11-28-2011 Hamburger Vegetable Soup and Oat Cloverleaf Rolls

Oh my gosh I am so full right now, I must admit I'm a little bit mad at myself for eating so much. I I think I ate too much hamburger vegetable soup, and I know I ate too many oat cloverleaf rolls. Ughhhh, help!

I have a weak spot for fresh baked bread, I would pick it any day over ice cream or other baked goods. There was a point in my life when I would chose which restaurant I wanted to go to by their bread, some of the best breads in my opinion are: Papadeaux's Sour Dough, Macaroni Grill's Rosemary, Celebration's whole bread basket, particularly their blueberry muffins, and Luby's Cloverleaf Rolls (where I got tonight's inspiration).

I used my bread machine to make the rolls, and if you don't already own one, I highly suggest it. Treat yourself for Hanukah, Xmas, etc. $60, you will not be sorry.
http://www.amazon.com/Oster-5838-ExpressBake-Breadmaker-White/dp/B00005OTXK/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1322530018&sr=8-13

As for the hamburger vegetable soup, I got the idea to make it after I looked around the kitchen and used things I already had. I quickly threw it all together, and was very happy with the end result.

Here are the recipes:

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

This hearty soup is perfect for a cold night.

2 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-4 carrots, peeled and diced or sliced
2-4 stalks of celery including leaves, sliced
1.5 lbs. ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. potatoes, chopped
1 C. green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz
1/2 C. frozen peas
1.5 qt. (48 oz) vegetable broth, I used Pacific low sodium, I also like Imagine
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. salt, or to taste
1/4 C. ketchup

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Saute over medium high until the onions are translucent. Add the ground beef and garlic, and cook until the meat is brown and cooked through. Add the rest of the ingredients, and stir until combined. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes-1 hour, until the potatoes are tender.

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Oat Cloverleaf Rolls (Bread Machine)

These are so delish, they are hard to stop eating.

1 1/4 C. water
2 T. margarine cut into cubes
1 t. salt
2 T. brown sugar
1/2 C. rolled oats
3 C. all purpose flour
1 1/2 t. active dry yeast

Place the above ingredients into the bowl of your bread machine, and turn on the dough cycle. Once the cycle finishes, remove the dough. Cut into 12 equal size pieces. Cut each of these pieces into 3. Spray a muffin tin with non stick spray. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, and place 3 balls in each muffin cup.

Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour in a warm draft free place, until doubled in bulk. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned on top and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

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Please excuse me while I try to get comfortable, after overeating.

Have a good night! Pin It

11-25-2011 Shabbat with King Hock's fam

I spent a few hours in the kitchen last night cooking for Shabbat. I didn't want to be stuck in there cooking all day today. I had big plans to do some very important Black Friday shopping, and I also had plans to see the Muppets movie.

I had my Black Friday hopes up sky high, all night I dreamt about all the amazing deals I would get today. What a disappointment, the best deal I got was at Walmart on 4 undershirts for 5 dollars. I was pumped to go there because they had adverstised a $2 waffle iron, but there were none to be had.

We are having King Hock's family over for Shabbat dinner tonight. There is going to be 13 mouths to feed in total.

Here is the menu:

1. Challah
2. Mixed Greens Salad
3. Brushetta
4. Tomato Gefilte Fish
5. Herb Baked Whole Chicken
6. Meat Lasagna
7. Roasted Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
8. Steamed Green Beans
9. Cranberry Orange Cake, recipe below

Cranberry Orange Cake

Here is an easyand festive cake that tastes delish. The cran orange combo is classic, and personally I love it.

1 yellow cake mix
1 box Jello vanilla instant pudding (3.4 oz)
1 orange, zested
juice of 1 orange plus water to equal 1 cup
4 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 C. fresh cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan.

Mix together the cake mix, pudding, orange zest, orange juice and water, eggs, and oil. Use a hand mixer and mix for 30 seconds until moistened. Then beat on medium high for 2 minutes. Pour into the cake pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

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Have a good Shabbat! Pin It

11-24-2011 Bananas Foster French Toast and Pumpkin Roulade

Dearest blog readers I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. I am finally sitting down for the first time today. My day has been filled with cooking, eating, and more cooking.

We started our morning off with a scrumptious breakfast of Bananas Foster French Toast, it was divine, see the recipe below. I then made the dishes I would be bringing to the various Thanksgiving celebrations we were attending.

I've been having pumpkin cravings lately, so I can't tell you how happy I am to get my fill of pumpkin desserts. Last night I had a cone of pumpkin ice cream, yum! Then today, I made a pumpkin pie and a pumpkin roulade (recipe below).

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Bananas Foster French Toast

Sorry there is no picture, we ate it up too quickly!

3 eggs
1/4 C. milk or soy milk
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
6 slices bread, any kind (I used whole wheat)
2 T. butter or margarine
1/4 C. corn syrup, dark or light
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. maple syrup, no substitutes
1 T. rum, could use 1 t. rum extract instead
3-4 ripe bananas, sliced

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Dip the bread into the egg mixture. Heat a large non stick skillet over medium high heat, add the butter. Once the butter has melted cook the egg dipped slices of bread until nicely browned on each side, you may have to do this in batches. Remove to a baking dish, and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

For the bananas foster:  in a small sauce pan over medium whisk together the corn syrup, and brown sugar, bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and pour in the maple syrup, and the rum. Gently stir in the bananas.

To serve, place the french toast on serving plate and ladle on the bananas foster.

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Pumpkin Roulade

This is my rendition of Ina Garten's 5 star recipe. I've included the recipe for a cream cheese filling, I didn't have all of the ingredient, so I improvised with marshmallow cream.

3/4 C. all purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. ground dried ginger

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 t. salt

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 C. sugar

3/4 C. canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

1/4 C. confectioners' sugar, plus extra for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the paper on both sides.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt and stir to combine. Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light yellow and thickened. With the mixer on low, add the pumpkin, then slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Finish mixing the batter by hand with a rubber spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake the cake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the top springs back when gently touched.

While the cake is baking, lay out a clean, thin cotton dish towel on a flat surface and sift the entire 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar evenly over it. (This will prevent the cake from sticking to the towel.) As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, loosen it around the edges and invert it squarely onto the prepared towel. Peel away the parchment paper. With a light touch, roll the warm cake and the towel together (don't press!) starting at the short end of the cake. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the filling parve or dairy:

1 (8oz. package) cream cheese, use tofutti better than cream cheese for parve
1 C. powdered sugar
6 T. butter or margarine
1 t. vanilla

Mix together the above ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth.
Unroll the cooled cake and spread the filling all over the surface of the cake. Reroll the cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before serving. Before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar if desired.
To serve: slice into several slices.

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Enjoy! Pin It

11-21-2011 Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

King Hock's dad (A.K.A. Opa) joined us for dinner tonight. It was a special treat having him, as we hadn't seen him in a long time. The Princes were ecstatic, they couldn't stop asking Opa to make his trademark horse sound effects "NEIGHHHH" and to roar so they could run away screaming.

Opa has a hearty appetite, and always appreciates my meals. Shortly after I met him, we were all out at a restaurant having dinner, when he proclaimed the key to losing weight is volume control. After he said that, I couldn't help but break out into uncontrollable laughter because I had just witnessed him eat 2 appetizers, a ginormous main course, and the scraps left on my plate as well as King Hock's. To this day we still give him a hard for his volume control statement.

I can't complain though because it gives me great satisfaction when anyone comes over and eats copious amounts of my food. Tonight, I was especially satisfied with how extremely delicious my dinner was. King Hock and Opa were raving.

I made Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cranberries, Maple Dijon Brussel Sprouts, Rice Pilaf, and a Parve Key Lime Pie.

First of all, the chicken was extraordinary. The flavor was downright heavenly, and the chicken was so tender it fell off the bone.

Second of all, the brussel sprouts were a little different from my usual recipe, but were so good, that now they will be my usual recipe.

Third of all, I cannot believe I was able to create a Parve Key Lime Pie recipe. It was insanely luscious, and pretty easy to make.

Here are the recipes and pics:

Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

The butternut squash soaks up the yummy juices, and is such a treat. I found this recipe in the magazine Everyday Food, and changed it to my liking.

2 T. olive oil
4 chicken leg quaters (thighs and drumsticks)
salt and pepper
1 small-medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 red onion, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 T. fresh sage, chopped (very important to use fresh here)
4 T. all purpose flour
2 t. ground coriander
1 t. nutmeg
2 C. chicken broth or vegetable broth
3/4 C. dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T. of the oil in a large pot, add the chicken and cook skin side down until skin is golden and crisp, you may have to do this in batches. Transfer to a plate. Pour off the fat and oil from the pot.

Add the remaining 1 T. of olive oil to the pot and cook the butternut squash and red onion, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes. Add the sage, flour, coriander, and nutmeg, stir constantly and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and stir using a spoon to scrape up any brown bits. Pour this vegetable and liquid into a large baking dish. Place the chicken ontop skin side up, and sprinkle on the cranberries.

Cover with foil, and bake for 1 and 1/2 hours (90 mins.). Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and plate the chicken with plenty of squash, sauce, and cranberries.

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Maple Dijon Brussel Sprouts

These were a breeze to make. Can't wait to make them again.

1 lb. brussel sprouts, ends trimmed, and large ones cut in half
1 1/2 t. dijon mustard
1 T. maple syrup
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment, spray with non stick spray.
Mix together the dijon mustard, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl. Place the brussel sprouts on the baking sheet and pour over the sauce. Toss to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-30 minutes until carmelized.

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Parve Key Lime Pie

Serving Key Lime Pie is a refreshing way to end any meal. I've always wondered how I could make a parve version, well I did it, and it rocks!

2 1/4 C. soy milk
1 C. sugar
4 T. cornstarch

1/2 C. sugar
1/2 t. salt
4 egg yolks
1/2 C. key lime juice (I bought this at the grocery store)
grated zest of 1 small lime
1 9 inch premade graham cracker pie crust

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium sauce pan combine 2 C. soy milk and sugar, bring to a boil stirring every so often. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 C. soy milk making sure there are no lumps., Pour cornstarch mixture into the boiling milk and sugar whisking constantly, until a smooth and thick mixture is created. Remove from the heat. Let cool at least 15 minutes.

In a large bowl whisk together the 1/2 C. sugar, salt, egg yolks, key lime juice, and lime zest. Once the soy milk mixture has cooled (so you don't cook the eggs) whisk into the egg yolk mixture, and whisk until smooth. Pour this into the graham cracker pie crust. 

Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until it is pretty much cooled. Place into the refrigerator, and chill a few hours before serving.

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I hope you have a great night! Pin It

11-20-2011 Chicken Pot Pie

Excellent night. The princes rented Cars 2 and invited the neighbor kids to watch it with them. Lee Hock made a chicken pot pie and invited the neighbor parents to join her and King Hock to eat it.

So while the kids watched the movie, the adults sat around having a delicious dinner and nice adult conversations. We did have one interruption when Prince Hock #2 came running to the table completely naked. I'm sure our dinner guests were slightly apalled, I explained that he is going through a phase where he just won't leave his clothes on.

Ok, enough about nudity, on to the chicken pot pie. This recipe was rather easy to make, especially considering the dish itself can be a complete meal. I did serve a salad with mine, but it's not a must. If you have never made or had chicken pot pie, I highly suggest it, especially now that the weather is cooling off.

Here is the recipe:

Chicken Pot Pie

1- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1 C. sliced carrots
1/2 C. sliced celery
1 C. frozen peas
1/3 C. margarine
1/3 C. onion, chopped
1/3 C. all purpose flour
2 C. chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 C. unsweetened plain soy milk
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. celery seeds
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
2 frozen unbaked pie crusts (9 inches), I used Safeway brand from Tom Thumb (they are parve)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the chicken, carrots, celery, and peas into a medium or large pot and cover with water. Put on the stove and bring to a boil, boil for 15 minutes, and then drain the water over sink with a colander.

While the chicken is boiling, melt the margarine in a medium or large pot, add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the flour. Slowly stir in the chicken or vegetable broth and soy milk a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Mix in the salt, pepper, celery seeds, onion powder, and garlic powder. Taste to check if it needs more salt and or pepper.

Put the chicken and veggies into the bottom of one of the pie crust, pour over the liquid sauce. Place the second pie crust ontop, and seal the edges by pinching, and then using fork tines all the way around. Use a paring knife and cut some slits ontop. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Have a great night!
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11-20-2011 Perfect Waffles

We just finished our breakfast of perfect waffles, and I am so excited to share my new waffle recipe with you. These waffles were crisp, light, and delicious. Making them was a little more time consuming then the previous recipes I have blogged, but well worth the extra work.

Here is the recipe:

Perfect Waffles

1 3/4 C. all purpose flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 salt
2 egg yolks
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 3/4 C. milk, or soy milk (or any non dairy milk of your choice)
2 egg whites

Plug in your waffle iron to preheat.

You will need 3 medium bowls. In the first bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In the second bowl whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, vegetable oil, and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and and stir until just combined, the mixture will be a bit lumpy.

In the third bowl, use an electric mixer and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Fold the whites into the batter, until just combined, there should still be bits of white not mixed in.

Make according to your waffle iron's directions.

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Happy Sunday! Pin It

11-17-2011 Thanksgiving Recipes

We will be spending Thanksgiving this year with both my family and King Hock's. I am not hosting my own shebang, although I am contributing some dishes to the ones we will be attending.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, I particularly love the food, and I also love the family time. I have great memories of celebrating Thanksgiving as a kid at my grandparent's who lived out of town. Our whole family would drive in from different cities and all stay under one roof.

I am blessed to have a cousin the exact same age as me, as children it was always exciting seeing each other, and we were very mischievious together. One year, as we were nearing the end of our Thanksgiving stays, we were sad to go home and part to different cities. We decided to secretly hide my cousin in the trunk (we had a suburban) so she could come home with us.

Everything was going according to plan, we were almost on the highway out of town (I might be embellishing that part a bit), when she started laughing. Oops! We were caught, we had to turn around and take her back.  Oh, those were good times.

I also have memories of the amazing Thanksgiving meals my grandparents would put together. It was a fancy affair, my grandmother would set the most beautiful Thanksgiving themed table, and everyone would get dressed up. The food was delicious, there was always turkey, cranberry sauce, cornbread dressing, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and many other dishes.

Here are some of my recipes that would be great for your Thanksgiving meal (full recipes below):

Appetizers: Deviled Eggs, Hot Artichoke Dip, Brushetta, and Spicy Pecans

Side Dishes: Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce, Cornbread Dressing, Sweet Potato Casserole w/toasted marshmallows, Green Bean Casserole, Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Desserts: Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie in Graham Cracker Crust

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Nean's Deviled Eggs

Corrine "Nean" worked for my mom's family for like a 100 years. Think of the book The Help, but she was treated much nicer. She was the most amazing cook. She would cook dinner for my mom's family almost everyday.  She loved to bake anything from cakes to cookies to pies. Everything she made was fabulous. According to my mom, this is how she made deviled eggs. She didn't really use a recipe, so this is just an estimation.
I could go on and on about Nean, I'll do it soon in another blog post.
Also, I must mention the paprika is just for looks, my mom said Nean would only use it when she wanted to be fancy.

6 eggs

1/4 cup Miracle Whip (YES MIRACLE WHIP!, my mom is from the South!)

1 T. sweet pickle relish

1/8 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

paprika, for garnish

Place the eggs in a small pot, and cover with cold water. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and run under cold water for a few minutes.

Crack egg shells and carefully peel under cool running water. Gently dry with paper towels. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, removing yolks to a medium bowl, and placing the whites on a serving platter.

Mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork. Add the miracle whip, relish, salt, and pepper.


Evenly disperse heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

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Hot Artichoke Dip

This is a very addictive recipe my sister makes all the time. Watch out, I can eat the entire dish myself.

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3/4 C. Mayo
1/2 C. shredded parmesan cheese, optional
dash worcestershire sauce
dash of lemon juice
1/4 t. garlic powder, or freshly minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of the above ingredients, and put into a 9 inch round or square baking dish. Sprinkle top with a handful more of grated parmesan, or a sprinkle of paprika. If you are leaving out the parmesan altogether, sprinkle the top with bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes, serve hot with assorted crackers.

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Brushetta

This is one of my all time favorite recipes.

1 small loaf French bread, sliced into 1 inch slices
olive oil
4 large roma tomatoes, chopped
2-3 T. fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. olive oil
1/4 t. freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 t. salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the French bread slices with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet.

Place the bread in the oven until toasted, about 10 minutes, keep an eye.

In a large bowl mix together the tomatoes, basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pepper,and salt. Let rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Spoon over toasted slices of French bread.

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Spicy Pecans

1 egg white
3/4 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1 t. worcestershire sauce
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. cayenne
3 C. pecan halves
2 T. butter or margarine, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Whip egg white with a whisk until it is foamy. Add the salt, sugar, worcestershire sauce, paprika, cayenne, and mix together. Toss the pecans in the egg white spice mixture until completely coated.
Place pecans on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

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Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce

This is a great alternative to your standard cranberry sauce. It is so good on sandwiches too!

2 fresh jalapenos

1 (12 oz.) bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

1 C. sugar

1 C. water

Mince the jalapeno. For mild heat, discard the seeds, for medium heat leave the seeds in. Place the jalapenos, cranberries, sugar, and water in a small sauce pan, and put on the stove over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, and cool to room temperature, store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Can also be served warmed if desired.

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Cornbread Dressing

This was a Thanksgiving staple at my grandparents house, I can't imagine having Thanksgiving without it.

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup (1/2 stick)stick margarine, fleishmans unsalted or earth balance
1 pan golden corn bread, recipe below
2 C. vegetable broth such as Imagine Brand
1 egg, beaten

2 to 3 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350° F. In medium fry pan, melt the margarine, saute celery and onion until tender, about 5 minutes.

In large bowl, combine celery mixture with corn bread, broth, egg, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Toss lightly until bread is completely moistened. Place in well-greased or sprayed 1-1/2 quart casserole or 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.Bake 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes longer or until golden on top

Golden Corn Bread- from the side of Aunt Jemima Brand Cornmeal Package, this is the recipe I always make

1 C. cornmeal

1 C. all purpose flour

2-4 T. sugar, depending on how sweet you like it

4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 C. soy milk, I use plain unsweetened
1 egg
1/4 C. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 8 inch square baking dish with non stick spray.
Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the soy milk, egg, and oil. Mix until combined. Pour into the baking dish. Bake for 20-23 minutes, until done.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

1/4 C. margarine

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

3 T. orange juice

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 (10.5 ounce) package miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and mash.

Place mashed sweet potatoes in large bowl, and use an electric mixer to blend with the margarine, brown sugar, orange juice, and cinnamon. Spread evenly into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with miniature marshmallows.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until heated through, and marshmallows are puffed and golden brown.

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Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is a classic American recipe, and it is usually made with canned condensed mushroom soup, which isn't kosher. Here is the kosher parve version I created. Feel free to substitute the canned green beans with fresh steamed green beans.

 

3 T. margarine

1/2 small onion, finely chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 T. flour
1 C. soymilk, unsweetened and unflavored, can also use non dairy creamer
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 pinch salt (more to taste)
1 pinch pepper
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans French style green beans, drained or 1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans steamed
1 C. French-fried onions

Melt margarine over medium heat. add onion and sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft. Stir in flour. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add the soy milk or non dairy creamer little by little, letting the flour-mushroom mixture absorb it. You should now have what looks similar to a creamy mushroom soup.

 Remove from heat and mix in garlic, salt, pepper, and green beans (be sure and taste it to check the seasoning, you want it to be tasty). Place green beans in a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Pour over the mushroom mixture. Mix to combine a little bit. Top with French fried onions. Bake at 350 uncovered for 30 minutes, watch to make sure the onions on top don’t burn

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1.5 pounds Brussel Sprouts
3 T. olive oil
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. lemon pepper seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Cut the ends off of each brussel sprout, and cut large ones in half. Toss with oil, salt, and lemon pepper. Place on a baking sheet. Roast for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan periodically to cook evenly. They are done when the outside is crisp and a little bit browned and inside is soft

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Mom's Secret Pecan Pie

To be honest, I am suprised my mom agreed to let me post this recipe. She is famous for it.

2 T. margarine
1 C. sugar
1 C. dark corn syrup
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 C. pecans
1 (9 inch) unbaked frozen pie crust, such as Mrs. Smith's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the margarine in a small sauce pan, remove from the heat and add the sugar, and corn syrup, stir until combined. Let cool for 10-15 minutes until cool enough to add the eggs without cooking them, add the vanilla and the eggs, stir until combined, then add the pecans. Pour this mixture into the frozen pie crust. Place on a baking sheet and put into the oven. Bake for 60 minutes until center reached 200 degrees. If the crust starts to brown too much, cover edges with foil.

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Pumpkin Pie in a Graham Cracker Crust

It is so easy to whip this up, serve it with parve whipped cream if you want.

1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin Puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 C. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/8 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 C. soy milk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl using a whisk, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, eggs, and soy milk until smooth. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees. Bake for another 40-50 minutes until when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on the counter for 2 hours and serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Just writing this blog post is making me impatient for Thanksgiving, I can't wait to stuff my face! Pin It

11-9-2011 Barbecue Chicken Wraps

Hi guys, I actually made this dinner last week, and life has just been too crazy to post this/anything. This is an easy and delicious meal to add to your repertoire.

I originally planned on making the barbecue chicken in the crockpot which would of been even easier. Here is a link to a similar and highly rated recipe to make it in your crockpot:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/zesty-slow-cooker-chicken-barbecue/detail.aspx

Here are the recipes and pics:

Barbecue Chicken Wraps

Don't mind the green tortilla wraps I used, they were spinach (hopefully a little healthier than the standard) feel free to use whatever flavor you want.

Shredded Barbecue Chicken:
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 T. vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 bottle your favorite bbq sauce
Tortillas in larger wrap size

Place the chicken breasts in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and boil until cooked through 20-30 minutes. Remove cooked breasts to a cutting board, and use 2 forks to shred the chicken. Can also use your fingers.

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat and add the onion. Saute until translucent. Add the shredded chicken and bottle of barbecue sauce. Turn heat to low, and leave over low heat stirring occasionally until ready to serve. Make sure the bottom doesn't burn.

Heat/soften the tortilla according to package. Lay out the tortilla and fill with chicken. Fold over opposite sides and then the top and bottom, then roll up. Serve immediately.

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Cole Slaw

This is a classic sweet coleslaw, it goes perfectly with the above recipe.
1 16 oz. bag coleslaw cabbage mix
1 T. grated onion
1/3 C. Miracle Whip
1 T. vegetable oil
1 1/2 t. vingear
2 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. poppy seeds

Place the coleslaw mix in a salad bowl.
In a small bowl whisk together the grated onion, Miracle Whip, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and poppy seeds. Pour over the coleslaw and mix thoroughly (may seem a bit dry, but won't be after it sits). Cover with plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

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Crispy Baked French Fries

I know it seems weird to put sugar on potatoes, but it helps them to get crisp, and they taste great!

2 1/2 lbs. baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut into thin sticks
1 t. vegetable oil
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1/8 t. freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray.

Toss together the potatoes, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Arrange on the baking sheet in one layer.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp. Serve with ketchup or whatever dipping sauce you prefer.

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Have a great day!! Pin It

11-7-2011 King Hock's Favorite, an Argentinean Feast

When we were in Disney World 2 weeks ago, we got to eat a lot of great food. Sadly, there was a bunch of amazing food we didn't get to eat because it wasn't kosher. I eyed every corny dog stand we walked by, and King Hock's suffering was a story of it's own.

We happened to be in Disney World during Epcot's Food and Wine Festival.  For those of you who have never been there, Epcot has a World Showcase which is a collection of pavilions showcasing 11 different countries. During the Food and Wine Festival there are dozens of temporary food stands representing many more countries.

One of the stands happened to be Argentina. The first time we neared the stand, we could smell the fragrant chimichurri sauce, and as we got closer King Hock got very excited. They were serving meat emapanadas and skewers of grilled meat with chimichurri sauce, none of which we eat. What a bummer. The closest taste we could get was watching everyone else savor their Argentinean specialties.

We walked by on a few other occasions, and King Hock had the same reaction each time. I promptly promised him a similar meal when we got home.

I decided to go all out, this is what I made:
1. Empanadas (dough and everything, the most time consuming thing I have ever attempted) I will give you a shortcut recipe below
2. Typical Argentinean Salad with beets, and hearts of palm
3. Grilled Steaks
4. Grilled Chicken- see below for a simple recipe
5. Chimichurri Sauce
6. Salsa Golf, the real deal
7. French Fries

Here are some of the recipes:

Empanadas

Meat Filling

1 T. olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1 T. smoked paprika, must be SMOKED paprika (I found this at Central Market)
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 C. pitted green olives, sliced

1 beaten egg, to glaze the top

Dough:
I made mine from scratch, which was way way way too much work, and do not suggest it.
You can use defrosted Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, or if you don't keep kosher Goya makes one specifically for empanadas found in the freezer section.

Heat the oil over medium high heat, and add the onion. Cook until translucent and then add the ground beef. Once the beef is browned, add the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out each parchment sheet and cut into 9 squares. (you will have 18 altogether). Roll each square with a rolling pin so they are larger, about 6 inches. Place 1-2 tablespoons of meat mixture in the center of each square, sprinkle a few olive slices ontop of the meat.  Fold dough over pinch to seal edges. Fold edges to form half moon shaped empanadas.

Place empanadas on a baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Brush the tops with egg.

Bake for 25-40 minutes until it is puffed and golden.

 

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Argentinean Ensalada

 

In Argentina, they don't use the typical type of American salad dressings, they just use oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Beets and hearts of palm are typical ingredients they use, you can also add sliced hard boiled eggs if you want.

 

5 oz. mixed greens

1 can sliced beets, drained (can also make your own by boiling fresh beets until tender, then peeling and slicing)

1 can hearts of palm, sliced

1 tomato, diced

 

dressing:

1/4 C. olive oil

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 t. dijon mustard

1/4 t. salt, or to taste

1/4 t. black pepper, freshly ground

 

Place the greens, beets, hearts of palm, and tomato in a large salad bowl. Toss with the dressing, and serve.

 

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Argentinean Grilled Chicken

 

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin to an even thickness

1 large lemon

olive oil

coarse salt

freshly ground black pepper

 

Place the pounded chicken breast on a large cutting board. Squeeze 1/2 the lemon evenly over the chicken. Next drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the breasts over and wash your hands. Do the same thing on the other side.

 

Preheat the grill. When the grill is ready, grill the chicken until the center is no longer pink.

 

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Chimichurri Sauce

 

This recipe comes from the cookbook Seven Fires written by Francis Mallman, the most famous chef in Argentina. It is great on grilled meats.
Salamuera:
1/2 C. water
1/2 T. salt

Chimichurri:
4 cloves garlic
1/2 C. fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 C. fresh oregano
1 t. crushed red pepper flake
1/8 C. red wine vinegar
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil

Crush the garlic into a medium sized bowl. Mince the parsley and oregano, very finely. Add to the bowl. Add the crushed red pepper. Whisk in the vinegar, then the oil. Then the salamuera. Place into a jar with a lid. Let sit for at least an hour before serving, the longer the better to let the flavors develop. Can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

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Real Deal Salsa Golf

This sauce goes with empanadas or any grilled meat.

I found this recipe on fromargentinawithlove.typepad.com

If you are worried about using raw egg yolk, you can find pasteurized eggs. I found them at Central Market.

2 egg yolks

3/4 C. vegetable oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. dijon mustard

2 T. ketchup

Using an electric stand mixer with the whip attachment, whip the yolks on high for a minute. Add the oil drop by drop making sure it is completely incorporated before adding the next drop. If the mixture looks too thick add a few drops of the lemon juice. Once the mixture has made a thick mayonaise, add the rest of the lemon juice, salt, dijon, and ketchup. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

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King Hock was feliz after eating this meal, it definitely made up not getting to eat it in Epcot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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11-4-2011 Mini Thanksgiving Shabbat for 2

The Hock house has been super crazy this week. We have had some bouts of stomach virus, I won't gross you out with details, they are not too pretty. I am looking forward to a relaxing shabbat and weekend.

On another note, I am so excited that my favorite holiday,Thanksgiving, is only a few weeks away. I wait for it all year. Every so often throughout the year, I indulge my year round Thanksgiving cravings and make my favorite components (turkey, cornbread dressing, and cranberry sauce). Perfection is a combo of those three things in one bite, yum!

I had actually planned a different menu for tonight, but as I was shopping in the produce area at the supermarket I saw fresh cranberries, my mouth watered with anticipation (decided I couldn't wait another 3 weeks) and then I had a complete menu change.

Kosher and Thanksgiving pose many challenges, as the traditional meal invloves mixing a lot of meat and dairy. Over the years I have come up with some great kosher recipes for this holiday, and I can't wait to share them with you, which I will do as we get a little closer to Thanksgiving. Tonight, I'm going to give you the recipe for homemade cranberry sauce, if you have never made it before, it is beyond easy, and of course way better than the canned variety.

Here is the menu:

1. Challah
2. Spinach Salad with dried cranberries and apples
3. Salmon Cakes
4. Roasted Chicken Breasts (in place on turkey)
5. Cornbread dressing, recipe coming soon!!
6. Cranberry Sauce
7. Squash Casserole
8. Cupcakes

Cranberry Sauce

1 bag cranberries (3 C.)
1 C. sugar
1 C. water

Place the sugar and water in a sauce pan, and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries, stirring occasionally, simmer until the cranberries burst. Turn off the heat, and the sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

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I hope you (and I) have a relaxing Shabbat and weekend! Pin It

11-1-2011 Apple Muffins

My kids have no idea how good they got it. In the mornings I ask them what they want for breakfast, and then I make them whatever their hearts desire, like if they say they want waffles, I whip out the waffle iron (they don't even know about Eggos). So, this afternoon when Prince Hock #2 requested muffins, we made muffins.

I decided to make apple muffins since I had plent of apples on hand. Before I made them, I hit the internet looking for a healthier recipe. These muffins are somewhat healthier because they have part whole wheat flour, apples, applesauce, and less oil. They don't taste as much like cake as some recipes, but they are delish.

On a side note, make these muffins and your house will smell absolutely wonderful.

Here is the recipe:

Apple Muffins

Adapted from a recipe by Elie Krieger.

topping:
2 T. brown sugar, packed
1/4 C. chopped pecans
1/2 t. cinnamon

muffin batter:
1 C. whole wheat pastry flour, (I found this at Whole Foods)
1 C. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 C. brown sugar, packed
1/4 C. vegetable oil
1 C. apple sauce
2 eggs
3/4 C. plain soy milk
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla
1 apple (Golden Delicious or Honey Crisp), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin liners.

In a small bow mix together the topping ingredients, set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add the oil, apple sauce, eggs, soy milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Fold in the apple pieces.

Scoop out batter into the muffin tin, filling 3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops with the topping. Place in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes or until done.

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Have a good night! Pin It