What's IN MY KITCHEN for December?

It's December and it's time to take a peek INTO MY KITCHEN and see what I'm up to.

I have a new air-fryer!! Why? I am sad to share that my previous beautiful (expensive) Ninja air-fryer with fold up features broke when accidentally dropped. The Inside glass tubes cracked, fell, and were hanging. I had to debate whether to re-invest in a new one or do without.  10 minutes later, I was ordering the same air-fryer that I had before on Cyber Monday sales! So now I have a new air-fryer. 

I love falafel but don't love to fry! I found these absolutely delicious falafel balls in the freezer section of a near-by store in Florida. It is made by a company called, "Chef Tzali." I suspect it might be easiest to find in stores that carry kosher items such as the Shop-rite in Mercer Mall in NJ. They are gluten-free and vegan which is PERFECT for me. In addition, 3 balls are only 70 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. I microwave 3 of them for 1 minute and they taste great!! 

My brother-in-law made this Hanukkah Menora for Florida using mini beach chairs, sand, and a Chanukah plate

The first night of Hanukah is December 18 this year. I'm starting to get out the Chanukah decorations.

This is a lovely glass tray with a beautiful message- It's uplifting and represents the essence of the Chanukah holiday.

I found this platter at Home-Goods this year.  

I'll use it to serve latkes (potato pancakes). They had 4 of them when I purchased but I went back the next day to get another one for a gift- all gone!!

I made my mother-in-laws Egyptian Bamia (baby okra) (recipe link)  We usually eat it with rice. I use frozen baby okra.

My sister-in-law made a beautiful salad for Thanksgiving. It contained arugula, pear, blueberries, and sliced nuts and vegan feta cheese. 

Sharing this post at Sherry's In My Kitchen linky where anyone can share by following simple directions at the beginning of every month. 

My Notes: 

1. I've seen the word Hanukkah/Chanukah spelled in multiple ways. I've used both ways in this post. I like using the CH which is more authentic to the Hebrew pronunciation with a guttural CH sound not like in channel-

2. Did I like the vegan feta? Didn't taste like the real thing to me. 

3. I haven't opened my air-fryer yet. Still deciding whether I need it- because it takes up so much room on my counter and my kitchen in Florida is small. However, I do love using it.

Bamia -Best Way to Cook Okra- not slimy

If you think you don't like okra, think again.
This tasty Middle Eastern way of making okra is delicious and never slimy.

 Bamia is one of our family favorites.  We make it as a side dish that we eat over rice. (Scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe or read on)

Okra is naturally gluten free and very nutritious. It's a good choice for those with digestive problems since it cooks up soft and tender.
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"Bamia" An Old Sephardic Family Recipe
The first time I ever tasted "Bamia" was at my husbands parent's house.  It was in the 1970's, I just got married, and I was 21.  I learned how to make and eat fresh okra from my mother- in- law, Toni, who is an excellent Middle Eastern cook. 

I Picked Okra in the Fields at My CSA Farm

After spending many afternoons picking okra at my CSA, and getting scratched by the woody thorny branches all over my arms and legs, I've decided to buy okra in the supermarket fresh or frozen. I like the frozen whole pods the best. The Middle Eastern brands package really small pods, cleaned and ready to cook . The okra is usually just the perfect size.

 


















Okra Has Excellent Nutritional Benefits 
In addition to the interesting taste, okra has many nutritional benefits. It is very high in Vitamin K,  low in calories,  and provides substantial amounts of fiber and manganese. It also is loaded with antioxidants that are so important to protect against the rays of sun exposure.  It's a great vegetable to work into your menu to boost vitamins and antioxidants while providing some variety to your meals.

If you have never made okra, now is the time to try.

• Look for baby okra in the frozen case of your supermarket or in an ethnic food store, especially a Middle Eastern stores or kosher markets.

My Notes: 

• My mother in law's recipe is typical of many Middle Eastern Bamia recipes, but she adds a secret ingredient unique to her recipe.  She adds dried apricots to her sauce. It is a variation which makes the sauce little sweet and savory.

• My mother in law explained to me that the small okra pods are the tastiest. The large pods get hard and coarse and are not ideal for cooking. When you buy frozen, look for baby okra.

Ingredients for Bamia

1 14 ounce bag of whole pods baby okra 
1/4 vegetable broth for sautéing

3 large cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
14 ounces of tomato sauce with garlic and herbs
juice of a half large lemon
4  dried apricots (whole)
1/4 cup of water in beginning and additional if sauce cooks down
Optional: sauté in oil 

Directions: 

Pour vegetable broth in a large skillet. Add okra,  and cook on medium heat for a few minutes until okra begins to turn color. Add garlic and mix through the okra as it cooks. Add tomato sauce, juice of the half lemon, and dried apricots. Stir and allow to slowly cook over very low heat for about 40 minutes covered.  If the sauce looks like it is cooking down add the water and stir. Serve over rice as a side dish.
*** cooking time depends on size of the okra- if very very small like in the pictures , cook for 25 minutes
****if you prefer to use fresh tomatoes, cut up 4 medium tomatoes and whiz in blender with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. Whiz quickly and use as a sauce instead of the tomato sauce.

Frozen baby okra

okra with the fresh chopped garlic

Cooking slowly on a very low flame with the tomato sauce- add 1/4 cup water if needed