Skinny Sweet Potato fries.

24 Friday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in appetizer, healthy snack, Side dishes

Tags

#frenchfry, #fries, #mywifethechef, #potato, #sidedish, #sweetpotato

I’ll be honest. I have never been a fan of sweet potato fries. I never understood the appeal. I have ALWAYS been a fan of ‘real’ fries. Crispy, salty, crunchy french fries. They go perfectly with just about every meal, even breakfast . I think the problem is that I have never eaten an ENJOYABLE sweet potato fry. They are always too mushy, too sweet, too big. Whoever thinks calling a big, soft wedge of sweet potato a ‘fry‘, needs to open a dictionary. I attempted to make my own a few times in the past, just to see what all the hype was about…and they flopped. Then last night as I was cleaning out my refrigerator, I saw that I had two big sweet potatoes sitting in my vegetable drawer, so I decided to give it another go. I Googled ” perfect sweet potato fries” and read at least 4 different recipes and techniques, and I got busy. These turned out AMAZING. We literally finished every last fry. My son didn’t care for them but oh well..more for us!

Skinny Sweet Potato fries:

2-4 large sweet potatoes

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-2 teaspoons salt

Yields: Roughly 3 one cup servings

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 450.
Wash sweet potatoes and dry with a paper towel. Peel if it suits you, I didn’t.
Slice potatoes in half lengthwise, then again and again creating skinny french fry stile strips.
Soak potato strips in a bowl of water for 40 minutes. Drain then dry with a paper towel.
Place potato strips in a medium bowl, and coat with olive oil by hand.
Take a medium Ziploc bag, add flour and salt, zip and shake.
Add fries to Ziploc bag and turn repeatedly until fries are somewhat coated.( I did 3 small batches instead of 1 large).
Spread fries onto parchment paper so they are not touching, and bake for 20 minutes.Flip fries, and bake another 5-10 minutes.

Cool and ENJOY with some ketchup.

Crock-pot TURKEY! New twist on my favorite dinner.

21 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in Crock pot dishes, Healthy dinner, School night dinner, shabbos

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

#basmatirice, #crockpot, #crockpotinner, #dairyfree, #dairyfreedinner, #mywifethechef, #rice, #turkey, #turkeywings

A new crock-pot delight! No matter what new dishes I create and blog about, my crock-pot dishes are always among the most viewed by my readers. I guess I’m not the only one who loves the simplicity and ease of a crock-pot .

When I was doing my weekly grocery shop, I noticed just how inexpensive turkey wings are. I have purchased them before, not in a while, but never compared their prices to chicken cutlets or ground beef. I bought a package of 2 huge turkey wings for $5.58! Everything else I needed was already in my cabinets or fridge…dinner = done! I usually use white rice in my crock-pot dinners, but this time I mixed white rice with basmati, and used my left over Farmer’s Market basil and I must say..YUM!

Crock-pot TURKEY:

1 cup white rice

1 cup basmati rice

1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce

1 package turkey wings

1 tablespoon parsley

2 sprigs fresh basil, chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 tablespoon onion soup mix

* Enough water to submerge but not fully cover the turkey

Yields: 5, 1 cup servings of rice and 2 portions of protein.

Directions:

Spray crock-pot dish with cooking spray.
Add rices then pour tomato sauce on top.
Lay turkey wings on top of sauce.
Add parsley, and basil, followed by all of the spices listed, except for the onion soup mix.
Pour cold water into crock-pot, around the edges of the turkey so as not to wash away spices.
Sprinkle onion soup mix on top, cover and cook on high for 6 1/2 hours. Turn pot to warm until ready to serve.

I usually serve a soup or salad with dinner, but this is more than enough to fill you up! My son loved the turkey so much that he ate half of my wing! I will definitely be making this again, and will of course share any additions with you all.

Happy Tuesday!

Red lentil, anise & carrot soup.

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in dairy free dinner, School night dinner, soup

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Tags

#anise, #carrot, #dairyfree, #healthydinner, #lentils, #mywifethechef, #redlentil, #soup

Red lentil, anise & carrot soup. Packed with vitamins!!! As I mentioned in last night’s crouton post, I am going through a “soup phase”. As I have been trying to incorporate more protein and vegetables into my family’s dinners, and less complex carbs ( and dairy), I have become obsessed with how easy it is to make a delicious, healthy, and filling soup. Whenever I go to the grocery store now, I browse the vegetable section, creating the soup in my head and then jotting down my idea ( or rather, typing it into my phone). This past Shabbos, my mother in law made an amazing chicken soup, adding the usual ingredients of dill, onion, carrot, chicken etc, This time, she added anise. For those of you who have never seen an anise, full name pimpinella anisum, it looks a lot like a fennel bulb. Fennel is actually an herb and anise is a vegetable. I may be the only nerd out there who is interested in this stuff, so hang in there, I’m almost done with my veggie rant.

Anywho, I was reading up about anise, and many case studies show that a diet rich in Vitamin C can help shorten the duration of a cold and even aid in killing off cancer cells in the colon. Sign me up! Anise is also chock full of vitamins that help strengthen your immune system and help keep your heart healthy. I love serving my family dinner and at the same time knowing they are eating something that is actively keeping them safe from the inside out.

This soup was super yummy, especially when topped off with my crunchy homemade croutons. Try it this week and let me know what you think! Stay healthy!

Red lentil, anise & carrot soup:

1 1/2 cups red lentils

1/2 anise bulb ( stem included)

1 large carrot

3 cups chicken broth

3 cups water

1 dash salt

Yields 8, 1 cup servings.

Directions:

In a medium pot, add ingredients starting with red lentils. Bring pot to a boil, then simmer for 40 minutes. DONE.
It’s that simple.
Enjoy!

Farmers market, fresh herb infused croutons.

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in appetizer, Bread, dairy free dinner, Salad, Side dishes

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

#basil, #croutons, #dairyfree, #freshherbs, #healthydinner, #joyofkosher, #mywifethechef, #parsley, #soup

My first attempt at creating delicious, homemade, crunchy and savory croutons was a success! My husband and I just finished an incredibly scrumptious and healthy dinner, topped off with my fresh herb infused croutons. I am going through a “soup phase” right now, blending different vegetables and spices together every night. Tonight’s soup was a delicious red lentil, anise and carrot blend. I will leave the soup ( and arugula, mushroom and turkey salad) until tomorrow’s post, because tonight’s is devoted to my special croutons!

This is my second time participating in the JOK Kosher connection link up. I love seeing the amazing, creative and DELICIOUS dishes my fellow kosher food bloggers come up with. This month’s theme was CROUTONS. At first, my mind went wild with ideas. Pumpkin pie cubes anyone? I even bought a gargantuan can of pumpkin in preparation. But last week, my husband and I were on a drive, and I saw the cutest little Farmer’s Market and had to pop in. I love getting fresh vegetables and herbs from the Farmer’s Market. There was an absolutely AMAZING market, hands down the best I have ever seen, upstate where I went to college. I have so missed that fresh, organic, crisp produce! When we stepped in to this little Farmer’s Market, and I saw the fresh herbs, I knew that I had to scrap my pumpkin cubed crouton idea, and opt or something simple, easy and absolutely delicious.

Fresh herb infused croutons:

1 medium baguette

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 sprigs fresh basil, chopped

4 sprigs ( 1/4 bunch) fresh parsley, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

The trick to making the perfect crouton – STALE bread. If you only have fresh, pop it in the toaster or oven for 5-10 minutes.

1. Slice baguette in half, lengthwise. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.

2. In a medium sauce pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and saute garlic, basil and parsley. Saute until wilted and aromatic.

3. Add bread cubes to sauce pan, stir until combined with herb mixture. Croutons should start to brown. Add a touch more olive oil for a crispier crouton.

4. If you REALLY want a super, crispy crouton, place croutons on a baking sheet and broil for 15-20 seconds. Any longer and they WILL burn!

These crunchy bites were the perfect addition to our dinner of soup and salad. I can’t wait to share my soup recipe with all of you, but for now, enjoy these herb infused croutons! We finished the whole bowl

*They didn’t even get soggy while I took my pictures!

Cheesecake MANIA!

14 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in Dessert, Holiday

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Tags

#cheesecake, #cheesecakecups, #chocolate, #creamcheese, #mywifethechef, #oreos, #peanutbutter, #reese'scup

I had the busiest, most exhausting, but totally rewarding past few days. If you know me, you know I love to cook AND bake. I have been thinking/dreaming of starting a little business out of my kitchen selling baked goods. I have been wavering back and forth, trying to figure out if I even have the time, space, and energy to do this. I stared to think about the holiday of Shavuot/Shavuos, and how much I love making cheesecakes. Thus, my cheesecake sale was born! Hopefully this will turn into something big for me, but for now I feel very accomplished after a week of baking, packaging and taste testing!

I took a lot of pictures that I want to share with you, and just looking back over them makes me smile . Thank you to all of you who inquired and ordered your cheesecakes and cheesecake cups from My wife the chef (me), I really appreciate the support, and will never forget my first sales ever!

Enjoy the pictures & my Oreo cheesecake and cheesecake cup recipe.

^ My most popular cheesecake was my Reese’s cup cheesecake. My sister says the uncooked batter is the best thing she has ever tasted. Looks good to me!

^ This was a low-fat plain cheesecake that I had a request for. I choose not to cook using a water bath, which is just a large pan of water you place your spring form pan in while baking. I prefer the ” homie” or “heimish” look of my cheesecakes. I also like the texture of the outer layer, it becomes a soft crust, and I find it easier to slice perfectly.

^ Delicious and creamy Oreo cheesecake. Where can you go wrong with something that good. I really love Oreos. I had the most fun with my Oreo batter. I sold cheesecake cups as well as cakes, and I think my Oreo cheesecake cups were some of the most beautiful desserts I have ever made.

Right???? Yum. I sold a bunch of these to a really sweet, and pregnant, girl, who e-mailed me last night after she picked up her order and told me that she had a cheesecake cup last night and she loved it so much and it was so yummy. It made my NIGHT! I had some extra batter left over from a batch so I poured it into two ramekin dishes, and had myself a little treat after a long day.

^ Doesn’t it look like a bowl of heaven? Or ice cream maybe, but it’s my special ramekin full of Oreo cheesecake just for me.

Oreo cheesecake recipe:

24 Oreo cookies

1 stick butter, melted

3 bricks cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

Directions:

1. Place 16 Oreo cookies in a large Ziploc bag. Crush by using a rolling pin until you have semi-fine crumbs.

2. Place crumbs in a bowl with melted margarine, mix to combine and press into bottom of your spring form pan. ( Or evenly into your muffin tins)

3. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until well blended and there are no lumps. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.

4. Chop remaining cookies, and gently stir half into the batter.

5. Pour batter over crusts, if making cups, fill each cup about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle remaining cookies on top of batter.

For cheesecake, bake 55-60 minutes. For cups bake 35-40. Let cool then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

( For topping I used whipping cream, but whipped cream works in the same fashion).

Below are a few of the other cheesecake cups i made, sold, and/or devoured.

Thank you again everyone for the support. I love you all! Have a wonderful week, and eat LOTS of cheesecake!

Chicken meatballs (over basmati rice & salad)

09 Thursday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in Chicken, Healthy dinner, meatballs, School night dinner

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

#chicken, #chickenmeatballs, #droz, #goodhousekeeping, #meatballs, #mywifethechef

I love how my chicken meatballs look like Matzoh balls. This picture is getting me excited for my Friday night Chicken soup with matzoh balls.

I posted a couple of days ago, about an article I read in Good Housekeeping, featuring Dr. Oz. I can’t get enough of him! My lettuce wrapped turkey and lentil salad garnered a lot of attention, because people are always looking to change up or improve their eating habits, as am I! Dr. Oz discusses the pros and cons of dieting, and highlights some of the areas in which many of us lack actual knowledge of what we should be limiting and more importantly, what we should be adding into our diet. You can read more about that in my previous post, or by picking up the May 2013 issue of Good Housekeeping.

Dr. Oz suggested serving chicken meatballs over Orzo and vegetables, but I only had basmati rice, and my husband and I are trying to incorporate salad into most if not all of our dinner time meals. ( Besides the high amounts of folate, YAY folate, a super important B vitamin especially for you preggies out there, lettuce has a great deal of fiber and is calorie free!).

Chicken meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Prepare 2 cups of basmati rice according to directions of the package. When fully cooked, add one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of garlic powder. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 450 F.

3. In a medium bowl, mix chicken, garlic, oregano, onion powder and salt. Shape into 2- inch meatballs.

4. Lay chicken “meatballs” on a jelly roll pan, and brush with olive oil. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until cooked through.

I made a tasty, healthy salad of lettuce, raw mushrooms, red onions, and cucumber. I do usually prefer romaine lettuce or spinach leaves but my husband likes Iceberg. I added one cup of my basmati rice to the center of my salad, laid the chicken meatballs a top the rice, and drizzled with a light Caesar dressing.

HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS. Can’t go wrong with that combo!

Mac & Cheese cups

07 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in appetizer, Holiday, School night dinner, Side dishes

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

#macandcheese, #mozzarella, #pasta, #shavuos

Shavuos is coming! Bring on the dairy! ( Not for my poor husband, but for everyone else..!).

I made these Mac & Cheese cups a few months ago, completely forgot to blog about them, and now is the perfect time to share them with you! I was never a big homemade macaroni and cheese person. Wacky Mac is, was, and always will be the best in my opinion. But since I had a child, and decided I didn’t want to fill his belly with what can only be described as delicious chemicals in a box, I have been sticking to homemade mac & cheese.

If you follow me, you know that from time to time I love making things in miniature. They’re so cute and fun to eat, and aesthetically pleasing meals taste that much better. So here you go! My Mac & Cheese cups, perfect for Shavuos!

Mac & Cheese cups:

2-2 1/2 cups uncooked spiral pasta ( Elbow works just as well if not better, but I only had spiral)

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

1/2 cup thawed frozen broccoli chunks

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup bread crumbs, olive oil, salt and parsley.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, Add the pasta and cook for 7-9 minutes. Drain and return to the pan.

3. Stir in the butter and egg until combined. Reserve half a cup of mozzarella cheese and put aside. Add the rest of the mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, broccoli, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the pasta. Spoon into prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese and breadcrumbs mixture over Mac & Cheese cup tops.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until topping is nicely browned. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

Dr. Oz inspired dinner. Lentil salad and lettuce-turkey wrap.

06 Monday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in appetizer, Healthy dinner, healthy snack, School night dinner

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

#droz, #lentils, #lentilsalad, #lettucewrap, #lowcalmeal, #salad, #turkeywrap

Quick post today. Over the weekend I was reading Good Housekeeping, one of my guilty pleasures, and on the cover was one of my favorite “celebrity” doctors, Dr. Oz. In the issue he spoke about the importance of proteins and how so many people on diets are more concerned with what not to eat rather than what TO eat. There were tons of fabulous protein packed meals, and easy recipes like chicken meatballs and glazed salmon steaks. Last night I made the lentil salad, and paired it with one of Dr. Oz’s 75 calorie wraps. Super easy and super yummy. I may never eat another whole wheat wrap again!

Lettuce wrapped turkey:

1 big piece of lettuce

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

3 slices fresh turkey

No need to write the directions!

Lentil salad:

Rinse and drain 2 cups of green lentils. Add to 5 cups of hot water, and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Made a bed of chopped lettuce, add 1/2 cup cooked lentils to the center, and surround with diced cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion. Drizzle with your favorite light dressing.

Have a great MONDAY everyone!

Cinnamon-walnut cigars. Sticky, sweet & amazing!

05 Sunday May 2013

Posted by mywifethechef in Dessert

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Tags

#cigars, #cinnamon, #dessert, #mywifethechef, #nondairydessert, #walnut

These cinnamon-walnut cigars were a happy accident. I originally intended on making cinnamon-sugar elephant ears, but the store did not have pastry sheets so I had to improvise. I wanted to test out a few ideas I had for a Mother’s Day treat platter, and these will definitely be making an appearance. I bought mini pastry squares, in stead of pastry sheets, and didn’t know what to expect but am pleased to say these were delicious and completely eaten up over the weekend.

Cinnamon-walnut cigars:

25 pastry squares ( Frozen food section)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

cooking spray

baking sheet

By looking at the ingredients, you are probably thinking, ” this looks too easy”, and it really was. Enjoy!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray, or line them with parchment paper.

2.In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon and walnuts.

3. On a clean surface, spread 1/4 cup granulated sugar to a very thin layer. Lay 3-4 pastry squares at a time on top of the sugar, so the bottom is coated. Measure 1 teaspoon of your cinnamon-sugar-walnut mixture and spread on each square evenly.

4. Roll each “cigar” like a mini jelly roll, and fasten by pinching the length of the cigar.

5. Lay each cigar on your sprayed or lined baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart, and bake for 10 minutes at 375 F.

6. Let cool for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack.

* Drizzle a little melted chocolate over the tops for an even sweeter, more decadent treat!

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