Cheesy Breadsticks

December 29, 2011 · by ·

The big kid is not a demanding eater by any means. She doesn’t like things too complicated, but also doesn’t really beg for new things to make or try. When she does think of something new to make, I try to oblige. 


She keeps telling me about pizza sticks with sauce or cheese sticks with sauce. I think she was inspired by one of the school lunches she saw kids eating. When we go out for pizza, she gets pizza and doesn’t venture out of that routine. So I know she didn’t get it from restaurants. Anyhow, I promised her I would make some when I had the chance.

I came up with a breadstick base – similar to my pizza dough recipe. Stuffed some cheese in it, and baked. Was pretty easy. She said it was the best lunch ever! 
Cheesy Breadsticks (makes about 8 breadsticks)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup warm milk
1 tsp. yeast
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. italian seasoning

1 tsp. garlic powder

Filling:
shredded mozzarella cheese or cheese sticks

Topping: 
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450.

Add the yeast to the bowl of a mixer. Add the warm water and milk. Let it sit for a minute.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Mix until the dough starts to form a ball and pulls away from the bowl.

Knead the dough and form in to a bowl. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover for about 5-10 minutes.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface. Slice the dough in eighths.

Roll out the slices a bit. Fill with cheese and seal the bread sticks. I found that wrapping it like a burrito works well.
Let the breadsticks rest in the pan for about 5-10 minutes.

Brush the breadsticks with olive oil and parmesean cheese.

Bake for about 12-15 minutes.  
Serve breadsticks with a side of marinara sauce. Would also be good with a nice aioli. Enjoy!
Filed Under: Appetizers, baked, bread, Dinner, Lunch, Snacks, Uncategorized · Tagged: , , , , ,

Cottage Cheese Latkes

December 28, 2011 · by ·

Chanukah isn’t over yet! There is still time to post some of the Chanukah goodies I made.

It was the first night of Chanukah. I felt obliged to do something in the spirit of the holiday. The big kid isn’t a huge potato fan though. I didn’t want to smell up the house with hot oil and then have to figure out more dinner for the rest of the family. I thought back to the time when the big kid was just a weed toddler and loved the cottage cheese latkes I made. I think I made them just that one time, about 8 years ago. The bonus is that they seem like more of a complete dinner than the regular potato latke.
Lo and behold, both kids loved them! 

Cottage Cheese Latkes
Ingredients
1 lb. small curd cottage cheese (medium container)
2 extra large eggs
1/4 cup flour (gluten free flour works too)
salt and pepper
garlic powder
vegetable oil


Mix everything up in a bowl. Yes, it’s that easy.

Take out a fry pan and heat up some vegetable oil.

Take a big spoon of the batter and drop in to the pan. I like them to be around 2-3 inches wide. Don’t mess with the latke until you are sure it is ready to flip. The cheese latke should be a little brown on the edges before you flip it.  It will also flip easier when it’s done on that side. The melty cheese will stick to the pan before it’s ready.  Cook another 2-3 minutes once flipped. Drain on a plate covered with paper towels.


Enjoy!

Filed Under: Brunch, Chanukah, Side Dish · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Red Beans and Rice – The Kosher Way!

December 12, 2011 · by ·

Last Sunday night, with two hungry and cranky kids in tow, we found ourselves wandering the grocery store in search of something quick to prepare.  I am rarely grateful for Acme Markets and their high prices. Except for nights like that. They have a kosher deli counter and a great kosher section that rivals our local kosher grocery store. Being that they are spawned from big corporate mayhem, they are also able to provide better sale prices every so often. 


As I perused the deli case, I noticed that they had a big selection of Jacks’s Gourmet Sausages on sale. I tried their bratwurst this summer at a BBQ, and we really liked them. Decided to pick up some chorizo. Figured that the extra spice would help. So glad that I chose that flavor. It was perfect for the dish.


As we drove home, we brainstormed how best to elevate the chorizo for a mid-week dinner. A special request was made for red beans and rice. J grew up in the South where he ate the real thing. I didn’t know if I could top that in a pork-less dish. I know it wasn’t going to be completely authentic. I figured I could at least try. It did come out well. I even brought leftovers for lunch the next day. I never bring the leftovers. It was that good.


Red Beans & Rice 

Ingredients


1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 small zucchini, chopped (I know, not authentic – but added some texture)
salt
ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of cayenne
2 bay leaves
handful of chopped fresh parsley
a few teaspoons of fresh thyme
1 package of chorizo sausage, sliced
1 can of red beans (could even use two cans)
2 cups of veggie broth
Cooked white rice (I used basmati)


Cook your rice as you normally do. Keep warm and set aside.


In a large pan, heat up the oil. Throw in the garlic and onions and let soften. A few minutes.


Throw in the other veggies and stir, Let them cook for a few minutes.


Add in the spices and herbs. 


Now add the sausage and beans. Cook for a few more minutes. 


Add in the broth. Let the broth boil.  Mash some of the red beans. Let it cook for about a half hour. The flavors get betters as you cook it longer. Let some of the broth evaporate. It should still be saucy.  Serve over some white rice.


Enjoy!




Filed Under: Dinner, meat · Tagged: , , , ,

Chewy Ginger Snap Cookies

December 12, 2011 · by ·

Last year I decided to be a bit frugal and start making my teacher gifts. I can be crafty, but I don’t have time to be as crafty as I want to be. I knew I wouldn’t be buying out A.C. Moore and making fancy baskets. I still had to do something. Each kids has a gaggle of teachers, and buying something more tangible from a store would be ridiculously expensive. I decided to make a cookie basket of sorts. I think I will continue with that place this year. About $20 in baking ingredients + $15 in packaging supplies from the craft store, and we’re good. I may add some cute pictures of the kids in aprons or something along those lines to add to the card.


Anyhow, I made about 4 different kinds of cookies. My Russian tea cakes bombed. Will need to find a new recipe for that. The chocolate krinkles and the chocolate chip cookies were easy and appreciated. It was the chewy ginger cookies that were the biggest hit – both at home and in the schools. I have since made the recipe a few times, and they get devoured pretty quickly. Definitely recommend it.


Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies
Recipe slightly adapted from the Cooking with my Kid Blog

Ingredients:

3/4 cup melted butter

1 and 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 tsp cloves

Melt the butter and let it cool. 

Mix in the egg, molasses, and 1 cup of the sugar. 

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. 

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture a little at a time until combined. Chill for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper and heat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Make 1″ balls with the dough and roll in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until coated. 


Place on cookie sheet with about 2″ between each ball. Bake for exactly 9 minutes in the middle of the oven (only 1 cookie sheet at a time). 



Take them out at 9 minutes even if they don’t seem done. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 2 more minutes before removing and cooling on a rack. 


Enjoy!

Filed Under: baked, cookies · Tagged: , , , ,

English Muffins

December 7, 2011 · by ·

I don’t remember ever having a breakfast sandwich until I moved to New York. 


Don’t get me wrong. We ate breakfast in Minnesota. They had Egg McMuffins (shudder) there as well. They just don’t have all the greasy delis, bodegas, and carts where you can order that classic egg & cheese on a roll. 

If I ate breakfast out in Minnesota, it was usually two eggs – over easy, with a side of hash browns and toast. If I wanted to shake things up a bit, there were always omelets and pancakes. My father is a master omelet maker. Still, there is something to being able to go to a corner store and pay a guy $1.50 to make a greasy sandwich – that also serves as a really tasty hangover cure.

Fast forward a few years. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had huge cravings for egg sandwiches in the morning. I decided to start searching for that perfect breakfast sandwich. I still haven’t found it. I haven’t found anyone who gets all the parts just right. If the bagel or roll is good, then my luck – the eggs are overdone. Or the cheese is all wrong. I don’t need much. A toasted english muffin or roll with american cheese, two eggs, salt, and pepper. That’s all it takes. 

I have done bagels. Rolls are easy. I had never done English Muffins. 

Growing up, we often used to eat the classic Thomas’s English Muffins.  With all its nooks and cranny goodness.  I decided I had to make something like that. I studied dozens of recipes online and in my various baking cookbooks. I researched flour and muffins rings. It didn’t seem too complicated. I simply procrastinated. I finally dug in. Sunday morning was D-Day. It really wasn’t hard to do. Was fun to make – and tasty too! 

Traditional English Muffins

1/4 cup warm water (105 – 115 degrees)
1 tablespoon (1 package) active dry yeast (or a little less than a tablespoon of instant yeast)
Pinch of sugar
4 to 4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 1/4 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
Cornmeal (for dusting)

If using active dry yeast, combine the water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. If using instant yeast, as I did, you can just mix the yeast in with the flour and omit this first step and the sugar.
Combine 2 cups of the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in egg, milk, butter, and yeast mixture. Mix until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring in each time, until you have a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Return the dough to a clean, greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
Sprinkle a work surface with cornmeal. Pour the dough out of the bowl and onto the surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with cornmeal and then roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Use a large round cookie cutter or an upside down drinking glass to cut the muffins out of the dough.


Preheat your oven to 350.


Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place the muffins onto the skillet and let the bake for 5 to 10 minutes until quite dark before flipping.

 I threw my english muffins in the oven for a few minutes to finish the baking process.

.
Cool them on a wire rack when out of the oven.

Serve toasted with butter as I did on Sunday, or as a breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese as I intend to do tomorrow morning. Enjoy!


Check out all the nooks and crannies here!

Filed Under: baked, bread, Breakfast · Tagged: , , , ,

Vietnamese Iced Coffee Popsicles

August 2, 2011 · by ·

I rarely succumb to impulse buys. Especially when the ads show up in my inbox. I will blame the heat. These 90+ degree days are doing something funky to me.  I keep getting emails advertising a variety of popsicle makers and popsicle stores. There’s even a popsicle food-truck! 


I haven’t been in to popsicles since I was pregnant with my older daughter. Popsicles were my crack. I am not a fan of most store-bought popsicles. I like the occasional Fudgsicle or pudding pop. Do pudding pops still exist even? Trader Joes and Whole Foods make some pretty tasty fruit juice popsicles.  When I am there though, it’s just not something I reach for. When my sisters and I were kids, we used to pour juice into dixie cups and then stash them in the freezer. Only to have my mom open the freezer to half-frozen cups of juice pouring on to her. My parents stopped buying dixie cups at some point. They did buy popsicles.  They weren’t evil. They just didn’t like the sticky mess all over the freezer. I get it now.

Anyhow, those emails worked.  Good marketing, Amazon! Good marketing, Williams Sonoma! You got me on an online popsicle search. They have these handy dandy electric popsicle makers now! I’ll admit, that appliance was tempting. I don’t need my popsicles to be ready in 5 minutes, though. I also don’t really need another big appliance. I want more than 3 popsicles at a time. The old-school plastic popsicle molds are great, but you end up losing the pieces.  I decided to buy this one. I like the familiar shape of the popsicle and I like to use the traditional wooden sticks. It’s very easy to use. Highly recommended. It also showed up in my inbox, on sale, on a 100 degree day. Once again – good job, Amazon! 

It showed up in my house 2 days later and I had to make something. I knew that coffee had to be the star of my first shot at popsicle making.  We had just cleaned our pantry and noticed three cans of sweetened condensed milk.  3 cans? I never use that stuff? Good thing those cans have a long shelf life.

When I was in college and high school, I used to spend the majority of my time (when not in class or work) at a local coffee shop. Cafe Wyrd was the best coffee shop around. I used to sit with my school books, a pack of American Spirits, and a big pot of coffee. Being that I was a regular there, the baristas used to push special drinks on me every so often. They introduced me to Vietnamese Iced Coffee. I could get hooked on that drink. If it weren’t for the fact that I was a poor college student at the time – I probably would have been hooked.  I am not usually a fan of sweet coffee, but that stuff was good and it stuck with me, in the back of my coffee addicted mind. It’s so easy to make.  A good espresso and some sweetened condensed milk over some ice. It’s perfect popsicle fodder! I didn’t even need a real recipe!

Vietnamese Ice Coffee Popsicles
Ingredients:
2 cups espresso
1 small can sweetened condensed milk

I brewed up some super strong espresso. About 2 cups.  I let it cool for a bit. I poured the sweetened condensed milk into a small mixing bowl. About 3/4 of that small can. Add in the cooled off espresso. Mixed it all up. Let the mixture chill in the fridge for about a half hour. The poured everything in to the molds.  Put the mold in the freezer for an hour. Stuck the sticks in when partially frozen. Let freeze overnight.  



This made for amazing popsicles! What’s my next popsicle flavor?


Filed Under: Dessert · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Black Bean and Corn Salad

July 31, 2011 · by ·

It’s been a hot summer.  The past few shabbats have been getting close to 100 degrees.  This does not make for happy campers in my house. We just want to zone out in front of the air conditioning vent and ignore the world.

Instead, I have things I have to do. I have kids I have to parent. I have guests I have to entertain. I do love both of those tasks. It’s just the stove/oven/blech thing that I despise on hot shabbats.

I have been making a lot of salads lately. Trying to get away with just a crockpot on for shabbat lunch. Seems to be working.  Make a bunch of assorted salads to go with my daughter’s beloved cholent. Everyone is happy.

One of the well-loved salads is a black bean and corn salad. Protein+crunch+veggies. You can’t go wrong!

Black Bean and Corn Salad
Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 can or white whole kernel corn or 2 cups frozen corn or about 3-4 ears of corn steamed and cooled down
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
handful of cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt
pepper
dash of cumin

This is the easiest recipe I might ever have on my blog.

Chop everything up and mix it all together. You’ve got a fantastic side dish! Enjoy!

Filed Under: Salads, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , ,

California Rolls – Sushi

July 31, 2011 · by ·

I have never understood the gefilte – fish that is. It’s a mish mash of all sorts of fish, and then it’s boiled. It’s not that appealing. There isn’t much flavor going for it. Yet it’s so popular. I like serving fish on shabbat – especially when I have company over. I want to serve something that I enjoy eating as well. Salmon is a nice treat, but it’s too much of a main course dish to serve as an appetizer. I recently decided to carry on my dad’s tradition of shabbat sushi.


One weekend last summer, I asked him for some shabbat sushi guidance. He suggested I cook the rice on Friday, right before shabbat, season it, and then keep it covered until you are ready to use it. Keeping it room temperature in the pot, keeps the rice ready to go. It worked out well. Everyone loves sushi and thinks I worked my tushy off to make it. It really is super easy.

To make the rice:
Ingredients:
2 cups sushi rice
2 cups water
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. salt

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. I like to use a strainer to do this.

Put the rice in pot (only wimps use rice cookers). Cover the rice with the water. Turn the heat on high.

When the water starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Keep the pot covered. No peeking. Let it sit for another 10 minutes.

While the rice is cooking and cooling.  Mix up the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat it. Do not let it boil. Stir it up. Let the sugar dissolve.

Mix the vinegar mixture into the rice mixture with rice paddle. Let the rice cool down.  I like to keep my seasoned rice covered.

For the California Rolls
Ingredients:
Nori
Cooked and seasoned sushi rice
Surimi (fake crab sticks)
Seedless Cucumber – julienned
Avocado – sliced thin, lengthwise (sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning)
sriracha (I like my sushi spicy)
black toasted sesame seeds

Cover your sushi rolling mat with plastic wrap. 

Cut your nori sheets in half.

Lay your sheet of nori on the mat.

Take a handful of rice and spread it out on to the nori. Sprinkle it with the sesame seeds and flip over.

Place a bit of the veggies and surimi in the middle of the sheet. Squirt a bit of sriracha on it if you like it with a little heat.

Hold on to the edge of the sushi mat (the edge near you). Start rolling, keeping the filling in place with your fingers. Roll and Shape with the mat. Set aside that sushi roll and make more rolls.

Slice the rolls up with a very sharp knife.  Enjoy your sushi with wasabi and soy sauce.  Enjoy!

Filed Under: fish · Tagged: , , , , ,

Pasta with Smoked Salmon in a Light Cream Sauce

July 31, 2011 · by ·

Does one have to like lox to be Jewish? I like sable. Isn’t that enough? When I was a kid, I was a picky eater as far as my family goes. My parents cooked for a pretty varied palate. My palate has thankfully expanded, but I still don’t like lox. The smell, the texture, and the taste all bother me. When J wants a agel with lox – he knows enough to eat it at the bagel store or while I am at the gym. Both of my kids like it enough. J loves it. When I head back to the midwest for a family visit – I have to bring back smelly packages to my parents. You can’t get the good east coast stuff in Minnesota. It’s a rough life, you know?


J went and picked up a small package of smoked salmon at TJ’s one Sunday morning. It was most definitely intended to be a special breakfast treat for him. Instead, I decided to play with it. Turn it in to some semblance of dinner. Can’t remember the restaurant, but J used to love this one place that served the pasta with a cream sauce and smoked salmon. I decided to surprise him with a nice dinner treat.


Pasta with Smoked Salmon in a Light Cream Sauce
Ingredients:


1/2 a box of thin spaghetti
butter
olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
handful of cremini mushrooms, chopped
zest from half of a lemon
salt
pepper, freshly ground
juice from half of a lemon

1/4 cup half and half

4 oz. smoked salmon, chopped
parmesean cheese
frozen peas  – a handful or two
2 tbsp. dill, chopped

Instructions:
Cook the pasta until al dente. Do not overcook.  Set it aside.

In a large pan, heat up some olive oil and butter.  Toss in the onions and garlic. Cook it a bit. 

Add the mushrooms. Saute a few minutes.  Now add the cream and the lemon zest and juice. Add some salt and pepper. I would also recommend some red pepper flakes at this points.

Throw in the dill and the peas.  When you are almost ready to serve, toss in the chopped smoked salmon. You don’t want to over cook that. Now toss in the pasta.  Mix it up a bit. Shred in some parmesean cheese.  Dinner is ready! Enjoy!

Filed Under: Dinner, fish, pasta, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Veggie Chili with Soyrizo

May 16, 2011 · by ·

It was a veggie chili kind of day today.  Been pouring on and off all day. I’ve been wanting to make a big pot of chili for a while now. It finally happened today. Woke up to some crazy rain this morning. 

The ingredients can usually be found in my pantry. No reason not to hold off any longer. Chili is also a cheap and easy meal that goes a long way. Throw in some brown rice, cheddar cheese, and sour cream – and everyone’s happy.

Veggie Chili with Soyrizo

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 package of soyrizo (trader joe’s or friedas brand)
1 red onion, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
6 medium baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1.5 cups assorted chopped peppers
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
4 cans of beans – kidney and black bean combo
28 oz. of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. good balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
salt, to taste

In a large pot, heat the oil.  Crumble up the soy chorizo and add it to the pot. Cook on medium-high for a few minutes. 

Add in all the chopped veggies and cook for around 5-10 minutes on medium high. Let all the veggies soften.

Add in the beans and the spices and stir a bit.  Add in the tomatoes. Add in the balsamic. Let the mixture come to a boil.  Cover the pot and let everything cook and simmer for about an hour. Add salt to taste.

Serve over brown rice with whatever toppings you desire. We enjoyed our chili over some brown rice tonight with some salad on the side.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , ,
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