Category: Snacks

Pickled Deviled Eggs


With Valentines Day here, it seems like all my foodie feeds are covered in hearts and pink desserts of all kinds. But what about us non-bakers? Isn’t there anything pretty and pink for us to make? Well it just so happens, there is. Beets are a great way to turn savory foods into pink or purple edible eye-candy that’s perfect for parties of any kind. Think pink pasta, purple pancakes or these gorgeous ombre deviled eggs!

So if you really want to up the ante at your next party or cozy Valentines dinner, do away with traditional (ie: boring) deviled eggs, and give these gorgeous little pickled ones a try. The pink ombre ring comes from brining the eggs in beet juice – a simple task with a huge wow factor. Ombre isn’t just for 7 layer dye-filled cakes anymore!


With Purim just around the corner, I love to plan my menu around interesting unexpected dishes to maximize on the Purim spirit. Last year, I made these salami chips. This year, these pickled deviled eggs will be making an entrance. Of course I also do a twist on traditional hamantaschen like these puff pastry ones, last year’s sushi onigiri, and this years…well, you’ll just have to wait on that one…the surprise is coming up next week!

1 24 oz. jar borscht or beet juice
1/2-1 cup apple cider vinegar*
7 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and peeled (how to hard boil eggs)
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1 heaping tablespoon yellow mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
scallions or chives, for garnish

Directions

In a container big enough to hold the eggs, add the borscht and vinegar. Add eggs, making sure that they are completely covered in the pickling juice. Add more borscht or water, if needed. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, or up to 2 days. Remove the eggs from the liquid and cut in half lengthwise. Gently remove the yolks and place them in a bowl. Set the whites aside on a serving platter. Mash the yolks well with a fork and add mayonnaise, mustard, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Spoon the yolk filling into a ziploc bag, cut off the tip and pipe the filing into the egg whites. (You may also use a pastry bag with a star tip). Garnish with chives.

*You can control the strength of the pickled flavor by using more or less vinegar. 1/2 cup will give you a subtle pickled taste. Continue to increase up to 1 cup for a stronger pickled flavor.

1 year ago: stuffed roasted butternut squash
2 years ago: quick & easy chocolate rugelach

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Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip

If you’re still scrambling for shalach manos ideas, you’ve come to the right place! And not just because I’m gonna wow you with this unbelievably amazing pretzel dip that makes the perfect home-made gift. I’ve also got lots of other ideas for you, starting with this old post.

And then there’s this new giveaway post with tons of amazing shalach manos ideas in the comments! (If you haven’t already entered this giveaway, what are you waiting for? Have you seen the bowls I’m giving away?!)

And since I love you all so much, I’ve created a new category where you can find all of my Purim Posts in one place!

And that’s not all.

If after all that you’re STILL stuck in a rut, check out all the amazing home-made gift ideas for Purim in the Kosher Connection Link-Up below!

If my raspberry honey mustard pretzel dip had you at hello and you want to know how to package it up, well here’s what I did:

Print out adorable tags onto cute cardstock and tape them to the top of small canning jars filled with pretzel dip. Wrap some raffia around the lid and secure with a bow. Then, fill a small cellophane bag with an assortment of pretzels and fold over the top. Print a label that says “Purim Pretzels” on one side and “from: family name” on the other. Fold it over the cellophane bag and staple on each side.

Voila. Purim Pretzel Perfection.

If you’re not up to making this pretzel dip for your Purim package, you should still give it a try. The combination of the sweet raspberry jam and spicy brown mustard, topped off with some hot mustard seeds in each bite, make this the perfect condiment for turkey subs, chicken salad or wraps of any kind!

Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip

1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup raspberry jam
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp onion powder

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until the dip sets and thickens.

Serve alongside pretzels and crackers, spread over a turkey wrap or mix into chicken salad.


1 year ago: butter rum l’chaim cake
2 years ago: crunchy chocolate dipped pretzel rods

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Smoked Paprika Popcorn Cauliflower


If you read my review of the fabulous restaurant Pardes, you may have noticed that my meal started off unconventionally, with a giant cup of smoked paprika popcorn. That stuff was so incredible that I went back for more. And more. And then I pulled my popcorn machine out from the basement and I even made my own. And finally, I realized that if I don’t stop with my smoked paprika popcorn addiction, I will need to check myself into a 12-step program for popcorn addicts.

I realized that what I really loved most about the popcorn, wasn’t the popcorn at all. It was the amazing smokiness of the paprika. I’m a huge fan of smoked paprika in general. I put it in my cholent, sprinkle it generously over my roasted chickpeas, and slather it all over my roasted chicken. So, I decided to come up with a healthier, less carby version of my favorite Pardes treat, using cauliflower to mimic the popcorn. And that’s how this delicious healthy version of smokey “popcorn” cauliflower came about. Don’t be shy with the paprika, douse it on heavily for optimum smokey flavor!  This stuff is great for snacking or served alongside a piece of grilled chicken or steak!

Smoked Paprika Popcorn Cauliflower

2 small heads cauliflower, cut into florets (or one large)
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp kosher salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, add oil, paprika and salt and whisk to combine. Add the cauliflower and stir until the florets are well coated. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet (or 2 sheets, if needed) and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the florets begin to brown around the edges.

1 year ago: my ultimate guilt-free breakfast
2 years ago: london broil with red wine reduction sauce

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Dried Fruit Brie Bites

I was so excited when the Kosher Connection team challenged us to come up with mini foods for the month of January. With the holiday of Tu B’shvat* coming up, I had the perfect thing in mind – these rich and decadent melt-in-your-mouth little brie bites.

Brie en-croute, or puff-pastry wrapped brie is a classic appetizer which includes a wheel of brie topped with jam (onion and fig jam are popular) and wrapped in puff pastry. It’s usually served on a large platter with crackers, fruit and occasionally nuts. I decided to reinvent the classic appetizer in mini, using an assortment of dried fruits in the spirit of Tu B’shvat.

*Tu B’Shevat, the 15th of Shevat on the Jewish calendar, is the day that marks the beginning of a “New Year” for trees. We mark the day by eating fruit, particularly from the kinds that are singled out by the Torah in its praise of the bounty of the Holy Land: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.

What’s so great about these puff pastry brie bites is that you can customize them to your liking. Use your favorite combination of dried fruit and jam’s or choose from one of these ideas:

Dried apricots + apricot jam
Medjool dates + silan
Dried figs + fig jam
Dried apples + apple butter
Craisins + cranberry sauce
Dried mango + mango chutney
Sundried tomatoes + tomato jam

You can also try some of my other Tu B’shvat dried fruit recipes:

Tu B’shvat truffles (sugarplums)
Mustard Roasted dried fruits

For more exciting mini food recipes, check out the Kosher Connection link-up below!

Dried Fruit Brie Bites

1 wheel brie, cut into 8 wedges
8 puff pastry squares*
dried fruit of choice
complementary jam of choice
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, beaten

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tray with nonstick spray. Working one at a time, place puff pastry squares into the tin letting the corners hang over the sides. Place a piece of dried fruit at the bottom, add a wedge of brie and top with a spoonful of jam. Fold the corners of the puff pastry over and twist them at the top. Brush the puff pastry with egg wash and bake until golden, approximately 20-25 minutes.

*If you cannot find puff pastry squares, simply roll our a sheet of puff pastry and cut into 4″ x 4″ squares.


Other brie recipes: brie marsala pizza

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies

This may come as a surprise to some of you, but when it comes to throwing a party, I’m usually a last minute kind of person. And you know why? Because when I first think about all the food I have to make, all the people I have to invite, and all the cleaning up I’ll have to do, I just figure it’s not worth all the work. But then I start to feel guilty. And slowly but surely that Jewish guilt just ebbs its way in and at the last minute I scramble for menu ideas, put together a guest list and a couple of hours later we’re all having a good time.

I can usually put together a party menu in a jiffy but when it comes to baked goods, I’m all too guilty of passing up Duncan Hines as my own. I’m never one for store-bought mixes, and all those other one-bowl cake concoctions are not up my alley. But Duncan Hines brownies are the exception. And we all know I’m not the only one! How many more of you out there have thrown in a batch of Duncan Hines brownies at the last second and then took the credit when your guests couldn’t get enough. They’re just THAT good.

Well let me tell you something, dear readers. They can be even better! Adding some cinnamon and nibby dark chocolate gives the brownies a serious Mexican hot chocolate taste that is so decadent and dreamy. Adding the extra ingredients won’t even make you feel guilty about passing them off as your own!

So, if you’re last minute with your New Year’s Eve party (as I am in posting this recipe!), then give these brownies a try. And if you don’t want to say you made them, just say they’re BIB’S recipe!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies

1 package Duncan Hines chewy fudge brownies
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup canola oil
1 generous tsp cinnamon
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 bar Scharffen Berger Nibby Dark Chocolate
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, mix brownie mix, eggs, water, oil, cinnamon and cayenne (optional, for a spicy kick). Break chocolate bar into chunks and stir into batter. Pour into pan and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake for approximately 22-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean (check in a few spots because you might be dipping the toothpick into a piece of melted chocolate).

NOTE: If you can’t find Scharffen Berger’s nibby bar, substitute with 2 tbsp cocoa nibs and 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

VARIATION: If you don’t wish to use packaged brownie mix, simply make your favorite brownie recipe and add cinnamon, chocolate and pecans.


1 year ago: fire roasted tomato rice stoup
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