nearly two-week period of what seems like constant cooking. Like most successful recipes, when and where they were invented is a mystery. Most cooks aren't looking to invent, but rather re-invent or modify existing recipes to fit their family's particular likes. And so it goes with the recipes here. The following recipes from local cooks are easy, delicious and satisfying. While not meant to replace any of your favorites, the addition of any one of these to your menu will likely be applauded. Remember, Yom Kippur begins with a fast and ends with a feast. These are the contrasts which epito- mize the High Holidays and demon- strate at its most fundamental the concepts of atonement and new beginnings. Food is the most basic of needs, and putting your faith where your mouth is, is a fitting way of demonstrating this tenet. SPINACH AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE from Lois Stein, Franklin three 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed three 10-ounce packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus 1 Tbsp. for browning 2 Tbsp. minced onion 3 Tbsp. flour Food 1/3 cup water 1 jar (large) Kraft Cheez Whiz Light 4 eggs, well beaten 1/2 tsp. sugar 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Combine spinach and broccoli in a colander and squeeze out excess water. Set aside until ready to use. Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, flour and water and cooked, stirring until the mixture is thickened. Add the cheese, spinach, broccoli, eggs and sugar and stir until well mixed. Transfer the mixture into the pre- pared baking dish, dot with remaining tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until set. Let cool slightly before cutting. Serves 16-20. LOWER FAT RICE KUGEL from Sheila Hurwitz, West Bloomfield 2 cups hot cooked rice 4 cups 2% milk 4 eggs 1/3 cup sugar 2 Tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup raisins 1 tsp. ground cinnamon boiling water Note: You will need two pans for this recipe. The smaller one, a 2-quart baking dish, must fit into the larger pan that will serve as a water bath. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 2- quart baking dish and set aside. Combine hot cooked rice with milk in a large saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Pour the egg mixture into a heat-proof bowl. Slowly stir the hot rice mixture into the egg mixture (do not add too quickly or the eggs will scramble). Pour into the prepared 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the raisins over the rice mixture and sprinkle the kugel with the cinnamon. Place the 2-quart dish in the large pan and place both pans in the oven. Fill the larger pan with boiling water until it fills the pan 1- inch. Bake for 1 hour. Serves 12. SPINACH AND ONION KUGEL from Bobbie Green, West Bloomfield 4 large eggs 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter 1 packet dried onion soup mix one 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to