Strawberry Shortcakes

Who doesn’t love strawberry shortcakes? They’re a perfect brunch food and are super easy to make. All you need is some homemade biscuits (cut however you want. the original recipe said to cut into rectangles, but I like how these look), strawberries, and whipped cream. They’re perfect for summer, but I enjoy them any time of the year. Continue reading

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

This is no ordinary bread. Forget the fact that it’s filled with raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar. It’s also made with a rich, buttery “breakfast” dough. That’s right, I used the same dough for this that I used to make cinnamon buns. So you know it must be good.

Thinking of something different to make for the break-fast? Well, you can’t go wrong with this! People don’t want to eat TOO much (well, I don’t, at least) an this will be a perfect post-fast meal along with a big cup of tea.  Continue reading

Speculoos Ice Cream

Wafels and Dinges isn’t the only place selling speculoos ice cream!

This is the third post in a series…Check out Speculoos Cookies and Speculoos Spread to get more information about this project. This project all started when my friend Julia posted a photo of the ice cream she was eating in Belgium. Speculoos ice cream. I knew right then I had to try it, but didn’t know of a place to actually taste that ice cream flavor…that only worried me for a second. Ice cream I make is usually better than any store bought kind, anyway! So I decided that I would have to make speculoos ice cream…but first I’d have to make the spread, and to make the spread I’d have to bake some cookies. Not that I ever have a problem with baking cookies. Continue reading

Speculoos Spread

So, in order to make speculoos ice cream, you need spread. The spread from Trader Joe’s is not marked. Well, even if it was, it wouldn’t matter. It wouldn’t be entirely homemade if I used store bought spread now, would it? So I had to make my own speculoos spread. I used my food processor, and it worked. The consistency wasn’t perfect, but it still tasted great on top of waffles. And it still worked for my project, so it’s a win-win.

It’s recipes like these that make me want a VitaMix. I’m sure I would have been able to have a smoother consistency and silkier texture with one. Oh well, I make do with what I have.

This is one of the easiest things to make. Whir up the speculoos cookies, add some oil and flavors, and you’re done. Not much to it. It’s delicious on waffles with some vanilla ice cream, or even on some fruit.

The thing about coconut oil is that it is hard, unless it’s 76 degrees or more. Then it melts. So when I made this recipe, it was so hot in my kitchen that I didn’t have to melt the oil – it was already liquid. Score one for me, because I had one less step of work to do! Not that zapping in the microwave takes much time…

The original recipe called for some sugar, but these were sugary enough, so I omitted it.

 

Homemade Speculoos Spread, adapted from Seitan is my Motor:

Ingredients:

  • 150 grams speculoos cookies (I used 45 of the teeny ones I made)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (or 50 grams) refined coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon safflower oil (or another flavorless oil)

Directions:

1. Using your food processor, grind the cookies into a fine meal.

2. Melt the coconut oil and let cool down until luke warm.

3. Mix speculoos meal with the remaining ingredients except the safflower oil and transfer to a bowl. Stir in fat and oil. Mix until well combined. That’s it.

This spread will harden when stored in the fridge. You should take it out at least 30 minutes before serving, or microwave it for about 30 seconds.

Speculoos Cookies

My taste tester agrees: These cookies are popular with people of all ages…

But seriously, everyone loved these cookies. They were actually mad that they were so teeny and  only gave them one each. Why take the time to bake all these cookies just to take them away from us and make a cookie spread, they asked? Well, the reason I even baked these cookies was so that I could make ice cream out of them. That’s right, it’s summer, and the ice cream maker is on duty!

Continue reading

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Ever since I bought a new cupcake carrier, I have been wanting to bake cupcakes every chance  I get. I mean, why not, now that I have a handy way to transport them. Invited out for Shabbat dinner? Instead of making cookies or cakes, I bring cupcakes.  These are a hit just because who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookie dough?  Continue reading

Soy Sauce Tilapia

Frozen tilapia is a good go-to dinner. You know, on those days that you just don’t have time to make something fancy, but still want a healthy dinner? Make this over some rice and serve with a small salad and you have a full meal in very little time. The original recipe called for striped bass, but I only had tilapia on hand, so I made it this way and loved it. Now I do it like this all the time. When I don’t have scallions, I just skip them. My husband is not a fan, anyway, but he loves the soft onions, so although they’re not a part of the original recipe, sometimes I make a swap. Continue reading

Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

At work, our clients bring us a ton of chocolate. Bars, boxes, liqueur-filled, and truffles just to name a few. Some with only Russian words on the package, and other more familiar English ones. Well, many of these treats go uneaten by me, and pretty much sit around the kitchen table for a while. But when we get a box of Ferrero Rochers, they don’t last more than a day. I have to run to the kitchen to get some before they’re eaten by my coworkers. Let me tell you, they have good taste. Continue reading

Beef Stock

I decided I needed to make my own beef stock! Not because I had any particular recipe to make with it, but just because I always make stocks and broths, so why not try this one? Plus, if I made this I could make beef barley soup, or even some pho like Steph made! And what better recipe to use than Alton’s? What would you make with beef stock? Continue reading