Spinach + Muenster Quiche

Yesterday I got 3 different texts from 3 different friends asking for a quiche recipe. Shavuot menus are in full gear! My mom has been making this crustless spinach and cheese quiche for as long as I can remember. It always seemed to pop up on the dining room table whenever celebratory meals were thrown together, and a slice of it always found its way to everyones plate - even the kids! My siblings and I dubbed it "Popeye Pie". Yes, we were that oldschool. :) It's low-fat, low-carb, and ridiculously easy to conjure!

Spinach + Muenster Quiche

- 2 cups Frozen Spinach (defrosted and drained)

- 1 tablespoon Light Olive Oil

- 16 oz. Sliced Muenster Cheese (shredded would work fine too)

- 5 Eggs

- 1/2 cup of Flour

- 1 lb. Cottage Cheese

- 3/4 teaspoon Salt

Whisk eggs, break up the sliced cheese, and combine all the ingredients together in one bowl. Pour into an lightly greased quiche plate (I use this basic one for so many things!) and bake on 350° for 1 hour. That's all. Enjoy!

Yogurt Covered Cranberries

I've been looking for some new additive-free snack ideas, some munchies that both the adults and the kids could enjoy, and these yogurt covered cranberries (via the kitchn) are at the top of my list for new things to try. Thought I'd share the recipe here, especially since it's been breaking news that cholov yisroel Greek Yogurt has finally made it onto the market (thanks for the tip-off Jana!)!!

Yogurt Covered Cranberries

1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon gelatin 1/4 cup Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon honey Pinch salt 2 cups powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting cranberries 8 ounces (about 3 cups) dried cranberries

Combine the water and vanilla in a small dish or ramekin. Sprinkle the gelatin over top and whisk with a fork until the gelatin is evenly distributed in the liquid. Set aside for about 5 minutes or until needed. It will set into a thick paste.

In another small dish or ramekin, whisk together the yogurt, honey, and salt. Microwave on HIGH in 5 second bursts, stirring in between each burst, until the yogurt is liquidy and very warm to the touch. Don't let it start to boil or the yogurt will curdle.

Whisk the gelatin into the warm yogurt mixture. Whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Scrape the yogurt mixture into a small mixing bowl. Pour the powdered sugar on top. Whisk gently until the yogurt and powdered sugar combine into a thick, but pourable, frosting (see image above).

In a separate bowl, toss the cranberries with a tablespoon of powdered sugar until they are completely dusted. Pour about half of the yogurt coating over the cranberries. Stir until the cranberries are completely coated and you can see no more dry powdered sugar.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper or silpat. Drop the coated cranberries in clumps onto the baking sheet, separating them as much as you like with your fingers. They will be very sticky. Let the cranberries sit, uncovered, until dry to the touch, about 30-45 minutes.

Transfer the cranberries back into a mixing bowl and toss with the remaining yogurt coating to give them a second, thicker coat. Drop them back onto the lined baking sheet. When the tops are dry to the touch, move the cranberries around to make sure the undersides also have a chance to dry. (If you have a cooling rack with a small enough grating, you can scatter the cranberries on top for quicker and more even drying.) In total, the cranberries will take at least 6 hours or overnight to dry.

Store yogurt-covered cranberries in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for several weeks.

Fall Soup

Fall tends to bring with it a myriad of colds, flus, and generally runny noses. My kids have been sick non-stop this season! Freida's teacher keeps telling me it's because it's her first year in preschool, subject to so many different germs and bugs etc. but when it's late at night and the coughing ensues, again!, I find myself wondering about her immune system capabilities... And Hudi naturally picks up whatever big sister is carrying. It's been messy. And while they've been on a constant round of Vitamin C, Sambucus (thanks Rachey!), Multi-Vs, Echinacea, and Old Indian Wild Cherry Bark Syrup :) the sniffles are still as elusive as ever. So we've been trying some "healing through food" via organic autumn garden bounty.

I've been sautéing up (any seasonal goodness I can get my hands on at the farmers market or in the organic section at Trader Joes), boiling, blending, and seasoning all month long. Seriously anything goes. Start with onion-y things like garlic, onions, leeks etc. and make your way through any variety of autumn root vegetables like squash, pumpkin, yams, turnips, parsnips etc. throw in some apples, break out your immersion blender and add a shot of curry, maple, or cinnamon. Serve up hot with a sprinkling of roasted pumpkin seeds, toasted croutons, or even some raisins to get little palates tasting!

And of course, if you're not feeling the random spontaneous ingredient mashup, here is a link to 10 wonderful fall vegetable soups!

Babycakes!

I've had this post of uploaded photos sitting in my dashboard for a good couple of months now... And the only reason why I even noticed it today is because I have Freida home from school (Veterans Day? Teachers in Service Day? Not really sure what's going down.) and she's been pining for a trip to Babycakes on her "day off". And of course now all I can think about is a Babycakes cookie sandwich...  Hmm.

Vegan, Gluten-free, and Pas Yisroel, we had originally gone to their flagship Larchmont location to sample (a slew of!) their sweet confections and to pick up a literal "baby cake" for baby Hudi's half birthday. But naturally, she slept through our post-lunch rendezvous for dessert in her honor, and we ended up celebrating her later at home.

As I said, we sampled a slew! Freida chose a salted-caramel whoopie pie, Manasseh went for a hot waffle with an icing shot and a blueberry donut, and I decided to try their famous red velvet cupcake and their cookie sandwich.#Yumminess :)

(She had way too much fun reenacting "then she licked the pink cupcake wrapper clean!". Pinkalicious, anyone?)

And, we are definitely going to be making another family trip there one Sunday morning to try this:

Six Months!

Last month we celebrated little Hudi in the most delicious of ways! One morning I casually mentioned to Manasseh that it was Hudi's half-birthday, and when Freida heard that...! The half-birthday party planning ensued: she asked a million questions about "half-birthdays", months, years, old people etc.! :) And that was that. There was simply no getting around this one. Not without a cupcake, at the very least. So, we made a trip to Babycakes NYC in search of the perfect cupcake for our baby girl...

All I can think of when I look at these pictures is the quote "I love you more than a fat kid loves cake"!!

I definitely think this was the most fun she's had. Ever.

Thanks for idea, Freida! Best big-sister ever!

P.S. I can't believe she's halfway to year already!! Insane!