Avocado and Manago Sanwich w/Cilantro Lime Mayo

I just got the Everyday Food January/February issue in the mail today it hits new stands January 7th. It is a issue focused on light food. Thank goodness, cause for the past few months everything I have eaten everything that isn't nailed down. It will take me months to recover. I am on a quest to eat less and be healthier.


In the issue is a great recipe for an Avocado and Mango Sandwich. You may be thinking, but Shoshi, avocado is fattening...yes you are correct. Keep in mind it is a good high fat food, so nosh on..nosh on. ~Shoshi


Avocado and Manago Sanwich w/Cilantro Lime Mayo

1/3 cup light mayo
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
kosher salt and pepper
8 slices multi grain bread, toasted
1 head lettuce, separated
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
1 avocado, pitted and thinly sliced

1. In a small bowl, combine mayo, cilantro, and lime juice, season with salt & pepper

2) Dividing evenly, spread toasted bread w/mayo mixture. Top four pieces of bread with lettuce, mango and avocado, cover with remaining bread. Serve pronto, Yum!

Peanut Butter Bars

Today I was flipping through How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella. She is one sexy Jewess and her food is definatley packed with soul or shall I say "sexy soul". I think I may be cooking for a New Year's Eve soiree, so I grabbed a recipe from the book that I think will be a huge hit. Some people don't like peanut butter, but how can anyone resist peanut butter and chocolate?

Nosh on,
~Shoshi


Peanut Butter Bars


for the base:

50g dark muscovado sugar

200g icing sugar (aka powdered sugar)

50g unsalted butter

200g smooth peanut butter


for the topping:

200g milk chocolate

100g plain chocolate

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 x 23cm square brownie tin, lined


Stir all the ingredients for the base together until smooth. Sse the paddle attachment to a mixer but a bowl and a wooden spoon will do the job just as well. You will find that some of the dark muscovado sugar stays rubbly, though very small, lumps, but don't worry about that. Press the sandy mixture into the lined brownie tin and make the surface as even as possible.

To make the topping, melt the chocolates and butter together (in a microwave for ease, for a minute or two on medium) and spread on the base. Put the tin in the fridge to set. When the chocolate has hardened, cut into small squares.

Sauce: Scallion Ginger & Honey-Orange

Two more days till Chinese food and a movie. What will it be I Am Legend or Sweeney Todd? I say you can never go wrong with Johnny Depp. I know I digress, you are here for food and not my movie tips....

So, I have a few great easy sauce recipes that will be perfect for your Chinese feast on Christmas or any other time of the year. I got these recipes from Everyday with Rachael Ray. I have made these sauces for my clients and they are always a huge hit.

Nosh on,
~Shoshi


Scallion-Ginger Sauce

1/2 cup rice vinegar or sake
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 chopped scallion ( finely chopped)
1/4 teaspoon ginger

Stir and serve.

Honey- Orange Sauce

1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons chopped orange peel

Stir and serve.

Szechwan Chicken & Cashews

Did you stuff yourself with latkes or what? So, Christmas is right around the corner. It's time to get ready for Chinese food and a movie, a true Jewish tradition. You might be feeling ambitious and want to cook this year instead of ordering take out.

Here is a great chicken and cashew recipe to whip up! It's yummy comfort food with a whole lot of soul!

Nosh on,
~Shoshi


Szechwan Chicken & Cashews

4 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned and cut in 3/4 inch cubes
1 tb soy sauce
1 tb Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tb soy sauce
1 tb cornstarch
2 ts sugar
1 ts white vinegar
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 green onions, sliced diagonally
1 tb minced fresh ginger
1/2 c unsalted cashews

Instructions

Marinate chicken in 1 Tbsp soy sauce and rice wine for
30 minutes.

Combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and vinegar and set
aside. Heat oil in wok or skillet. Add red pepper to taste and cook
until black. Add chicken and stir fry for 2 minutes. Remove chicken.
Add green onions and ginger and stir fry for 1 minute. Return chicken
to wok. Cook 2 minutes. Stirring constantly, add soy sauce mixture
and any remaining chicken marinade. Add cashews. Serve over cooked
rice.

Pumpkin and Red Onion Latkes

I got an email request for a raw latke recipe. Wow, for once I am stumped. That is a recipe I will work on for next year.


Are you bored with the same ole tired potato latkes yet? Try pumpkin latkes. I so love pumpkin, it's good for you and oh yes, oh yes, YUMMY.

Hope you are having a rockin' Chanukah!

Nosh on,
Shosh


Pumpkin & Red Onion Latkes

2 Cups pumpkin raw, coarsly grated and drained
1 Red onion, coarsly grated
1 Egg
1/2 Cup plain white flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/3 tsp Garlic powder
A pinch paprika
Pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil (to fry latkes)
Sour cream

Mix all ingredients together until evenly until it looks like a batter. Heat oil in a frying pan until it is very hot.Drop the batter in tablespoons, shaping rounds and flatten. Fry over medium heat until golden brown on each side. Serve with sour cream.

Chocolate Mint Hanukkah Gelt

Now that Thanksgiving is out of the way, we can focus on Hanukkah (one of my favorite holidays). Who doesn't appreciate a latke with some vodka?

For all my readers, I have a special offer on Oh Nuts! (www.ohnuts.com), use this code: HBP1118, and get 10% your order. This offer is good until after Hanukkah, so get to it!

What would Hanukkah be without gelt, an edible gelt. Here is a YUM recipe for chocolate mint gelt. If you don't like mint, omit it and use another extract ( such as vanilla). This is your gelt, so add the type of kosher soul that you want! (You can always get your gelt on Oh Nuts)

Nosh on,
~Shoshi

Chocolate Mint Hanukkah Gelt

1 (12 ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips * (I recommend Ghirardelli)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mint extract, or a bit more to taste
Parchment paper

* If watched carefully, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave oven.

Place the chips in the top of a double boiler and over simmering water, melt the chips. When they are about halfway melted, add the oil and the extract. Continue to melt the chips, stirring to combine well the chocolate, the oil and the extract.

Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes or so, or until the chocolate has started to thicken just a bit.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet tray,using a soup spoon, using the chocolate pour coin shaped discs onto the parchment paper.

Allow the chocolate coins to harden and then peel them off the paper and enjoy.