Category: Soup

Zucchini Basil Soup


I’ve dreamt about this day for a very very long time. In just a few short months, I’m officially going to add cookbook author to my resume! I can’t believe this is really happening, somebody pinch me! The truth is, this news isn’t exactly new. It’s been almost a year in the planning. But I’m finally able to spill the beans and share it with you all! My cookbook is being published by Artscroll Publications and is set for release in May 2018. It’s going to KNOCK YOUR FREAKIN SOCKS OFF!

It’s no surprise that I’m avid cookbook collector, and something I see a lot in kosher cookbooks is the same traditional recipes made over and over again, with slight tweaks and changes. I can’t give away my cookbook theme quite yet, but let me just say, there’s going to be something for everyone. The cookbook will have fresh, new recipes that you haven’t seen before, and there’s going to be a mix of healthy recipes, indulgent recipes, everyday recipes, holiday recipes, quick and easy recipes, and slightly more gourmet recipes. The book will have some of your favorite recipes from the blog (about 20%), but mostly brand new recipes that you’ve never seen before (80%!). I’ve been testing and retesting recipes for months, and as I near the end of the testing stage, I’m going to move on to recipe writing and photography. I’m both nervous and excited for this huge undertaking, but mostly I’m anxious to share it all with you!

I’m going to do my best to keep things exciting here on the BIB blog, but if I don’t post as much as usual, just know that it’ll all be worth it in the end. I’ll keep you posted with more details as they become available!


Zucchini Basil Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 large zucchini, roughly chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
salt & pepper, to taste
handful of fresh basil
fresh basil or arugula, pine nuts and sundried tomatoes, for garnish

Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, saute until translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the zucchini, stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the zucchini is tender. Add the basil and puree with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. You can adjust the consistency by adding water, if needed. Serve and garnish with greens, pine nuts and sundried tomatoes.

Related Recipes:

spinach white bean minestrone with zoodles
roasted tomato soup
roasted butternut squash soup

Post a Comment

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, 5 Ways

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.

Related Recipes:

bunless fajita dogs
tortilla crusted chicken fingers
grilled chicken shawarma salad
grilled chicken salad with jalapeno honey mustard dressing

Post a Comment

Curried Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup
with Cilantro Matzo Balls

It’s that time of year again. The season is (finally) changing, the leaves are starting to color, and Pumpkin Spice Latte is back on the Starbuck’s menu. It’s when all the blogs start to dish out their sweet pumpkin creations and I betchya thought I was one of them.

Pumpkin is alright. I even made my usual mini pumpkin pies for Rosh Hashanah last week. What I didn’t make was tzimmes. Lets just say that that cloyingly sweet dish of honey-sweetened carrots and sweet potatoes (sometimes with added prunes) is not one of my favorites. My mom always makes a big pot (tradition!) with the addition of marrow bones and flanken, but somehow it always manages to make it’s rounds around the table, barely making a dent in the heaping pile of sweetness. That’s just it – the stuff is just. too. sweet. And the more I discuss holiday menu’s with people, the more I hear that tzimmes is on the out (I guess my tzimmes roast is going to get buried real deep in the archives!)

Most people keep tzimmes on their menus because it’s traditional to eat carrots over the holidays. Besides for the obvious symbolism for a sweet New Year, the Yiddish word for carrots is meren, to multiply, which is a blessing we hope for in the coming year. Not being a big fan of tzimmes, I try to incorporate my carrots elsewhere, such as in a raw slaw, or roasting them with some maple and harissa.

It occurred to me that with Yom Kippur upon us, and Sukkot not too far away, a savory play on tzimmes ingredients might we a welcome change. I decided to do that in the form of a soup, and to incorporate some of my favorite Thai flavors – curry (for some heat), honey (for some sweet) and coconut milk (for some creaminess). To make it festive and holiday worthy, I added cilantro matzo balls to round out the flavors and keep things exciting!

Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of cilantro but I am coming around. I used to find it completely intolerable but I am slowly sneaking in small amounts and it’s growing on me. Honey + curry though are one of my favorite combinations and I use it in curries, chicken recipes, fish dishes, roasted chickpeas and even popcorn. There’s something about the sweet and spicy that I absolutely love.

I can’t tell you how many posts I’ve seen on Facebook recently lamenting the lack of savory recipes in kosher cookbooks. Every roast is smothered in a sweet concoction, chicken is doused in apricot jam and don’t even get me started on the ridiculous amount of sugar in salad dressings. I mean, I get it. I grew up that way too. But the only way out of the sugar coma is to slowly reduce the amount of sweetness you add to recipes and to introduce more savory (and if you’re open to it, spicy) food. It’s all about conditioning your palette. If you go back to the old recipes on my blog, you can see for yourself how I’ve slowly transitioned to more savory foods. Now, when I taste a salad that’s been doused in sweet dressing, I can’t even swallow it.

There’s a place in food for all that sugar – it’s called dessert, and that’s why we all love it so much! And finishing a meal off with something sweet is precisely why you should start it with something savory. So, now that Rosh Hashanah is behind us, and we don’t *have* to douse everything in apples and honey, lets welcome the New Year with a newer savory approach to food. This curried carrot and sweet potato soup is a great place to start because it’s both sweet and savory with a nice amount of heat from the ginger and curry.

Wishing you a sweet New Year as sweet as honey and as spicy as curry. Shanah Tova Umetuka!

Curried Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
4 large carrots (about 2 lbs), peeled and roughly chopped
3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and roughly chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 14oz. can coconut milk
2-3 tbsp honey, or, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
cilantro, for garnish

Method:

In a soup pot, saute the onion in coconut oil until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until softened. Add the curry powder and continue to saute until fragrant. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender and add the coconut milk and honey. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. If desired, you may adjust the consistency by adding more coconut milk, stock or water.

Cilantro Matzo Balls

1 packet Lipton matzo ball mix
2 eggs
1 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

While the soup is cooking, prepare the matzo balls. Mix 2 eggs with 1 tbsp of oil and cilantro in a bowl. Add the matzo ball mix and stir with a fork until evenly combined. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. With wet hands, form matzo ball batter into small balls and place in the water. Simmer for 15 minutes.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with coconut milk and cilantro. Add matzo balls.

NOTE: If you’d like a deeper cilantro flavor, you may increase to 1/4 cup or more. If you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley instead.

YIELD: approximately 8 cups.



This post was sponsored by Lipton Kosher. All opinions are my own. 

Related Recipes:

peanut chicken curry
curry chicken salad
coconut crusted fish with curry aioli
curried rice salad
butternut squash soup with shallots and apples

Post a Comment

Spinach Matzo Ball Minestrone Soup

I’ve been making the most incredible spinach matza balls since forever. It’s always been my little secret for taking traditional chicken soup from classic to over-the-top and with the holiday of Shavuot approaching, I wanted to put a festive spin on another classic recipe – minestrone.

I’m a huge fan of classic minestrone soup because I feel like it has something for everyone. And when you’ve got picky kids, you need a soup like that! It’s got potatoes for my daughter who won’t eat colored vegetables, pasta for my son who’s a pasta-holic, beans for my husband who loves protein-filled legumes, and plenty of basil and oregano for a pizza-style flavor that everyone loves!

I’m always switching up my minestrone soup to make it more fun – like that time I lightened things up by omitting the potatoes and added zoodles instead of pasta. I’ve also added shredded mozzarella and alphabet pasta along with the zoodles because I’m the best. mommy. ever. But this time, this time I’m going festive and sophisticated for the upcoming holiday with an Italian twist on the classic – chicken noodle matzo ball soup.

Nothing screams holiday more than matzo balls, and I have to admit, that while I’m normally a do-it-yourselfer, made-from-scratch kind of girl, I have a weakness for matzo ball mix. I don’t need any seltzer tricks and I don’t have to worry about sinkers vs. floaters because Lipton’s kosher matzo ball mix comes out fluffy every time! Now of course I have to give it the do-it-yourselfer-touch, so I add in the spinach because it’s so beautiful, so festive, and so irresistibly delicious!

Julienning the veggies adds another layer of finesse, and using a julienne peeler, one of my all-time-favorite kitchen utensils, makes it a cinch! With these simple changes, hearty minestrone is elevated to a sophisticated holiday-worthy creation that’s great for kids and adults alike. Just ask my daughter – she had three bowls for dinner (and she hates spinach!)!

It’s hard to believe that Shavuot is just 24 days away, and with Pesach Sheini this weekend, there’s no better way to celebrate than with a fun twist on a matza ball recipe.

But Passover IS in fact behind us, and with the holiday of cheesecakes and roses coming up soon, lets brush up on some favorites. Shall we?

Shavuot recipes abound here on BIB, so you can get your menu started by browsing through my Shavuot category or skim through the recipes in my index. It’s so hard to pick favorites (can you have a favorite child?!) but I can never get enough of harissa, feta & zaa’tar, I’m obsessed with this salad dressing (I make it all summer long!), these make the best gluten-free no-guilt appetizers, and this is the most elegant seasonal dessert you’ve ever seen. Oh, and lets not forget this insane recipe that went all-out viral when I made them back in 2013.

I think we’re off to a good start my friends. And I’ve got even more amazing things coming. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, happy matzo ballin’!

Spinach Matzo Ball Minestrone Soup

1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 large zucchini, julienned
3 heaping tbsp tomato paste
1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
8 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste
1 packet Lipton matzo ball mix
2 eggs
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup chopped spinach (squeeze thawed frozen spinach to measure 1/4 cup)
6 oz. fine egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

Method:

Saute onion, garlic and celery in olive oil until translucent. Add tomato paste and saute until aromatics are fragrant and evenly coated. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, stock, salt and pepper. Stir to combine the ingredients and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the matzo balls. Mix 2 eggs with 1 tbsp of oil in a bowl. Add the matzo ball mix and spinach and stir with a fork until evenly combined. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Add the julienned carrots and zucchini to the soup. With wet hands, form matzo ball batter into small balls and place in the soup. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with egg noodles.

VARIATION: I use this julienne peeler to easily create matchsticks. If you don’t have one, you may dice the carrot and zucchini and add to the pot after you saute the onion, garlic and celery. After several minutes, add the tomato paste and continue as above. Cook the soup until the vegetables are tender before adding the matza balls.

This post was sponsored by Lipton Kosher. All opinions are my own. 

Related Recipes:

roasted tomato soup with muenster breadsticks
spinach white bean minestrone with zoodles
classic minestrone soup
cabbage soup with matzo meatballs

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!

The Silver Platter Review & Giveaway

My first impression of The Silver Platter cookbook was how big and beautiful it is, almost a coffee table book. Having formerly trained in graphic design, I always look at the layout first. And the pictures. Both are stellar. Beautiful, bright and colorful photos accompany each meticulously-written recipe. And the food doesn’t just look good, it looks inviting, and not intimidating in the least. I love the partnership of Daniella and Norene in this book. Daniella is a young mom looking to feed her kids easy and healthy dinners, while Norene brings her culinary expertise, offering sage advice for each recipe.

I think my favorite part about The Silver Platter is that all of the recipes can be made with basic pantry ingredients. Daniella managed to bring a variety of dishes that are packed with flavor using basic ingredients and no added junk. Her recipes are healthy, wholesome and family-friendly without being boring. Many are gluten free and allergy-friendly too. A nutritional index for each recipe is even included in the appendix.

The Silver Platter features recipes that are both basic enough for every day and innovative enough for the holidays. From appetizers, soups and salads, to fish, poultry, meat and dairy, as well as grain side dishes, vegetable side dishes, cookies, treats and cakes, they’ve got everything covered! I can’t wait to try the baby eggplant fans (genius!), crunchy corned beef strips, berry plum soup, snap pea salad with basil-mint dressing, broiled lemon fish, three-seeded schnitzel, basil chicken with sundried tomatoes, raspberry london broil, cheesy quinoa bites, panko-topped bok choy and edamame, fudgy pretzel brownies, white chocolate popcorn clusters, blueberry flan and heavenly halva cheesecake!

In honor of Thanksgiving, I’m sharing some festive recipes for apple cranberry couscous and sweet potato squash soup below, AND, I’m also giving away a copy of The Silver Platter! To enter, simply leave a comment below about your favorite Thanksgiving dish. For an extra entry, follow Busy In Brooklyn via any of the channels below. Just be sure to leave a note in the comment letting me know where you follow.

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest

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 Tuesday, November 24th, 2015.

Apple Cranberry Couscous
Recipe from The Silver Platter by Daniella Silver with Norene Gilletz
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications
http://www.artscroll.com/silver

1 1/2 cups (about 1 8.8 oz pkg) Israeli Couscous (see Norenes notes below)
1/2 green apple, julienned (do not peel)
1/2 red apple, julienned (do not peel)
1 tbsp lemon juice (preferably fresh)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup candied almonds or pecans, optional
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey or pure maple syrup
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Cook couscous according to package directions. Fluff with a fork; let cool.
In a serving bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add couscous and cranberries.
Dressing: Combine ingredients for dressing in a glass jar; seal tightly, and shake well.
Add dressing to couscous mixture and mix well. Top with almonds, if using. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Norene’s Notes:
To make this dish gluten-free, use brown rice couscous, quinoa, kasha, or a rice blend; cook according to package directions.
Israeli couscous is actually toasted pasta and originated in Israel. It is also known as pearl couscous or maftoul.

Sweet Potato & Squash Soup
Recipe from The Silver Platter by Daniella Silver with Norene Gilletz
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications
http://www.artscroll.com/silver

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 3 lb/1.4 kg), peeled and cut into chunks (see Norene’s Notes below)
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 tbsp honey
2 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 cups water or vegetable broth
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
additional thyme leaves, for garnish

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, saute for 5 minutes, or until softened.
Stir in squash, sweet potatoes, honey, salt , pepper and water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.
Add thyme. Remove soup from heat. Cool slightly.
Using an immersion blender, process soup until smooth. If soup is too thick, add a little water or broth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with thyme.

Norenes Notes:
To cut squash into chunks easily, try this easy trick. Slash squash in several places with a sharp knife. Microwave for 5 minutes on high (or bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes) Cool slightly. Cut squash into two pieces at the neck. Cut the round bottom part in half. Using a large spoon, scoop out and discard seeds and stringy fiber. Peel squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut in chunks.

Post a Comment