Meat & Poultry – Page 14 – Busy in Brooklyn

It’s different when you see a new cookbook on the shelf that you’ve never heard of before, and when you’ve actually watch that baby grow from the very beginning. You see, Naomi Nachman is a good friend, and with her friendly and outgoing personality, anyone that meets her (or follows her on social media @naominachman!) feels the same. Naomi has been open about her cookbook journey from the very beginning, and I was lucky enough to spend a day getting a behind-the-scenes look at some of the recipe development and food photography for this book. I even tested some of the recipes in the book for Naomi so it’s hard to be biased! Instead, I’m just going to share about the book, rather than reviewing it, because honestly, do you all really need my critique here?

Perfect for Pesach is exactly what it sounds like – perfect. for. Pesach. Except the recipes really work for all year round – especially for those of us who eat mostly gluten free, and those who honor strict Pesach customs that don’t allow us to use any store bought processed ingredients. I love that the book has a range of healthy and indulgent recipes, from how to make zoodles and cauliflower fried rice, to pastrami meatballs (recipe below) and fudgy chocolate bundt cake. Looking at the beautiful photography (thanks to the talented Miriam Pascal of overtimecook) it’s hard to believe that these recipes are truly kosher for Passover (hello lemon curd trifles)!

If you’re going to want to buy a Pesach cookbook, it should probably be from someone who spent two decades catering Pesach meals for clients with individual needs and requirements. Naomi shares make-ahead tips and well as freezer suggestions that are super helpful as well as cooks tip and year-round notes on most of the recipes. The cookbook has a really nice range of flavors – from Syrian inspired cauliflower crust lachmagine (you know I’m making that!) to Hawaiian poke (recipe below) and tequila lime chicken to herb crusted lamb shops. Of course you’ll also find traditional favorites like matbucha, salad nicoise, gravlax, Pesach cholent, chocolate mousse and so much more.

As for me, I’ve got the quinoa hummus, chimichurri coleslaw, maple glazed rack of ribs and frozen red wine strawberry mousse bookmarked.

Of course I’m giving away a copy of Perfect for Passover, so see the details below to enter!

As part of this Pesach giveaway, I’m also giving away a copy of Duby’s Pesach Lists which includes:

• Tips on making Pesach for the first time
• Cleaning checklists
• Shopping Lists
• Budgeting Tips
• Menu and calendar templates
• Last minute reminders
• Printable labels for your Passover cabinets
• Games / Activities / Discussion ideas to make your Seder more fun

You can read more about it on dubyspesachlists.com.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

To enter the giveaway to win a copy of Perfect for Pesach + a copy of Dobys Pesach Lists:

1. Leave a comment below letting me know your favorite Pesach dish.
2. For an extra entry, leave a comment on the giveaway post on Facebook or Instagram sharing what you love most about Pesach.

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 Monday, April 3rd, 2017.

SAMPLE RECIPES:

Pastrami Meatballs

2 pounds ground beef
6 ounces pastrami, very finely chopped
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano

Sauce
2 (32-ounce) jars marinara sauce
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
juice of 2 lemons (about ½ cup)
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 (14-ounces) can whole berry cranberry sauce

Prepare the meatballs: Mix together all meatball ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Set aside.

Prepare the sauce: In a large saucepan, stir together marinara sauce, water, sugar, lemon juice, tomato paste, and cranberry sauce. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Roll the meat mixture into balls approximately the size of golf balls. Carefully drop balls into boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low; simmer for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

Cook Tips
• If there’s any leftover sauce, freeze it and use it to make meatballs a second time!
• You can also use this meat mixture to form patties and grill them as burgers.

Hawaiian Poke
Reprinted with permission from ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications

1½ pounds sushi grade salmon fillet, cubed
½ pound sushi grade tuna fillet, cubed
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 mango, diced (optional)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Combine salmon, tuna, lemon juice, lime juice, jalapeño, olive oil, salt, pepper, and onion in a medium bowl. Marinate, covered, in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Just before serving, add avocado and mango, if using, to the fish mixture; sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately.

Cook’s Tip
• Because the fish is served raw, be sure to use very fresh fish that was purchased that day.
• Prepare the marinade a day ahead of time. Marinate the fish the day you’re serving it.

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Zoodle Bolognese + Spaghetti Sloppy Joes
and How I Mastered Dinner

On March 16, 2017March 22, 2017

by chanie

in Main Dish, Meat & Poultry, Recipes

6 Comments

This might seem hard to believe considering that I run a food blog, give cooking class, develop recipes for brands and raise my brood of five, but the truth is, I’m pretty unorganized. Especially when it comes to dinner. I don’t have a monthly eating plan, let alone a weekly one. I pretty much look into the fridge and freezer in the morning and decide what to make. If there aren’t really options, I go to the store. And that happens more often than I’d like to admit. Until recently.

I might not be the type of person to plan my menus in advance, but I finally realized that just because I don’t plan exactly what I’m making, it doesn’t mean that I can’t create a framework to help me narrow down the choices. A lot of mom’s get overwhelmed by the thought of making dinner, but that’s because there are a gazillion things you can make, so it’s just so hard to choose. Should you make meat or chicken? What type of meat or chicken? What about side dishes? And picky kids? I get it, believe me I do. And I FINALLY figured it out.

For starters, I created a basic guideline for the week, and it goes something like this:

Leftover Sunday: leftovers! If there are none, BBQ or eat out.
Meatless Monday: vegan or vegetarian dishes.
Beef (Taco) Tuesday: easy beef tacos or any beef recipe.
Chicken Wednesday: any recipe using boneless or bone-in chicken.
Dairy Thursday: the kids favorite day of the week!
Friday: Shabbat Dinner (always changing but I repeat a few basic staples)
Sandwich Saturday: kids choice of sandwiches or wraps

This general guideline helped me narrow down the choices so that instead of there being a gazillion ideas to choose from, I stick to a specific structure for each day. Of course nothing is set in stone, so if we decide to take the kids out to eat on Sunday, we’ll have leftovers on Monday, or if I make a vegetarian taco skillet (we love Trader Joes soy beef crumbles) on Monday, I’ll switch up chicken Wednesdays with taco Tuesdays. The point is to balance out the days so you have enough variety without being overwhelmed with options.

To narrow things down further, here are some options for each day to give you some ideas. Obviously this is based on what my kids like (they are not big on vegetables!), but I always try to serve a protein, carb and veggie. Many times that veggie is Israeli salad, because that’s their favorite, but I always put some veggies on the table, even if it’s just my hubby and I who end up eating it.

As a food blogger and recipe developer, I’m constantly working on new recipes which I feed to my family. You can follow my stories on Instagram for lots of exciting ideas.

MEATLESS MONDAYS:

Make your own sushi, sushi rice bowls, sushi burritos or sushi salad. Baked salmon, seared tuna or ceviche on the side.
fish tacos
fried fish sandwiches
tuna pasta salad or salmon pasta salad and fruit smoothies
vegan taco skillet
falafel with all the fixings
soup and salad
tofu stir fry with pasta
lentil sloppy joes
chickpea curry
vegetarian chili with cornbread

BEEF (TACO) TUESDAYS:

beef tacos (with Ortega seasoning packet or my homemade mix)
beef fajitas
beef noodle stir fry
pepper steak in plum sauce
Mongolian beef (recipe coming soon)
meaty soup with fresh pita or baguettes (Bubby’s cabbage soup, smoked turkey split pea, fire roasted tomato rice stoup, crockpot mushroom barley soup)
london broil and mashed potatoes
meatballs and rice
spaghetti sloppy joes and zoodle bolognese for adults
kofta kebabs
pulled beef tacos or sandwiches

CHICKEN WEDNESDAYS:

pineapple chicken and rice
spicy garlic chicken and rice vermicelli
breaded honey chicken with Israeli couscous
grilled chicken shawarma bar
Pad Thai
chicken fajitas
pargiot bowls
shnitzel salad or sandwiches
bundt pan rotisserie chicken with roasted potatoes
Asian chicken soup with ramen

DAIRY THURSDAYS: (usually served with fruit smoothies and/or Caesar salad)

lasagna
baked ziti
breakfast for dinner (pancakes, french toast or waffles with yogurt, granola and fruit)
ravioli in pink sauce
cheesy minestrone
stuffed shells
cheesy pull apart buns
pita pizza

FRIDAY NIGHT STAPLES (SHABBAT DINNER):
Shabbat dinner changes weekly, depending on guests etc., but here are some weekly staples

baked gefilte fish with breadcrumbs or fried patties
Israeli salad
hummus and tahini
chicken soup (or spinach matza ball minestrone, or Asian chicken soup)
bundt pan rotisserie chicken (our favorite basic, but we often change this up)
deli roll

SANDWICH SATURDAYS:

tuna sandwiches
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
turkey sandwiches
hummus sandwiches
mayo and tomato sandwiches
cream cheese sandwiches
grilled cheese sandwiches
quesadillas

I hope this basic guideline helps you manage your dinner schedule, and I plan to fill in the links that are missing as I post them! Feel free to write up your own favorite options for each day of the week, to make things easier for you. If you have any kid-friendly recipes that are a staple in your family, please share in the comments so we can add it our rotation too!

This bolognese recipe is a staple in my house, because I can serve the kids their kid-friendly version with spaghetti sloppy joes, and serve my husband the lightened up version with zoodles. I eat a bit of both! ;) The zoodle version makes the perfect Chol Hamoed dinner for Pesach, so make sure to add it to your menu!

Bolognese

1 small onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Sauté onion and garlic in oil until translucent. Add ground beef and
cook until browned. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and spices.
Simmer until thickened. Serve over zoodles.

VARIATION: for a quick and easy bolognese, see the recipe below.

Zoodles

1 large zucchini
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Special Equipment: julienne peeler or spiralizer

Method:

Using a julienne peeler, peel the zucchini all around until you reach
the center where the seeds are. Save that for soup. If using a spiralizer,
cut the large zucchini into 3 and working one piece at a time, spiralize to create noodles.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet and saute the zoodles over high heat for 1-2 minutes,
until tender-crisp. Season with salt and pepper.

NOTE: zoodles tend to get watery fairly quickly so it is best to saute them
right before serving.

Spaghetti Sloppy Joes

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar marinara sauce
1 box spaghetti or linguini
baked beans and/or corn on the cob

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the beef until crumbly and browned. Add the marinara sauce and bring to a simmer.

Cook the spaghetti (or pasta of your choice) according to package directions. Drain. Mix with bolognese sauce and serve with baked beans and/or corn on the cob.

#eatingfortheinsta!

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Salami Babka

On March 2, 2017October 27, 2017

by chanie

in Appetizer, Brunch, Cakes, Meat & Poultry, Recipes, Shabbos

41 Comments

I…I…I…don’t even know what to say…. but BREAKING THE INTERNET comes to mind!! Move over Kim Kardashian because I’ve got Salami Babka in the house!!

I don’t know how I’ve held it in for this long – this gorgeous savory babka has been eating away at me (or have I been eating away at it?) ever since I conceived of it months ago… I wanted to shout it from the rooftops the second this baby came out of the oven, but it was not to be, because, as you know, I save all my SALAMI revelations for Purim! Yes, Purim. The holiday of booze, dress-up, and here at Busy In Brooklyn, SALAMI.

My salami hacks have been making their mark each year for the holiday, and I think I might have finally outdone my drunken hasselback salami, because, lets face it – ain’t nothin better than bread – and when you fill that bread with the sweet and savory fillings of apricot jam, mustard, brown sugar and salami – well…. you basically BREAK. THE. INTERNET.

Babka has been all the rage this year, from the famous Bread’s bakery babka (who’s recipe was recently made public in the Baking Breads cookbook) to the spreads in The New York Times, Bon Appetit Magazine, and all that other stuff. I have to admit that I have never made true, authentic babka (with buttery brioche dough), although I often fill my leftover challah with gooey chocolate spread, twist it up and call it a day.

I’ve had savory babka on my mind for a while now, and I was kind of surprised that I haven’t seen too many savory variations on the net. Especially since turning traditional sweets into savory adaptations is kind of a thing right now. My biggest obstacle with a salami babka was the brioche dough. The good stuff is loaded with butter and I just couldn’t stand the thought of using all that margarine (the rules of kosher forbid me from eating milk with meat, so no butter and salami together). And yes I realize that’s ironic since this thing is loaded with salami (insert facepalm emoji here!)

I considered going with a challah dough, but I finally decided I would make this super easy for everyone and just use pizza dough. Of course you can use any dough you choose, and even go crazy with the deli you stuff it with. Don’t worry about all of the mess – the little bits of salami that poke out of the bread and get all crispy and caramelized are my favorite part of this recipe!

Now if you’ve missed my whole salami situation – the reason for my yearly Purim salami postings are due to a little nugget of information that I read a couple of years back. I don’t know if it was true, or it was all a Purim joke – but it made mention of the fact that some people have a tradition to eat salami on Purim since it is hung, like Haman. I thought it was the coolest food custom I had ever read, so I adopted it. The part that you don’t know though, is that that was a huge deal for me! Why? read on.

So growing up, my mom would make salami sandwiches every Friday afternoon for lunch for my siblings and I. She’d send us outside to the courtyard of our building to eat them, so we wouldn’t make a mess inside the house before Shabbat. Little did she know, we all hated those little hard white pieces inside the salami (I’m pretty sure they were solid fat!), so one by one, we all chucked our salami sandwiches down the incinerator chute – every. single. week. My poor mom thought we were eating lunch and little did she know!

From thereon out, I never looked at salami again. For years. Until I got married and the only thing my husband knew how to cook from his Yeshiva days was salami and eggs. I always swore I’d never try it, until one day, he convinced me, and the rest is history! I learned that cooking out the salami fat leaves you with a super crispy, tasty bits of heaven that are so perfect for trashing up in fun ways!

Just. Like. This. Lets get hangin’!

Salami Babka

1 lb. pizza*, challah or brioche dough
1/3 cup apricot jam
2 tbsp deli mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar
7 oz. Abeles & Heymann salami, thinly sliced
2 tbsp everything bagel spice

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flour your work surface and roll the dough out to about 11″ x 16″. Melt your apricot jam in the microwave or in a small saucepan and brush over the dough. Squeeze some mustard over the jam and sprinkle with brown sugar. Spread the salami slices out in one layer and starting from the long end, roll up jelly-roll-style. Slice the roll in half down the center, and gently twist the two strips around each other. Don’t worry if some of the salami falls out, or if pieces stick out of the dough, just try to keep the layers from falling apart. Place the salami babka into a greased loaf pan and sprinkle with everything bagel spice. If any of the salami fell out, just tuck it into the sides of the pan.

Bake the babka until golden, about 35-45 minutes. Remove from the loaf pan and slice. Serve warm, with mustard for dipping.

NOTE: I know this recipe seems messy but the idea is to have some of the salami piece sticking out of the dough so that they get crispy and caramelized, while other pieces stay moist on the inside. The thinner you slice the salami, the more your babka will hold together, so try to slice as thinly as you can.

VARIATION: Try this recipe with kosher bacon, or other deli meats like turkey and/or pastrami.

*of course I used store-bought pizza dough because I’m about the 1-2-3!

This post is sponsored by Abeles & Heymann. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!

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Jerusalem Hummus In Jars

On February 23, 2017February 23, 2017

by chanie

in Appetizer, Dips, Lunch, Meat & Poultry, Purim, Recipes, Shabbos

13 Comments

I’ve got to hand this one to a favorite person and a favorite cookbook: Naomi Nachman, and “Zahav“, respectively. Naomi is a foodie friend who’s not quite at my stage in life. She just married off her first child and her youngest is about the age of my oldest. Naomi might be older but she’s got more energy than my five kids put together! She’s always the life of the party and her foodie calendar puts me to shame. She just wrapped her first cookbook, Perfect for Pesach, which I was lucky enough to get some sneak peeks behind the scenes (and test some of the amazing recipes!). She runs a Pesach catering business, a “Chopped” themed party service, writes for various publications and even has her own radio show, Table for Two on the Nachum Segal Network. I love Naomi’s positive energy and I’m proud to call her a friend.

Recently, Naomi managed to squeeze in a trip to Israel amid her crazy hectic schedule, and she brought me back some Hawaj from the shuk. I’d never tried hawaj before, but I knew that there were two types of the Yemenite spice blend – one for soup and one for coffee. The spice was so potent (everything from the shuk always is!) that my whole kitchen smelled of it, even through the Ziploc bag! I wanted to make the most of the spice so I thought about how I could use it to really let it shine. And it hit me – hummus basar!

I had never made meat hummus before, or any REAL hummus from scratch and I was excited to try! I went to the holy grail of Israeli cookbooks, “Zahav” to find the perfect recipe and of course Michael Solomonov’s did not disappoint. What I love so much about Zahav is that every recipe is approachable, and unlike some of the other cookbooks on Middle Eastern cuisine, Zahav is the least bit pretentious. The hummus I made from the book was by the far the best one I had ever tasted and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to store-bought. It is just a whole ‘nother ballgame.

What I learned from Solomonov is that hummus is so much more about the quality of the tahini than it is about the chickpeas. I always thought of hummus as a chickpea spread, but no. It’s a silky-smooth-sesame chickpea spread that will knock your socks off. You start by preparing silky smooth tahini that involves a brilliant garlic hack that I won’t share (buy the cookbook to find out what it is!). Then you take that tahini perfection and add loads of it to butter-soft chickpeas. Oh. My. God. is it good.

Zahav’s hummus recipe is a two step process, but I’ve simplified it here into one. I would definitely encourage you to try the original recipe at least once, but this makes a pretty good substitute. And please do me a favor and don’t put the amazingly pungent and flavorful hawaj-spiced beef over store-bought hummus because that’s like serving homemade shortcakes with canned whipped cream. Just no. And if you’re feeling up to the task, try Zahav’s pita recipe and bake ’em up in mini to go along with these Jerusalem hummus jars. There’s really nothing quite like homemade pita to go along with homemade hummus. I’ve made the recipe a few times already and it is super simple and incredibly delicious!

If this post hasn’t already compelled you to buy the cookbook, here’s an excerpt of a review I wrote after I got it:

“Michael brings the beauty of Israeli culture and cuisine to the forefront without the bells and whistles. He lets the food stand on it’s own, humble and beautiful, with clear, easy to fllow recipes that dont require millions of ingredients. And he’s not cheffy about it either….This guy isn’t cooking Israeli food because it’s trendy, he’s just doing what he loves and it comes through on every page. Even though he himself is not kosher….he acknowledges that the rules of kosher define the boundaries of Israeli cuisine and keeps all the recipe in the book (and in his restaurant) free of shellfish, pork and mixing milk and meat. In a culture that thinks that you have to be “treif” to be cool (especially so if you are Jewish), this man has my total respect). ”

Of course this Hummus Basar was made in jars in the spirit of Purim, but feel free to make this recipe and serve Israeli style, in a big bowl with lots of fresh pita for dipping! You can also make the hawaj beef and serve it over rice, it makes for a delicious side dish!

Jerusalem Hummus in Jars

Hummus

1 cup dried chickpeas
2 tsp baking soda, divided
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 cup good quality tahini paste (stir thoroughly before using, as oil and solids tend to separate)
3/4 cup ice water

Add the chickpeas and 1 tsp baking soda to a large bowl and cover with a few inches of water. Soak overnight.

Drain the chickpeas and rinse. Add chickpeas and remaining teaspoon of baking soda to a pot and cover with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil and skim any scum that rises to the surface of the water. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for one hour, until soft and tender. Drain well.

Add the garlic, lemon juice, salt, cumin and tahini to the bowl of a food processor with the S blade attached. Puree the mixture, and while the machine is running, pour the ice water through the feeding tube. Blend until the mixture is very smooth.

Add the drained chickpeas and continue to blend until creamy. Adjust seasoning,, adding more salt, cumin or lemon, if desired.

Hawaj Spiced Beef

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 tsp hawaj for soup
kosher salt, to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
pita chips or homemade pita, for serving

Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the onions. Saute until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to saute until all the moisture from the mushrooms evaporates and they begin to brown. Add the hawaj and stir until incorporated and the mixture is fragrant. Add the beef and salt and cook until crumbly and no longer pink.

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat, or in the oven at 375 degrees, until browned.

To assemble the jars, fill a piping bag with hummus and fill about 1/3 of the jar. Top with beef, pine nuts and parsley. Alternatively, you may spread the hummus out in a large bowl and top with spiced beef, pine nuts and parsley.

NOTE: Hawaj is a yemenite spice blend. There are two types of hawaj – for soup and for coffee. Make sure to use only hawaj for soup. You can make your own with this recipe.

VARIATION: If you don’t have hawaj for soup, you may use shawarma spice, Jerusalem spice, or baharat.

YIELD: 8-10 8oz. jars. (I used these jars)

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Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, 5 Ways

On January 5, 2017January 19, 2017

by chanie

in Dinner, Meat & Poultry, Recipes, Salad, Soup

4 Comments

I have been waiting to post this recipe for months! I kept trying different variations, cooking temps and times until I found the easiest and most delicious version. I love this dinner because of how simple it is (duh) and because there is just so much you can do with it. I think the chicken fajita bowls are my favorite (because I’m obsessed with food in bowls right now), but the nachos are pretty addictive too.

A lot of thought went into this recipe, including what type of chicken to use. I’m not a fan of skinless roasted chicken breast because it’s just. so. dry. Chicken thighs, on the other hand, are pretty impossible to mess up. Even if you overcook them a little, their fat content keeps them super moist. I also decided to keep these whole for roasting, because cutting them into strips would dry them out. Like I said, lots of thought people, lots of thought.

I’ve also tested this recipe with store bought fajita seasoning (which has added cornstarch, soybeans and wheat) and my homemade version won by a landslide. I love that this recipe is “clean” so if you choose to trash it up with homemade tortilla chips, no one is judging you :)

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

1 medium spanish onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 yellpw pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 green pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 orange pepper, sliced into strips
6 dark meat chicken cutlets (deboned chicken thighs)
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fajita seasoning (recipe follows)
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

On a greased sheet pan, mix the peppers and onions with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp fajita spice, salt and pepper. Spread out over the tray. Place the chicken over the peppers and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tbsp fajita spice, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Mix the peppers and place them over the chicken. Return to the oven and broil on high for 5-8 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until peppers and onions are caramelized and crisped around the edges.

For a simple dinner, serve over rice or check out the other 5 ways below!

Homemade Fajita Spice

2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tsp kosher salt

Mix to combine and store in an airtight container. Makes 5 tablespoons.

Chicken Fajita Salad

1 head Rommaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped
3 plum tomatoes, diced
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, diced
3 pieces fajita chicken, cut into strips
sheet pan peppers and onions
tortilla strips (store bought or homemade, recipe follows)

Method:

Spread the lettuce out on a large platter. Top with tomatoes, black beans, avocado, peppers and onions, chicken and tortilla strips. Drizzle with salsa dressing. Alternatively, serve in individual bowls.

Creamy Salsa Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup salsa

Mix the mayo and salsa until creamy and serve over salad.

Homemade Tortilla Strips

1 pkg corn tortillas
oil, for frying

Cut the tortillas into thin strips and fry in hot oil until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Chicken Fajita Bowls

2 cups long grain rice, cooked according to package directions
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 avocados, thinly sliced
6 pieces fajita chicken, cut into strips
sheet pan peppers and onions
6 eggs, prepared sunny side up
sriracha and scallions, for garnish

Method:

Divide the rice into 6 serving bowls. Add black beans, avocado, chicken, onions and peppers. Top with a fried egg and garnish with scallions and sriracha.

Chicken Fajita Tacos

1 package soft corn tortillas
fajita chicken, cut into strips
sheet pan peppers and onions
shredded iceberg lettuce
avocado crema (recipe follows)
salsa
lime wedges

Method:

Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat, until pliable. Fill each tortilla with chicken, peppers, onion and lettuce. Drizzle with avocado crema and garnish with salsa and lime wedges.

Avocado Crema

1 large avocado
1/2 cup mayonnaise or nondairy sour cream
juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic
kosher salt, to taste

Puree the ingredients in a food processor or blender, adding water, if needed, to reach desired consistency.

Fajita Nachos

1 pkg soft corn tortillas
oil for frying
sheet pan peppers and onions
fajita chicken, cut into strips
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 container nondairy sour cream
2 avocados
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt

Method:

Cut the corn tortillas into wedges. Heat oil in a skillet and fry the tortillas until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Mash the avocados and add lemon and salt, to taste. Set aside.

Spread the chips out on a platter and top with onions and peppers, chicken, diced tomatoes and black beans. Drizzle sour cream over the nachos and top with a scoop of avocado.

EASY OPTION: Use store-bought tortilla chips

Chicken Fajita Soup

sheet tray peppers and onions
2 tsp fajita seasoning (recipe posted above)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 32 oz. carton chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste
jalapeño, avocado, red onion, cilantro, nondairy sour cream, and tortilla strips, for topping

Method:

Place the onions and peppers in a medium sized pot and cook over medium heat until warmed through. Add the fajita seasoning and tomato paste and stir until the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste starts to caramelize. Add diced tomatoes, stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Slice the chicken into strips and add to the soup. Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings.

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Busy in Brooklyn

Category: Meat & Poultry

Perfect for Pesach Giveaway