Happy Hanukkah!!

As I was looking through the new Holiday Cooking Light magazine a couple weeks ago, I had a revelation I wanted to have a small Hanukkah Party and try out some of these new recipes! I prepared my grocery list and planned all week, and I got so excited about my little party on Sunday. Unfortunately, the more excited I got, the more my throat started to hurt and the more my sinuses were plugging up. As much as I kept fighting it, this terrible flu/cold/whatever is going around was making a nice home in my body.

Sunday morning I woke up so sick, but still hell bent on having this party because I already had all the food, prepared all week, and was excited!! If it weren't for my amazing husband, I wouldn't have been able to have done everything to prepare. He really helped me in the kitchen when he saw me starting to feel really yucky and lose my energy. He fried all the potato latkes and helped me clean as I went along cooking. The mess he made frying the latkes is another story all together...potato EVERYWHERE!

By the time my guests came, I was totally exhausted and was ready to get in bed, but was so happy to see everyone! My menu was as follows:

Cheese and Chive Challa
Beer Braised Brisket with Honey Lime Glaze
Roasted Vegetables
Traditional Potato Latkes
Curried Butternut Squash Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa

Brisket and all the goodies. It is amazing how all of it literally MELTED
into the meat after 4 hours of baking!

I don't know how you make this big of a mess, but I didn't complain because I was able to rest a little before everyone came over


Even on the toaster!!

Cambert, Goat Cheese, Grapes and Crackers

Sweet Raisin Crackers and Mixed Olives

My Table

My Challah (I forgot to take a picture of it, but it was really beautiful!)

Menorah on the 5th night

Roasted Vegetables

Potato Latkes

Apple Salsa

Brisket


Me and My Sis


My sister's beautiful desserts...she is the best baker!!



Whew! It was so fun cooking for my friends and having a party with my wonderful husband! What are your plans for the holidays?

Korean Grilled Beef Lettuce Wraps

About a year ago my friend, Bridget, emailed me this recipe from the New York Times that we both thought looked really good. I made it, despite my lack of a grill, and we loved it! Last week, I decided to make it again and try it out with our new grill. Like I said in my previous post, we had a little change in plans so the meat ended up marinading for 24 hours instead of 30 minutes. It was a HUGE blessing. HUGE improvement on the first time I made it because you could really taste the marinade and the Asian Pear you grate into the beer/soy mixture.

Instead of the white rice, I used some whole wheat spaghetti, extra vegetables I had in the refrigerator, a little soy sauce and a little hoisin to make some "chow mein". I also made some Cucumber Salad because that is one of our favorites whenever we go to sushi. The whole meal is tastes light and fresh, but still is plenty filling.

My condiment platter: (from left to right) Bean sprouts, Cilantro,
Hot Sauce, Shredded Carrots, Hoisin Sauce



Cucumber Salad

Chow Mein

Koren Grilled Beef


Try this one! It is great and a sure winner!

Movie Night!

Last night I came home and was totally exhausted from work and feeling sick. I guess I caught that bug that is going around and it is really trying to kick me down! I usually have a lot of energy, but I have been waking up unable to go work out and barely able to make it through the day. I was SO happy when I came home to Brian who had the BEST plan! I was making his favorite dinner and he had downloaded Eat, Pray, Love on our AppleTV! We were on our honeymoon when this movie came out and missed it in the theater. I have been wanting to see it for some time now and it did not disappoint me one bit. We ate our Apricot Glazed Filets (I use filet mignon because I don't always see nice lamb chops), Roasted Carrots and Brussel Sprouts and Tomato Basil Bisque Soup on the couch while watching the movie! It was WONDERFUL!

The movie left us missing Italy so bad we could actually taste it...the food I mean and I was wishing I was in Bali in the warm sun instead of on the couch with blankets and the heat on! Well, I guess I can look forward to our trip to South Beach in February!

Apricot Glaze all ready for the meat to come off BBQ

My beautiful Carrots and Brussel Sprouts, I added a little Tarragon and Thyme also for a little change up on the traditional salt and pepper I usually do

Finished Meal minus the soup because I got it from Bristol Farms! What a relaxing night!

Change of Plans!

Wednesday night I ran home from work all ready to make Brian and I these Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps that we both like, but when I got home I realized he had left me a message saying he wouldn't be home till late. Lettuce wraps do not keep well AND the steak needed to be put on the BBQ and I don't know how to turn it on. =(

After preparing the marinade for the beef, I decided to switch gears and make the meal I had planned for the next night: Mustard Crusted Salmon, Tomato-Dill Cous Cous and Sauteed Green Beans! I put the beef to marinate in the refrigerator till the next day.



Mustard Crusted Salmon
2 large Salmon Fillets or 4 small ones
1/2 cup Reduced Fat Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat Broiler. Combine Sour Cream, Mustard and Lemon Juice in a bowl. Place Salmon on baking sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each piece evenly with Mustard Mixture. Broil till Salmon is nicely cooked, 5-10 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. Serve.


Tomato-Dill Cous Cous
1 cup Cous Cous
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup Chicken Broth (preferably the fat free kind)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes quartered
2 tablespoons fresh dill
1/4 cup minced Red Onion

In a small pot heat olive oil and add cous cous. Saute for a minute or so just to brown the cous cous a bit, then add broth. Bring to a boil, cover and turn off heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and gently stir in the tomatoes, red onion and dill. Serve!

My green beans sizzling away...I love the sound they make as they cook!

Finished product! I love the way the sour cream makes the fish stay so moist! SO easy and I usually have most of the ingredients on hand.

Trader Joe's Tuesday

I don't know if any of you were in Trader Joe's two weeks ago when they were sampling that Turkey Breast and Stuffing with the Cranberry Sauce, but I was there and I tasted it. It was basically a frozen turkey breast surrounded with some of their cornbread stuffing. I thought, "I will put this in my freezer for a rainy day and when I am too busy to make dinner I will use it!" That day was yesterday!

I have to say this: I LOVE HOMEGOODS. It is my favorite store. Well, for things for the home. We can get into where I like to shop another day.

I went there last night to pick up a few things we needed and by the time I got home and carried up all my new goodies it was already 8:15. I was exhausted, sweating and could not wait to put away all my new things before Brian got home so it would be perfect! I popped that Turkey thing in the oven and set to work unpacking. When the timer rang for the turkey I was done with my unpacking, so I made a salad and sauteed green beans while the turkey was resting. SO EASY! Healthy! Cheap! Yay!

Did anyone else buy that thing? Wasn't it decent?

Quick and Easy

I am not usually one to admit that I need a day off from work, but after working all week plus driving back and forth from the desert for one day for Thanksgiving, I was exhausted yesterday. Very happy to not have to go to work! Sadly, because of the holiday, I did not have too many shows to watch on my DVR and got bored quickly on my couch. I guess being a housewife isn't my thing....

I planned my weekly menu quickly, made a grocery list, and set out to do errands and grocery shopping. For last night's dinner I made Ginger-Soy Chicken with Scallion Rice and some spicy broccolini. It was SO quick, easy and tasted like I had been making it for hours, when in reality the whole thing (including making a salad) took 20 minutes from start to finish! I used Chicken Breasts instead of boneless thighs because I don't love dark meat, but it was really good. I usually buy the big full breasts and then cut them horizontally so i get four larger pieces rather than those weirdo tenders you can buy that are chewy. It looks like more, visually you think you are eating more, and they cook quicker.

The Chicken Sizzling Away...I just love that sound!

My finished dinner! SO easy and tasty! The best part...Brian helped with the dishes! Woo Hoo!!

More NEED than want!

Sometimes there are things that are more justified as a "need" rather than a "want". I was thinking today as I was trying to organize my recipes, that there are some holes in my cookbook collection. As my feet were freezing on the tile floor I was wishing I had Brian's ugly, but really warm, UGG slippers to keep my feet warm. So as I was barely waking up this morning I complied my "More need than want list"....
These are much cuter, probably would fit me better, but still warm!

I am really excited this is already out! Maybe one day when I have some free time to get to the bookstore I can go look at this!

THIS LOOKS AMAZING! I didn't even know "healthy" and "Jewish" and "cooking" could go in one sentence! I must have this!!!

Saw these the other day, but was in a rush. They are so cute! I knew if Brian saw me piling these in my arms he would say I don't need them, but don't you think I DO need them???


Those are my thoughts for the day...do you have a "More need than want" list??