Tag: shalach manos

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!


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

Post a Comment



Salami Chips with Dijon Dipping Sauce

Funny story. When I was growing up, my mother used to prepare salami sandwiches for my siblings and I every Friday afternoon. She would pack up our sandwiches, and we’d take them to the courtyard of our building to eat lunch. Little did she know, each week we’d head straight for our building’s incinerator and throw our sandwiches down the chute.

I tried to eat those sandwiches, I really did. But those hard white pieces in the salami just made me gag. Fast forward quite a number of years and I’m a married woman. I’m in the supermarket with my husband and he wants to buy, you guessed it, salami. I explain to him that in no uncertain terms am I going to put that stuff into my mouth. But he promises me that his preparation is so delicious, even I will eat it.

So we head home, and true to his word, my husband whips up sauteed salami that is not only swallowable, it’s pretty good. I mean, I’m not about to go crazy over it, it’s still salami, but I can see where some might enjoy it.

Now fast forward quite a few more years, and that same sweet husband who whipped me up a dinner of sauteed salami, bought me some amazing food magazines for Shabbos (I’ll take that over flowers any day!). Among them is the Real Simple magazine and it has a recipe for salami chips. Sounds intriguing. So I whip up a batch according to the magazine’s directions and they come out disgusting. Absolutely, horrendous. I play around with the cooking time and the oven temperature, and finally, after countless batches, I get it right!

Interestingly enough, I have read that salami is often eaten on Purim to commemorate the hanging of Haman (salami is also hung). Salami chips would make for a unique and tasty shalach manos, or, you can serve them up as an appetizer at your Purim seudah.

 

1 year ago: chocolate dipped pretzel rods

Post a Comment

Shalach Manos Ideas

I thought I’d post some shalach manos ideas that I’ve done in the past, in case you’re scrambling for ideas at the last minute. I usually like to give out something creative, or at least tasty. I feel like we get so overloaded with cellophane wrapped “junk” that giving just another bag of it will just add to the pile. Instead, try to come up with a dish that can be served at the meal, or incorporate servingware or a gadget that will be useful in the future. Your shalach manos will stand out, be remembered, and appreciated.

I do realize that this is not for everyone. At the end of the day, mishloach manos is a mitzvah that does not have to be elaborate or cute. It has gotten so out of hand in some neighborhoods. Everywhere you turn – every store, school, organization – is selling baskets for you to give out. Personally, I enjoy coming up with creative ideas and putting them together. But I don’t do it every year. If you are feeling overwhelmed, I definitely recommend giving a donation to an organization that is close to your heart, and sending out Purim cards (from the organization, or personal) letting people know that you’ve opted to send a donation in lieu of shalach manos. I did that last year (you can see the card in this post).

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

For Teens:

@”Mini Me” – A diet basket for the teenager – mini carrots, mini apples, mini rice cakes, mini orange juice.
@”Lets go to the Stadium” – Popcorn, soft pretzel, can of soda, packets of mustard.
@”Breakfast on the Go” – Danish/donut and small chocolate milk or iced coffee.
@”A Girls best Friend” – Jewelry holder with hanging candy watch, ringpop, winky (or homemade cheerio) necklace etc.

Just Married:

@”Lechaim” – Martini glass with olives and a mini vodka.
@”Bakerman” – Small basket filled with a mini rolling pin, mini jelly, a hamantasch, and a recipe for hamantaschen.
@”An Apple a Day” – Candy apples in an assortment of toppings. Cover styrofoam in faux grass and stick a few candy apples in.
@”In the Kitch” – oven glove with something homemade and a mini alcohol.

For Anyone:

@”Chocolate Lovers Dream” – Mini Boston Cream Pies with chocolate dipped strawberrys and a few red torino chocolates.
@“Shushan Shushi” – Sushi salad prepared on a plate with a side of chopsticks, ginger, soy sauce and wasabi.
@“Sweet & Salty” – Chocolate dipped pretzel rods with assorted toppings.
@”Crazy for Chocolate” – Mini chocolate bundt cake with mini chocolate liquor in the center.
@”Mexican Fiesta” – 7 layer dip with a bag of tortilla chips.

For Teachers, Therapists (or anyone you need to incorporate a nice gift into the shalach manos):

@Cheese plate and spreader with crackers, cheese, jelly or chocolate spread.
@Vase filled with rock candy and real or faux flowers.
@Pie tray or pie server with homemade or store-bought pie.
@Pitcher with lemon, lemon tea and tea biscuits.
@On the go insulated coffee cup with coffee, coffee candy and mini starbucks liquor.
@Set of boxed shot glasses. Fill each glass with different candy or chocolate and wrap in gift wrap.
@Bottle of wine with a nice wine stopper. Pair with chocolate.
@Theme cookbook with a matching gadget – for ex. book on ice cream with ice cream scoop, or book on cookies with a cookie cutter.

I hope you enjoyed these shalach manos ideas! If you need a second bracha, you can always give wine, a mini alcohol, chocolates or a clear box with hamantaschen.

Post a Comment

Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods


I figured since we just passed Purim Katan, and shalach manos giving is right around the corner, I should share some shalach manos ideas. Two years ago, I made these yummy chocolate dipped pretzel sticks. A week or two before Purim, I started shopping for the ingredients. It’s lucky I did that, because for some reason, every single store was out of pretzel rods. I must have gone to every kosher supermarket in all the five boroughs until I found them. I bought so many bags that we were eating pretzel rods (sans coating) for the next couple of months!

To create these crunchy confections, I would recommend that you prepare a large working surface. This is a messy job! Make stations for the different coatings and cut sheets of wax paper to lay the pretzels. Make sure not to touch them until the chocolate has fully set. When you are done, you can mix up all the broken pretzels pieces with the leftover chocolate, sprinkles, nuts and nonpareils. Spread on a sheet of wax paper for an instant pretzel bark. That was the best part!

Pretzels Pairings:
White chocolate with black sprinkles
White chocolate with nuts
White chocolate with nonpareils
Dark chocolate with colored sprinkles
Dark chocolate with nuts

Other optional toppings:

Toasted coconut
Peanut/Pistachio/Hazelnut brittle from Bakers Choice
Chocolate lentils
Colored sugar
Crushed peppermint candy
Chopped Viennese crunch

Pretzels Pairings:
White chocolate with black sprinkles
White chocolate with nuts
White chocolate with nonpareils
Dark chocolate with colored sprinkles
Dark chocolate with nuts

Other optional toppings:

Toasted coconut
Peanut/Pistachio/Hazelnut brittle from Bakers Choice
Chocolate lentils
Colored sugar
Crushed peppermint candy
Chopped Viennese crunch

Post a Comment

Sushi Salad

This is one of those recipes that is super easy, delicious, and gets finished to the last drop every time I make it. I serve it often for Shabbos lunch and my guests absolutely love it. You can prepare the rice before Shabbos, put it in a Ziploc bag, and take it out two hours before plating.

I really dislike the taste of mock-crab. I find it spongy. If you like it, definitely go ahead and add it to the salad. You can also flake some cooked salmon on top. If you’re brave, and go for raw fish, go ahead and add that. Lox is also a good idea. I once chopped up some baked fish sticks and sprinkled it on top for an added crunch (think tempura crumbs on sushi). Or, serve alongside fried flounder.

Check out my other version of sushi salad here.

Believe it or not, a couple of years ago, I actually made these for Shalach Manos. I prepared everything ahead of time. Something like 10 cups of sushi rice. Bags and bags of diced cucumbers. And of course, the heaven-sent store-bought shredded carrots. I didn’t use avocado because of the browning. I bought these great black square plates (and some other asian-inspired ones) and started plating. It took hours. Maybe if I wasn’t such a perfectionist, things would have went a bit faster. It was crazy. I would never do it again. I sent chopsticks and my wasabi-soy dressing. I printed out the recipe and called it “SHUSHAN SHUSHI SALAD” (now try saying that five times in a row!). The end product was so cute and a great mishloach manos, but unless you only plan on making a few, I wouldn’t recommend it!

Post a Comment