Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwich

Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwich

kosher

This is a quick little dessert that I thought of a while ago, but I needed to wait for girl scout cookie season.  Just take a scoop of you favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream and sandwich it between two thin mint girl scout cookies.  The chocolate syrup drizzle is optional. Super easy and delicious.

Leftover Lesson: Pulled Guinness and Thyme Braised Beef Sandwich

Pulled Guinness and Thyme Braised Beef Sandwich

A Lesson In Leftovers

kosher

The other week I braised some top of the rib beef in Guinness and Thyme along with some other aromatics.  I sliced it and served it for dinner that Friday night.  I had a decent amount leftover.  The thing about leftovers is they are always better when you augment them in some way.  I warmed it back up on the stove in the braising liquid, then using two forks I shredded the meat and made a sandwich on a toasted hamburger bun with some red leaf lettuce, sliced pickled hot peppers, and Open Pit BBQ sauce. It was mighty tasty.

Honey Roasted Chicken With Red and White Pearl Onions

Honey Roasted Chicken with Red and White Pearl Onions

Kosher

This is a super simple recipe that is my go to when I want a fast and delicious Friday night dinner. I dressed it up with the pearl onions but you can use sliced regular onions instead.

Take a whole chicken and cut out the back bone using a heavy knife or a pair of kitchen shears and flatten it out, cracking the breast bone, also known as the keel bone, if necessary.  Don't be afraid to use a little force. Put a layer of onions in the bottom of your roasting pan. Lay your bird flat over the onions, skin side up.  Drizzle the chicken with honey and then sprinkle with a healthy dose of seasoned salt.  Roast at 350 for an hour, then crank the oven to 425 for 10 minutes or until the skin is brown and crispy.

Tip: To peel pearl onions easily cut the tops and bottoms off and blanch in boiling water for a few minutes, and the skins should slip right off.

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

About a week ago, Busy In Brooklyn, a fellow kosher food blogger, posted a great post about Smoked Paprika Popcorn Cauliflower.  It reminded my of the fact that I had a head of cauliflower in the fridge, that was begging for a similar treatment.  I pretty much did the same thing as she did, but I used a hot curry powder instead of smoked paprika.  This makes a great healthy snack.  I usually end up eating the whole head when I make it.  I cut the cauliflower into florets, hit them with olive oil and the curry powder, and roast at 425 until they start to  brown on one side.  Then I flip the pieces and continue cooking until it starts to brown on the other side.

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Friday Night Menu for 2/8/2013

We are having our neighbors over for dinner Friday night.  I wanted a menu that was homey and easy but still packed at lot of flavor:
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Spinach Meatball Soup

French Fried Orzo

Sauteed Green Beans with Shallots

Honey Roasted Chicken with Pearl Onions

Guinness and Thyme  Braised Beef

Mango Ice Cream

Peanut Butter  Brownies

Hamburger of the Week

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Hamburger of the Week

Top of the bun

Heinz Ketchup

Pickled Hot Peppers

1/2 lb All Beef Patty Seasoned With Salt and Pepper

Sauteed Onions and Mushrooms

 Fresh Spinach

Homemade Russian Dressing

The Bottom of the Bun

Served with a side of roasted sweet potato rounds

Superbowl Snacks- A trio of Popcorn

I was looking for something simple and tasty with big impact.  Enter homemade flavored popcorn.  Popcorn is cheap, quick, and easy.  It can be sweet, savory, or spicy.  Stay away from the  microwave stuff.  All you need in a little oil and a  heavy pot over medium heat.  Cover it with some foil with a few holes poked it it to prevent it from going everywhere.  Be careful not to put too many kernels in the pot, it will fill up quickly once they start to pop.  Shake the pot every few minutes to keep it from burning.  Once most the kernels are popped kill the heat and let it finish with the residual heat so nothing burns.  As soon as it is done, while it is still hot, sprinkle on salt and any other flavorings you would like.

This year for the Superbowl I am going for: chipotle lime, garlic onion, and maple walnut.