Pesach Pesto Stuffed Chicken

Stuffed chicken is the perfect way to prepare a main dish and side dish all in one. I find that it is a main dish that can be served hot or at room temperature and makes for great leftovers.

I developed this stuffed chicken recipe in honor of Rachel. Last week, after the big snowstorm, I offered to prepare a few Shabbos foods for Rachel’s family. Rachel placed a request for me to prepare grilled pesto chicken. I had prepared pesto grilled chicken for Rachel in the past and it has become one of her favorites. I had already marinated the chicken for the grill and was ready to go outside to grill the chicken, when I realized that it just wasn’t possible to grill.

The snow was too high and the grill was entombed in layers and layers of ice. So, I had to rethink the grilled pesto chicken idea. And, I did. I prepared some sauteed vegetables for stuffing and baked the pesto chicken in the oven, instead.

And, I’m hoping that this new recipe will become one of Rachel’s favorites, too. The fact that her mom asked if it will be on this blog sounded promising.

Necessity really is the mother of invention. I hope you will love this recipe. It is simple enough and doesn’t require going out to an ice-encased grill.

INGREDIENTS

1 package chicken cutlets

basil pesto
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup basil leaves
2-3 garlic cloves or 2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

stuffing
1 large onion
2-3 cloves garlic minced or garlic powder
1-2 cups shredded cabbage and carrots
potato starch (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

french fried onions (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In food processor fitted with an s-blade or in a blender, pulse pesto ingredients until smooth. Reserve half of the pesto for later and reserve a bit for serving, taking care not to reuse pesto that has been in contact with the raw chicken.

In a zipper bag, marinate chicken with pesto marinade for at least one hour.

Saute onion and garlic until just starting to brown. Add cabbage and carrots until wilted and fragrant. Optionally, dust with potato starch to absorb the moisture.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil.

Open each chicken cutlet and fill with a golf-size clump of stuffing. Roll chicken cutlet around stuffing and place seam side down on lined baking sheet. Leave a bit of space in between chicken cutlet rolls taking care not to crowd the cutlets.

Using a silicone brush, brush each stuffed cutlet with some of the reserved pesto. Optionally, press some french fried onions on top.

Lightly drizzle olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes, cutting largest stuffed chicken roll open to ascertain that chicken is no longer pink on the inside. If pink, bake for a few minutes longer.

DIY Passover French Baked Onions

So many of my simple and moist recipes rely on french fried onions. They add moisture and pizazz to even the simplest and leanest of fish, meats and poultry. Recipes such as Onion-Battered Baked Tilapia, Simple Onion Baked Chicken Cutlets and Low and Slow Oven Brisket require this as a key ingredient.

Year-round, this is a readily available ingredient with so many kosher brands to choose from. For some reason the smaller packages of French’s do not carry an o-u kosher certification while the 26.5 ounce package of Family size french fried onions is available on Amazon with a reliable o-u certification.

Since these products have flour listed on the ingredient list, I understood that they would not acceptable for Passover use. However, I was hoping to find a similar product this year that would be kosher for Passover. Alas, I was unsuccessful.

That meant that I needed to develop a recipe for french fried onions similar enough to the store-bought ones. I also wanted a recipe that would not require frying. There is just too much to be done before Pesach (Passover) for me to be frying onions in small batches.

This recipe is good. It is not as dry and crunchy as the original. But, it does serve as a good replacement for these recipes. And, it is simple.

I would love to hear your comments, especially if you found this recipe to be simple to wow.

INGREDIENTS

4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup Passover crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
olive oil or cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or greased aluminum foil.

Separate thinly sliced onion rings into individual rings. In a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat the onion rings.

Place the onion rings ton the baking sheet and drizzle olive oil or generously spray with cooking spray.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, frequently checking that the onions do not burn. When ready, these onions should be just starting to turn golden brown.

Allow onions to come to room temperature before using.

Passover Stuffed Cabbage

Last week, I began cooking and freezing for Pesach (Passover). With the furious and beautiful backdrop of a March snowstorm, I prepared most of my main dishes for the week of Passover.

It may sound a bit compulsive, but this just helps me manage the fury and beauty of the Passover holiday.

We travel to Israel for the holiday where we have a tiny kitchen and doll-sized appliances. The smallness of the food preparation facilities stand in direct contrast to the number of guests and family members that join us for the Passover seder and meals.

I have discovered that cooking the main dishes in advance really takes the edge off of the frenzy of Erev Pesach (Passover eve) and helps our family enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Jerusalem with some measure of serenity.

It certainly helps me appreciate the purity of the holiday and the freshness of the spring season. It allows me to focus on the theme of this holiday that is so central to Judaism. I can savor the beautiful traditions of Pesach, all to remind us of the birth of the Jewish nation as we miraculously left Egypt so many centuries ago.

Many women note that they feel enslaved by the enormity and difficulty of Passover cooking and that reminds them more than anything at the seder of the bondage of Jewish nation in Egypt. I would rather celebrate the freedom from slavery by planning ahead and leaving time and energy to enjoy the traditions and themes of Passover. It makes for a better me and it allows me to enjoy this wonderful spring holiday.

I have been making stuffed cabbage for many, many years. Traditionally, rice is used as a filler. Jews of Ashkenazic (Eastern European) origin do not eat rice on Passover while those of Sephardic (originally from Iberian Peninsula) background eat certain types of rice during the holiday. For this use, you can either substitute quinoa for the rice or skip the rice altogether.

Last year, I did not prepare my cooktop for Passover advance cooking so I was unable to boil the heads of cabbage. Instead, I froze the heads of cabbage and found it to be a simpler way to prepare the cabbage leaves for stuffing. Best of all, it meant one less pot to clean at the end. So, this year I wouldn’t prepare my cabbage leaves any other way.

Stuffed cabbage is one of those menu items that takes some time, but makes enough for many meals. This year’s stuffed cabbage made enough for two Passover meals with some extras to deliver to some of my friends for their Passover meals.

Stuffed cabbage freezes so well. The cabbage rolls can be frozen either with or without the suace. I freeze the cabbage rolls in freezer bags and just take out as many as needed for the next meal.

INGREDIENTS

2 heads of cabbage

2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 Passover crumbs
1 cup quinoa (optional)
1-2 onions, grated or diced small
2-3 garlic cloves or 2 tablespoons minced or granulated garlic
1 small can of tomato sauce or paste
1 squirt of ketchup

sweet and sour sauce

2 cans tomato sauce
2/3 cup sugar or honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins or craisins (optional)

SUPPLIES

Wood and Silicone Spatula
jumbo zipper bags

DIRECTIONS

Carefully remove the first 4-6 leaves of the cabbage and freeze the cabbage for at least 12 hours.

Defrost cabbage for several hours and/or microwave the frozen cabbage heads in 4 minute increments until leaves are soft and pliable enough to remove from head.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl or extra large ziploc bag, combine all meat batter ingredients, kneading until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Using a Wood and Silicone Spatula, press a golf ball size of meat batter into each cabbage leaf. Roll soft cabbage leaf around meat, tucking ends under. Place cabbage rolls seam side down in baking dish or pan.

Cut leftover cabbage into bite size pieces and toss among the cabbage rolls.

Prepare sauce by combining all ingredients and heating in sauce pan or microwave. Pour sweet and sour sauce over cabbage rolls.

Bake tightly covered for 90 minutes.

NOTES

You can use any combination of ground veal, ground lamb, ground chicken and/or ground turkey.

TIPS

Double or triple the meatball batter and use to make meatloaf, meat muffins and baked meatballs.

Mixing the meatball batter by hand is best, but if you would rather not, use a jumbo zipper bag instead. Just place all ingredients inside bag and close zipper, releasing any air. Knead batter from the outside of the bag.

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Roses in a Grid

Just about one year ago, this blog started with a simple arrangement of rose heads floating in a grid-like pattern: It’s all about the arrangement (psst….even with last week’s roses) I have mixed things up by using floating roses in so many different ways. I have mixed rose blossoms with lanterns in Roses and Lanterns: A Simple and Stunning Centerpiece and with plenty of white space over spray-painted wooden planks in An arrangement of Single Roses: Simple, Upcycled and Breathtaking.

Admittedly, roses have never been one of my favorite flowers. They just seemed so….ordinary. I have learned to embrace their beauty by admiring these blossoms for their variety of colors, soft petals and classic style. I have discovered that by floating rose blossoms in different types of arrangements, it allows the viewer to see the majesty of each unique petal on each individual rose.

This is yet another simple wow arrangement that highlights the special qualities of the lovely rose.

This arrangement was created quite by accident. I had just finished clearing up the dining room from our Purim seuda (festive meal). For the seuda, I had set up individual square vases with floating roses alternating with individual vases with submerged orange berries and tulip petal swirls. I placed all the vases that I had collected on my kitchen table and was contemplating what to do with the flowers. When I looked down, I realized that I had inadvertently formed a beautiful, albeit haphazard collection of individual roses interspersed with submerged berries and tulip petals.

Here it is!

Passover Baked Meatballs

The Pesach (Passover) marathon has begun!

Now that Purim is behind us, the supermarkets have started to stock Kosher for Passover meats and ingredients. To add another element of excitement, right before Purim we were advised that a Nor’easter was due to hit the Northeast two days after Purim.

Most people ran out to stock up on food supplies, snow equipment and salt.

I stocked up on Kosher for Passover meat and staples, instead. After all, a Nor’easter would mean that I could cook all day in my pajamas with no deliveries, meetings or other responsibilities.

I cooked eleven large roasts, 48 stuffed cabbage, 16 meat cupcakes and 80 baked meatballs. Best part was that I had the most beautiful backdrop of white snow to gaze at as I was cooking, slicing and packaging everything for the freezer.

And, I finished just in time to get the snowblower out of the garage to clear the 18 inches of snow that had fallen while I was cooking for Passover.

Sure hope that spring arrives soon!

For this Pesach cooking marathon, I tripled this recipe. From this basic batch, I made Passover meat cupcakes and stuffed cabbage with only minor modifications. Stay tuned for these Passover recipes, too.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup Passover crumbs
1-2 onions, grated or diced small
2-3 garlic cloves or 2 tablespoons minced or granulated garlic
1 small can of tomato sauce or paste
1 squirt of ketchup

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl or extra large ziploc bag, combine all ingredients, kneading until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Form into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until meatballs are no longer pink in center. Skim meatballs off of the pan, leaving grease behind.

Cool and use with your favorite sauce recipe.

NOTES

You can use any combination of ground veal, ground lamb, ground chicken and/or ground turkey.

These meatballs freeze well. Just place in zipper freezer bags and freeze. Add sauce after removing from freezer. Bake frozen meatballs with sauce at 375 degrees F for at least 45 minutes.

TIPS

Double or triple the meatball batter and use to make meatloaf, stuffed cabbage and meat muffins.

PASSOVER SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Serve over a bed of quinoa, prepared in rice cooker with salt pepper and garlic.

Serve over a bed of raw or quickly sauteed spiralized zucchini, turnips, kohlrabi or beets.

Serve over a bed of spaghetti squash “noodles”. Scrub and cut spaghetti squash in half. Place cut-side down on greased foil-lined pan or on parchment-lined pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for one hour. Carefully remove seeds and scrape out spaghetti squash noodles with a fork. Discard spaghetti squash skin.

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Beet Salad

For our annual Purim seuda (festive meal), I decided to prepare a new salad.

This salad took inspiration from a delicious battata (sweet potato) salad that I enjoyed at Cafe Greg in Rosh Pina in the Upper Galilee of Israel. It combined the delicious colors, flavors and textures of roasted sweet potatoes, candied almonds and shredded fresh beets. All these were served atop a bed of arugula and baby kale and then tossed right before serving.

I prepared this salad as my feature salad, reserving my biggest salad bowl for this new recipe.

The only thing that took extra time was roasting the sweet potato cubes in advance. It was well worth the effort.

It must have been delicious because it was the only item that I prepared for the seuda that was finished within the first hour.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups checked salad greens (see kosher notes)
2 cups roasted cubed sweet potatoes
2 cups shredded fresh beets
1/2 cup nuts
thinly sliced scallions
french fried onions (optional)

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil.

Peel sweet potato and cut into small cubes. Place sweet potato cubes in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil or spray with cooking spray and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt.

Roast for 35-55 minutes checking that sweet potato cubes are crisp on outside and soft on inside before removing from oven. Cubes may be prepared in advance. They may either be added to the salad warm or at room temperature.

Peel beets. Using the shredder disk on the food processor, shred beets.

Combine, process or shake all dressing ingredients together.

Layer greens and shredded beets. Lightly drizzle dressing over the salad. Top with nuts, scallions and french fried onions. Toss right before serving.

KOSHER NOTES

Kosher laws disallow the eating of any whole insects and therefore most greens require a process of soaking, rinsing and in some cases, pureeing. I have found that flat-leafed greens like baby spinach and flat-leaf kale are much easier to check for insects than their curly-leaf counterparts. Kashrut authorities differ on the proper checking of leafy vegetables and some disallow the use of spinach and kale altogether. This blog was not designed to be your kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using and preparing greens such as spinach and kale.

VARIATIONS

Cubed butternut squash or fresh pumpkin may be substituted for the sweet potatoes.

TIPS

When I prepare greens in advance, I place a few absorbent paper towels at the bottom of the bag or dish. I then layer the greens over the paper towels. These paper towels will absorb any extra moisture in the greens and will keep the green fresh.

Tortilla Bowl Appetizer

For the recent Sheva Brochos that I hosted for my cousins, I needed to serve a non-fish appetizer that could be served at room temperature. I was having a difficult time finding a suitable appetizer that would work well within these constraints.

So, I asked my married daughters for some advice. And, together, we came up with this beautiful, simple and delicious appetizer.

When Michelle first moved to California after her marriage to Scotty, she ordered these tortilla forms for me. I have used them in so many different ways for appetizers, buffets, entree dishes and even desserts. They are simple to use and require almost no clean up. Best of all, the baked tortilla bowls that are created with these forms are crispy and delicious with absolutely no added oil.

So, when I asked Michelle about these appetizers, she suggested filling an appetizer in a baked tortilla bowl. Kaitlyn suggested that I fill them with corn or bean salad, salsa, avocado and grilled chicken strips. I topped everything off with salsa mayonnaise and a curly scallion garnish.

My guests loved this appetizer. It really fit the bill and I have had numerous requests for the recipe. So, here it is!

INGREDIENTS

6″ corn or flour tortillas

Simple Roasted Corn Salad
1-2 large ripe avocados
salsa (I used Costco mango salsa)

boneless chicken breasts
marinade

scallions

Spicy Mayo

DIRECTIONS

Marinate chicken in marinade overnight. Spray grill with oil spray. Preheat grill to high. Place chicken on grill and turn after 5-10 minutes. Reduce grill heat to medium and grill for another 5-10 minutes. Cut chicken breast to check for doneness. Allow chicken to rest for ten minutes. Slice chicken on the diagonal into strips.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place tortillas in molds and bake for 12-15 minutes or until just turning golden brown.

Peel and slice avocados. Place sliced avocados in a solution of 1 pint water with 4 tablespoons of lemon or pineapple juice.

Fill each tortilla with a large spoonful of Roasted Corn Salad, a large spoonful of salsa and a few pieces of avocados.

Top with Spicy Mayo a few slices of chicken and garnish with Curly Scallion Garnish

SUPPLIES

tortilla molds

VARIATIONS

Top tortilla shells with grilled steak or baked salmon instead of chicken

For a milder topping, substitute mild salsa for sriracha in the spicy mayo recipe

Substitute Cowboy Caviar or black beans for the corn salad

A Beautifully Plated Entree

This entree combines salmon sliders, a simple arugula salad with grape tomatoes and beet pesto pasta. It is about creating originality, whimsy and appetite by mixing different colors, textures and flavors.

Here are some tips that I used for plating this entree:

Repurpose simple items you already have to create that wow
Note the simple wooden picks on the salmon sliders. They create an inexpensive organic element on the plate that adds height and interest

Choose a variety of textural elements
Find foods that compliment each other in texture. Here, the baby arugula adds a soft fluttery texture, while the packed pasta is mounded to create a cohesive element and the round salmon sliders are stacked diagonally.

Display ordinary foods in extraordinary ways
I used a small glass sprayed with oil spray. I then packed the pasta into the glass, firmly packing it. I turned the glass over to unmold the pasta.

Find some originality and whimsy
I butterflied four grape tomatoes in half. For each flower, I placed to butterflied tomatoes together diagonally. I drew three different size circles with sauce to create some whimsy.

Leave plenty of white space on the plate
Leave plenty of white space between each element. This way. the plate and the details can be appreciated.

Esther’s Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

There are recipes that feel decadent but are simple to prepare. This is one of those wonderfully simple recipes. The smooth earthiness of the mushrooms paired with the coarse texture and deep flavor of the stuffing is heavenly.

This recipe was first given to me by my cousin, Esther. I asked her for the recipe after enjoying it at a Shabbos meal at her home. I was shocked that the filling was vegetarian as the meaty texture of the filling had deceived me.

It is a very forgiving recipe. I have adapted this recipe for gluten-free and for use on Pesach (Passover) by using Passover or gluten-free crumbs instead of bread crumbs. This is one of those recipes that I cook at the same time as my other dishes. I have cooked these stuffed mushrooms at temperatures ranging from 350 degrees F to 425 degrees F and it is always a winner.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound medium to large mushrooms
1 onions and 2-3 garlic cloves, sauteed
1/2 cup crumbs
olive oil or cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or prepare a baking pan.

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, just until they are starting to brown.

Clean mushrooms thoroughly. Separate stems from the mushroom caps. Place caps upside down on lined baking sheet or pan. Drizzle with olive oil or generously spray with oil spray.

Using s-blade in food processor, pulse stems, sauteed onions and garlic along with the oil used in the saute. Add crumbs and pulse until combined but still lumpy.

Stuff stuffing into upside down mushroom caps.

Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Simple Roasted Cauliflower Lentil Soup

It is cold outside and the weather is perfect for soup. On these windy and cold winter mornings, I love to prepare a crockpot soup that will be ready for lunch and then again for dinner.

There is nothing quite like a hearty winter soup. Delicious and nutritious soups don’t have to be complicated. This one is the perfect example. It is simple and fashioned from Shabbos leftovers.

I used leftover roasted cauliflower from Shabbos, but this soup can easily be made with fresh or frozen cauliflower, as well. If using fresh or frozen cauliflower, it will require more cooking time in the crockpot and more salt.

I have used red lentils for this soup because they cook quicker and break down more easily into a velvety smooth pureed soup. You can use green or brown lentils, but the soup will require more cooking time and will result in a soup with a more distinctive lentil texture. For more information on different types of lentils, read my introductory lentil soup post.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups cauliflower florets, fresh, frozen or roasted (see kosher notes)
1 onion, diced and sauteed in oil
2-3 cloves garlic, sauteed in oil or garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper

scallions for garnish (optional)
SUPPLIES

6-quart Crock Pot

metal stick blender

DIRECTIONS

Over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in a bit of oil until just turning brown. Place sauteed onions and garlic in crockpot.

If roasting cauliflower, place cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with parchment paper or foil. Drizzle with oil and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and garlic. Cook for 25 minutes at 375 degrees and then increase temperature to 450 degrees F for 20-25 minutes more, checking that vegetables are soft and browned before removing from oven.

To the crockpot, add cauliflower, red lentils and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-6 hours on high heat.

roasted-cauliflower-and-lentil-soup-before-cooking-in-crockpot

roasted-cauliflower-and-lentil-soup-up-close

Blend with a stick blender just before serving. Garnish with Curly Scallion Garnish

KOSHER NOTES

Kosher laws disallow the eating of any whole insects and therefore cauliflower require a process of soaking, rinsing and in some cases, pureeing. Kashrut authorities differ on the proper checking of cauliflower and some disallow its use altogether. This blog was not designed to be your kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using and preparing cauliflower.

Enjoy!

Goldie’s Vintage Sheva Brochos Menu

Last week, I hosted Sheva Brochos for my cousin, Goldie and her chosson (groom), Tuvia. The Sheva Brochos are seven blessings that are recited at the wedding and then again daily for the first week of marriage. Typically, the tradition of Sheva Brochos includes a festive meal followed by the recitation of these seven blessings in the presence of a minyan (at least 10 men). It is a wonderful way to bring family and friends together to usher the new couple into a lifetime of harmony, friendship, song and blessing. It is an exhilarating way to extend the excitement of the wedding for the first week of a Jewish couple’s marriage. Many of the seven blessings are recited in song and we traditionally end each of the Sheva Brochos celebrations that we host in our home with dancing.

So that we could enjoy the party and our many guests, I chose appetizer, entree and dessert menu items that could be easily set up in advance without too much attention. That way, I could enjoy the guests, the atmosphere and the spirit of these Sheva Brochos.

Whenever I entertain guests, I try to first get an idea of their food allergies, likes and dislikes. The word was that this couple likes meat and potatoes and very traditional food. I decided to nix the Spanish fiesta and Asian fusion theme options and opt instead for a vintage-themed party.

The menu was simple to prepare and assemble and was so well-received by our guests. The room-temperature tortilla shell appetizers were plated and served in advance of the start time. They were colorful, beautiful and delicious. The salads and entree selections were served buffet-style and the dessert selections were set up on a Viennese table.

To create the vintage-inspired theme, I gathered old pictures of my cousin and her family. I printed them in 4×6″ formats and scattered them in frames on tables throughout.

Mazel tov, Tuvia and Goldie!

So often, I am asked to share the menus that I use for entertaining. So, here is the menu that I chose for this wonderful sheva brochos celebration:

Tortilla bowls filled with corn, avocado salad and grilled chicken garnished with Curly Scallions

Asian Red Cabbage Salad…Simple and Wow
Bok Choy and Craisin Salad
Apple, Beet and Pomegranate Slaw
Israeli Salad

Simply Reliable One Pan Roast Chicken Dinner
Low and Slow Oven Brisket: No Braising Necessary

Simply the Best Potato Kugel Ever
Vegetable Kugel with lattice and monogram

strawberry pomegranate daquiris with gooseberry garnish
chocolate mousse flowerpots
individual fresh fruit cups
Simply Delicious Baked Apples garnished with Chards of Colorful Chocolate Bark

Sheva Brochos To-Go Station

Last week, in preparation for Goldie and Tuvia’s Sheva Brochos (one of seven wedding after-parties, each with seven blessings), I purchased a large box of hamentaschen (triangular Purim pastries) to add to the Viennese table. While I was setting up, Don mentioned that we should set up a to-go station similar to those that we had at our daughters weddings. He thought that we should set out the hamentaschen individually wrapped along with tea and coffee.

I thought that was a wonderful idea.

Except, the weather was unseasonably warm.

So, we set up a water bottle and hamentaschen to-go station with personalized labels for the hamentaschen and water bottles.

I covered an old desk with an elegant tablecloth and inserted a printed sign into a vintage frame that read:

“Please take
something cold and something sweet
for the road ahead”

Our guests loved it. It really was simple to wow them.

And, we plan to do this again at our next home celebration.

Great idea, Don!

Pomegranate Truffles

There is something about pomegranate seeds that are oh, so delicious and create such a taste and texture sensation. The soft outside and the pop in your mouth juiciness is something so unique and so wonderful. The bright red color is reminiscent of a red heart and what better ingredient to pair with pomegranate seeds than chocolate?

As we just celebrated Tu Beshvat over the past weekend, we took time to pause and reflect on the vast assortments of fruit that grace our world. The pomegranate, whose seed bursts are the only edible part of the fruit truly symbolize the dormant and vast potential in each one of us.

This simple recipe is quite a palate sensation. It combines the decadence of chocolate with the juiciness of pomegranate. It takes moments to prepare and will simply wow you.

INGREDIENTS
seeds of one pomegranate
6 ounces of good chocolate
sea salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt chocolate and with a spoon or spatula, place mounds of chocolate on the parchment paper, reserving a small amount of melted chocolate. Place a small mound of pomegranate seeds atop each chocolate mound. Drizzle the rest of the chocolate over the truffles using a fork or a piping bag.

Optionally, garnish each pomegranate truffle with a few sea salt crystals.

These may be prepared a day in advance, but should be stored in the refrigerator.

Nutty Beet Pesto Pasta

There are certain new recipes that have the power to surprise and delight. This one is one of those awesome recipes. It is colorful and delicious and at the same time, it is simple and versatile.

The smooth texture of the beets offsets the nutty texture of the almonds and the gorgeous pink color offers a magical and surprising twist to this pasta dish.

In our house, we have “Shabbos pasta”. During the week, we use ordinary pasta shapes, like ziti, elbows, spaghetti and penne. When I prepare pasta for our Shabbos meals, I try to find more unique pasta shapes, like the whole wheat Gigli shown in this posting.

The beet pesto can be served as an accompaniment to other foods, as well. It can be served with fish, with grilled chicken or steak. It can be served as a pareve side dish or can be served as a main dish pasta with some shredded, shaved or crumbled cheese on top.

My favorite way to serve this pasta is with a sprinkling of chopped nuts and some chopped scallions.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 pounds pasta

1 shallot and 1 onion, diced and sauteed

1/2 cup raw almonds
1 can or 2 large peeled red beets, cooked
4 Tablespoons beet juice or cooking liquid
1/4 cup oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper

baby arugula or parsley, checked and rinsed (see kosher notes)

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta al dente in salted water according to package directions. Drain.

Saute onions or shallots until just starting to brown. Reserve half of the mixture for later.

Using the s-blade on the food processor, pulse to chop almonds. Reserve half of the almonds for later. Add half of the sauteed shallot and beets and pulse until chopped and combined well. Add beet juice, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and puree until smooth.

Toss pasta with beet puree and sauteed shallots. Garnish with reserved chopped almonds. Garnish with baby arugula or parsley. Serve hot or room temperature.

KOSHER NOTES

Kosher laws disallow the eating of any whole insects and therefore most greens require a process of soaking, rinsing and in some cases, pureeing. Kashrut authorities differ somewhat on the proper checking of leafy vegetables. This blog was not designed to be your kosher authority, so please consult your local rabbinic authority regarding using greens such as arugula and parsley

Who did it better? Free nightstand vs. $395

I just received the newest Anthropologie House & Home catalogue and had so much fun leafing through it.

When I turned to page 75, I couldn’t believe my eyes!

There was a nightstand so similar to the one that I refinished from a free cast-off in A Nightstand Castoff: Simply Upgraded and Gilded.

Oh, and, it sells for $395.

So, I ask you. Who did it better?

I know who did it last summer and who did it for a whole lot less money. As we like to say in our house, “Nothing beats free”!

Simplest Sesame Noodles

When looking for a pareve and delicious pasta dish, this is my go-to recipe. It started out as a Kosher by Design recipe and I have adapted and simplified it over the years. It is still a winner and the perfect pasta dish. To upgrade this dish in the simplest way, I use interesting pasta shapes like trumpet-shaped Gigli or hollow Bucatini strands.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound of pasta
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
2-3 crushed garlic cloves or 2 tablespoons garlic
drizzle of honey or agave syrup
sprinkle of sesame seeds
3-4 scallions or red onions, sliced or diced(optional)

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the pasta al dente. Drizzle and sprinkle soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and honey or agave right on top of pasta. Toss well. Sprinkle sesame seeds and scallions on top before serving.

Enjoy!

White and Wow Wedding Arches

When Kaitlyn’s friends started to get married, we realized that there were no places in our community to rent or borrow wedding shtick (items of whimsy to adorn the wedding dancing).

That left only one choice.

We quickly needed to figure out how to make our own.

And we did. The most popular item that we designed were our wedding arches.

After the traditional Jewish wedding chupah (Jewish canopy) ceremony, the Jewish bride and groom have a few moments alone called Yichud (seclusion) in order to enjoy each other’s company before entering the reception room.

As the bride and groom prepare to enter the reception room after Yichud, there is palpable excitement in the air. The band gets ready to perform a musical intro and the guests are on their feet waiting to dance the new couple into their lives together.

In the last few years, so many Jewish couples enter the reception by dancing under beautiful arches held by their friends and family. There is nothing in halacha (Jewish law) or minhag (Jewish custom) that explains the significance of these arches.

So, we are truly left to our imagination.

Perhaps, the arches mimic the idea of the chupah, a shelter representing their new home and they represent the doorway from the new couple’s status as individuals into a life of togetherness. Perhaps, these arches connect earth and heaven. Maybe, they incorporate the idea that the new couple is rooted in the friends and family that hold the arches.

Nonetheless, these arches carry the excitement and whimsy of an exciting new chapter just opened by this new Jewish couple.

And, that is what has guided the design of our wedding shtick.

These arches can be designed in so many different ways. We have feathered and flower arches, but our most popular arches are our fluffy, curly and whimsical mesh arches.

We offer all of our wedding shtick with a donation to Camp HASC (Hebrew Academy for Special Children) in memory of Stephanie Cohen a’h. Stephanie was a very special friend of our daughter, Leah, and our family. Her dear parents, Lisa and Stuart, are like part of our own family. The joyfulness and whimsy of these arches were designed with Stephanie’s delightful character and joyful nature in mind.

Stephanie lived a life of joy and lit up the lives of all those who knew her. Although she was physically and cognitively challenged, she used every fiber of her body to bring happiness and whimsy to others. She taught everyone around her about being positive and happy in one’s life and she brought a smile to all who interacted with her. The original set of colorful mesh arches were designed using Stephanie’s favorite vibrant colors in order to raise money for the place that she loved most, Camp HASC.

Stephanie’s colorful arches have been and continued to be borrowed over and over and have raised a great deal of money for Camp HASC.

This week, I designed a new set of white and wow wedding arches to complement the colorful mesh arches that were designed several years ago. This time I documented the supplies and directions necessary to create their design.

Here we go!

SUPPLIES

hula hoop
heavy-duty scissors
scotch or cloth tape (optional)
duct tape or White Gorilla duct tape
21″ wide deco mesh (For each arch, I needed one 10-yard roll of deco mesh plus extra embellished mesh for accents)
pipe cleaners to match mesh or floral wire
white gloves (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Carefully cut a hula hoop using strong scissors. Some hula hoops have beads inside to create hula hoop sound effects. If you would like to add those sound effects to a plain hula hoop, add a few beads to the inside of the cut hula hoop.

Cover the ends of the hula hoop with duct or cloth tape to prevent the beads inside from falling out. Use duct tape to coat the hula hoop from one end to the other. I find that the easiest way is to leave a 2-3 inch section of tape exposed on the roll and wrap the duct tape roll around and around the cut hula hoop.

Prepare pipe cleaners or cut wire into 12-16 inch sections.

Line up mesh near one end of the hoop. Begin securing the mesh to the hula hoop by using a pipe cleaner or mesh to secure the mesh to the hula hoop about 6 inches from the end of the hula hoop.

Making sure that the mesh covers both sides of the hula hoop, wrap the mesh around the hula hoop, twisting slightly to form a swelling effect. Secure mesh again to the hula hoop in about 12-15 inches.

Continue to wrap the mesh around the hoop, securing it with the pipe cleaner or cut wire at equal intervals, making sure that the last interval before the end of the hula hoop is secured about 6 inches from the other end.

Cut the mesh close to the end of the hula hoop, leaving the same amount of space for a handle at both ends.

Using the deco mesh, cut 8-12 inch sections of mesh. The longer the sections, the more perfect your rolls will look. The shorter the sections, the more rolls you will have.

Prepare pipe cleaners or cut wire into 18-30 inch sections.

Take 3-4 deco mesh rolls and twist a pipe cleaner or wire section around the middle, forming a whimsical curly flower, making sure to twist the middle tightly, but to leave plenty of wire at the ends so that the curly flower can be securely fastened to the arch. Here is where you can be creative and incorporate different colors, textures, ribbons or media. For these arches, I used three white sparkly mesh rolls and one 4″ section of bubbly mesh for each curly flower.

Continue to cut deco mesh rolls and create at least as many curly flowers as you have secured intervals on your hula hoop arch. Each one of these flowers will cover the wire that you used to secure the mesh to the hula hoop.

I like to prepare a few extra curly flowers to fill in the middle of the arch, which will add whimsy and height to the final arch. I also sometimes prepare a few smaller curly flowers, made with only 2-3 curls to fill in areas where the arch needs some more volume.

Using the ends of the wire or pipe cleaner, secure each flower to the arch covering the exposed pipe cleaner or wire that you created when you secured the mesh to the hula hoop, making sure to twist tightly and secure all wire ends. Examine your arch carefully and critically, adjusting curly flowers to cover both sides of the hula hoop and making sire that the arc looks full. Add curly flowers to areas on your arch that look unadorned. To achieve a full look, each of these arches took 9-12 curly mesh flowers.

If necessary, cut the end of the deco mesh so that at least 2-3 inches at each end of the hula hoop can be handled. Use heavy duty duct tape, secure the ends of the deco mesh to the handle. Wrap the duct tape around and around so that the handle is neat, comfortable and secure.

To give the arches a more finished look, wrap matching pipe cleaners around all exposed wire securing the curly flowers to the mesh hula hoop.

If you would like to make a donation to Camp HASC or would like information on borrowing these arches for an upcoming wedding, please comment below or email me at simpletowow@gmail.com.

Please Note: This post contains affiliate links from Amazon, which means I earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

A Special Day for Savta

Today is a wonderful day for my mother.

After finally getting the all-clear to start bearing full weight on her hip after surgery, my mother is finally coming home. It has been over six grueling weeks since Savta’s hip-revision surgery.

Savta will be continue to receive physical therapy here until she returns home to Cleveland later next week.

And, we are rolling out the red carpet.

With the red carpet, of course, we will need a welcome home sign. And, a welcome home party thrown by the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And, so the celebration begins…

Just in case the kids don’t get the sign here before Savta’s arrival, I quickly drew a welcome home sign. I used a large piece of white foam board and poster markers in black and red. I finished the exclamation sign off with a cloth bandage.

Welcome home, Savta!

SUPPLIES

white foam board
thick markers
Band-Aids

TIP

Display welcome home sign in window. That way, no tape is needed and sign can be turned around to be viewed indoors, as well.

The Blessing and Renewal of Tu Beshvat

Tomorrow is Tu B’Shevat , ט״ו בשבט‎‎, the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. This special Jewish day commemorates the New Year of the Trees.

We are taught that the trees are judged on this date for the fruit that will be produced in the next growing year. In Israel, this is the beginning of fruit trees emerging from winter dormancy to begin a new fruit-bearing season.

To commemorate this special day, we enjoy fruit, especially fruits synonymous with the Land of Israel. In the Torah, certain fruits are praised as the bounty of Israel and we make certain to enjoy these fruits on this day. These fruits of mention are olives, dates, grapes, figs and pomegranates.

Tu B’Shevat reminds us of the dormant potential in the trees and in each one of us. Just as the trees and their seeds lie dormant during the harsh and cold winter months, often we have times of dormancy. Our hope is that we recognize the potential in ourselves, our children and those around us, even in the harshest and most challenging of times. Precisely at this time, while it is still cold and unforgiving outside, the trees celebrate their New Year.

May each one of us celebrate this festival of potential, growth and blossoming in our gardens, our families and our hearts.

This fruit salad incorporates some new fruits and some of the fabulous fruits of Israel. We thank G-d when enjoying the vibrant colors, textures and flavors of fruit by reciting this blessing:

Hebrew:

Transliteration
Baruch atah A-donai Elo-heinu Melech Ha’Olam Borei Pri Ha-aitz.

Translation
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.

When we eat new fruits that we have not eaten for an entire season, we also bless G-d with this special blessing:

Hebrew:

Transliteration
Baruch atah A-donai, Elo-heinu Melech Ha’Olam shehecheyanu v’kiyimanu v’higi’anu laz’man hazeh

Translation
Blessed are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season

This fruit salad incorporates so many of the fruits that I love to purchase at the Machene Yehuda Shuk (Jerusalem open-air market) while we are in Israel. I hope that it connects you to The Land, to G-d and to the potential that is Tu Beshvat, too.

Happy Tu Beshvat!

tu-beshvat-fruit-salad-orange-sharon-fruit

INGREDIENTS
dragon fruit
kiwi (see tips)
star fruit
watermelon
persimmon
Asian pears (see tips)
strawberries
dates
pomegranates

SPECIAL SUPPLIES
melon baller
scallop knife
peeler

DIRECTIONS
Was, dice, scoop and cut fruit into small pieces. Gently toss and optionally garnish with Simple Kiwi Flower Garnish.

tu-beshvat-fruit-salad-with-kiwi-garnish

TIPS

To keep fruits like Asian pears from oxidizing, place cut pieces in a solution of 4 parts water to 1 part of lemon juice r pineapple juice.

Peel kiwi with a vegetable peeler. You will preserve more of the fruit.

Please Note: This post contains affiliate links from Amazon, which means I earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Sweet Potato Butternut Squash Marigolds

butternut-squash-sweet-potato-flowers-two

A few weeks ago, I invited our new neighbors over for Shabbos lunch. I was tired of my tried and true recipes so I decided to combine the ingredients and techniques from a couple of my favorite SimpletoWow recipes. I really wasn’t sure how it would work out.

Luckily, the end-product was a most pleasant and stunning surprise. What I ended up with were the most beautiful, most delicious and colorful sweet potato-butternut squash marigolds.

For the piped sweet potato marigolds, I used the Sweet Potato Cupcake Toppers recipe. I piped the sweet potato flowers atop slices of butternut squash prepared just as I did in Glazed Butternut Squash with Shallots and Grapes.

It was pretty simple.

It was a wow.

But, best of all, the marigolds really held up well and a few were even left over for Sunday left-overs. They kept their shape and were devoured by our resident vegetarians.

INGREDIENTS

1 large butternut squash

1-2 tablespoons oil
1-2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
kosher salt

black pepper to taste

3-4 sweet potatoes
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon syrup, honey or sugar
dash of salt and pepper

SUPPLIES

Cuisinart Stainless 14 cup Food Processor

Wilton Large Piping Tip Set

Heavy Duty 16″ Disposable Piping Bags

Wood and Silicone Spatula

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Scrub butternut squash. Using a large knife, cut unpeeled butternut squash crosswise into 1/3 inch to 1/2 inch disks. Remove seeds from rings at bottom of squash.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place butternut squash disks in a single layer on lined baking sheet.

Lightly drizzle oil and honey or sugar over butternut squash. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place small whole sweet potatoes on separate baking sheet or in pyrex baking dish.

Roast uncovered for 40-45 minutes. Butternut squash should be soft and just beginning to caramelize. Sweet potatoes should be soft with gap beginning to form between peel and pulp. If sweet potatoes are not soft enough to peel, cook for 10-15 more minutes.

Allow squash and sweet potatoes to cool. Leave the squash slices intact and carefully peel away the sweet potato skins and discard.

Using the s-blade in the food processor, pulse sweet potato pulp, egg, olive oil, sugar or honey and salt until puree is smooth and creamy.

Fill sweet potato puree into a large piping bag fitted with a star tip or into a zipper bag. To do this most easily and without making much of a mess, cuff bag over tall jar or glass. Use a stiff rubber spatula to load puree into piping bag or zipper bag.

If not using a tip, cut corner of bag. Squeeze air out of the top of the bag and twist top of bag shut. Push puree to tip or cut corner.

sweet-potato-cupcake-toppers-with-piping-bag-cuffed-over-jar

sweet-potato-cupcake-toppers-in-piping-bag

Pipe sweet potato puree onto butternut squash slices. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees. Marigolds should be slightly firm and dry on top when ready.

Voila!

Please Note: This post contains affiliate links from Amazon, which means I earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Plating Lesson: Leah’s Birthday Dessert

Today was Leah’s birthday and we celebrated the special day by going out as a family to Leah’s favorite restaurant in Manhattan, Noi Due.

Don and I had never been to Noi Due and we were delighted with the food selection, presentation and taste. Although we were all too full to have dessert, we felt compelled to order at least one dessert to share so that we could sing “Happy Birthday” to Leah.

Leah ordered her favorite dessert in the whole world: cheesecake. Simple New York-style cheescake. Not Italian-style cheesecake. Not the in-house prepared tiramisu. Not anything else. Just plain cheesecake.

And, when the dessert was served, Leah was delighted. And so was everyone else.

Ju-Ju eyed the confectioners sugar. Avigail eyed the whipped cream. Don was hoping to share the cheescake.

I just admired the plating…..and asked Aaron S. to take a picture for the blog.

Because, I loved a creatively plated dessert. And, this dessert was cleverly and beautifully plated.

Here is what I loved about the dessert plate:

Beautiful plating is in the simple details
A simple piece of cheesecake was embellished with powdered sugar, whipped cream and some chocolate syrup. all simple ingredients that together yielded something extraordinary

There were many textural elements to appreciate
This plate allowed us to enjoy the ruffled whipped cream, decadent sauce, creamy cheese cake slice, the handwritten birthday note and the powdery sugar

It was original
They took the time to write “Happy Birthday” with a flourish and a dose of whimsy.

There was plenty of white space on the plate
The elements of the dessert were not crowded and left the diner with a feeling of space to appreciate the details

Happy Birthday, Leah!

Simple Carrot Cranberry Kugel

There are some recipes that don’t look beautiful but have that special blend of wholesome ingredients, delicious taste and perfect texture. This recipe is one of those. I have prepared it with a pound of fresh, frozen or canned carrots. I have prepared this recipe a loaf pan, in a pyrex pie dish, in individual ramekins and in silicone baking molds. It is one those wonderful recipes that can served as a side dish, as a dessert or as a snack.

The original recipe was in Yeshiva of North Jersey’s cookbook published during the time my children were in elementary school. I have changed and simplified the original recipe by reducing the amount of sugar and oil and simplifying the preparation. It is one of our family favorites.

INGREDIENTS

one pound of fresh carrots, shredded (see notes)
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup craisins

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Shred carrots using the shredding blade of the food processor.

Add the rest of the ingredients and combine by pulsing in the food processor using the S-blade of food processor until well combined. Alternatively, combine ingredients by hand or in a mixer. Pour into a pie dish or a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Carrot kugel should be golden brown in color when ready.

NOTES

Instead of shredded carrots, you can substitute one pound of frozen or canned carrots. Just mash or pulse in food processor using S-blade of food processor. Add rest of ingredients. Pulse a few times until combined.

This can be baked in ramekins or as muffins in large muffin wrappers. Modify baking time to 15-25 minutes, depending on size of each muffin.

Red Grapefruit Vinaigrette

During the winter months, we reacquaint ourselves with quite a variety of citrus fruits. Our countertop fruit bowl this time of year is typically filled with clementines, navel oranges and grapefruits. That ever-present fruit bowl has always been a visual cue to weary household members to indulge in a piece of fruit, rather than scavenge through that harder to locate snack cabinet.

It is not always a foolproof formula, but I do attribute my family’s fondness for fruit and vegetables to the always available and usually filled fruit bowl and vegetable bin. Counter fruit has really become eye candy and belly candy to us.

But, fruit doesn’t only need to be eaten fresh and whole. It can also be enjoyed in many different ways. One of my favorite ways to enjoy fruit without cooking is to prepare vinaigrettes for salads and as dips to bread, fish and meat.

Just like the red grapefruit itself, this vinaigrette sports a lovely light pink color and a creamy balance of tart and sweet. It is best prepared with fresh ingredients: one fresh pink grapefruit, a shallot and clove of garlic. Just in case you don’t have those items on hand, I offer grapefruit juice, garlic and onion powder as substitutions. Just remember, substitutions are fine, but never quite yield the original product.

This assertive vinaigrette is best served with blander foods items that are looking for some additional spontaneity and flavor. It would be best served on salads, steamed vegetables and simply prepared fish, poultry and meat.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

juice of one red grapefruit or 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 shallot or 1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 teaspoon dijon or whole grain mustard
1 cup oil

SUPPLIES

Cuisinart food processor

set of 16 oz wide-mouth squirt bottles

NOTES

Decant the dressing into an empty sport-top water bottle or wide-mouth squeeze bottle.

Add a unique label to this Red Grapefruit Vinaigrette. Using glue stick or clear packing tape, adhere a custom red-grapefruit-vinaigrette-label to an empty squeeze bottle. If you would like to print your own simpletowow label, feel free print out this red-grapefruit-vinaigrette-label. The paper label also allows you to jot down the date when you prepared the dressing so that you can track the preparation date.

Enjoy!

Please Note: This post contains affiliate links from Amazon, which means I earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Don’s Birthday Ice Cream Cake

For Don’s birthday every year, I prepare a birthday cake for him. It doesn’t need to be fancy or fussy. It just needs to contain lots and lots of his favorite ice cream….Baskin Robbins Jamoca Almond Fudge.

To Don, there is nothing quite like this flavor. Because…Don knows what he likes in ice cream.

In Haagen Dazs, it is coffee.

In Breyers, it is Butter Almond (not butter pecan-I’ve made that mistake more than once).

In Friendly’s, it is chocolate almond chip.

But his most favorite, most beloved food he’d take if he was stranded on a dessert island really is Baskin Robbins Jamoca Almond Fudge.

So, I’ve learned to not mess with that favorite ice cream flavor choice. And, most years, I just buy cartons of this cherished ice cream and mold it as is with no other ingredients.

This year, I thought that I would be a bit more creative. I made a simple ganache with coffee and chocolate and crushed some coffee-flavored wafers to place between the ice cream layers. I was careful not to detract too much from the star of the cake, the Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream.

Happy Birthday, Don!

INGREDIENTS

2-4 quarts of ice cream
milk
chocolate wafers
chocolate chips
chocolate for garnish
sprinkles (optional)
whipped cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Freeze ice cream in layers until firm. I used disposable round pans.

Prepare crumb layers by crushing wafers and adding just enough milk for the crumbs to hold together.

Use a large disposable plate or parchment-covered base to create ice cream cake: Starting and ending with ice cream layer, layer ice cream layers and crumb layers. Freeze until firm.

Prepare ganache by melting 1-2 cups of chocolate or chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of coffee. Melt over low heat until smooth and creamy.

Remove ice cream cake from freezer and carefully pour ganache over cake, allowing some of the ganache to puddle at the bottom.

Freeze until firm. Using a spatula, reapply puddled ganache to the sides of the cake. Optionally, press sprinkles into sides of cake.

Garnish top of cake with whipped cream and favorite chocolate garnish.

Upcycled Chalkboard Chargers: Simple Placecard Alternative

I love the way chargers dress up a table.

It adds that extra flair to the table setting and makes the table look dressed even after the meal has begun. It is one of the wonderful tools I implement in keeping my Pesach (Passover) seder table elegant and neat (see Seder Table Ideas and Inspirations).

Decades ago, I bought a set of gold chargers to use for Shabbos and special occasions. Then, gold was the only option and it matched the gold leaf border on my china. The chargers were painted plastic and very heavy.

The top dozen of these chargers have been used over and over again and through constant use and cleaning, the gold has rubbed off and they have gotten just a bit grimy. They have really been put to good use, but could really use a facelift.

Besides, nowadays chargers are much more common, much lighter and can be purchased at many discount stores.

I plan to purchase a new set of gold chargers and wanted a way to upcycle my faded and well-used chargers.

Enter….chalkboard spray paint. It is one of those supplies that can be used in so many creative ways. Among so many other projects, I used it to accent the DIY Nightstand Play Kitchen for JuJu and it is so simple to apply.

While I was collecting the well-used chargers, I came across an oddball silver one that had been a gift, but had never matched the gold set. I added it to my collection of soon-to-be-repurposed charges.

I washed the chargers with soapy water, dried them well and sprayed them with chalkboard paint.

I now have a new look that can even be easily personalized with chalk…voila!

chalkboard-charger-original-gold-charger

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