Nina Safar
16.03.2012
BERRY PIE WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING:
This is the easiest pie and everyone always LOVES it.
Ingredients:
Pie Crust (I use a deep dish frozen pie crust.)
Berries (fill it with your choice of berries, I use blueberries and raspberries. My sister likes to pair up strawberries with peaches. You can use frozen or fresh depending on season…and price!)
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 stick of margarine
Directions:
Cook the pie crust for about 10 minutes on 350′. Then remove from oven and allow to cool off. Place the berries in the pie crust. Combine the sugar, flour and maragarine in a bowl. Crumble it together with ur hands then sprinkle on top of the filling. Bake on 350′ for about 30 min or until crust looks golden. You can serve this with ice cream and it’s seriously the best thing ever.
~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar
11.03.2012
Purim is over, but you can still enjoy these savory treats: Savory Hamantaschen + Chocolate Raspberry Hamantash!
I adore Purim. Any holiday that encourages dressing up, eating large amounts of candy and drinking alcohol gets a thumbs up from me. I don’t like to eat Hamantaschen though. The three cornered pastry is a holiday treat and is traditionally filled with poppy seeds and various jams. Devouring it is symbolic of overcoming evil.(more on that HERE) I do like to engage in all the festivities and since I run a food blog, I felt it was necessary for me to bake some. I like chocolate and savory foods, so I came up with the following three versions that were in the spirit of the holiday but tastier than the usual selection.
1. Bleeding Hamantaschen: These chocolate and raspberry filled pastries were decadent but due to the raspberry juices leaking out during the baking process, they resembled bleeding hearts. Which works for me since my fam and I are dressing up as pirates this Purim. They may look messy but they taste divine!
2. Mediterranean Hamantaschen: Caramelized onions, tomato, basil and goat cheese make these the perfect appetizer to serve this holiday. I had to resist eating all of them long enough to take the photo!
3. Taco Hamantaschen: These came about by accident, as I had leftover taco meat and spinach from dinner and decided to use them along with some ravioli dough that I had in the freezer. The dough gets nice and crispy in the oven which makes these taste like real tacos!
02.03.2012
Back in Brooklyn for Shabs! Nothing like the smell of freshly baked Zucchini Muffins to fight vacation withdrawal. Happy Shabs xxo
When this dish was served at a Shabbat meal several months ago, I was hesitant to have a taste since Zucchini was one of the ingredients. If it had been a kugel, then I would not have given it a second thought, but Zucchini cake? After my husband rolled his eyes I realized I was being childish and gave it a try. After that first bite, I had 2 slices!
This recipe can be served as muffins, as a side dish in a loaf pan or for dessert in a bundt pan! It is fluffy and moist with a hint of cinnamon.
11.02.2012
MINI FRENCH TOAST:
Growing up, Sunday mornings meant waking up to pancakes or french toast. Sometimes I miss the wake up call of a sugary sweet breakfast waiting for me as I roll out of bed. Since I am now the “mama” in My house, I can’t just walk into the kitchen and grab a plate. I have to actually whip up the weekend treat first before digging in. Today was one of those mornings were the craving was greater than my fear of doing the dishes so I made these mini french toasts. This recipe can be used with regular challah or challah rolls. I had leftover rolls from shabs so I went with the mini version! My son was thrilled to dip his french toast into the syrup and my husband who doesn’t usually like sweet breakfasts, noshed on a few as well.
Ingredients:
2 challah rolls, sliced into 1 inch thick slices
1 cup of milk
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
Combine the milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Dip the challah slices into the batter and fry in a heated greased frying pan. I use pam but you could also use butter, margarine or some oil to heat the pan. After several minutes flip to the other side and cook until slightly browned. Serve with confectionary on top and syrup on the side.
~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar of “Kosher in the Kitch”
07.02.2012
PUMPKIN MUNCHKIN PIES: These Pumpkin Munchkin Pies are adorable and can be baked low fat. A delicious dessert that is also diet friendly? Dig in now!
I think Pumpkin pie is underrated. It’s a healthy dessert chock full of vitamin A, Potassium and fiber. But at the same time it’s a slice of delicious, cinnamon, creamy goodness. My Bubby I share a love for pumpkin pie. I wanted to try and create a healthier low cholesterol version so both me and my bubby could enjoy the treat without her having to worry about the high cholesterol or sugar content that most pies have. Thus was born the pumpkin munchkin pie! Sometimes my bubby and I eat them for breakfast with a cup of coffee and schmooze a little while we nosh. I don’t think it should only be relegated solely to Thanksgiving. The bright orange pie always has a place in my fridge. When this dessert is made with egg beaters and no calorie sweetener, the pies are almost- dare I say it? Guilt free indulgences! The no calorie sweetener that I use most often is Truvia. It’s made using the stevia plant, it’s pareve and it has no aftertaste. I just discovered the stuff not too long ago at my local supermarket, and I find that the pleasantly sweet flavor is so close to sugar that I can’t even tell the difference and neither can anyone else who tries my pumpkin muchkin pies. I included a low fat version using egg beaters and no cal sweetener for those counting calories and for those who feel “there ain’t nothin like the real thing” go for the eggs and sugar version! Either way you bake it, Bon Appetite’!
01.02.2012
Honey Lime Grilled Chicken! Tasty. Healthy. Easy. Great in a salad, over rice or in a soft bun
Some nights I crave carbs like pizza and pasta. Then there are the nights when all I want is a fresh garden salad topped with juicy slices of perfectly grilled chicken. This marinade blends together some of my favorite ingredients to create a sweetly glazed chicken with a kick of lime.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons honey
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 tablespoon of ginger, diced
1 teaspoon Grill Mates® Montreal Steak Seasoning.
Directions:
Combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lime, honey, garlic, ginger and steak seasoning in a large zip lock bag. Place the chicken inside and marinate for several hours. Heat grill pan to medium high and grill chicken for approximately 6 minutes each side, or until juices run clear. Squeeze some fresh lime on top before serving.
~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar of “Kosher in the Kitch”
22.12.2011
Zucchini Parmesan Latkes:
Hanukkah, the holiday of all things fried and delicious is upon us! Much like children who wait for the holidays to unwrap presents, I eagerly anticipate the festival of lights so I can bite into powdered jelly donuts and fried potato latkes. While I usually try to eat a balanced healthy diet, I always give myself the green light on Hanukkah to indulge in all things sweet and savory. When you eat good year round, it doesn’t feel very bad to nosh when the holidays come around! That said, this year I decided to try and make the usually greasy pancake a bit lighter. This is the healthiest recipe I could come up with that still screams eat me cuz I have been fried for Hanukkah! I like the extra crunch the panko crumbs add, however if you really want to cut out any extra “pounds” you can leave them out as well as the potatoes and only use 2 eggs. Personally, I would rather have a smaller portion of something that tastes great then a full serving of something low fat.
