Chanukah – Page 5 – Busy in Brooklyn

It’s been a while since I made real cookies. Well on the blog at least (chocolate chip cookies are a regular around here, who can live without them?!). So many of you loved my healthy cowboy cookie dough bites, as do I. But there is no substitute for real crispy, chocolatey, chewy cookies, am I right?!

With Purim just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to come up with a cookie that could work both in a shalach manot basket, as well as a fun dessert for the festive Purim meal. Filling the cookie dough with fun ice cream sundae toppings makes this “kitchen sink” cookie a must have for the whole family!

The only thing better than the cookies themselves might be the raw cookie dough, or better yet, creating an ice cream sandwich with my favorite Neapolitan ice cream in between. Lets not count the calories, ok??

These cookies make the most out of California Gourmet’s new mini chocolate chips, which I might just love more than the original (if that is even possible!). I’m a big supporter of their brand because it was started by a fellow momtrepreneur who has a passion for bringing amazing quality, kosher, vegan, allergy-friendly chocolate to the masses. She is basically my hero.

So how can we support this brand? Well it doesn’t take much – eat lots of chocolate! And once you try their rich, clean flavor, you’ll never go back. Trust me.

Now California Gourmet is available in over 300 stores in the U.S. and Australia, but if you live under a rock, you can STILL get it because it’s now available on Amazon (soon to be available on Amazon Prime)! And if your local store runs out, don’t forget to ask them to reorder so there’s enough to go around for all of us.

Now back to the cookies. Crunchy. Chewy. Chock full of sprinkles, chocolate chips and sugar cones – yes please! I think they’d make the cutest mishloach manos in a little box with a tub of ice cream and a jar of sprinkles or maraschino cherries. Don’t you?

What have you got planned for shalach manos this year? I’d love to hear your ideas! Share them with me in the comments below!

And in the meantime, go buy some ice cream, because you’re gonna need it!!

Ice Cream Sundae Cookies

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
3 sugar cones, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup California Gourmet mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup colorful sprinkles
ice cream, optional

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix to form a dough. Add sugar cone pieces, mini chocolate chips and sprinkles. Using an ice cream scoop, place scoops of cookie dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet (6 per sheet). Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before serving.

VARIATION: For a fun variation and crispy exterior, instead of putting the sugar cone into the cookie dough, roll the scoops of batter into the crushed cone and bake as above.

Yield: approximately 16 cookies.

This post is sponsored by California Gourmet Chocolate Chips. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. View the list of over 300 stores that carry the brand here).

Other Mishloach Manos Ideas:

Purim deviled eggs
Terra Stix white chocolate bark
Pretzels with raspberry honey mustard dip
Sushan sushi salad

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Blogoversary Funfetti Pecan Turtles

On January 21, 2016March 14, 2019

by chanie

in Chanukah, Dairy, Dessert, Recipes, Snacks

75 Comments

Happy 5th Blogoversary!!!! Will somebody pinch me?! I honestly cannot believe that I have been blogging since my first post back on January 19th, 2011. That is FIVE WHOLE YEARS of posting consistently 1-2 times a week. 260 weeks, 1,825 days of committing myself to this foodie journey. A journey that has taken me to places I never dreamed.

I never imagined this blogging thing would become a life’s passion and so much more than just a hobby. I’m so proud of the progress I have made as a chef (I had some embarrassing moments like these and these) and the strides I have taken as a food photographer (with hands-over-eyes emoji moments like this and this). I’ve thought about updating old recipes with better photos, or removing some posts that didn’t go over well, but the truth is, my blog is not just about the recipes and the photos, it’s about my journey.

I love when I meet up and coming foodies who are thinking about starting a blog. I always tell them to go back to the old days of BIB, and they’re always wowed by my progress. I think it’s such an important lesson for all of us, in whatever stage we find ourselves – as mothers, daughters, teachers, musicians, you name it – we can all get better at what we do, we just have to practice!

This is so true of photography, my photos are constantly evolving as I’m learning to find my photography voice. But as a foodie too – I’ve learned never to say no to anything, and my willingness to try new things has really opened up my palate. I’ve learned to love foods and spices I used to hate (like fresh ginger and brie) and not to be afraid of making my own bread or learning new cooking techniques. I have become quite fearless in the kitchen and for that I am thankful.

I’m so grateful to you, my loyal readers, who encourage me to challenge myself and wow you with fun and original twists on traditional foods, healthy spins on comfort food, and delicious baked creations which I used to detest. It’s all you. {Insert emoji kisses here}

To show my appreciation, I decided to ride the funfetti wave, because you all seemed to love last year’s funfetti cake which was so popular, it went viral! I love the idea of using the same theme for my Blogoversary each year (I wish I had thought of it sooner), so I’m going to stick with the funfetti thing for many more Blogoversaries to come!

These cute little funfetti pecan clusters are made with 5 pecans, to celebrate my 5th year of blogging! They’ve got the most incredible artisan caramel and I hope you give them a try!

In the meantime, as we head into my SIXTH YEAR (ahhhhh!), I’d love to hear from you. What would you like to see on the blog this year? What are some of your favorites from years past? Have there been any BIB kitchen fails? Please share in the comments below!

Happy Blogoversary! Cheers to many more, and hopefully a cookbook too, very soon!

Blogoversary Funfetti Pecan Turtles

2 cups pecan halves
1 recipe caramel
12 oz. good quality white chocolate
colored sprinkles

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until warm and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cool and set aside.

Prepare the caramel as per instructions and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes until caramel has thickened and is no longer runny.

Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon small dollops of white chocolate onto the baking sheet, using the back of the spoon to smooth it into a small circle. Arrange 5 pecan halves onto each chocolate circle, as pictured. Continue making circles of chocolate, then adding pecans until you have used up your pecans. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for a few minutes, until the chocolate has set up.

Remove the pecans from the fridge and top each cluster with caramel. Refrigerate again until caramel sets.

Place a spoonful of white chocolate over the caramel and top with colored sprinkles. Return to the fridge or set aside until chocolate is firm.

VARIATION: If you don’t want to make caramel from scratch, you may use store-bought caramels. Melt the caramels over a double boiler with a splash of heavy cream or milk and stir until smooth.

NOTE: If you make the caramel from scratch, you will have some left over. Pour the leftover caramel into a parchment lined pan and make caramel chews as per instructions.

1st Blogoversary Mulled Wine
2nd Blogoversary BBQ Brisket
4th Blogoversary Funfetti Cake

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Parmesan Lasagna Chips with Pizza Hummus

On December 9, 2015May 25, 2016

by chanie

in Appetizer, Brunch, Chanukah, Dairy, Dips, Pasta, Recipes, Snacks

5 Comments

I can’t believe I’m about to say this but I’m gonna say it. I CAN’T LOOK AT ANOTHER DONUT.

Everywhere I turn there seems to be another donut flavor, each outdoing the next, and while they all look appealing, they all start to taste the same at some point.

It’s only Light #3 but I’m D.O.N.E. I’ve tasted crazy flavors like creme brulee, pistacho, banana nut, Irish cream and Oreo, thanks to my local coffee shop, Chocolatte. Then, my foodie buddy Sarah Chana sent me her homemade cronuts in flavors like lemon curd, cheesecake & fig, dulce de leche and chocolate bourbon. Of course there were the classic jelly and custard donuts from my local supermarket, and who can forget my JELLY RING donuts, which I tested in three batches! Are you getting my DONUT HANGOVER NOW?!

Ok, to be honest, I did not exactly EAT all of those donuts, but I definitely tasted each and every flavor and that itself is enough to make the scale point it’s finger at me in rebuke. Has your scale ever pointed it’s finger at you? I’m hallucinating from all the donuts!

Now while I may be over the donut trend, we’ve still got plenty days left to Chanukah, and I’ve got to get frying! Savory is the only way to go from here, so I came up with a fun and exciting pizza-inspired dish that’s the perfect appetizer for your Chanukah party!

Now I know the thought of frying pasta in oil with parmesan cheese has my scale freaking out, but it’s my birthday, and calories don’t count on my birthday, right? RIGHT?

I mean, common, we’ve got only a few days left to the holidays, and we can diet after that. Purim is not for a few months, so I’ll be hopping on the Paleo train as soon as I finish this batch of chips *GULP*

If you’re feeling the donut overload too, I’ve got plenty of savory fried goodness on the blog for your to enjoy! Parmesan zucchini chips are a must-have, and the zucchini help deguiltify the whole breaded and fried thing. If you want to go full-on Israeli, try my baked eggplant chips with harissa whipped feta. And if you really want to go healthy, my cauliflower chip nachos with harissa cheddar sauce are to die for! Told you I got you covered.

Speaking of healthy, lets talk about this pizza hummus for a sec, k? You can’t have drool worthy lasagna chips without having something to dip it into, can you? I decided to put a pizza spin on classic hummus, by adding some tomato paste, herbs, garlic and of course, parmesan. The fusion is simply delicious – creamy garbanzo beans that are reminiscent of classic hummus, with the flavor of pizza. Win win.

So get your frying pans ready and whip up a batch of this deliciousness. You can thank me later. And hate me next week. Just don’t tell your scale that I put you up to it!

Parmesan Lasagna Chips

5 sheets lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Natural & Kosher Cheese grated parmesan
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Method:

Slice the lasagna noodles into strips. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, oregano and garlic powder. Prepare a dredging station with the flour, eggs and flavored breadcrumbs each in a separate bowl. Dredge the lasagna strips in flour and shake off to remove excess. Repeat with egg and then breadcrumbs. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a saucepan to 350 degrees*. Place a few lasagna strips into the hot oil. When the lasagna begins to brown on one side, flip it over to brown the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on paper towels.

Serve with marinara or pizza hummus.

*If you don’t have a deep fry thermometer, you can test the temperature by adding a pinch of flour to the oil. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.

VARIATION: for a lighter chip, fry the lasagna without breading and sprinkle with parmesan and spices as soon as it comes out of the oil.

NOTE: If you prefer to bake these, place the breaded lasagna on a greased cookie sheet, spray with cooking spray and bake at 450 degrees, flipping over once, until browned and crisped.

Pizza Hummus

1 15oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini paste
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil
kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp Natural & Kosher grated parmesan

Method:

Add all the ingredients, besides for the cheese, to a blender and puree until smooth. If the hummus is thick, add a bit of water at a time until smooth and creamy. Add the cheese and pulse until incorporated.

To serve, place the hummus into a bowl, sprinkle with parmesan and drizzle with olive oil.

This post was sponsored by Natural & Kosher Cheese. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, or via their Blog

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Sabich Latkes

On December 7, 2015December 7, 2015

by chanie

in Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Chanukah, Recipes

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Jelly Ring Donuts

On December 1, 2015December 2, 2015

by chanie

in Cakes, Chanukah, Dessert, Recipes

17 Comments

No need to rub your eyes, you’ve read that right. I’ve made JELLY. RING. DONUTS. I know they look like jelly rings. But these right here ^^^ are raspberry jelly infused baked chocolate donuts that taste EXACTLY like the candy. It’s a Chanukah miracle!

It all started with my husband’s birthday. He was turning 36 and his office put together a little surprise party. Apparently, they heard that I’m a “Chef”, so they asked me to bake something. Little did they know, I don’t do birthday cakes, but I decided to come up with something fun anyway.

JELLY RINGS are my husband’s all time favorite treat, so I decided to create jelly ring cupcakes. I baked up my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and I filled them with raspberry donut jelly and topped them with chocolate frosting stuffed with a jelly ring. I even piped them and everything!

But I’m not a baker. So even though I carefully packed up those babies in foil pans and stuffed them in the corner of my trunk with a prayer, lets just say they did not make it in one piece. The frosting, which I had piled on high, did a little birthday jiggle with each turn of my car, and by the time I excitedly opened my birthday surprise, I was not looking very cheffy (understatement).

Everyone was nice enough to eat them anyway, and the consensus was: they might look like a poop emoji, but they taste like JELLY RINGS! Luckily, I had a few cupcakes set aside at home for my kids, so I was able to show my husband what his birthday cupcakes were supposed to look like. I posted a pic on Instagram and apparently my husband is not the only guy to love jelly rings. Lots of people asked for the recipe, so I decided I’d post it.

Fast forward a couple of days and I got an email from my blogger friends who wanted to do a Virtual Chanukah Party like last year. They had decided on a donut theme and I was in! When I thought about what donuts to make, I realized that I could turn my jelly ring cupcakes into donuts and have them not only taste like jelly rings, but look like them too. GENIUS right?!

So I set out to test the perfect baked chocolate donut. Something chocolaty and moist, but without that pudding-texture of the Hershey’s recipe. It took three tries but I finally hit the nail on the head. I used my handy dandy syringe to infuse the donuts with raspberry donut jelly, and I dipped it in melted chocolate. The results were beyond my expectations! The donuts look practically identical to jelly rings, and THEY TASTE EXACTLY LIKE THEM too! Seriously people. Jelly rings in donut form. So much YESSSSS!

Now I’m not the only one who blew it out of the water with my donut creation. Check out these awesome recipes from our VIRTUAL CHANUKAH DONUT PARTY!

Savory Hatch Chili and Cheddar Donuts from LittleFerraroKitchen
Savory Sufganiyot Hanukkah Doughnuts with Chopped Liver Mousse & Manischewitz Glaze from WhatJewWannaEat
Cake Donut Bread Pudding with Vanilla Glaze from KitchenTested
Deep Fried Brownie Fritters from OvertimeCook

We’ve also got a special Chanukah giveaway package that’s happening exclusively on Instagram, so head on over to enter!

Jelly Ring Donuts

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coconut milk (I use Original Coconut Dream)
1 egg
6 tbsp canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry doughnut jelly (I like Bakers Choice)

For chocolate coating:
1 10 oz bag California Gourmet chocolate chips
1 tbsp canola oil

Special Equipment
mini donut pan
flavor injector syringe

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a mini doughnut baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugars. In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut milk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until all of the ingredients are well combined.

Using a pastry bag (or a Ziploc bag with the tip snipped off), pipe the batter into the donut pan, filling it two thirds full. Bake for 8 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and rest for a few minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool.

While the donuts are baking, prepare the chocolate coating by melting the chocolate chips over a double boiler. Stir in the oil and mix until incorporated.

Fill the injector with donut jelly and inject each donut several times, filling it with jelly all around. I recommend injecting the donut from the flatter side, so that the rounded surface remains untouched, for a perfect presentation once it is glazed.

When you have finished injecting all the donuts, dip them in melted chocolate using a fork, and shake off the excess. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, rounded side facing up, and refrigerate or freeze until the chocolate sets.

NOTE: make sure not to infuse too much jelly into the donut or it will break apart.

This post is sponsored by California Gourmet Chocolate Chips. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. View the list of over 300 stores that carry the brand here).

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Category: Chanukah

Ice Cream Sundae Cookies

Blogoversary Funfetti Pecan Turtles

Parmesan Lasagna Chips with Pizza Hummus

Sabich Latkes

Jelly Ring Donuts