this is an old recipe of mine that I’ve played around with and it makes a perfect side dish anytime of the year. not too difficult to make , takes a little playing around but pretty easy . I used Manischewitz egg noodles in a toasted barley shape this time. you can use pearl barley which is available in almost every supermarket out there. i have to say this product worked very well. Not exactly Mushroom and Barley?? but barley shape egg noodles
Great for Rosh Hashana and actually any other time for dinner as well. It’s delicious!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 3/4 cup Pearl Barley or any kind you can find ( I used Manischewitz egg noodles in a toasted barley shape) it doesn’t have to be toasted it can just be regular barley shape noodles. I love to use this product , it’s usually found in kosher section.
1 lb. fresh mushrooms sliced
1/2 spanish onion chopped
2 – 3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
I use a very little bit of vegetable oil ( maybe 1 tablespoon) and saute onions, then mushrooms till cooked down. I salt and pepper generously here. I remove the mushroom/onion mixture from saute pan, wipe the pan clean with a paper towel . melt butter or margarine in pan, brown the barley/noodles for about 4 – 5 minutes, move it around as you brown it. in the meantime transfer mushroom/ onion mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish (spray with pam) when barley/noodles is browned place in dish with mushrooms and onions and mix well. add 2 cups of chicken broth. cover with aluminum foil, and bake in oven covered at 350 degrees for app. 45 minutes. remove from oven, and add a little broth, depending on how dry it is, i would say i added about 1/2 cup , you may need to add more, add the 1/2 cup and mix well and see if you need more, not too watery, keep it dryer. cover, and i put it back in oven for 10 to 15 minutes. taste for salt and pepper. and there it is. very delicious.
This is truly traditional Jewish comfort food made with buckwheat grains and bowtie noodles. I love it and grew up eating it and try to make it a few times a year. It is super easy and super tasty. If you’ve never made it why not start now. It’s a wonderful side dish to any meal and it can be vegetarian for all of those who need some extra vegetarian dishes on their tables just substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.
Kasha comes in a box. There are different types of Kasha and almost all will work. I use medium or coarse granulation. Wolff’s brand is really wonderful so look for it and for this recipe I follow the directions on the Wolff’s box of Kasha.
If you’re looking for an easy side dish to put together now is the time to look at this great recipe. This is also our go to the night before Yom Kippur. It’s tradition and delicious and comforting all at the same time.
Also perfect for Rosh Hashana.
*Wolff’s Brand Kasha is always available on Amazon
1 white/yellow onion thinly sliced or you can use chopped onions , entirely up to you.
app. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil you may need a little more and may want a bit more to drizzle at the end plus more — probably 1/4 cup in total
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper–to taste
*1 small box button mushrooms sliced 8 ounce box — mushrooms are totally optional but sometimes I feel like they add a little something
1 cup kasha, medium or coarse granulation– I use Wolffs Kasha and follow instructions on the box which I have written below
1 egg for kasha as per instructions on the box
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth as per box instructions
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to directions on box for al dente.
Saute’ the onions in vegetable oil , salt and pepper until they just start to soften, about 5 minutes. I use a medium size frying pan large enough to add in the pasta, and make sure you have a tight fitting lid.
Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to soften as well, a few more minutes , set aside. Place mushrooms and onions in a bowl and you’ll use same frying pan to cook kasha.
Coat the kasha in a slightly beaten egg. You’ll just place kasha in a bowl and put beaten egg on grains. This will help the grains not to stick to themselves while you are cooking them. Make sure the grains are completely coated with egg. Put the kasha in the same frying pan, set over a fairly high heat. Flatten, stir, and break up the egg-coated kasha with a fork or wooden spoon for a few minutes till toasted and the egg has dried on the kasha and kernels are brown and mostly separate. Kasha instructions for cooking are usually on the box as well. Then I pour in the broth that I am using, a little margarine/butter is OK as well ( app. 2 Tbsp) bring to a boil, cover tightly, lower flame to simmer and cook for 10 minutes till kasha is fluffy–these are the directions on the box that I follow .
Add back in the mushrooms and onions and combine with chicken broth. Cook box of Bow Tie Pasta according to directions on box al dente.
Bring to a boil and cook over low heat covered tightly. Check on it after 10 minutes or so to make sure the kernels are tender and the liquid has absorbed. If not, cover and continue steaming for another few minutes till all liquid is absorbed.
Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if you’d like, mix in cooked pasta, and if you’d like drizzle a little more oil on it. I like to do it all in a large enough frying pan to hold pasta . You can always mix in pasta in a large bowl separately. I like it in frying pan on stove top till I serve it. You can always make ahead and heat up in oven at 350 degrees in a pyrex dish, you’ll most likely need to add a little oil if you do so.
*Wolff’s Kasha has directions for cooking kasha on the box. It’s pretty much the same , I just add in the mushrooms and onions for more flavor.
I had purchased the most beautiful yellow tomatoes and figured I would make gazpacho. Gazpacho is by far one of my most favorite summer time soups. This one is fairly smooth. Before serving I added avocado and served with tortilla chips for a wonderful most satisfying meal. This is also super easy and you’ll look like a pro if you just follow these easy directions. You’ll need a decent blender and a few easy to obtain ingredients and you have a wonderful additional to any meal or a nice light lunch. This time I used beautiful yellow tomatoes, you can use any color you’d like and you can use any kind of tomato from the small grape or cherry tomatoes to the larger ones. The yellow tomatoes with the flecks of jalapeno made a strikingly beautiful soup.I have another recipe titled “Farm to Table Gazpacho” it’s more of a traditional gazpacho! I am going to re-post it as well.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. yellow tomatoes, I used regular sized tomatoes. You can use yellow or orange cherry tomatoes and get the same effect. I washed and dried tomatoes and cut into quarters or halves for easier blending. Heirlooms are amazingly delicious when in season which they are right now! My sister makes this recipe by parboiling the tomatoes, removing the skin and cutting core out of tomatoes. This is an other option. I opted for the easier method but both are delicious and work well.
1 garlic clove (average sized)–you can use 2 cloves if you like a bit more bite of garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced ( be careful handling jalapenos always, I use rubber gloves and be very careful not to get seeds on my hands) wash carefully after cutting up jalapenos, seriously. If you like more kick keep a few seeds from jalapenos. You can use Serrano Chiles also but I still think Jalapenos have the most bang for the buck.
app. 1 tsp. kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste , you may need to add salt and pepper at the end
Diced avocado and tortilla chips for serving.
Directions:
In a blender, puree the halved tomatoes and garlic with 1/4 cup of water. While the machine is on I gradually add the olive oil until fully incorporated. Transfer to a bowl then stir in the jalapeno and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, at least an hour or so, better overnight.
When you’re ready to serve ladle the gazpacho into bowls and top with diced avocado. Serve with tortilla chips. If you leftover shrimp it is also delicious to add and makes it more of a meal!
This is a most delicious salad and a departure from the usual fare of lettuces etc. Sweet and Savory and very refreshing . Simple to pull together and easy to make. Of course you can substitute or add other items if you’d like such as olives, arugula , basil etc. This is how I did it and we all totally enjoyed it!!! The salad is a rather loose recipe and can be adapted very easily to other ingredients and your own particular tastes.
It really is the perfect Summer Salad. The saltiness of the feta and the sweetness of the watermelon make for a perfect summer salad.
Ingredients:
1 small seedless watermelon, cut into 1″cubes or melon balls.
1 shallot finely chopped
1 chunk of Feta Cheese– I like to cut my feta cubed but crumbled could work as well. Feta is usually a greek style cheese made with sheep’s milk and goat’s milk. I prefer a block even though I know crumbled is more convenient. The block is usually sold in a brine and that will keep the feta moist and crumbles tend to be dryer. They all taste good though so buy what you prefer. I often buy Bulgarian Feta which is rather firm and cuts and crumbles easily. Look for it. Also French Feta sometimes–check out the assortment in the cheese section of your market. And of course Greek Feta is probably the most preferred. Salty and tangy the way feta should be. Cut or Crumble your choice.
4 Tbsp. Torn Fresh Mint — more for garnish –I love Mint but some people really don’t you can substitute Basil or nothing if you’d lke
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 persian cucumbers — I buy the small ones and cut into small cubes
1/4 red onion sliced thinly
1/3 cup Pistachio Nuts — I chop them gently — obviously no shells –you can omit this all together if you don’t like them for a nut free salad
Vinaigrette:
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
3 small cloves Garlic–finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 Teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
In a small bowl whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Directions:
Combine the watermelon,1 finely chopped shallot, and mint in a large bowl with the 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil . Season with Salt and Pepper to taste and toss to combine. Transfer to fridge and let marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
Remove from fridge and add the cubed feta, cucumbers, red onion slices and pistachios. Toss to combine. I transferred to a serving platter , drizzled with the vinaigrette and served with extra pistachios and extra mint.
This Oven Roasted Creamy Tomato Sauce is just what you’ve been looking for . Perfect Summer Tomato Pasta Sauce made with delicious cherry tomatoes. It’s sweet and creamy without using a drop of cream!!! Love it!! Only delicious fresh ingredients and the only special equipment you’ll need is a food processor!
Should make app. 3 cups of sauce which you can use right away, or put in the fridge for a day or two, or even better freeze for a month and when you’re looking for something to make for dinner –there you have it!
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
4 cups of cherry tomatoes — stems off
1/4 tsp. onion powder
2 Tablespoons of good Olive Oil
1/3 cup fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spread Tomatoes single layer on a large sheet pan. Don’t crowd. Drizzle with Olive Oil. Sprinkle with onion powder
Bake for app. 40 minutes , you’ll want tomatoes good and wrinkly
Let cool for a bit then put your tomatoes into food processor
Add the fresh basil, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste in food processor
Blend to smooth and creamy
Use it right away! or put in fridge for a few days or freeze for another time.
It’s the end of the Summer and the Palisade Peaches are still here in Colorado along with the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes. It’s a no-brainer salad going on here made with the freshest of ingredients. Fresh Mozzarella is readily available almost everywhere now and grab some fresh basil while you’re at it. This salad worked out well with a few easy ingredients and it packed some super delicious flavor. Hurry to your farmers market or produce store to grab some of these beauties before they’re gone .
*this recipe should serve 2- 4 but can easily be doubled for more
Ingredients:
1 pint of cherry tomatoes ( I grabbed some heirloom cherry tomatoes)or any tomatoes you’d like the local tomatoes are beautiful this time of year
1 large peach or 2 small (Palisade Peaches here in Colorado have been amazing)
4 ounces fresh mozzarella
1 shallot
some fresh basil–throw in about 8 pieces and add more or less depending on your own particular taste
1 1/2 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or any flaky salt you like –this is approximate and use as little or as much salt as you like, tomatoes can endure a lot of salt
app. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Rinse off tomatoes and cut in 1/2. Clean and cut the peach in half, remove the pit and cut into bite size pieces. Add tomatoes and peaches to a platter or a bowl. Cut up the mozzarella and add to bowl.
Peel and slice the shallots into thin slivers or rings whichever you prefer. Scatter over tomatoes, add the basil, drizzle the olive oil, salt and pepper and stir gently.
Presentation is beautiful on a platter as well. Whatever way you do it the taste is phenomenal.
This is restaurant worthy pasta, made in a saute pan, 12″ size would be perfect for 1/2 box of pasta for this recipe. If you’re making whole box and doubling you’ll need a larger pan. This pasta has very few ingredients and you probably have all of them in the house . When I am not sure what to make and I really don’t feel like going out, this is up there with my “go to ” meals. It’s comforting and has a kick of heat from the black pepper. It’s an elegant adult version of mac and cheese and a simple standard all at the same time. I try and use 2 cheeses when I can, but if you only have 1 type of grated cheese, it’s fine. Hold on to about a cup of the pasta water, you may need it if sauce is too dry, add a little at a time, as you need it. This recipe is quick and will feed 2 people nicely. If you want to serve more, just double the recipe. If black pepper is your thing Cacio e Pepe is for you. Recipe doubled is perfect for 4.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Kosher Salt
8 oz. of spaghetti like pasta ( bucatini, linguine, perciatelli) most boxes are 1 lb. boxes , so app. 1/2 box I used perciatelli ( I love the ropey pasta)
3 tblsp. unsalted butter , cube it and divide it into 3 seperate tablespoons
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Cheese ( or just use Parmesan)
Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions. Make sure you throw a small handful of kosher salt into the pot of boiling water, before you drop in the pasta. The pasta absorbs water as it cooks, so you’re actually seasoning the pasta which would ordinarily be a rather bland starch. Cook pasta till al dente , follow package instructions.
Meanwhile melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet , add the freshly ground black pepper and swirl around till melded, app. 1 – 2 minutes. Then let it sit, and turn off heat. Wait for pasta to finish cooking, remove 1 cup of pasta water and set aside and then continue with the next step.
Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to skillet and bring butter, water and pepper to a simmer. Add cooked pasta and remaining tablespoon of butter. Reduce heat to low and add 3/4 cup Grana Padano or Parmesan Cheese, stirring and tossing with a pair of tongs, until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat, add additional 1/4 cup of cheese and toss until the cheese melts and sauce fully coats the pasta. Add more pasta water if sauce seems too dry. Transfer pasta to nice large bowls and serve.
I originally posted this way back and figured what a perfect day to re-post. This has become my go to Greek Salad and Salad Dressing when I want to make it at home. I of course love anchovies and feel free to put in there. I didn’t have any whole garlic cloves so I used garlic powder and you know what? it worked out just right. If you’d prefer to use chopped fresh garlic go right ahead. I am going to give you ingredients from tonite’s dressing because it tasted just right. This is salad , so please feel free to substitute and leave out whatever you don’t like and add in whatever you like. Joel only eats the lettuce and cheese, I ate all of the other ingredients. I like to chop up a grilled piece of chicken and add in or a piece of salmon if you’re looking to make this more of a meal. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1/2 head of iceberg and 1 whole head of romaine (you can use less lettuce and you’ll just have a little more dressing left over depending on how you like it) you can also use all iceberg or all romaine, I like the combo.
grape tomatoes cut in 1/2 ( about 1/2 the package that it comes in )
1 small cucumber diced up, I take the seeds out first and then slice it up with skin on, do it however you like
red onion diced, use as much or as little as you like
1/4 cup Kalamata Olives cut up without pits
3/4 cup of cubed Feta Cheese – I like it cubed for some wierd reason in this salad, again use whatever you prefer
Dressing:
In a small mixing bowl using a small whisk
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of oregano, I love oregano so I used a heaping amount, if you don’t use less
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mix spices and red wine vinegar and then slowly whisk in the olive oil, when you’re ready to serve pour over salad and mix. Add as much as you’d like. This dressing should dress the whole salad depending on how light or heavy you like your salad dressed.
Enjoy! this is a perfect meal with fish or chicken or any protein you like. I put it on top of chicken and it was really good. Sort of a spin on Chicken Milanese Greek Style.
Nothing but beautiful tomatoes out there begging to be eaten in a million different ways. Perfect for a “Meatless Monday” dish or any night of the week . There are tons of local tomatoes out there now. At any local farmers market you can pick up pints of these beautiful babies. This is a lovely light pasta.
I had bought 2 pints of those beautiful little cherry tomatoes and right now there are those gorgeous yellow sunburst tomatoes also available. I wasn’t sure what I would do with them. They varied in size so I knew if I made a sauce some were getting cut and some would stay whole. Nothing ever sounds better than a plate of pasta to me, nothing. These beautiful tomatoes are only out for such a limited time you have to get them while the getting is good. Some of the tomatoes were super small and I left them whole while I halved the larger ones. There are so many variations of this sauce and feel free to improvise. We love it this way. So simple and so delicious.
1 lb. spaghetti , any kind of long spaghetti is good for this — sometimes I use bucatini type and sometimes I use thin type long spaghetti– use whatever you’d like
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more as needed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced.
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper* we like it spicy so if you don’t want it that spicy cut to 1/4, I actually used 1 whole teaspoon and it packed a lot of kick.
2 pints of cherry tomatoes or little plum tomatoes or you can use about 3 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes of any type. I cut the larger tomatoes in 1/2 and I left the little ones whole.
app. 20 leaves of fresh basil, I just cut them up into small slivers–this is totally optional if your kids don’t like green stuff– but it looks pretty
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste –I used app. 1 teaspoon on tomatoes and added towards the end as needed
freshly grated parmesan at your discretion
Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions on box for al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water in the event you may need a little more liquid in your sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to cooking water for pasta. The Italians like to say that their pasta water should be like sea water good and salty. After finished cooking pasta — reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside before you drain pasta.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic, cook until garlic is golden about 2 minutes. Be careful you don’t want to burn this garlic. Add the crushed red pepper now and the tomatoes, and cook over medium heat. I also added some kosher salt (about 1/2 teaspoon to start, you can always add more) and a little freshly ground black pepper. Stir for a while to make sure garlic doesn’t burn and tomatoes start to burst and deflate about 5 minutes and if you think you need a little more olive oil add it now . I let the tomatoes simmer in the pan for about 15 minutes to 1/2 hour for the best consistency. I smashed down stubborn little tomatoes at the end with the back of a wooden spoon or a masher if you have one. A very low simmer at the end. Taste for Salt and Pepper. The longer the tomatoes sit in the oil and cook down on a low simmer the better the sauce will be so if you have a little time let it sit.
Once the spaghetti is cooked and you’ve drained it ( remember to reserve a cup of pasta water). Add it to the pan with tomatoes and over medium-high heat toss the pasta with the tomatoes well. Add the basil . I let everyone add their own cheese at the table.
I served this salad with my Easiest Chicken Ever, it is fresh tasting , and crunchy. very easy and can be made throughout the year. it is very good using heirloom tomatoes, which I couldn’t find this time out. It’s also perfect with small, grape tomatoes, which can be found everywhere, at any time. Enjoy! pretty low in calories as well. 🙂 Just saying…. this is a delightful fresh tasting side dish and perfect for any bbq or dinner you may be having.
INGREDIENTS:
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (try and buy the organic ones)
1 pint cherry, grape or heirloom (if in season) tomatoes. (If you are using the little ones, cut them in 1/2. If you are using the larger ones, slice and cut into small chunks
2 oz (approx. 1/3 cup or to your liking) feta, crumbled or cubed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 average lemon)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
dried oregano gives it a real mediterranean flavor use as little or as much as you’d like — sprinkle a little and taste for flavor
DIRECTIONS:
Combine everything in a bowl and season with salt and pepper and oregano to taste, flavors will come together nicely , I let it sit out for app. 1/2 hour before serving, give it a mix from the bottom before serving. Taste for seasoning.
this is an old recipe of mine that I’ve played around with and it makes a perfect side dish anytime of the year. not too difficult to make , takes a little playing around but pretty easy . I used Manischewitz egg noodles in a toasted barley shape this time. you can use pearl barley which is available in almost every supermarket out there. i have to say this product worked very well. Not exactly Mushroom and Barley?? but barley shape egg noodles
