TWD Rewind - Brown Sugar Pecan Shortbread

...or at least, it should have been.

Dorie, I'm sorry. I have failed you. After baking nearly 5 dozen cookies all day Sunday for Operation Baking Gals, I knew my cookie-luck had to run out eventually. And run out it did!

This weeks TWD selection was Creme Brulee, chosen by the lovely Mari of Mevrouw Cupcake. Her blog is awesome, so please check it out when you get a chance! The leaders of TWD allowed those of us without a torch to chose a TWD recipe from the past, and I wanted to make another cookie that I could ship out. I saw the Brown Sugar Pecan Shortbread and thought "Oh, how hard could it be? It's just butter, sugar, nuts and some flour! C'mon, I can totally do this..."

Um, yeah, not so much.

I think where I went wrong was in rolling the dough too thin, therefore leading to really thin cookies. See?

The flavor was right; crumbly and buttery with a hint of sweetness from the brown sugar and cloves. However, because the cookies were wafer thin, the butter oozed out all over my fingers whenever I tried to pick one up. Not so appetizing. However, my dessert-loving husband thinks they are delicious, so I guess it's not a total loss?

**I apologize for posting this on Monday, instead of Tuesday. Rosh Hashana starts tonight and I won't post tomorrow. **

Operation Baking Gals

I am so efficient! I knew that I needed to bake cookies for my group in Operation Baking Gals and I needed to do a TWD rewind from the list, since I wasn't able to make Creme Brulee. I figured that I would do a TWD cookie recipe from the past and ship that along with my other cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and my favorite, Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Chocolate Chip cookie. Things didn't turn out exactly how I had planned, but overall, I'm very pleased.
I will post my failed attempt at Brown Sugar Pecan Shortbread tomorrow, because Tuesday is Rosh Hashanah and I won't be posting :-)

First things first - Operation Baking Gals! I am so excited to be a part of this group. There were too many teams to choose from, so I just did "eenie meenie miney mo." Mature, right? Honestly, it didn't matter who I was baking for...I was just happy to be doing it. I made two new recipes for the troops and they both turned out deliciously! I wanted to give them a fall flavor since it's nearly October here and they will miss the lovely change of seasons and all that fall brings. This recipe got the best reviews on allrecipes.com, and it's great! I also wanted to include a tried-and-true favorite, chocolate chip cookies (CCC), but with a twist! This one features pieces of already baked CCC mixed into the dough, and then baked off as a CCC in a CCC. And who doesn't love more chocolate?

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Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Chocolate Chip Cookie

This recipe is very meta, as my sister-in-law says. I came across the recipe during some blog surfing and I knew I had to try it. It just takes the yumminess factor of CCC and turns it waaaay up. I found it in ....and a cookie for dessert, and it originally came from the cookbook, Big Fat Cookie.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar (I used dark brown)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until blended, about 1 minute.

Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixer.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until blended, about 1 minute.

On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just until it is incorporated.

Mix in the chocolate chips.

Drop 10 heaping tablespoons of dough 3 inches apart onto one of the prepared baking sheets.

Set aside the remaining dough.

Bake until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned but the centers are golden, about 13 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Break the cooked cookies into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces. Add the pieces to the reserved dough and mix on low speed to distribute them evenly, about 10 seconds. Drop heaping tablespoons of new dough about 3 inches apart, and bake for about 13-15 minuted, until browned but still soft in the middle.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies - from allrecipes.com

Whenever I think of fall, I think of pumpkin/spicy flavors and smells. I wanted to bake something like this to give the troops a taste of fall. The cookies are moist and cakey, with a lovely spice flavor. The pumpkin isn't as intense I wanted, and while the chocolate is a really good addition, I think it overpowers the pumpkin and spices. Next time, I'll leave out the chips and add more walnuts. Also, when I do make these again, I'll substitute a cup of applesauce for the cup of oil (eek!). This recipe also makes a boatload of cookies. Seriously, the batter just kept going and going...

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Add pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.

Bake for 13-14 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.

Cool for 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

I followed the packing instructions on the OBG website and carefully packed the cooled cookies in between layers of paper towels and apple peels, and then taped and labeled my containers. I also included some packages of gum and single serve fruit punch drink mix. I hope the cookies make it over there okay and I hope that they enjoy them!

Helene's Delicious Blueberry Tart

My mom is a fabulous baker. She's great at cooking, as well (no one makes chicken soup like my mommy), but I got my baking genes from her. We both bake when we're worried or stressed, or just for fun. She loves to bake for family and friends and rarely forgets to make me my favorite Mandel Bread when I come home for a visit.

This recipe is hers and she makes it all the time. It's so easy and looks incredibly elegant. Alex and I were invited for Shabbat dinner at our friends, Dana and Michaels, and I volunteered to make dessert. I didn't have the right tart pan, so it bubbled out a little bit, but no worries. The correct pan would be a tart pan with fluted edges and a removable bottom. This is completely dairy-free, so if you're Kosher, it can be served with a meat meal. I had some frozen cranberries so I threw them in with the blueberries for a little extra tartness.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh is fine)

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 cup sugar (divided into 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup softened margarine (if you want to use butter, that would be fine)

1 TBS lemon juice

3 TBS quick-cooking tapioca (you can find it in the baking aisle near the jello mixes)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine berries, lemon juice, sugar and tapioca, cinnamon into a bowl and toss lightly with a fork. Let is sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar salt and margarine in a food processor, pulse until it's crumbled. Remove 3/4 cup of mixture and set aside. This will become the crumb topping later. Press the remaining dough into a tart pan, across the bottom and up the sides evenly.

After 15 minutes, spoon the berries into the crust and spread out evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, and then remove. Sprinkle the crust-mixture evenly over the top and bake for another 20 minutes. If it's bubbling, it's done!

To serve, remove the sides so that the tart is free-standing. You can use whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, also. YUM!

Rock on, Mom :-)

The trend continues: Apple Braised Chicken

After I made this dish, I realized that I've been on a chicken & fruit kick. Heck, the picture even looks the same as the last one! I just love the way the sweet fruit caramelizes and blends with the savory chicken. This recipe (another WW one, 5 points) is a great fall one, utilizing crisp fall apples and a hint of ginger in the background. By simmering the chicken in apple cider and broth, it keeps it really moist (I hate that word, BTW) and flavorful. Alex gave this one an 8 out of 10, but I think I'll kick it up with a little more ginger next time for a deeper flavor profile. Wow, do I sound food-snobby or what?

::hair toss and big Giada-style grin...minus the cleavage::

Ingredients:

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, uncooked (about 4 breasts)

2 TBS all purpose flour

1 medium onion, sliced

2 crisp apples, cored and sliced

1 cup apple cider

1 cup fat free chicken broth (I used vegetable)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ginger

2 tsp cornstarch

Optional: rice, cous-cous or a nice warm challah slice. There is a lot of sauce that needs soppin' up!

Instructions:

In a heavy bottom skillet, warm oil over high heat. Toss chicken and flour in a medium bowl, and shake off excess. Place chicken in pan and brown well on both sides. Remove chicken to separate dish.

Reduce heat to low and add onion to the pan. Saute, stirring onion, until softened and lightly browned.

Add in apples, cider, broth, salt, ginger and chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove chicken, onions and apples to a serving dish. Mix 3 tsp of pan juices with cornstarch until it's all dissolved. Pour mixture back into pan, whisking constantly. Simmer for one minute, and then pour over chicken.

Serving yields 1 chicken breast and 3/4 cups apple/onion mixture (5 points)

Blog Rewind: Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

So I'm not quite up to cooking and baking just yet, but since this delicious dinner was made about a week ago, I am perfectly able to blog from my comfy spot on the couch. I'm fine, just healing after a small surgical procedure.

This dish was really fragrant and tasty, especially if you like Moroccan flavors like cinnamon, apricots, honey, etc, mixed with savory. The one change I would make next time is to cut the chicken up into smaller pieces. It's another Weight Watchers recipe, 7 points per serving. A little on the high side, but so worth it!

Ingredients:

4-5 oz dried apricots

1 cup fat free chicken broth (I used vegetable)

1 lb uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes (approx 1 inch)

1 tbs all-purpose flour

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 TBS honey

1/4 slivered almonds, or whole blanched almonds

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp salt (I rarely ever add this b/c Kosher meat in inherently salty)

2 cups cooked cous-cous, hot

Optional: Raisins or dates for cous-cous, but this will up the points value slightly.

Instructions:

Cook cous-cous according to box instructions. Add in optional raisins/dates.

In a small saucepan, bring broth and apricots to a simmer and then set aside.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Toss chicken with flour until evenly coated, and then cook until golden brown on each side - approx 5-7 minutes.
Stir in onion, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and honey.

Stir in apricots and broth and almonds, and season with S&P to taste. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes until sauce thickens.

Serve over cous-cous. Yields 1/2 cup cous-cous, 3 oz of chicken and 1/4 cup sauce per serving.

MIA for little bit...

I will be MIA from the blog for a little bit. Nothing serious, but just have some medical stuff to take care of and then before I can blink, it will be Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. I will be back to baking very soon, especially since I'm baking and shipping out goodies for Operation Baking Gals in 2 weeks!

Try not to miss me too much, k? I'll leave you with some entertainment from my favorite site, Graph Jam.

Blog Rewind: My Dog Pinto Likes to Roam...

...One day Pinto left his home.

He came back quite unclean...

Where oh where has Pinto bean?

I learned this little song from my friend, Sara, and it's been stuck in my head since 1998. It works for any bean type and it's ever so slightly addictive. My dog Garbanzo likes to roam...

I sang this song all night when Alex made this chili - Quick Beef and Pinto Bean Chili, another Weight Watchers winner. It was really good! A great depth of flavor, lots of vegetables, and a nice slow heat. It had that simmered-all-day flavor, but we threw it together in about 15 minutes. Woo!

Ingredients:

1 spray cooking spray

1 garlic clove, minced

1 packet frozen mixed vegetables, onion and pepper (we just chopped up fresh and it was fine)

1 lb uncooked lean ground beef

14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced and seeds removed

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt (I always use less because Kosher meat is already salty)

15 oz can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Instructions:

Coat a large skillet with the spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic and vegetables and cook, until all the water has evaporated. Add beef and cook, stirring frequently, breaking up any clumps with your spoon. Add diced and crushed tomatoes, chipotle pepper, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper, and beans. Mix everything together. Cook over high heat, until some of the liquid evaporates, and chili thickens, about 3 minutes. Yields 1 1/4 cup per serving, 6 points per serving.

Pro-fashional Baking Gal!

Yes, this is the bathroom. It's the only place in the apartment with a full-length mirror. Don't I look cute? This is my apron from Flirty Aprons. It arrived very quickly! I loves it. :-)

Blog Rewind: Crash Hot Potatoes and Chicken with Scallion Sauce

Oh Pioneer Woman, how I love thee. I have wanted to try pretty much all of her recipes since I found her blog last year, but my little heart can't take the butter. So I made a list of PW recipes that I would try slowly. Honestly, I don't know if I could bring myself to make some of these, or if I did, I would cut back on the butter/cheese, or replace it with fat-free etc. Still...it all looks amazing.

1) Crash Hot Potatoes

2) Buttery Thyme Bread

3) Sherried Tomato Soup

4) Her Most Favorite Salad Ever

5) Chocolate Sheet Cake

6) Corn Casserole

7) PW's Favorite Sandwich

8) French Breakfast Puffs

Okay, back to me! This post really should be all about the Crash Hot Potatoes. The chicken dish was just okay. I honestly don't think we will make it again, so I won't subject you to the recipe.

But oh, the potatoes. OH the potatoes!!! Just make them. Tonight. Do it.

Ingredients:

New Potatoes (or other small round potatoes)

Salt

Olive Oil

Black Pepper

Herb (I used scallions, but you can use anything really...thyme, rosemary, basil, etc)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450. Bring a pot of water to a boil and toss in the potatoes. Cook until they are fork tender. Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet and paint it around to coat. Once the potatoes are done, place them on the baking sheet with about 1-1.5 inches between each one. Take your potato masher and gently press down on each one. Then, rotate the masher 90 degrees and mash each again. Don't mash them all the way down...they should resemble a cookie. Drizzle/brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and herb of choice. Bake at 450, until browned and crispy, about 20 min.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Blog Rewind: Grilled Margherita Portobello Mushrooms

So I've been a teeny bit lax in posting some meals. I'm sorry! The next few enteries will be Blog Rewinds...eaten many days ago, but still oh-so-delicious!

I picked up some great portobello mushrooms, tomatoes and fresh basil at the Farmers Market and perused around the Weight Watchers recipes and there it was: A combination of all my fresh ingredients along with my other favorite - cheese! I love a good marinated or grilled portobello mushroom. Especially when all the yummy juices oooze out over everything...mmm....sorry, am I drooling?

The mushrooms cook down a lot during this, so one per person was not enough. Next time, I'll make at least two per person.

Ingredients:

4 medium portobello mushroom(s), stems removed, wiped clean with a damp paper towel
1 sprays olive oil cooking spray
1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2 medium plum tomato(es), sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
8 leaves basil, fresh (for garnish)

Instructions:

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Place mushrooms on a tray and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Place mushrooms on grill, underside (gill) down, and cook, covered, 4 minutes. Uncover and using tongs, flip mushrooms; cook for 4 minutes more.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cheese, garlic powder and oregano.
After mushrooms have cooked for 8 minutes, remove them to a tray and reduce grill heat to medium-low. Fill each mushroom cap with about 2 tablespoons of seasoned cheese. Place mushrooms back on grill and cook, covered, until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
Remove mushrooms to a serving plate and top each with 4 slices of tomato and 2 basil leaves.

Yields 1 mushroom per serving, 1 point per serving.

We have a winner!

Thanks for your votes, everyone! I was leaning heavily towards the Sassy Black apron and you all confirmed what I was thinking (classic coloring, won't show stains easily, etc).

I ordered it and will model it as soon as I can :-)

Help me decide!

I want a new apron. The one I currently have is old and stiff, and it's so big that I feel like I'm wearing a burlap sack. I want a frilly, flirty, retro-esque girly apron. During my googlequest, I stumbled upon an amazing site, http://www.flirtyaprons.com/.

Now, all I have to do is decide which one to get! Please help me choose between the following:

The lovely "Cupcake Apron"

OR......

The stylish "Sassy Black Apron"

Aren't they adorable? The black is definitely more my style, but the cupcake one is so stinkin' cute. Oh decisions, decisions...

Omnivore's Hundred

Some of my fellow food bloggers have posted a list detailing 100 foods every omnivore should try. The original creator, Andrew Wheeler, co-author of the British food blog Very Good Taste, put this together and it has been passed around many times!

The official rules are:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten. (I put them in green)
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. I was unable to cross-out on Blogger, so I put the items in red. The majority of them aren't Kosher, so I won't eat them. Some, however, like a raw scotch bonnet pepper, are in the "never-would-I-ever-even-if-you-paid-me" category.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

*The ones left in plain text have are on the "Haven't tried, but still willing to give it a go..." list*

The Omnivore's Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (The kosher dogs in NYC!)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut mmmmm.....
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal (In Jerusalem!)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin (um, isn’t this clay?)
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum (only had vegetarian)
82. Eggs Benedict (without meat, but still amazing)
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

TWD #3 - Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops

Mmmmm...these are as delicious as you think they're going to be. Chocolatey, rich, slightly malted flavor and crispy, caramelized Whopper pieces. I was so excited to make these because I love love LOVE a good chocolate malt. This weeks TWD yumminess was chosen by the talented Rachel, of Confessions of a Tangerine Tart. I really like her blog and the happy orange color always makes me smile. Check out her blog for the recipe from Baking, From My Home to Yours.


Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops, or Chocolate Baltimore Something Nuts?, as our friend John kept saying, were a real hit! My good friend Allison came in this weekend so we could all go see The Legwarmers, a fantastic 80's cover band. By the end of the show, our ears were ringing, so when I tried to offer them cookies, John kept saying "What? Chocolate Baltimore Butter Nuts? Chocolate Baltimore Whopper Butts? What are they?" He finally got the name right and was rewarded with a cookie. Apparently, when your ears are clogged, "malted" sounds just like "Baltimore." Who knew?

I always like to check out the Questions and Comments section on the website, so I can see if other bakers had any suggestions. Most of them suggested cutting the Whoppers in half instead crushing them into little pieces, and that helped keep the awesome texture. I was slighty apprehensive when I mixed together the batter due to the smell of the malted powder. I used Chocolate Malt Ovaltine and, for some reason, the malted powder had a really unique smell that reminded me of doggie kibble. I know that sounds strange, but when I had a dog, we fed her a special dry kibble that had malt in it...so the smell just hit me strangely.

But, oh man was that batter delicious! Thick and fudgey, like frosting, and a great malt flavor. Our tiny oven is really old, so I always use the first batch as a baseline experiment. There was no temperature noted in the recipe, but Dorie said that it's 11-13 minutes at 350, so that's what I used for the first round. Turned out to be too much for too long! My first batch was crispy burnt on the bottom. So I did the second batch for 10 minutes at 300 and that was perfect. I calculated the WW points, and based on my ingredients, these are about 2 points per cookie.

I think next time I make these, I will find a way to put a Whopper in each one immediately after baking (maybe put one on top of each cookie at the 6-minute tray rotation?). That way, you get the Whopper crunch and flavor, but without it fully caramelizing. I loved that, but Alex wasn't a fan of that part.

Since I really like these cookies, they will be going to work with Alex tomorrow. Great choice Rachel, these were awesome!

Tilapia with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

A few weeks ago, Alex and I went to our friend Paul's for a delicious Sunday night dinner. His girlfriend Stephanie is a great cook/baker and a fellow cheeseaholic. She grilled tilapia with this amazing lemon-basil sauce and I had to have the recipe. Seriously, it turned me back on to tilapia, which I had sworn off after seeing a particulary disturbing episode of Dirty Jobs.
She sent me the link and it was a really easy vinaigrette to mix together. While she marinated her fish for about 20 minutes before grilling, I just let the fish sit for a few minutes before broiling it. Either way is good, but personally, I liked the grilled flavor a little bit more. Too bad we can't grill on our 6th floor balcony!
The vinaigrette has really good flavor and can be used on basically any light fish (halibut, tilapia, cod, etc...). I doubled this recipe and had just enough for 4 fillets.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice (if you're feeling wild, add lime too!)
2 TBS olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
3 tsp thinly sliced fresh basil or 3 teaspoons dried
2 tsp drained capers
a few small pinches of sugar to cut the tartness..maybe 1.5 tsp?

2-4 fillets of fish (be sure to double if using 4)

Instructions:
Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and lemon peel. Mix in the basil and capers, and let the mixture sit for about an hour (at room temperature). You can season with S&P, but I don't think it needs it!

If you are grilling fish, marinate for no more than 20 minutes beforehand. The acid in the lemon will actually start to cook the fish if you leave it for too long! If you aren't grilling, then let the fish sit in the marinade for 5 minutes or so while the broiler preheats. Broil 6-8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your fillets. Your fish is done when it's white and flaky.

Beth vs. Macaroni & Cheese ---- VICTORY!

I couldn't stand being a failure at my mac & cheese attempt and I am a total perfectionist when it comes to my baking and cooking. I always analyze my dishes and ask tasters what they think about the flavor and the texture...etc. I'm sure it gets annoying! So rather than accept defeat, I decided to take my friend Val's suggestion and try the Weight Watchers Baked Macaroni & Cheese. Ooooooh, am I sure glad that I did! Val, I love ya babe!

This was a really tangy and creamy dish and with very little fat. It was only 5 points per 1 cup serving.

We had one farmers market tomato left over, so I chopped it up and threw it into the mix. Next time, I'll try another vegetable b/c we both liked having something else with the noodles. I'm sure broccoli, peas, spinach or even meat (for you non-Kosher folks) would be a great addition. Keep in mind though, if you add anything other than vegetables, it will change the points, so re-calculate accordingly.

Ingredients:

12 oz uncooked elbow macaroni (I used whole wheat)

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

12 oz can of fat-free evaporated milk

8 oz low-fat shredded cheese, either cheddar or colby

1 TBS dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2 TBS bread crumbs

2 TBS grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Cook the pasta (without oil or salt) according to box directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. While it's still hot, mix in the sour cream and set aside. If using an add-in, such as tomatoes or peas, mix them in now also.

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges (known as scalding). Turn the heat to low and mix in all the cheese. Keep stirring with a whisk until everything melts (about 1 minute or so).

Remove pan from heat, mix in mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour the cheese over noodles and mix well.

Combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together.

Pour everything into a 3-quart casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Eggs Shakshuka (shack-shoo-kah)

Out of all the places in the world that I've been fortunate enough to visit, Israel is and always will be my favorite. It's really a second home for me, as I've been there so many times and feel immediately comfortable when I'm there. After I graduated high school, I lived there for a year and really fell in love with the country, culture, people and most especially...the FOOD! I gained about 20 lbs when I lived there because of all the delicious delicacies (okay, it was probably from the constant supply of Marzipan Rugalach, but whatever! Ask any American who has lived in Jerusalem and they will agree...totally worth it! See above picture for proof...I'm the chubby blonde in the overalls)

One popular dish in Israel is Eggs Shakshuka. It's really easy to make, but oh so good. My mother in law fell in love with this dish too, when she was there, and she made it one morning for a Sunday brunch. I couldn't believe it! I was thrilled.

The base can be as simple as using a regular jar of spaghetti sauce or if you're up for it, making your own. We love adding Za'atar , which is a great Middle Eastern spice, but if you don't have it, you can use oregano, hot pepper, paprika, basil...whatever you want! It's a really versatile recipe, so you can personalize it to your tastes.

Ingredients:

1 jar spaghetti sauce (basically enough to fill up a deep saute pan)

Spices (I recommend Za'atar!)

1-2 eggs per person (depending on how hungry everyone is)

Pita bread, or other type of crusty bread

Optional - garlic, minced well into the sauce

Instructions:
Heat up sauce and spices in a deep saute pan until bubbling. Carefully crack the eggs on top of the bubbling sauce. DO NOT STIR. Some people like to break up the yolks, but again, up to you. The heat from the sauce will cook the eggs. Cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the eggs are set. Bring the pan directly to the table and serve each person an egg with sauce. Use the bread to sop up the sauce. Bon Appetite! Or, as we say in Hebrew - B'tay Avohn!

Okay, so I'm still working on pretty food pictures...but it's delicious so that makes it okay :-)

The Greatest Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce Ever...

No, I'm not kidding! Seriously folks, this is the bomb dot com, as Alex would say. I found the recipe in Real Simple magazine (which I love and adore like it's my own child), but after moving to Baltimore, I have lost the slip of paper with the actual measurements. No worries, it's a "real simple" improvise! (tee hee...)
I took a picture of it last night, but really, it just looks like a bowl of peanut butter. Not all that interesting. We love it with grilled or stir-fried chicken, and I'm sure it would also be fantastic with beef, pork or noodles. Although, since I don't know what pork tastes like, this is a guess on my part.
Mostly everything is "to taste" because it depends on what type of peanut butter sauce flavor you favor. The vinegar adds a tang, while the soy sauce kicks up the saltiness and Asian flavor. So whatever you think is missing, add more. Start with small amounts because its easier to add than to take away!

Ingredients (this makes more than enough for 2-3 people)
1 cup of peanut butter (smooth or chunky if you want bits of peanuts for crunch)
1/4 cup hot water
Lite soy sauce, to taste. Start with about 1 TBS.
Rice wine vinegar (I don't have this, so I use white wine vinegar), to taste. Start with 1 TBS.
Hot sauce, to taste. We use this blindingly hot Thai chili sauce, known as Sriracha. I can only handle 1 teaspoon of it, but Alex loves to pour it on. So, use it accordingly!
Optional: brown sugar, to up the sweetness if you want. Not necessary, though! If you do add brown sugar, mix this with the hot water so it can dissolve.

Instructions:
Put peanut butter and hot water in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add more hot water if you need a smoother consistency (I almost always do). Add soy sauce and vinegar, and mix well. Taste and adjust for flavor. Add hot sauce at the end, and mix well. Serve alongside chicken, beef, pork or noodles and enjoy!