Recipes – Page 62 – Busy in Brooklyn

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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{Falatkes} Falafel Latkes with Harissa Tahini

On November 30, 2015December 2, 2020

by chanie

in Appetizer, Brunch, Chanukah, Dips, Recipes

28 Comments

There really is no outdoing my poutine latkes from last year. The latkes went so viral, that I cooked them up for the Wall Street Journal and did a latke segment for The Meredith Vieira Show. HuffPost Canada went gaga over them and the rest is history.

I’m not one to rest on my laurels so I had to really blow it out of the water this year. It’s a good thing I had an entire year to think about it! I knew I wanted to go in the Israeli direction, because my food has been really influenced by the amazing flavors and spices of Israeli culture and cuisine. And what’s more quintessentially Israeli than falafel?

When falafel latkes, or as I coined them, FALATKES, came to me, I was beyond excited at the prospect of creating a beanless falafel dish! I prepared my batter, scooped it in the sizzling oil and my brain went crazy. Was I smelling latkes or was I smelling falafel?! I was smelling both!!

And then I took a bite of their crispy goodness and Oh. Em. Gee. I was eating potato latkes. And I was eating falafel. {MINDBLOWN} Poutine latkes – outdone.

If Chanukah wasn’t my favorite holiday before, it is now! Not only was I born on the fifth night, but I got married on my birthday and as I celebrate my 35th birthday, along with my 13th wedding Anniversary, I will be munching on this deeelicious fried goodness. It’s going to be a very happy birthday indeed!

Now, when you create the ultimate Chanukah latke, you have to top it with the ultimate sauce. Tahini is my jam so I made it my favorite way – with delicious spicy harissa mixed in for a deep, rich and spicy flavor. I am legit obsessed with Mina harissa that I tasted at Kosherfest just a couple of weeks ago. It’s spicy, but it’s also kind of sweet, which is never something I expected to find in a harissa. It’s got such a homey small-batch flavor, I just want to slather it on everything! And don’t even get me started on their shakshuka sauce. I can’t wait to create some amazing recipes with it!

If you’re a fan of harissa, don’t forget to try my harissa whipped feta with za’atar eggplant chips. They’re perfect for Chanukah, when it’s traditional to eat dairy foods. You can even fry up the za’atar chips to really get into the Chanukah mood. My confetti latkes with harissa sour cream are another favorite and if you want to go healthy, definitely go for my cauliflower nachos with harissa cheddar sauce. Told you I love harissa. Of course, if you’re looking for other fun Chanukah recipes, don’t forget to check out my Chanukah category, as well as the Chanukah section in my new RECIPE INDEX! You’ll find amazing appetizers and desserts that are perfect for you Chanukah party.

In the meantime, here are some great tips for making the ultimate crispy latkes!

1- Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible out of your potatoes and onions using a cheesecloth or kitchen towel.
2- Use little-to-no flour to bind the mixture. The potatoes natural starch is usually enough to keep it together.
2- When the batter sits, it tends to get liquidy, so make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible before frying.
3- Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out your batter. Pack the batter into the cup and place in the hot oil. Use the bottom of the cup to press down on the latkes, creating crisy, lacy edges.
4- Remove your latkes from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain, but immediately remove to a rack so the latkes stay nice and crisp.

Happy Frying!

Falafel Latkes

2 lb yukon gold potatoes
1 medium white onion, quartered
2 eggs
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour
canola oil, for frying

Method:

Peel potatoes and immediately place in a bowl of water to prevent browning. In a large bowl, combine eggs, spices, herbs, flour or matza meal and salt and pepper; stir to combine. Drain the potatoes and grate it, alternating between the potatoes and onion, either by hand or with a shredding disc in your food processor. Place the grated potato and onion mixture into a large piece of cheesecloth or a kitchen towel. Wrap it tightly and squeeze out as much juice as possible into a bowl. Let the juice sit for a bit so the potato starch settles to the bottom. Slowly pour the liquid out of the bowl (into the sink), leaving the potato starch in the bowl. Add the starch, grated potatoes and onions to the herb mixture and stir to incorporate. Heat oil in a skillet and fry 1/4 cup of batter at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

NOTE: If you don’t have garbanzo flour, you can use matza meal or regular flour. If you don’t like cilantro, you can just double up on the parsley.

Harissa Tahini

1/2 cup tahini paste (stir thoroughly before using, as oil and solids tend to separate)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp cumin
kosher salt, to taste
2 tsp Mina spicy harissa, or to taste

Method:

In a bowl, mix the tahini, water, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt and harissa. Whisk until emulsified.

This post was sponsored by Mina. All opinions are my own. View Mina’s amazing assortment of harissa and shakshuka sauce here or follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Pecan Pie

On November 25, 2015November 25, 2015

by chanie

in Dessert, Pies, Recipes

7 Comments

It’s amazing how I’m becoming less and less into sweets. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love a good dessert. But sometimes I find the sugar so overly cloying. Like in pecan pie.

But with pecan pie being so traditional and all, I didn’t want to just cut it out of my life without at least trying. So try I did. And succeed, oh yes, I did!

Enter Mexican Hot Chocolate – the sweet and spicy rich chocolate drink with just the right amount of kick. I love how the bittersweet chocolate and chili balances out the sweetness in this pie. It totally works.

I’ve done this before with brownies, and it has become one of my most favorite recipes. My guests always ooh and ahh over my Duncan Hines fix, thinking I spent hours perfecting the best brownie recipe.

With pecan pie, it’s just the same. The filling is really fairly simple, and if you use a frozen pie crust like I did (insert-surprised-emoji-face-here), it’s as easy as 1-2-3.

This beauty is being gifted to Melinda of kitchen-tested for her pie bar tomorrow, which I will be lucky enough to be sampling from, after her crazy Thanksgiving feast! Sorry that I had to slice it open Mel!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for a play by play of Melinda’s incredible meal! Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh, and happy pie eating too :)

Mexican Hot Chocolate Pecan Pie

3 large eggs
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3.5 oz. dark chocolate (I used 72% cocoa)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp cocoa nibs, optional (I use these)
1 pie crust (thaw if frozen)
1 cup pecan halves

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler and set aside.

In a bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the corn syrup, sugar, vanilla and salt and stir to combine. Slowly add in the chocolate, mixing as you go, until completely incorporated. Stir in the cinnamon, cayenne and cocoa nibs.

Pour the filling into the pie crust and top with pecan halves (they will float). Bake for 50-60 minutes, until pie is set and jiggles just a little in the center. Cool completely, at least 4 hours, before serving.

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Busy in Brooklyn

Category: Recipes

Parmesan Lasagna Chips with Pizza Hummus

Sabich Latkes

Jelly Ring Donuts

{Falatkes} Falafel Latkes with Harissa Tahini

Mexican Hot Chocolate Pecan Pie