Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie

 

Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie

The Jewish holiday of Shavuot starts this weekend so how about a new pie recipe! Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie!

I love this one because it’s completely no-bake, which is perfect for these 90+ degree days. No baking, no water bath, no dirtying up a half dozen mixing bowls. For this recipe, I made a homemade crust (it came out a bit too thick though), but I just mixed 1 1/2 cups of almond flour, about 1/3 cup of softened butter and few tablespoons of sweetener and pressed it into a greased pie plate. But let’s make this even easier and use a store-bought pie crust.

The filling is just cream cheese (but make sure you plan ahead and leave it on your counter for a few hours to soften), sour cream (because I love the tanginess it brings), peanut butter and sweetener. Topped with strawberry jelly (you can use either homemade or store-bought) and whipped cream! This dessert certainly tastes like childhood. You could even be EXTRA and drizzle chocolate sauce over the top. #YUM.

And that’s all she wrote. An easy, no-bake pie, perfect for those hot summer nights, for Shavuot or really anytime of the year.

Chag Sameach, ya’ll!

Click here for more Shavuot recipes!

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Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 9-inch Graham Cracker Pie Crust Or make your own! I combined 1 1/2 cups almond flour, 1/3 cup of softened butter and 2 tbsp. sugar substitute and pressed that into a pie plate!
  • 1 Package of cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp. Sour Cream
  • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar I use the brand Swerve, for a sugar-free alternative
  • 1/3 cup Peanut Butter I like the Kirkland brand from Costco since it's just peanuts and salt - no other additives!
  • 2 cups Strawberry Jelly I used Walden Farms brand which is sugar-free
  • 2 cups Whipped Cream
  • Chopped peanuts for garnish Optional
Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sour cream, peanut butter and powdered sweetener. The consistently will look like mousse.

  2. Spoon into the pie crust, spread a thick layer of strawberry jelly and whipped cream

  3. Cover and chill in the fridge for a few hours or up to overnight

  4. Add some chopped peanuts as garnish and serve cold. YUM!

Mojo Chicken Tacos

 

Mojo Chicken Tacos

This coming Thursday is Cinco de Mayo, a holiday that celebrates the Mexican army defeating the French in the battle of Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is not Mexican Independence Day. That is September 16. To many on this side of the Rio Grande, it is a great excuse to eat Mexican food.  Mojo is a term used for several sauces, depending on the region you are in. It originated in Canary Islands where it consists primarily of Olive Oil and chili peppers.  For this recipe I chose the Cuban version of Mojo. In Cuba, Mojo is often made with juice from sour oranges and used as a marinade for chicken (or pork).

Making Mojo at Home

For this recipe I decided to go with my favorite handheld food format, the taco. As sour oranges can be hard to find, I approximated that flavor by spiking regular orange juice with lime juice. Being kosher, I went with chicken for my protein, but if that is not something you are worried about you could go with a roasted pork loin or pulled pork shoulder (AKA pork butt).

A word of caution about using acidic marinades or tender meats like chicken: Don’t let the chicken marinate more than three hours.  Two hours would probably be ideal.  If you leave the chicken in the mojo marinade to long the acid will begin to “cook” it. (And by cook I mean denature the protein, but let’s not get too technical.) You could end up with a gross, mushy texture. I recommend serving these with pickled onions and pico de gallo, but feel free to top your tacos as you see fit.

What is your favorite Mexican dish? Let us know in the comments below.  Don’t forget to check out some of our other Mexican recipes:

Fish Tacos With Mango Peach Pico De Gallo

Loaded Jicama Fries Two Ways

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Mojo Chicken Tacos
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Mojo Chicken Tacos
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
15 mins
 

Chicken tacos with a little Cuban flare

Course: Dinner, Lucnh
Cuisine: Cuban, Latin, Mexican
Keyword: Chicken, Chicken Tacos, Mojo, Mojo Chicken, Tacos
Servings: 2 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Marinade
  • 2 Cup Orange Juice
  • ½ Cup Lime Juice
  • ½ Cup Olive Oil
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Finely Chopped
  • 1 Medium Onion Finel Chopped
  • 1 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
  • ¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes Optional
Tacos
  • 1 lb Whole Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
  • Salt To taste
  • Pepper To taste
  • Cumin To taste
  • Smoked Paprika To taste
  • 6 Small Street Taco Sized Tortillas
  • Pico de Gallo For topping your taco
  • Pickled Red Onions For topping your taco
Instructions
Marinade

  1. In a medium sauce pot combine the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic, onion, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat and bring to simmer until the the sugar is dissolved. Place in the fridge until cool to the touch.

Chicken

  1. Add your whole boneless chicken breast to the marinade and place back in the fridge for two hours. Do not marinate the chicken for too long as the acid from the juices will begin to "cook" the chicken.

  2. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with the salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin to taste

  3. Heat up your grill or grill pan over high heat. Cook your chicken breasts, about four minute on each side.

Taco Assembly

  1. Slice your chicken into bite sized pieces and add to your tortillas. Top with pico de gallo and pickled onions and serve.

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. 

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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.

Mini Passover Bagels

 

Mini Passover Bagels

Hope ya’ll are having a wonderful Passover holiday, or had a wonderful Easter! Whatever you celebrate, we’ve got you covered with some great new spring recipes!

We’re coming up on the last days of Passover, so I had to share the recipe for these Mini Passover Bagels – made without matzah meal or potato starch! This is one of my go-to low-carb recipes that I make throughout the year! And the best part is that it’s 100% Passover-friendly and dairy-free!

Psyllium Husk Powder

The key here is the ground psyllium husk powder that gives the bagels the classic chewy, wheat-like texture. You can find a container on Amazon or slightly cheaper at Whole Foods in the supplement section.

Psyllium husk powder is made from the outer covering hence the “husk” of the seeds of the Plantago Ovata plant. It’s mainly grown throughout Northern and Western India. The powder is commonly used as a digestive aid due to its high fiber content, or a perfect matzah meal or potato starch substitute in these Passover Mini Bagels.

So that’s it – short and sweet. Chag Sameach friends!

Side note – see here for details from the cRc regarding Kosher-for-Passover hechsher)

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Mini Passover Bagels
Servings: 8 mini bagels
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cup Almond Flour
  • 1/3 cup Ground Psyllium Husk Note - most psyllium husk powders have a slight purple-ish tint to it. It's not harmful at all, just don't be alarmed when the color is a little off.
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Minced Onion optional
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder optional
  • 2 tsp Vinegar You can use either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 cup Hot water
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

  2. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl

  3. Add in the vinegar and eggs and mix well so no lumps remain and all of the psyllium husk has disolved

  4. Add the cup of hot water and mix again until the dough feels like the consistency of Play-Doh

  5. If the mixture is a little dry, add some olive oil to your hands and roll the mixture into golf-ball sized balls and place on baking sheet. Poke a hole in the middle of each dough ball to make a "bagel" shape and re-shape as needed. Sprinkle the tops of the bagels with more minced onion, if desired. Or, if you eat kitniyot, add some sesame seeds!

  6. Bake for 45 minutes.

  7. Once the bagels are cool, slice and toast and top with your favorite sandwich toppings!

Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken

 

Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken

The holiday of Pesach (AKA Passover) is upon us. This year I decided to take on the seder classic, charoset.  I know I am a little late for a seder recipe, but this will work great for the second days of Passover or really any time during the year. Charoset is a paste traditionally made from grated apples, sweet red wine, and nuts. It is designed to take the bite out of your maror (AKA bitter herb/horseradish). Every family has its own traditions when comes to the addition of spices, sweeteners, and other fruits such as dates or raisins.  For my traditional charoset, I add honey, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

A Twist on Tradition

For this recipe I wanted to put a twist on traditional charoset, and at the same time expand its function. I was perusing the produce at my provisions provider, and I came across two tropical tastes that I could not pass up.  Mangos are one of my favorite fruits and the produce store had a sale on them if you bought a case. I also came across kumquats, the tiny little citrus that I just cannot resist. This lead me down a path to chutney.  According Merriam-Webster.com chutney is defined as a thick sauce of Indian origin that contains fruits, vinegar, sugar, and spices and is used as a condiment. Many chutneys contain, apples, mangos, and nuts.  The leap from charoset to chutney is but a small step.

The great thing about this recipe is you can use the charoset/chutney to dip your maror in or use it as a condiment or a sauce.  In this recipe I use it as a sauce for my seder night chicken. Many hav e the custom that meat or fowl served at the seder must be served in a liquid. The reason for this is so that it should not appear that we are trying to fulfill the commandment of eating the korban Pesach (Paschal lamb sacrifice) in the absence of the Temple. The korban Pesach was served dry roasted. The chutney would also make a great addition to your holiday brisket or even spread on matzo.

What is your favorite Passover dish? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to check out some of our other Passover recipes:

Passover Basics: Quick Carrots With a Little Something Extra

Cabbage Pancakes (for Passover!)

Passover Sweet Potato Knishes

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Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken
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Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 45 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Jewish, Kosher, Passover
Keyword: Charoset
Servings: 4
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion Peeled and sliced
  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 3 Large Mangos Peeled and diced
  • 3 Large Apples Peeled, cored, and diced
  • 12 Kumquats Divided
  • 1 tbsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper or Red Pepper Flake (if you like it spicy)
  • 1½ Cup Orange Juice Reserve ½ cup for cooking the chicken
  • 1 Cup Sweet White Wine
  • ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ¼ Cup Honey
  • ¼ Cup Ground Nuts
  • 1 Package 4 Chicken Leg Quarters or 8-Peice Cut Up
Instructions
Charoset/Chutney

  1. Add the oil, onions, and salt to large sauce pot and place over medium heat. Sautee until the onion starts to brown.

  2. Slice half the kumquats into thin slices. In a mixing bowl combine the apples, mango, and kumquats. Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and black (or red) pepper and stir to combine.

  3. Add the mango, apple, kumquat mixture to the pot with the onions. Add 1 cup of the orange juice, all of the wine, apple cider vinegar, and honey and stir to combine.

  4. Turn the heat down to low and reduce the mixture to a chunky, jam-like consistency is achieved. Stir in the ground nuts. If you are using this as your charoset, you can stop here.

Chicken

  1. Pour the sauce into a baking dish and add the chicken. Slice the remainder of the kumquats and top the chicken with them. If the chutney looks dry add a ½ cup of orange juice to the pan.

  2. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the chicken at 350°F for an hour. Then turn the oven up to 425°F and uncover the chicken. Continue cooking until the the chicken skin begins to brown and serve.

Vegan Nacho “Cheese” Dip

 

I can confidently say this is one of the most talked about recipes I’ve ever made. My Vegan Nacho Cheese Dip is most definitely a crowd-pleaser but yet this humble dip has so many stories surrounding it. Let’s get into it!

Crowd-pleasing surprise

First off, I have to give my other blog (riskyveggie.com) some props because I posted a version of this recipe a few years back, since it was such a huge hit. I’ve made it for Super bowl parties in the past and it’s always fun to see the look on everyone’s faces when they see a “cheese”-looking dip on the same table as the chicken wings. Hmm…doesn’t look so kosher to me. But when I told them it’s vegan? Not to toot my own horn, but pure amazement on everyone’s faces.

The second time I made this dip for a crowd was last year’s Super bowl party. It was right before Ellie and I moved into our new condo and somehow I mustered up enough energy to whip up a batch of this dip. It’s THAT easy, that it didn’t feel like a chore. We went to a friend’s house to watch the game and their teenage son could not get enough of this. So much so that every time I see their family, there’s a good chance that one of them will ask me when I’m making it next. Well, Gottesman fam, this is for you.

Performance Recipe?

In October 2021, my little sister got married. It was an unbelievably magical weekend. Sunday night (the night before the wedding), there was a dinner and an activity called “Share” – basically like a talent show! There were lots of fun performances – jokes, songs, dances, funny stories and lots of laughs. I hadn’t planned on performing anything for share but about 20 minutes before the program started, a friend said “why don’t you share a recipe?” I looked at her quizzically, “um, how exactly would I do that? I’ve never “performed” a recipe before.”

But I decided super last minute to participate and the first recipe that came to mind was my infamous Vegan Nacho Cheese Dip. This is probably my most-requested recipe (apart from my Coconut Date Balls).

So, I mustered up some courage, jumped up on stage to “perform” my recipe! Wow, everyone was so into it! Maybe because it was a little different and unusual for a talent show? Either way, it turns out, this recipe is the perfect one to “perform” – all I did was share the ingredients and mimicked the action of my blender whirling away! But, the fun part is that I had several people approach me afterwards comment on how delicious (and easy) it sounded and of course, they wanted to know where to find the recipe! Cue a plug for MYV!

Well, look no further, my long-awaited Vegan Nacho Cheese Dip. I promise, it won’t disappoint.

Happy blending!

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Vegan Nacho "Cheese" Dip
Servings: 4 cups
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 Large handful of raw cashews You don't want roasted or seasoned, just buy the raw whole or pieces (in bulk is cheaper) - and store in the freezer to keep them fresh
  • 4 cups Filtered water
  • 4 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1/2 cup Salsa
  • 2-3 Garlic cloves No need to chop, the blender will do all the hard work for you!
  • 2 tbsp Turmeric
  • 1 can Diced green chilies Optional
Instructions

  1. Add the cashews to the container of a high-powered blender. Add the water and the rest of the ingredients, except the diced green chilies

  2. Slowly power up to the highest setting and let it blend for about 6-7 minutes. The key here is to be patient. You need to let the blender do its job, so it'll be loud but trust me, it's worth it

  3. After about 6-7 minutes, you should hear a slight "chugging" noise and the sauce thicken and tighten up. Lower the speed to the medium speed for 1 more minute

  4. Turn off the blender and slowly pour out the sauce into a large container. Careful, it's going to be HOT! Add in the green chilies and serve!

  5. If you're going to be serving this for a party, I recommend serving it in a slow cooker on low to keep it warm and clump-free. Store in the fridge and use for up to 1 week. Serve with tortilla chips! (Note - this recipe is one of those things where you really don't need to measure. I put in rough measurements here, but you can always taste half-way through the blending process and adjust. One time I wanted to make this for a party but didn't have any salsa, so I substituted spicy red harissa and it was incredible. The perfect amount of heat and spice. So play around with it. Add in some lemon juice for a tang, or add in pickled jalapenos once it's mixed, or even pour in some of the juice before you blend! You can also omit the salsa and turmeric and add in more garlic and almond milk (like half almond milk, half water) to make a vegan alfredo sauce. It's the perfect base to make lots of yummy vegan sauces!!)

Cheeseburger Salad Bowl

 

Cheeseburger Salad Bowl

For those of you in the Keto or Low-Carb community, you know full well what a “Big Mac Bowl” is. This is my spin – a KOSHER take on this classic keto dish, made with my homemade “Big Mac sauce” – the Cheeseburger Salad Bowl!

Low-Carb goodness

I’ve been following a low-carb eating lifestyle for several years now but I’ve lately more strict when it comes to tracking my macros. This salad is easy to prepare in advance for lunch or dinner and it’s incredibly filling and satisfying – even for a salad! It’s become my “several-day-of-the-week” meal and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet.

Even if you’re not following a low-carb lifestyle, this is the perfect salad to jazz up your weekday lunches with the perfect balance. The combination of healthy fats veggies and protein – the sharpness of the red onion, the sweetness of the tomato, the “meaty” veggie burger, and the tang of the pickles and the dressing. Topped with sesame seeds, to mimic the bun – YUM.

Simple swaps

Want to make your salad prep even easier? Buy shredded lettuce, or meatless crumbles (and cook the night before). I like using the burger patty so it’s easier to track my macros and it’s the perfect protein serving of 1 for my Cheeseburger Salad Bowl. This would also be great with shredded coleslaw mix, or chopped romaine, or kale too.

And we can’t forget about the main star here – the Big Mac Sauce! It’s so ridiculously simple – enlist your kids to help make it! I just add everything in a mason jar and store it in my fridge to last about one week. Oh and it also makes a delicious tangy dip for French fries too!

Enjoy!

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Cheeseburger Salad Bowl
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
 
Course: Salad
Servings: 1 serving
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 Meatless Burger Patty You can use either Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger - delish! You could also use any veggie burger crumbles. I like using the patty and crumbling it up as it cooks, so it's the perfect protein portion!
  • 1 cup Iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup Cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/8 cup Red or white onion, diced
  • 5-6 Pickle chips, chopped I like the giant container of Grillo's pickle chips from Costco!
  • 1-2 tbsp "Big Mac Sauce"
  • Sprinkle of sesame seeds
Big Mac Sauce
  • Mayo
  • Ketchup
  • Yellow mustard
  • Splash of pickle juice
Instructions

  1. Heat a sauté pan on medium heat and cook the veggie burger on both sides. Break up the meat patty with a wooden spoon until it resembles ground beef crumbles. While the burger cooks, make the big mac sauce

  2. There's no exact science to this - just mix the mayo, ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl or mason jar, and add in a bit of the pickle juice. I start with about a 1/4 cup of mayo and add a big squeeze of ketchup and mustard, add in the pickle juice and adjust as needed. It makes about a cup of dressing and lasts in the fridge for about 1 week

  3. Assemble the salad bowls: In a big bowl, add in the shredded lettuce, onion, tomato, cheddar cheese, (slightly cooled) crumbled up veggie meat patty, and chopped pickles. Top with the big mac sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Check out some more salad recipes here:

Watermelon Tomato Salad

Blistered Green Bean & Tomato Salad with Basil Garlic Dressing

 

Tomato Pomegranate Salad

 

Israeli Shawarma Feta Salad

 

Herby Cabbage Salad – perfect for Passover!

 

New Years Cocktail: Strawberry Orange Mimosa

 

Strawberry Orange MimosaJust a quick recipe for a New Years cocktail. I wanted to do something based on sparkling wine to keep with the festive nature of the holiday.  A riff on a classic brunch cocktail, the mimosa, seemed appropriate.  In order to make it my own, I decided to add strawberry puree, which conveniently made use of the plethora of frozen strawberries in my freezer.

5 from 1 vote
New Years Cocktail
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Strawberry Orange Mimosa
Prep Time
2 mins
 

A twist on a classic brunch cocktail perfect for your New Year's Party

Course: Beverage, Cocktail
Cuisine: Bar
Keyword: Cocktail, mimosa, new years, orange, orange mimosa, orange strawberry mimosa, strawberry
Servings: 6 glasses
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 12 fl. oz. Sweet Sparkling Wine About 1/2 a standard bottle, chilled
  • 12 fl. oz. Orange Juice Chilled
  • 1 lb. Frozen Strawberries Defrosted
  • 6 Slices Fresh Strawberries For garnish
Instructions

  1. Blend the frozen strawberries to a puree. Pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer to filter out the seeds.

  2. Add 2 ounces of sparkling wine and 2 ounces of orange juice to each glass.

  3. Top each glass with a tablespoon of the strawberry puree, garnish with a slice of strawberry, and serve immediately.

Here are some other recipes that would be great for your New Year’s party:

The Russian Reindeer: A Moscow Mule with Some Holiday Cheer

Nashville Hot Chicken Wings and Waffles

A Trio of Simple Super Bowl Chicken Wings

Fried Halloumi Cheese Bites with Kansas City-style BBQ sauce

Crispy Beef for a Kosher Christmas

 

 

Crispy BeefI eat Chinese food on Christmas and if I have time go to the movie theater too (or at least watch Die Hard). The custom for Jews to eat Chinese food on Christmas dates back to the late 1800s. I love making my own Chinese food. While it can be a bit labor intensive, it is easier than you think. Don’t worry if your dumplings don’t look perfect, your family will love them any way. This year I decide, by popular demand, to tackle a simple classic, crispy beef.

Better Crispy Beef

Crispy beef is a Chinese American appetizer that easily converts to a main dish when added to the stir fried vegetables of your choice and served along side white rice, so feel free to dress up the basic version of this recipe and make it your own. We are going to start out by tenderizing the beef by coating it in baking soda. This is similar to what we did in the past for other Chinese dishes such as beef and broccoli.  This changes the pH (remember high school chemistry) which spreads out the fibers of the beef, giving it a softer mouth feel. It is served with a simple sweet soy and sesame sauce, that can be augmented with red pepper flakes if you like  things on the spicy side.

Wok This Way

A wok is one of the most versatile cooking implements you can have. They are fairly inexpensive, especially if you have an Asian restaurant supply store near you.  I just would stay away from the non-stick ones and go with carbon steel.  Because of their high sides woks can be used for sautéing and shallow or deep frying. There is nothing like a fry fest Asian style.  Whether it be deep fried eggrolls or won-tons, lo mein or fried rice, or wok tossed sweet and sour chicken or spicy kung pow beef, I love it all.

What is your favorite Chinese dish? Let us know in the comments. Don’t forget to try some of our other Asian dishes:

Orange Chicken: A Jewish Tradition

Beef and Broccoli(ni) in Brown Sauce

Asian Recipe Collection

5 from 1 vote
Crispy Beef
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Crispy Beef
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Marinating time
1 hr
 

A Chinese food classic perfect for a kosher Christmas.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Holiday, Jewish, Kosher
Keyword: Chinese, christmas, crispy beef, kosher
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 lb Pepper steak Sliced in to 1 inch squares, ¼" thick
  • 3 tbsp Baking Soda
Marinade
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp White Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Fresh is best, but dry will work in a pinch.
  • 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic Chopped fine
Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Fresh is best, but dry will work in a pinch.
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
Coating and Garnish
  • 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
  • Vegetable Oil For frying
  • 1 Bunch Scallions Sliced thin
  • 1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds For garnish
Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl combine with the baking soda and beef and place in the fridge for a half an hour.

  2. While the beef is in the fridge combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl: soy sauce, ginger, white pepper, and sesame oil. Remove the beef from the fridge rinse off the baking soda and add the beef to the marinade. Place back in the fridge for an hour.

  3. While the beef is marinating combine the sauce in the ingredients in a sauce pot: soy sauce, honey, ginger, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Place the pot over medium heat and reduce by 25%.

  4. Remove the beef from the marinade and dust with corn starch.

  5. Add enough oil to a wok or large frying pan come about 1 inch up the side and place over medium heat. Once the oil is hot fry the beef in batches until golden brown and remove to a paper towel lined plate.

  6. Once the all the beef is fried, allow the oil to cool and pour it out of the wok or pan. Add the sauce to wok or pan and place over low heat. Add the beef to the sauce and stir to coat.

  7. Serve immediately topped with the sliced scallions and sesame seeds with white rice.

 

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

 

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and one thing I like to do is try and elevate some of my dishes.  I take a dish that I would make for any Friday night and give it a little more pizzazz. Sweet potatoes are a classic fall side dish. They have so more potential than being simply roasted or mashed and baked in a casserole with marshmallows on top. 

First thing you can do is a add some warm fall spices to your mash. Flavors such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg will give your sweet potatoes a nice zing. If you really like it you also add some clove, but use it sparingly as it can easily overtake a dish.  Adding a bit of maple syrup for some complex sweetness wouldn’t be a bad thing either. Just please do not use “pancake syrup.” If you don’t have real maple syrup you can use honey in a pinch. The pecans also give some nice textural contrast to what is otherwise a fairly mushy dish.

By piping the sweet potato back in to the skin you get a fun presentation.  When you make individual portions as opposed to a large casserole, it seems a little more special and brings a little bit extra to your holiday table. This will be a dish that deserves a place right next to your beautifully  cooked turkey (or duck if you want to do something a little different). Just don’t let me catch you putting them next to the cranberry sauce that still looks like the can.

Also, please don’t call them yams. Sweet potatoes and yams are two different things. Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest Thanksgiving recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread or our other Thanksgiving recipes. Finally, let us know how you make Thanksgiving special or just something are thankful for in the comments.

 

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Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
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Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Cooling Time
4 hrs
 

A tasty side dish for your Thanksgiving table

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Holiday, Kosher, Thanksgiving
Keyword: Holiday, Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving
Servings: 6 People
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Stick Butter or Margarine
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Nutmeg
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • Real Maple Syrup For brushing on top of your sweet potatoes
  • 48 Whole Pecans
Instructions

  1. Position a rack in your oven in the farthest position from the heat source that still allows you to enough space for a baking sheet loaded with sweet potatoes. If the heating element is on the bottom place your rack towards the top, and if the heating element is on the bottom then place the rack towards the bottom. This helps the sweet potatoes bake more evenly.

  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

  3. Wash the outside of your sweet potatoes and place them whole on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

  4. Bake until a paring knife easily goes through your largest potato, about a 1 ½ hours. Be careful to try and pierce the sweet potato as close to center as possible as you will be splitting the potato and reusing the skin later.

  5. Allow your sweet potatoes to cool completely. Then cut them in half the long way and scoop out the flesh, being careful not tear the skin, and add it to a large mixing bowl.

  6. Preheat the oven to 350°F again.

  7. Add the butter (or margarine), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper to the sweet potato flesh and mash until smooth.

  8. Place the sweet potato mixture in a piping bag. Place the skins on parchment lined baking sheet and and use the piping bag to refill the skins. It should fill about 6 skins. If you are feeling fancy, use different tips to a cool design.

  9. Brush the top of each sweet potato with maple syrup and artfully place 8 pecans on each sweet potato . Then brush the pecans with maple syrup.

  10. Bake until the the top starts to brown, about 30 minutes, and serve immediately.

 

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread

 

As promised, here’s a new recipe to add to your Thanksgiving collection! What better way to ring in a Thanksgiving feast then pulling out a cast iron pan to make my (gluten-free) Pumpkin Cornbread! And it just feels so right to marry these two together. Just a disclaimer here, I didn’t end up using a full can of pumpkin puree because it made the cornbread a bit dense. But if you like that or you don’t want to save the excess pumpkin in your fridge, by all means, go for it.

And since usually when we all look up recipes online, we skip the text and scroll right to the recipe, so here ya go! Keeping this short and sweet, because well, pumpkin cornbread doesn’t need all the extra fanfare. We all know it’s delish. Just add some honey (or honey butter) on top, and it’s autumn perfection.

Enjoy!

Check out some other MYV Thanksgiving recipes here! And one of my personal favorites…

Ginger Lime Cranberry Sauce

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 
Course: Side
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups Cornmeal
  • 1 cup Almond Flour
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 3/4 tsp Sea Salt
  • Dash of Cinnamon I didn't measure here, I just sprinkled some in! You could also add in some ginger too for a kick!
  • 1 cup Pumpkin Puree Not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 cup Almond Milk
  • 1/3 cup Oil I used Avocado oil for its neutral flavor but you can also use olive oil or (refined) coconut oil. The refined coconut oil tastes less "coconutty". Or you could use butter if you're making this dairy
  • 1/3 cup Honey
  • 2 Eggs
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

  2. In a large bowl, mix all of of the dry ingredients together

  3. In a separate large bowl, mix the wet ingredients together

  4. Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and make sure not to overmix

  5. Lightly grease a cast iron pan and pour in the batter and smooth around the pan using your hands or the back of a spoon

  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes

  7. Cut into slices and drizzle with honey if desired. I like it best served warm, especially because the honey sinks into the cornbread, YUM! Or, if you're making this dairy, you could mix a little softened butter with honey and add a pat of honey butter to the top of your slice!

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