Month: March 2017


Mar
2017

Challenge- Passover is Coming!

categories: food

For Passover, I am always looking for your input. This year especially I wanted to hear from you.  I just finished working on a Jewish Holiday Cookbook and I could have easily pulled amazing recipes from there for you and been done with it.  Let me tell you, this cookbook is going to be great! However, I asked some friends what were they looking for this year to add to their menus. Of course I heard the plea for desserts. The twist I heard was “Please give me something with no matzah meal!”

If you keep kosher for Passover, you know matzah meal can leave you feeling a little weighted down by the end of the week. So I accepted the CHALLENGE. Obviously, you will still eat matzah and there has to be matzah meal in matzah balls, for the soup. But here are recipes that are great and matzah meal free. You can use these as one menu for your dinner or you can use just a recipe or two. As always feel free to send me your questions and comments. You know I love hearing from you!.  Have an easy Passover!

Mustard Onion Marinade Brisket
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Mustard Onion Marinade Brisket
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Make a paste the first five ingredients and rub all over the brisket. Wrap brisket in parchment then foil. Place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
  2. Remove parchment and foil. Place in a roasting pan, with beef broth and cover TIGHTLY with foil, again.
  3. Bake at 500°F for 1/2 hour then reduce heat to 325°F and bake another 2 hours or longer.
  4. Let meat rest for at least a 1/2 hour before slicing. Better yet let it cool completely. Refrigerate and reheat or serve cold.
Recipe Notes

All I can say is YUM!!!!

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Passover Potato Souffle
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Passover Potato Souffle
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Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Peel the potatoes and cook in a medium saucepan until tender. Drain. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and mash.
  2. Grate half the cheese and mix with hot potatoes. Add salt, pepper and paprika.
  3. Beat the potatoes until cheese melts. Add the milk and egg yolks. Mix well.
  4. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff; fold them into the potato mixture.
  5. Turn into a, very lightly greased, 1 1/2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese.
  6. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 20 minutes
Recipe Notes

This recipe serves 4. It doubles easily.

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Zoodles with Garlic Parsley Sauce
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Use a Spiralizer to make whatever veggie noodles you like. I like a mixture of zucchini and carrots. Cook in boiling water until al dente. You don't want them too soft. Reserve the water.
Zoodles with Garlic Parsley Sauce
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Use a Spiralizer to make whatever veggie noodles you like. I like a mixture of zucchini and carrots. Cook in boiling water until al dente. You don't want them too soft. Reserve the water.
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. In a large saute pan, melt the margarine. Add the garlic and sauce until soft. Watch it, so it doesn't burn. Add the parsley and continue to saute until soft.
  2. Add the zoodles and toss until well coated in sauce. If you want the sauce a little thinner add some of your reserved pasta water.
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Chocolate Pavlova with Raspberries and Marscapone Cream
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Chocolate Pavlova with Raspberries and Marscapone Cream
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Ingredients
Pavlova
Mascarpone Cream
Servings:
Instructions
Pavlova
  1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Trace a 9" circle on parchment using a cake pan or plate. Flip paper over so meringue won't touch pen.
  2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy soft peaks form, about a minute or two. Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add the sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. This should take about 8 or 9 minutes. The meringue will be white and glossy.
  3. Sift the cocoa powder through a fine sieve or sifter and add to meringue. Add the vinegar and the chopped chocolate.
  4. Using a large rubber or silicone spatula, fold the mixture until well combined. It should be light mocha colored and no streaks.
  5. Secure the parchment with a dab of meringue in each corner, then mound the meringue in the center of the circle. Even out the sides, slightly with the spatula or a knife. You don't want it to be perfect or overworked.
  6. Place in oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes , or until the meringue is puffed and crisp all over. It should still be a bit wobbly underneath, if you touch the center.
  7. Turn the oven off and prop the door open. Leave the meringue in the oven to cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes. It is best to let it cool gradually.
Mascarpone Cream
  1. In a medium bowl , beat the mascarpone, heavy cream and vanilla until just combined. Gradually add sugar and continue beating. Increase speed and beat until soft peaks form. You soft clouds of cream.
  2. Mound cream in the center of the meringue and spread to just cover top. Top with fresh raspberries and serve. You can shave some more bittersweet chocolate over the top for more decoration.
  3. The Pavlova can be made a day or two ahead of time and assembled up to 12 hours ahead. Just be sure to keep all components refrigerated.
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Mar
2017

Panisse – My idea of a healthyish snack!

categories: food

I don’t think there is a perfect snack that teenagers, foodie husbands and moms trying to cook healthy for their families would agree on. I do think I tried one in France that might suffice; Panisse!

You can find many snacks made with chickpea flour, such as Socca chips and Panisse, in Nice and Southern Italy. They are delicious and are most often served with a healthy sprinkle of fresh ground pepper. They have a crispy exterior and a creamy interior almost like a polenta French fry. I tried these when I was in France and have been searching for a way to serve them ever since.

So now my worlds have finally collided. I’ve been spending all my time working on a fundraising cookbook for an organization I am involved in personally. It is a Jewish Holiday Cookbook and honestly the recipes are knockouts! I will let you know as soon as it is available.

The other piece is my wonderful family. I have a 17 year old that is a senior in high school and having so much fun with her senior activities, a sophomore in high school that is starting her second season of club water polo and a sports fanatic husband that is in the throws of March Madness. “Calgon take me away!” remember that commercial of a frantic mom looking for some relaxation? In all the craziness I was feeding everyone snacks that were quick, easy and quite frankly, not very good, or healthy. So I thought I ‘d give you all the chance to benefit from my haste.

These batons (fancy name for steak fries) are fried, yes I said fried, but the fact they are made with chickpea (garbanzo) flour offsets the fry, in my book. Chickpea flour really packs a punch. It is naturally loaded with protein, high in fiber and gluten free. If you or any family members are vegan or vegetarian this is a nearly perfect food. I fry in a cast iron skillet in about ½” of olive oil so you are not deep-frying. Another justification for “its not so bad” and you get the benefits of cast iron, too. When you taste these you have a nice crispy exterior and creamy interior, almost like a polenta french fry. As I said above, a good sprinkle of pepper is good; you can also try Parmesan or some Marinara sauce, for dipping.

Panisse - My idea of a healthyish snack!
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Servings
40 pieces
Servings
40 pieces
Panisse - My idea of a healthyish snack!
Print Recipe
Servings
40 pieces
Servings
40 pieces
Ingredients
Servings: pieces
Instructions
  1. Lightly oil a square pan.
  2. Heat the broth with oil, garlic and salt in a heavy saucepan. You can use water, I like to use chicken or vegetable broth for building your flavor.
  3. Once the liquid is hot, but not boiling, slowly whisk in the chickpea flour. Whisk over a medium heat until it thickens, about 3 minutes.
  4. Switch to a wooden spoon and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes until batter becomes very thick and it holds its shape.
  5. Scrape dough/batter into oiled pan and let cool.
  6. To fry panisses, unmold solid mix onto cutting board and slice into batons/fries.
  7. In a heavy or cast iron skillet heat 1/4' to 1/2" of olive oil. When the oil is shiny hot, but NOT smoking, fry the panisses, in batches. Do not overcrowd. once the bottoms are nicely browned and crisp turn, carefully, with tongs, cook until you have a deep golden brown color on both sides.
  8. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels or brown paper bag. Sprinkle with a lot of coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper. Dust with grated Parmesan cheese, too. You can serve with marinara sauce for dipping too.
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