easy/yummy/healthy quinoa pilaf

Quinoa is becoming the biggest food trend among today's health conscious. Because it's high in protein, fiber and iron, and because it's also gluten-free, it's truly a super-food that you should try.

If you've never made Quinoa before, I would highly recommend starting with this super-easy recipe. It's DELISH!

• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 2 carrots
  
• 1 red pepper
  
• 2 cups quinoa,
  
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp chicken soup flavoring (optional)
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Put frozen peas in a bowl and set aside to let thaw.

Chop onion, garlic, carrots and red pepper into tiny pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add onion, garlic, carrots and red pepper, cooking until soft, about 5-8 minutes.

Add quinoa and water and chicken soup flavoring (if using).

Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Stir in frozen peas and salt and pepper.

Serves 6.

Per serving: 319 calories, 9 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 50 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 13 g protein, 94% Vitamin A, 55% Vitamin C, 6% calcium, 34% iron

pesach chocolate fudge brownies (nisht gebrochts)

These are really fudgey, gooey brownies, almost lava-cake like. I like to serve them warm!

1 cup oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (optional)
1 cup cocoa
1/2 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 9" baking pan.
Combine all ingredients and pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 30 minutes.

Eggplant Fritters (Gebrokts)

Cross posted on Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

My family will tell you that I'm always willing to try an interesting recipe - - - once. After that, we have a family "post mortem" and decide if it's a "thumbs up" or a "thumbs down".

I find that with pesach recipes, there are more in the "thumbs down" category, simply because in my opinion, the best recipes are NOT the ones that have been altered to substitute and compensate for chometzdik ingredients. The best recipes are those that never required chometz in the first place (think my individual chocolate fondues, instead of pesachdik cookies....).

Every once in a while though, I will try a new recipe that becomes a keeper.

These eggplant fritters are best, as with most fried items, straight out of the pan, but they reheat very well and are even great cold as a snack straight out of the fridge. Although it's a bit of a bother, I make a double batch and it is enjoyed by everybody because it doesn't taste like everything else, if you know what I mean.....

Eggplant Fritters

1 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons oil

2 teaspoons course salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 cup matzo meal

1 medium eggplant -- peeled, thinly sliced, salted & drained

potato starch

oil for frying

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, water, 2 tablespoons oil, salt, paprika and pepper. Beat until frothy. Beat in matzo meal. Set aside.

Eggplant slices should be salted on both sides, then allowed to drain on absorbent towels for at least 20 minutes. Press to drain more.Wash and dry eggplant slices after draining.

Coat eggplant slices lightly on both sides with potato starch. Dip into matzo batter. If the batter thickens too much, add enough water to make the desired consistency.

Fry oil in preheated pan containing oil until lightly browned on both sides. Drain.

eat out in the city - on pesach

Koshertopia presents a list of restaurants that will open this Pesach in New York and New Jersey.

If you're someone who's more than ready to mish, click here for this year's guide.

Happy Eating!

Broccoli Cheese Potatoes

(Cross posted on Guess Who's Coming To Dinner)

Oh boy! Are you all in for a treat!!

I made the most fantastic Broccoli Cheese Potatoes this week and I'm going to share the recipe with you.

6 large potatoes
1 cup sour cream (I used "light" sour cream)
16 ounces frozen broccoli, defrosted and pulsed in a food processor
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Pierce the potatoes and bake them at 400 degrees until they are soft (about 45-50 minutes). Gently remove a bit off the top of each potato and scoop the contents into a bowl, leaving only the shell. Mash the contents with the sour cream. Add the broccoli and two thirds of the cheese. Add salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

Stuff this mixture back into the shells and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes more.

These were soooo good. You've got to try them.

Sautéed Flanken

Ingredients:

4 pounds flanken
2 whole onions, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
2 whole bay leaf
1 tablespoon paprika

 

Directions:

1.    heat oil in an 8 quart pan

2.    add all vegies and sautee for 20 min

3.    add flanken and rest of ingredients

4.    sautee untill meat is rather tender

5.    add water to cover meat

6.    simmer for 2 1/2- 3 hours

Hazelnut-Dijon Crusted Salmon

I found the original recipe from the Gatherings cookbook (definitely a must-buy) - I used hazelnuts instead of pecans and olive oil instead of margarine, and changed some of the measurements. 

That photo above was taken tonight when I made this dish for my family. As you can see, I served the salmon with a side salad and my own dill sauce (just mayo + fresh dill).



Ingredients
6 medium Salmon fillets, no skin
4 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
3 tablespoons Honey
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup Hazelnuts, ground (or substitute pecans, crushed)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place salmon fillets in a foil-lined baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine Dijon mustard, honey and olive oil. Pour mixture on salmon and marinate for 30 minutes.

In a second bowl, combine nuts, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Sprinkle this mixture on top of glazed salmon, covering the fish completely.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Delicious, Dairy, and Greek (sort of)

Spanakopita is a Greek pastry made of phyllo dough that is filled with spinach, feta cheese, and onions and baked until puffy and golden brown. It is somewhat similar to a bureka. I recently came upon a food blog post in which the blogger describes his efforts to create an open faced version of this treat, sort of a cross between spanakopita and pizza. He named it, of course, spanakopizza. He used layers of phyllo dough in place of pizza dough, and even rolled up some phyllo sheets to form a rimmed crust around the pizza. The phyllo is topped with spinach, feta, onions, red peppers, dill, and mozzarella and baked like a pizza. The end result looks absolutely delicious.
While the blog itself is not kosher, all of the ingredients in this particular recipe are kosher. Clear, step by step instructions are provided, along with beautiful pictures that will make your mouth water: http://www.macheesmo.com/2010/02/spanakopizza/#more-11458
Enjoy!

the BEST hershey's chocolate cake ever!!!

This isn't my recipe at all. The only thing I added was the chocolate liqueur to the icing. But I made this cake this past Shabbos and it was honestly the best cake I've ever made. (and one of the easiest!!!)



Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup Cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon chocolate liqueur

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla and liqueur. About 2 cups frosting.

caesar salad made easy

My first-ever attempt at Caesar Salad was a success! The idea of using raw eggs and anchovies always turned me off... but then I discovered this recipe that calls for neither! 

You can make this salad either Milchig or Pareve (it is absolutely divine served with grilled chicken breast).

For the croutons - you can buy those ready-made, but I love making my own and adding them to the salad when they're hot out of the oven. Just dice up some 'old' bread and toss with garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper, and a dash of olive oil. Spread out your croutons on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes, until golden and crispy.

(Side note: This recipe calls for Worcestershire Sauce... the brand I used does contain fish, but if you're concerned about mixing fish with dairy/meat, there are many other brands that are strictly 'veggie')

Ingredients

1 cup Light Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp Milk (or Soy milk)

2 heads Romaine Lettuce Hearts, diced

1 cup Croutons

Directions

In a large salad bowl, mix first 8 ingredients until well-blended. Add more milk if dressing is too thick. 

Add Lettuce and Croutons and toss.

Top with additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired.