Category: Kosher

Cinco De Mayo: Italian Beef Tacos On Poblano Tortillas Topped With Pickled Red Onions and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Cinco De Mayo: Italian Beef Tacos On Poblano Tortillas Topped With Roasted Tomatillo Salsa and Pickled Red Onions

Italian Beef TacosI personally consider tacos the world’s most perfect food. There really in no wrong way to make a taco. Crunchy or soft, flour or corn, they are all good in my book.  As for proteins, tacos are a great way to use up leftover chicken or roast, skirt steak i(one of my favorites), or of course you could simply use ground beef. You could always go vegetarian with refried beans or soy based immitation meats. When it comes to toppings the sky is the limit. Salsas of every flavor and color are classic, slaws are an excellent addition, and I love pickled vegetables of almost any type.

The way the ingredients come together is nothing short of magical. Tacos are one of the world’s best hand-held complete meals.

With Cinco de Mayo being this week, Rachel and I decided to do a taco challenge.  But I couldn’t just make tacos, I needed to take it up a notch. I needed to make my own tortillas, but I couldn’t just make boring tortillas.  To put my own spin on tortillas I added roasted poblano peppers to the tortilla dough. Poblano gives the tortillas a little bit of fruity heat and a green tint.

For my protein I went with a Chicago classic, Italian beef. This humble dish uses cheaper cuts of beef with a heavy dose of spices and herbs to create flavor. You also slice it thin to create a softer texture.

Finally I topped my tacos with a spicy green tomatillo salsa and pickled red onions to add some freshness and brightness. I have included a recipe for each part of my taco, but as far as final construction just layer all the ingredients as you see fit.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s taco post: Cino de Mayo: Tostitos Tacos

Recipe: Poblano Corn Tortillas

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Italian Beef Tacos
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Poblano Corn Tortillas
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Sure you could buy tortillas at the store, but they are pretty easy to make. By adding in roasted poblano peppers you get a little more flavor than a regular tortilla.  Poblanos have a nice fruity flavor with just a touch of heat.

Course: Hangover Food, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Latin, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword: Mexican Food, Taco, Tortilla
Servings: 12 Tortillas
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups Massa (AKA Corn Flour)
  • 1 1/2 Cups Water
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 4 Large Poblano Peppers
Special Equipment
  • Tortillas Press (Or a rolling pin if you must)
  • Cast Iron Skillet or Heavy Frying Pan
  • Food Processor or Blender
  • 2 Pieces Wax or Parchment Paper
Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 400°F. Place the poblano peppers on a lined baking sheet. Roast until they start to blister, turning to make sure they cook evenly on both sides.

  2. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, remove the stem, seeds, and skin. The skin should come off easily by scraping with a knife. Add the poblanos to the food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

  3. Add the massa, blended poblano, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in the water, adding a little at a time, until the mixture is the texture of play dough.

  4. Roll the dough into balls a little larger than a golf ball. Place the balls one at a time between two pieces of parchment or wax paper and press the ball in to a flat disc using a tortilla press or a rolling pin.

  5. Place the skillet over high heat and cook the tortillas on each side until they start to brown.

Recipe: Italian Beef

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Italian Beef Tacos
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Italian Beef
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Cooling Time
30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
 

A Chicago classic thought to have been originated by Italian immigrants who brought home tougher cuts of beef which they then cooked slowly with herbs and spices, cooled, and sliced thin to make sure there was enough to go around. You can place the meat on your favorite roll or even in a taco, although a soft Italian roll is traditional.

Course: Main Course, Meat, Sandwich
Cuisine: Chicago, Italian
Keyword: Beef, Italian Beef
Servings: 4 People
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs Roast Beef From the Chuck/Shoulder A Scotch or French roast works nicely
  • 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine
  • 4 Cups Beef Stock Homemade would be best but store bought will work in a pinch
  • 6 Cloves Garlic Peeled and Smashed
  • 1 Large Red Onion Sliced thin
  • 1 Large Green Bell Pepper Sliced into 1/2 inch wide strips
  • 1 Large Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes Optional
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Italian Seasoning (Or you con just buy it premixed from your local supermarket)
  • 2 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 2 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 2 tsp Dried Parsley
  • 2 tsp Dried Rosemary
  • 2 tsp Dried Basil
  • 2 tsp Dried Marjoram
Special Equipment
  • Large heavy pot of Dutch oven
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to the pot. Preheat the oven to 350°F and roast until tender but not mushy.  Remove the meat from the liquid, but save the liquid for later. Allow the meat to cool for 30 minutes and slice thinly.

  2. Put the slices back in the liquid in the pot and put on the stove over medium heat.  Cook until the meat is hot again. Serve on a soft Italian bun dipped back in the cooking liquid.

Recipe: Pickled Red Onion

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Mojo Chicken Tacos
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Pickled Red Onions
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

This is a quick recipe when you need a topping to add some acidity to a dish. It goes well on tacos, hot dogs, hamburgers, and can even be used in a salad.

Course: Condiment, Side Dish, Topping
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: Onions, Pickled Onion, Pickles
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Large Red Onions Sliced Thin
  • 2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Pickling Spice You can get this from the store, or come up with your own blend.
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Allow to cool and use to top tacos, burgers, or hot dogs.

Recipe: Tomatillo Salso

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Italian Beef Tacos
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Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes with a husk on them, but they have a much firmer texture. This salsa depends on them for body and jalapenos for some heat.  If you don't like it spicy you can use bell peppers instead of the jalapenos.

Course: Dip, Sauce, Side
Cuisine: Mexican, South American, Tex-Mex
Keyword: Salsa, Tomatillios
Servings: 1 Quart
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Tomatillos Stems and husk removed
  • 1 Large Onion
  • 2 Jalapenos (Or bell peppers if you don't like it spicy) Stems and seeds removed
  • 6 Cloves Garlic
Special Equipment
  • Blender or Food Processor
  • Parchment paper lined backing sheet
Instructions

  1. Place all the ingredients on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and roast at 400°F until the vegetables start to brown.

  2. Blend until desired texture is achieved.

If you like this recipe, you should check out our tamale recipes as well: A Tale of Two Tamales: A Lesson in Leftovers and Spicy Salmon Tamales

 

Cinco de Mayo: “Tostitos” Tacos

For the love of tacos

I love tacos.  Well, to be fair, most tacos I eat are more “Tex-Mex” then truly authentic Mexican cuisine.  But I’ll take what I can get.  If I ever decided to open a kosher restaurant (and if I do, please send help ASAP), I would open an upscale taco bar.  Jury is still out though if it would be a dairy or meat taco joint. But just image for a second – tacos with different mole sauces, pickled everything (jicama, onion, jalapeno, radish), homemade salsas with garlic confit and roasted tomato pico de gallo, and SUPER fresh fish tacos with crunchy slaw and a bright kick of lime.  So the sky’s the limit when we’re talking tacos.

This week’s challenge!

And that brings me to this week’s #MYV challenge …TACOS, (duh), just in time for Cinco de Mayo! Clearly I could have gone in a thousand different directions with this one.  Perhaps a personal favorite that I posted a while back, my raw walnut tacos, or maybe even a “fajita” taco! Since my husband loves chicken with grilled peppers and onions, if I can stuff that in a tortilla, he’ll eat it!  And bonus, there are veggies in it too!

The perfect meal – a childhood favorite

While my brain searched for the perfect, not-overly-complicated taco, I kept coming back to my mom’s home-cooked “Tostitos” dinner.  To this day I have no clue why we called it “Tostitos” (maybe because we would buy giant family-sized bags of the Tostitos tortilla chips for serious salsa-dunking), but this was basically a “make-your-own-(soft)taco” night.  Probably the easiest meal my mom ever made for us (and she made amazing meals), but hands down, this was my favorite.  Okay, maybe her pasta with homemade pesto and grilled salmon rivals the top spot.  But Tostitos nights – those were and still are the meals I crave!

It couldn’t get any simpler.  My mom would put out bowls of toppings. The table would be topped with our small white cereal bowls with navy blue trim – one bowl of salsa (from the GIANT jar we had in the fridge at all times), shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, homemade guac, a plate of (probably flour) tortillas and a huge frying pan of refried beans. That was literally all she had to cook – just those creamy, pinto beans.

I would put a tortilla on my plate, slather it with beans and cheese, pop it in the microwave and pile on all the toppings I could fit, and devour immediately.  Meanwhile, mid-bite, I would inevitable always have hot cheese juice running down my arm.  But boy don’t I know it – it’s worth the mess.

Welcome newbies!

One thing I noticed as I got older is that we never had sour cream in our house.  Like ever.  I’m not sure if it was just one person who didn’t like it or we just never thought to buy any, but now it’s one of the new additions I’ve added to my version.  You can’t really have a (possibly supremely spicy) taco without the rich sour cream added in to a crunchy cabbage slaw to cool down the heat.

And on top of the sour cream addition, in my opinion, cilantro is just the best herb to have ever graced this planet (alright basil, I can’t live without you either).  Last but not least, a final topping of pickled jalapenos.  And this meal is complete.

Updating a classic

So this is my version.  A nod to my favorite childhood meal.  Instead of the melty cheese, we have a crispy, cheesy taco “shell” (did you know that cheese can crisp up like that when you cook it?).  Instead of canned refried beans, we have dried pinto beans, cooked low and slow with cumin, garlic and onion.  And for the record, this recipe is not quite keto-friendly, but it’s close (you can definitely use soy beans to make it low-carb).  And instead of jarred salsa (which I LOVE btw), homemade pico de gallo – fresh tomato, yellow onion, jalapeno, cilantro and fresh lime juice.

Hooray for shortcuts!

And even if you’re a crazy busy human, like most of us are, you can definitely make this quick and easy dish using store-bought salsa, some pre-bagged shredded cabbage or iceberg lettuce (I love shortcuts too), and even packaged tortillas (I won’t tell).  Tacos are all about experimenting with levels of spice and heat, and this version features eating my favorite meal in a slightly deconstructed way.

Now THAT is something I can really sink my teeth into.

And, thanks mom. 🙂  Seriously, Tostitos night was the best – so simple, yet so freaking delicious. Just in time for mother’s day – a perfect tribute to my mom’s crazy-good homemade meals.

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Cheddar cheese taco shells
Servings: 6 taco shells
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 9 oz. Pre-shredded cheddar cheese Personally, I used a bag of pre-shredded cheddar and mozzarella mix
  • 1/2 tsp Trader Joe's onion salt Totally optional but I love this onion mix and I flavor EVERYTHING with it practically! I like adding a little extra oomp to the shells
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.

  2. If you'd like your shells to be all the same size, trace about 3, 6-inch circles on the parchment paper

  3. Measure about 1/3 cup of the cheese onto the circles and sprinkle with the onion salt

  4. Bake for 5 minutes until the edges begin to brown

  5. While the cheese is cooking, set up a taco shell drying station. Lay a wooden spoon across 2 soup cans and place a plate topped with a paper towel underneath.  You might have to make a few taco crisping stations, or cook one shell at a time (you can do this also in a pan on medium heat, versus an oven too).

  6. This is where you have to move fast, because as the cheese is cooling, it will harden quickly.  Remove the cheese from the parchment paper using a spatula and place over the wooden spoon to crisp

  7. Let the cheese cool and crisp up, about 5 minutes

  8. Place on a plate and add your favorite taco fixings!

 

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Slow cooker refried beans
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 Yellow onion, peeled, halved and roughly chopped
  • 3 cups Dried pinto beans, rinsed Or use black beans, or great northern beans! If you used canned beans, just make sure to rinse them 3 times to remove as much of the salty starchy liquid as possible
  • 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 5 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin I like cumin, so if you're not a big fan, start with 1/8 tsp and you can always add more if you like
  • 2 cups Vegetable stock Optional (or just add 9 cups of water)
  • 7 cups Water
  • 1 4 oz. can Diced green chiles
Instructions

  1. Place the onion, dried beans, green chiles, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, stock and water in a slow cooker.  (Don't worry about the size of the chopped onion and garlic - you'll puree it when it's done cooking so I just roughly chopped the onions and cut the garlic cloves in half)

  2. Cook on HIGH for 8 hours or on LOW for 12 hours (or 4 hours on HIGH if using canned beans)

  3. Drain the bean mixture into a colander and strain out as much water remaining as possible

  4. Using a potato masher or an immersion blender, blend or mash the beans until you get the desired consistency.  

 

 

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Creamy Slaw
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 1/2 cup Sour cream
  • 1 14 oz. Bag of shredded coleslaw mix
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 4 Green onions, thinly sliced Optional
  • 3 tbsp Fresh lime juice
Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and mix well.  Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving with your tacos (can be made 1 day in advance, keep chilled)

 

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Guacamole
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3 Avocados, pitted, flesh scooped out
  • 1 Lemon, halved and juiced
  • 1 Garlic clove, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 Yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions

  1. Add the avocado to a mixing bowl and mash well with a fork

  2. Add in the garlic, onion, tomatoes, salt, pepper and lemon juice and mix well.  If you're not eating it right away, take the avocado pit, press it in the middle of the guac mix, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap, to remove as much air as possible so it doesn't brown as quickly (you can also drizzle some more lemon juice on top to slow the browning process).

  3. Dunk with crunchy tortilla chips or add a dollop to your tacos!

 

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Pico de Gallo
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3 Yellow onions, diced You can use red onion if that's what you have on hand!
  • 12 Roma tomatoes, diced If your tomatoes are extra juicy, squeeze out some of the pulp before adding to the bowl
  • 3 Jalapenos, ribs and seeds removed, diced
  • 2 cups Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Lime
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp White pepper
Instructions

  1. Dice the onion, tomato, jalapeno and cilantro and add to a large mixing bowl

  2. Slice the lime in half and squeeze both halves into the mixing bowl

  3. Add the salt and white pepper and mix thoroughly

  4. Make sure you taste it to adjust any heat levels, adding more salt or jalapeno if needed.

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s latest taco recipe: Cinco De Mayo: Italian Beef Tacos On Poblano Tortillas Topped With Pickled Red Onions and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Passover Seder Roast

Passover RoastLet’s talk about cheap meat and the traditional Passover Seder roast. There is a lot of meat being sold in the kosher market that is grass fed from South America, primarily Uruguay that tends to cost significantly less than domestic beef.  It tends to be very tough and lean. Some people think it has a metallic taste, while others think it tastes more “beefy”.  I personally think that grass fed beef does lack some texture and flavor due to its lack of inter-muscular fat caused by the cows diet and high activity level.

That being said, with all the costs associated with Passover I wanted to figure out a way to make this more affordable meat palatable. By cooking it low and slow with some strong flavors you can get a decent texture and infuse some flavor back in to the meat.  I figured, why not use some of the items already included in the Seder to help further keep costs down? There always seems to be an open bottle of wine and some extra apples from making Charoset,so I figured it would be both economical and tasty to incorporate them.

I include a lot of liquid to create a braise in this recipe, as many Ashkenazic Jews have a custom that we not to eat dry roasted meat at the seder. This recipe works well with any tough cut of meat. I used a french roast, but it would work the same for a top of the rib or a brisket.  You may want to adjust the cooking time down slightly for a top of the rib if it’s on the smaller side or up for a large brisket.

Making chicken instead of or in addition to your roast, check out my super simple Honey Roasted Chicken recipe. It is great for a smaller crowd.

 

Recipe: Seder Roast

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Passover Roast
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Passover Seder Roast
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs
Resting Time
15 mins
Total Time
8 hrs 10 mins
 

A classic holiday dish.  This recipe works well with cheaper cuts of beef such as the grass fed meat from South America on the kosher market these day.  It works well with French roast, top of the rib, or brisket, but I wouldn't use this recipe with something like a rib roast. As for the wine, try to use something on the drier side.  I like Rioja for its natural spiciness, but a Cabernet or Merlot should work just fine.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Holiday, Jewish, Passover
Keyword: Passover
Servings: 6 Peoples
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 750 ml Bottle Semi Dry Red Wine
  • 1 Large Roast French roast, top of the rib, or brisket
  • 3 Large Onions Chopped
  • 1 Head Garlic Cloves peeled and smashed
  • 3 Large Apples Peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 tbsp Dried Thyme
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil No need for extra vrgin
Equipment
  • 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven A deep stove top safe roasting pan will do in a pinch
Instructions

  1. Trim any large pieces of fat or silver skin from your roast.  Season liberally with salt and pepper. 

  2. Add the olive oil to the pot and place over high heat. Once the oil is hot add the roast and sear on all sides. Remove the roast, leaving the fat in the pot.

  3. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions start to brown. Add the apples and cook until the apples soften.

  4. Add wine and thyme. Roast at 275°F until tender about 4 hours. Allow the roast to rest until cool enough to handle, slice, and serve.  Alternatively, allow the roast to cool completely, and slice and rewarm it in the liquid.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s new Passover recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Jalapeño Scones For Passover

Check out all of our Passover recipes here!

Herby Cabbage Salad – perfect for Passover!

Cabbage Salad with Parsley and Mint

I know I say this every year, but how is it Pesach already?  Well, believe it or not, recipes are popping up everywhere for the perfect Passover food.  Today’s recipe is for my Herby Cabbage salad!  This salad is super refreshing on a warm spring day and very simple to put together. You may be thinking that this might be TOO simple to serve during a Pesach meal, but I say why not!  Why does Pesach food have to be super carb-heavy, like you’re constantly in a food coma for 8 days straight?  And what about all that leftover parsley from seder?

Reviving Leftovers!

I know most people that use parsley for “Karpas” use the curly variety, and by all means, that works great in this salad!  The perfect combo of sweet and crunchy cabbage, sharp but mild green onion (or use thinly sliced red onion, if you prefer), tart and acidic lemon juice, salt, pepper, olive oil and of course, a boat-load of herbs.  I LOVE using fresh mint in so many recipes and this combo with the cabbage works so well.  Add in some chopped cucumber, or maybe some fresh chives or basil too (just be sure you wash everything well). This would also be good with a splash of apple cider vinegar

Maybe you have some leftover romaine that you use as “Maror” from seder night?  Chop that up and add it in there too! With salads, anything goes.

Simple.  Delicious.  Now those are words we can all live by!

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and blessed Pesach – Chag Sameach everyone!

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Herby Cabbage Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 10 oz. bag Shredded red cabbage
  • 1/4 cup (or 1 handful) Fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/4 cup (or 1 handful) Fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Mayo homemade or store-bought
  • 1/4 Fresh lemon
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
  • 3 Green onions, sliced thin
Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add cabbage, chopped mint, chopped parsley and sliced green onion. 

  2. Add mayo to a small bowl and mix in salt, pepper, garlic powder and lemon juice and mix well. 

  3. Pour dressing over the salad - make 1 hour ahead of serving so the dressing has time to marry with the cabbage and herbs. 

  4. Serve with matzah and toppings, like feta, cucumber and dill, cream cheese and smoked salmon, or quinoa hummus and sliced beet!

Lemon Coconut Halva Cookies

Halva – the Rachel way!

There is something so comforting about Halva.  That rich, decadent dessert made with tahini (ground sesame seeds), butter and sugar. Cue the drooling, and welcome to my no-bake creamy, lemon coconut halva cookies!

When I lived in Israel for a year after High School, I remember walking through the Shuk (the market) and seeing rows of halva everywhere – the perfect Shabbat treat.  Just because I’m not in Israel doesn’t mean we can’t have delicious Halva!  And granted, I’m sure you can find it at your local kosher market, but these little cookie balls are inspired by Halva, my way. 🙂

These turn out more of a candy nougat instead of cookies, but they’re no-bake, gluten-free, vegan AND keto-friendly!  Lately I’ve been given you, our dear readers, a lot of no-bake goodies, and why not?  There’s no harm in giving you incredibly easy and approachable recipes that you can really wow your guests with, but they don’t need to know that it took you only 15 minutes to make! Let them think you’re a gourmet chef after all!

My Inspiration!

I have to give kudos to my sister Melissa for part of the inspiration.  She has been into making these sesame seed cookies lately (also gluten-free) and made with no refined sugar.  So this is a nod to your current cookie love, Mel!

Tahini definitely doesn’t get as much love as it should get, in my opinion. There’s definitely more to this roasted sesame seed butter than just adding to homemade hummus, or drizzling on your falafel! It’s a great low-carb seed butter (alternative to nut butter), plus it can be used as a base for both savory and sweet dishes.  Hence, the power of a delicious Halva.

And per my usual rant, feel free to change up the flavors.  I found a keto-friendly recipe online that used butter, so by all means! I personally loved the flavors that the tahini, coconut and that sweet, tangy lemon (ya’ll know how much I love a burst of bright acidity) bring together, but these would be great with some chocolate chips, some chopped pecans, unsweetened shredded coconut or even some blueberries! Have fun with it and go ahead, play with your food!

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Lemon Coconut Halva Cookies
Prep Time
15 mins
Freeze
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs
 
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Tahini Make sure the oil hasn't separated; if it does, just mix it thoroughly. I love using the Whole Foods 365 brand since there is less oil that's separated, and easier to mix.
  • 1/2 cup *Confectioners Swerve (sugar alternative) Or use regular powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup Coconut oil, softened
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp Lemon extract, optional
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp White sesame seeds Toasted, optional
  • 3 tbsp Black sesame seeds Optional
Instructions

  1. Add the tahini, coconut oil, lemon juice, extract (if using), Swerve, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl and mix until fully combined.

  2. Using your hands or a mini ice cream scoop, measure about 3 tbsp of dough and flatten using your hands, to form a "cookie" (or you can leave in a "ball" shape).  

  3. Totally optional, but if you'd like, take the white sesame seeds and toast in a dry skillet on medium heat for about 1 minute - make sure not to burn them.

  4. Sprinkle the black and white sesame seeds on top of the cookies and freeze until solid. You might have to "pat" them into the cookies so they stick better! These would also be great with finely ground unsweetened coconut on top too!

  5. Because these cookies have coconut oil, they will soften/melt once they get to room temp (depending on the temperature), so make sure they are frozen or chilled in the fridge before serving.  

*This post contains affiliate links. We at MYV (Meat Your Vegetables) earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food!  Cheers to that!

Gingerbread Hamantashen With Pumpkin Pie Filling

Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie HamantashenThe holiday of Purim will be here soon and that means one thing around here, hamantashen.  Hamantashen are triangular cookies usually filled with jam or jelly. They are meant to resemble the ear or hat of the antagonist from the Purim story, Haman. As I have stated in the past, I am not a baker.  Ask me to roast a big honking piece of meat, no problem, saute some vegetables, I can do that, but cookies and cakes are just not my speed. I usually leave the baking to my lovely wife, Ronit. Don’t get me wrong, I love eating baked goods of all sorts, but making them is just not my thing. That being said Purim wouldn’t be the same without hamantashen, so I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave it a shot.

As much as I love a good sugar cookie style hamantashen with a jam filling, for this recipe I wanted a hamantashen that was a little different.  I also wanted something with contrast and a pop of color. It’s still pretty cold in Chicago, so I was drawn to the warmer flavors of ginger and cinnamon and winter squash. Gingerbread seemed like an obvious choice with its dark color and strong flavor.  A pumpkin pie filling gives these hamantashen textural and chromatic contrast. The idea was also inspired by the fact that my kids are going through a Harry Potter phase which is the theme for our costumes and mishloach manot. Pumpkin seems to a recurring culinary theme in the wizarding world so I figured why not. Let us know what your favorite flavor hamantashen is in the comment.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie Hamantashen Recipe

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Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie Hamantashen
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Gingerbread Hamantashen With Pumpkin Pie Filling
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Resting Time
1 hr
Total Time
30 mins
 

A little something different than your average jelly filled hamantashen. The darker colored dough with the bright orange filling gives these some great visual appeal and the the warm flavor profile of the ginger and cinnamon really makes them pop in the flavor department.

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Holiday, Jewish
Keyword: Hamantashen
Servings: 36 Pieces
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Dough
  • 5 Cups Flour
  • 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Cup Molasses
  • 2 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Ground Clove
  • 2 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp Nutmeg
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Water
Filling
  • 1 Large Butternut Squash
  • 1/4 tbsp Real Maple Syrup Not pancake syrup
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
Special Equipment
  • 3" Round Pastry Ring or Cookie Cutter
  • Stand Mixer With whisk and dough hook attachments
  • Cookie Sheet
  • Parchment Paper
  • Aluminum Foil
Instructions
Dough

  1. Using your stand mixer with the whisk attached beat together the eggs, vanilla, molasses, oil, and brown sugar until thoroughly combined

  2. Switch to the dough hook and add the flour, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Mix on low until the dough starts to come together. It should look like small pebbles at this point.

  3. Slowly start adding the water a little bit at a time until the dough starts to come together. It should take about a 1/4 cup but you may need a little more or less. Once it comes together, stop adding water and let it mix a little longer until it forms a smooth ball.

  4. Wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Filling

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Using a heavy serrated knife cut the squash in half the long way and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle on the maple syrup and then sprinkle on the salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

  2. Put the two halves back together and wrap in foil.  Bake until soft, about 90 minutes.

  3. Allow the squash to cool and the scoop out the flesh from the skin using a large metal spoon. Using a fork or a potato masher, mash until you achieve the desired consistency.  If the mixture seems a bit wet feel free to drain out some of the liquid.

Final Assembly and Baking

  1. Roll out your dough about 1/4" thick and cut 3" rounds. Place a 1 teaspoon of your filling in the middle and fold the edges up in to a triangle.

  2. Place the hamantashen on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake until they start to brown on the edges, about 10 minutes. Allow the hamantashen to cool and serve or wrap and freeze.

Ok now that the baking is done I am going to go smoke a brisket.  While I do that don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest hamantaschen recipe: Blackberry Cheesecake Hamantashen! or some of our other hamantaschen recipes:

Purim: Texas Chili With Cowboy Candy Hamantaschen

Not one, but TWO healthy Hamantaschen!

Barbecue Chicken Hamantaschen

Low carb lemon poppyseed coconut hamantaschen

Blackberry Cheesecake Hamantashen

Happy Purim readers!

May I present you with my blackberry cheesecake hamantashen!  These “hummies” are gluten-free, keto-friendly, simple-to-make and delicious – trust me!  If you want to make these completely dairy-free, you can substitute with parve cream cheese in the filling.  The dough is dairy-free since I used coconut oil, but you can definitely substitute with butter!

Savory Hamantashen?

Everywhere you look, there are new and exciting recipes popping up for Purim, and looks that that savory is beating out sweet this year.

A few years ago, my mother-in-law hosted a “Rosh Chodesh Adar” party for her friends and she made crowd-pleasing savory hamantashen filled with ground beef and onions. The dough was crispy with a chewy center, the meat was sweet yet savory, and the onions were caramelized to perfection. Gosh, now I’m getting hungry – and I don’t even eat meat!

While savory hamantashen have been hogging all the spotlight the last few years, I am going back to my roots.

A childhood classic

I remember my mom making hamantashen from scratch when I was a kid.  Of course, classics like poppy seed and apricot were always our go-to’s, but it was her strawberry cheesecake and chocolate peanut butter fillings that I remembered the most.  They were different, yet utterly delicious.

What about my mom’s berry cheesecake “hummies“?  They were the perfect bite – a creamy, slightly tart and sweet filling, surrounded by perfectly golden brown crispy dough in the familiar triangular-shaped Purim cookie.  This reminds me of home. 🙂

So thank you mom, for this year’s inspiration!

Wishing you all a Freilichin Purim!

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Blackberry Cheesecake Hamantashen
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
Servings: 20 hamantashen (approx.)
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Dough
  • 2 cups finely ground almond flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute, like Swerve) I like using the confectioner's Swerve in most recipes!
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp lemon juice add the zest of a half a lemon if you have a fresh lemon handy!
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil, melted You can use butter instead, if you prefer
  • 1/8 tsp maple extract or vanilla extract if you have it!
Blackberry cheesecake filling
  • 1/4 cup fresh blackberries you can use frozen, just make sure they're thawed and drained of any excess liquid
  • 1/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute, like Swerve)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional) I like ANYTHING tart, so feel free to omit if this would be too tart for you
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 oz. cream cheese, softened You can use parve cream cheese to make this recipe completely dairy-free!
Instructions

  1. To make the dough:  Add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. 

  2. If the dough it too wet, add a bit more almond flour; if it's too dry, add a few tablespoons of water and knead until it's no longer clumpy

  3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and stick in the fridge for 15 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, make the filling:  In a medium-sized saucepan, add the blackberries, sugar (or Swerve, if using), lemon juice (if using), salt, and vanilla extract.

  5. Cook on medium heat until the ingredients come together and the blackberries have softened and released their juices and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.  Be careful not to overcook and burn the filling. 

  6. Let the filling cool for 10 minutes, then add to a bowl with the softened cream cheese and stir until fully mixed but you still see some "swirls"  - you don't want the mixture to be TOO mixed into one giant purple blob.

  7. Pre-heat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  8. Take the dough out of the fridge, and (using damp hands), roll out the dough into 1/4 inch thickness, and using a small glass, press in the dough to make circular cut-outs.

  9. Stretch the dough a bit (if it's too dry, add a touch more water), and add a tsp of filling right in the center of the circle - if ever in doubt, add less filling than you'd think - you don't want to over-stuff the hamantashen. 

  10. Fold up the sides to make a triangle and place on the parchment paper.

  11. Cook for about 15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy - but watch the oven carefully so they don't get too dark. 

  12. Let cool and devour!

*This post contains affiliate links. We at MYV (Meat Your Vegetables) earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food!  Cheers to that!

Spicy Moroccan Salmon with Pickle Slaw

Want to impress your guests at your next Shabbat meal?  How about a new spin on the good ‘ole classic Gefilte Fish and try my Spicy Moroccan Salmon with my Pickle Slaw – chock full of aromatic spices, sweet and spicy pickles with a good kick of acid, this will definitely be a big hit with your guests.

Pickles are one of those ingredients you either love, or hate.  Same with cilantro – am I right?  One of my close friends (love you, Alex!) has a deep love for pickles, so much so that occasionally I’ll bring her a can of those classic Israeli pickles, the sweet, sour, vinegar-based whole pickles that you’d only REALLY enjoy with a big plate of hummus, falafel and cabbage salad.  And what’s my opinion on this fermented snack?  I’m most definitely on the pickle bandwagon.

A BBQ Inspiration

This recipe might seem a bit odd, but it came to me by accident.  I was home one lazy Sunday, surfing the standard cooking shows on Food Network and Cooking Channel and came across a travel food show where they visited a local BBQ joint and what did they have on the menu?  Slaw made solely with pickle juice.  My version has my own twist, including a touch of mayo just so it balances out the tartness of the vinegar with some fat, and added some lemon juice (just a touch, for that freshness), and celery seed.  I also love using fresh dill, but dried works too.

Spice Makes Everything Nice!

It might seem a bit backwards that I got inspiration for this coleslaw first, and then had to decide what to pair it with.  And salmon just made so much sense.  The rich and fatty salmon filet, paired with a spicy Moroccan sauce just felt so perfect to me mixed with a crunchy slaw.  Don’t want to make a homemade Shakshuka or Harrisa (spicy pepper) sauce?  I got you covered!  Check out my favorite brand, Mina for these deliciously easy ways to brighten up a humble salmon filet.

And that’s exactly what I’m all about – “classic, with a twist”!

Let me know how you liked this, and comment below!

Check out another great salmon recipe here (the perfect no-cook appetizer, my smoked salmon avocado stacks)!

Recipe:  Moroccan Salmon

 

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Moroccan Salmon
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
Servings: 2 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 Salmon filets (about 4 oz. each)
  • 1 tsp Shwarma seasoning You can use pre-made, makes it super easy!
  • 2 tbsp Shwarma Moroccan Tomato Sauce I love the brand Mina - you can find it in most grocery stores, or online here!
  • 1 tbsp Harissa Optional - but if you want an extra spicy kick, go for it! Plus, this brand comes in mild and spicy options!
  • 1/4 Red onion, sliced thin
  • 2 Garlic cloves, finely diced Also optional, but I like to amp up the garlic flavor!
  • 1/4 Fresh lemon, thinly sliced
  • 1 handful Chopped cilantro or parsley Optional, for a fresh herb garnish
  • 2 Green onions, chopped Optional
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Or, try out these "sizzle platters" from webstraurantstore.com - they can handle super high heat and make clean-up a breeze!

  2. Place the sliced onion on the pan and top with the salmon filets.

  3. Sprinkle the shwarma seasoning on top of the salmon.

     and top with the shwarma tomato sauce and spread the harissa on top, if using. 

  4. In a small bowl, mix the shwarma tomato sauce, harissa (if using) and diced garlic cloves (also, if using). Spread on top of the salmon. 

  5. Lay the thinly sliced lemon slices on top of the salmon. 

  6. Bake for 45 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and crispy on top.

  7. Garnish with chopped green onion or cilantro or parsley - whatever you have on hand that will make a bright herby garnish!

 

Recipe:  Pickle Slaw

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Pickle Slaw
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3 cups Pre-shredded cabbage mix
  • 2 tbsp Pickle juice I'm a HUGE fan of the spicy pickles from Trader Joe's so I use that for both the pickles and juice!
  • 1/4 cup Pickles, diced
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Celery Seed
  • 1/4 tsp Dried dill
  • 1/2 Lemon, squeezed
  • 2 tbsp Mayo I like using homemade, or from Primal Kitchen or Chosen Foods brands
Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into a big bowl and mix well.  

  2. Wait an hour or two for the flavors to meld together in the fridge - I recommend making the slaw before the salmon so the flavors marry together while the salmon is baking.  Yay for being efficient in the kitchen!

*This post contains affiliate links. We at MYV (Meat Your Vegetables) earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food!  Cheers to that!

Super Bowl Snack – behold the “Nacho Jalapeno Cheese Crisp”!

If you’ve taken a look at your calendar lately, you might be shocked to realize that January is almost over and that could only mean one thing (well, besides the fact that winter just seems to never end and the bitter cold is here to stay). It means the SUPER BOWL is almost here!

What a great day to watch football with friends and eat an endless amount of food from the all the Super Bowl food groups – chicken wings, nachos, assorted chips and dips and don’t forget the 3 different types of cookies and brownies.  So here’s an idea.  What about combining nachos AND chips all in one?  Sort of a nacho-in-a-bite kind of deal, so basically, the perfect chip.

Here’s the kicker – nachos are my jam.  If I could eat one snack food for the rest of my life, I’d have to go with nachos.  There are endless possibilities here – fake meat, no fake meat, different types of cheeses, green onions, salsa, guac (duh), sour cream, cilantro (an absolute must-have in my book), pickled jalapenos, maybe some chopped onion, tomato – a little pico de gallo action? You could get creative and do a Korean BBQ style nacho, or “sweet” nachos (not my thing truthfully) – it’s just a great baseline for showing off your creativity!

The Perfect Nacho Bite

My mission?  Create the perfect “nacho bite” in one chip, and then of course, feel free to dunk in giant bowls of guacamole and salsa (or just eat them plain, because you know, they’re THAT good). Oh and in case you’re thinking this is going to be super complicated, like rolling out a dough to create the chips – oh please!

All you need is a muffin pan, shredded cheese, jalapeno slices (you can use plain, or pickled or use whatever hot peppers you like), green onion and spices.  And maybe some fresh cilantro to top it off.  But that’s it.  The muffin tin basically does all of the work for you.  And depending on the size of your muffin pan, you may have to make more batches (my dairy muffin tin is only 6 individual cups, so I had to make 4 batches to make 24 chips, but it’s so worth it)!

Happy Super Bowling!

Recipe: Nacho Jalapeño Cheese Crisps

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Nacho Jalapeño Cheese Crisps
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Servings: 12 chips
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 1 Jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (or any type of pepper to the heat level of your liking) You can use pickled jalapenos, but it'll make the "chips" a bit soggy, so you may have to bake them for a bit longer to crisp up
  • 1 Green Onion, sliced thin
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin
  • 1/4 tsp Trader Joe's onion salt Optional, but I like the extra onion flavor!
  • 1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.

  2. Spray a non-stick muffin tin with cooking spray (I like to use avocado oil spray for a mild flavor)

  3. Mix the cheese, green onion, garlic powder, cumin, and onion salt (if using) in a large bowl.

  4. Measure about 1-2 tbsp. of the cheese mixture and place in each muffin cavity. You don't want to overflow it, just really cover the bottom. The trick to making thin, crispy chips is to just cover the bottom of each muffin tin with a thin layer of cheese, otherwise it won't crisp up, it'll just be a blob.  You can, however, use the cheese to place up the sides of the muffin pan to create a "nacho chip cup" that you can fill with toppings, so feel free to experiment with that. 

  5. Take a thinly sliced piece of jalapeno (or whatever pepper you want to use, Serrano would be good too, and remove the seeds and ribs for less heat), and place on the top of the cheese.  Depending on the size of your muffin tin, you may have to make this in double batches.  My toaster is my dairy "oven" so I can only make 6 at a time.

  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bubbling and crispy golden brown, but not burnt.

  7. Let the chips cool for about 10-15 minutes until you can easily "pop" them out of the muffin tin and they're nice and crispy!

  8. Serve on a platter sprinkled with chopped cilantro and enjoy with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, OR make a big pile of nachos using these as the chips!!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s Super Bowl Nachos dish: Steak and Eggs Tot-Chos (Tater Tot Nachos)  or check out some of our other great Super Bowl recipes:

Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies

Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

And hey, thank you for reading this post!  We’d love to hear from you, so feel free to comment below or even write us a testimonial here!

Super Bowl Snack Challenge: Steak and Eggs Tot-Chos (Tater Tot Nachos)

Tater Tot NachosA while back I was at a non-kosher restaurant with some co-workers. While I sat there and ate the sandwich I snuck in from the kosher deli down the street, they chowed done on some tasty looking food.  One of the appetizers that was ordered for the table was Tot-Chos, a nacho dish with all the fixings, including a fried egg, where tater tots replace the chips. Everyone at the table really seemed to enjoy it and I knew I had to make my own version of it.

I decided to go with a steak and eggs version version, one of my favorite breakfasts, and I love anything with with a fried egg on it. I left out any sort of dairy to keep it kosher, but if you wanted to you could swap out the the steak for a cheese sauce or salsa verde sour cream, or if you don’t need it be kosher you could do both. The toppings I list are just suggestions. I have also included a recipe for guacamole and Pico de gallo to get you started but if you don’t have the ingredients for one of them or simply don’t like it, feel free to leave it out.  If you have some other ideas for toppings let us know in the the comments. This a great party recipe and scales well. I made it for the Super Bowl last year and people devoured it. Try it for your for your Super Bowl party next week and let us know how people enjoyed it.

 

 

 

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s version of Super Bowl nachos, Nacho Jalapeno Cheese Crisps  or some of our other Super Bowl Recipes:

Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies

Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

 

Recipe: Steak and Eggs Tot-Chos (Tater Tot Nachos)

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Tater Tot Nachos
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Tot-chos AKA Tater Tot Nachos
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

That's right, it's tater tot nachos.  Makes a great party snack, appetizer, or side dish. 

Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: nachos, party, super bowl
Servings: 8 People
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 32 oz Bag Frozen Tater Tots
Suggested Toppings
  • Sour Cream
  • Pico de Gallo Recipe below
  • Cheese Sauce
  • Guacamole Recipe below
  • Fried Egg
  • Sliced Steak
  • Giardiniera
  • Salsa
Instructions

  1. Bake the tater tots on a parchment paper lined sheet pan.  I like to bake them a little hotter and a little longer than the package recommends so they are a crispier. This will also help prevent them from getting soggy when you top them.

  2. Layer on your choice of toppings and enjoy.

Recipe: Guacamole

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Italian Beef Tacos
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Guacamole
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

A party dip classic with a little kick.

Course: Dip
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Medium Ripe Avocados Pitted, peeled, and roughly chopped
  • 1 Small Red Onion Diced
  • 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes Optional
  • 1 tbsp Lime Juice
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork until desired texture is achieved. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Pico de Gallo

5 from 1 vote
Mojo Chicken Tacos
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Pico de Gallo
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

A fresh salsa that is quick and easy to make.  It is great for brightening up a dish by bringing a pop of acid.

Course: Dip
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 3 Plum Tomatoes Diced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper Diced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper Diced
  • 1 Yellow Bell Pepper Diced
  • 1 Small Red Onion Diced
  • 1 Small White Onion Diced
  • 1 Cup Fresh Chopped Cilantro Substitute with parsley if you don't like cilantro
  • 1 Jalapeno Diced, optional
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Let chill in the refrigerator for an hour for the flavors to come together before serving.