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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Roasted Eggplant Parmesan with Feta

I always wondered about the name for the dish eggplant parmesan. Parmesan isn’t exactly the prominent ingredient, it’s not even called for in some recipes. Most eggplant parmesan recipes consist of breaded slices of eggplant that have been fried, smothered in tomato sauce and covered in melted cheese. Parmesan or not, it’s definitely one of my favorite dairy dishes, but having just finished the Chanukah fry-fest, I decided to come up with a healthier version.

Last year, I posted this recipe for roasted eggplants stuffed with Israeli salad, roasted chickpeas and techina. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy eggplants! I eat it pretty often though, so I decided to invent a new roasted eggplant dish. That’s how this Middle Eastern twist on eggplant parmesan came about. I broil the eggplants for delicious smokey flavor and stuff them with marinara, tomatoes, a little breadcrumbs and finish it off with light feta cheese. Although it tastes nothing like the original, it’s a delicious light and healthy lunch that’s a perfect start for the New Year!

Looking for more healthy recipes? Check out the Shine Supper Club. They’re sharing healthy recipes to get your New Year off to a fresh start!

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan with Feta

1 eggplant, sliced in half vertically
olive oil
salt
1/3 cup marinara sauce
1 plum tomato, sliced
flavored bread crumbs
parmesan cheese, optional
feta cheese
parsley, for garnish

Method:

Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and place flesh side down on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and broil on high for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and spread some marinara sauce over eggplants. Place tomato slices over sauce and sprinkle on some bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, if desired. Drizzle with olive oil and top with feta cheese crumbles. Bake at 400 degrees until bread crumbs are toasted and feta cheese has melted (it will still hold it’s form and will only melt slightly). Garnish with chopped parsley.

VARIATION: For a more traditional roasted eggplant parmesan, top the eggplants with marinara and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and browned.

1 year ago: green guacamole
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Spicy Roasted Edamame

I am so excited about this post. And not because of the recipe (even though it is incredibly delicious!). It’s because I finally cracked the code to the mystery of food photography. OK it’s not exactly a mystery, but it was to me. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you  may have noticed how my photography has been slowly evolving. First, I ordered this book. And then this ebook. Then I took a photography class. And then I listened intently to the talented food photographer Noah Fecks at the Kosher Food Blogger Conference. And finally, finally, I pulled out my tripod from the basement. As if 2 books and a class in photography didn’t stress it enough! I was just too lazy to set up a whole mini “studio” to photograph my dishes. But slowly I’ve been pulling out little things here and there (like my son’s old portacrib mattress that serves as my lightboard!) to form my little space in the corner of my kids playroom. Here’s a peak at my “studio”!

So, now for the food! I absolutely love those spicy wasabi roasted peas that they sell with the nuts in all the drug stores. You know what I’m talking about right? Well I wanted to recreate them at home, so I started playing around with some recipes. And here’s what I learned: wasabi loses it’s potency when heated. That’s right. Once you put wasabi-anything in the oven, it loses it’s flavor and it’s like you added nothing! So, to get that spicy kick, I added Asian hot sauce (sriracha) and sprinkled on wasabi powder once the edamame were browned and toasty. The resulting healthy snack is incredibly addicting. I like the medium spice level but you can adjust the sriracha to make it more or less hot. Roasted edamame beans are best eaten fresh, straight out of the oven!

For more Chinese recipes, check out the kosher connection link-up below!

Spicy Roasted Edamame

1 bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 tbsp wasabi powder, for sprinkling

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine the edamame, oil, soy sauce and sriracha. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Remove roasted wasabi beans from the oven and sprinkle with wasabi powder. Eat immediately.

1 year ago: crunchy shriveled green beans
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Remembering Zaidy

While my blog is mostly about food, it’s also so much more than that. My recipes and crafts are an expression of who I am. I could not imagine letting this week go by without sharing with you someone who has had a huge impact on my life and is so near and dear to my heart.

This past Saturday night, on the eighth night of Chanuka, the world lost a special soul. My Zaidy, Rabbi Peretz Hecht, passed away. Zaidy was a 3rd generation American, a real Yankee. Growing up in Williamsburg, he had a serious Brooklyn accent, and commonly used genuine New York slang. He was affectionately called “Daddy” by his children. My grandfather was an extremely hardworking man, but he always found the time to learn Torah. From when I was very young, I remember his dining room table covered in holy books. When Zaidy would learn, he never did so superficially. Each and every sentence was analyzed and questioned. I would watch him sitting with my cousins passionately arguing over every single word in the Gemara. “You gotta fight with the Tosfos!”, he’d say excitedly.

In the late 1960’s, Zaidy opened a printing business, working tirelessly to support his family. When the digital era evolved, his dated printing services were no longer needed, and he went out of business. He returned to his passion for Torah, tutoring Yeshiva boys one on one. Over the years, I’ve met countless bochurim who were lucky enough to learn with my Zaidy. His love, care and understanding touched each and every person he encountered.

My Zaidy was so full of life. He loved to live, and enjoy the good things. Bubby would always try and coax him to eat something healthy, but even in his old age, he would always have his eye on the candy (halva was his favorite!). He had a real passion for music. I’ll never forget when I returned from seminary, my family was in the middle of moving, so I spent the summer months in my grandparents’ home. Each Shabbos, Zaidy and I would sing his favorite tunes. He would sing with all his heart and soul, the melodies rising straight to the heavens. I will forever cherish those moments we shared together.

I never met anyone who could give a bracha like my grandfather. Whenever I went to visit, Zaidy would give me a lengthy blessing. He always got terribly emotional, his voice rising at the end, pleading “Tate zeeseh in himmel, we need Moshiach, let him come already!”

While Zaidy was serious about his learning, he also had the most amazing sense of humor. Whenever he’d get up to speak at family gatherings, he would have everyone laughing until they cried. And then, he would cry. And cry. He just had a way with people, especially young children. They were drawn to his gentle spirit and his smile that could light up a room.

Zaidy was a no-nonsense kind of person. He knew what he meant and he meant what he said. His sincerity was felt by all who knew him. But with all his qualities, humility was Zaidy’s biggest virtue. As a young girl, I remember thinking that my Zaidy was one of the Lamed Vav Tzadikim Nistarim. I was so in awe of his bittul and love for Torah. Over the past few years, Zaidy suffered through a terrible illness that ultimately claimed his life. It is a comfort to know that he is no longer suffering. I have no doubt that his neshama is making it’s journey to the highest realms of Gan Eden.

There is no one like you Zaidy, you will truly be missed! Your legacy lives on in your children and grandchildren. I hope we continue to make you proud!

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Kosher by Design Cooking Coach Review & Giveaway!

When it comes to kosher cookbooks, Susie Fishbein is in a league all her own. Her talent and professionalism shine through in each new edition of Kosher by Design, especially her latest, Cooking Coach. Like all of the cookbooks in the Kosher by Design series, Susie carries through on her theme in an immaculate way. In Kosher by Design Cooking Coach, Fishbein shares recipes, tips and techniques to make anyone a better cook. Each section is prefaced by a Game Plan in which Susie teaches the fundamental principles of cooking. She shares techniques, advice and amazing tips to help guide you in the kitchen. From kitchen equipment and essentials, to an in-depth guide to preparing fish, poultry and meat – there’s something to learn for everyone. As a blogger who is familiar with a lot of cooking techniques, there was still so much for me to take away from this book.

Besides for the delectable recipes and beautiful pictures, something else I loved about KBD Cooking Coach is the Playbook. In it, Susie gives you ideas for revamping leftovers of some of her dishes. Or as she likes to call it, reincarnating food. Each recipe and idea in the playbook is as good as it’s original. My only issue with this section (and with the whole book, really) is that I wish the reincarnated recipes were printed beneath their originals, instead of in their own section. It makes it a tad bit confusing.

Not surprisingly, Fishbein does not dissapoint with the well-composed recipes in this book. Some of the dishes I look forward to trying include tomato tarte tatin, Jerusalem artichoke soup, strawberry-goat cheese salad, blueberry and fig glazed duck breasts, cornish hen in port & chocolate sauce, pretzel-crusted lamb chops, fall harvest silver tip roast, sole with peach-basil reduction, butternut squash broken lasagna, silan-roasted sweet potatoes & leeks, gooey walnut brownie pie, and almond thumbprint cookies.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of KBD Cooking Coach at Pomegranate Supermarket back in October. Susie conducted a cooking demo in which she prepared the following turkey taco eggrolls. She also shared her great ideas for reincarnating extra turkey filling into stuffed portobello mushroom caps or into marinara sauce for pasta. We were all served a sample of each dish and they were so incredibly delicious, I knew I had to share them with you!

In the spirit of Chanukah, Busy In Brooklyn is giving away a copy of Kosher by Design Cooking Coach! To enter the giveaway, help your favorite blog win the FriendsEat 2012 Best Food Blogger contest by voting. Simply visit the BIB page on FriendsEat, login with your facebook account and click the “love” button. Then, leave a comment below letting me know you’ve voted. For a bonus entry, ask your friends to vote too by posting it on your facebook status. Winner will be chosen at random at 9:00 AM Tuesday, December 18th.

Helene’s Turkey Taco Eggrolls
reprinted with permission from Kosher by Design Cooking Coach, Artscroll Publications
yields 16 eggrolls

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound dark meat ground turkey
1 (1.25-ounce) packet Ortega taco seasoning mix
3⁄4 cup water
5 ounces (½ of a 10-ounce box) frozen spinach, completely defrosted
1 (1-pound) package eggroll wrappers; I like Nasoya brand
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
canola oil, for frying
bottled taco sauce or hot sauce for dipping

1. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large (12-14-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, breaking up the chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes until no longer pink and just starting to brown. Add the taco seasoning packet and the water. Bring to a simmer.
2. Squeeze all the liquid out of the 5 ounces of spinach. Add spinach to the pan and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir to distribute the spinach. Cook until all liquid is cooked out. Remove from heat. Cool completely or the eggrolls will be soggy.
3. Arrange an eggroll wrapper on your cutting board facing you like a diamond. Brush the eggwash along the edges of the wrapper. Place 2 tablespoons of filling horizontally in the middle of the eggroll, form into a 4-inch log. Fold the bottom corner over the filling toward the top corner. Fold the two sides in toward the center. It should now look like an envelope. Roll firmly toward the top corner, making a roll 4 inches wide. Be careful not to tear wrapper, and seal the final edge with a brushing of the egg wash. Set aside, seam-side-down. Continue with remaining filling and wrappers.
4. In a deep fryer or in a medium pot, heat canola oil to 355°F. If using a pot, oil should to be deep enough to keep eggrolls from touching bottom of pan, at least 3 inches of oil. Fry eggrolls in batches, about 2-3 minutes until golden brown, turning occasionally; don’t crowd the pot. Drain on paper towels. Serve with taco sauce.

Playbook Recipes:

Make a double batch of the filling. It freezes beautifully up to a month. When you are ready to use, defrost it and mix with 1/4 cup jarred marinara sauce to make stuffed portobello mushroom caps. Bake at 350 degrees until the mushrooms are soft and the filling is warmed, about 20 minutes. You can also add an additional 1/2 cup marinara and serve over freshly cooked pasta.

1 year ago: sea bass en papillote
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