Re-purposing Bread Crusts , Nishuane Fireball Video and Breadcrumbs

Hi everyone. I'm not going to beat around the bush. There's a whole lot of waste that goes on in the kitchen and elsewhere and I, for one, am really trying to do something about it. Will you join me by following some of my suggestions and those of Jim Oconnor? Who is Jim Oconnor? Well, he's this guy I met at Starbucks who uses his Starbucks coffee cup three times before throwing it out. He never buys ziploc bags and he taught me to think out of the bag when it comes to using the thick plastic bags that come out of cereal boxes instead. I have dramatically cut down on my ziplocs since meeting him and want to thank him.

As it turns out, Jim is a writer and activist, trying to get clean water to places that truly need it, like Haiti. Please read his post on http://sedonacyberlink.com/?p=886
Thanks, Jim. Jim will be stepping in on TBK from time to time to tell us more about some creative ways we can repurpose and recycle items in our kitchen.

For now, try out this great tip that my sister Zoe gave me. How many of us are "forced" to cut the crust off our kids bread? Although I silently judged kids in elementary school who ate their sandwiches this way, believing it was only precious, rich kids that did this, I now find myself doing it and wasting all that dang bread or worse, eating them myself! I resent having to do it, but not so much anymore because....

Homemade bread Crust Bread Crumbs:

I cut off and save all the bread crusts before making the kids' sandwiches
I place them all in a bag, a recycled cereal bag, and store the bag in the fridge
Once the bag is finally filled with crusts, I bake them at 300 degrees on a foil lined baking sheet for 20 minutes or so until they are full toasted
Let them sit out for a while once they are removed from the oven, season them if you like with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano what have you, and then process them into crumbs with a food processor or smashing them with a hammer while placed back in the plastic bag. Store in pantry in an airtight container.
Use them to bread chicken or fish, to make a meatloaf,add a little butter or oil to them and top a mac n' cheese with them or any way that you would normally use bread crumbs. Check out the video below to see how to bread a chicken cutlet (and to bid on the Fireball auction item in Montclair). Thanks, Zoe!

Delicious Curried, Stewed Fruit and Ask Your Community For Help!

Hi everyone! Before I get to this AMAZING recipe that my friend Christine created, I just wanted to tell you that my friends' team raised 30 Grand for rare cancer research including Soft Tissue Sarcoma by asking their friends to "Cycle for Survival" http://mskcc.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=cc_home this past weekend(see video below to learn about the event.)

It always astounds me and puts a smile on my face when folks help each other out after a simple request. Even on facebook yesterday, I had over 20 people respond almost immediately when I asked for tips on how to keep my hands from cracking in the winter (thanks for all the tips, btw, which were very helpful-I really need to wear dishwashing gloves.)

All to say, if we need help with the big things in life like cancer and health related needs, (which includes cooking, I'll have you know), let's just let down our guard and ask for help. What's the worst that can happen?

Please promise me you will try this unbelievable recipe that is actually a crepe filling and Weight Watchers Friendly. I had no idea how to make crepes so asked my friends to help me. Guess what? They did! We will get to my crepe workshop and the awesome ladies who helped me (thanks Rachael Egan and Christine Sapienza) at a later date. For now, enjoy this dessert:

Curried Stewed Fruit:

1 cup peeled apple chunks ( I like small red skinned apples for this, but granny smiths taste good too)
1 cup peeled pear chunks (I used canned b/c my pears were not ripe)
3/4 cup pineapple chunks (canned)
1 cup frozen whole cherries
2 tbsp agave nectar (can get at Whole Foods and many supermarkets)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of dried cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp unsweetened pineapple juice
3/4 cups raisins

core and peel 2 large apples and 2 large pears.
Cube into bite sized chunks.
Toss apples and pears in a large mixing bowl with all other fruit, 1 tsp of lemon juice and all spices.

Heat olive oil in a heavy sauce pan with 2 tbsp agave nectar. Add fruit and spice mixture to saucepan, plus all liquid ingredients.

Over medium heat, let juices simmer. Cover and cook until apples and pears break down into a chunky, bubbly consistency (about 30 min.) Fruit should be stewed/chunky consistency. Remove from heat and stir in raisins. YUM!!! Eat plain or in crepes, on ice cream or with whipped cream.

Butternut Squash Porridge-Thai Style, Donate Soup! and I am on the Back of the Honey Nut Cheerios Box!

Hi everyone. Before I begin, please check out the video below to see me and my neighbor, Alison Bermack, on the back of the Shoprite Honey Nut Cheerios box! I'll explain why in the video but you helped get us on there! Thanks!

On to the soup. I know, enough with the soup already! but this is a really good one and if you are local (or not) you can donate a quart of soup, any kind, to a local food pantry. The very same Alison from www.cookingwithfriendsclub.com will be collecting frozen soup this Thursday, Feb. 4th, to bring to the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair. Feel free to ask her how to organize your own food/soup drive. I am donating some of mine and keeping the rest! Thanks, Alison!

Butternut Squash Porridge-Thai style

6 cups roasted squash-can use Butternut, Buttercup or any other rich squash-not a watery one
1 can coconut milk
2 TBS lime juice
1.5 TBS red chili paste (more if necessary)can get at Whole Foods or Asian Food stores
1 cup loosely packed cleaned and chopped cilantro
1 TBS peanut butter
3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 TBS agave syrup -can get at Whole Foods and many other supermarkets or health food stores. It is a natural sweetener
1 tsp salt
optional garnish: toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

You can do this step one-two days before to save time: On a cookie sheet covered in tin foil or parchment paper, roast cut up squash at 475 degrees for an hour or longer until tender, covered with foil so it does not burn. When cooled, peel the skin off. If you are doing in advance, place roasted squash in a tupperware in fridge until ready to use.

Place squash in a large pot or dutch oven. Add coconut milk, broth, lime juice,peanut butter, chili paste, agave syrup and salt (everything but cilantro and garnish.)
Stir until fully combined and hot. It will be thick. If you want to thin it out, add more broth and coconut milk, a little at a time, but then you will need to adjust all the other seasonings.
When you are close to being done, add the cilantro, stir for a few minutes and then serve with some toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds if you like.

Another option: Before adding the cilantro, you can place in a blender to puree.

Vegetable Soup-Morrocan Style and Mammogram Dinner Parties

Hi everyone. Soup is important to help us lose weight and stay warm which is why I am linking to an article for you: http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/23125/soup-therapy-detoxify-lose-weight-and-boost-immunity/

While you think about soup's benefits, I also want to share my parallels of getting a mammogram and throwing a dinner party. The parallels of the stresses involved and overcoming the stresses are quite remarkable. Let me explain:

I almost had a panic attack while awaiting the results of my last mammogram in the waiting room. Remembering that reading feel good materials helped me a bit last time, I brought along the Dining In section of the NY Times and read it during my wait. Being aware of the fact that immersing myself in something with which I can be thoroughly engaged will help me stay distracted helped me remain calmer this time around.

Dinner Party Parallel: Being prepared for a dinner party by being aware of and thinking about what went wrong last time, like not enough marinade on a salad, and working on that for the next time -make more marinade to pour on at the final moment before serving, can help reduce stress at the time of the "performance."

When offered the choice of a flowery gown or a white spa looking gown, I opted for the spa looking one so that I would feel like I was getting a massage instead of waiting for a breast cancer result. This was calming. I wore a shirt that said, "happy" on it to put myself in a better mood the day of the mammo as well.

Dinner Party Parallel: Setting the table the day before the party, making it look pretty can make you feel prepared and confident.

All was fine until the glitch: there was a question as to which boob was being flattened in the pancake machine which freaked me out. Would I end up like the man who got the wrong leg chopped off? I felt my blood pressure rise but asked the tech if I could clarify with the Doctor which calmed me down.

Dinner Party Parallel: There is always a glitch with a dinner party. Try to anticipate dinner party glitches like not timing the dishes well. To help with this, ask a family member or friend to be in charge of setting the timer and taking out the roast.

The results were fine this time so I was able to enjoy the rest of my day.
The dinner party will go fine too as long as you have fun, a positive attitude, and learn from the glitches for the next time. Enjoy the soup, especially for a vegan dinner party!

Morrocan Vegetable Soup:
4 cups water
2 cups cooked chick peas
1/2 cup washed cilantro
1 cup dried red lentils-Whole Foods
1/3 cup quinoa-can get at Whole Foods
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
2 large carrots , chopped into thin discs and then cut into quarters
2 medium onions, chopped coarsely
2 stalks celery, washed and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste
toasted sunflower seeds

In a steamer, steam the carrots until tender and set aside.
In a big soup pot or dutch oven, heat up the water. When it is boiled, add the lentils and quinoa and cook for ten minutes over medium flame.
Add the chopped onions, cilantro, celery, carrots, spices, tomato and salt. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until celery is wilty. Adjust salt and pepper, serve in bowls and garnish with toasted sunflower seeds. Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake (simple!) With Whipped Cream and Mixed Berries and Getting Inspired with New Tools (and sneakers)

Hi everyone! First off, for the locals, please attend a free Workshop on how to make healthy school lunches that your kids will actually eat! Tomorrow, Jan. 25th at 7PM. One 15 cafe on Grove Street in Montclair. Facilitated by yours truly (that's me, Alma Schneider):-)

Before I share this very easy recipe with you, please indulge me by allowing me to tell you about my new sneaker purchase. I recently started taking a hip hop class again for exercise (please don't visualize me doing hip hop-it's embarrassing) and just could not bear wearing my husband's over sized shoes any longer as they were weighing me down.

I will buy every new gadget for the kitchen once I hear about it, but have not bought new sneakers since my nine year old was 6 months old. It's not that I haven't wanted to buy new shoes, but it has not been high on the shopping priority list.

Having bought them, I cannot believe the difference in my step and how much more support I have. All of a sudden, I dance like Shakira. Actually, that's a lie. (See how the hip hop teacher, Angel,kind of disses me and my moves in the video below.)

Imagine what you could do if you bought yourself some new and functional tools. You may have a whole new perspective on cooking if your eggs don't stick to your pan and your spatula isn't flimsy. Think about it-you've got time.

Enjoy this delicious cake that is a breeze to make if you have parchment paper, a saucepan and a pie plate.

Flourless Chocolate Cake:
You will need a pie plate or a cake pan and parchment paper
1 stick butter
1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp Cointreau,Bailey's Irish Cream or Framboise liqueur, or instant coffee granules
(optional candied orange peel topping instead of whipped cream:
peel of an orange, no pith -white part
2 TBS water
1/4 cup sugar
For candied orange peel:
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from orange in strips. Cut strips into matchstick-size pieces and place in small saucepan. Cover with cold water; bring to boil. Cook 30 seconds; drain. Rinse saucepan; add 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and peel. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until peel is translucent and syrup is thick, about 20 minutes. Using tines of fork, transfer peel to plate and cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)

Topping:
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped until stiff or ready made whipped cream
2 cups frozen mixed berries, thawed and drained
2 TBS sugar

Heat oven to 425 degrees

In a medium sized saucepan, heat up the butter, chips, sugar, water an d coffee granules if you are using them. Stir to combine and melt for a few minutes until all ingredients are melted and combined.

Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the eggs and the liquer if you are using them and stir until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the parchment paper lined pie plate and bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. After you remove it, let sit in the fridge for 6-8 hours. Invert the cake on to a plate and remove the parchment paper that is stuck to it. Now the top will be nice and flat. Now, it is time to top!

Take the whipped cream and place in the middle.
Then take the drained berries, mix in a bowl with the sugar until combined. Decorate the perimeter of the cake or design any way you like. Eat up like we did for Lauren's birthday. Happy Birthday, Lauren!!!!

Whoopie Pies and We raised 20 Grand for Haiti!

Wow! Helping plan a fundraiser for Haiti that raised over $20,000.00 was an amazing feat! Our bakesale raised over $850.00. No joke! Thank you to all the bakers who rallied fast and furiously. What an amazing group of volunteers. We could not have done it without you. I admit I tried quite a few of the treats (I paid, of course!) and they were all fantastic! To read more about the evnt and see great photos, go to: http://www.baristanet.com/2010/01/montclairs_show_of_support_for.php

I wanted to make a specific mention of my friend Peg Rosen's Whoopie Pies, however, because they went SO fast at that bakesale that I didn't even get to try one. I was mad. So mad, that I asked her for the recipe so that I can make them myself and eat as many as I like! Peg also has a great blog called Relish This http://relish-this.blogspot.com/so check it out.

Please keep donating for Haiti relief. They really need us.

Peg Rosen's Whoopie Pies:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Dutch process, if possible, but not at all mandatory)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg

For the Filling:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.
Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered (or parchmented) large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely

Cookies for a Cause and PLEASE Help us Help Haiti!

Hi everyone! What would you say if I told you that you could make a difference in Haiti by baking? Please go to www.parentswhorock.com to find out more details, but the gist is that a few folks from Montclair, spearheaded by our mayor, Jerry Fried, have put together a concert to benefit Haiti and you could help.

The performers are grammy nominees and the food being sold is being made by Take Back the Kitchen AND Parents Who Rock volunteers. Even www.Cookingwithfriendsclub.com is getting involved. What a great way to help-making cookies and brownies and cupcakes with our kids so we can make a difference? Just watching TV and shaking our heads at the tragedy won't help them. Your kind actions will! How awesome are all of you???? Thank you!!!!

Please take a moment to watch my son recite a message about Martin Luther King (he started off his school assembly-I am so proud!) who inspired this concert. We are proud to be putting together this event on such an auspicious day.

Please consider baking for Haiti in your community. Would you like to make baked goods or bring beverages to sell at our event? If so, PLEASE email me at alma@takebackthekitchen.com

Thank you in advance for helping Haiti!