Potato Latkes

 HAPPY HANUKKAH 

You can not have Hanukkah without Potato Latkes!  We only make these once a year and they are so delicious.  Super easy to make, just a little time consuming but definitely worth the time.

Ingredients:

5 lb bag of Yukon Gold Potatoes

2 large onions

1 Tablespoon salt

1/4 cup Matzoh meal (you can also use flour)

Preparation:

Using a food processor with both the bottom blade and top grater attachment on 

grate two large onions and transfer grated onion to a large bowl.  Next using the same attachments process 1/2 the potatoes and transfer to the same bowl with the onion.  Lastly remove the bottom blade from inside the food processor and just use the top grater attachment to process the rest of the potatoes.  You will now have 1/2 the potatoes as "mush" and half the potatoes shredded.  In a large bowl add all the potatoes, onions and the rest of the ingredients and mix until well blended.

Heat a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil. (If you have more than one large frying pan you may want to use two to make the frying of the latkes go faster).  I like to take spoonfuls of the potato mixture and squeeze out the extra liquid using my hands and place mounds of the potatoes into the hot oil pressing down lightly with the back of the spoon.  Let potatoes get nice and golden brown on one side and then flip them over to brown on the second side.  Once both sides are golden brown remove with spatula and place on paper towels to drain.  Repeat this until all the potato mixture is used up.  Serve hot!

You can store these in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven or air fryer.  Latkes also freeze really well.  Freeze in a single layer and then you can store in a ziplock bag in the freezer and just take out a few at a time and reheat in the oven or air fryer.

Crab Rangoon

 

My family loves all things Asian and these are a favorite when we order Chinese food.  My daughter Annie and I decided to try to make these at home and they were really super easy and so delicious!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz package of Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz of imitation crab, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
• 20-25 Wonton Wrappers
• small bowl of water
• Oil for frying

Preparation:

In a medium bowl mix together cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil and garlic powder until combined well.  Next stir in powdered sugar and combine.  Fold in crab until completely incorporated.  

Place 2 wrappers on a flat surface, put about 1/2 teaspoon of the crab mixture in the center of the wrapper.  Using your finger dip into the bowl of water and wet all four sides of the wrapper.  Pull up two opposite corners of wrapper and stick together.  Then pull up two more corners.  Pinch to close and make sure all sides are sealed.  Once you have 6 completed you can pan fry in about 1/2" of oil, once one side is browned flip and brown opposite side.  Remove when golden brown and let drain on some paper towels.  Serve with any dipping sauce.  We love the Sweet Chili Sauce from Trader Joes.

"Leftover-Makeover" Curry Chicken Fried Rice

I love taking leftovers and creating a new meal from them. One of my favorite left over makeovers is fried rice. I always have the ingredients on hand in my freezer and pantry so it’s a very easy go to dish for a last minute meal. I had Chinese white rice in the fridge and leftover teriyaki chicken in my freezer ( I made teriyaki marinated chicken cutlets for dinner a few weeks ago and diced up the left overs and froze them). This is a very simple recipe because you really don’t have to measure anything. Just dump in what you like and season to taste. Any chicken would work as well. I have used leftover roasted chicken many times and it’s delish.


Ingredients:

1 1/2 pints left over Chinese take-out white rice
1 Cup frozen peas, corn, red peppers, edamame
1 C. Frozen Broccoli
1 T. curry powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. red chili flake
1/3 C. soy sauce
1 egg
1 C. left over cooked chicken, diced

Preparation:

Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with oil and set on medium heat. Add frozen vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes. Add white rice and continue to stir until heated through. Add curry, garlic, onion powder, red pepper flake and soy sauce and stir through. Next, make a well in the middle of the rice. Crack an egg into the well. Scramble egg, then mix into the rice. Add the cooked diced chicken and heat through.

Pear, Apple, Peach Salad

This past summer I wanted something different for our annual family Father's Day BBQ. Something refreshing as a side dish, but not typical boring green salad. So, I came up with a yummy combination of the two....a fruit salad that is more of a side dish than a dessert.

Ingredients:

2 Pears Sliced
2 Apples Sliced
2 Peaches Sliced
2 Stalks of Celery cut into small pieces
1 C. Diced Jicama
1/4 C. Fresh Mint leaves roughly chopped
Juice of 2 limes
1 T Olive Oil
1/4 C. Honey
Pinch of salt and pepper

Add the apples, pears, peaches, celery and Jicama to a large bowl. Mix lime juice, olive oil, honey, mint, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Pour dressing mixture over fruit and celery. Toss it all together to coat. Serve immediately or chill until ready.

Classic Macaroni Salad

 

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar ( I used apple cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon mustard (you can use, yellow, brown or Dijon)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb macaroni, cooked, drained and cooled
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped red/yellow or orange pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato

Prepsaration:

Whisk together 1st 6 ingredients in a small bowl to make dressing.  In a large bowl combine cooled macaroni, celery, red pepper and tomato.  Pour dressing over the top and mix to combine well.  Cover and chill.

Spring Pasta - Shells with Broccoli, Edamame and Pesto

Pesto has become a new favorite in my house.  I find I use it constantly for the kids.  They LOVE Pesto Pizza and Pesto Cheesy Garlic Bread but for some reason I haven't made Pesto pasta.  This one I whipped up in just minutes for a quick dinner using prepared pesto that I bought at the market.  When I have more time I'll make my own and of course post that recipe too!

My kids absolutely loved this dish.  It's a great side dish or a main dish served with garlic bread.  Use the prepared pesto for an easy, super quick dinner during the week.  This would also be delicious served cold for a BBQ side dish.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. pasta (any shape you like)

1/2 cup prepared Pesto

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 cups raw broccoli florets, cut small

1/2 cup frozen, shelled edamame

Preparation:

Cook pasta until a dente and drain.  Stir in pesto and parmesan cheese and mix until pasta is well coated.  In a med skillet on the stove heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add garlic and cook on med heat for about a minute stirring so it won't burn.  Add broccoli florets and sauté garlic for about 2 minutes.  Stir in frozen edamame and cook for another minute until edamame is heated through.  Pour hot broccoli and edamame over the pesto pasta and stir in.  Serve immediately.

Thanksgiving101 - Cranberry Strawberry Compote

You can't have Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce.  This is my version.  I use strawberries to help sweeten it up a little more and add extra texture.  This year I decided to add a little lemon juice and cinnamon and it really came out delicious.

Ingredients:

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 quart strawberries, diced
1 cup sugar
1 cup  water
Lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Place cranberries, water and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook on med/hi until cranberries start to burst.  Stir cranberry mixture and add in diced strawberries.  Let cook on med - med/hi heat stirring occasionally until fruit is cooked down but still a little chunky about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and cinnamon and cook for an additional minute or two.   Remove from stove and transfer hot mixture into a heat proof bowl and chill in refrigerator until cold, about 1-2 hrs or overnight.

Wedge Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing

LOVE this version of  wedge salad.  It combines sweet and salty together for the perfect combination of flavors.  Very easy to whip up and of course delicious!

Ingredients:

1 head of iceberg lettuce, core removed and quartered

1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled

1/2 cup glazed pecans, chopped

1/2 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

For dressing: 

1/2 avocado

1 cup ranch dressing

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:

In a blender combine avocado, ranch dressing, milk and herbs.  Blend until smooth. 

To assemble salad place one quarter of lettuce head on a plate.  Sprinkle 1/4 of blue cheese over lettuce wedge.  Next pour on about 1/4 cup of prepared dressing.  Sprinkle 1/4 of the bacon crumbles, and 1/4 of the chopped pecans over the dressing.  Serve immediately.  

Pumpkin Corn Fritters

I saw this recipe posted by Daphne Oz of The Chew and it looked so easy and delicious. I thought it would make for a perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving. Very simple using canned pumpkin, canned corn, with a few spices and some self rising flour and Voila! Fritters!!

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce can Pumpkin Puree
1 7-ounce can Whole Kernel Corn (drained)
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Self-Rising Flour
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
Vegetable Oil for frying

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, corn and eggs and whisk to combine. Add the flour, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and season with salt and pepper. When the oil is to temperature carefully drop in heaping tablespoons of batter, making sure not to over crowd the pan. Gently flip when the bottom is crispy and allow to cook on the second side.

Kale Salad with Peanut Dressing

This is a great Pinterest find.  My sister Susan made this for a family BBQ and I loved it!  I have since made it twice and everyone who tries it raves about it and wants the recipe.  I've altered the original recipe slightly but you can see the original recipe here at Kitchen Fiddler.  This is a copy kat recipe of Houston' Kale Salad.

Ingredients:

4 cups finely chopped kale
2 cups finely chopped savoy cabbage
1 scallion finely chopped, white and green parts
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey


Preparation:

In a large bowl combine, kale, cabbage, scallions, cilantro and roasted peanuts

In a small bowl, combine peanut oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over kale and toss well to coat.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Spinach and Parmesan Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

This recipe was created for a catering job that Nanci and I had last summer.  I'm not sure why it took me so long to blog it because it's really a fantastic, delicious recipe.  It's a new take on the traditional "stuffed" mushroom.  I love using portabella mushrooms because it's easy to portion as a side dish, (one mushroom per person) or this would make a great vegetarian dish and in that case two mushrooms per serving would be plenty. A great side dish for a BBQ and I know we are all always looking for something new and different to make than the typical colesloaw and potato salad.

Ingredients:

8 small/med whole portabella mushroom caps

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 large bag of fresh spinach

1 cup grated parmesean cheese, divided

1 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup fresh parsely, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

 

Preparation:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a large baking sheet and lay each mushroom cap gill side up on the sheet.  Lightly oil the bottoms and inside of each mushroom cap and season both sides with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.  Meanwhile,  in a large skillet over med heat sautee minced garlic in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil for a minute.  Add in fresh spinach to hot garlic oil, season with salt and pepper and cook spinach down until it is fully wilted.  Transfer spinach into a small bowl and set aside to cool.  Once spinach is cooled add in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and stir to combine.  In another bowl mix bread crumbs with remanining parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper.  Now to assemble the mushrooms;  Add about 2 tablespoons of spinach mixture into the gill side of the mushroom cap and then sprinkle with about 1-2 tablespoons of the bread crumb mixture, continue until all filling and bread crumbs are used up.  Drizzle a little olive oil on top of each mushroom (add an additional sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired) and bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes.  Add another sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley before serving, serve hot!

 

Autumn Chopped Salad

We are always looking for new salad ideas and this one was so perfect for this time of the year.  Absolutely delicious!  Susan made this for lunch the other day when we were eating outside in her Sukkah.  I LOVED the combination of the sweet and salty.  Even my husband who during the entire meal said that he wouldn't eat the salad because it had fruit and nuts in it ended up finishing the salad (eating directly out of the salad bowl, mind you) it was that good.  It's a must try! This recipe was found on Pinterest and it took me awhile to find the original source but I'm so glad I did because it's from a fantastic blog Espresso and Cream.  Check it out when you get a chance.

*Susan substituted bacon bits for the bacon to keep the salad kosher

Ingredients:

 6 to 8 cups of Chopped Romaine Lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
*8 slices bacon, crisp and crumbled
4 to 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup Poppy Seed Dressing
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions:

In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Mix poppy seed dressing with the balsamic vinaigrette. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, Toss and serve immediately!

Broccoli Salad

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This is an all time favorite salad for summer time.  My family has been making this for BBQ's for years and we give out the recipe constantly because it's always a big hit.  Because you use raw broccoli this salad really lasts a long time without getting soggy which makes it a great salad to bring to a friend's house, block party or anywhere that it might have to sit out for an extended period of time.   



Ingredients:

1 head broccoli, stems discarded, florets cut small
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
3 T red wine vinegar
1/2 small red onion, finely minced
1/2 cup raisins
1 package ramen noodles, broken into small pieces,uncooked, discard the seasoning packet
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, not salted or roasted
1 cup raw cashews, not salted or roasted

Preparation:

Place broccoli in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk mayo, sugar, vinegar, and onion
Pour dressing over broccoli.
Add raisins, crumbled ramen noddles, sunflower seeds, and cashews.
Toss to combine

Tips
*There is enough dressing to double the amount of broccoli  but keep the rest of ingredient amounts the same
* Toast the ramen noodles in a dry hot pan on the stove top
* If not serving immediately, add the cashews and ramen noodles right before serving but you can dress the broccoli with the raisins and sunflower seeds a few hours in advance.  

Gefilte Fish Cakes

This year for the jewish holidays I wanted to come up with a new starter instead of the traditional gefilte fish which not everyone in our family likes. One of my favorite new kosher cooking websites is joyofkoshercooking.com. I found this really creative twist on gefilte fish that is sort of like a crab cake and it was a huge hit. It was very easy and I will be adding it to my holiday menus in the future!

Ingredients:

1 loaf frozen gefilte fish defrosted (22 0z)

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1 small red onion diced

2 celery stalks diced

1 1/2 C mayo divided

4 T chopped dill

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 egg

1 C coarsely crushed matzo (I used matzo farfel)

1 C canola oil

1 lemon juiced

4 T prepared horseradish

Preparation:

In large bol combine fish, peppers,onion, celery, dill, 1/2 C mayo, salt, pepper, egg, and matzo, and stir well to combine. With wet hands scoop 1/4 C and form into patties. Place on sheet pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes before frying.  Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Fry patties in batches 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown.  In small bowl combine remaining 1 C mayo, lemon juice, and horseradish and stir.

To serve, plate 2 cakes on a small plate and garnish with 1 T sauce.

Cauliflower Puree

We starting making cauliflower puree for Holiday dinners in place of mashed potatoes to have a more healthful alernative to all the potato dishes that we usually make.  We all really LOVE this recipe, well the adults do but the kids are still requesting mashed potatoes so I guess we will start making both.

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower

chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter *optional

Preparation:

Cut cauliflower into small pieces and place in a stock pot.  Add chicken broth almost to cover and cook over med/hi heat for about 30-40 minutes until cauliflower is for tender.   Drain cauliflower reserving some cooking liquid on the side.  Using an immersion blender blend cauliflower until smooth.  If it's too thick add back in a little stock to help loosen it up.  Season with salt and pepper and some butter or margarine if desired.

Matzo Apple Pudding

This is a favorite recipe that we have EVERY year for Passover.  It makes a delicious side dish for our Passover Sedar dinner.  Usually either our Mom or Karen makes this every year for our family.  It re-heats beautifully so we often make a double or triple recipe and have it two days in row for both Sedars.

Ingredients:
3 squares of matzo
3/4 C. water
1 jar (15 oz) apple sauce
1/2 C. slivered almonds
3/4 C. raisins
3 T. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 C. brown sugar
4 eggs beaten

Preparation: Break up matzo in bowl. Pour in water and toss. let stand until matzo is soft and water is absorbed. add applesauce, almonds, raisins, cinnamon, salt lemon rind, brown sugar, and eggs. Pour into 1 1/2 quart greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Every year for our annual Chanukah get together I always make the applesauce. For years I have been making a microwave version from one of the Silver Palette Cookbooks. It is pretty easy but has a whole cup of sugar in it so I really wanted to try to find one that has less sugar since the apples are pretty sweet as it is and no one needs the extra sugar. After searching a few blogs I found this one from skinnytaste.com that you make in the slow cooker. It is sooo easy. The hardest part is peeling the apples. I altered it slightly because it said to cook for 6 hours on low and I found after 3 1/2 - 4 hours it was done. I also added a little water to the pot, about 1/2 cup because I was worried the apples might burn without any liquid. It was really delicious and my whole house smelled of warm apples and cinnamon!

Ingredients:

8 medium apples ( I used 4 Granny Smith and 4 Gala but any combination would work)

1 strip of lemon peel

1 tsp of fresh lemon juice

3 inch cinnamon stick

5 tsp light brown sugar (unpacked)

1/2 C water

Preparation:

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place them in the slow cooker. Add the cinnamon stick, lemon peel, lemon juice, brown sugar and water.

Set slow cooker to low and cook for 4-6 hours. Stir occassionally, apples will slowly become delicious applesauce. Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Use and immersion blender to blend until smooth or if you prefer a chunky sauce, leave sauce intact.

Makes about 3 cups.

What's for Shabbat Dinner? Roasted Popcorn Cauliflower

This is a great Susie Fishbein recipe for roasted cauliflower. The combination of spices really jazzes up the cauliflower. If I have broccoli in my fridge I will throw that in with the cauliflower and it is delicious.

Ingredients:

2 heads cauliflower, cut into medium sized florets, discard stems.

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4-1/2 tsp turmeric

6-8 T olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan or baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the salt, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, turmeric, and oil. Add cauliflower florets and toss evenly to coat.

Place in a single layer on the prepared sheet.

Roast uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until the largest pieces can be pierced with a fork.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

I don't make mashed potatoes often but when I do they are gone in a matter of minutes.  Good old fashioned mashed potatoes are so good but this combination with roasted garlic and parmesan cheese is FANTASTIC!!

Ingredients:

4-5 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed 
4 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic
1 cup warm milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water and bring to a boil.  Cook over med/hi heat for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.  Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.  Using a hand mixer beat hot potatoes until mashed.  Add butter and warm milk and continue to mix until potatoes are smooth and creamy.  Add in garlic and parmesan and beat again until combined.  Season with salt and pepper and mix again.  Serve hot.

Here's a quick video of how to roast garlic if you have never done it before, very easy!

How to Roast Garlic

Linked to Everyday Mom's Meals

Sauteed Spinach with Caramelized Red Onions and Pine Nuts

When my family lived in London for two years we had an amazing housekeeper/nanny who was also a fabulous cook. This is her recipe she made for us all the time because my kids loved it so much. This is how I got my kids to eat spinach. Thanks Emmie!

Ingredients:

3 5 oz. bags of washed baby spinach

2 small red onions sliced

2 T brown sugar

1/3 C pine nuts

2 T margarine (divided)

1 tsp seasoned salt (I use Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt)

Preparation:

In a large saute pan melt 1 T margarine and add the seasoned salt. Add the pine nuts and toast until lightly golden in color and remove from pan.

Melt the remaining 1 T margarine in the same pan and add the onions and saute until softened. Then add the brown sugar and continue to cook over medium high heat until caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside. Add spinach to the pan and cook until just wilted.

Place cooked spinach on a shallow serving dish and spread out to cover the dish . Place the onions on top of the spinach and spread out. Then top with toasted pine nuts and serve warm.