French Onion Soup

Need: 

8 large onions, cut into strips 

2 tablespoons butter 

1.5 liters of broth 

250 ml sherry 

Thyme 

Salt and pepper 

Baguette 

Cheese, grated 

Melt the butter, next Saute' the onion slices and keep stirring for about 30 minutes, until the onion is dark brown. Then add sherry and cook until the sherry reduces in volume by half. Next add the broth and thyme and cook about 40 minutes. Season to taste. Pour into soup bowls, which are suitable for baking in the oven. Cut the baguette it into slices and sprinkle with cheese. Put the soup in a preheated oven bake for a few minutes until the cheese is partially melted.

Enjoy!

Apple and Cheese-Stuffed Latkes - Chanukah Recipe

Makes 12-15 latkes 
For the Filling:
1 pound (2-3 whole) apples
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional, for a sweeter sauce)
5 to 6 ounces Gouda or sharp cheddar cheese, diced small

For the Latkes:
2 pounds starchy potatoes, like Idaho
1 medium-sized onion, diced small
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons matzoh meal or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil

Make the Filling:
Peel, core, and dice the apples into small chunks. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. When it stops foaming, add the apples and the salt, and toss to coat. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. The apples should start softening into apple sauce, but retain a few scattered solid pieces.

Stir in the lemon juice and all the spices. Taste and add seasonings as desired. Transfer the apple sauce to a bowl and wipe the pan clean. Set both the apple sauce and the cheese near your stove.

Make the Stuffed Latkes:
Peel the potatoes and shred them using a box grater. Submerge the shredded potato in a bowl of cool water for five minutes. Drain and spread the potato slices on a clean dish towel. Roll up the towel and then twist it tightly to squeeze out as much of the water from the potatoes as possible. The drier the potatoes, the crisper the latkes will be.

Combine the dried potatoes with the onions in a mixing bowl. Lightly beat the eggs together and stir them into the potato-onion mixture until all the pieces are shiny and coated with egg. Sprinkle the salt and half the flour over the top of the mixture and stir to combine. Repeat with the remaining flour.
Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers and flows smoothly, begin making the latkes.

Scoop about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into the skillet and flatten into a 3-inch round. Place a spoonful of applesauce and a few cubes of cheese on top. Cover with another half-scoop of the potato mixture and flatten slightly. Repeat until your pan is full, but not crowded.

Cook the pancakes without moving them for about five minutes. You’ll see the edges begin to crisp and turn brown around the bottom. Flip the pancakes over and cook for another 3-5 minutes until this side is also browned.

Serve immediately with sour cream and any leftover apple sauce.

 Recipe: thekitchn.com

Southern Baked Potato Soup

 

 

Ingredients

• 4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) 
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces) 
• 6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
• 6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

Caramel Apple Granola

Yields about 4 cups

What You Will Need:
2 cups (160 grams) old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup (64 grams) sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1 cup (about 100 grams) dried apples, cut into small pieces and lightly packed
3/4 cup (169 grams) granulated sugar[Or try honey, or approx. 1/4 tsp. Stevia Extract]
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons butter

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, almonds, spices, salt, and dried apples. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar and water. Scrape down sides of pan and let sugar boil over medium high heat, without stirring, until sugar reaches a golden amber color (if using a candy thermometer, this happens somewhere between 325F to 350F). If the sugar becomes too dark, it may turn the caramel bitter. Remove from heat and immediately add the butter, stirring until melted and smooth.

Pour the caramel over the oat mixture and quickly stir to coat evenly. Spread granola evenly onto a baking pan and bake for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the granola is golden in color (if the caramel begins to darken too quickly, remove the granola from the oven to prevent further darkening). Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before serving or storing.
 
Blessings to: PastryAffair

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

What You Will Need:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 20 ounces medium mushrooms - stems removed and minced
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 9 ounces baby spinach, - roughly chopped
• salt/pepper
• 2 slices Nature's Pride Bread - toasted and pulsed into bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Pecorino cheese - grated

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Place mushrooms onto a baking sheet stem-side down for approximately 10 minutes or until softened.
2. In a medium saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic, mushroom stems and cook until softened.
3. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper. Cook until wilted. Remove from heat.
4. Add bread crumbs and cheese.
5. Spoon into the mushroom caps and bake for additional 5 minutes.

 

Recipe via: Bell' Alimento

Tzatziki -- Cucumber "Gyro" Sauce

Here's the classic Tzatziki from a true Greek, with what he calls,
 "an little secret" .....




You will need:

• Plain Yogurt - 500 gr.
• 1-2 Cloves of Minced Garlic (depending on your taste)
• 1/2 English Cucumber, Seeded and Grated
• 2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Dill
• Tiny Splash of Ouzo
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt

***********************

• A good Tzatziki requires that you use strained yogurt. If you have a greektown in your city, you can pay more & buy it strained or, go my way and take your plain yogurt and dump in a metal strainer with a pot underneath to catch the draining liquid. You'll need at least 12 hours for the final thick, strained result.

• Next step is to take your cucumber and seed it then box grate it into the strainer. Sprinkle some salt to help draw out the moisture. Give the cucumber 30 minutes and use a cheese cloth or your hands (in batches) to squeeze out the water.

• Add your shredded cucumber to the yogurt and now add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic, your chopped dill, season with salt to taste and lastly, a tiny splash of Ouzo.... yes Ouzo. It gives your Tzatziki that "je ne sais quoi"!  BUT of course, it is completely optional..!

• Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, give it a dill garnish and serve with toasted pita bread.

Note: Ouzo is an anise-flavored aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece and Cyprus, and a symbol of Greek culture... Now remember.... just a tiny splash!

Roasted Maple Coconut Apple Butter

Roasted Maple Coconut Apple Butter

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 cups (30 ounces) of Apple Butter

Serving Size: 1/2 cup (4 ounces)

Ingredients

• 6 large Apples, 1/4 inch slices (Honey Crisp and Pink Lady are my favorites)
• 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
• 1/4 cup pure Maple Syrup (I prefer richer, darker Grade B)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine Sea Salt
• 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

Method

• Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the middle. Prepare 2 sheet pans with parchment or Silpat liners. Put the sliced apples in a heat safe bowl. Combine maple syrup, coconut oil, salt and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir quickly to combine and remove from the heat promptly. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the apples and toss with tongs. Divide apples onto the two baking sheets in a single layer. 
 

• Bake about 20-25 minutes tossing once with tongs. Apples should be soft, fragrant and slightly browned when done. Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes. Carefully transfer to a blender and purée until creamy and smooth. Thin out with water if needed.

Recipe via: FreshFamilyCooking.com

........Enjoy the blessings!! 

........נהנים מהברכות!

Cyndi Maria~ Heart for Yeshua

Key Lime Pie Protein Shake

Ingredients

1/2 cup	Fat free cottage cheese 1
1	Scoop vanilla protein powder 2
1 tbs	Lime juice (fresh or bottled, I personally like key lime juice best!)
5-10	Ice cubes (Depending on how thick you like it, use less for a thinner consistency)
1/2-1 cup	Water (Alter this according to desired consistency)
2-4 pkts	Stevia (or 1/4 tsp sweetener of choice)
2-3 drops	Green food coloring, or a handful of spinach to make it green!
Optional:	1/2 tsp xanthan gum 3, 1 graham cracker, crushed into crumbs

¹ Cottage cheese may sound strange, but TRUST me… this is what makes the ‘MILKSHAKE’ consistency! Also, if you are sensitive to dairy, you can use tofu to get the same consistency!

² I use Designer Whey Protein powder. It has 100 calories per scoop. I buy the vanilla flavor because it’s a good base to add whatever flavors you want to make. It is also all natural. You can buy it from Kroger, GNC, Trader Joe’s, Amazon, or Netrition.com.

³ You can get xanthan gum from most grocery stores in the gluten free section! Just a pinch of it makes your shake so thick and creamy!

Put everything into a blender and blend until creamy consistency is reached! Top with a crushed graham cracker if desired!