Quick & Kosher Cooking

In our world, I have inaugurated December as Comfort Food Month. The cold weather and my cravings have dictated this official announcement but you know I can’t do anything without a twist, not even comfort food.

The more I thought about standard comfort foods — apple pie, mac & cheese, tuna casserole, Chinese takeout – the louder my mental calorie alert sounded! Code red! Too much comfort food cannot be a good thing! So throughout December, I’m going to be giving you both traditional takes and lighter versions of those recipes, so you can indulge in authentic comfort foods just the way they were meant to be enjoyed and also have the option to enjoy the same classic tastes without the same classic calories. All the recipes will be Quick & Kosher and absolutely delicious, of course, but you’ll also have no-guilt options to grace your table, not your hips. Although guilt really has no place in my kitchen and shouldn’t in yours either.

It’s funny how some people think of classic comfort foods as something you have to wolf down in the dark, shades lowered, in your sweats or PJs after an especially stressful day. Not true. You won’t have to eat these in your robe and bunny slippers. We’re going to really celebrate comfort foods and make them dining room table ready. They’re so luscious you’ll want to serve some of them on Shabbos!

First up: Mexican Brisket – the brisket recipe from my new cookbook Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes.

My Mexican Brisket takes 5 minutes to prep and a total of 1 hour and 25 minutes to make; it’s the perfect main for your Shabbos table!

The fabulous mix of spices is what makes this brisket “Mexican.” I use a mix of cumin, coriander and ancho chili powder. It’s the ancho chili powder that gives this recipe its Mexican feel. It’s a nice mild-to-moderately hot chile powder. Purchase pure powder, without additives or preservatives, for best flavor. Use it in everything — sauces, soups, stews, and of course, chili.

After 1 hour and 20 minutes, your brisket will be tender and tasty and it will slice easily (like for a sandwich). Cook it for another 2 hours, as some people prefer, and the meat will break apart easily, just melting in your mouth. There are no rules with this one. I leave you free to experiment and interpret. It’s up to you.

Other delicious brisket recipes include: Brisket in Wine Sauce, Braised Brisket and Roots, and Oven Barbecued Brisket.

Shabbos sides are typically loaded with fat and calories, which is what makes them so yummy, of course.  And we indulge, trying to forget about the guilt this one day of the week.  I’ve even heard people rationalize that since our tradition teaches that every Jew is given a second soul (neshamah yeserah) on Shabbos – presumably to absorb the holiness of the day – it’s ok eat double portions.  After all, we’re eating for two!  Some go so far as to say that the second soul even takes the extra weight away with it as it departs this world.

Somehow, my bathroom scale doesn’t agree.  So the ideal Shabbos side, as far as I’m concerned, is something sweet and luscious, very special for Shabbos, but not loaded with sugar or couched in a pie shell or puff pastry.  Folks, I now present you with the recipe that meets all my criteria and more!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Maple Glaze

This recipe is also a great Thanksgiving side dish, because sooner or later people begin to notice how much they’re consuming and they start feeling edgy about it.  With a clear conscience, you can assure them that this side is actually healthy.  Chances are, they will give sincere thanks for that, then dive blissfully into a gooey dessert.

So what makes this side “good for you”?  For one thing, sweet potatoes are full of vitamins and antioxidants.  In this recipe, we toss them with sweet maple syrup and nutty pecans, a sure crowd-pleaser.  Worried about the maple syrup?  I have it on good authority that it is an excellent source of manganese and a good source of zinc.  Many people use maple syrup as a healthy substitute for sugar.

(Remember that unopened containers of maple syrup can be stored in a cool dry place; they should be kept in the refrigerator once they are opened.)

Pecans are the only native American tree nuts, which is why it graces many Thanksgiving tables.  (Learn something new every day, folks.)  Like most nuts, pecans have many health benefits: they are a natural antioxidant, have cholesterol-lowering qualities, and are an excellent source of protein.

But I like ‘em because they taste good and go especially well with sweet potatoes – which is why I put them together in this recipe.

Listen up here fold, this sweet side is not just good for you – it’s downright good!

Beautiful autumn days are great for hiking, apple picking, visits to the pumpkin patch, and drives in heavily wooded areas to appreciate the magnificent colors of the fall foliage.  It’s the ideal time for a picnic lunch – so do it right!

Here are my 8 Tips for a Fabulous Fall Picnic!

Tip #1 – Use this Handy Checklist

Make sure you pack the essentials:

• blanket (or disposable tablecloth if there will be a table)
• water & paper towels for washing, if you’re serving bread
• napkins
• (paper/plastic) plates & bowls
• (plastic) cutlery
• serving utensils
• cups (including hot cups)
• wine glasses (Why not – especially if you’ve left the kids at home!)
• corkscrew or bottle opener
• paring knife
• cutting board
• condiments
• damp wipes or cloths for washing up
• garbage bags
• benchers

Tip #2 – When in Doubt, Throw it Out

Practice the same food hygiene with a fall picnic as you would with a summer picnic.  Throw away any perishable food that’s been out of the cooler for more than an hour.

Tip # 3 – Make it Warm & Cozy

Don’t shy away from warm soups and beverages.  Since the weather may be chilly, there are a lot of great hot food options to make a fabulous fall picnic.  Fill a thermos with my delicious Butternut Squash Soup for a great first course.  Bring another thermos with either a mulled apple cider or hot chocolate (parve, if serving meat).  Don’t forget some marshmallows to top off the hot chocolate for a treat the kids will love!

Tip #4 – It’s a Wrap

When it comes to main courses, sandwiches and wraps are perfect as they’re hearty and easy to hold.  We even created the perfect sandwich for a fall picnic!  Try this Roast Beef Sandwich with Apples, Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Mayo.

Tip #5 – If You Need to Make it Kid-Friendly

Let’s face it, what you like to eat might not be what your children would want.  That horseradish mayo on the roast beef sandwich could be a bit sharp for their tender palates, so you can use regular or light mayo.  And you can always go with tried and true favorites while making use of your Shabbos leftovers: the kids will love tuna fish and potato chip on challah bread sandwiches; or schnitzel with lettuce and tomato on a challah roll; or Southern Style Baked Chicken drumsticks.  If you think your kids won’t appreciate warm apple cider, bring some juice packs instead.

Tip # 6 – Say Cheese

If you want to stick to dairy, there are some delectable kosher cheeses that will pair beautifully with your wine.  Of course, if you’ve brought the kids along, chuck this idea and go back to tip #5.

Tip #7 – Don’t Shlep

Portability is key, so make sure you select great side dishes that fit nicely in individual containers.  Cold pasta salads and grilled antipasti are great sides paired with wraps and sandwiches.  Try my new Quick & Kosher White Bean Salad [it goes great with that roast beef sandwich!]  And how about Green Bean and Pasta Salad, Warm Pepper and Craisin Salad, Arugula and Pear Salad, Zucchini, Fennel and White Bean Pasta Salad, and Beet Salad?

Tip #8 – Don’t Mess Around with Fancy Desserts

Leave the chocolate mousse, trifle, and glazed cakes at home.  Keep the mess to a minimum and opt for dessert treats like cookies, bars, and blondies.  Try these recipes for Chocolate Chip Cookies, Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Caramel Brownies, or Date and Fig Bars, which are fab picnic desserts.  Seasonal fruits like apples and pears are also great for dessert.  Skewer them to make fabulously fun fruit kabobs!

Contributed by: Quick & Kosher, JAMIE GELLER

Prep: 10 min
Total: 40 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings (16 latkes)

Ingredients:

3 baking potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
4 ounces frozen peas, defrosted
1/4 cup matzoh meal
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix potato, onion, peas, matzoh meal, eggs, curry powder and salt.
3. Spray cooking spray into a nonstick sauté pan. Shape 1/4 cup of batter into latkes and brown on each side.
4. Remove to a sprayed baking sheet and finish cooking in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes.
5. Serve with sour cream and chutney.

Tips

Watch Jamie’s Samosa Latke Cooking Video

Today’s star veggies will take us back to the roots of good nutrition.  “Root vegetables” are simply the roots of plants that grow into the ground from the base of the plant stem.  They include potato, sunchoke, yam, beet, carrot, cassava, jicama (also called Mexican turnip, a cousin of the sweet potato), parsnip, radish, rutabaga, turnip, sweet potato, yucca, celeriac, water chestnuts, ginger, garlic, onion, and shallot.

Funny thing about these humble-looking vegetables: historically they were not considered appetizing enough for noble folk.  Only the poor, who would literally dig them out of the ground after other plants were harvested, would eat them.  Like most other things previously considered lower class – like sunshine, exercise, drinking plain water, and eating whole grain bread – we’ve come full circle to view them as the ingredients of a healthy lifestyle!

Were those peasants happy?  Dunno, but at least they were hardier and stronger than the nobleman in his castle, gorging away on his fatty meats, rich pastries and delicacies.

We now know that root vegetables are powerhouses of vitamins, phytonutrients (the more intense a vegetable’s color is, the more phytonutrients) vitamin C, and complex carbohydrates.  Best of all, they have no fat and are low in calories – now we’re talkin’!

Last week, I shared with you my Butternut Squash and Arugula Pizza with Salad recipe and Apple and Cardamom Tart recipe.  And now, in honor of our back-to- the-roots theme, I present to you PARSNIP, CELERY ROOT AND CARROT SOUP.  It’s a warm, creamy, comforting fall soup – the kind your family will love when they come in from the cold, blustery weather.

And try these great recipes: Red Wine Braised Roots, Cider-Glazed root vegetables with cinnamon walnuts, Braised brisket and roots, Mashed roots with buttermilk and chives, Quick Roast Chicken with root vegetables.

Other great parsnip, carrot and celery root recipes include: North Africa Spiced Carrots, Carrot Cupcakes, Carrot Puree with Hazelnut Tapenade, Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips, Celery Root, Roasted Mashed Potatoes.

Like many of you, dear readers, we took our family apple picking on Chol Hamoed Sukkos.  In fact, I’ve become quite the authority on family-friendly orchards in Rockland county.  We went to a special one called The Orchards of Concklin that also had a great number of blow up bouncy toys perfect for my kids’ ages.  Last year’s orchard experience was a bit different – no apple connoisseurs mingling with the natives at this farm.

But like last year, I find myself with a few too many apples.  So the question is how many apple recipes can one family eat?  Last year, I posted my recipe for yummy candy apples.  You can’t go wrong with that.  I plan to make them tonight with the kids when they get home from school.  It really makes you feel like Mom of the Year when you do something like that with the kiddies.  Maybe, like me, you happen to have a ton of apples on hand.

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, imagine what a 20-pound bag can do!   In fact, half of the US apple crop is turned into apple products such as applesauce and apple juice – and the other half is in my kitchen, waiting to be turned into candy apples, tarts, pies, and kugels.

So I’m kicking off our Quick & Kosher Cooking for Autumn series with the new, exclusive Quick & Kosher Kosher.com Apple and Cardamom Tart recipe.

Jamie Geller's Apple and Cardamom Tart

Now I know I’m making a big fuss over this, but that’s because I’m really proud that on our Kosher.com blog we will be developing exclusive Quick & Kosher recipes. You cannot find these recipes in either of my books; these new recipes have been created especially for YOU!

Before you try the Apple and Cardamom Tart recipe, I’d like to say a few words about this exotic spice.  Cardamom is derived from the seedpods of a bush native to tropical Asian regions, which is why it’s favored in many Indian, as well as Middle Eastern, dishes, especially curries and pilafs.  Tip: If you can’t get cardamom, use a blend of nutmeg and cinnamon, or cloves and cinnamon.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!  And please, pass the word along: tell your friends, family, the lady at the bus stop, your mailman, your manicurist, your kids’ teachers – to read our blog, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch our cooking videos on YouTube, so you all can be among the first to test and taste these select Quick & Kosher recipes.

As promised in the previous post, Adopting a Healthy Kosher Lifestyle, we’re launching this new category with a delicious – yet delicate – dessert recipe. No, really, it is still possible to have great desserts even when you are committed to a healthier lifestyle (at least that’s what I am told). I am not a nutritionist; I don’t even play one on TV and I’m not going to profess to have all the answers. But I do know a tantalizing, lite dessert when I see one. I can assure you that these Orange Ginger Poached Pears satisfy a sweet tooth.

This recipe is perfect since pears are in season.  Try swapping coconut milk ice cream for the soy ice cream – or you can forget the “ice cream”, if you wish (why you would do that, I’ll never understand, but to each their own).

The pears are simmered in a broth of orange juice, water, sugar (not too much), salt (a pinch) and ginger.  Ginger is aromatic, pungent and spicy - great in Asian stir fries and fruit and veggie dishes. Cook with ginger, and everyone will think you’re a gourmet (love shortcuts to success).  Fresh ginger root is available year round, just to make your life a bit easier.  After all isn’t that what we are all going for here?

A few nights ago, I dreamt I was eating a cupcake (my favorite, fluffy, fresh baked, vanilla cake, vanilla glaze, rainbow sprinkled Zomick’s cupcake) and Shira, my friend and content manager of this blog, actually dreamt she was a cinnamon bun (we didn’t dream this up on the same night in case you were wondering). Let’s leave Freud out of this.  The point is that no matter what we eat, our subconscious will indulge anyway. So let’s save the calories for our dreams and make something lite this Shabbos!

QUICK & KOSHER PEAR FACTS AND RECIPES

The pear is said to be related to the apple. The apple denies it. They both have several seeds in the core, but unlike the apple, the pear’s skin is paper-thin. Kind of like the thin-skinned relatives you want to avoid.

The Chinese pear is known to have the most medicinal value, or else it just has the best PR. Other varieties are also healthful, but don’t talk about it as much.

We usually think pears are bell-shaped, but some varieties are shaped like a rounded apple. They are not trying to confuse you; they just come that way.

P.S. A pear a day will keep the doctor away! No really – with vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E, folic acid and niacin – that’s good news!

Looking for more great pear recipes? Try these!  Baby Greens, Pear, Walnut and Blue CheeseSalad, Chicken Thighs with Pear and Leek Sauce, Arugula and Pear Salad, Pear and Blue Cheese Flatbread, and Cranberry Pear Chutney.

Last week, we delighted in a sweet Apple and Cardamom Tart. Today let’s enjoy a savory Butternut Squash and Arugula Pizza with Salad.

Yes, yes — I know — the post is called Winter Squash, and that’s because butternut squash is winter squash. In fact, it’s the sweetest winter squash, even though the name suggests a totally different tang. That’s just like the whole squash family – always out to confuse you with devious names. Take zucchini, for example, a squash that doesn’t even fess up to its family name. Then again, if my last name were Squash, I probably wouldn’t admit it either.

Don’t be fooled by that frosty name “winter squash” either. The season starts late summer and runs through mid-winter, and some are even available year-round.

So how does this highly untrustworthy vegetable work in a pizza? Actually, perfectly. I became an authority on pizza the first year I was married.  It’s Hubby’s favorite food, and he even had the pizza shops’ baking cycles committed to memory so he knew at which store he could get the freshest pie straight from the oven, any time of day. He also knew at what time they started to make their specialty pies, and at what time they would have the biggest selection. It’s a form of genius, really.

Anyway, until I was married I never experienced a ziti pizza pie, an eggplant parmesan pie, or the ultimate spicy fry pie. Puhlease!  It’s like carbs on top of carbs, on top of grease, with extra cheese – oh, and so good, I always have room for another slice.

Butternut Squash and Arugula Pizza is perfect for kids of all ages, including you and me.   The flavor combination is superb, and while I haven’t done an official nutritional analysis, I would say it probably has less fat than the ziti pizza.

This is the kind of pizza dinner that comes out of a gourmet kitchen – and tonight the gourmet kitchen can be yours. It’s one of those dishes you can use to entertain, please the kiddies, and impress mom-in-law – all in one meal. Thank

G-d for small blessings like butternut squash.

Squash lovers, try these recipes too: Butternut Squash Soup, Butternut Squash Souffle, Squash Cheesecake Bars and Squash Tea Bread.

This summer, I introduced the Quick & Kosher Summer Recipe Series.  The response to these seasonal recipes was so fantastic, I’ve decided to keep the momentum going with Quick & Kosher Cooking for Autumn.  After all, the breezes are cooler, the leaves are turning, and we’re packing up our sukkahs for the year.  OK – some of us are diligently packing away our sukkahs.  The rest of us are nagging a certain someone to get around to it.  The goal is to get the s’chach stashed before the first snow.

Before I whip up a delicious dish in the hopes of incentivizing my workforce to break down that Sukkah (don’t worry, I’ll share that recipe with you in my next post!), here’s a handy dandy – quick but comprehensive – list of Fall Produce to get you up to date:

Fruits: Apples, cranberries, figs, grapes (early fall), limes, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, and quinces.

Vegetables: Artichokes, arugula, beets, Belgian endive, broccoli, broccoli raab (rapini) Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac/celery root, celery, chard, chicories, chiles, curly endive (frisee), edamame, eggplant, escarole, fennel, garlic, green beans, green onions (scallions), horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lemongrass, lettuce, wild mushrooms, okra, onions, parsnips, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radicchio, radishes, rutabagas, shallots, shelling beans, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatillos, turnips, winter squash, zucchini, and herbs including  rosemary, parsley, thyme and sage.

Have you been cooking with Autumn produce yet? Let me know what delicious dishes are bubbling on your stovetop!

I won’t pretend that holiday foods have been kind to my waistline. It would be more accurate to ask “what waistline?” and admit that I’ve succumbed to wearing elastic. And I’m avoiding my scale. Like the plague. I’ve managed to wedge it behind the bathroom door so it’s completely out of sight. I don’t want to know that it exists; it is not my friend.

I hate the “d” word.  Every time I try a new diet, I set myself up for failure. It’s a big event: I am going to start the diet, today is the last day before the diet, (yay!) I started the diet, (cry) I already broke the diet, “how’s the diet going?” I’m asked “oh the diet?” I say “that was so yesterday”. I detest counting calories or points and I don’t like eliminating foods or waiting between food groups. It’s enough to wait between meat and dairy, who can wait three hours between proteins and carbs?

My new motto: “I don’t diet.”

Since I’m not the kind of person to cook one way for my family, and another way for myself, I’m aiming for a new healthy eating lifestyle — something that will work for everyone and leave no one feeling deprived (especially me ).  Of course, it’s pointless to sacrifice flavor for healthier eating, because it won’t go the distance. I’ll wind up sneaking an éclair 5 minutes into the effort.

So maybe you and I are in the same state: while not quite regretting all those fabulous festive banquets, you still have to deal with your scale adding up numbers like a runaway train.  So it’s time to add a new category to our blog: Quick & Kosher Lite!

My next blog post will kick off this category with a delicious – yet delicate – dessert that’s perfect for Shabbos! What better way to start a healthier lifestyle than with a yummy dessert?

Have you been avoiding your scale like the plague? Are you looking for ways to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes lighter recipes? Comment below, and let me know where you began!

At Hubby’s request, when company comes I make kosher chicken pastrami rolls. You might think of it as a patchka (total fuss) because you have to roll each one individually – but otherwise, it’s super easy. On a recent Shabbos, we hosted a family that’s special to us – our shadchan (the person who had introduced Hubby and me to each other) with half a dozen of her kids. In their honor, I rolled 16 of these fab chicken pinwheels. Hubby thoughtfully took step-by-step pictures, just for you.

This is not a formal recipe, but I think you’ll be able follow these instructions easily enough:

1. First, preheat your oven to 375˚.

2. In a shallow bowl, pour bottled Italian dressing – (Wish Bone is just perfect) over thin-sliced chicken cutlets.

You can always butterfly regular cutlets on your own, but remember it takes a little more time. When I am really busy, I thank G-d and the butcher for thin sliced. (Either way, you can’t go wrong: white meat chicken cutlets are one of the top bestsellers at Kosher.com: they are so fresh they always bake up juicy and delicious.) If you are serving a lot of other dishes, one roll/cutlet per person should be just fine, but if this is your only main, count on at least two rolls per person.

3. Fill a second shallow bowl with your favorite breadcrumbs. I like Pereg Classic because it’s so well seasoned. Just love when all the hard work is done for me. I especially like the sesame seeds mixed in – it’s a great added touch.

You’ll also need one thin slice of pastrami per chicken roll.

4. Take one cutlet, coated in dressing and lay it in the breadcrumbs, gently pressing it into the crumbs so they adhere to the cutlet on one side.

Lay one slice of pastrami lengthwise onto the cutlet (you may have to fold or double it over if it’s too long. You want the slice of pastrami to be slightly shorter than the length of the cutlet.) Don’t worry, I have pictures for you.

5. Roll up the cutlet and pastrami like you would a jellyroll.

6. Place seam side down on a lightly greased baking pan – large enough to hold all the rolls without touching. If you overcrowd your pan, the rolls won’t develop a crispy crumb coating when they bake.

7. Once all the rolls are good to go, I sometimes drizzle a little of the remaining Italian dressing over top. Finish off by spraying the rolls with cooking spray. I like Gefen Canola Oil Cooking Spray.

8. Bake at 375˚ for about 20 minutes. Delish! And beautiful too.

Enjoy this Shabbos!

What’s your favorite easy shabbos recipe? Leave me a comment and let me know.

My Great Tastes of Summer recipe series is coming to an end – with just enough time to enjoy the last fleeting moments of warm weather, vacation (if you’re lucky) and calm before the back-to-school/hurry-up-and-cook for yuntif storm. Relax one last time with these 3 great Quick & Kosher recipes.

Italian Zucchini – You don’t have to be an Italian trained chef to whip up this sensational summer side.

Baby French String Beans with Slivered Almonds – Haricots verts is the official French name for these delicious, best-ever green beans. They are slender, more flavorful, stringless string beans.

Classic Corn on the Cob – People poked a lot of fun at me when I included a corn on the cob recipe in my first book Quick & Kosher: Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing. But if you believe me, then you believe that when I was first married I didn’t know if you were supposed to cook corn for 2 minutes or 2 hours.

Now you don’t have to learn the hard way like I did. Although I’ve found people are pretty particular about how to make perfect corn on the cob.

What’s your classic corn on the cob secret? Leave a comment, I’m all ears.