Category: Dairy

Marcona Almond Pesto

You gotta love the way our bodies work. We are born with more than 10,000 taste buds that are housed inside papillae — those bumps you see at the back of your tongue. Inside those buds are tons of taste cells that detect what you’re eating and send that information to your brain. As we age, our taste buds become less sensitive, so the foods that we once found unappealing, don’t send as many strong signals to our brains. That’s why, as we get older, our palates change and we discover a newfound love for foods we may have hated during our childhood.

Over the last few years, I’ve taken a “leap of food” and dived right into the foods that I used to stay away from. I discovered a taste for fresh ginger, creamy mayonaisse, artichokes, and pesto. Of course there are still foods that I won’t touch with a 10-foot-pole like liver (or any offal), cilantro, fennel, and pattypan squash, but I’m coming around.

Once I really began to appreciate pesto, I went all out with different flavor combinations. I’ve tried spinach, walnut & cheddar, garlic scape, parsley pistachio (hope to blog that one soon!) and of course the classic basil & pine nut. But marcona almond pesto is by far my favorite. If you’ve never heard of Marcona almonds, they are native to Spain and are rounder and more plump than traditional California almonds that we’re used to. Their higher fat content gives them an unsurpassed taste and texture. In pesto, they add an amazing butteriness that is unmatched by any ingredient.

With the holiday of Shavuos coming up in a few weeks, I’ll be making the most of dairy recipes! Stay tuned for fun ways to use pesto as well as other fabulous milky creations!

Marcona Almond Pesto

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup marcona almonds
½ cup grated Natural & Kosher parmesan
2 garlic cloves, peeled
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Place everything besides the olive oil in a food processor or blender and blend until roughly chopped. While the machine is running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture turns into a creamy spread. Add more olive oil if you plan to use it as a sauce, and less olive oil if you plan to use it as a dip/spread.

TIP: Marcona almonds can be found at gourmet markets, including Costco (their Kirkland almonds can also be found on Amazon). If you can’t source them, you can use blanched toasted almonds instead.


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

Related Recipes:

spinach, walnut & cheddar pesto
pesto pinwheels
pesto & goat cheese crostini

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S’mores Oatmeal

I don’t know if I’ve ever walked you through the BIB process before, but I think it’s about time. Let me start by telling you that my posts don’t happen in realtime. If you want to follow what I’m cooking/eating now, check out my Instagram feed or follow me on Facebook. As for the blog, the stuff you see here may or may not have been cooked weeks, or even months, ago. Case in point: I did not make this decadent s’mores oatmeal for breakfast today (I am currently on the Whole30 diet cleanse!). I didn’t make it yesterday, or even last week. I made it back on December 24th – last year! Even I can’t believe it’s been that long! Why has it taken me so long to post? Read on.

As you might imagine, blogging takes up lots of time. From testing the recipes to photographing them – there are hours of work involved. Hours, that I don’t usually have with 4 kids in tow. So instead of cooking and photographing every day, I usually reserve a day for a full-fledged cookingfest. I’ll make and photograph 3 or 4 recipes at a time and save them on my computer to post at a later date. I usually invite over some family or friends to share the bounty!

When I have a handful of recipes saved, plus some ideas for future ones, I set up a blogging calendar that I fill up between holidays. Sometimes, recipes get lost in the shuffle, especially when I have to squeeze in holiday-related posts some 2 weeks before it begins. This is one such recipe, and I’m sorry it’s taken so long. I guarantee it was worth waiting for!

Breakfast could not get any better than rich and creamy chocolate oatmeal topped with toasted marshmallows and crushed grahams. The best part is, you get to make it from scratch, so it’s not full of ingredients you can’t pronounce, like all those funky flavors in the store. I love that you get to deguiltify the whole smores-for-breakfast thing by incorporating into a healthy dish like oatmeal. After all, who said oatmeal has to be boring?

S’mores Oatmeal

1 cup quick cooking oats (see note)
1 3/4 c milk
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp sugar or sweetener of choice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 handful mini marshmallows
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
1 graham cracker, crushed
warm milk, for serving

Method:

Bring milk to simmer , stir in oats and salt and cook for 1 minute. Stir in cocoa, sugar and vanilla and stir to combine. Divide oatmeal between 2 ramekins and top with marshmallows. Broil for 1 minute, until marshmallows are toasted. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with crushed graham crackers. Serve with warm milk.

NOTE: You can adapt the recipe to use old fashioned or steel cut oatmeal. Just prepare according to package directions (adjust milk amount, as needed) and proceed as above.

TIP: To avoid the cocoa from clumping inside the oatmeal, whisk it with the sugar to break up the lumps before adding, or, dissolve it in a bit of water.

Related Posts:

baked pumpkin oatmeal
oatmeal cookies
pear, ginger & oat smoothie
banana oat muffins

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Peanut Butter Bars

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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Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. Not only is it low carb, gluten free, and unbelievably delicious, it’s also quick and easy – no breading required!

I posted a similar recipe back in 2012, where I went light and healthy using feta cheese and tomatoes. It’s one of my most popular posts on the blog, and for good reason. It may be dietetic, but it still hits the spot to curb your calorie cravings.

This more authentic version of roasted eggplant parmesan stays true to the cheesy goodness of the original. It’s packed with grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese, but leaves out the frying and breadcrumbs for a guilt-free dish that’s as good as it looks!

With Passover soon approaching, I thought this would be the perfect time to post a gluten free dish that’s just right for the intermediary days of the Chag. If you’re like me and you don’t eat matza pizza, this is the perfect way to enjoy a cheesy dish that’s not gebroks (dishes that allow for matza to absorb liquid). Thankfully, Natural & Kosher parmesan and mozzarella are kosher for Passover so you can prepare this dish without having to search for the afikomen (ie. look very far!). If you’re not a fan of eggplant, read on for other cheesy gluten-free ideas, you’ll be sure to find one that suits your fancy!

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant (use mini for appetizer, large for entree)
olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
marinara sauce
Natural & Kosher grated parmesan cheese
Natural & Kosher shredded mozzarella
fresh parsley or basil, for garnish (optional)

Method:

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and place flesh-side down on a greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and broil on high on the top rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes (35 for larger eggplant), until skin is charred and the flesh is soft.

Turn the eggplants over and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Top with marinara and shredded mozzarella. Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is bubbly and beginning to crisp up around the edges. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve immediately.


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

Related Recipes:

portobello pizza
pizza omelette
cheesy stuffed mini peppers
pasta free spinach manicotti
spaghetti squash baked ziti
roasted eggplant parmesan with feta

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Terra Stix White Chocolate Bark


I can’t believe how the years have gone by so quickly. It feels like just yesterday that I was getting dressed up in my princess costume, hopping around town with my bag full of shalach manos. Now I’ve got my own little princesses in tow, and I’m the one doing the driving. Where oh where has all the time gone?

I have some great memories of my mother preparing Purim packages for family and friends. She’d often give out Boston Cream Pies from Schick’s Bakery with a bottle of wine, and I was all too happy to deliver it. I’d get a dollar here and a dollar there, and always an extra stash of candy to nosh on.

The Boston cream pies were always a huge hit, and a welcome change from the bags of pineapples and wine that filled everyones tables. When I was just married, I followed suit and made mini pies for everyone, with a side of chocolate dipped strawberries. That was a good one!

I wish I could remember all the cutesy ideas I’ve had over the years. And the not-so-cutesy ones too. One year, I decided to make candy apples (from the “Applebaums”) and it was a complete disaster! There was a burnt sugar and red food coloring all over the place, and the apples were so sticky, I could barely package them!

When it comes to homemade food gifts, chocolate bark takes the cake for the easiest one of all. But I couldn’t just make any boring old chocolate bark! While nuts and dried fruits are delicious, they’re fairly typical. Instead, I decided to combine sweet & salty flavors with milky white chocolate and colorful Terra Stix. The result is so gorgeous, it’s almost too pretty to eat. Except when you do, the combo is so good you don’t want to stop!

Terra Stix White Chocolate Bark

5 bars white chocolate (3.5oz each)
1 bag Terra Stix (or any root vegetable chips)

Method:

Over a double boiler, melt the chocolate and spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle generously with Terra Stix. Refrigerate the bark until set, about 30 minutes and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Other Food Gift Ideas & Recipes:

chocolate dipped pretzel rods
hummus & pita chips
“Shushan sushi salad”
Purim pretzels with raspberry honey mustard pretzel dip
milk & cookies
salami chips with dijon dipping sauce

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