Buffalo Blue Shroom Skins

Buffalo Blue Shroom Skins

With forth of July coming up I was thinking of a way to incorporate a classic american appetizer with the true spirit colors of our countries flag Red, White and Blue. The red is the hot Buffalo sauce , the blue is the blue cheese and the white is the potato and mushroom.

A mini version of an all time favorite treat the potato skin taken up a notch. This recipe is easy enough for me to make in the galley of the boat. Not too over the top indulgent, because they are baked and not deep fried.  Gather the ingredients and you'll have a great go to delicious dish.

Ingredients:

18 small Yukon gold potatoes 2-3" in diameter

Olive oil for pan

10 ounces sliced white mushrooms

1/2 cup buffalo hot sauce

1 teaspoon mayo (light or regular)

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

3 scallions chopped

1/2 cup sour cream mixed with the juice of half a lime, for the dip.

Preheat the oven to 400°

Grease a baking sheet with olive oil, roll the Yukon gold potatoes in the oil and bake for 30-40 minutes until a knife slides through the center easily. Take out and let cool. 

While the potatoes are cooking in a saute pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil saute the mushrooms till they are al dente'. Not completely cooked and not raw , somewhere in between. season with salt and pepper.

Slice each potato in half. With a teaspoon, scoop out the center of the potato leaving the skin and about 1/4 of the potato. Set aside the insides of the potatoes.

Chop the potato insides and the mushrooms roughly.

Mix together the buffalo hot sauce and the mayo, then stir in the crumbled blue cheese.

Toss the sauted mushrooms and potato insides with the buffalo blue cheese sauce till they are coated.

Place the scooped out skins back on the baking sheet.  Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mushroom mixture into each potato skin and top with the shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake the skins in a 375° oven for about 5 minutes till the cheddar is melted.

Sprinkle the chopped scallions on the top.

Serve with sour cream mixed with the fresh squeezed lime.

Enjoy!

A Royal Treat Lemon Coconut Scones

Lemon Coconut Scones

One of my secret treats is to stop at Kerber's Farm, a local farm stand for a Coconut scone. It is a giant puffy pastry that is moist, sweet, cocnutty and delicious. With spring finally here I thought I would try to create my own favorite scone so I combined the refreshing, decadent yet delicate flavor of lemon with sweet and delicious coconut flakes. It ended up to be a great marriage.

In honor of the Royal Wedding whip up a batch of these very simple and impressive, special treats.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar plus a little more for sprinkling

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 stick (1/2 cup) cold salted butter cut into cubes

2/3 cup heavy cream plus extra for brushing the tops

1 large lemon zested ( 1 1/2 tablespoons)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat Oven to 400°

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar and baking powder.

 Add the cubed butter, blend with your fingers till the butter breaks up and the mixture forms into small pieces.

Gently mix in the heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice and coconut flakes. I like to do this with my hands just until the liquid is incorporated with the dry ingredients. Be sure not to over blend and overwork the dough which will make it heavy and dense when baked.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and form it into a a long rectangle that measures about 1" high, 4" wide and 12" long. 

Cut straight down the center then on angles down each side to form triangles. You should get 16 scones.

Place the cut scones on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of each scone with the heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 20-25 minutes till they are golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy them with a shmear of blueberry jam or butter! 

Carol's Fruity and Nutty Passover Charoset

Carol's Fruity and Nutty Passover Charoset

Passover is a holiday filled with family traditions. In our family we have a lot of them most revolving around the food. My mom makes the amazing Matzoh Ball soup (family secret). When my brother Andrew is here, he grinds the horseradish by hand ( no food possessor for him), and my sister Carol makes the most amazing Charoset that is not just a part of the Sedar meal it is truly a treat.

Over the years Carol's Charoset has evolved into a chunky , nutty and fruity dish. It started off with the traditional apples, nuts and wine and over the years evolved into an amazing mix of sweet and savory flavors and textures. There is always a few bowls to pass around. If you are lucky enough to get some leftovers it is amazing for breakfast on matzoh.

Ingredients:

3  Different varieties of large apples peeled and chopped Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Macintosh

1 cup Turkish dried apricots

I cup pitted dates or 3/4 cup pressed pitted dates

1/2 cup dries cranberries

1 cup shelled chopped walnuts

1/3 cup honey

I cup Concord Grape wine

1 lemon juiced

Preparing the Charoset:

In a food processor layer 1/2 of the apples, 1/2 of the walnuts and the  dried fruit and chop coarsley. If you are using a small food processor be sure to chop apples and dried fruit together in batches so that the juices from the apples keeps the dried fruit from clumping together. Add the honey wine and lemon juice and pulse a few times till mixed in. Transfer the mix to a mixing bowl and fold in the other 1/2 of chopped apples and chopped walnuts. This will give the Charoset that great chunky texture.

You are one step closer now to being ready for the sedar.

Have a Zissen Pesach 

Enjoy!

A Lovely Latke

Goat Cheese and Rosemary Potato Latke

For me one of the best parts of Hanukkah is the delicious, savory, hot  and crispy Latkes.  I am a big fan of frying and also a big fan of potatoes. I like to find ways to add one of my favorite foods the potato Latkes to a meal all year round, but on Hanukkah they are the shining star of the table.

There are many things you can incorporate with the basic Latke recipe. By adding different herbs, cheeses or using different vegetables or potatoes as your base. I like to use a Yukon gold potato for it's creamy ,smooth texture and buttery flavor. to add a little bit of sophistication I thought an hereby cheesy Latke would be just lovely.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped in  1 " chunks

1 large yellow onion chopped in 1"  chunks

2 eggs beaten

1/3 cup flour

4 ounces goat cheese crumbled

2 tablespoons or 3 sprigs rosemary stripped and chopped

2 Tablespoons or 15 blades chives chopped plus a few more for garnish

salt and pepper 

vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Using a food processor with the chopping blade or a hand grater, grate the potatoes while intermittently adding the onions into the mix.

Place the grated potatoes and onions in a colander. Press down on the mixture with a clean dish towel pressing out as much liquid as possible. 

In a large bowl mix the grated potatoes with the eggs , flour, goat cheese, rosemary, chives, salt & pepper till well blended.

To help prolong the potatoes from changing color, I like to cover the bowl of the potato mixture with plastic wrap that is laying right on top hugging the mixture so it is not exposed to the air. As you are using the potato mixture to cook, peel back one side of the plastic wrap to uncover as little of the mixture as possible.

                                                       In a large skillet heat 1/2" deep vegetable oil till it is hot and ready to fry. Using a large spoon or serving spoon, drop a spoonful of mixture into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan cooking 4 to 5 latkes at a time. Cook them  till they are golden brown, then flip to cook other side.

 

 

Drain the Latkes on  a stack of paper towels. I like to recycle a paper bag and lay that flat under the paper towels so the oil doesn't seep through to the counter. I also try to avoid as much oil splatter clean up as possible, so I like to cover the other burners and the stove top with foil.

Serve them lot with a dollop of sour cream with some finely chopped chives. Makes 24-28 Latkes.

 

 

Happy Hanukkah,

Enjoy!

Simply, Sweet and Scrumptious Bread Pudding!

Apple & Honey Bread Pudding

In keeping with the spirit of the holidays that just passed , I thought I would find a way to incorporate apples and honey the symbolic food for the Jewish New Year, and also use up those unfinished loaves of challah. I have tried a lot of bread pudding recipes but I never seem to have the patience to go through all the steps of warming the milk and straining it. I tried a few shortcuts and it came out quite good.

This is a simple bread pudding recipe that is easy to make, and can simply be switched up to adapt to the fruit you have in the fridge. It would be great with peaches, blueberries, strawberries or raspberries. This is also a great recipe to serve for company.  You can prepare it ahead of time keep it in the fridge, when you take dinner out of the oven you pop the bread pudding in. It will be ready just in time for dessert. An impressive and delicious treat to serve your family or guests.

Ingredients:

3 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

4 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 to 7 cups day or two old challah cut into 1" cubes, about 1/2 to 2/3's a challah plain or raisn

3 medium Granny Smith apples peeled cored and cut into 1/2" chunks

1/2 cup honey

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Grease the bottom of a 9" X 12" baking dish.

In a bowl mix together the milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon. Stir till they are well blended.

Use half the bread cubes to make a layer on the bottom of the greased pan. Drizzle half of the honey over the cubed bread, then scatter half of the apple cubes. Repeat the layers to use up the remaining bread cubes, honey then apples.

Honey tip:

Spray the inside of the measuring cup with spray oil before adding honey.  This will let the honey flow out of the cup without sticking to the sides.

 

 

 

Pour the milk and egg mixture over the layered bread cubes, apples and honey.

Gently press down on the bread cubes so the bread is soaking in the liquid. Let it sit for at least a half hour to moisten and soften up.

 

Bake for 45 minutes till the top is golden brown and the edges start pilling slightly away from the sides.

Serve it with a big dollop of home made whipped cream.

 

For the whipped cream recipe click on the link below or go to my blog post Whip It Up!.

http://toohappyliving.com/blog/2016/2/14/whip-it-up

Enjoy!!

Perfectly Playful Pistachio Chicken Fingers

Pistachio Crusted Chicken Fingers

with Chipotle Mayo

This is my grown up version of one of the best kids foods around. I added the delicious and decadent flavor of pistachios and covered chicken strips to make an amazing crowd pleasing treat. This is a great make ahead appetizer or main course. It's easy to freeze and easy to heat up. 

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless thick cut chicken breasts cut into strips

2 cups ( 8 ounce bag) raw unsalted pistachios chopped fine with some small pieces

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

4 sprigs of fresh thyme stripped

salt and pepper

2 x large eggs 

2 Tablespoons water

few drops hot pepper sauce like Cholula

Canola oil for frying

Grind the pistachios in a food processor till the texture is about the same as the panko, with some pieces slightly larger mixed in.

In a large bowl mix together the chopped pistachios, panko bread crumbs, chopped parsley, thyme leaves, salt and pepper.

In a medium size bowl or soup bowl stir together the eggs, water, pepper sauce, salt and pepper.

Transfer a third of the pistachio mix into  another soup bowl.

One at a time dredge the chicken strips in the egg mix till well coated and any excess egg drips off,  then dredge in the pistachio mix till both side are coated well.

 

In a large skillet heat 1/4" deep layer of canola oil. When the oil sizzles adding a drop of water then it is ready. Brown off both sides till chicken is cooked and the they are a deep golden brown.

Don't overcrowd the pan , it will take longer to cook and they won't cook or look consistent.

 

When they are done, place the cooked Pistachio Chicken Fingers on a stack of paper towels, to blot off any excess oil.

This batch should make 30-35 Fingers.

At this point you can either freeze them in a tin, with a tight foil cover or lid refrigerate them or serve them hot.

 

For the chipotle mayo mix 1 teaspoon of chipotle sauce with 1/2 cup mayo, 1 teaspoon lemon juice , salt and pepper, mix well. 

Every kid and grown kid will love them.

Enjoy!

Summer Shakedown Salad

Kale Shakedown Salad with

Ginger Lime Dressing

This salad was given it's infamous name thanks to my husband Scott. We were heading to my friends Carin and Kenny's boat for dinner and I was bringing the salad. I thought a great kale salad would be perfect  because I could prepare and dress the salad earlier and not worry about it wilting. The name can have a double meaning it could be the fact that I basically shook down my fridge and put as many delicious veggies as I could in this salad . The second definition of Shakedown from Wikepedia is " a shakedown cruise, a period of testing undergone by a ship..." This is what my husband thought we needed to do when we were about to board The Blown Away for dinner.

Kale is a a vegetable that has been around forever but in the past few years it has gotten reinvented.  Because of it's flavorful, healthy and hearty leaf it is the salad to get. I met a local chef in the produce isle of the IGA in Montauk a few years ago. His kale advice was to rub a tiny bit of olive oil over the leaves of the kale. This helps soften the kale and break up some of the fiber. It transforms the leaf from rough and bitter to tender and sweet. It also preserves the leaves . 

This is a packed salad with lots of crunch, and a combination of sweet and tang from the dressing and a blend of flavors from the mix of veggies. The veggies and the dressing are intended to shine in this salad, right along side of the kale. It is a winner salad!

Salad Ingredients:

4 cups of kale destemmed and chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 Campari tomatoes quartered

2 ribs of celery sliced

2 radishes sliced and slivered

1/2 English cucumber peeled sliced and quartered

2 scallions sliced

1 cob of corn cooked or grilled kernels cut off

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled

Gently massage the teaspoon of olive oil into the cleaned and destemmed kale. This can be done up to a few days before you will be using the Kale. It breaks up the fibers, softens the leaves and adds to the sweetness of the kale.

Cut,

Chop,

Sliver,

This is a great way to use left over corn on the cob, but if you want to cook just an ear up for this salad a quick easy way to cook fresh corn is to boil it, cook it in a grill pan, or cook it in the microwave is husked on high for 4-5 minutes.

In a large bowl add all the veggies, kale and feta.

Ginger lime Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/8 cup honey

2 cloves garlic grated

1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated

salt and pepper

 

Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a jar and shake it up until it is all combined.

Toss about half the dressing into the salad.

This recipe makes enough dressing for two salads.

Enjoy!

Last Minute Lettuce Wraps

Asian Beef & Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These lettuce wraps are bursting with the fresh flavors of the ginger and scallions, with a savory Asian taste.  If you need a quick easy go to meal, this is it. Start to finish it will take 15 minutes and Voila you will have a great, healthy no carb meal. I used chopped beef and chicken, but you can easily switch for turkey or veal. The best part is you only use one saute pan and a bowl.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 1/2 lbs ground beef or chicken

1 medium red onion chopped 1/4" squares

2 garlic cloves grated

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1/4 cup hoison sauce

To separate the leaves from a head of lettuce and not damage the leaves , cut around the core in a cone shape and remove it . the leaves will break apart with ease.

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 scallions chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 large head of romaine lettuce,boston or bib lettuce washed and separated

1/2 cup shredded carrots, 1/2 cup bean sprouts . 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat a tablespoon canola oil in a large saute' pan. Add the chopped beef or chicken and cook the meat until it is browned off. Drain the off any extra grease that formed from the meat. Transfer the browned meat to a bowl.

 

Add the chopped onions and garlic to the pan, saute' till tender. Add ginger stir and then add hoison sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce. lime juice and sesame oil. stir and cook sauce for 2-3 minutes. Then add scallions and cilantro.

 

 

 

Pour the sauce over the chopped meat. Garnish with some fresh cilantro.

Serve the Asian beef with a big platter of lettuce and let every one make their own wraps.

 

Top them off with a choice of shredded carrots, bean sprouts, and chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

I'll Bring The Quinoa!

Quinoa with Roasted Veggies and

Lemon Herb Vinagrette 

My first try at quinoa was a few years ago when it was revealed that quinoa is Kosher for Passover. So easy to make and hard to mess up. Like a sponge it takes on the flavors you incorporate with it. This is not only the first dish I developed using quinoa, it is also the first dish I demonstrated a few years ago at my Synagogues Taste Of Passover.

I incorporated a combination of roasted vegetables with a variety of flavors and textures, and coated it with a light fresh lemony vinaigrette. This is a great dish to make ahead, you can serve it hot, cold or room temperature.

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa

1 bulb fennel chopped 1/2" cubes

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes halved lengthwise

1 orange or yellow pepper chopped 1/2" cubes

3 or 4 scallions chopped on the bias greens and white

olive oil

salt & pepper

Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup olive oil

lemon zest, 1 small or 1/2 large lemon

juice of 1/2 large or 1 small lemon

2 cloves fresh garlic grated

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped

salt & pepper

 Preheat oven to 425°

Place chopped veggies on olive oil greased cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil so veggies are lightly coated and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes or until veggies are tender and starting to get browned off.

Bring water to a boil with a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Add quinoa to water and lower to a simmer. cook covered for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. 

Whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients, the olive oil lemon zest, lemon juice grated garlic apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. add chopped cilantro.

In a large bowl while quinoa is still warm fluff quinoa, add roosted veggies, scallions and vinaigrette. Serve warm, cold or room temperature. 

 

            Enjoy!!

Enjoy!!

Tequila + Guac + Chicken Enchiladas = Fiesta

Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

One of my favorite local grocery stores in the heart of Huntington Station is The Food Plaza. It sells a huge assortment of fresh produce, with a lot of Mexican veggies and fruits that are hard to find. They also happen to have for some reason a lot of Mexican items, like cheeses, creams, frozen foods, and spices that are kosher.

On one of my many trips I picked a hand full of dried Ancho chili's from there large assortment of dried chili peppers. I asked the mature women at the register if I can use these to make enchilada sauce. In my broken Spanish and her broken English, she taught me how to make Red Enchilada Sauce. It's a recipe that comes out amazing and authentic every time.  I thought this was a good dish to share for Cinco De Mayo!

Ingredients:

3 dried Ancho Chili Peppers

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onions 

2 cloves garlic grated

3 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

salt and pepper

1 1/2 pound boneless white or dark meat chicken

2 ears corn grilled and cut off the cob

4 fresh green chili peppers roasted and chopped or 1 4 ounce can fire roasted green chili's drained 

20-24  6" corn tortillas

4 scallions chopped on the bias

1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped 

Boil the dried Ancho chili's in water till they are tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the water , and put the water aside in case you need to thin the enchilada sauce. Remove the stem, seed the Ancho chili's and chop in a  blender.

In a sauce pan over low-medium, heat  the olive oil add the onions and saute till they are translucent and limp. Add the garlic then the chili powder and cumin. Let the spices heat up and constantly stir, just a minute or two. Then add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, salt, pepper and crushed Ancho chili's from the blender.Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle pour the sauce back into the blender and pulse till you don't see and pieces of onions or Ancho chili peppers.

Grill the corn, let cool and cut the kernels off the cob. If you are using fresh green chili's make an aluminum foil pouch with the chili's in it.  Roast them in a 400° oven for 45 minutes. Let them cool then stem, seed and chop them. The fresh chili's tend to be spicier. The canned fire roasted green chili's have a mild flavor.

 

Boil the chicken in salted water till it is cooked through. Remove and let cool. Shred the chicken in a big bowl add about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce so that all the chicken is coated. Add the corn, half the chopped scallions, and the green chili's. Toss together.

 

Microwave a stack of three tortillas at a time between two damp paper towels for 30 seconds on high. This will make them soft and easier to work with without cracking.

Coat the bottom of a baking dish with the red enchilada sauce. Place 1/2 to 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture and roll, placing the seam side down. Line up the enchiladas till the pan is full.Cover the enchiladas with another layer of the Red Enchilada Sauce. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro and scallions on the top.

Coat the bottom of a baking dish with the red enchilada sauce. Place 1/2 to 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture and roll, placing the seam side down. Line up the enchiladas till the pan is full.Cover the enchiladas with another layer of the Red Enchilada Sauce. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro and scallions on the top.

The mixture is great on a salad or in a crispy taco shell. Makes 20-24 Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas.

It's a fiesta,

Enjoy!

Not Your Grandma's Meatlessballs

Eggplant and Mushroom Vegan Meatlessballs

I love eggplant and I am always looking for ways to use it. When I began roasting it I realized it is easy to cook, it has a great smokey flavor, and ends up to be a nice solid but soft consistency.  

For my Vegan Passover guests which there were a few, I developed this delicious vegetable Meatlessball. A hearty crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside Vegan dish. As a binder I made an egg substitute and used a mix of vegetable oil, baking powder and water. Which when mixed together becomes the consistency of an egg. I also used matzoh meal because it was Passover, but it could be switched out with Panko or corn flake crumbs. The sauce is a light tangy tomato sauce, goes great over pasta or zucchini linguine. This is a great dish to make ahead and freeze.

Ingredients for Vegan Meatlessballs:

2 medium sized eggplants 10-12"

2 medium white onions chopped fine about 2 cups

5 cloves garlic grated

10 ounces baby Bella Mushrooms about 1 1/2 cups

3/4 cup Matzoh meal or Panko, or Corn flake crumbs

1/2 cup fresh basil chopped 

1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped

Egg Substitute: Whisk together                     2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons baking powder

salt and pepper

Vegetable or cottonseed oil for frying

Ingredients for the sauce:

You will use 1/2 of the sauteed onions and garlic from the Vegan Meatlessballs

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

28 ounce can whole tomatoes roughly crushed

1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil chiffonade or ribboned 

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375°.

Start cooking:

Grease 2 cookie sheets.On one sheet scatter the cleaned mushrooms, on the other sheet place the two eggplants with the skin pricked with a fork.

Roast mushrooms for 15 minutes till they are tender but not mushy. Roast eggplants for 30 minutes or until they are wrinkly and soft. 

Chop mushrooms into 1/4" pieces and transfer them to a paper towel so some of the moisture drains out.Let the eggplants cool cut off the tops and peel the skin off. Transfer to a colander let stand for 10 minutes and gently press on the roasted eggplant in the colander to get as much liquid out as possible. Mash the drained eggplant with a fork.

In a pan over medium heat a three tablespoons of olive oil and add the chopped onions and grated garlic, saute' till onions are limp and translucent. Take 1/2 of the mixture out and put it in a large mixing bowl. Put other half in a large covered sauce pan to use for the sauce. You do not need to clean the saute pan, you will use it to fry the Veggie Meatlessballs.

Make the egg substitute:

In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoons water,one teaspoon vegetable oil and two teaspoons baking powder, stir till combined.

In the large mixing bowl with the sauteed onions and garlic add the mashed eggplant, chopped mushrooms, egg substitute, matzoh meal or panko, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Mix ingredients together. I like to use a 1 1/2" melon baller so they all look uniform and cook evenly.

In the saute pan heat 1/2" deep of cottonseed oil over medium high heat. Place 5 or 6 meatless balls in the pan at a time, so the pan is not overcrowded. The balls are delicate so you want to have room in the pan to turn them.  Let them brown on all the sides. Take out of the pan and set on a stack of paper towels. Add next batch to pan. This recipe should make 35-37 Veggie balls.

If you are freezing them place them in a tin in a single layer and cover them tightly with foil. Freeze the sauce separately.

Making the Sauce:

In the large covered sauce pan with the sauteed onions and garlic add the can of crushed tomatoes and the can of whole tomatoes, and roughly break them up so there is still some big pieces. Then add the parsley, basil, dried oregano, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Let simmer covered over low-medium heat for 30 minutes.

 

Garnish with some ribbons of fresh basil and serve them by them selves or over a pile of pasta or zucchini linguini.

Enjoy!!

Bottle of Red, Bottle of White Homemade Horesradish

Red and White Horseradish

Growing up my mom always had a bottle of red and a bottle of white Gold's Horseradish on our Passover Seder table. As the years went on my Mom started buying a piece of fresh Horseradish root, and depending on the year either my brother Andrew or my sister Carol would tackle the job of making the fresh and overwhelmingly strong homemade horseradish.

Andrew would insist that he needed to grate it by hand the old fashion way on a box vegetable grater. He would be sent to the backyard for the grinding, because we would all not be able to take the strong smell and burning eyes. Carol's years she would grind the horseradish the quick and effective way, in the food processor with much less tears.

Since you can't tell how strong a horseradish root is by looking at it we would never know how tolerable the batch would be. It was always a good laugh watching the bowl of homemade horseradish being passed around and seeing the reaction of the taster for the first bite.

I am sharing an easy version made in the food processor. 

Ingredients:

1 piece fresh horseradish root 10"-12"

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon salt

1 medium sized about 3" in diameter roasted beet

Cut the top off the horseradish right below the small roots, and save that for your Seder plate. Peel and chop the horseradish root into about 1" cubes.

Place the cubes in the food processor and pulse till it is consistently ground. Add vinegar, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Warning do take a big whiff it is very strong and will burn your eyes.

Transfer to a jar and refrigerate. It will make 8-12 ounces, depending on the width of the root.

For the Red Horseradish:

Roasting a beet: Wrap two to three beets in an aluminum foil pouch drizzle with olive oil and roast in a 410 degree oven for about an hour or until soft.  Remove the pouch and let it cool. With rubber gloves on gently push the skin off the beet.

Chop the roasted beet cubes and add it to the food processor after you grind the horseradish. Pulse until incorporated and a bright magenta color. Add the vinegar, sugar and salt and pulse till combined. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.

Happy Passover,

Enjoy!!