Homemade peanut brittle. Photo courtesy
LearnToCook.com.

You’ve never made peanut brittle before? It’s time: March is National Peanut Month.

We’re presenting a recipe from chef Mark Dowling of LearnToCook.com, a website dedicated to getting the whole family in the kitchen with easy video recipes showcasing the basics of cooking.

His easy recipe for peanut brittle is below. Chef Dowling was kind enough to take the time to create our special request: a variation for St. Patrick’s Day that adds a touch of Irish whiskey.

For other occasions, you can substitute the spirit of your choice; and use whatever nuts you like. (We love pistachio brittle.)

You can keep the recipe kid-friendly by enhancing it with seeds (flax, pepita/pumpkin and/or sesame seeds), mini chocolate chips, crumbled bacon or chile heat.

The recipe yields five pounds of brittle.

EASY PEANUT BRITTLE RECIPE

Ingredients

Preparation

1. COARSELY CHOP the nuts. Sift baking soda to eliminate any lumps.

2. BUTTER 2 cookies sheet trays/half sheet pans and set aside.

3. PLACE sugar, corn syrup, water OR optional whiskey and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring regularly to avoid scorching. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot.

4. REDUCE heat to medium and continue boiling at a moderate steady rate until mixture reaches 275°F. This might take about 35 minutes. Stir frequently. When you reach 275°F…

5. SIR in the nuts. Then continue to cook over low heat. Keep stirring regularly. At this stage, you want the mixture to reach 295°F, the “hard crack stage.”

Go ahead: Take a bite! Photo courtesy LearnToCook.com.

It might take another 15 minutes to get there, but keep a close eye on the thermometer so it doesn’t overcook!

6. REMOVE pan from the heat and remove the thermometer.

7. SPRINKLE in baking soda; stir thoroughly to combine. POUR immediately onto the buttered sheet pans. Use two forks to lift up and separate the mixture as it cools.

8. COOL thoroughly overnight. Then break up as desired and store in an airtight container.

Adults only: Sip some Irish whiskey as you enjoy your whiskey brittle.

We”ll be eating green on St. Patric’s Day.
Photo courtesy Avocados From Mexico.

Although we start every St. Patrick’s Day with a green bagel, each year we look for new, fun green dishes for our celebration.

This year it’s Avocado Deviled Eggs: Avocado replaces the mayo in this party classic.

This recipe, from Avocados From Mexico, yields 12 deviled eggs.

GREEN DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients

Preparation

1. COMBINE the egg yolks and avocado in a small bowl; mash until smooth.

2. STIR in yogurt, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. Stir in jalapeño and onion

3. SPOON into egg white shells, dividing equally. Arrange on a serving plate. Cover lightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Garnish with chives before serving.

For St. Patrick’s Day, New York City’s historic Grand Central Oyster Bar, celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year, offers this “Centennial Classic” recipe: Guinness Battered Fish and Chips.

Chef Sandy Ingber’s rendition is served daily throughout the year Mondays through Saturdays, lunch and dinner. Since St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday this year (March 17th), the restaurant is closed. But Fish & Chips lovers can make Chef’s recipe at home.

RECIPE: GUINNESS BATTERED FISH & CHIPS

Ingredients

Fish and chips: Perfect St. Patrick’s Day fare. Photo by Hannamaria H. | IST.

Panko bread crumbs. Photo courtesy
Kikkoman.

Preparation

1. COMBINE beer, baking soda salt, pepper and egg in a large mixing bowl.

2. WHISK in flour slowly, until the batter is thick (not runny) and adheres to a wooden spoon.

3. HEAT oil in a deep fryer or in a deep sided sauté pan to 350°F. DREDGE fish in flour, shaking off excess and dip in batter, covering all sides of fish.

4. HOLD an end of the battered fish and gently dip into hot oil, dipping it halfway in; wait 15 seconds and drop into oil. This will prevent the fish from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

5. FLIP fish over when brown on one side and cook altogether about 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of filets. The fish should be all one color all the way through or 140°F internal temperature.

6. DRAIN on paper towels. Serve with tarter sauce and French fries.

VARIATIONS: TEMPURA BATTER, CRISPY PANKO COATING

We prefer Japanese methods for breading and deep fat frying:

Tempura batter: Combine 1 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1-1/2 cups of seltzer water and salt.

Panko breadcrumbs (if you want a gluten-free version, use crushed Corn Flakes instead of panko):

Here’s how to create a panko coating on your fish and chips:

1b. SKIP steps 1 and 2: You are not making a batter. Instead:

2b. BRUSH filets with olive oil and dip into a plate of panko bread crumbs. Shake off excess and repeat the process.

3b. REFRIGERATE the coated fillets on a baking sheet or plate for 15 minutes before frying. The olive oil will harden somewhat and hold the crumbs tighter. Even better, if you have healthy coconut oil, use it: It hardens best!

4b. RESUME process with Step 4 above.

Passover begins at sunset on Monday, March 25th and continues for seven days. Observant Jews celebrate the first two nights with seders, featuring recipes that have been in their families for generations.

But how about some 21st-century Passover recipes—if not for a seder, then for the other five days? There are more than 60 modern, creative Passover recipes in a new cookbook, Passover Made Easy. Some of the recipes that are calling out to us:

There’s plenty of time to pick up a copy and plan for Passover. Photo courtesy Passover Made Easy.

The easy to prepare, sure to please original recipes were developed and tested by best-selling cookbook author Leah Schapira (Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking) and co-founder of CookKosher.com, an online kosher recipe exchange; with Victoria Dwek, managing editor of Whisk, a kosher food magazine.

Pick up a copy for yourself or as a gift: it’s just $10.87 on Amazon.com. There are fascinating culinary tidbits, useful preparation tips, full-color photos for each dish, step-by-step plating and food styling secrets, and a wine pairings and Seder wine guide.

As a bonus, all but four of the 60 recipes in the book are gluten-free. And of course, the recipes can be enjoyed all year long. Here’s one recipes from Passover Made Easy to start you off; next week, we’ll publish Matzaroni, the mac-and-cheese alternative:

Eggplant-wrapped chicken, one of the
modern recipe alternatives. Photo courtesy
Passover Made Easy.

RECIPE: EGGPLANT WRAPPED CHICKEN

Ingredients

Eggplant

 
Meat Mixture

 
Chiken

1. PREHEAT oven to broil. Grease a baking sheet. Cut eggplant lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick, to get 6 or 7 slices. Reserve remaining eggplant scraps. Place eggplant slices on prepared baking sheet. Brush slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil 5 minutes per side, until second side is beginning to brown. The slices should appear as if they were fried. Remove and set aside.

2. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Peel and finely dice remaining eggplant to obtain ½ cup diced eggplant. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and diced eggplant and sauté until soft, about 5-7 minutes.

3. COMBINE onion mixture with ground meat in a small bowl. Season with salt and garlic powder.

4. SEASON chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of the meat mixture into each thigh and roll up to close. Roll an eggplant slice around each stuffed chicken thigh. Place, seam side down and close together, in a baking pan. Cover and bake for 2½ hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes or your favorite Passover-approved grain,* and your favorite green vegetable, steamed or sauteed lightly with garlic.

*Grains forbidden during passover include barley and all types of wheat. Grains such as quinoa and rice were not known during biblical times so are not forbidden. Extremely religious people will avoid any grain.

You’ve got plenty of time between now and Sunday night to bake a batch of these impressive Oscar statuette cookies, developed by Lauryn Cohen of BellaBaker.com.

You don’t even have to buy an Academy Award-shaped cookie cutter: Here’s a free downloadable Oscar cookie template and circle for the statuette base..

The recipe makes approximately two dozen coookies.

ACADEMY AWARD (OSCAR STATUETTE)
COOKIES RECIPE

Ingredients

Everyone wins with an edible Oscar. Photo courtesy BellaBaker.com.

The dough can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

1. WHISK flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.

2. COMBINE cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is pale and blended.

3. ADD eggs, one at a time, mixing until eggs and extra yolk are fully incorporated into sugar mixture. Add vanilla extract and beat. Reduce mixer to low and add flour mixture, a little at a time, until dough is fully combined, taking care not to over-mix.

4. DIVIDE into two disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate dough for at least one hour, or preferably 2 to 3 hours.

Coat the royal icing with edible gold glitter:
You’re ready to hand out the awards! Photo
courtesy The Baker Shop.

Preparation For Baking

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Remove dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for a minute or two so it is easier to roll out.

2. PLACE dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out with a rolling pin to approximately 1/8″ in thickness.

3. CUT out statuette and circles with cookie cutter or template, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you are using the template, simply place it on top of dough and cut around it with a sharp knife. You may already have a 2.5″ diameter circle cookie cutter for the base. If not, look for a small cup or glass to use in its place.

4. CUT slits into the middle of the circle cookies that are big enough to fit the base of the Oscar cookies. Bake 10-11 minutes, or until cookies are just starting to become golden in color around the edges. Remove from oven, and if the slit in the circle cookies has filled in during baking, use a sharp knife to re-cut the slit before the cookie cools.

ROYAL ICING RECIPE

Ingredients

Preparation

1. MIC all ingredients together for 7 to 10 minutes, until icing stiffens. If icing appears too stiff, add more water, one teaspoon at a time. You want the icing to be thin enough that you can pipe it easily. Tint the royal icing gold (see instructions below) and frost the circle cookies for the base.

2. DECORATE cookies when cool. Place royal icing into a piping bag fitted with a very small round tip.

3. OUTLINE the outside of the cookie. Keep the tip about 1/2 inch above the cookie as you ice. This helps achieve a straighter line.

4. FILL IN or “flood” the cookies, adding about a teaspoon of water to the remaining royal icing until it becomes more of a liquid consistency. Fill a squeeze bottle with the “flood” icing and squeeze the icing inside the outline you just created, so it almost covers the cookie. Then take a toothpick and gently move it around to help fill in the cookie completely.

5. DRY the cookies completely (usually 1 to 2 hours). Then, lightly moisten the surface of each cookie with water using a paint brush. Coat in edible gold glitter. Affix statue to base by inserting statuette cookie into base.
 
You’ve worked hard: Give yourself an award!
 
TO TINT ICING GOLD

1. PLACE 10 drops of yellow food color in a mixing dish. Add one drop of red food color; mix with a toothpick.

2. TEST the color on a piece of dough or white bread; let sit for 3 minutes to see the color when dried. If the color is too light, add another drop of red to your mixture and retest; if the color is too dark or too orange, add more yellow.

3. BLEND color, a bit at a time, into the royal icing.

Cherries, apples and blue cheese combine in
a delicious salad. Photo and recipe courtesy
EatWisconsinCheese.com.

George Washington, our first President, was born 280 years ago today. It’s been pretty well documented that he did not, in fact, chop down a cherry tree. But we can still be grateful for the opportunity to enjoy luscious dried tart cherries as we celebrate his birthday (fresh cherries are a summer fruit).

Not only do the deliver terrific flavor; cherries are nutritious and one of the foods highest in antioxidants (here’s a list of high antioxidant foods).

While we enjoy this delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe with dried cherries, the more healthfully inclined should consider this refreshing salad recipe that combines dried cherries with other fruits and blue cheese—a great combination.

Tart and chewy cherries pair with the heat of grated fresh ginger and piquant blue cheese. If you prefer, you can substitute iceberg wedges for the mixed greens.

APPLE BERRY SALAD WITH LEMON GINGER CREAM

Ingredients For 4 Servings

For The Salad

For The Dressing

Dried cherries available from MurraysCheese.com.

Preparation

1. WHISK together sour cream, milk, lemon juice, zest, vinegar, ginger, honey, salt and pepper; refrigerate dressing until ready to serve.

2. PORTION greens onto four plates. Divide apple slices and strawberries among salads. Garnish with cherries, onion and pecans.

3. DRIZZLE dressing over salad and sprinkle with blue cheese; serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate extra dressing up to 3 days.

FIND MORE OF OUR FAVORITE SALAD RECIPES.

February 11th was National Peppermint Pattie Day and we forgot to publish this delicious cocktail recipe from Partida Tequila.

But it tastes just as good as a Valentine treat (or a Christmas treat or a “because it’s Thursday” treat).

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIE COCKTAIL

Ingredients Per Cocktail

A “candy cocktail.” Photo courtesy Partida Tequila.

Preparation

1. RIM a Martini glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes.

2. COMBINE ingredients in a shaker with ice; shake and strain into glass.

4. SERVE with a kiss!

A tiny heart turns a simple cupcake into a
Valentine celebration. Photo courtesy
BellaBaker.com.

Just one little candy heart turns seemingly plain cupcakes into a perfect Valentine’s Day treat.

The flower design was added inspiration, but we actually prefer the minimalist approach—heart only—for its elegant simplicity.

Head to the bakery and buy some cupcakes. Head to the candy store and grab some themed candy. If you only have a supermarket at hand, decorate with red or pink sprinkles and top the sprinkles with a chocolate kiss.

You might not have time to bake these double lemon cupcakes today, but they are simply splendid: a lemon cupcake topped with lemon cream cheese frosting. Get the lemon cupcake recipe from BellaBaker.com, and put it on your “To Bake” list.

Because we’re crazy for lemon curd (and all things lemon), we turned the recipe into Triple Lemon Cupcakes:

THE REAL RED VELVET

And now for that all-American favorite, red velvet cupcakes.

Bella Baker herself, Lauryn Cohen, makes them as they should be: with beets, not red food color.

We find that most red velvet cake is bland: all color, no flavor. If you, too, don’t understand what all the fuss is about, bake a recipe that uses beets.

Here’s Bella Baker’s red velvet cupcake recipe.

THE NIBBLE wishes you a Valentine’s Day filled with love—and some great things to eat.

Turn red velvet cupcakes into Valentine cupcakes with a sprinkle of tiny hearts. Photo courtesy BellaBaker.com.

A delicious Valentine starter. Photo courtesy
CalvisiusCaviar.com.

Calvisius white sturgeon caviar, which is farmed in California, is deliciously creamy, smooth and succulent. The silver-gray roe is medium-large in size and exhibits an intense aroma, firm texture, and slightly nutty flavor.

It’s one of our favorite treats. Tonight we’ve re-creating this elegant yet simple starter course recipe idea from Calvisius Caviar.

VALENTINE SCALLOPS & CAVIAR

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. SLICE beets into circles and steam until cooked.

2. FINISH quickly in a pan with hot melted butter.

3. SEAR scallops in the same pan.

4. ARRANGE 3 or 4 beet slices in a concentric “rose” design: larger slices on the bottom, smaller slices on top. If using canned beets, which are all the same size, make a “daisy circle.”

5. TOP beets with a scallop. Garnish with caviar. Add the green garnish to the plate and serve.

More than a billion Chinese people rang in the new year on February 10th (it’s the Year Of The Snake). This most important of Chinese holidays is celebrated for 15 days. So you’ve got plenty of time to whip up something special.

You might not think of Pork and Potato Stew as a Chinese dish—it sounds pretty European. But the recipe below is authentically Chinese, using the technique of red cooking—also called Chinese stewing, red stewing, red braising and flavor potting.

It can be made in a slow cooker (less to clean up!) and will likely become a popular dish at your table year-round.

Red cooking is a traditional, slow braising Chinese cooking technique. A homey stew is made with soy sauce, sherry, and stock, plus meat and vegetables. This satisfying comfort food brings warmth to a chilly evening.

Chinese comfort food: pork and potato stew. Photo courtesy PotatoGoodness.com.

The term “red cooking” describes how the old-fashioned, unfiltered soy sauce originally used in the recipe can take on a reddish cast when long-stewed. Modern, supermarket soy sauces rarely achieve this color, but it doesn’t change the tastiness of the dish. If you want to be authentic, pick up a bottle of heavy, old-style soy sauce at a Chinese grocer or online.

Chard is an under-appreciated vegetable in
the U.S. This recipe is a good excuse to try
it. Photo courtesy FreshDirect.com.

PORK & POTATO STEW

Makes 8 portions.

Ingredients

Preparation

1. COMBINE the broth, soy sauce, ginger, sherry, orange zest, and honey in a large pot and stir until the honey dissolves. Add the pork, potatoes, scallions, chiles, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. Stir well and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

2. COVER, reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until the pork is meltingly tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, stir all these ingredients in a slow cooker, cover, and cook on low about 8 to 9 hours.) Meanwhile…

3. HEAT the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the greens and vinegar. Cover, reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cover and keep warm on the stove.

4. SERVE: Discard the star anise pods and cinnamon sticks. Divide the greens among serving bowls, then ladle the stew over the greens.

Per serving: calories 424, fat 10g, cholesterol 110mg, sodium 846mg, vitamin C 82mg, fiber 5g, protein 44g potassium 1239mg.