Category: Brunch

Herbed Apple & Date Salad

I was lucky enough to spend the last week of the summer in Israel to join a close friend in celebrating a Bar Mitzvah (full itinerary to be posted after the Chagim!), but also for some inspiration for both my body (food!) and soul. What’s amazing about Israel is that you don’t have to seek those things out – they find you. Whether you’re going to the kotel for Friday night prayers, or taking a stroll through the shuk – beauty – in the form of soulful connections, culinary delights, Jerusalem stone, artisan creations, magical energy – surrounds you.

One such culinary delight that I found repeatedly in various forms – is this delicious herb salad. With loads of fresh parsley, crunchy celery, some kind of dried fruit (usually raisins) and nuts (often pecans or walnuts), the salad was simply dressed and so refreshing! I knew when I took my first bite that I needed to create a Rosh Hashanah version, and here it is!

Shana Tova! – to a SWEET New Year indeed.

Related Recipes:

holiday salad with apple & honey vinaigrette
pomegranate coleslaw
roasted beet salsa

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Roasted Baby Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Welcome summer! After a crazy busy winter that flew by faster than I ever thought possible, it’s corn season – my favorite! There’s nothing quite like crispy corn on the cob, and I love it in all forms – raw, roasted, grilled, steamed, and even made into ice cream and pudding. Baby corn though? It doesn’t get much love.

But when I saw my friend Melinda roast it in the oven with some garlic salt, my imagination went wild! So I picked up a couple of bags at Trader Joes, and I made this lipsmacking dish that is inspired by Elote, or Mexican Street Corn. Traditionally, elote is grilled, rolled in a sour cream and mayo mixture that’s seasoned with chili powder, lime and cilantro, and then rolled in cotija cheese (similar to feta). Here, I roasted the baby corn with tajin chili lime seasoning, and made a light Greek yogurt sauce with cilantro, jalapeno, garlic and lime. I finished it with crumbled feta and cilantro and OMG it’s my new favorite dish!!

For the corn:

2 6oz. pkg fresh baby corn
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp tajin seasoning or chili lime spice
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup crumbled feta
fresh cilantro, for garnish

For the crema
2 5.3oz containers Greek yogurt
juice and zest of 1/2 lime
1 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno, seeds and veins removed
kosher salt, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the baby corn on a parchment lined baking sheet and toss with olive oil, tajin and salt. Roast for 25 minutes or until slightly charred.

While the corn is roasting, combine the crema ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Spread the crema on a platter and top with roasted corn, Finish with crumbled feta and cilantro.

Related Recipes:

grilled corn with za’atar garlic butter
watermelon corn salsa

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Lacy Latkes Tips & Tricks!

I’ll admit that I’m the first one to trash up latkes and have fun with them, but really, nothing competes with the classic perfect latke – if you get them right! There’s an art to the perfect potato latke, and I like to call them LACY LATKES for the shards of potato that crunch up between your teeth like crispy potato sticks! So how do you make these little bites of heaven? Read on!

• Use russet potatoes, they’re perfectly starchy!
• Place your potatoes in water until ready to grate so they don’t brown.
• Prep all your ingredients so that you can work fast!
• Alternate your potato and onion when you grate them, it keeps the mixture white!
• Grate your potatoes from top to bottom (or sideways in the food processor) for longer strands of potato = lacy edges!
• Squeeze your potato/onion mixture as dry as you can! Squeeze into a bowl so you can reserve the starch.
• Once the starch settles to the bottom of the bowl, discard the remaining liquid, and add the starch back in to the latke mixture for extra crispiness!
• Use a heavy bottomed skillet or cast iron pan.
• Add a carrot to your oil, it will keep it clean!
• Use plenty of oil, and get it nice and hot before adding the batter.
• Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the batter and flatten it out with the bottom of the measuring cup, so the edges spread out.
• Don’t overcrowd your pan, give the latkes plenty of room so they don’t steam.
• Leave the latkes alone! Don’t touch and let them develop a good crust! Flip and give the other side some time too!
• If the latke mixture starts to get soggy, give it a squeeze before adding it to the pan.
• Place the latkes on a rack set over a baking sheet to keep them crispy.

So you’ve made the perfect latke, now how do you top them? I put a Questions box on Instagram and here are some of the fun toppings that came in!

Sweet Chili Sauce
Sugar! (who knew?!)
Applesauce MIXED with sour cream!
Sour cream mixed with horseradish
Ketchup (!!!!!)
Tuna & melted cheese a la tuna melt!
Spicy tuna and spicy mayo
Truffle aioli
Sour Cream, pickled onions, capers
Poached egg (yes please!)
Cheddar cheese sauce
Beef fry and coleslaw
Labneh with garlic, dried mint, olive oil, Aleppo pepper
Garlic Mayo and shredded BBQ chicken or pulled beef
Cranberry Sauce
Greek Yogurt, Lox, Dill
Pastrami and sautéed onion
Sriracha
Guacamole
Tzatziki
Ranch Dip
Caviar and creme fraiche

Other Latke Recipes:

crispy rice latkes
salami potato latkes
sabich latkes
falatkes (falafel latkes)
poutine latkes
confetti latkes
butternut squash latkes
cheese latkes

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Pan Fried Everything Bagel Brie with Sundried Tomato & Dill Tapenade

It’s that time of year, when we celebrate with cheese and wine, lasagna and blintzes and Torah’s all around.

But lets be real. Life is not easy these days and the state of the world is sad. Every day seems to bring on another challenge and most of us just aren’t feeling it. ((HUGS)) all around.

So I’m here to say this: food is comfort. Especially cheese. And bring on all the comfort food because WE NEED IT. And that’s ok.

This Shavuot, think about what brings you joy. Decorate your house in flowers, pour yourself some Rose’ and DISCONNECT. Focus on the people you love and the things that make you happy.

I’m on a pickle binge so what makes me happy right now is all the sour, crunchy and spicy elements I can plate up with some savory Everything Bagel Brie. It makes a great starter to balance out all that cheesecake!

Wishing you all a Chag Sameach. 

Related Recipes

camembert en croute salad
honey hasselback apples with brie and pecans
brie marsala pizza
dried fruit brie bites

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Cranberry Oat Bars

Why is it that so many people have leftover cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving. I  LOVE cranberry sauce. I can eat it by the spoonful. Is it just me?

Not really a fan of the traditional cranberry sauce recipes with a cup of sugar though. They’re too sweet for my taste, and I don’t want to mask the amazing tartness of the cranberries!

So I cook my cranberry sauce down in red wine, or pomegranate juice, or even apple cider, and I sweeten it with maple syrup or honey, to taste, and THAT, my friends, is how you make cranberry sauce that doesn’t get relegated to the back of the fridge with the tzimmes. IfyouknowwhatImean!

But IF, if you make bomb cranberry sauce and you still have some leftover – well then cranberry oat bars it is. And the pecans add just the perfect amount of buttery nuttiness to top it off for the perfect post-Thanksgiving breakfast.

I mean, how. GOOD. does. that. look?
You know you want it.

Happy Thanksgiving y’all!!

Related Recipes:

pumpkin pancakes with cranberry syrup
pecan pie lace cookies with raspberry filling
gingerbread truffles

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