Cooking Outside the Box

Kitchen Renovation Pictures

2012-03-11T09:00:00.007+02:00

Day 0 - We remove all our food, dishes, oven, and refrigerator. Set up temporary kitchen in the dining room.

Day 1 - Rip out cabinets, walls, floor. Bye, bye, pretty red counter. Bye, bye, Lazy Susan...

Days 2-3 - New cabinets and floor. Why was someone sketching on the surface?

Days 4-7 Wait for counter

Day 8 - Counter, sink, walls. We clean all the construction dust from the kitchen.

Day 9 - Try to clean construction residue from house, wash all the dusty dishes, put everything in new cabinets.

Day 10 - Men are supposed to return for finishing touches. We give up and put oven and fridge back. I cook up a storm for Purim.

Roasted Pepper and Olive Dip PLUS Purim Baskets

2012-03-08T14:46:00.004+02:00

One of the mitzvot (commandments) of the Jewish Holiday of Purim is to give gifts of food (at least two types of food) called "mishloach manot" or "Shalach Manos." There is an idea that it should be ready to eat food that can be enjoyed for the festive Purim meal. However, the most popular gifts are candy and cookies. I just moved my oven and fridge into my new kitchen yesterday (I'll post details of my kitchen renovation on Sunday.) so I had a last minute idea to make dips and give them with a pack of crackers. I also made a few packages of nonperishable packages for unexpected visitors, because the dips didn't stretch as far as I expected.

Each package had three of the following:
- Roasted chickpeas (recipe to come)
- Eggplant & Tehina/tehini
- Avocado salad with tomatoes and garlic
- Roasted bell pepper dip with olives and roasted garlic (instructions below)

1.Wash bell peppers and take excess paper off garlic. Cut and seed peppers if desired. Alternatively, you can roast them whole, flip them half way through and seed them when you peel them.

2. Roast until the peppers are very soft and the tops are black.

3. Remove skin when they are cool enough to handle and squeeze a few cloves of garlic out of the skin.

4. Hand chop a little bit of the peppers and a few olives to top the dip.

5. Blend the rest of the peppers with about a quarter can of olives and two large cloves of garlic for every four peppers. Add salt or more garlic to taste. (You could hand chop the whole thing for a thicker salad.)

6. Top with hand chopped olives and peppers and serve warm or cool.

Want to see some of the packages we received? Images below.
Happy Purim!

Kosher Cooking Carnival - Adar

2012-02-23T14:45:00.003+02:00

Welcome to the Rosh Chodesh Adar edition of KCC!

I want to welcome new blogger Miriam, writing From Miriam's Kitchen. She makes "Safta Cookies" from her kitchen in the Negev for her 13 Israeli grandchildren. She also posted some great looking "Yummy Salads and a Dessert" including a pareve Chocolate Espresso Mousse Recipe.

Yael's strawberry cake in progress

It seems like yesterday I was welcoming Country Mouse Cooks to the J-blogosphere, but now Yael seems like an old pro. She recently baked "Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies" and a layer cake with fresh strawberries in "Strawberry Season."

Yael and I are both bummed we didn't post our Purim ideas in time to share them here, so I hope you'll come back and visit. (Better yet, follow me!)

The past few weeks I, Yosefa, have been making the BEST EGGPLANT EVER. Even eggplant haters love my traditional Eggplant and Tehina. I am also excited and scared about getting a new kitchen and having strange Israelis in my house for a week.

Leora of Here in HP made Bok Choy with Onion. and a unique and traditional Red Cabbage Salad. Try her recipe with apple, ginger, orange and onion this Shabbat!

Yosef's Beef Brisket

Yosef of This American Bite made my mouth water with "Beef Brisket in Red Wine. Flavorful and delicious, Thank you Tyler Florence!." He also made "Hummus (Chickpea) Soup" and discussed making "Smoked Salt."

Ester "Northern Lights" of Kosher Frugal Menus made an easy Carrot and Red Lentil Soup. It looks creamy and delicious.

Batya's Fancy Layered Vegetables

Batya of Me-ander wrote "Shabbat, What Do We Eat?" She brings up a good point for planning healthy menus, "When you give a variety, people take more." Ain't that the truth! Batya also shared "An Easy Way to Deal With (Cook) Whole Chickens", "Yummy, Filling Tuna Salad", and "Food Labeling, Important for Parties, Guests and Selling"

Mirjam of Miriyummy shared "Dining In The Dark," where she talks about being served by the all deaf staff at Cafe Kapish. then being plunged into darkness before being waited on by the all blind staff at Blackout. Mirj also wrote a guest post on Cook Kosher - "An Addict's Guide to Israeli Food Blogs." It was interesting to see the image she had of me based only on online interaction. I'm not sure I want to burst her bubble by meeting her!

Sarah's seasonal rainbow

Sarah of Sarah's View posted "Taste the Rainbow." Her goodies from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market should inspire us to add a healthy dose of seasonal color to our Shabbat tables. Sarah has many mouth watering ideas on her blog, including baked egg boats, of which she says, "a delicious and easy (but fun!) weekday dinner or a filling Sunday brunch."

Yisrael Medad of My Right Word wrote "Kosher Coexistence" about, "A Hallel for Kosher (and maybe Halal)," "Kosher On-line and Apsy," and "Is That L'chayim Kosher?" about Bacon-flavoured Beer.

Miriam's zucchini sticks

Jennifer of Adventures in MamaLand presents "Cheese Battles: Keeping Score", saying, "It's always fun learning how to make something for yourself... except when it's frustrating, or just plain STRANGE. Pink cheese curds? You bet!" Congrats on winning one for the team, Jennifer! I'll look forward to hearing how the cheddar turned out.

Miriam presents Spicy Baked Zucchini Sticks posted at Tales of an Overtime Cook. Miriam also baked a great looking Zebra Cake with vegan option.

Hannah of Cooking Manager shared "Super Bowl Avocado and Bean Salad." I also recommend reading "Tips on Baking with Whole Wheat Flour."

Emily Segal presents Baked Vegan Chimichangas, posted at Triumph Wellness, saying, "Chimichangas, deep-fried burritos, get the lightened up treatment here in a low-fat, vegan recipe that the whole family will love!"

Miriam of Israeli Kitchen made "Buttered Black Radishes" and "Glazed Turnips." She makes these seasonal root veggies fit for royalty.

Sarah of Food Bridge shared "Chocolate icebox cookies" that look like a delicious addition to any Purim basket. Sarah also made "Cardoon and meatball tangine" and shared pictures from the Ramle market.

Bonnie Giller of BRG Health and author of Passover The Healthy Way: Light, Tasty and Easy Recipes Your Whole Family will Enjoy shares her Low-Fat Hamentashen Recipe.

Creative Jewish Mom's Baskets

Ronit Peskin guest blogged about one of my favorite subjects, "Foraging For Edible Wild Greens" on Creative Jewish Mom. Purim gives me a great excuse to share some other posts by Sarah Rivka, like her Purim Baskets From Embroidered Styrofoam Bowls.

If you're feeling crafty, check out the calorie-free Felt Hamentashen posted at Birkat Chaverim.

I hope you'll check out these great blogs and leave these talented kosher foodies some comments! Happy Purim!

The next edition of Kosher Cooking Carnival - KCC will be hosted by Batya at Me-ander. To submit your pre-Pesach posts, email Batya shilohmuse@gmail.com with "kcc" as subject, or try the carnival submission form. Also email Batya if you would like to host a future Kosher Cooking Carnival.

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New kitchen Coming! Excited and Scared

2012-02-22T21:28:00.001+02:00

We signed the rental agreement for our apartment without seeing it in person. We were living in Florida and needed a place to land when we arrived in Israel. My husband's Israeli pen pal checked it out and sent us a video, and then we just exchanged a couple emails with the landlords and hoped for the best. When our cab from the airport dropped us, our three kids, and ten suitcases and boxes off on that rainy day at the end of 2009, we were pleasantly surprised. We had some bad experiences moving into dirty apartments in Pittsburgh and South Florida after the landlord had promised to fix things and clean the place. In Florida we had to leave a deposit and get on a waiting list without ever seeing a unit. (The floor plan was much exaggerated.) But our apartment in Israel was CLEAN! The landlords had left us basics like tissues and toilet paper, and food and treats. They left us tables, chairs, a mattress, and arranged for us to borrow blankets and pillows from neighbors. They turned out to be the nicest people ever.

They also mentioned that they knew the kitchen would eventually need to be re-done. The kitchen is a decent size and the counters are lovely, but the cabinets have... personality. They won't all close completely. In order to open one, you often must first open another, or with some you need to push one closed in order to open another. In order to get in one drawer, you must lift up the one on top of in and hold it in while you slide another one out. The walls and shelves of the cabinets are coming apart and the fronts have been covered by shelving paper, which is peeling. The walls could be worse, but the motif is quite dated.

As we signed on the dotted line for our third year, our lovely landlords had just had their first babies, twin boys, so we felt a little guilty asking about something as big as a kitchen renovation. But really, the time has come. Today a man came to take measurements and they will start work on Monday. I'm excited to finally have shelves that are flat and level, to have cabinets that open and close, and not to have things living in the walls of the cabinets in places I can't reach. But I'm also scared. Not only do I have to move EVERYTHING, even our oven, out of the kitchen for a week, it's the week my mom is coming! And I haven't been involved in the design. It's not my apartment. What if it's worse? So, here are my "before" pictures. And I hope to have some sparkly, practical, and ergonomically designed "after" pictures not much more than a week from now. Here's hoping!

Eggplant & Tehina

2012-02-15T09:00:00.033+02:00

I think this is both the easiest and most delicious eggplant dish I've made in years. It can be eaten with a fork and knife as a vegetable dish or spread on bread like a dip. The "recipe" for tehina follows. Plan ahead what else you can cook in the oven at the same time, or make several trays of eggplant and rotate them in the oven. If you are making this as a main side dish, plan about two large eggplants for every three people.

Wash the eggplant and slice off the top.
Quarter lengthwise.
Salt very generously and let sit for at least 15 minutes until they sweat.
Rinse off the salt and pat dry.
Paint all sides with olive oil and lay skin-side up on a greased baking sheet.
Roast in the top of the oven around 400 F / 200 C.
When they start to get dark, pull them out and carefully flip them over.
Cover then with a thin layer of tehina (see below). Lightly cover.
Rewarm before serving.

Tehina

Ingredients:

Pure sesame paste (check the ingredients). Add the following to taste:
fresh lemon juice
garlic powder or fresh crushed garlic
salt
water
chopped parsley (optional)
olive oil (optional)

For painting on the eggplant I left the tehina a little thick. For a dressing for falafel or vegetables, I use more water.

Start with a few large spoonfuls of pure sesame past in a bowl or jar.
Add lemon juice, salt, garlic, and one or two spoonfuls of water.
Mix, mix, mix... keep mixing. It will lighten in color.
When it is smooth, taste it.
Add more water, olive oil, and parsley as desired to suite your needs.

Make Yogurt Cheese - No cooking required

2012-02-10T09:00:00.013+02:00

I had some down time in a mall last week and spent about 45 minutes browsing a beautiful gourmet food and cooking store - Lagaat B'ochel. One thing I saw was a "Yogurt Cheese Maker." The instructions seemed so easy - just pour yogurt into the mesh insert in the plastic container and put it in the fridge for a few hours. I thought, "I can do that, and I don't need to buy this "uni-tasker" to do it!"

You will need a clean, thin piece of cloth, cheese cloth, or extra fine mesh. I used an old fashion flat cloth diaper or "mussy." Note, if you use cloth you may not have usable whey, just a very wet cloth.
Lay the cloth in a container so it is not touching the bottom. Secure it with a rubber band.
Add any yogurt. I used a small individual serving container to try this out and got enough cheese to spread generously on four pieces of bread.
Set the cover or a plate over the container and wrap any extra cloth over the top.
Leave in the refrigerator overnight.
Unwrap and enjoy! Stored in a regular container or bag, the cheese will stay firm and keep for some time.

This is an easy, healthy alternative to cream cheese. I was particularly drawn to this cheese-making technique because it doesn't require any cooking, and in my kosher kitchen, I don't have dairy pots or pans. My two-year old, who barely eats anything, really liked the very mild cheese that resulted from the natural yogurt I used. My husband actually thought it tasted better than cream cheese!

The last couple times I made yogurt cheese, I used goat yogurt with chopped olives and all my kids liked it! I also want to try adding extra probiotics, for health or chopped chives. I plan to sweet yogurt next. Maybe I'll try to make a sun dried tomato and pesto cheese. I think I'd also like to involve my kids next time.

Sweet Red Rice and Beans

2012-02-07T14:00:00.005+02:00

I just wanted to share this delicious rice dish I made that was even great cold. It started with a homemade stock that included three small bay leaves and a large stick of cinnamon.

In the pressure cooker I put half "red rice" (like a cross between brown rice and wild rice, very tasty) and half black-eyed peas with twice as much stock/broth as the rice and beans. I added dried fried onions and a mixture of nuts and seeds and cooked under pressure for 15 minutes plus natural pressure release.

You can even add some extra raisins or chopped dried fruit to celebrate Tu B'Shvat - the birthday of the trees. Happy Tu B'Shvat!

Cauliflower Tabouleh

2012-02-02T09:00:00.006+02:00

In honor of my Father-in-Law's arrival this evening I want to share a raw food salad made with his favorite food - cauliflower. I got the idea from the Good Eats episode "The Caul of the Flower." I combined it with my recipe for quinoa tabouleh, and got a delicious and very healthy salad, which only gets better after a day or two in the fringe.

Start with the dressing:
Using the chopping blade in the bowl of your DRY food processor, put salt and other seasonings of your choice like red pepper flakes and cumin. (I didn't use cumin this time because I was making it for someone with celiac disease and I wanted to be extra careful that none of my ingredients were contaminated with traces of gluten.) Turn on the food processor and drop two cloves of garlic through the chute. Add the juice of two lemons (close to half a cup) and almost 1/2 cup olive oil. Set aside in a large bowl for mixing. You do not need to wash out the food processor or the blade, but set aside this blade.

Gluten free "bulgur":
Using the shredding blade on your food processor, feed in only the florets (the outermost inch) of one head of cauliflower. Dump it into the mixing bowl with the dressing.

Herbs and veggies:
Switch back to the chopping blade and pulse to chop (Do not blend!) the following vegetables in batches, then add to the mixing bowl.
3 large tomatoes
1-2 cucumbers
1 large green bell pepper
1 large bunch of parsley
4-8 green onions (depending on their size)

Mix everything together and store in the fridge.

Don't waste the rest of the cauliflower!
While I was making the tabouleh, I also started a stock with the ends and peels from this and the previous few days. Check out my post "Stock Pile - or - What I Learned from My Snails." You can also peel the tough outside of the cauliflower stalk, slice it and roast it with olive oil. I made a soup with the remaining cauliflower, potatoes and celery blended smooth, then I added a can of sweet corn. It was easy and even my daughter liked it!

Roated Veggie "Chips" PLUS Quinoa

2012-01-29T09:00:00.008+02:00

A friend wrote to me:
"i'm sure you know this and might already prepare it but...this is a wonderful treat we have been feasting on. we got an extra virgin olive oil infused with roasted garlic ... not a cheap overpowering one...we've been slicing eggplant very thin (especially when it's the long lavender ones) brushing them with olive oil, sprinkling some seasoning and baking them on an olive oil brushed cookie sheet. some come out like chips and others are softer and all are addictive!

on the bigger fatter and darker eggplants we put the kosher salt on the thins slices until they sweat, wash that off to kill any bitterness and then bake at 350 like the aforementioned ones. they are filling and fabulous."

My family wasn't crazy about the eggplants, and I wasn't crazy about the whole salting, rinsing, and drying process. However, the suggestion did inspire me to make some simple roasted butternut squash and, my old favorite, sweet potatoes. While eggplants are low in fat and very popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern diet, nutritionally speaking, eggplants pale in comparison to their colorful, vitamin packed neighbors.

For both the squash and the sweet potatoes or yams, I peeled them first with a serrated vegetable peeler. I cut the squash length-wise to scoop out the seeds. Then I sliced them up real quick with my Inexpensive Folding Mandoline Slicer. Instead of using the vegetable holder that came with the grater, I use a Kevlar Gloves that I ordered at the same time from Amazon.

I cooked both vegetables around 200 C / 400 F until they took on some nice color. I served the sweet potato chips with THIS simple buckwheat dish, and I served the butternut squash slices on top of quinoa as follows:

Quinoa in the Pressure Cooker

Carmelize a chopped onion with olive oil in the bottom of the pressure cooker.
Add 1 part quinoa and 2 parts water or broth.
Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then turn off fire.
After pressure comes down natural, open and stir. Let it sit covered if there is extra water.

It comes out tasting rich and buttery, and is delicious warm or cold.

Buying Falafel PLUS Hebrew Lesson

2012-01-25T09:00:00.167+02:00

I thought my son and I were unique, occasionally ordering a pita sandwich with all the fixings, but no falafel. However, on my last trip, a man ordered "chips" (French fries, for you Americans) on a hoagie bun. That's it, a roll full of deep fried potatoes. This shop, Shawarma Hacohanim, seems to have unusually sweet chips, but what really makes it my favorite is the fried eggplant, bell peppers, and friendly service. The falafel is tasty and never under cooked, and the pita is VERY fresh - soft, springy, and delicious. And another perk - I order and wait inside where there's no smoking!

my favorite take-homes: peppers,
eggplant, & sauerkraut

Most falafel shops begin serving falafel around 10 or 11 in the morning and are open late. Most have some kosher supervision and are closed on Shabbat and holidays. Hacohanim has some indoor seating and has a sukkah outside during Sukkot, so diners can fulfil the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah. There seems to be a little price war between Hacohanim and the falafel shop on the other side of the small street. Mimi of Israeli Kitchen wrote a post featuring the other shop with exterior photos of both.

A falafel sandwich is a delicate balance of ingredients and if one is off or missing, my falafel experience feels incomplete. In the coming weeks I plan to teach you how to make many of the ingredients necessary to create you own falafel dinner. First, we'll see how the experts put together a great falafel pita.

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Above: Toppings include bottles of hareef, tehina, amba, and ketchup. Right: My son partaking in his falafel-less sandwich.

Lets learn some Falafel and Shawarma vocabulary!

falafel with "chips"

(All the 'H's in the words below are prounounced as a guteral like is often speled 'ch' or 'kh.')

פלפל A falafel is a deep fried ball of ground chickpeas. Falafel can also refer to a sandwich with falafel balls in pita.
חצילים hatzilim - eggplants
חמוצים hamutzim - pickles
סלט salat - usually Israeli salad, primarily chopped cucumbers and tomatoes
כרוב kruv - cabbage, in this case, sauerkraut

"salads" and sauces - most of the items are spicey and/or pickled

חומוס prounounced "hoo-moos" (with the guteral 'h') - Hummus is a dip or spread made primarily of ground chickpeas, usually with olive oil. It can contain salt, water, garlic, lemon juice, and other flavors.
חריף hareef - sharp or spicy, often referring to a spicy sauce
עמבה amba - spicey curries mango sauce
טחינה prounounced t'hina (with the guteral 'h') - Tehina (or tehini) is a sauce made from a paste of ground sesame seeds. It is usually drizzled into the falafel sandwich as a final topping
רוטב rotav - sauce or dressing
פטרוזיליה petrozilia - parsley
בצל betzal - onions, in this case thinly sliced and dusted with purplish red summac
פלפלים pilpellim - peppers (same spelling as falafels)
גזר gezzer - carrot
פלפל חריפ pilpel harif - hot peppers
שווארמה shawarma - layers of meat roasted on a spit, most commonly turkey or lamb. Can also refer to a shawarma sandwich.
הודו, עוף, כבש hodu, oaf, keves - turkey, chicken, lamb (shawarma meat options)
פיתה, לאפה, לחמניה pita, laffa, lahmania - pocket bread, large flat bread, bun (bread options)
מפיות mappiot - napkins, of which you will need a lot!

I love that metal zig-zag thing used to hold the
pita upright while you pay and take your salads.
In back - turkey shawarma and "baby chicken" shawarma

Thanks SHAWARMA HACOHANIM, 22 Hahistadrut, Petach Tikva, Israel, 03-9130351 ("Lemehadrin" Glatt kosher under Mishkoltz supervision.)

Note: I was not paid to write this post; the shop owner just patiently let me take pictures and video. He has been kind and helpful since the first week I arrived and has not chastised me about my lack of Hebrew two years later.

Creamy Buckwheat "Kasha" in the Pressure Cooker

2012-01-22T09:00:00.002+02:00

seasoned crunchy buckwheat groats
photo by vsimon

My hubby and kids gobbled this super simple side dish up so fast I just had to share. Buckwheat is actually a seed unrelated to wheat. It's gluten-free and low glycemic! (Buckwheat scores around 51 on the glycemic index and red lentils come in around 21.) Plus buckwheat and lentils are good for the heart, high in fiber, and all that jazz.

1. Caramelize two chopped onions in olive oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Add chopped garlic.
3. Add 3/4 cup of buckwheat groats.
4. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup red lentils and about 3 cups of water, plus a couple pinches of salt.
5. Lock the lid and cook for 10 minutes after the pressure cookers reaches pressure.
6. Turn off heat and let pressure come down naturally.
7. Season to taste with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, mustard powder, cumin... whatever you like. It doesn't need much.

If you want to up your intake of buckwheat, check out this recipe for Crunchy Buckwheat Groats.

Lunch Apples and Breakfast Bags

2012-01-17T17:40:00.094+02:00

Last week my 6.5 year-old daughter told me she liked the way I cut her apple for her lunch and put cinnamon inside. I thought I'd show you what I did. You will need a knife, a melon baller, and a piece of plastic wrap, or a bag and a rubber band to keep the apple together.

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Start by cutting the apple in half. By coring it with a melon baller you waste less than cutting pieces off the core. Then cut the apple into pieces and put it back together. My kids like when I put honey or cinnamon in the middle. You could also hide raisins inside or even stick the apple together with peanut butter, if you want to get messy.

Another trick I want to share this week I call "breakfast bags."
My five-year-old son is old enough to be awake on his own, and he likes to wake up very early. He is usually happy reading or playing a game by himself, but first he comes in our room and whines that he's hungry. We then have a barely conscious father and a stubborn, half-awake little boy trying to come up with what he wants for breakfast. Now I set out breakfast bags for my kids before going to bed on Friday night. It's not fool proof, but it usually delays them waking us up and keeps them from making mischief in my kitchen. For breakfast bags to havethe desired effect in my house, they must include a treat. I recommend starting small so you can raise the anti when the kids get bored.

This weekend I left out half a PB&J sandwich, two small cookies, and a banana. Another morning had an apple and a sandwich with sesame carob butter. Another breakfast bag might hold whole wheat crackers, raisins, dried cranberries, and a square of chocolate. I also leave out cups so the kids have no excuse to go in the kitchen. Sometimes I ask the kids what they want so they can't tell me they didn't like what I left, and sometimes they get a surprise. I also don't do it every week. I save it for the mornings we really want to sleep in. If it stops working, I take a break for a few weeks.

Need a lunch sack? I like the BYO neoprene sacks. They are slightly smaller and cheaper than the similar bag made by BUILT. They come in lots of great designs, wash well, and lay flat when empty. They stretch to hold a lot, including baby bottles. You can find them on Amazon or at T.J.Maxx.

Please comment!

How do you keep your kids out of trouble when you need to sleep in?
Do you pack lunch or make breakfast the morning before?
What healthy lunch items do you and your kids enjoy?
Can you recommend a reusable sandwich or snack bag that is easy to wash?

Extra Meaty Turkey-Cabbage Soup

2012-01-15T19:25:00.003+02:00

Did you know Israelis eat more turkey per capita than anywhere else in the world? Turkey shawarma accounts for much of this, but about half the poultry sold in the grocery store is also turkey. And yet its practically impossible to procure a whole turkey, like the type us Americans like to feast on every November. I usually grab a package of chicken when I'm shopping, unless I go to the meat counter and see how much cheaper the turkey is. It's hard to resist the savings.

This week I bought three big ole turkey legs to make for Shabbat. Unfortunately, we had a crazy Friday and I didn't get them in on time, so I was stuck on Friday night with three only mostly cooked giant drum sticks. (Thanks to my good friend Hannah of Cooking Manager, I still had a DELICIOUS challah and potato kugel to make our Shabbat special. Thank you, Hannah!)

Today I used my pressure cooker to make a delicious, meaty soup from the turkey and some vegetables that had over stayed their welcome in my fridge. Into the pressure cooker went:

3 turkey legs, partly roasted with tomato paste and garlic on top
6 wimpy carrots, washed, cut in chunks, no need to peel
half a bulb of fennel
1 red onion
3 mushrooms
stem and core of cauliflower
4-6 cups water

I cooked it all under pressure for about 20 minutes. I strained the soup into a second pot with about half a cabbage, chopped. I discarded the cooked veggies, then picked the meat off the turkey bones, cut it into large chunks, and added it back into the soup. I added salt to taste and simmered until the cabbage was a little soft, about the time it took to pick all the turkey meat off the bones.

The dark meat turkey retains a nice meaty taste and texture that you don't get from boiled chicken. The tomato paste adds to the hearty flavor to the soup. This soup could be made from raw turkey legs or from leftover cooked meat and bones by adjusting the cooking time accordingly.

Girlled Vegetable Salad

2012-01-08T09:00:00.043+02:00

I made this salad to have a simple cold, healthy snack to keep in the fridge, and also to use up cauliflower and peppers.

Wash, and cut your vegetables into bite-site pieces. I used cauliflower, yellow and red bell peppers, several cloves of garlic cut in thirds, and cherry tomatoes. I meant to use red onion, but I forgot.
Toss with olive oil and salt.
Spread out the veggies on a baking sheet or foil and roast, broil, or grill. As Alton Brown says, "the broiler is nothing but an upside-down grill." So in this manner, I "grilled" my veggies.
Cook veggies until the tops brown. In the mean time, prepare the dressing.
Chop fresh parsley, add fresh finely ground black pepper, and some vinegar you like. I used rice wine or "sushi" vinegar and toasted sesame oil.
Let vegetables cool. Then toss, taste, and add salt or more vinegar is necessary.

Baked Chicken Tenders - Pargiot/Young Chicken

2012-01-05T13:16:00.001+02:00

My husband made the most delicious baked chicken fingers or "shnitzel" last week. Not to insult his skill, but I think the trick was good chicken. Instead of using thinly sliced or pounded chicken breast, my husband bought something we call פרגיות "pargiot," which usually translates as baby chicken. My understanding is that this can refer to either a young chicken (less than 28 days old) or a boneless chicken thigh. Similar cuts would be "spring chicken," though they can be bigger, or "Rock Cornish game hen," though they are usually sold whole. (A Cornish game hen is just a fancy name for a hybrid chicken with stunted growth. Despite the name, they are domesticated and can be either male or female.) Google translate says pargiot is a pullet, a hen less than a year old; however, I imagine most chickens sold today are under a year old. It's hard to find a nice old chicken these days, the the type traditionally used for coq au vin. For more on the benefits of dark meat, check out my post "Are you a Poultry Racist?"

Here's what he did:
1. For close to 3 pounds of chicken (over 1 kilo) beat two eggs in a bowl.
2. Put lightly seasoned Panko Japanese bread crumbs on a plate or bowl. (He used half a bag.)
3. Spray baking sheet with oil.
4. Dip chicken tenders in eggs, shake off, then coat in bread crumbs.
5. Lay chicken on the baking sheet and spray top with oil.
6. Bake until golden and tender.

No need to stand over a pan of hot oil! And they reheat nicely. Enjoy!

Best 11 Podcasts of 2011

2012-01-01T04:39:00.004+02:00

Happy New Year! Time for me to share what I've been listening to. As I said last year, in one of my most popular posts Best Podcasts of 2010 (PLUS Tutorial for Newbies),
Why am I sharing my favorite podcasts on my food blog? Because while I am patiently choosing produce, chopping veggies, babysitting beans, or washing dishes, I am usually listening to my MP3 player. Podcasts make boring chores fun. They inspire, inform, make me laugh, or just keep me company. I wanted to inspire you to check out a few podcasts.

If you need a tutorial on downloading, subscribing, and listening, or still don't know what a "podcast" is, read last year's post. If you have a smart phone, you can probably listen to MP3s on it. If you find that you are always connected to the Internet, you might like Stitcher Smart Radio (downloadable app); I haven't tried it, but my husband is hooked.
Here are my current favorites:

KCRW's Good Food - This podcast packs in more food for thought than any hour long program I can think of. It's local to Santa Monica, California, but host Evan Kleiman also discusses international food and environmental issues. Every episode is juicy and delicious and gives me ideas I can't wait to share.
Planet Money - I love hearing about how the world works from an economist's perspective. Twice a week. Always interesting and presented for the masses.
Nutrition Diva - From the Quick and Dirty Tips series - Monica Reinagal, M.S., L.D./N. presents well researched solid information about food and nutrition. I always learn something interesting. "Nutrition Diva" inspires many of my posts, like my recent "Celebration of Coffee", and my herb posts.
This American Life - Ira Glass hosts a well produced hour of stories related to a weekly topic, every Sunday.
Science Friday - From the daily NPR show Talk of the Nation, Science Friday delivers two hours of what's new in science, for the non-scientist.
The Moth - "True stories told live." Great storytellers without scripts. More often than not I laugh out loud.
The Splendid Table - American Public Media weekly hour on cooking and food stories, hosted by food writer and cooking teacher Lynne Rossetto Kasper, who has all the answers. Featuring call-in questions and "stump the cook."
WAMU - The Diane Rehm Show - Diane Rehm's call-in show is interesting and thought provoking with round-table discussions on political and environmental issues, news, and interviews with authors. The first half is of the show is pure interview with Diane asking hard hitting questions in her unique voice. (Diane suffers from spasmodic dysphonia, for which she receives botox treatments.) In the second half of the show, the public calls in. Poor caller screening leads to potentially hilarious, and rambling callers.
APM: The Story - A daily hour, with two interviews each hour and usually a brief story in the middle. One-on-one with host Dick Gordon on North Carolina Public Radio. Dick brings out the most interesting stories from regular people.
99% Invisible - This post was originally a "top 10" list, but I just learned about this podcast from WNYC's Radiolab. Roman Mars investigates the hidden side of design (architecture, engineering, etc.) - the things you don't usually notice or think about. I especially enjoyed the episode about the Billy Possom - the Taft administration's answer to the Teddy Bear. It's short, but it comes out more often/reliably than Radiolab or Freakonomics (one reason they didn't make my list this year).
KCRW Guest DJ Project - Cultural icons talk about the songs that form the soundtrack of their lives. A great chance to be reminded of music you might not have thought about in years.

What will you be listening to in 2012?

Libyan Meatballs - Simplified "Mafrum"

2011-12-30T09:00:00.149+02:00

There is a lovely tradition in many communities that after a women has a baby, people bring her family meals for a week or so. One of the meals I received after our little guy was born included the most amazing turkey meat balls. Below is the recipe from my friend with my notes and pictures. Note there are two cooking options.

In "non-recipe" style, this dish is modified from Tripolitanian "Mafrum," a more complicated dish made with minced beef sandwiched in potatoes. It is the traditional Erev Shabbat (Friday night) meal of the Libyan Jewish community. It is usually served with couscous, but for a lower glycemic option, I recommend whole wheat couscous, bulgur wheat, or barley.

Mix together:

500 grams (1 lb) ground dark meat turkey or lean beef
1 egg
3 Tablespoons of breadcrumbs or matza meal

Chopped (I pulsed in a food processor):
1 onion
several sprigs of parsley
1 small potato
2-3 cloves garlic

Generously season with:
salt
black pepper
paprika
Haawaig Lemarak חוויג למרק (Yemenite spice mix)

Two cooking methods:

In gravy

Saute chopped onion with some cut up leek (I also used mushrooms, I didn't have leek).
Adding seasoning as in the meatballs
Add some water, bring to the boil.
Form the balls from meat mixture and carefully drop them into the gravy.
Let them cook on a medium to low gas for at least 30 minutes, turning over balls if necessary and adding water if needed.You should be left with a small amount of liquid.

Dry/Pan Fried (Better for freezing extra)
My husband said mine tasted like falafel.

Heat some oil in a wide pan.
Form balls from meat mixture and dip them in breadcrumbs or matza meal.
Fry them until the are brown all over.

"When I want to use them for a meal I make a gravy as above and often add cut up potato on top while I cook them so it gives me a main and side dish together. You can add any veg. you like to the gravy ( I put carrots and somethimes zucchini )." (I think cabbage and tomatoes would be tasty.)

CLICK HERE for a traditional Tripolitanian Mafrum Recipe

My friend says of the traditional Mafrum, "Just know that it takes more time to prepare than the usual meatballs (that's why I adapted it for my turkey meatballs). So, what we do is to prepare a large batch of fried Mafrum every few weeks, freeze them in separate bags and then on Friday take them out and simply prepare the gravy for Shabbat. Now that my husband and I are alone most weekends it certainly doesn't make sense to make them every week. When all my kids were home it was another story of course."

What's In It?

2011-12-27T14:00:00.065+02:00

I often use prepackaged spice mixes. Since you might not be able to find exactly what I'm using, I thought I'd share what is commonly in these mixes. Different families, stores, and villages have different recipes, but the list below is a good representation of the common make-up, and most closely resembles what I'm using and what you should be able to find. This is in preparation for a Yemenite meatball recipe I will post on Friday.

Hawaig Yemenite Seasoning from Food.com
6 1/2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1/4 cup cumin seed
2 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons green cardamom pods
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
3 1/2 tablespoons ground turmeric

Za'atar Middle Eastern Seasoning Mix from About.com
1/4 cup sumac
2 tablespoons thyme
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons marjoram
2 tablespoons oregano
1 teaspoon coarse salt

Curry Spice Mix from FoodNetwork.com (Alton Brown)
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, toasted
1/4 cup ground turmeric
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne
(mine also has fenugreek, paprika, and "lots of love")

Tuscan Spice Rub from eHow.com
2/3 cup oregano
6 tablespoons kosher salt
5 tablespoons paprika
4 tablespoons ground fennel
4 tablespoons garlic powder
3 1/2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons sugar

Philadelphia Spice "For chicken and fish"
I can't, for the life of me, find the ingredients for "Philadelphia." Apparently every shop makes their own and the recipe is proprietary. I wanted to put it here in case someone can help. I think it is something like chili powder, smoked paprika, mustard seed... Maybe a little cumin? A little turmeric? It's the red one in the picture.

Buying Beef in Israel - Guest Post

2011-12-25T14:00:00.003+02:00

Sign behind the meat counter at my grocery chain
showing meat cuts by number.

I don't eat much beef and I can't remember the last time I did a cow justice in the kitchen. To help, I invited professional caterer Rochelle Shalet to share her expertise. Rochelle runs Tastes of the World catering and produces a free newsletter publication, with interesting and useful information and recipes. The information and chart below are from a previous Tastes of the World Newsletter. If this interests you, I strongly recommend you email Rochelle to subscribe to her monthly newsletter.

Meat may take a long time to cook, but in the winter you have the dual benefit of heating the house and cooking dinner at the same time. My first meat shopping experience in Israel was quite bewildering. If you have recently made Aliyah or been here for years but never quite got to grips with all the cuts and names, this newsletter aims to provide a guide for when you are next standing at the meat counter.

Kosher dietary law requires meat to be kashered within 72 hours of slaughter, which is not enough time for it to tenderize (a good hanging time for non kosher meat is 2 weeks). As kosher meat tends to be tough, long slow cooking typify Jewish meat recipes such as hamim, cholent and goulash.

Aaronsgourmet.com

Below, you will find equivalents to beef cuts from home; however each culture cuts its beef differently, so when comparing Israeli cuts to those you are familiar with in your country of origin, expect the equivalents to be approximate. The cut of meat you choose for each dish is partly based on personal preference, hence the saying "one man's meat is another man's poison'. There is nothing wrong with the cheaper cuts of meat; you just have to remember that to get them to taste good they need long, slow cooking in a liquid.

When choosing meat in Israel you need to be aware of the different storing methods. When a meat is listed as מיושן it means that is has been vacuum packed, so it is not exactly the same as fresh meat, but much better than frozen. Frozen meat can be 30 – 45% cheaper than its fresh equivalent, but it is not as tasty and you also have to take into consideration that when the meat defrosts a percentage of its weight will be lost from water. If you see fresh meat on special offer it is acceptable to freeze it at home until you are ready to use it, but make sure that it is well wrapped.

Resting time when searing, grilling, frying and roasting

During these cooking methods meat juices are draw to the surface, resting gives the juices time to go back into the meat so that it is juicy and succulent all the way through. It is better to slightly under cook the meat then double wrap it in foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes. While resting keep the meat away from open windows and place on a wooden board or newspaper for insulation. Beef cooked using these methods need to be eaten straight away since reheating ruins the succulent taste.

Cooking methods

Slow Cooking in a Liquid - pot roasting, stewing, braising and casseroling

These methods are ideal for tenderizing less expensive, less tender cuts of meat and are convenient ways of cooking as they require very little preparation or attention during cooking. Simply put the meat in the oven or on the hob with the liquid and let it cook while you sit and relax. As it is all cooked in one pot you'll save on washing up too!!

These types of cooking methods benefit from being made the day before you wish to eat the dish and then re-heating, in the same way that soup tastes better the day after you have made it.

Aaronsgourmet.com

Pot roasting

Pot roasting uses whole joints of meat - boned and rolled joints are ideal for pot roasting. It is traditionally carried out by browning the joint and then cooking in the oven or on the hob with liquid and vegetables.

Stewing, Braising & Casseroling

Stews and casseroles use cubed meat, while braising traditionally uses whole steaks or chops cooked in a small amount of liquid. As with pot roasting the meat is simmered at a low temperature on the hob or in the oven with added liquid.

Pan-frying

Pan-frying, or ‘shallow frying’ is a quick cooking method for small, tender cuts using an uncovered pan on the hob. Use a heavy-based frying pan, sauté pan or wok. For best results, use only a small quantity of oil. Ensure that the oil is hot before adding your beef. Sear each side quickly to seal in juices and retain succulence. Only turn your steaks once during cooking; leaving them to cook untouched will produce juicier results.

Grilling

A fast and dry alternative to pan-frying for cooking tender cuts, using intense radiant heat either above or below the meat. Char-grilling or barbecuing seals the meat juices by forming a crust on the surface of the meat. The meat must be basted with a prepared glaze, oil or reserved marinade mixture. This gives a distinctive flavour to your beef and keeps the meat moist and succulent. Only turn your steaks once during cooking; leaving them to cook untouched will produce juicier results.

Stir-frying

This is an ideal quick method of cooking meat as the thin strips cook in only a few minutes. It is only necessary to use a very small amount of oil. Use a vegetable based oil which can be heated to higher temperatures. Use a non-stick wok or large frying pan and always ensure that it is really hot before adding the meat a little at a time - it should sizzle when the pieces are added. The meat should ideally be trimmed of excess fat and cut into approximately 1cm strips, cut across the grain to help tenderize the meat and prevent shrinkage.

Baking and roasting

This method employs dry cooking in the oven – either in a roasting tin or in a sealed container or cooking bag. For wonderfully tender meat, choose a clay or terracotta ‘brick’ which effectively creates a clay oven within your oven. As the oven heats, steam condenses in the pot, basting the meat in its own juices. The end result is moist, tender, full of flavour and naturally cooked with no extra fat. The calculation for the cooking time for roasting beef is 20 minutes per 450g, plus add on another 20 minutes regardless of the weight.

Nutrition

In recent years, beef has got a lot of bad press. There are many who claim that consuming beef can endanger your health, but of course this claim can be made for anything in excess. It is important to know that there are in fact nutritional benefits to keeping beef in your diet. Beef is an important and useful part of any well-balanced diet, especially lean meat.

Beef has an excellent source of protein, zinc, iron, niacin, vitamin B12, B6, vitamin D and phosphorus.

Suitable cooking method	Good for	Known as	Pronounced	Hebrew name
roasting and grilling	steaks and roast beef Tender, does not need marinating	rib	entrecote, steak Ayin, vered hatzela	ורד הצלע, סטייק עין, אנטריקוט
slow cooking at low temp	pot roast, cholent goulash Flavorsome and economical	chuck or blade	rifaan, tzlaot	צלעות, ריפעו
Slow roast, picked	pot roast, oven roast, soup, goulash & pickled e.g salt/corned beef Very lean	skirt, short plate, steak roll	brust, chazeh, brisket	חזר ,ברוסט, בריסקט
slow cooking at low temp	pot roast, cooking in a sauce, goulash, mince	rib or back rib shoulder Similar to 5 and 6	katef, katef mercazi.	כתף מרכזי כתף
slow cooking at low temp	pot roast, cooking in sauce	cross rib Similar to 4 and 6	tzli, tzli katef	צלי כתף, צלי
slow cooking at low temp	pot roast and cooking in sauce	Shoulder Similar to 4 and 5	falshe, fillet medumeh	פילה מדומה, פאלש
slow cooking at low temp	pot roast	chuck cover	mechse hazavah	מכסה הצלע
slow cooking at low temp	goulash, soup, cholent,osso bucco	shin	shrir hazroa, shrir, osso bucco,polo	שריר הזרוע, אוסובוקו, פולו
soup or boiling	cholent, goulash, soup, spare ribs, mince	top rib, cube roll, flank, poitrine, short plate	shpundra, kashtit,	קשתית, שפונדרה
slow cooking at low temp	goulash, soup	neck	tzavar	צוואר
roasting and grilling	roast beef and steaks. tender and expensive	sirloin or porterhouse	sinta, moten	סינתה, מותן
roasting and grilling	steaks and carpaccio tender and expensive	Fillet, tenderloin, loin	filley	פילה
roasting and grilling	schnitzel, steak, skewering, roasting	loin, sirloin	shaitel, kanaf haoketz	שייטל, כנף העוקץ
braising	goulash, pot roast, mince	Tip Similar to 15 and 16	katchke, ozit	קאצ'קע, אוזית
braising	pot roast	chuck, round Similar to 14 and 16	yarcha	צ'אק, ירכה
braising	steak, schnitzel and roast	chuck, round, rump Similar to 14 and 16	kaf	כף
braising	goulash	flank	plada, kislayim	פלדה, כסליים
braising	goulash, soup and cholent	round	poli, shrir achori	פולי, שריר אחורי
braising	pot roast	round	weisbraten, rosh yarcha	ויסבראטן, ראש ירכה

You can find Taste of The World Hebrew to English charts for herbs and fish by visiting Rochelle's website www.tastesofworld.weebly.com.

Cheese Pancakes

2011-12-23T09:00:00.005+02:00

Photo: Sarah Melamed of Food Bridge

Traditional potato latkes are a product of the Eastern European potato filled diet that Ashkenazi Jewry adopted. But I never thought about the fact that the original macabees weren't eating potatoes. According to Tastes of The World, "the Maccabees may have eaten a patty made of cheese and egg which was then fried in olive oil."

Sarah Melamed of Food Bridge has a pancake recipe using cottage cheese, or you can use the recipe below for delicious dairy pancakes. If you can't find "gvina levana" creamy white cheese, I suggest substituting regular cream cheese, yogurt, or a mix of the two.

Makes about 20 pancakes.
1 container (250 grams/about 1 1/4 cups) "gvina levana" cream cheese 9% fat or 5% fat
1 container (200 grams/just over a cup) sour cream
2 eggs
8 tablespoons (200 grams/about 1.5 cups) self-raising flour (Or, for each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.)
Optional:
1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Fresh parsley or other herbs

Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, then fry in butter or oil until firm.

Here is the original recipe and video in Hebrew.

Happy Chanukah!

Dulce de Leche

2011-12-21T06:15:00.002+02:00

from www.nrg.co.il

To celebrate the heroic deed of Yehudit, who intoxicated the general of the opposing army with cheese and wine before slicing off his head, dairy products are often eaten on Chanukah. What better way is there to enjoy dairy than caramelized? My dad's family spent a couple generations in Argentina, so our family was eating "Dulce de Leche" before Ben and Jerry put it in ice cream. It is also a popular sufgania (donut) filling here in Israel. In Hebrew it is called "ribat chalav," literally milk jam.

Here in Israel I buy it in a jar on the shelf with peanut butter and jam (though the two are not commonly eaten together.) It is sold in original, chocolate, vanilla. creme, and coffee flavors. But my family in the United States makes it from a can. And it's EASY!

All you need is a can (or two) of sweetened condensed milk.

Make two holes in the can with a can opener or hammer and nail.
Place can in a pot, with water within an inch or two of the top.
Simmer for 3-4 hours, depending on desired viscosity. (Do you want a syrup or a thick spread?)

To be fair, not ALL Jewish traditions revolve around food. There is a lovely tradition for women not to do any work for half an hour after lighting Chanukah candles in honor of the heroines attached the the holiday.

www.recipegirl.com

quilomberosconargumento.blogspot.com

Dulce de leche is also a vital ingredient in "alfajores," two cakey cookies sandwiched around a generous layer of dulce de leche, and preferably covered in chocolate. My relatives in Argentina would bring a couple boxes every time they came to visit, but you can make your own.

My Aunt Monica puts dulce de leche between two delicious chewy meringues. She also uses it in cakes and other desserts. When I'm craving a donut, but want to avoid the deep fried-ness, I occasionally spread a delicious fresh, warm pita (pocket bread) with dulce de leche. How do you like yours?

Happy Chanukah!

7 Ways to Make Coffee at Home

2011-12-18T14:45:00.000+02:00

Photo by Lotzman Katzman

Caffeine is a drug that often gets a bad wrap. Hey, I give coffee a bad wrap! But today I'd like to celebrate the benefits of coffee.

First, some fun facts I've heard recently:

I've been hiding the following gem of information from my caffeine addicted, instant coffee loving hubby. According to "Nutrition Diva", Monica Reinagel, M.S.,L.D./N...

It turns out that caffeine has a lot of positive health benefits and, despite what you may have heard, relatively few drawbacks. People who drink coffee every day, for example, have a significantly lower risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s, colon cancer, gallstones, and Alzheimer’s disease. Now, that may not all be due to caffeine. Coffee contains a lot of volatile compounds and antioxidants that may have beneficial effects by themselves, or in combination with caffeine. Read or listen to the full article "Is Caffeine Bad for You? March 3, 2009"

In the November 26 episode of KCRW's Good Food (29 minutes in), Evan Kleiman interviews author Kevin Sinnott about the terms and implications of fair trade, direct trade, shade grown and organic coffees. Most of us have heard of "fair trade," but did you know "direct trade" benefits the farmers more? Did you know that coffee from many countries is organic for all practical purposes, but the farmers don't pay for certification? Listen to the episode or check out the Kevin Sinnott's book to learn more.

Mike of Daily Shot of Coffee shares lovely pictures of coffee making devices and how they work in "10 Ways to Make Coffee." The article "The 7 Ways to Brew Coffee" lists different grinds recommended for different methods - course to Extra fine.

In a celebration of coffee, I'd like to present a compilation of video tutorials of different coffee making techniques. How do you like your coffee?

Swedish Coffee (AKA Egg or Lutheran Coffee) is great when you need to make coffee for a crowd or don't have a filter. By boiling the coffee with a mashed up egg, shell and all, you get a clarified coffee with reduced acid. The protein binds to the coffee grounds as it cooks and the egg shells reduces the acid. This traditionally makes a weak coffee that can be enjoyed cup after cup. The video below shows the coffee made for a crowd, this video (click link) shows a single serving at home. Both use the same technique.

Turkish Coffee (AKA Arab Style) and instant or NESCAFÉ are the most common ways coffee is enjoyed here in Israel, and probably throughout the Middle East. Turkish coffee uses an extra fine grind and relies on the grounds settling to the bottom with the coffee poured from the top into small cups. I like the method in this tutorial where the sugar is allowed to caramelize. The pot is also pretty. Turkish coffee is usually sweet and enjoyed for longer than a "shot" of espresso, which was designed for speed of caffeine delivery.

I recently purchased a French Press/Plunger. They are inexpensive multi-taskers that take up little space in the kitchen. This is a good way to make about two cups of quality coffee with some control over the strength of the brew.

My favorite methods are French Press and Pour-Over Drip Method. I've made a pour-over dripper out of aluminum foil, making it the cheapest device for brewing. In the pour-over method, it's best to pour boiling water through the empty filter to rinse it and warm the mug. By the time you get the coffee in the filter, your water will be a more appropriate temperature.

Another device is a Neapolitan Flip Drip pot (pictured right). It uses the same theory as the pour-over drip method, but uses an all-in-one device where the water can be heated over a burner. After the water boils, the pot is flipped and the water drips through the coffee in the middle. With both drip methods a finer grind produces a stronger brew.

If you like to watch science in action while waiting for your morning cup, you might like the Vacuum method. The pots (left) are rather attractive, though I don't think they do anything besides make coffee. They are too fragile and have to many pieces for my taste, but for the serious coffee connoisseur, it is a good choice. It makes a clear cup that some say brings out the sweetness in the coffee. The whole set up goes directly on the burner. The water rises through the coffee as steam, then comes back down through the coffee grounds as the pot cools. One benefit over the simpler drip or French Press methods is that a separate pot to boil the water is not required.

The Good Eats episode "True Brew" (below) discusses how to make a GOOD pot or cup of American Style Drip Brew Black. Another interesting episode is "Espress Yourself," about Espresso.

Other post you might enjoy:

Any coffee lovers on your gift list this season? Below are some recommendations related to this post.

Pan Seared Salmon

2011-12-17T20:12:00.000+02:00

We have a little issue with the electricity in our apartment. If we have more than three major appliances on besides the fridge, we overload the circuit and half to go outside to the fuse box. So we can't have the washer, heater, hot water heater, and oven on at the same time. This has caused me to cook more things on our gas stove top. I recently made this delicious and very easy salmon from some odd shaped fresh salmon steaks.

I used my silicon brush to paint both sides of the salmon with a squirt of Hellmann's Mayonnaise garlic sandwich dressing, some dill, and coriander. I cooked it in a non-stick pan until the flesh was light pink and opaque. Then I removed the meat from the bone to make it easier for my family to eat. I transferred the boneless, skinless fish back to the pan and reheated before serving.

Israeli Treats: Crembo, Sufganiot, and lots of chocolate

2011-12-15T07:26:00.002+02:00

Think you have a hard time staying away from some office Christmas cookies? The Israeli junk food season begins in October! In Israel "the holidays" generally refers to the "High Holidays" (Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah). As soon as they are over around the end of October, the Chanuka goodies go on the shelf.

While the fall holidays come with their fair share of non-stop feasting, winter is full of sweets. Unlike most mass produced candies which are available year round, these Israeli treats have a season. As the autumn pomegranates, dates, peaches, and plums go out of season, oranges, persimmons, and jelly donuts come in!

... When the royal Hasmonean family overpowered and was victorious over [the Greeks], they searched and found only a single cruse of pure oil... enough to light the menorah for a single day.

A miracle occurred, and they lit the menorah with this oil for eight days.

On the following year, they established these [eight days] as days of festivity and praise and thanksgiving to G-d.

On Tuesday evening, December 20, we will light the first Chanuka candle and celebrate the miracle of the oil. It's not enough to just light candles to celebrate the miracles of the festival of lights, we must internalize the message with, you guessed it, FOOD! Foods fried in oil like potato pancakes ("latkes" in yiddish and "levitot" in Hebrew) and jelly donuts or "sufganiot" are traditionally eaten. But Sufganiot go on sale in every bakery on every street as soon as the High Holidays come to a close. Try just picking up some milk and pita bread with these delicious treats smiling back at you!

An Israeli treat that has nothing to do with Chanuka is "Crembo." I don't know why Crembo can't be eaten in the summer. It is not a warm food and has no seasonal ingredients, but it's tradition. When the winter rain comes, so does Crembo! Crembo is a dome of creamy marshmallow meringue sitting on top of a round biscuit cookie and covered with a thin shell of dairy-free chocolate. The fluffy creme comes in vanilla and mocha flavors. (Strauss brand mocha is my favorite.) There is even a song in the kids chant when it rains the first few times: Give me Crembo. If there's not enough, give me gum. (It rhymes in Hebrew.) Strauss exports Crembo to kosher grocery stores in the U.S. For some history of "Krembos" check out Wikipedia - Krembo.

I was recently introduced to, "etzbaot" (literally fingers). The package looks like a regular bar of chocolate, but inside are eight small chocolate bars. Maybe one for each day of Chanuka. I have tried two varieties. One has a creamy chocolate center with tiny chocolate dragees (like mini M&Ms) and the other has a soft white center with little explosive candies inside (like "Pop Rocks"). The latter pops in your mouth as you suck it. Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. The candies are made with pressurized carbon dioxide - the same stuff in soda.

Don't be Lazy - Wrap Your Baby

2011-12-13T11:06:00.004+02:00

My maternity leave is over. I've thoroughly enjoyed the last seven weeks laying around with my new baby and making the worlds most perfect food - mother's milk. But now it's time I get back in the kitchen and cook a little more for the rest of my family. Here's how I do it:

You can make a No-Sew Baby Wrap with 4-5 yards of knit fabric. Do not try to sew two pieces together or your wrap will be weak where you need it strong - in the middle. Useful links:

Wearing a baby is also great for sitting activities when you need two free hands (like blogging, crocheting, hugging, and reading to older kids). I can even nurse with my baby wrapped! Below is a picture of my husband wearing Avi while doing the dishes. He was very skeptical at first, but now he loves to wear our baby. And they keep each other warm!

Link Party! Celebrate What's in Season LINK-UP BELOW

2011-10-06T08:54:00.003+02:00

Here are some pictures I took in the shuk (local market, Petach Tikva, Israel) yesterday. Click to enlarge.

What's in season where you live?
Comment or attach a link below to your autumn food-related favorite things.
Or play Name That Fruit by commenting below.

See additional details and what was in season this summer in the August 2011 What's in Season? Link-Up.

Shana Tova! - A sampling of my food prep

2011-09-28T13:11:00.002+03:00

I wanted to wish you all a sweet, happy, healthy, successful, and peaceful new year. Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, begins this evening.

Our family has been invited out for three meals. I'm bringing some salads and dessert and keeping the rest of our meals simple. We are even mixing it up with a couple dairy meals (blasphemous, I know). Tomorrow we are planning a cold meal with fancy cheese, smoked salmon, bagels, and fruits like persimmon and pomegranate. Traditionally meat and hot foods are eaten on holidays, but with six meals, we think whatever is considered special is fair game for a holiday meal, and we love dairy!

While I'm sitting down for my little break, I thought I'm share a few other things I'm making.

- Cinnamon honey cookies with apple sauce and fresh vanilla - to go with a non-dairy frozen dessert I bought. I had a tough time with the dough, so I put the whole lump on parchment paper, covered it in plastic wrap, and rolled it out. No sticky mess on the table or rolling pin. Then I baked it whole and used cookie cutters while it was still warm. I would recommend this method if you have sharp cookie cutter (I didn't) and if you don't mind the leftover, though equally yummy, scraps.

- Quinoa tabbouleh - some for us and some for one of our hosts.

- Pasta salad. I don't know what kind yet. Maybe Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pasta Salad.

- I also have Pre-mixed Bulgur Salad I can always make by adding hot water.

- Eggs made in the electric kettle (kum kum) so they would be pareve and can be eaten with either our meat or dairy meals.

- Brown and red rice with onions and mushrooms and fresh mint, which I will use to make stuffed grape leaves.

- Big green salads to bring to our hosts. (Today I will mostly just wash and check the lettuce for bugs, and maybe chop some herbs and make dressing.)

- I'm also setting up a chicken dish that is similar to chicken Parmesan without the cheese. It can be enjoyed hot or cold.

- Frozen bananas, aka no-drip Popsicles, and frozen grapes, for the kids to snack on with no crumbs.

Of course we will be eating sweet, round challahs and apples dipped in honey!

What do you do to celebrate the new year? Please comment and share what you are cooking, what snacks you stock, and what else you like to do to make the days special.

Shana tova u'metukah!

Kosher Cooking Carnival - The Holidays Are Coming!

2011-09-25T09:46:00.010+03:00

Welcome to the Kosher Cooking Carnival (KCC) for the Hebrew month of Tishrei! Autumn is officially upon us. It rained this Shabbat here in Israel and I'm guessing some of you have an incredible view of the colorful autumn leaves. This year Israelis and Jews abroad unite under the infamous "three day yom tov."

For those who don't know: Outside of Israel, Jews celebrate holidays for two days, whereas in Israel the chagim are only observed for one day... except Rosh Hashana! The Jewish new year is, and has always been, observed for two days throughout the world. Outside of Israel, where two day holidays are commonly observed, it is not unusual for the holidays to abut or overlap with Shabbat, giving two or three days in a row where holidays are observed with the resulting restrictions. But Israelis are not accustomed to the extended period of observance that occurs this year where two days of Rosh Hashana (beginning Wednesday night) lead directly into Shabbat. This puts many in quite a frenzy, especially those in charge of preparing six festive meals in a row (lunch and dinner for two days of Rosh Hashana and Shabbat).

G6's Croation Star Raisin Challah

For the majority of us who have not been planning our meals and freezing kugals and pies for weeks, I hope this edition of KCC will put you in the mood to celebrate the way Jews do best... with food!

Food is an integral part of most Jewish holidays. While Passover seems to be the best known for requiring specific foods, Rosh Hashanah has a rich tradition of food-based symbolism to reign in a good new year. Sarah Melamed of Food Bridge celebrates Symbolic Foods of Rosh Hashanah with her beautiful photography and explanations of a sampling of traditional symbols.

Mirj's Tzimmes

Leora Wenger baked Homemade Pita Bread and made Creamy Chickpea Soup at Here in HP.

Mirjam Weiss, of Miriyummy, made Beef Tzimmes with Butternut Squash in "Like Talking To A Wall".

Annette Berlin posted an oh-so-simple Delicious 5-Layer Deli Salad at Craft Stew, suggesting it would make an "easy and delicious Shabbos appetizer."

Yosef used vegan cheese to make a Kosher Pizza with Salami at This American Bite.

At Penniless Parenting "Penny" shares her frugal recipe for Pakistani Black Bean Curry.

My bulgur mix

Read my Cooking Outside the Box post on making Pre-mixed Bulgar Salad. If you have access to hot water (like an urn on Yom Tov) you can have a hot side dish in minutes!

Hannah of Cooking Manager presents Rosh Hashanah Tips and Recipes, a valuable compilation of links on organization and recipes, including one of my favorites Chicken with Black Olives and Tomatoes.

For those hectic days in between chagim, check out Hannah's Healthy Last-Minute Dinners about which Hannah says, "Ever been tempted to order take-out at the end of a long day? Help is here." Her post includes ideas on quick starches, proteins, and veggies, and how to put it all together.

Lisa Rose shared Tips for Weeknight Dinner Planning on Real Food Digest, with ideas on proteins, vegetables, extras, and having a backup plan.

Rivki's Peach Tart

For Something Sweet:

Rivki Locker made a Peach Tart at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People and Cinnamon Rugelach at Kosher Cooking for Ordinary People.

At Our Shiputzim: A Work In Progress, Mrs. S. shares Mini Black and White Cookies in "A study in contrasts". No dairy or margarine required!

G6's Mini Gourmet Apples

At Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, G6 makes Mini Gourmet Apples. They are so cute and would be the perfect treat to share during Simchat Torah celebrations. (Or bookmark to put in your Purim baskets next year!) Looking for something fancy? Check out her Chocolate Leaf Cake. G6 also made the gorgeous Croation Star Raisin Challah pictured at the top of this post. What a creative take on round challah!

Jonathon's Energy Bar Recipe, posted at World of Diets, would make a great breakfast to get you through the Rosh Hashana service. (No blech of platta required!)

Yael's brownie in progress

New to the blogosphere, Yael of Country Mouse Cooks posted Sweet Tea Vodka. Just in time for Simchat Torah! Yael also baked Only The Best Chocolate Brownies Ever.

Ari, aka "Kitchen Girl" of Ari Cooks baked Cranberry Nut Biscotti, adapted from Gourmet Today.

Mimi made Sourdough Pancakes on Israeli Kitchen and shared a story of her great-grandmother Rose. Mix up this batter before the chagim and you could make pancakes for breakfast over a pre-lit flame.

Eating Out:

Forell with feta cheese from Gabriela

If you're on vacation to Niagra Falls this month, you might want to check out the kosher meat restaurant at the Sheraton is called "Mendl's", or the dairy restaurant, "Mendy's." Read Leora Wenger's review on Kosher at Niagara Falls | Here in Highland Park posted at Here in HP.

Visiting Jerusalem? Don't miss the amazing dairy and fish restaurant, "Gabriela Cucina." Read my review of Two Jerusalem Dairy Restaurants on Cooking Outside the Box.

Sarah Melamed of Food Bridge visited Chacho Restaurant and tasted Flavors of Tripoli in Netanya.

Other Kosher goings on:

Yisrael's Israeli "Pumpkin"

Menachem Kuchar of Menachem's Writings wrote the essay: Why I Don't Eat Lettuce: The True Story of the Demise of Gush Katif.

At My Right Word, Yisrael Medad shares his experience of Buying Pumpkin, Israeli style: "When basta and protekzia come together" and asks Kosher Locust?

At me-ander, Batya's grapes are ripe - Friendly Voices From the Family "Vinyard". She is also growing a mystery squash in her Israeli garden - Transplant, Horticultural Success?

Check out Yehoshuah Halevi's image of sabra fruit on Israel the Beautiful.

PBS food posted Ask Joan Nathan Your Cooking Questions for Rosh Hashanah! Cookbook author Joan Nathan will answer five questions submitted by September 28.

For a little humor, watch Mendy' Pellin's refresher course, ""How to dip your apple in honey."

May you all have a very sweet, healthy, successful, and delicious 5772!

To submit your blog article to the next edition of KCC us the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page. If you would like to host KCC, contact Batya.

Technorati tags: kosher cooking carnival-kcc, blog carnival.

Creamy Roasted Tomato and Corn Soup with Cauliflower (non-dairy)

2011-09-23T14:03:00.006+03:00

Autumn is officially here, but our vegetable stands are still selling some reminders of summer. This soup is perfect to use up your summer produce and enjoy on an almost cool, and possibly rainy day.

Working in this order will lead to more appropriate cooking times. You can prep while other things cook. If you have a large oven, you may want to think of other things you want to cook at the same time to conserve energy. This would be good served with toasted garlic bread or homemade pita chips.

Roast garlic. You only need 2 or 3 cloves, but I like to roast the whole head and use during the week.
Seed and roast tomatoes. I cut regular vine tomatoes in quarters. You can also halve Roma or cherry tomatoes.
Wash corn and cut off cob. (Yes, you could use frozen. I wouldn't bother with canned.)
Wash cauliflower, cut to small bite-size pieces, and roast.
Begin cooking corn in the pot you will use for the soup. Sauté in a little oil.
Add 2-3 cloves of garlic and roasted tomatoes.
Remove cauliflower from oven when the tops brown.
Add good quality tomato paste and fresh or dry herbs and spices of choice to the pot.
Continue to cook, then add half a can of coconut milk or liquid of choice.
Blend half or all of the soup with a hand blender, depending on your preference for creamy or chunky.
Add cauliflower and blend to taste or leave chunky. Add water if necessary.
Optional: Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and top with nutritional yeast, or as my kids call it, "cheesy stuff."

This soup is also good served cold.

Creativity Outside the Kitchen PLUS Recipe Links

2011-09-07T14:59:00.003+03:00

I've been so tired lately. Not up for much standing in the kitchen. I don't know how much more cooking I'll be doing in the last six-ish weeks of my pregnancy or right after. I am planning a home birth, G-d willing, so maybe the labor pains will inspire an interesting kitchen creation. In the mean time, I've been getting crafty with things I can do with my feet up.

At the beginning of the summer I learned bead-weaving from a great book - Beaded Allure. I'm sure there are lots of good books out there, but after I read through this one I had the skills and confidence to make my own designs. The pictures and instructions were very clear, and right now it's on sale for half what I paid. I was instantly attracted to the more expensive plated beads and Swarovski Crystals. Both in an out of the kitchen, I have always been inspired by great materials. Beading is not the cheapest hobby, but I really enjoyed learning, designing my own things, and knowing that I have one more skill in my craft box. Below from left: My first beaded necklace - trying an asymmetrical design; easy necklace from an instructor's design; heart for my daughter's backpack - figured it out myself; earrings and necklace made for my mom - my design with gold plate beads and Swarovski Crystals.

I've been wanting to learn how to knit or crochet for sometime, but kept putting if off, thinking, "How often do I/will I have two free hands?" Last week I finally got to the store to buy some yarn and hooks and I learned to crochet from YouTube - a fellow blogger's suggestion. I recommend Crochet Geek. The new hobby came just in time for a week sick in bed. I'm glad I went overboard buying yarn and hooks when I had the chance, because it really saved my sanity. Below: Baby boots from YouTube tutorial - Rib Cuff Baby Bootie; netted snood - my first project, my own design; two views of a lamb doll I made - my own design, but inspired by the "blackberry stitch."

Around the blogosphere
Usually I read blogs while I hold and feed my little one, but she is getting more mobile and my belly is getting too big, so I'm a couple weeks behind on my favorite blogs. While I catch up, I thought I'd give you a sampling:

Submitted to cakewrecks.com by Stephanie J. Baker

Coincidentally, Cake Wrecks posted some beautiful crafty cakes this week.

If you're looking for something to cook, Rochel of Barefoot and Cooking posted Earthquake Cookies. At Healthy Eating for Ordinary People, Rivki made Blueberry Pretzel Clusters (With fresh blueberries, salty pretzels, and chocolate, you can't go wrong!) and Roasted Peaches.

The Stuffed bottle squash, Nazareth style at Cafe Liz looks amazing. Check out Liz's other resent posts to see mouthwatering pictures of Middle Eastern culture, fruit recipes with arak, and homemade pickles. The Pretzel-Crusted Chicken With Mustard-Dill Dipping Sauce on The Lady Behind the Curtain looks easy and delicious.

Amy of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free made Yogurt Cheese. Hannah at Cooking Manager wrote an informative post about washing rice.

Country Mouse teaches pretzel making

A college friend of mine recently moved to a rural area of Northern Israel where she bakes from scratch and shares her recipes on her new blog Country Mouse Cooks. Watch her make Sour Lemon Pie from picking the lemons through the meringue. I am looking forward to trying her recipe for Soft Pretzels and the 5 Minute Gazpacho she posted. Who better to blog about baking than a creative gal with a PhD in chemistry? Keep up the great work Country Mouse!

I will be hosting the upcoming edition of Kosher Cooking Carnival (KCC). Submit your links to Blog Carnival by September 23.

Fig Marmalade Pie with Low-fat Crust and Lavender Sugar

2011-08-26T14:46:00.003+03:00

With six cups of fresh figs in my fridge not getting any fresher, I needed to do something with them, fast. I used the technique from Mini Cherry Pies, to make this simple fig deliciousness.

1. In a small pot, cook:

4 cups quartered or chopped figs
3/4 cups lavender sugar (you could really use any sugar)
juice from 1/4 orange (about 1/8 cup)
zest of one whole orange (or more if you like)
pinch of salt
sprinkle of cinnamon
optional: other spices of your choice

2. Liquid should eventually reduce and figs will look more brown than green. At this point I blended slightly with a hand blender for a smoother consistency, but this is a matter of preference.

3. Coat the bottom of a pie pan (or muffin tins) with butter, margarine, or oil. Spread with oats (preferably minute oats, not instant) up the sides of the glass.

4. Fill with fig jam mixture.

5. Top with the following mixture or you favorite crumble crust. (Meringue would also be lovely.)

1-1.5 cups oats
optional: chopped nuts
1-3 tablespoons margarine or the like
liquid from the fig mixture or other sweetener (sugar)
cinnamon
salt

6. Gently and evenly crumble over the top of the pie.

7. Bake at 175 C or 350 F until the top starts to brown.

You may also enjoy Thanksgiving: Crusts and Crumbles and Mini Cherry Pies (Reduced Fat).

Non-dairy Gourmet "Tuna" Noodle Casserole (with vegan option)

2011-08-22T10:36:00.000+03:00

My favorite compliment from my husband, "Can you make this again?" began with my son running in from the park asking, "Can we have pasta and tuna and frozen corn?"

Yes, my children would have been satisfied with pasta covered in ketchup, tuna salad, and frozen, literally still frozen, corn. But, ew, really?

Though sardines are usually more expensive than canned tuna, I've been trying to steer my family toward these healthier and more ecological little fishies. I even found a brand I love. I call them "sardines for beginners." No heads, tails, spines or scales, and no fish breath. My husband was the last hold out, preferring the the dry mercury laden giants often called "the hot dog of fish" (canned tuna). But even he couldn't resist sardines smothered in this flavorful creamy sauce in a familiar, noodle casserole format.

For school lunch, try it cold, for a one-dish, energy packed, lunch to-go!

The sauce is so fast and easy to make, you can begin the prep at the same time you start the pasta water. And like all my "non-recipes" the ingredients are flexible.

Pasta

You will need about 3/4 lb of pasta (3/4 of a regular box of bag) to serve 5-6 people. I cooked the whole box and kept some plain.

Boil the pasta of your choice in salted water.
Add frozen peas, broccoli, or vegetable of your choice when the pasta is almost done.
Drain pasta and veggies; do not rinse.

Sauce

Prep about 8 mushrooms, 2 cloves of garlic, and half an onion.
Put in the bowl of a blender, food processor, or (preferably) a hand blender.
Add walnuts and/or pine nuts and about half a can of coconut "milk" (the white liquid made from ground coconut pulp) or about 3/4 cup of your favorite non-dairy liquid like soy milk or vegetable broth.
Add salt and pepper if you like. I used a pinch of crushed red pepper and no additional salt.
Blend until very smooth.
Cook in a sauce pan or small pot to bring out the mushroom flavors and tone down the garlic.
When sauce is cooked, remove from heat and add two cans of sardines, crumbled. (Of course, you could use tuna, salmon, or any leftover fish or chicken.)
Vegan option: Instead of sardines, add more nuts, beans, seitan, or protein of your choice.
Add to about 3/4 of the pasta. Add more pasta if sauce permits.
Optionally, mix nutritional yeast into the sauce or sprinkle on top for a cheesy touch.

Knives: Choice, Care, Storage, PLUS Product Recommendations

2011-08-16T19:16:00.003+03:00

I purchased some new knives at the beginning of the summer, and I have been dying to tell you all about it.

Purchasing or Registering for Knives

When buying knives, I recommend two or three very good knives that will last your whole life, rather than a set that appears to have more value. The knives in the set may be of lower quality and they are likely to take up valuable real estate in your kitchen. Additionally, the knife blocks that come in sets tend to be very bulky, take up a lot of space on your counter, and only fit the knives with which they are sold. However, if your family eats a lot of steak and you depend of a full set of quality steak knives, go for the set.

Restaurant discount stores can be a good place to find quality knives, but you may also see some of the top brands in mega-marts and grocery stores. I did some price comparison and feel that I got a good deal on Amazon.com. Stick to well known brands. Knives made in Europe are generally higher quality. Specifically, Germany has an excellent reputation for blades. (I never buy a pencil sharpener without making sure the blade was made in Germany.)

My recommendations:

One 7"-10" Santoku or Chef's Knife. I bought the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S 7-Inch Santoku Knife with Hollow Edge but theZwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Signature 8-Inch Chef's Knife is also a great value at under $40.
One serrated knife for tomatoes, sandwiches, and more.
One sharp paring knife for detailed cutting. I bought the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Grip Colored Paring Knives, Set of 4 to fill both those needs.
If you bake a lot of bread, you may want a good bread knife, but I have been satisfied with using my 7" Santoku or 4.5" serrated utility knife knife for loaves of bread.
You may also want a sturdy pair of meat shears or kitchen shears. TheZwilling J.A. Henckels Twin L Kitchen 2-Piece Set comes with a pairing knife, but I have also been satisfied with cheaper shears like Farberware or Progressive International (available at most mega-stores). Fiskars are always a good bet with a lifetime warranty. The blades of these scissors separate and are dishwasher safe.

Caring for your Knives

Now that you've shelled out some dough of professional knives, make sure you take good care of them.

Cleaning: Do not drop your knives in the sink or in a pile of dirty silverware. As soon as you are done using your knives, wash them in warm water. If you wash them right away they shouldn't need much more than that. Use dish soap and a gentle sponge if necessary. Dry immediately. Prolonged contact with acids in food, harsh detergents, and minerals in water can erode your knife over time, so wash and dry ASAP. (Advice from my Dad - "Chef Dan")

Honing: It is recommended that you hone/sharpen your knives after every use. You will need a quality honing steel like the Edgeware Standard Sharpening Steel or the J.A. Henckels 9-Inch Poly Sharpening Steel. The process is commonly called sharpening, but you are actually straightening the edge of the blade. When you use your knife, the thin edge gets slightly bent over. It becomes less efficient at cutting and will be harder to correct the longer you wait to hone your knife. Leave the real sharpening to the professionals. To hone, or realign the edge of your knife, slide the blade across the steel at a 20 degree angle. Watch the video below for a demonstration. Be sure to "sharpen" each side of your knife equally. Run each side of your knife over the sharpening steel 2-8 times after each use. There is also a good demonstration with explanation from Expert Village.

Have your knives professionally cleaned and sharpened every 6 months to a year. Get recommendations! An unskilled "professional" can do a lot more damage with their heavy machinery than you can do with poor knife habits at home.

Storing Your Knives

Storage is a very important consideration when keeping quality knives. All the honing or sharpening in the world won't help if you toss your knives in a drawer or canister after each use. Besides keeping each knife in an individual sheath, you have a few choices.

A standard knife block, generally wood, has slots for specific sized knives. I find that they usually take up a lot of counter space, but the Wusthof 8001 Under-Cabinet-Swinger Knife Storage Block looks like a nice option. It can be mounted under an upper cabinet and swivel.
A universal knife block is a modern innovation where thin plastic rods hold any combination of knife sizes and shapes, including a honing steel, scissors, or whatever else you choose to slide in. I love my Bodum Bistro Universal Knife Block (see image above). It comes in fun colors, takes up almost no counter space, and keeps my knives safe from curious hands. If you need a block with more space, you might like the traditional lookingKapoosh 650 Knife Holder. These knife block do take a slightly gentle touch, and might not be in good shape to pass on to your grandkids, but I think they are a great choice.
A magnetic knife bar is a good professional choice if you have wall space and want to display your knives. If you are crafty, you could make a fancy knife bar with strong magnets or purchase the length you need. The Norpro 18 Inch Aluminum Magnetic Knife Bar seems like a good size and value.
If you are short on counter space, you might want an in drawer knife block. They come in a variety of sizes at a range of price points. The Ironwood Gourmet Acacia Wood Drawer Knife Organizer takes up minimal drawer space and can also sit on the counter. This is not an option if you need to keep your knives out of reach of youngsters.

Final Suggestions

Always use a good cutting board. Using a glass cutting board, cutting on the counter, or cutting on a plate dull your knives. I like having one large board and one very small, light weight board. Both should have a "gutter" to catch juices, and the board needs to fit in your sink for proper washing. You can sanitize your board by spraying it with white vinegar.
If you have kids, avoid brightly colored knives or knife blocks that might look like a toy. I learned this lesson when I bought a USB hub that looked like a caterpillar. My kids just could not stay away. (But these cute USB hubs are SO tempting!)
For Amazon.com purchases, all the kitchen items linked to in this post are eligible for Amazon's 4-for-3 promotion. If you have four or more eligible items in your shopping cart the least expensive item will be.free. Don't waste your discount by choosing four substantial items and then putting a $2 item in your cart. The $2 item will be free and you might not realize until you've placed your order.

For a few more knife care tips from a pro, read Lisa Rose's post How to Take Care of Your Knives on Real Food Digest.

Make Pre-mixed Bulgur Salad

2011-08-14T12:37:00.004+03:00

The end of summer is a busy time. Everyone I know seems to be moving, having a baby, taking a last minute vacation, or getting ready for school to begin. Busy times can lead to poor food choices, so I want to take this post to remember an old favorite - instant bulgur pilaf.

Bulgur wheat is pre-boiled, dried, and cracked. It cooks as easily as instant oatmeal, is faster and healthier than instant rice, and fit for lunch or dinner. And, it's a whole lot cheaper than pre-packaged grain mixes.

You will need a clean container that closes tightly. I'm using the jar from instant coffee. Before you begin, check all your ingredients and spices for bugs. (One wormy walnut will ruin your whole batch. Ew.)

Fill about halfway with bulgur wheat, then add whatever you like. The bulgur will double in size, so season accordingly. Don't be shy! Have fun, be creative, mix and close tightly. Here is what went into my last batch:

bulgur
sun-dried tomatoes (not marinated) chopped small
dry shitake mushrooms, broken small
pine nuts
dehydrated onions
whole mustard seeds
dry thyme
dry basil
ground coriander seed
garlic powder
ground red pepper flakes
citric acid
salt

For a single serving, poor 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mix into a bowl or hot cup, add twice as much boiling water, stir, cover, wait for grains to absorb all water.

Featured in Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; 8/16/11.

Food Photography Video

2011-08-12T10:00:00.002+03:00

Feast your eyes on these awesome photos from Modernist Cuisine. Photographer and scientist Nathan Myhrvold talks about how they get those amazing images, and what happens after the camera flashes. To see more, check out the Modernist Cuisine Blog.

The Photography from Modernist Cuisine on Vimeo.

All About Iron & Black Lentil Salad

2011-08-11T09:00:00.058+03:00

I did pretty well in high school and college. Multiple choice tests, essay tests, I could handle them all, with the exception of oral Spanish tests. Now I'm in my third trimester of pregnancy and most of my tests involve my blood, not my brains. My blood is in severe need of after-school enrichment in order to pass the hemoglobin portion of my retake-test.

Adult women need about 18 mg of iron per day and pregnant women need 27. However, not all iron is absorbed equally. The body absorbs iron from animal sources (heme iron) much better then iron from plant sources (non-heme iron). For instance, 100 mg of egg has 2-3 mg of iron, all of which is absorbed by the body, 100 mg of boiled spinach has 4 mg, but only about 1.2 mg is absorbed.

Here are a few tips to absorb the maximum amount of iron from your source:

Get your iron from real food instead of pills as much as possible.
Enjoy vegetarian sources with some heme iron (animal product), like an egg.
Eat iron with vitamin C like orange, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, and bell peppers.
Do not eat iron with high calcium foods, tea, coffee, or red wine (contains tannins that bind with iron).
If you need a supplement, my midwife recommends Spatone as a natural, gentle, and well absorbed source.

An example of putting the above tips to use might be a spinach salad with strawberries, oranges, and egg on top. (Though spinach contains oxalic acid or oxalate which bind to iron inhibiting absorption.)

Lentils contain about 2 mg of iron per 100 mg of lentils. If we compliment the lentil with vitamin C, our bodies can absorb more than 0.6 mg. My need for iron and protein inspired the following dish.

Black Lentil Salad with Lemon, Ginger, and Noodles

The tiny black lentils are probably the fastest cooking whole legume, and, in my opinion, they are the tastiest.

Cook 1 or 1.5 cups lentils according to directions, but add a little extra water, which will cook the noodles. (I used my pressure cooker.) You can also make this without noodles. My kids actually liked the lentils but not the noodles.


Green lemons are from right outside.	.

While the lentils cook, mix the following dressing:

zest of 2 lemons or 3 limes
juice of two medium lemons or a lemon and two limes
1-2 cubes of crystallized ginger, grated
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt
crushed red pepper flakes

When the the lentils are cooked, add instant noodles or leftover cooked pasta like orzo or stars. (I used two packs of low-fat Raman noodles and threw away the seasoning pack.)

Mix in dressing and cover until pasta is cooked. Optionally, you could add chopped, roasted red peppers. Serve hot or cold.

Looking for more sources of iron? Try

Quinoa tabbouleh with extra parsley (8 mg iron per 100 mg parsley, 2.4 mg absorbed.)
Tehina health cookies
Chicken in Mushroom Shallot Sauce - Use dark meat chicken, white wine, and lemon juice.
See lots more recipes with lentils.
And check out my post "Are You a Poultry Racist?" about the benefits of dark meat over white.

For tables on recommended dietary allowance for iron and how much iron is absorbed from various foods, read "How Much Iron Do We Need? What are the Best Sources of Iron?" from AmeliaBurton.com.au or check out the CDC's page on Iron and Iron Deficiency.

Mock Plantains / Banana Chip FAIL

2011-08-10T09:00:00.001+03:00

First, some advice. If you think about making something with green bananas, DO IT before your bananas ripen. This might have worked with really starchy bananas, but instead I got a sweet mush.

My husband and I were reminiscing about how much we used to enjoy plantains. My dad and I slice them, oil and salt them, and lay them out in the oven to bake. We wait until the plantains are mostly brown.

I thought I might try the same thing with bananas, but they were too moist and just deflated into a wimpy goo, only fit for spreading on pound cake or putting on top of ice cream.

FYI, this idea isn't totally crazy. Penniless Parenting had success with her Fried Green Bananas.

Save Time at the Grocery Store with a Pre-printed List

2011-08-09T12:22:00.002+03:00

In my home growing up, my parents always had pre-printed shopping lists where we could put what we wanted in its appropriate aisle to make shopping easier. Our local grocery store was recently turned into a small, decently priced mega-mart, and it seemed appropriate to finally make my own shopping list.

Next time you have an extra few minutes at your favorite grocery store, make a record of what is sold in each aisle. You can zip around with a camera or camera phone and snap photos of the aisle signs as well as items you buy or things you want to remember in each aisle. You could also go with a pad of paper, but I think taking a few pictures (flash off) in each aisle is fastest. Remember how many aisles there are and think about the best way to represent them on paper.

At home, pull up your pictures and start typing. I used Microsoft Word and made 5 columns with margins of 0.2 inches and 11 pt type. Concentrate on the things you buy most. For instance, under vegetables, I wrote tomatoes and cucumbers because we always need them, so now I can just circle them. Same with dairy. You may write "dairy" and also write the things you always buy like milk and yogurt.

To get two lists to print on each page, either cut & paste the text from each column a few spaces below (around 5.75 inches down from the top) or just print the top list, then flip the paper upside-down and feed it through the printer to print another list on the bottom.

Before you print too many, take it back to the store to use and make notes of any items you forgot or misplaced. Email me nonrecipe@gmail.com if you'd like a copy of my list in MS Word.

Summer Salad Links & Asian Coleslaw

2011-08-07T21:59:00.001+03:00

First, my coleslaw:

Cabbage is easy, cheap, and has numerous health benefits. I often make an Asian-inspired coleslaw as an alternative the to classic mayonnaise version. It's easy, and I just add whatever I'm in the mood for like:

half a cabbage sliced, or a package of thinly sliced coleslaw mix
shredded or matchstick carrots (optional)
rice wine vinegar
sesame oil
soy sauce or tamari sauce
date syrup or molasses
lots of sesame seeds (toasting optional)
dried cranberries, preferably unsweetened
washed bean sprouts (optional)
Optional: Before serving crumble instant egg noodles/Raman noodles into the salad.

Now, for the invaluable links:

I just came across one of the most comprehensive lists of mouthwatering salads I have seen on the web, in link form. It is well organized and you are sure to find something to fit your occasion. My problem was, where to start? The list was compiled by Leora A of Here in HP. Check out her great list of Simple Summer Salads!

Photo by Leora @ Here in HP

I was especially intrigued by some of the "Light Meal Salads," including
Ilana-Davita's Salade Niçoise – Carbohydrate-Free Recipe
Leora's Japanese Noodle Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce
Chanita Harel's Tuna,Red Cabbage and Caper Salad

There are also several recipes for vegetarian pate / mock chopped liver, such as the two recipes posted by Laura of Pragmatic Attic in her post "Tastes Like the Real Thing Vegetarian Chopped Liver."

Hey, look, Leora included my Quinoa Tabbouleh!

While we're talking salad, have you heard of purslane? I'm still intrigued by urban foraging, but the summer seems barren of edible weeds. Not so! Mimi of Israeli Kitchen introduces purslane and how to eat it in her post, "Purslane, Summer's Edible Weed."

For a compilation of my salad posts, CLICK HERE. Some salads you'll find here:

EASY Pickled Watermelon Rind

2011-08-04T11:22:00.003+03:00

You may also enjoy last weeks post: Curried Watermelon Rind & Mango Salad. Below are directions to make the easiest pickled melon rinds ever. This is great for a small batch that you want to eat within the month, not for large batch preserving.

Cut watermelon rind into workable sections. Peel with sharp knife and remove pink fruit.
Stuff small jars with slices. Boil water in the microwave or kettle.
Add to each small jar: 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, and 3 Tbs cider vinegar. (You can experiment with adding whole spices like cloves or mustard, crystallized ginger, more sugar, more vinegar or alcoholic beverages.)
Top with boiling water.
Using an oven mitt or rag, shake to mix.
Unless you use proper canning/preserving procedures*, refrigerate jars when cool.
For best results let soak close to a week before enjoying.

*If you want to preserve a large batch, you may want to use a proper recipe like these sweet Pickled Watermelon Rinds on allrecipes.com.

You may want to taste one rind after several days to one week of soaking in the basic pickle to decide how to proceed. For instance, if you think they are too sweet or too salty, you can dump the liquid and refill with something more suitable to your tastes. Today I dumped the initial liquid and set up each jar with different flavors, then I refilled with boiling water in order to get all the flavors to fully open up. I expect to have some very tasty watermelon pickles in another two days.

To one jar I added black peppercorns, whole yellow mustard seeds, a large sliced clove of garlic, and 2.5 tablespoons of cider vinegar. Topped with boiling water.
To the other jar I added a heaping tablespoon of pure date syrup (sylan), two sliced pieces of unsweetened crystallized ginger, and 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar. Topped with boiling water.

Please try this recipe with other kinds of melon rinds and let me know what you think!

Mini Cherry Pies (Reduced Fat)

2011-08-02T19:00:00.009+03:00

"Guest Worthy Wednesday" (see top menu bar) is coming early this week, because I just can't wait to share this delicious treat with you and the participants of "Slightly Indulgent Tuesday."

I was inspired to make Cherry Pie by the mouthwatering pictures on Ari Cooks "Welcoming July with Sour Cherry Pie." However, I needed something a bit easier and with less fat than traditional pie crusts. (We can pretend it was for health reasons, but I also was restrained by only having one spoonful of margarine left in the fridge.)

For the filling you will need:

3-4 cups clean pitted cherries, halved, or other seasonal fruit cut in small pieces. (I added three red plums.)
1/2 - 3/4 cups sugar
1-2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
A small pot

1.

1. Heat ingredients on the stove until fruit softens and sugar bubbles and starts to caramelize on the edges of the pot. Mix continuously.

2. While cherries start to cook, start crust. I started with 2 cups of whole walnuts in my food processor, but you can start with any ground nut and mix by hand. Mix:

1.5 - 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1.5 - 2 cups oats (whole or quick cooking oats are fine, avoid instant oats.)

3. Spoon this mixture into muffin tins, a silicon muffin tray (my preference) or a regular pie plate. This bottom layer should be solid enough not to see the bottom of the pan. It will absorb the extra cherry liquid and cook.

4. Add to the remaining "crust" mixture:

about 3 Tbs oil and/or margarine/butter
about 3 Tbs sugar or other sweetener
cinnamon to taste

5. Spoon the partially cooked cherries into the muffin tray or pie plate. Extra liquid is okay, but don't let it come up higher than the cherries.

6. Top with the sweetened crust crumble.

7. Bake 375 F or 170 C until the topping is golden brown.

You may also enjoy Thanksgiving: Crusts and Crumbles and Fig Marmalade Pie with Low-fat Crust and Lavender Sugar.

Make a Protective Cookbook Cover

2011-08-02T09:00:00.009+03:00

While you're helping your kids cover their textbooks, why not make a little something for yourself? With a cookbook cover, you can have your favorite cookbook in the midst of flying oil and sauce and not have to worry about the pages.

Find heavy clear plastic, like what they sell in rolls to cover tables, or to make shower curtain liners.
Cut enough to cover your favorite cookbook while it is open. Leave a little extra at the open end.
Tape the edges, or sew using an extra wide stitch. Don't forget to leave one side open! You can use a clip to hold the plastic in place while you tape or sew. You can even use decorative tape.
Optional - To hold the open end closed you can use stick-on Velcro, a large paper clip, or a chip-clip.

Now splatter away! Pile ingredients on your cookbook! Bring it right into the action! Just wipe off after each use and store folded in half on your cookbook shelf.

What's in Season? August/Summer 2011

2011-08-01T09:56:00.007+03:00

I'm excited to host my first Link-up, and everyone is invited! You can link any post relevant to what you are enjoying now.

What's growing, what's being sold, or what you like just because it's August.
Stories, love notes, pictures, and thoughts on August food and August cooking where ever you live.

AND if you don't have a post to link, you can still comment or e-mail me submissions! Just include whatever biographical information you want to share, including a link to your blog, business, or online profile. You don't have to be a blogger to join this party. Send me pictures of what's growing in your backyard or what's on sale in your local market.

And the Winner Is...

2011-08-01T09:55:00.000+03:00

Deb! Congratulations, to Deb of Wise Old Owl Designs, the winner of my Apron Giveaway! Deb entered just in the nick of time. I look forward to hearing which apron she will choose.

I used the instructions on Random.org to choose a winner. You can see the beginning of the number sequence in the images below.

I want to thank you all for your kind and encouraging comments about the aprons and my blog. I love writing this blog and it's so nice to hear that someone is enjoying it!

What I Bought Last Week

2011-07-31T22:05:00.003+03:00

You're all invited to a Linky Party celebrating what's in season. To start things off, I wanted to share what I bought at my local mega-mart in Central Israel last week.

Mango, mini pears, & avocado. Green lemon from our tree.

Of course, watermelon is in season.
I've made watermelon Popsicles, watermelon rind salad, and pickled watermelon rind.

Cherries seem to be at the end of their season. Sad I missed them.

Little red plums. SO yummy.

Mini pie from cherries and plums. Recipe on Wednesday.

Tomato jam. Got it for the first time at a cafe Friday morning. SO good. Anyone make this?

From the Jerusalem market a few weeks ago: pears, avocado, cherries

What do you call these?

Come back tomorrow and tell me what you're enjoying this summer!

Curried Watermelon Rind & Mango Salad

2011-07-31T09:00:00.002+03:00

This dish was inspired by Penniless Parenting's "Watermelon Rind Salad (Moroccan Inspired)."
Penniless Parenting's adventures in extreme frugality lead to lots of interesting recipes, like "Banana Peel Chutney." Her "Zero Food Waste Challenge" goes way beyond composting to "Eating Food Scraps" my wasteful American tastes have trouble comprehending. Check it out for things you never knew you could eat and other money saving tips.

Now for my recipe:

Watermelon Rind Prep:

Start with 1/2 a medium-large watermelon, after the insides have been eaten or frozen.
Slice the rind into manageable slices about 1.5 inches wide. Using a sharp knife, peel off the tough green skin and scrape off most of the pink inside.
Cut into squares and steam. I steamed in my pressure cooker for 2-3 minutes on high pressure with natural release.

Dressing: Mix rind with:

1 Tbs (or less to taste) curry powder
1/2 Tbs garlic powder (or fresh crushed garlic if you like)
1/2 Tbs ginger powder or crushed fresh ginger
1 tsp fenugreek
1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
1-2 tsp salt
1 Tbs oil
juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon
fresh chopped scallions

Salad: When rind has cooled, or right before serving:

Chop watermelon rind pieces smaller (optional)
Add chopped fresh mango (alternatives could include oranges, peaches, or even strawberries)

Serve chilled plain or on top of lettuce of bulgur wheat.

Also check out my recipe for the easiest pickled melon rind on the web.

Red Beans and Rice in the Pressure Cooker

2011-07-28T22:19:00.003+03:00

My version was mild enough for every member of my very white family. Even both my picky kids liked it and asked for seconds and thirds! Look at the end for tips to spice it up and a low-glycemic version.

Ingredients:

1-2 red onions
2-3 cloves garlic
olive oil
cherry tomatoes (or other ripe or canned, drained tomatoes)
1-2 dry bay leaves
1-2 large dry hot peppers - seeded, no need to chop or pre-soak
dry or fresh chopped thyme
1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed
1 cup red/kidney beans (See step 1 for soaking tips.)
3.5 cups water or broth, plus water for rinsing and soaking
smoked paprika
salt

Directions:

Soak beans. Below are two quick soak methods from CookingManager.com's Complete Guide to Cooking Dried Beans from Scratch.
Place the beans in a pot and cover with water, an inch higher than the level of the beans. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, and cover. After an hour you can use the beans in your recipe.OR You can also “soak” 1-1/2 cup of beans in a large bowl in the microwave along with four cups of water. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 12 minutes, or until boiling. Set aside for half and hour,drain.
Just barely cover bottom of pressure cooker with olive oil and begin to cook onions and garlic on medium to low heat.
Add tomatoes, bay leaves, chili peppers, and thyme. Stir and cook another few seconds to a minute.
Add rice, beans, and water. Bring heat to high and lock on lid.
Lower heat and maintain pressure for 22 minutes.
Then turn off heat and let pressure drop naturally. (If you have an electric stove, more the pot off the hot burner.)
Remove chili peppers and bay leaves. Stir in smoked paprika and salt to taste.

Spicy Variation: Use fresh large chili peppers, chopped and leave them in. I think the big green ones would be nice. Leave seeds for more heat or add crushed red pepper after cooking.

Low GI "Red Beans and Barley": Substitute pearl barley for rice. You may need to cook an extra 2-3 minutes under pressure.

Speedy Version: Substitute white rice or bulgur for brown rice and lentils or black-eyed peas for red beans. Will cook in 5-12 minutes depending on legume of choice.

Other optional ingredients: mushrooms, red or green bell pepper, leaks, black pepper, tomato paste, chili powder, taco seasoning, scallions for garnish, roast leaks or roast red pepper for garnish.

5 Days Remain to Enter Apron Giveaway

2011-07-27T19:30:00.000+03:00

Update: WINNER ANNOUNCED

Giveaway ends July 31, 11:15 pm California time (UTC -7) . Entering is EASY:

Subscribe (follow, like, join, tweet, share, etc.) any way you want.
Comment telling me what you did. (Make sure to enter your e-mail address, or e-mail me: nonrecipe (at) gmail .com.)

For full details see original contest post. Worldwide entries accepted!

My First Linky Entry

2011-07-27T19:12:00.002+03:00

If you're a regular blog reader, you know that many blogs have a weekly Blog Party or Blog Carnival that they run where other bloggers can link recipes or posts that fit the topic. Today I joined "Slightly Indulgent Tuesday" on a blog I just found, Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free. Slightly Indulgent Tuesday is a collection of recipes that are not necessarily Sugar or Gluten Free, but they are in some way healthier than the standard option. I posted "No Sugar Added, Whole Wheat Carrot Zucchini Muffins". There are lots of exciting recipes worth checking out. I'm looking forward to trying "Dairy-Free Chocolate / Carob Almond Fudge (with Sugar-Free option)" on Whole. New. Mom.

On a related note, I'm planning to start my own monthly Linky on what's is season! This is a great place to share whatever foods you are currently enjoying wherever you live. There will be no recipes required, all food-related pictures, thoughts, and love-notes are welcome. Come back at the beginning of August to link up. If you are not a blogger, or don't have a post to link, send your pictures and stories to nonrecipe@gmail.com and I will include them! (Make sure to include whatever bio info you want me to include.) You can also send me links from the last month on this topic.

I have also started reading some new blogs and plan to update my blogroll soon. What are your favorite food-related blogs? What Link Parties do you enjoy?

Artist Video: Food About You by Alexandre DUBOSC

2011-07-26T10:55:00.002+03:00

I saw this on one of my favorite crafty blogs, MiniEco. It made me smile. Very clever and artistic.

Food about you - Annecy festival 2010 from Alexandre DUBOSC on Vimeo.
Film de / by Alexandre DUBOSC (France, 1' 37", 2010)

Alexandre DUBOSC is a French atist/photographer/stop action filmmaker in France. You can see more of his work on his website.

One Pan Roasted Chicken and Veggies

2011-07-24T11:49:00.002+03:00

I hope you will see this as a great technique, not a recipe. Each individual ingredient is optional. What matters is the layering and the size of the raw vegetables. Your goal is to cut the veggies to a size where they will be cooked to your preference exactly when the chicken is done.

Optional Layer 0: White rice with water or partially cooked brown rice. If you skip this layer, you will want to serve this with a grain that can soak up all the incredible juices. I served this over medium grain brown rice.

Layer 1: Olive oil, fresh green beans, mushrooms, finely chopped garlic, white part of scallions (I use the more mild green part for raw things), shallot, seasoning such as crushed red pepper and ground coriander seeds.

Layer 2: Chicken (see why I like dark meat) brushed with tomato paste and seasonings of choice.

Layer 3: Chunks of zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes, dressed with a little olive oil, seasoning (pepper, coriander, basil...), and crushed tomatoes. Tip: Directly and generously salt the eggplant before adding it to the dish. It will tenderize the eggplant and the salt will eventually mix into the whole dish.

Cook. I cooked this about 375 F or 190 C. I apologize for not paying attention to the time. My dad bought me this awesome thermometer that beeps when the chicken is done, so I don't have to think about it. Your time will vary depending on the chicken. If you cook meat even once a month, I highly recommend getting a thermometer like this. Mine is from Target, but Amazon has quite a selection.

The green beans tasted a lot better than they look. The eggplant was perfect, and the zucchini was pleasantly crispy, not even close to overcooked.

I like to remove the chicken from the bone and save the bones for stock. Having the meat separate lets me give an appropriate portion to each person.

This is a great dish to set up early and keep in the fridge, or cook early and rewarm in the proportions you need. It is also good for taking/sending to a friend's house.

Cooking With Preschoolers

2011-07-21T12:20:00.002+03:00

Check out my guest post on CookingManager.com, titled Cooking with Preschoolers: Distraction or Interaction?

I discuss various tips to both keep your youngsters safely out from underfoot, as well as great ways to involve them including counting, tasting, smelling, and seasoning. Here's the intro:

Cooking with preschoolers, even a single child, can feel like running a circus. You have to balance their attention and their safety on top of timing the courses to be cooked, not burnt, at the right time. First, choose your goal: distract or involve. Sometimes the choice is obvious. If you are constantly putting things in and out of the oven, or you have many things boiling on the stove, you will want to distance your child from the action. Other times the food prep is G-rated, but you simply don’t have time for explaining and teaching. Read more...

You may also enjoy:
Frozen Fruit PLUS More Ice Pop Ideas
Tehina Health Cookies
Fruit Leather Flowers
Kids in the Kitchen
Feeding Picky Eaters

Rigatoni a la Vodka - Non-dairy

2011-07-20T09:20:00.001+03:00

This was so delicious, I have to share! Very non-restaurant ingredients with restaurant-worthy flavor. I used leftover rigatoni and rewarmed it in my semi-homemade thick, creamy sauce.

What I did this time:

Pulse in a food processor: 1 medium red onion, 2-3 cloves garlic. While blade is spinning, quickly drop in about 10 fresh cherry tomatoes and then stop food processor. (You can add bell pepper or mushrooms if you like...whatever you want to use up.)
Add to pan/pot with hot olive oil and sauté briefly.
Add a jar/box/can of crushed tomatoes. I used a small carton of very smooth "strained crushed tomatoes." But you can use whatever you have in the house, be it tomato juice, tomato paste, or stewed tomatoes. Just play with the consistency by blending or adding additional liquid.
Simmer sauce and season to taste. My fresh herbs couldn't take this heat, so I used ground coriander seeds, dry basil, ground red pepper flakes, and salt.
Add Vodka. Yes, real vodka. However much you can afford... maybe 1/4 cup. Tomatoes contain alcohol soluble flavors that can only be thoroughly enjoyed when cooked with alcohol. There is no way to scientifically determine how much alcohol has "cooked off," so consider your audience and pour responsibly.*
Continue to simmer. Then stir in the secret ingredient... (Don't tell my husband.) It's not heavy cream, it's...dun dun dun... hummus! Yes, store bought creamy hummus, about two tablespoons, enough to lighten the color and slightly thicken the sauce. (No whole chick peas or it will give away the secret!)

And that is my secret to thick, hearty, rose sauces or vegan "salsa rosa." The sauce also gets a great texture from the chopped onions and tomatoes in the smooth strained tomatoes. Enjoy!

*CDKitchen has a brief article, Dispelling the Greatest Culinary Urban Myth, summarizing the 1992 study that all the alcohol does not cook off. For more on cooking with alcohol, watch Good Eats episodes "The Proof is in the Pudding" and "Fermentation Nation."

Roasted Beet & Walnut Salad

2011-07-18T09:00:00.001+03:00

I love beets! I got the original recipe through my mom from Marilynn Clark in Florida. This is a great autumn salad, and I love dishes you can mostly prepare long before guests arrive or just keep in the fridge until you get hungry.

8 to 10 med beets (2 lbs) rinsed, trim stem ends to 1”
2 Tbls. Cider vinegar
1-½ teasp Dijon mustard
½ teasp sugar
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
(optional) 4 oz. Blue cheese, crumbled
(optional) Mixed baby greans, Belgian endive, or greens of your choice

Preheat oven 350. Wrap beets individually in aluminum foil. Place on baking sheet and roast until tender, about one hour. Wearing rubber gloves, unwrap beets and slip off skin.

To prepare dressing: whisk together vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue whisking until thickened. Set aside.

Cut beets into ½” pieces and place them in bowl. Add dressing and toss well. Just before serving, toss beets and walnuts and transfer to a shallow dish. Sprinkle with blue cheese or a topping of your choice (fresh parsley, more walnuts, candied pecans, olives, etc.)

When my mom made this last Thanksgiving she plated the beets on top of a single leaf of romaine. It was a nice idea, but I don't think the guests quite knew what to do. I'm thinking you could serve it as a finger food on Belgian endive or plated individually on spinach or mixed greens.

Serves 8

Frozen Fruit PLUS More Ice Pop Ideas

2011-07-15T11:05:00.002+03:00

UPDATE: One of my kids' favorite summer activities is picking grapes from the fridge, putting them in a cup and waiting for them to freeze. (Then they eat them.) Go figure. I also froze half bananas on popsicle sticks and my kids LOVED them.

Fruit almost too ripe? Freeze it! Is that too obvious? It's surprising how much my kids enjoy eating frozen bananas and frozen grapes. And now I never have to worry about buying more than we can eat.

Besides bananas and grapes, I've frozen strawberries, apricots, watermelon and cherries. I froze the watermelon in silicon muffin trays with a pitted cherry on top. The strawberries I froze in half and quarter pieces spread out in a single layer on a tray. Then I transferred them to a zip-top bag.

Going away this summer? Freeze any produce you won't have time to eat. Wash and prep fruits and veggetables so they are ready to eat or cook when you get home. It will be nice to have some healthy food awaiting your return, and the washed and cut veggies will save you time when you are catching up on laundry and work.

Bananas and strawberries make great shakes, "ice cream," and ice pops. (I add yogurt and milk for pops.) Ice pops can also be stored in a zip-top bag or container after they are solid.

Want to involve your kids? Have them add tiny pieces of frozen fruit (or fresh or canned fruit) to ice pop molds. They can make different fruit layers or mix fruit together. Then pour juice or milk over the top and freeze. What else can you put in popsicles? Chocolate, sprinkles, vitamin D drops... ?

Also see my post on Adult-Worthy Ice Pops.

Are You a Poultry Racist?

2011-07-13T09:00:00.078+03:00

McCormick Rosemary Chicken

Maybe it's just my pregnancy hormones, but I'm been craving dark meat chicken lately. In general, I barely eat meat once a week, but when I do, I want it to taste good!

I used to only buy boneless, skinless chicken breast, but this year I started putting taste and simplicity before health (so I thought) and chose whole chicken or legs and thighs, skin on. Now, I keep hearing about the benefits of dark meat, so I thought I'd share with you.

Why is dark meat dark? The leg and thigh muscles of a chicken contain more of the protein myoglobin, which plays a key role in oxygen uptake within cells. Myoglobin is high in iron. It is necessary for sustained activity like walking. Birds that fly, like ducks, have this tasty muscle through their chest.

Turkey and chicken dark meat has more B vitamins, iron, and zinc than their lighter counterparts, and dark meat is an excellent source of the antioxidant selenium. Ounce per ounce, dark meat has more nutritional value than white meat (source link). White meat contains no iron. The fat in dark meat may also aid in the absorption of nutrients in the chicken and your whole meal.

The calorie difference between white and dark meat is minimal, and both cuts are low in fat compared to other sources of protein. In addition, most of the fat contained in the dark meat is actually heart-healthy fat. The fat and protein in the dark meat of poultry has the effect of making you feel full longer, an excellent side effect if you are trying to reduce you calories, especially from snacking.

My take: How do you eat your white meat? If you enjoy a plain grilled chicken breast, fine, enjoy. But if you mostly eat white meat in mayonnaise filled chicken salad or fried into chicken fingers or schnitzel, take a step back. If you are covering it in sweet sauce, or even olive oil, you might be better off starting with dark meat and adding less stuff.

Dark meat is naturally moister, and, in my opinion, tastier. If you cook it with the skin on, it stays extra moist and juicy. That doesn't mean you have to eat the skin. So next time you are choosing chicken, remember all those extra vitamins and good fat you can get from what is usually a cheaper cut of poultry.

Cooking tips: Whichever cut you choose, poaching and steaming are two of the healthiest ways to cook meat. These methods add no calories and retain the maximum nutrition. Check out my post on steamed aromatic chicken in the pressure cooker. Grilling and baking are also low-fat cooking options. Of course, it is much easier to reach "doneness-before-dryness" with legs and thighs on the bone than with boneless chicken breast.

Reminder: Always cook poultry thoroughly to kill common food-born illness like salmonella and S. aureus, which are often resistant to antibiotics. Limit your kitchen's contact with raw meat.

Looking for a healthy, flavorful topping for your chicken? Try chimichurri! Here's my version.

New Immigrant Moment - How to prepare Jell-o/Jelly/Geli

2011-07-12T09:00:00.009+03:00

My six-year-old daughter had a tonsillectomy this Sunday. My husband stayed in the hospital with her while I came home to hold down the fort. I wanted everything to be perfect for their return, right down to a full selection of sorbet, ice pops and jello.

Sunday night after all my cleaning (in honor of my husband's birthday) I went to read the directions to our Osem Gelli mix. The Hebrew was way over my head! I thought it said something about two cups of boiling water, but I didn't know if I needed to add ice or cold water, like Jell-o brand, etc. So I SMS-ed a couple friends and ended up scanning the box.

The answer:

How to make Osem Gelli:
Add two cups boiling water, mix until all powder is dissolved. Store in the fridge.

Happy Birthday Aaron! And get well soon Adele! (Who sounds like she's been sucking on helium balloons.)

UPDATE: Adele informed me she doesn't like jello! Who doesn't like jello?!? She prefers rice cakes.

Alfalfa Sprout Salad

2011-07-11T09:31:00.000+03:00

Quick Tip: If you make a non-lettuce salad with sprouts and parsley, you can dress it ahead with no wilting.

My good friend Leor shared this recipe with me. Her pictures are included. She says, "You have to triple/quadruple the dressing for a big salad."

Ingredients
romaine lettuce
alfalfa sprouts
purple onion
cucumber
strawberries
candied almonds

Dressing:
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbls almond oil or canola oil

Did you know that the recent E. Coli outbreak in Germany was traced to organic bean sprouts (not cucumbers)? Sprouts have been known to be problematic for harboring food-born illness. If you are worried, grow your own sprouts! It's easy and exciting. Check out my post on growing alfalfa sprouts.

Jerusalem Vacation cont. - Two more reviews

2011-07-07T10:43:00.001+03:00

If it sounds like I'm focusing too much on the food, it's partly because this is a food blag, and partly because I really like food. So where did we leave off...

Tuesday night we ate at an overpriced Asian restaurant - Sheyan. The atmosphere was lovely. The service was great. Like all the restaurants we saw, they had an English menu. The food was not much better than you could get at a take-out place like Sini Speed for a lot less money. (See my review and take-out tips.) We paid 300 NIS ($88) for two wanton soups, two little cups of hot Saki, and two entrees. There was nothing wrong with the food, it just didn't have the subtle gourmet flavors I would expect from such a restaurant. I did see some very pretty things coming from the kitchen, though.

On our last day we worked up an appetite all morning to we could get Belgian Waffles for a late lunch before heading home. We stopped at Katzefet, where we found a nice selection of ice cream, soft serve "bio" frozen yogurt, and an array of shake ingredients. For 25 NIS ($7.30) you get a large Belgian waffle with all the syrup and topping you want, plus whip cream and a scoop of ice cream, any flavor.

I ordered mine with caramel syrup, hot fudge, candied pecans, mixed berries (half frozen, but delicious), milk chocolate crumbles, and "deluxe" ice cream. I enjoyed it so much I could almost forget about the cigarette smoke wafting in from the tables outside! (If you know me and my sensitive nose, that says a lot.)

We also went on many walks through Jerusalem where we found tons of wild rosemary and lavender. This picture was taking inside the David Citadel Museum. The greener green in rosemary and the grayer green is lavender. My husband was even excited to try some.

Below is a picture of a poster in our hotel. I couldn't figure out why I kept seeing watermelon with Boulgarit cheese on menus, but I guess we came during watermelon season. Any of you ever try watermelon with Boulgarit or feta cheese?

Also check out my reviews of Rimon and Gabriela.

Balabasta Festival

2011-07-05T20:15:00.002+03:00

Food, music, art, and everything in between - what more could you ask for? If you will be in Jerusalem this July, check out the Balabasta Festival, every night in Machne Yehuda Market. You will surely find something to make you smile!

Here is a video showing the happenings in the shuk, plus the 'usual' things being sold in the shuk.

Balabasta Video Link

Two Jerusalem Dairy Restaurants

2011-07-04T19:38:00.006+03:00

Thanks to my my brave and generous in-laws, my husband and I are on vacation right now! I'm still reminiscing about our gustatory delights yesterday, so I thought I'd share.

Lemonana

For lunch we went to Rimon, which a friend had highly recommended. It has a great location in the Mamilla shopping center with a balcony overlooking Jerusalem city center. The large indoor and outdoor seating was very full on this summer Sunday afternoon, and thank G-d, there was a large outdoor non-smoking area. Unfortunately, the smokers got the best tables along the terrace. The menu was a pretty standard for an Israeli dairy cafe. The pesto in my husband's quesadilla was excellent. I would definitely recommend anything with pesto.

The prices were also very reasonable. We spent about 130 NIS ($38) for fresh squeezed orange juice, a slushed "lemonana" (lemonade with mint) and two entrees that came with salad. In general I thought the meals lacked a gourmet touch or balance of flavors. The tomato sauce on top of my spinach lasagna was ketchupy, the topping was skimpy on cheese, and the filling was a boring, homogeneous mix of frozen spinach and ricotta cheese. Bottom line, the food was tasty for a simple cafe, but did not meet my expectations based on recommendations and the fancy setting. My husband felt differently. He said his quesadilla was excellent, came with lots of fries, and he was very impressed with the service since they were so crowded.

Jerusalem was fully redeemed over dinner. We walked around the Ben Yehuda Street area, then headed down Shimon Ben Shatah Street, a lovely pedestrian alley, where we found a selection of restaurants and pubs. After peeking at a couple menus we chose Gabriela Cucina, the sister restaurant to Gabriel, the meat chef's restaurant next door. If I knew the food would be so good, I would have taken pictures before we started eating! Ordering was a tough choice, with a unique selection of ravioli, including asparagus, goat cheese, sweet potato, or quattro formaggio (four cheese), homemade gnocchi (potato dumplings), and red-striped mullet on a bed of risotto. Chef Jacques Dayan designed every dish with artistic genius. Below are some of my favorite excerpts from the menu (prices in shekels). I was impressed by the array of sauces and vegetable combinations. And they weren't out of anything on the menu! I have a real knack for ordering whatever the kitchen doesn't have.

The atmosphere inside and out was simple and beautiful. The portions were great, luxurious, but not ridiculous. Neither of us completely finished our plate, but I wouldn't have wanted anything less. I ordered the Salmon Paparedelle (about $22) with cream and basil sauce. I liked that the pasta was amply coated, but not swimming in the sauce. I always feel bad when I'm left with a big bowl of cream sauce after finishing my pasta. I thought the generous proportion of salmon to pasta was excellent. It was perfectly cooked and the size pieces went perfectly with the extra wide noodles. The whole dish was full of flavor.

I was excited when my husband ordered the "Forell (Trout) Stuffed with feta cheese and spring onions wrapped in a pate feuilletee (flaky dough). Served with zucchinis, cherry tomatoes, and kalamate olives with basil and Salsa Rosa sauce." (About $28.) Despite my reservations, the flaky dough was not over the top. It was thin and just enough to keep the fish moist and add another layer for flavor and texture to this rich dish. I suspect that that eggplant replaced the zucchini listed on the menu, but everything was in balance. It was one of those dishes where you really want to get a little of everything in every bite, and every bite was incredible!

Both restaurants are Kosher L'Mehadrin as of July 2011. Gabriela has many choices that do not mix fish and dairy.

Also check out my reviews of Sheyan and Katzefet.

Kosher Cooking Carnival - Tammuz

2011-07-03T07:15:00.004+03:00

I am honored to host this month's edition of Kosher Cooking Carnival (KCC), a monthly round-up of kosher cooking ideas and eats.

If you're new to Cooking Outside the Box, bruchim habayim, welcome! I hope you'll browse my blog while you're here. Check out my blogroll for other great food and Jewish blogs.

Looking for something to cook?

This Shabbat my In-Laws, including my vegetarian sister-in-law came for dinner. I made upside-down stuffed peppers and an avocado dip with cherry tomatoes, cumin, garlic, and some red pepper. I discovered that the cold leftovers are good mixed together! I am also hosting a designer apron giveaway.

Rivki's rhubarb ginger muffins

At Kosher Cooking for Ordinary People, Rivki Locker makes Rhubarb Ginger Muffins (right) and an Onion Tart.

At for Your honor, Lizard makes a simple Summer Squash Salad with avocado. I like her instructions in the form of a slide show. For dessert, Lizard makes a delicious looking Berry Rhubarb Pie with a beautiful lattice work crust.

Mrs. S. makes her own DIY Vanilla at Our Shiputzim: A Work In Progress.. I like her commentary on olim getting things from the states. My in-laws just brought me Zip Lock bags!

Leora's curried chickpeas

Leora Wenger makes Curried Chickpeas (right) at Here in HP. She doesn't rely on curry powder or paste. It is all simple ingredients you can get wherever you live, and tweak to your taste.

At me-ander Batya makes Unbelievably Easy, Baked Veggies With Salmon. This light, balanced meal is right up my alley, right down to her "non-recipe" style. Batya also discovers new tasty combinations of cooked veggies and a colorful salad when she has to use up the contents of her fridge, and reviews two cookbooks: Persian Food from the Non-Persian Bride and Kosher Elegance.

Sarah Melamed of Food Bridge always has mouthwatering photos of unique food and Israeli nature. She recently made Stuffed Artichokes.

Lisa Rose's gluten-free berry tart

For dessert, Lisa Rose makes a gluten-free, naturally sweetened Fresh Berry Tart (left) with arrowroot powder, all natural ingredients, and no corn-products at Real Food Digest. It includes tips on using arrowroot in place of flour and cornstarch.

Some Shavuot inspired posts:

Ilana-Davita presents Shavuot Recipe Roundup, including Rye Soda Bread and Greek Red Onion Pie with Feta.

At This and That, Avital Pinnick presents Wouldn't be Shavuot without Cheesecake, including reasons why we eat cheesecake and the simplest cheesecake recipe I've ever seen.

Miryummy' Black forest Blintzes

At Miriyummy, Mirjam Weiss also writes a collection of recipes for Shavuot in A Little On The Cheesy Side - 5771, including Black Forest Blintzes (right) and her "super-easy, and almost idiot-proof" Hungarian/Thai Salmon.

Phyllis Sommer makes Bourekas from puff pastry, mozzarella cheese, and leeks at Ima on (and off) the Bimah. She says, "I made these for Shavuot but you could make them any day of the year!!!"

If you need ideas for what to make, check out Kosher Frugal Menus, where Esther/Northern Lights plans her menu for Shabbat Parashat Chukat.

Planning for company? A must read is Hannah Katsman's tips for hosting Sheva Brachot. Hannah also writes recipes and cooking tips like Ten Terrific Turnip Recipes and Cool Summer Cooking Tips at CookingManager.com.

Cafe Liz's pasta

Also worth noting, Liz Steinberg, of Cafe Liz, put together a list of Israel Food Blogs with an RSS feed of recent posts. It's worth bookmarking! I love Liz's gorgeous photography, like Israeli pasta fonduta with labaneh and zaatar (left), and she always posts unique recipes.

I hope you enjoy this month's round-up of posts from the kosher blog community!
If you would like to submit your blog article to the next edition of KCC, use the carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found at the blog carnival index page.

Upside-Down Stuffed Peppers with Vegetarian Stuffing

2011-07-02T23:34:00.000+03:00

Is it so wrong that I fancy myself a genius for cooking the peppers on top of the stuffing? The peppers get more roasted, the rice stays moister, they are easier to stuff, and the half-pepper is a better portion for a side dish.

This is really two recipes in one. First I'll tell you about the stuffing, a pilaf which is an excellent balanced food for vegetarians. Then I'll tell you about the stuffed peppers. You can serve the pilaf by itself, or stuff the peppers with waterever mostly-cooked grains you have.

Vegetarian Pilaf

You don't have to make exactly this, but this is what I did. It made enough to stuff about 8 peppers cut in half, or abaout 12 people as a side dish. The addition of quinoa and walnuts makes this even good and plump when served cold.

1. I started by cooking 1 cup of quinoa and 1 cup of rice in four cups of water. Start boiling all the water, then add the longer-cooking grain first. Check the package directions to appropriately stagger the cook times of whatever grains you want.

2. Then I fried the ingrediants below in a large pan. I used my food processor to chop most of the ingregients. Stagger the ingredients to cook in the following order:

red onion and sweet onion
2 carrots
2-3 cloves of garlic
package of button mushrooms
1 cup raw walnuts

3. When the grains are tender and have absorbed water, add grains to the pan, season, and mix.

Stuffed Peppers

1. Wash peppers. Using a small sharp knife, carefully cut around the pepper stem. Then cut in half and remove seeds and white membrane.

2. Stuff peppers, making sure to get the stuffing into the nooks. Over fill. Carefully flip peppers upside-down onto a well greased pan. Your pepper should be sitting on a mound of stuffing.

3. Bake or broil close to 200 F or 400 C until the peppers start to brown, or beyond, your choice.
4. To serve, put a large spoon on top and slide a spatula underneath, then carefully flip pepper-side down onto individual plates or a serving platter. You could also serve upside down with a spatula.

The peppers do well if you need to keep them in a warm over or rewarm for guests. These are even good cold! I ate one today covered in homemade guacamole (post coming soon).