Author: chanie

Blueberry Apple Crisp

I’m not much of a reader. I don’t have the patience to read page by page and wait for the good stuff to happen. I’d rather just watch the movie. I’m more of a magazine kind of gal, and I read them from back to front. I like short articles, little tidbits of information, and pictures – I let them do the talking! So instead of curling up to a good book on Shabbos, I have my trusty Binah magazine, the Jewish Press, and if I’m lucky, a few good food or gossip mags to boot. But I have to be honest. When it comes to The Jewish Press, I only read 2 columns – The Agunah Chronicles and Dear Dr. Yael. My husband always makes fun of me, but can I tell you a little secret? He only reads the classifieds and he’s not looking for a job!

One thing I did get out of The Jewish Press though, is the inspiration for this recipe. They used to have a health column written by a nutritionist named Shani Goldner. I actually became a client of hers, but that’s a story for another day. She has a litened up apple crisp recipe which I’ve adapted to use different types of fruits. I love to make it because it doesn’t have any margarine and it only uses one bowl. Here is my apple-blueberry version, but I have also tried this with apples and cranberries, apples and peaches, and just plain old apples. Whichever way you make it, this crisp is sure to please. You can serve it up as a side dish, or for dessert topped with vanilla ice cream.

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Tuna Pasta Salad

I love to make this salad for lunch when I have leftover pasta in the fridge. It’s a definite upgrade from a tired tuna sandwich! It also makes a great one-dish lite dinner. Experiment with pasta shapes – kids love them! If you have different types of leftover pasta, you can even do a fun mix. Any shaped pasta works well. Try wheels, shells, bowties, rotini, or cavatappi (like I used here).

In this recipe, I use a mixture of corn, red peppers, onions and hearts of palm. Feel free to play around with different veggies, or use whatever you have available in the fridge. Peas, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, pickles, radishes, scallions and fresh dill are all good additions.

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Chicken Pastrami Roulade

Today marks the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Ten years ago today, I was working for an antique silver company in New York City that was located on 45th street between 5th & 6th Avenues. I was never late for work, but as luck would have it, I just couldn’t seem to get myself out of bed that morning. I turned on the TV and watched in horror as people jumped to their deaths from the soaring towers, seeing them crumble before my eyes. I vividly remember Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerland, in complete and total shock, crying and broken over the incalculable loss of his entire company, including his brother, who had gone “missing.” I was at a complete loss as I sat transfixed to the screen, watching as the news anchors struggled to gain their composure enough to get through a sentence. I thanked Hashem over and over that I did not go to work on that day. The next morning, and many after that, New York City was a somber place. There were notes plastered in the windows of store after store – MISSING posters of those lost on 9-11, never to be found, but never to be forgotten. As a born and bred New Yorker, and a victim of terror, 9-11 holds a special place in my heart. It is truly an emotional day, one of both reflection and hope. America has changed as a country, and we too, as a people. We have survived, and we will continue to persevere in the face of evil. Today, I am proud to be a {Jewish} American.

And now, back to our reguar programming…food :) Deli roll is a Shabbos staple in many jewish homes, including mine. I like to make it with turkey, pastrami, brown sugar and spicy mustard. While delicious, you have to admit, it’s not exactly figure-friendly. This easy alternative is rich in protein and big on taste. You can also add roasted asparagus, peppers, spinach, sundried tomatoes or other veggies for more color and texture.

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Candy Sushi

The days between camp and school seem to stretch on forever, especially with Hurricane Irene keeping us trapped indoors. We colored, painted, modeled stuff out of play-dough, built lego, surfed on the ipad, and played candyland. When a tantrum threatened to rear its’ ugly head, I knew it was time for some candy. But instead of handing out lolly pops, I decided to turn our nosh into a fun craft. Candy sushi is fun to make and even more fun to eat. Set out some chopsticks so your kids can practice using them.

I made these using store-bought rice krispies treats, but you can definitely make your own. Just follow the directions on the box and prepare thin sheets of treats on wax paper that are about 4″H x 6″W (or just spread out on a cookie sheet and cut to size with a knife).

Candy sushi is a great craft to make at a birthday party. Package each roll in a sushi container for an adorable take-home treat. You can also prepare these for a cute kids shalach manos!

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Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream Pie

Dont forget to enter our Ella’s Kitchen Giveway to win an assortment of gourmet baby food pouches! See this post for more info.

I almost dont want to give this recipe away, it’s that easy! Whenever I serve it for dessert, my guests always seem to think I’ve patchked for hours making gourmet fudge. But the secret is out. This “fake-it-gourmet” ice cream pie is as easy as, well, pie :) If you like peanut butter, you’re in for a real treat!

Since the fudge topping is super rich, I like to use Double Rainbow Vanilla Bean Ice Cream as the filling. I’ve also used their cookie dough ice cream, as well as others. I find that simple vanilla is the best way to go, but if you really want to indulge, you can also use chocolate. To really up the ante on this recipe, use dairy ice cream, but if you are serving it after a fleishig meal, I recommend So Delicious or Double Rainbow ice creams.

I use chopped viennese crunch for this recipe, but feel free to use any topping you’d like. Sprinkles, toasted coconut, chocolate or peanut butter chips and nut crunch or brittle are all good choices.

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