Like most ever-evolving salads, slaws have been expanded way past the traditional coleslaw. This cabbage slaw boasts a pretty medley of crunchy and colorful tastes and textures. You can slice the yellow pepper very thinly on a mandoline slicer, or chop it into small dice, depending on your preference. Prepare this salad several hours in advance to allow the flavors to mingle.

Ingredients:

DRESSING

1/3 cup oil

3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

½ tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. fresh black pepper

SLAW

1 bag shredded red cabbage

1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced or finely diced

1 cup Craisins

¾ cup slivered almonds, toasted

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

Black sesame seeds

Directions:

1. To prepare the dressing: Place all the dressing ingredients in a jar or cruet and

shake very well until combined.

2. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, yellow pepper, Craisins, almonds,

scallions, and parsley. Toss with the dressing. Refrigerate the salad until ready to

serve. Just before serving, sprinkle with the black sesame seeds.

Serves 6–8.

You would be hard-pressed to find a tilapia recipe that comes close to this one. It’s the only tilapia recipe I’ve included in this cookbook because I’ve yet to taste another tilapia dish that compares. What makes this coconut crust different from others is that it combines fine and flaked coconut. Since tilapia is a mild-flavored and tender fish, the combination of the two coconut textures gives it an extra boost of crunch and coconut boldness. I find that when I fry fish or chicken cutlets I get a more intense flavor when I season the egg wash instead of the crumbs, fl our, or cornstarch. Besides seasoning the egg wash, I also add some kosher salt and black pepper to the cornstarch coating.

Ingredients:

4 slices tilapia (1 lb. total)

Peanut oil, for frying

DIPPING SAUCE

1 cup apricot jam

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. white or red horseradish, drained

2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce

COATING 1

½ cup cornstarch

Kosher salt

Fresh black pepper

COATING 2

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. fresh black pepper

COATING 3

1 cup fine ground coconut

1 cup coconut flakes

Directions:

1. To prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the sauce

ingredients.

2. Cut the tilapia into ¾-inch-wide strips (about 4 strips per slice). Trim

the top and bottom of each strip to form a neat rectangular shape.

3. Prepare three bowls for the coatings. In one bowl, combine the cornstarch,

salt, and black pepper. In a second bowl, combine the eggs,

garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼

teaspoon black pepper. In the third bowl, combine the fi ne coconut and

the coconut flakes.

4. Coat the tilapia strips on all sides with the cornstarch coating, then

coat with the egg mixture. Finally, coat the tilapia with the coconut

coating.

5. In a frying pan, heat the peanut oil over medium–high heat. (Make

sure the oil is very hot before frying or the fish will stick to the pan.) Fry

the tilapia on both sides until it is golden brown and the crust is crispy,

about 4–5 minutes per side. Remove the tilapia and drain on a paper

towel. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Serves 6.

This recipe is featured in the newly released cookbook Chic Made Simple by Esther Deutsch.

Sometimes the most important ingredient is the one you leave out. Here the margarine is left out to make an incredibly dense, extravagantly indulgent dessert. Among the few ingredients, the chocolate is clearly the star and, without the margarine, there is little added fat.

You can serve this mousse in mini dessert cups for a perfectly portioned sweet ending or double the recipe and serve in martini glasses. The mousse is kept refrigerated—not frozen—to maintain its creamy, rich texture. This is the quickest mousse you’ll ever make—and sure to become part of your cooking repertoire.

Tip:Prepare a large batch of the chocolate-dipped potato chips so you can serve a bowl heaped with these delightful chips in the center of the table,or serve extra chips on the side with the mousse

Ingredients:

7 oz. (2 bars) good-quality bittersweet chocolate

6 large eggs

4 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. hazelnut liquor

4 oz. (½ cup) non-dairy whip topping

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED POTATO CHIPS

Salted potato chips

10 oz. chocolate chips, melted

Directions: 

1. To prepare the mousse: Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Remove

from the heat. Whisk in the eggs, sugar, and hazelnut liquor. Pour

the mousse into 8 mini mousse cups or 4 martini glasses. Refrigerate

until the mousse sets.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the whip

topping until firm and peaks form. Add a generous dollop of cream to

each mousse cup. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Prepare the chocolate-dipped potato chips: Dip half of a potato chip

into the melted chocolate chips. Allow to harden on a sheet of parchment

paper. Garnish each mousse serving with a chocolate-dipped potato

chip and serve immediately.

Serves 4–8.

This post contains the following:

A Savvima review of Chic Made Simple by Esther Deutsch.

A Savvima giveaway of Chic Made Simple by Esther Deutsch

Chic Made Simple is the creation of Ami food columnist Esther Deutsch. It features both new and previously published recipes with an emphasis on food styling. So much of the food experience is visual and this cookbook features food that’s easy to prepare, always delicious, and presented impressively.  Most of the recipes call for a short list of basic ingredients.

With Esther’s food styling inspiration you will learn the secrets of how to dress up a plate of simple food. Such as Fruit Tartare – a simple fruit salad transformed by layering the fruit into a mold according to color: Simple to prepare, but with a flare!

Another idea is the Chocolate Dipped Potato Chips.  Esther uses these chips as a garnish to Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse but I’m sure this salty/sweet garnish will work with ice cream, pudding or sorbet too.

Here is a rundown of the recipes I tried:

Purple cabbage and Yellow Bell Pepper Slaw – There are many variations of sweet cabbage salad. What makes this one stand out is the bold purple and yellow color contrast with black sesame seeds for garnish and crunch. Oh, and it tastes great too.

Cranberry Blueberry Orange Chicken – The unique flavors of this recipe and its ultra simple preparation yield an impressive dish.

Pretzel-Crusted Lemon Lime Pie – I’ve been making this lemon pie for years with a simple graham cracker crust (see it posted here). The addition of the sweet and salty pretzel crust works well with the tart lemon flavor and is a nice update to the recipe.

There are plenty of recipes I hope to try soon:

Tongue Polonaise- Here’s a dish I would reserve for Yom Tov. Esther prepares tongue as an appetizer instead of a main (a smart way to keep the cost down) and she also heads to the deli counter for sliced tongue (instead of boiling, peeling, and slicing the tongue at home).

Mini Mushroom Beef sliders – Low in carbs, high on visual appeal, these sliders feature Mushroom cap “buns.”

Roasted Corn and Sausage Soup – this hearty soup is bookmarked for a chilly weeknight dinner.

Coconut Tilapia with Apricot Dipping Sauce – Skewered mini strips of tilapia are coated in a coconut breading and then fried. This would work well as a dinner party appetizer.

Chic Made Simple by Esther Deutsch features 185 recipes accompanied by over 200 photos. It is available at Amazon or Feldheim.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Chic Made Simple please leave a comment on this post with a tip on how to “impress while doing less.”

Leave a comment before January 1, 2013.

One comment will be randomly selected as a winner!

Good Luck!

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt); make a well in center. Combine ricotta and next 5 ingredients (through egg). Add ricotta mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
3. Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups; coat with cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over batter. Bake at 375° for 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Adapted from: Cooking Light.

Dairy. Yields 1 dozen.

An unusual and wonderful combination in both color and texture. This soup is packed with fiber, is heavy enough to be a main dish, but can also be served in a smaller portion as a soup course.

Ingredients:

1 kobucha squash, butternut squash, or small pumpkin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1-3 tablespoons of bottled and diced jalapenos or fresh sliced Anaheim peppers (optional); do not touch with hands
1/2 of a (15-ounce) can of corn, drained

Directions:

1. Remove peel of squash or pumpkin and cut into 1-inch chunks. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a soup pot. Add squash and onions. Cook until onions are translucent, stirring frequently.

2. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add salt, pepper, cumin, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and water. Cook covered over low heat for 30-40 minutes. Check and stir frequently. Taste for seasonings.

3. Make sure the squash/pumpkin is cooked to your satisfaction. If not, continue to cook on low until it is tender when pierced with a fork. Add more water if the liquid level is getting too low. Add jalapenos or Anaheim chilies for the last 5 minutes of cooking time (optional). Add corn and heat through just before serving.

Parve. Serves 6.

This post contains the following:

A Savvima review of The Best of Mexican Kosher Cooking by Shifrah Devorah Witt and Zipporah Malka Heller

A Savvima giveaway of The Best of Mexican Kosher Cooking by Shifrah Devorah Witt and Zipporah Malka Heller

My kosher cookbook collection has grown over the years. I’m no longer exclusively committed to the Spice & Spirit Cookbook. Don’t get me wrong, the good ole purple cookbook has served me well through the years but there are so many new specialty kosher cookbooks which have won me over.

The Best of Mexican Kosher Cooking by Shifrah Devorah Witt and Zipporah Malka Heller is an excellent case in point. After the success of The New Asian Kosher Cookbook, Winning Recipes of Authentic Asian Cuisine,  the mother daughter duo, Shifrah Devorah Witt and Zipporah Malka Heller, have done it again. This time they take us along on a “voyage” of kosher Mexican cooking.

The book is filled with authentic Mexican recipes. Whether your family has already enjoyed the tastes of Mexican cuisine or if you have yet to try it this cookbook will serve you well. Personally, my family’s favorite dinners are Mexican. Somehow serving burritos or tacos puts a smile on everyone’s face – an instant fiesta!

I tested some recipes from the book to expand my personal Mexican cooking repertoire and the results were great:

Squash and Red Bean Soup is a hearty soup with Mexican flavor.

Cheese Enchiladas with the addition of Refried Beans were delish.

Mexican Iced Coffee was a huge hit. The kids asked for it again the next night.

The next time I opt for a Mexican dinner I hope to try the recipes for 7-Layer Bean Dip and Baja Fish Tacos.

I may be partial to melted cheese, but the cookbook also features fish, chicken, and meat dishes all with characteristic Mexican spices and flavor.

The cookbook is sold for $24.95 and features over 90 authentic Mexican recipes. To purchase a copy click here.

Are you daring enough to try home cooked Mexican fare? Leave a comment stating your favorite Mexican dish or one you’d like to try and you can win a copy of The Best of Mexican Kosher Cooking by Shifrah Devorah Witt and Zipporah Malka Heller.

Leave a comment before February 1, 2012.

One comment will be randomly selected as a winner.

Good Luck!

Print out Savvima’s exclusive Chanukah Ad lib Story here.

Here’s a quick rundown of the game:

For 2 players: One player asks the other player to contribute a word for the specified type for each blank, but without revealing the context for that word. Finally, the completed story is read aloud.

For a crowd: Rewrite Savvima’s Ad Lib onto a large oak-tag. on small rectangles of paper, write the word categories (such as “noun”, “verb”, or “place”) that correlate to the story’s word blanks. Hand out the papers and ask participants to fill in words on the opposite side of each paper. Then, tape the papers onto the oak-tag story board and read aloud!

The results will be hilarious!

Print out Savvima’s exclusive Chanukah Ad lib Story here.