Cool Cucumber Water

Got this idea from my recent cruise vacation. I stopped into the spa to check out the sauna. Outside the sauna, there were complimentary water jugs filled with lemon water and cucumber water. I thought to myself, what a creative way to use cucumber. Just drink it! It is astoundingly refreshing. Great for when you come back into the house from the hot heat outside.

 The process is so simple and all you need is:
1. Water
2. A Pitcher (preferably with a lid) 
3. 1 Cucumber


The Procedure
1. Peel the cucumber lengthwise leaving some of the skin on. I alternate the peels so that the cucumber has a stripe pattern.
2. Cut the cucumber into slices and place into the pitcher
3. Fill the pitcher with water and place into the fridge so that the cucumber flavors fuse directly into the water. I prefer to leave the pitcher overnight, but if you are in a hurry- a few hours should do just fine. 

Enjoy! As you can see its as easy as 1, 2, 3.  The cucumbers look beautiful floating in the water. Very refreshing and light.

Beth's Best Banana Bread

Wow, say that five times fast! Beth's best banana bread...Beth's best banana bread...Beth's...anyway...

Banana bread is one of those ultimate comfort foods. You can have it for breakfast, for a snack or even for dessert. This bread is extremely fluffy and moist. If there is one thing I can't stand, its dry banana bread. You might as well stuff some sawdust in your mouth with other recipes. My recipe won't lead you to that unfortunate  fate.

The Recipe:
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick of unsalted butter

Streusel Topping:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

The Procedure:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2.  In a large mixing bowl, smash bananas until relatively smooth.
3.  Beat 2 eggs together in a small bowl and pour them into the large bowl with the bananas.
4.  Add sugar, flour, salt, baking soda, and vanilla.
5.  Melt the 1 stick of butter and pour into the bowl.
6.  Mix together thoroughly until you have a smooth batter. 
7. Pour batter into a loaf pan (9x5inch)
8. For the topping: Soften butter (NOT MELT) in microwave for a few seconds (long way: set butter on counter for a couple hours before making recipe)
9. Mix together the softened butter, salt, and flour for the streusel topping with a fork. you should get small lumps and crumbs.
10. Sprinkle this mixture over the entire top of the batter in the loaf pan. 
11. Bake for 1 hour.
12. Let cool slightly and enjoy!

The best part about making this bread is how perfectly IMPERFECT it looks when it comes out of the oven. It puffs, browns, and even may make a few beautiful cracks, just like you would see in a bakery. This bread is a real head- turner for your guests and tastes best when it is warm. 

Chili Lime Butter

This delicious and exotic butter came from a recipe that Tyler Florence created, but as always, I tweaked it.

Chili lime butter is an excellent addition to any Latin, Mexican, or Spanish dish. It is so simple. All you need is some ingredients that you probably already have lying around your kitchen, and of course- a lime.

The Recipe: 

• 1 stick of butter
• 3 or more teaspoons chili powder
• 1 lime zested
• 1/2 of a lime, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch garlic powder

*Optional: Some minced cilantro

The Procedure:

1. Let your butter soften so that you are able to mash it. You can either let this sit on your counter for several hours, or you can take the short cut like me and microwave it for a few seconds until it is soft.

2. In a small bowl, place your butter in and mash it until it is creamed

3. Add the rest of the ingredients.

4. Mix thoroughly and enjoy.

 So easy!

If you are making corn on the cob, rub the butter all over the corn immediately before serving, or mix in with vegetables or rice. You can even top it on meat or fish, and it would make a fantastic ingredient for southwestern cornbread.

You can store this butter for weeks for infinite delicious recipes.

*This photo is courtesy of the foodchannel.com* 

Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage

Last Christmas eve in 2011, while spending some good old-fashioned Kravitz family time in Chicago, IL, my relatives and I had a big feast which included these amazing bite sized stuffed mushrooms. The best part is that they tasted just like a sausage pizza. An entire pizza built into 1 mushroom! Cooking this with the family was easy and fun, an everyone helped out a little. Oh, and by the way, they were GONE by the end of the evening :). Delicious.

Recipe:

1 cup grated Parmesan (add more of course if you like)

About 25 button mushrooms

4 Italian sausages, casings cut off

1-2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic

1 80z package cream cheese

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup dry white wine

Olive oil (extra virgin or regular-your choice)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Saute your sausage and oregano in a large skillet until sausage is browned and thoroughly cooked.

2. Break up the sausage into very small pieces and transfer into a large bowl (which you will use to mix the other ingredients with)

3. Mix in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the Worcestershire sauce, the garlic (chopped) and cream cheese as well as the egg yolk and a little salt and pepper.

4. Brush a baking dish with olive oil (can use glass, ceramic or even a baking sheet)

5. Next, pour the white wine into a small bowl and dip each mushroom cap into the wine.

6. Fill each mushroom cap with some of the sausage filling

7. Top each filled cap with some more Parmesan cheese

8. Place the filled mushrooms on the baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes OR until mushrooms are soft and browned.

These stuffed mushrooms are memorable and make fantastic hors d'oeuvres. Personally, I like these for the holidays or when you are having a cozy get together. A comfort food in bite size form!

I didn't have a picture of the exact mushrooms that I made at Christmas. HOWEVER, I borrowed a photo from the Pioneer Woman and Pepper Lynn who actually made similar recipes (I give full acknowledgement and credit to the Pioneer Woman and Pepper Lynn for photos). This recipe is courtesy of The Chopping Block, a cooking school in Chicago :)

Grilled Pork Steak with Herb Puree and Grilled Peaches

This recipe is strictly an original from one of the Sous Chef Series classes I taught with Chef Brad at Williams-Sonoma. I know the combination of items for this recipe sound non-traditional, but for some reason, peaches and pork go great together! It also looks beautiful with the bright green herb puree drizzled over the entire dish. Enjoy!

The Recipe:

1 Pork blade steak (2 inches thick- ask your butcher at the grocery ;) )
3 Tablespoons Creole spice (Tony Chachere's is great)
1 1/2 cup- 2 cups honey
2 1/2 teaspoons Aleppo chili powder
OR
combo of 2 teaspoons paprika and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (whatever works best for you)

1 cup plus a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves

handful of parsley (about 1/4 cup)

handful of basil leaves (about 10)

3 scallions

few shaved slices of Ricotta Salata cheese

Keep in mind that you want to have a grill pan as well as food processor/blender for this recipe. An outdoor grill will work just fine too but you may have to adjust the cooking time of the pork steak.

The Procedure:

1. In a large glass dish or bowl, cover the pork steak in creole spice, some salt, and 1/2 cup of the honey. Set Aside

2. Pit the peaches and cut them into halves. Coat them with the aleppo pepper or cayenne/paprika as well as a little salt and 3 Tablespoons olive oil.

3. Bring your grill pan to high heat and coat it with olive oil.

4. Grill peaches, cut side down on the pan until grill marks form (takes about 4 minutes). Flip them and give them another 3-4 minutes. Set aside to let cool in a bowl and toss them with remaining honey and rice vinegar.

5. Wipe your pan and coat with oil again. Bring to medium heat and throw the pork steak on for 20 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine remaining olive oil, garlic, parsley, basil, scallions, and a pinch of salt until pureed. Set aside.

7. After steak is grilled for the 20 minutes, coat it using a brush with the peach marinade. Cook, flip, and continue brushing a few times until the steak is cooked through to medium (middle should be 145 degrees). If you prefer a more done pork steak, no problem- cook it longer.

8. Let the steak rest for a few minutes. Serve pork steak on a nice platter with the peaches. Drizzle your herb puree on top as well as a few slices of the ricotta salata cheese.

This dish is sweet and tangy with a little kick. Who knew pork and peaches were a winning combination? Maybe it's alliteration...foods that start with the same letter can possibly go together! Haha. Enjoy ;D
* I acknowledge Williams-Sonoma Inc. and Chef Michael Gulotta for this recipe*

Old-Fashioned Matzo Ball Soup

I made this recipe based on a combination of Internet searches and my Jewish Bubby's soup recipe. If there is one thing in this world that people love, its traditional comfort foods. Italian food, Greek food, Mexican Food, Jewish Food- what have you- the best of the best is passed down through generations. And the Grandmothers started it all!

What I love about this recipe is that there are no measurements. No whipping out the tablespoons and teaspoons for this recipe. Its all to your liking and all to your personal estimation.

Here is the recipe for Grandma's Old-Fashion Traditional Comfortable Matzo Ball Soup. (serves ~5)

Ingredients:

Chicken Stock
Water
One entire chicken or various divided chicken parts (thigh,drumsticks,wings,etc)
Yellow Onion
Carrots
Celery
Chicken Bullion powder or cubes (optional)
Bay Leaf (I suggest 2)
Handful Fresh Parsley
Salt
Pepper

For Matzo Balls :
1. Matzo Meal Mix (Manischewitz is the best!)
2. Eggs (depends on package but usually just 2)
3. Vegetable Oil

Seems so simple right? Here comes the hard part

Procedure:

1. If you are using a whole chicken, cut and divide the pieces (save breasts for other recipes). Place pieces inside a large stock pot.
2. Fill the stock pot about 3/4 of the way up with 50% chicken stock and 50% water
3. Bring liquid and chicken to a boil and reduce to a moderate simmer.

4. Slice carrots, celery ( either in direct slices or diagonal for a decorative look)
5. Take onion and slice in half. Slice halves into halves and slice into thin pieces.

6. Add carrots, celery, and onion to the pot
7. Add bay leaves and salt & pepper to taste ( at this point you may add bouillon if you like)

8. Let simmer for 3 hours. At 1 1/2 hours, chop parsley and add to pot.

*Note: Periodically skim off fat from surface of liquid*

9. Remove chicken parts to a cutting board and shred with 2 forks into desired size pieces and add back into pot.

NEXT: here is how to make the matzo balls!

Combine the eggs, vegetable oil, and matzo mix according to the package. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Wet hands and form mixture into ball shapes. Bring your soup to a boil again, and add the matzo balls. Reduce to a simmer and cover tightly for 20 minutes. You will see how much they plump!

*Note: shape the matzo balls into relatively small spheres (about 1- 1 1/2 inch). They will plump up! However, if you want bigger balls (haha) make them to the size you prefer. You may just have to cook them a few more minutes.*

FINALLY: Your soup is ready! Some people drain the soup completely leaving broth and matzo balls. However, I like all the chicken and veggies in there- It gives the soup soul.


This is a recipe that takes most of your afternoon, but this is also the type of recipe that people remember and pass on forever. I know I love it, and I hope you do too. It is comfort food at its finest or as some say- Jewish Penicillin. Try getting someone to make this when you are sick; it supposedly has cold fighting properties.

Another great aspect of this recipe is that you can use any leftover chicken, vegetables, and liquid to make a yummy chicken stock to use in other recipes. Here's what I got out of it:

The Best Minestrone Soup!

This recipe is courtesy of the Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home Cookbook. However, as usual, I changed the original recipe quite a bit. Haha. This soup is excellent at any time of the year, but I feel like it's best in the Fall and Winter-time. It warms your bones ever so much, but you don't get that feeling of being overstuffed with the fat from a heavy soup. I am all for heavy soups, don't get me wrong, but this one is great for a healthier option. Plus, who doesn't love a classic Italian soup like this?

The Recipe:

3/4 -1 cup canned cannellini beans
1 yellow onion
1 garlic clove
1 large carrot
1 big handful of shredded cabbage (I bought pre-bagged shredded cabbage)
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup chicken broth or stock
4 cups Vegetable stock
1 14oz can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup dry ditalini or small pasta
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 medium handful fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Grated Parmesan Cheese for topping

The Procedure:

1. First, finely chop the onion and garlic and set aside.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large deep pot (stock pot)
3. Saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes, until translucent. Meanwhile, finely chop the carrot and set your handful of shredded cabbage aside.
4. Add the chicken broth/stock and vegetable stock into the pot.
5. Add the canned diced tomatoes.
6. Add the carrots, cabbage, dried basil, oregano, sugar, bay leaf and fresh (chopped)parsley
7. Cover the soup partially and simmer until the vegetables are tender-soft(25-30 mins).
8. Add the dried pasta, cannellini beans, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper (quite a lot salt).
10. Simmer for another 15 minutes or so. This will cook the pasta and allow flavors to fully infuse into the soup.
11. Ladle into bowls and top with a good hunk of grated parmesan cheese and some parsley to give it a pop of color.
12. Enjoy!