Dairy – Page 12 – Busy in Brooklyn

The 4th of July holiday weekend is just around the corner and have I got the coolest (pun intended) recipe for you! Creamy, crunchy, sweet, tart, and incredibly refreshing frozen yogurt bark, and it’s red, white and blue too!

If you’ve missed out the frozen yogurt bark trend, it’s a new, fun way to enjoy your favorite yogurt. Forget banana ice cream, frozen Greek yogurt confections are what’s hot! I love that there are endless possibilities – from the yogurt base, to the assorted toppings, there is SO much you can do.

With my patriotic spirit in mind, I went with a mix of berries and added granola for crunch. You can use fresh or frozen, which makes this super easy, and store-bought or homemade granola – so basically, this bark practically makes itself. And with a full summer ahead, we all love those types of recipes! Especially when they’re healthy, refreshing, and cold (have you BEEN outside lately?!).

These recipes aren’t just fun for me, they’re actually a necessity. You see, I don’t tolerate the heat very well (which is why, while I love my family in Florida, I would NEVER move there) and from what I hear, NYC is in for a HOT summer. If I could haul around a freezer of ice chips on my back, I probably would, but I have to settle for light and cold foods instead. I HATE cooking in the summer and with a baby coming soon (aaahhh!!), I hate it even more. Any tips for surviving the heat this season? I’m all ears.

In the meantime, it’s going to be lots of yogurt and fruit for me, which is great, because that’s exactly what I’m craving. I love Norman’s line of thick, creamy Greek yogurts but my favorite of all time is their guava yogurt. I can literally eat it for breakfast, lunch and ice cream. Oh wait, is ice cream not a meal? It is for this overheated pregnant mama ok?!?!?!?!

So, if you’re like me and you like to indulge in yogurt and imagine it’s ice cream, give this no-guilt mixed berry yogurt bark a try! It’s guaranteed to cool you off, if only for a few minutes, until your next venture outdoors.

Good luck with the summer heat you guys, and remember to stay hydrated! Oh, and of course, Happy Independence Day! Enjoy the holiday weekend :)

Mixed Berry Yogurt Bark

2 cups Norman’s plain Greek yogurt
2-3 tbsp honey or maple syrup (or, to taste)
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup granola (make your own)

Method:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the yogurt, honey and vanilla in a small bowl and spread out on the baking sheet until it’s 1/4″ thick. Top with mixed berries and granola. Freeze for a few hours, until solid, and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container and enjoy straight from the freezer.

VARIATION: Use vanilla flavored yogurt instead of the plain and omit sweetener and vanilla.

This post was sponsored by Norman’s. All opinions are my own.

Post a Comment

Torah Cannoli

On June 8, 2016May 31, 2019

by chanie

in Chanukah, Cookies, Dairy, Dessert, Purim, Recipes, Shavuous, Snacks

20 Comments

Holy Cannoli! Someones gonna have to bring me a slice of humble pie because I’m on a bit of a high from how cute these Torah Cannoli are! (by the way that’s not a typo – the plural form of cannoli is cannoli…a little Wikipedia for you!)

I always say, food is my passion but my kids are my priority. I love being a mom and I don’t ever want being a foodie, blogger, chef, or whatever it is I am, get in the way of that. SO while I try to come up with fun and sophisticated holiday dishes, I also do my best to tap into my inner child and do something fun for the kiddos too.

In the past, I’ve made Torah franks in blanks like these (photo by Tzivi Brick Jakubovic), but this year, I wanted to do something fun with my daughter’s class in honor of her 8th birthday, which is just a few short weeks before Shavuot. One night when I couldn’t sleep (I have terrible insomnia these days), these cannoli torah’s hit me and I was only too excited to make them! I used a cream cheese mousse filling instead of the more sophisticated classic ricotta filling to make it more kid friendly, and the kids went gaga!

They all took turns prepping the recipe – whipping up the cream cheese and heavy cream, folding the mixture together, and giving out the ingredients for everyone to make their own. They “glued” the cannoli wafers with marshmallow fluff and we made a few Ziploc piping bags of filling so they could all pipe their own. Needless to say, the most fun was dipping the Torah’s in the assorted toppings.

Some of the kids wrapped up their Torah Cannoli to take home, but most of them couldn’t wait it out and gobbled it down on the spot. One kid said it was the best thing she ever tasted! I knew I had a winner, I just didn’t know if it was blog-worthy so I figured I’d skip on posting. Until, I was making my rosewater cheesecake mousse parfaits at a cooking demo recently, and I decided to show the audience the Torah cannoli idea with some of the leftover cheesecake mousse. After an audible “wow” from the audience (the best sound EVER when you’re giving a demo), I decided it was too good not to share with you all too.

I love to check things off my bucket list and making things like homemade goat cheese ice cream or a sophisticated dish like brie marsala pizza gives me a huge sense of satisfaction, but seriously, nothing, and I mean nothing, makes me more proud or excited, than coming up with something fun and original that my kids absolutely love!

So kiddies, this ones for you! And that classic citrus-zest-spiked filling is my little touch for the adults too :)

If you want to skip on the filling, fill it with your favorite mousse or plain-old whipped cream. The important thing is to have some fun, for the kids, and for you too! Happy Shavuot y’all!

Torah Cannoli

1 pkg cannoli wafer rolls (18 rolls), such as Presidor
2 cups ricotta cheese (drain if watery)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)
1/2 tsp lemon or orange zest (optional)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup melted chocolate or marshmallow fluff
assorted sprinkles, mini chocolate chips and nonpareils for topping
powdered sugar, for finishing

Method:

Place melted chocolate or warmed marshmallow fluff in a piping bag and pipe a thin line onto half of the cannoli wrappers. “Glue” pairs of cannoli wrappers together to resemble Torah scrolls.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, citrus zest and chocolate chips. Place in a piping bag. Pipe the filling into both sides of the cannoli wrappers, working one at a time. Over a plate, sprinkle your favorite toppings over the exposed ricotta filling (dipping the ends causes them to flatten, so I prefer pouring the toppings over). Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

NOTE: The filling causes the cannoli wafer to soften, so if preparing in advance, it’s best to freeze rather than refrigerate.

VARIATION: You may use this cream cheese mousse, your favorite mousse, softened ice cream or whipped cream instead of the classic ricotta filling.

DIY OPTION: If you cannot get cannoli wafer rolls, you can make your own or use wonton wrappers. You will need cannoli molds to form the wrappers.

Shavuot paper napkin roses
passion fruit cream horns
rosewater cheesecake mousse parfaits
halva and ricotta stuffed figs

Post a Comment

Please NOTE: This post contains affiliate links which means that a small percentage of every purchase made through the links above goes to help support the BIB blog!

Three-Cheese Rollatini Rose Pie

On May 26, 2016June 17, 2016

by chanie

in Brunch, Dairy, Diet, Dinner, Lunch, Pies, Recipes, Shavuous, The Nine Days

6 Comments

Ever since I was little, my mom’s been making the same Shavuot menu each year. It includes her amazing lasagna, homemade potato and cheese blintzes, French onion soup and an array of store-bought cheesecakes. For the second day meal, she switches up the lasagna for eggplant rollatini, or what she likes to call, rollantini.

I probably pack on about 10 lbs. in those two days, but it’s always worth every bite. Until the weather gets hotter, my skirts are a tad too tight around the middle, and I’m cursing out that creamy slice of cheesecake.

Which is why, when I started cooking up my own Shavuot meals, I decided to come up with healthier variations of some of my favorites. That’s when my spaghetti squash baked ziti, cheesy stuffed mini peppers and pasta-free spinach manicotti were born.

Some time later, I added my cheesy zoodle marinara, broccoli parmesan poppers, portobello pizza and roasted eggplant parmesan. I barely even miss the pasta anymore (ok, maybe just this).

I skip the heavy French onion soup, and go for a lighter chilled strawberry rhubarb soup and simple sides like summer tomato feta salad, pesto baked salmon, and eggplant chips with whipped feta. I might have a small bite of cheesecake, but my skirts still fit after the meal and everyone’s happy!

Which is why THIS happened! I may be expecting baby #5 this summer, but I’ve been packing on the pounds like I’m about to go into hibernation! I’ve got to ease up on my carb intake, so, I did what I always do when I’m looking for pasta alternatives, I go for zucchini. If I’m not eating cheesy zoodle marinara (an absolute staple in my kitchen), I go for a riff on my spinach lasagna roll-ups, made with zucchini strips. This time, I decided to turn those rolls upside down, and add in yellow squash and eggplant, for a pretty rose garden look. Shavuot, after all, is known as “the feast of the roses”, so how very apropos.

Vegetable ribbon pies and rose spiral apple desserts are all the rage right now, so I was more than happy to follow the trend with a savory holiday-worthy version.

Of course there are lots of variations that you can do with this dish – from adding spinach to the filling, using carrots for rolling, or baking it all into a pie crust. But I just love that this is gluten free and no-carb, so why mess with perfection, am I right?

With all my lighter spins on heavy pasta dishes, I’ve come to realize that a lot of what we eat is all in our heads. When I started subbing zoodles in for my spaghetti, a funny thing happened. I didn’t miss anything! I was full, satiated and most importantly, I felt like I had actually eaten pasta! It made me realize that we really have the ability to trick our brains into thinking we are eating something else – if only we can create the same taste, similar texture and mouthfeel, you barely notice the difference. The scale however, definitely does.

So, I’m hoping I’ve inspired you to lighten up your holiday meals, even if only with one dish. If I were you, I’d make it this one!

Do you have any other tricks to lightening up your favorite pasta dishes? I’d love to hear! Share them with me in the comments below!

Three-Cheese Rollatini Rose Pie

1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 small eggplant
2 cups Natural & Kosher ricotta cheese
8oz. Natural & Kosher shredded mozarella, divided
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Natural & Kosher grated parmesan, divided
1 egg
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 cups marinara sauce
Special Equipment: 9.5″ deep pie dish

Method:

Using a peeler or a mandolin, slice the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash into ribbons of equal thickness (see note). They should be thin enough so that they are pliable, but not too thin that they will fall apart during cooking.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, 3/4 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan, egg, basil, and oregano.

Pour the marinara sauce into the bottom of your pie dish and sprinkle with remaining shredded mozzarella cheese from the bag. Working one at a time, spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture on the vegetable ribbons and roll up. Place the rolls, standing up (with the peel facing up, if trimmed), in the marinara sauce and continue until the pie dish is full. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese.

Bake, covered, at 400 degrees for approximately 40 minutes (depending on thickness), or until the vegetables are tender. Uncover and bake at 450 degrees until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

This pie does not freeze well. To make in advance, prepare the pie as per directions and refrigerate (unbaked) for up to one day. Bake and serve.

VARIATION: For a no-tomato version, place the rolls directly into the pie dish, without the sauce and continue as above. You may also make the pie inside a pie crust.

NOTE: Look for squash and eggplants that have a straight edge and are roughly the same size, otherwise, you may have to trim it down, as I did with the eggplants (or look for Japanese eggplants that are naturally narrow). If the vegetables are not too wide, a peeler works great for making ribbons. You’ll need about 1/2 of each vegetable (depending on how large it is), so if you have leftovers, you can make a second pie (with or without the filling) or chop it up for homemade ratatouille.

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

Post a Comment

Please NOTE: This post contains affiliate links which means that a small percentage of every purchase made through the links above goes to help support the BIB blog!

Parmesan Roasted Almonds

On March 30, 2016January 3, 2017

by chanie

in Dairy, Passover, Recipes, Snacks

14 Comments

Somebody pinch me. Is Pesach really in less than a month? Ahhhhhhhhh

That’s not to say I’m making Pesach this year, because I plan to avoid that catastrophic monster of a gluten free cookfest for as long as I can. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind helping in the kitchen at all, in fact, I enjoy coming up with original dishes as a result of our strict Passover restrictions. But the thought of actually hosting meal after meal for eight days straight is not exactly appealing to me.

So, I’ll be helping out in my mom’s kitchen this year. And I plan to do a lot of spiralizing. We’ll be eating plenty of zoodles and sweet potato rice – a healthier alternative to the overused spud.

Meals are not that much of an issue – we always have my mom’s Passover gefilte fish, mason jars filled with pickled cucumber salad, beet “vinaigrette”, ratatouille and mock chopped liver. There are also the traditional Pesach dishes like scrambled hard boiled eggs, orange chicken and sweet nut omelettes. But snacks? other than bananas and the occasional piece of dark chocolate, we’re out of options.

Last year, I made these sugared almonds, but as my palate has taken a turn for the savory, I came up with an even tastier version, minus the sugar. Parmesan roasted almonds are completely addictive, and they make the most amazing croutons over lettuce! If you make your own mayo, a Passover Caesar salad can now be on the menu, without losing out on the crunchy crouton goodness.

Making these croutons the other day was an admission that Pesach is coming, whether we like it or not. But it was also a realization that it can be oh. so. delicious.

More fun and innovative Passover recipes recipes are coming your way soon, so stay tuned!

Parmesan Roasted Almonds

2 cups unsalted almonds (.75 lb)
1 egg white
1/2 cup Natural & Kosher Cheese grated parmesan
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the parmesan cheese with the spices. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, add the nuts and stir until coated. Sprinkle the parmesan mixture over the nuts and mix until coated. Arrange the nuts in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and fragrant. Cool for at least 1 hour.

Remove the nuts from the baking sheet. Break into bite- sized pieces and store in an airtight container.

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

Post a Comment

Spinach Pappardelle with Feta
& a Fried Poached Egg

On February 18, 2016May 25, 2016

by chanie

in Brunch, Dairy, Dinner, Lunch, Pasta, Recipes, Shavuous, The Nine Days

9 Comments

I’m pretty proud of myself. You see, usually when I make lists, it’s just to get stuff off my head and onto a piece of paper. But every since I made my 2016 Foodie Resolution List, I’ve actually been making my through it!

Case in point: fried poached eggs. Well lookie here! Amazingly crisp and perfectly runny eggs dripping their way down some silky pappardelle pasta with bright green spinach. Perfection on a plate.

I’ve also mastered soft pretzels, fresh pita, caramel and I’ve got kataifi waiting in my freezer. That’s almost 5 out of a 9 and it’s only February! This is going to be one productive year in the BIB kitchen. Are you excited?

Now a foodie confession. It’s hard to admit but I was never one for feta cheese. Just something about the texture was off to me, so Greek salad was never on the menu.

But then Natural & Kosher cheese sent me their new brined feta and lo and behold, I loved the stuff! I also realized that if you grate it, the texture is so light and appealing, and when you add it to hot pasta, it’s salty goodness melts into the sauce. So there! I kinda like feta now!

It’s hard not like to cheese when it’s coated in egg yolk, crispy breadcrumbs and delicious sauteed spinach. This recipe really brings together all of my favorite things. Papardelle pasta being one of them.

I’m really not one for heavy pasta dishes like spaghetti bolognese or even baked ziti. Give me some linguini with olive oil and a poached egg and I’m set. With pasta being so heavy, it really keeps things light, instead of the thick tomato sauces that are commonly used. And can you imagine this with zoodles? OMG delish. I’m definitely going to give it a try.

Speaking of zoodles, my dieting hasn’t been going too well these days. I think it’s the winter blues. With all the freezing weather and snow, I’ve been craving comfort food. Like pasta. And carbs. Lots and lots of carbs.

The funny thing is I met someone in the store yesterday who looked at me with her mouth hanging open, saying I had lost so much weight. I wondered when was the last time she saw me because I’ve more or less been the same weight for a while now (which is very far from skinny). I guess it was the awesome coat I was wearing, that always seems to make me look skinnier than I am. Don’t you just love those wardrobe pieces? I took the compliment happily and then went on to the bakery aisle where I snatched up a crusty baguette. Oh carbs how I love thee.

But now, NOW that I sorta like feta, I’ve got to order me some Greek salad. Summer is just a couple of months away. And no matter how skinny said coat makes me look, it’s going to be making it’s way the back of my closet come June. I think it’s time to chuck the pappardelle and bring out my spiralizer.

But wait, first Purim. Some hamantaschen. And then. OK??

Spinach Pappardelle with Feta & Fried Poached Egg

8 oz. pappardelle pasta (or pasta of your choice)
5 oz. bag baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup reserved pasta water
1 pkg Natural & Kosher feta cheese in brine, grated
4 poached eggs (how to poach eggs)
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
canola oil, for frying

Method:

Add pasta and a pinch of salt to boiling water and cook for 8 minutes, or until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. While the pasta is cooking, saute the garlic in oil until fragrant and add spinach. Saute until wilted and season with salt and pepper. Add the hot pasta to the pan and mix into the spinach, adding small amounts of pasta water until the pasta is loose and creamy (you won’t need all the water). Add grated feta and continue to cook until melted into the sauce (if desired) or serve as-is.

For the fried poached eggs, poach the eggs and immediately place in a bowl with ice water to stop cooking. Drain on paper towels. Arrange a breading station with bowls of flour, egg and breadcrumbs (you may season each with salt and pepper, if desired). Carefully dredge the poached egg in flour, then egg, and then panko, shaking off excess from each. Heat canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the egg until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately, with freshly ground pepper over the top.

VARIATION: for a spicy kick, drizzle some sriracha over the top.

LIGHTED IT UP: Use zoodles instead of pappardelle for a low-carb alternative.

Serves 4.

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

Post a Comment

Busy in Brooklyn

Category: Dairy