Cakes – Page 6 – Busy in Brooklyn

I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about a cookbook. Like ever. It probably has a lot to do with my affinity for eating out. And beautiful food photography. And superb design. And impeccable styling. In a word, this book is: PERFECTION.

And I’d expect nothing less from seasoned cookbook writers Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek. Leah is the author of Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking, while Victoria is the managing editor of Whisk magaizne. Together, they coauthored the Made Easy cookbook series including Starters & Sides Made Easy, Passover Made Easy, Dairy Made Easy and Kids Cooking Made Easy. When I heard they were working on a new cookbook, I wondered what they would be “making easy”, but I never imagined it would be restaurant recipes!

As a true foodie, I’ve eaten at many a kosher restaurant, and I was surprised to see just how many amazing kosher restaurants are covered in this book (over 70!). From Tierra Sur in Oxnard, California (one of the best restaurant meals I’ve ever had), to Rare in Miami Beach, FL (love their crab cakes) and Pizza Pita in Montreal (I always wondered how they make their poutine!). There’s also Carlos & Gabby’s in New Jersey (who doesn’t love their crispy chicken fingers?!) and New York favorites like Amsterdam Burger Co. (the breakfast burger is incredible!), Reserve Cut (I always orders the short rib tacos!) and my favorite local places like Basil Pizza & Wine Bar (they serve up their famous basil fries just up the street), Mason & Mug (I’ve been reinventing their deviled kale salad forever!), and Pardes (wish they would have included their smoked paprika popcorn recipe). Restaurants in England, Israel, Italy, Mexico and even Panama, are also included.

It’s so exciting to get a sneak peek behind some of the establishments that we regularly frequent. And Secret Restaurant Recipes is about more than just the recipes. It also includes tips and techniques from today’s top kosher chefs. I was surprised to see that some of the recipes are fairly easy, while others are more involved. When I first looked through the cookbook and had a craving for Reserve Cut’s short rib tacos, I just got up and went to the restaurant! On the other hand, Pizza Pita’s poutine was so ridiculously easy, I was able to make it quickly at home.

Thanks to the generosity of Artscroll/Mesorah Publications, I’m sharing 2 recipes from the book here. I recently did a demo at a chinese auction where Victoria Dwek also demonstrated the eggplant chicken from Segal’s Oasis Grill in Phoenix, Arizona. It smelled so incredible, I just knew I had to include it! I’m also sharing a dessert recipe from Bagels & Greens because if their donuts are any indication, these brownies are going to be a real treat!

Purchase Secret Restaurant Recipes on Amazon.

Read a review of Everyday Secret Restaurant Recipes.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Of course, I’m also giving away a FREE COPY of Secret Restaurant Recipes! To enter, simply leave a comment below about your favorite kosher restaurant dish. For an extra entry, follow Busy In Brooklyn via any of the channels below. Just be sure to leave a note in the comment letting me know where you follow.

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Giveaway is open to U.S. residents (for international entries, prize can only be shipped in the U.S.). Winner will be chosen at random at 10:00 AM EST on Tuesday, January 6th, 2015.

Eggplant Chicken in Garlic Sauce (Segal’s Oasis Grill, Phoenix, Arizona)
from Secret Restaurant Recipes by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/Books/srrh.html

1 lb. eggplant, cut into 1 1/2″ chunks
kosher salt, for sprinkling
1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 tbsp cornstarch, for dredging
3 tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1/3 cup shredded carrots
canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Dark Sauce:
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cornstarch

1. Sprinkle eggplant chunks with salt; allow to rest for 20-30 minutes (this process will prevent eggplant from soaking up too much oil during frying). Rinse salt from eggplant and drain well.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: In a small bowl,whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, black pepper and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Prepare the chicken: Place cornstarch into a shallow dish; toss the chicken in cornstarch to coat very well.
4. Heat 3-inches of oil in a wok or 1-inch oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add chicken to hot oil and pan-fry until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from oil and set side.
5. Add the eggplant to the same pan and fry until light golden, 2-3 minutes. Remove from oil and set aside. Discard oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the wok or pan.
6. Add garlic and chili pepper flakes and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Return chicken and eggplant to the pan. Add carrots and sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes, coating all the ingredients well with the sauce.

Praline Brownies (Bagels & Greens, Brooklyn, NY)
from Secret Restaurant Recipes by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/Books/srrh.html

8 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1⁄3 cups (11 oz) sugar
1 cup (5 oz) flour
1⁄2 cup (2 oz) cocoa
1⁄2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp nut extract (optional)
2 tsp praline extract (optional)
7 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped
chocolate frosting, (recipe follows)
chocolate and white chocolate curls, for garnish

Chocolate Frosting:
10 oz milk chocolate
4 Tbsp praline paste*
4 oz mixed crunchy nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed 9 x 13inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt chocolate with the butter.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip eggs and sugar at high speed for 5-6 minutes.
4. Carefully pour in melted chocolate mixture. Sift in flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix until mixture is smooth and shiny, about 4 minutes. Add in extracts, if using. Fold in white chocolate.
5. Pour batter into prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes (the edges should be hard, top cracked,
6. Prepare the frosting: Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Add praline paste and mix until combined. Gently pour over the top of the cake. Tilt the pan sideways until entire cake is fully covered.
7. Sprinkle nuts or chocolate curls on top. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until frosting is set. Let cool before slicing into bars.

*Praline paste is made from hazelnuts/filberts and sugar, ground into a paste.

Rosh Hashanah Simanim Roundup

On September 22, 2014September 23, 2022

by chanie

in Appetizer, Cakes, Dessert, Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Meat & Poultry, Recipes, Rosh Hashanah, Salad, Side Dish, Soup

18 Comments

If you’ve never been to Florida, you probably haven’t heard of Winn Dixie. Although if you have, you probably love the store as much as I do. Since my in-laws live down in the sunny State, I’m lucky enough to visit on occasion and try out the amazing array of kosher restaurants and supermarkets there. What I love so much about Winn Dixie is that it is both a general supermarket AND a kosher one. Which means, if you need a kosher ingredient 30 minutes before Shabbat, they’ll still be open, and they’ll definitely have what you’re looking for. Not only does Winn Dixie have over 1000 branded kosher products, they also boast a kosher deli and bakery.

Because I’m such a big fan of the store, I was so excited to promote their #FreshNewYear campaign with a Rosh Hashanah Simanim Roundup. What are simanim? They’re symbolic foods that are eaten on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize our hopes for a sweet New Year. The symbolic foods include leeks, pomegranate, gourds (includes squashes like acorn, butternut, delicata, kabocha, spaghetti and pumpkin), dates, black eyed peas (some use green beans), apples & honey, beets, carrots and fish head (some use ram’s head). These specific foods are eaten because their hebrew names are related to other Hebrew words that convey our wishes for the coming year. Jews of Sephardic decent actually host a seder where these foods are eaten and a blessing is made over each symbolic food. For a detailed list of the blessings and simanim, click here.

So without further ado, lets get started!

LEEKS:

fried leek rings with homemade ketchup
Greek-style leeks with prunes and cinnamon
steamed cod with leeks
olive oil braised leeks with thyme
cream of leek soup
cauliflower leek puree
veal scaloppine with leeks

POMEGRANATE:

how to deseed a pomegranate
carrots with pomegranate molasses glaze
salmon with pomegranate molasses glaze
pomegranate coleslaw
pomegranate brisket tacos
roasted lamb with pomegranate and wine
pomegranate glazed london broil
pomegranate sorbet
mini promegranate pavlovas
mini pomegranate bundt cakes

GOURDS:

Syrian candied gourd
honey roasted squash
soy braised kabocha squash
quinoa stuffed acorn squash
roasted acorn squash and pomegranate farro salad
sausage and apple stuffed butternut squash
butternut squash chili fries
roasted butternut squash and apple soup
spaghetti squash with spinach, leeks and mushrooms
sweet spaghetti squash
pumpkin whoopie pies
pumpkin crisp
pumpkin pot pie
delicata squash muffins
delicata squash salad with spicy maple dressing

DATES:

how to make your own silan (date honey)
date honey cake
Rosh Hashanah roast
silan roasted chicken with squash and dates
couscous with dried dates
bacon wrapped dates (use kosher bacon)
medjool date pecan pie
gingerbread date truffles
chewy date granola bars
sticky date pudding

BLACK EYED PEAS OR GREEN BEANS:

black eyed pea hummus
black eyed pea salsa
black eyed peas salad
black eyed pea cakes
black eyed pea fritters
Egyptian black eyed peas
Brazilian rice with black eyed peas
black eyed peas with meatballs
black eyed peas and green beans
crunchy garlic shriveled green beans
honey ginger green beans
sauteed green beans with mushrooms and cipollini onions
grilled green beans with harissa
pickled green beans

APPLE & HONEY:

holiday salad with apple and honey vinaigrette (watch me make a variation here!)
apple and honey BBQ sauce
apple honey drumsticks
apple and honey challah
honey roasted za’atar chicken with fruit
chicken and apples in honey mustard sauce
apple and honey baklava
apple rose pie bites
honey cake with caramelized apples
apple and honey bread pudding
apple and honey tart
apple and honey muffins
apple and honey trifle

BEETS:

roasted beet and orange salad
beet pomegranate salad
roasted beet salsa
angel hair pasta salad with golden beets
beet soup with beet green pesto
rainbow Anna potatoes with beets
beet pickled deviled eggs
beet latkes
beet rugelach
moist chocolate beet cake
red velvet cupcakes

CARROTS:

carrot salad with honey lemon dressing
Moroccan carrot salad
creamy carrot and leek soup
roasted carrots with tahini harissa sauce
whiskey glazed carrots
tzimmes roast
carrot risotto
rice with carrots and raisins
carrot muffins
carrot cake sandwich cookies
carrot cake pudding
carrot truffles

FISH OR RAM’S HEAD:

fish head curry
fish head soup
Vietnamese fish head soup
gefilte stuffed salmon head (scroll to the bottom)
baked lambs head with potatoes

For more Rosh Hashanah recipes, check out the Winn Dixie holiday ebook below! It’s packed with lots of Jamie Geller’s amazing holiday recipes that you’ll want to make again and again!

NOTE: All photos (besides the ones with the BIB watermark) are from 123RF Photo.

This post is sponsored by Winn Dixie

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Dairy Made Easy Cookbook Review & Giveaway

On May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

by chanie

in Cakes, Cookbook Reviews, Dairy, Dessert, Giveaways, Pasta, Recipes, Reviews, Side Dish

162 Comments

Leah Schapira & Victoria Dwek turn out new cookbooks faster than I develop recipes. Their latest addition to the Made Easy series is a fantastic collection of dairy recipes, just in time for Shavuot!

Like Starters & Sides Made Easy, Passover Made Easy, and Kids Cooking Made Easy, the Dairy edition is layed out in the same attractive, easy-to-read style. Even their cookbook-making skills seem made easy. They’ve mastered a template that provides a small soft-cover book that’s beautifully styled, easy to flip through, and filled with tips and tidbits, all without seeming overwhelming. The beautiful pictures draw you in and the down-to-earth recipes make you want to open your pantry right then-and-there to whip up one of their quick and easy dishes.

Besides for 60 easy-to-make recipes, you’ll also find a comprehensive cheese guide, a Make It Light section, a Make it Pareve Guide, and bonus serving ideas. Leah and Victoria fill each page with great tips, like how to measure frozen fruit, how to soften butter quickly or how to bake pizza without a pizza stone. They also share their thought processes and family anecdotes in a fun and friendly way.

What do I not want to make from this cookbook? It’s filled with mouthwatering recipes for breakfast, great starters & sides, soups, salads & sandwiches, and of course pizza, pasta and dessert (hello 180 calorie cheesecake!).

Some of the recipes I look forward to trying are the granola thins, arancini, sweet chili home fries, stuffed sole, French mushroom soup, hasselback baguette, honey pomodoro pizza, cajun creamy penne, cheese buns, peanut butter creme brulee and strawberry cheesecake ice cream.

In honor of the upcoming holiday of Shavuot, I’m giving away a free copy of the Dairy Made Easy cookbook! To enter, simply leave a comment below with your favorite Shavuot dish. You can also follow Busy In Brooklyn via any of the channels below for an extra entry. Just be sure to leave a note in the comment letting me know where you follow.

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Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be chosen at random at 10:00 AM EST on Monday, May 26th, 2014.

Baked Roasted Veggie Pasta

from Dairy Made Easy by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications
http://www.artscroll.com/Products/DMEP.html

8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 lb fusilli or penne pasta
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
2 red onions, cut into wedges
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp garlic powder
kosher salt, to taste
coarse black pepper, to taste
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp chopped fresh or frozen basil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a 9 x 13-inch pan, combine cherry tomatoes, red onions, and zucchini. Toss with olive oil and garlic powder. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add pasta to vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat oven to broil and broil for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes.
5. Add feta cheese and basil; stir to combine (the heat will melt the cheese). Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tips:

-You can add more veggies to the mix. We also love this pasta with red peppers instead of tomatoes.
-We made the pasta in this photo using broken lasagna sheets.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake

from Dairy Made Easy by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications
http://www.artscroll.com/Products/DMEP.html

12 servings

Batter:

1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

Chocolate Nut Mixture:

1 (10oz) bag chocolate chips
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10inch tube pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda.
Sour cream should bubble and expand. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar.
Beat until light and creamy. Add eggs and extracts.
4. Add half the flour and baking powder. Add sour cream mixture,
then remaining flour. Beat until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. In a medium bowl, combine chocolate chips, walnuts,
cinnamon, and sugar. Sprinkle some of the chocolate nut mixture into the pan. Add half the batter over it, then half of the remaining chocolate nut mixture. Add remaining batter and top cake with remaining chocolate nut mixture. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until top is firm and crispy. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

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Peanut Butter Bars

On April 24, 2014April 26, 2014

by chanie

in Breakfast, Cakes, Dairy, Dessert, Recipes, Snacks

9 Comments

Ah, chometzfest! That day or two after Passover when we stuff our faces with all the delicious foods we’ve missed for 8 days.

Yes – just 8 days! What is it about Pesach that leaves us craving chometz (leaven food that’s prohibited during Passover) so much? It’s just over a week and we can barely hold out for our pizza. Is it just a case of wanting what you can’t have?

I can still remember the lines around the block of the pizza store a mere hour or two after Pesach ends. Who’s not guilty of standing on those endless lines for a fresh hot slice of cheesy heaven?

Now that I have my own kids, I’m not about to waste my time waiting for pizza. Instead, we break out a couple of boxes of fun sugary cereal for a Cereal Chometz Party. My kids can’t get enough, and the pizza can wait for another day.

The next morning, I whip out some fresh, hot pancakes or cake, to enjoy the crumby deliciousness with a cup of hot coffee. Now, that is what I miss over Passover. And peanut butter, of course!

Read on for some more chometz recipes in the Kosher Connection Linkup below!

Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup Flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
peanut butter crumb topping (recipe follows)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Crumb Topping

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8″x8″ baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, and egg and stir until creamy. Add the milk and vanilla and stir until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and set aside.

Add all the topping ingredients to the bowl you used to mix the dry ingredients. Mix until crumbly.

Spread the crumbs over the cake batter and top with chocolate chips. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until slightly puffy and very lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Yield: approximately 16 squares.

Other peanut butter recipes:

peanut butter mousse
peanut butter fudge ice cream pie
peanut chicken curry
peanut butter corn flake crunch ice cream

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An InLinkz Link-up

Roundup: The Seven Species

On January 13, 2014January 13, 2014

by chanie

in Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Cakes, Cookies, Dairy, Dessert, Dinner, Dips, Fish, Fruit, Lunch, Main Dish, Meat & Poultry, Muffins, Pasta, Pies, Recipes, Salad, Side Dish, Snacks

15 Comments

This Thursday, Jews around the world will celebrate Tu B’shvat, the New Year for the trees. Traditionally, we celebrate by eating The Sheva Minim, or, Seven Species. They include the following fruits and grains that are native to the land of Israel: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.

In honor of Tu B’shvat, I’ve put together a roundup of recipes for each of the Seven Species from all around the web. Enjoy!