Pumpkin Spice Cake Pops

Serving: 3 Dozen | Prep Time: 1 hour minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1. Vanilla Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)

2. 3 eggs

3. 1/3 cup of vegetable oil

4. 3 tablespoons of cream cheese frosting (I used Duncan Hines)

5. 1 cup of pure pumpkin

6. 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

7. 24 oz of vanilla candy melts (I used Wilton Candy Melts)

Direction

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Take a large bowl and add your cake mix, eggs, water and vegetable oil. Add the pumpkin and cinnamon. Mix well.

3. Pour the cake batter evenly into a 13 x 9" pan. 

4. Bake for 40 minutes. **Your cake box directions may say 28 minutes but I added 10 more minutes because of the pumpkin addition. The pumpkin needs more time to bake. 

5. Remove from the oven. Let cool for 30 minutes. 

6. When your cake is cool, place it in a bowl and crumble it. Add 3 tablespoons of cream cheese frosting. Mix well. 

7. Roll the cake into 1" balls. 

8. Place back in a tin and into a freezer for 20 minutes. 

9. Remove the cake balls from the freezer. 

10. Melt your candy melts! I melted mine in the microwave on defrost mode for 1 minute. You may also melt in a double boiler. 

11. Dip your cake balls into the candy melt. You can let them dry in a pan. 

**I purchased lollipop sticks and stuck them on a piece of styrofoam to evenly dry. 

Tip: Add a drop of vegetable oil when your candy melt begins to harden.

12. Once the candy melt is on your cake pop, feel free to add some sprinkles before they harden! 

Four Ultimate Hot Dog Recipes

In honor of the 4th of July, Seven Bites will be posting 4 unique hot dog recipes to try out at your barbecue. Happy Holidays!!
1. Sautéed Mushroom and Onions Hot Dog

Stone's Chocolate Covered Matzah

Attention all chocolate covered matzoh lovers...there's no need to look any further for an awesome Passover snack. Allyson Stone is open for business and is taking customized orders for the holiday. If you want white, milk, or dark chocolate...Stone's Chocolate Covered Matzoh is for you. She can also do a mix if it's too difficult to choose one type. 

Packaged in adorable mason jars, this is the perfect gift for family, friends, or just a treat for yourself!

Allyson is an entrepreneur and baker all wrapped in one. She's been making her famous chocolate covered matzoh for family and friends for 12+ years, and realized that the public has been missing out!

How to order?  Email Allyson (she's very friendly!): Allysonstone28@gmail.com

Prices:

Pint: $12.00 (plus shipping)

Quart: $20.00 (plus shipping)

Oh yeah, did I mention that she ships nationwide? This NYC baker can ship to your California home. That's right, convenient and delicious. 

~Suggestion from the baker: To help maintain that crunch, store it in the fridge~ 

For all Kashrut questions, please email Allyson.

Garlic Lemon Chicken

We were very excited to work with Joy of Kosher and use Grow & Behold's, Sara's Spring Chicken to make this recipe as their products are known to be of the highest quality. In addition to being Glatt Kosher, Grow & Behold's birds are pasture raised. As soon as the birds are large enough to be moved outside, they spend their entire lives on grass. They live in spacious, movable pens that are moved each day allowing them to access a growing salad bar of natural food. The birds are also fed a special blend of non-GMO food, which enhances its flavors, giving it a fresh and pure taste. When making this recipe, we highly recommend you to order your chicken from Grow & Behold. 

You can also find this recipe on Joy of Kosher's website.

Serving: 5

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

[Kosher for Passover]

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken (2.5-3.5 lb)

10 Lemons

2 cans of Chicken Broth (10.5 oz, each)

1/2 cup of Thyme

1 tablespoon of Crushed Garlic

1/4 cup of olive oil

Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place your chicken on a baking rack inside the roasting pan. 

3. Pat the chicken dry.  Using a pastry brush, generously brush the inside and outside of the chicken with olive oil. 

4. Lightly sprinkle pepper inside and outside of the chicken. 

5. Thinly slice 1 lemon and place about 4-5 of those slices inside the cavity of the chicken. [The cavity is the hollow space of the chicken]. 

6. Add 1/4 tablespoon of thyme inside the cavity.

7. Coat the bottom of your roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and line with an additional thinly sliced lemon. 

8. Using your pastry brush, lightly coat the chicken with crushed garlic. 

9. In a large measuring cup squeeze 1 cup of lemon juice. Add 1 can of chicken broth. Mix well. 

10. Pour mixture of chicken. 

11. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.

12. Lower oven temperature to 250 degrees and cook for 1 hour. 

13. Remove the chicken from the over. Take the second can of chicken broth and pour over the chicken.

14. Thinly slice an additional lemon and place on top and around the chicken. Add 1/4 cup of thyme and add on top and around the chicken as well.  (you can leave the thyme on the stem if you would like).  

15. Place back in the oven for 45 minutes. 

16. Remove the chicken from the oven and tightly cover in order that the chicken doesn't dry out. Place back in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. 

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Serving: 3

Ingredients:

1 can of White Albacore Tuna with oil. (10 oz)

1/4 cup of chopped Spring Onions

1/4 cup of chopped Red Onion

1/4 cup of chopped Red Bell Pepper

1/4 cup of sliced Green olives

2 1/2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice

3 teaspoons of Paprika 

Directions:

1. In a bowl, add the tuna (do not remove the oil), spring onion, red onion, red bell pepper, and green olives. Mix well.

2. Once combined, add the lemon juice and paprika. Mix well. 

3. Serve cold and enjoy! 

Mishloach Manot Giveaway

Chocolate Works and Seven Bites have teamed up this Purim and are giving away a FREE Mishloach Manot!

How to Enter?

1. "Like" Chocolate Works on Facebook
2. "Like" Seven Bites on Facebook
3. Let us know that you've entered by commenting on this post on our Facebook Page. Click here

4. All entries must be in by 2/26/2015 at 5:00 pm. 

The winner will be chosen at random and announced Thursday evening.

~Good Luck~

Chocolate Mousse Trifle

Serving: 4 glass mini trifle bowls

Ingredients: 

10.7 oz package of red velvet Oreo's

3 bananas

8 oz. of cream cheese

11.5 oz. of dark chocolate chips

8 oz. of cool whip

7 oz. of whip cream

Raspberries to top it off! 

Directions:

1. Crush up the oreos until they are a crumb-like texture. Divide and press evenly into each trifle bowl

2. Thinly slice each banana. Evenly lay out the banana slices on top of the oreo layer 

3. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds

4. Place the cream cheese in a separate bowl. Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese and mix together using an electric mixer

5. Fold in the cool whip to the cream cheese and place mixture on top of the banana layer

6. Add a nice even layer of whip cream to the top, and a few raspberries to finish off your dessert! 

Hot Chocolate Fudge

~Share a hot fudge sundae with your sweetheart~

Serving: 10

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons)

12 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/4 cup of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

12 oz. of evaporated milk

10 oz. of dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips on low heat

2. While stirring, add in the vanilla, sugar, and salt to the chocolate

3. Over medium-high heat, add in the evaporated milk

4. Once it comes to a slight boil, turn the burner on a low heat and add in the dark chocolate chips

5. Continue to stir until melted

6. Serve warm and store in fridge for later use

Sesame Spinach Salad

Serving: 3

Ingredients

10 oz package of spinach

1 cup of cooked quinoa

1/2 cup of sliced almonds

1 avocado

1 red pepper

2 tablespoons of sesame seeds

1/4 cup of Newman's Sesame Ginger Low Fat dressing

Directions

1. Place spinach on a cutting board. Finely chop spinach leaves, and then place in a large bowl.

2. Dice red pepper. Add to the bowl of spinach. 

3. Add quinoa, sliced almonds, and sesame seeds into the bowl.

4. Before serving, slice avocado and add into the bowl. 

5. Slowly pour the dressing in the bowl and mix until the salad is tossed well. 

Everything Pigs In Blankets

The perfect Super Bowl snack...

Making pigs in blankets from a box is the easiest way to go, but if you want to make yours different, spice it up with some seasoning. You can't go wrong with an everything bagel, so why not put it on a pigs in a blanket?? 

Yield: Makes 40

Ingredients:

1.   40 pre-made pigs in blankets

(I bought this package: Cohen's Mini Beef Franks in Puff Pastry)

2.   1 egg
3. Everything Bagel Seasoning to taste (I used the Trader Joe's brand Everything but the Bagel)
- - - -
OR you can make your own seasoning (which still will make it 7 ingredients!)

3.    1 tablespoon poppy seeds

4.    2 tablespoons sesame seeds

5.    2 tablespoons dried minced garlic

6.    2 tablespoons dried minced onion

7.   Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Take a baking sheet and cover with tin foil. Spray a light layer of cooking spray.

3. Place hotdogs on baking sheet. Make sure that they do not touch.

4. Whisk the egg and lightly coat the top of each hotdog blanket. 

5. In a small bowl, mix poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried onion, dried garlic, and salt. 

6. Sprinkle seasonings on top of hotdog blankets. 

7. Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. 

Root Beer Float

Serving: 1

For all of you gluten free and non-gluten free eaters, here's a fun summer drink to try out...

Ingredients:

2 scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream

1 12. fl. oz. bottle of Virgil's Gluten Free Root Beer 

Directions: 

1. Place 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream in a 10.5 oz cup

2. Fill the rest of the cup with Virgil's Gluten Free Root Beer. If using a full bottle of Virgil's Gluten Free Root Beer (in a larger cup), use 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream

~The perfect recipe on a hot summer day~

Stella Wings

20 wings (cut in half)

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1-1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of Stella Artois beer

1 cup of barbecue (original flavor) barbecue sauce

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place the wings in a mixing bowl.  Pour olive oil and a couple pinches of salt/pepper over the wings. Mix.
(**Save some olive oil for the sauce)

3. In a jumbo size (Ziploc) bag, pour flour.  Add the wings into the bag, and seal bag. Shake well.

4. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place wings on the baking sheet (shake excess flour off of the wings).  No need to leave space between each wing, when placing them on the baking sheet.

5. Spray cooking spray on top of wings as well.

6. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.

7. Take the wings out and flip them over.

8. Place in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.

9. When the wings are baking for the remainder 15 minutes...it's time to make the sauce! (Please see bottom for instructions)

10. Once you take the wings out, place in a bowl.  Heat sauce just before pouring them on the wings.

11. Pour 3/4 of the sauce mixture, and stir. Add more if desired.

12. Once wings are mixed in the sauce, place back on the baking sheet.  They do not need to be laid out perfectly.

13. Put in the broiler for about 2-3 minutes until crispy. Make sure not to leave them in for too much longer or else they will burn.

~Sauce~

1. In a small pot, pour the barbecue sauce, Stella, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 

2.  Heat on a medium-high, until sauce begins to bubble.

3.  Stir for 3 minutes. 

4.  Let cool.

Hearts of Palm Salad

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1.    1 pint of Plum or cherry tomatoes

2.    1 (14 oz) can of Hearts of Palm

3.    1 Avocado
4.     1 cup of pitted green olives

5.    1 bunch of Scallions

6.    3 tablespoons of Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Slice tomatoes, olives, avocado and hearts of palm into bite size pieces and place in a mixing bowl.
3. Dice scallions and add to your salad mixture.
4. Pour lemon juice, and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well!

Banana Nut Bread

    Serving: 8

Ingredients 

1/3 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

1 cup mashed bananas

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

1 cup chopped walnuts 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Lightly grease a loaf pan 

3. In a bowl, cream the margarine and sugar

4. Add bananas, baking soda, and flour to the bowl with the margarine and sugar and mix

5. Add in the nuts and continue to mix

6. Bake for 45 minutes. Allow the banana bread to cool off

~Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve~

Cream of Mushroom Rigatoni

Serving: 5-6

Ingredients

1  (16 oz) box of rigatoni pasta

1 (8 oz) container of sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 tablespoon of butter

1 cup of heavy cream

1 (15 oz) can of peas

pepper to taste

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Place mushrooms in a frying pan with 1/2 cup of water.

2. Steam mushrooms on a medium heat until water evaporates.  If you feel that the water is taking too long to evaporate, you can pour some out. 

3. Once the water has evaporated, add a 1/2 a tablespoon of butter to the mushrooms and mix on a medium-low heat. 

4. Add the other 1/2 tablespoon of butter and stir until mushrooms are sautéed. Set aside.

5. In a small pot, pour heavy cream and cook on a medium-high heat. Add the sautéed mushrooms, peas and pepper to taste.  Stir until the cream begins to bubble.   

5.  Cook the box of rigatoni pasta.

6.  Add the cream of mushroom sauce to pasta.  Mix well. 

7. Top off with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

4th of July Fruit Salad

Serving: 6

Ingredients

1 pint of blueberries

16 oz. of strawberries

3 large bananas 

1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream 

1 tablespoon of vanilla

1/4 cup of sugar

mint

Directions

1. Slice strawberries and bananas and place in bowl

2. Add blueberries to bowl and set aside

3. In a separate bowl, add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar. Using an electric mixer, continue to mix until the cream reaches stiff peaks

4. Serve fruit salad in individual cups or in a large bowl with whipped cream to top it off! 

~Garnish with mint~

Parcel Torte

Serving:12

Ingredients 

7 eggs separated

7 oz. of semisweet chocolate

1 stick margarine

7 oz of sugar

whipped cream 

2 tablespoons of chocolate shavings 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees 

2. Melt chocolate and margarine in a double saucepan

2. Add sugar and egg yolks and beat for three minutes at high speed

3. Whip the egg whites (with a touch of sugar) and fold into the batter

4. Pour 3/4 batter into ungreased spring pan

5. Bake for 35 minutes and let cool

6. Remove frame and pour remaining uncooked batter on top and chill 

7. Garnish with chocolate shavings and whipped cream  

Flatbread Margherita Pizza

Serving: 2-3

Ingredients

1 package of Trader Joe's white pizza dough (16 oz, 1lb)

1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella 

1 small tomato

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup of fresh basil

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of crushed garlic

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. On a non-stick pan, flatten pizza dough.  If the dough is too sticky to flatten, add a little olive oil. 

3. Once the dough is flat, spread a light layer of olive oil making sure that all areas are covered. (Especially the crust area!)

4. Spread the crushed garlic on the dough.  You don't need to spread the garlic around the area where the crust will be.

5. Add you shredded mozzarella cheese to the pizza. Make sure that you leave 1/2 to 1 inch (depending on how much crust you like) of space empty around the perimeter of your dough.

6. Thinly slice tomatoes in whole pieces and add to pizza. 

7. Thinly slice your fresh basil to top off you pizza. 

8.  Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or end of your dough begins to brown.

9. Once pizza is cooked, top off with some Parmesan cheese. 

 

 

Breaded Cauliflower

Serving: 3

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 package of cauliflower (12 oz bag)

1 cup of panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of paprika

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl.  Set aside. 

2.  Take another bowl and add all dry ingredients. (Bread crumbs, garlic powder, paprika) Mix. 

3. Dip the cauliflower in the eggs, and then dip into the bread crumb mixture.  

4. Lay out on a baking sheet.

5. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Caramelized Onion Sausage Wraps

Serving: 8

Ingredients

2 puff pastry sheets (you can find this in the frozen food section)

8 sausages, of your liking! Spicy, Italian...(I bought two 12 oz packages)
1 brown onion

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/3 cup of barbecue sauce

3 tablespoons of sugar

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Remove the wrapper off of the pastry sheets and allow to defrost.

3. Thinly slice onions. Set aside. 

4. Coat a thick layer of olive oil in a frying pan. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar.

5. Add onions to frying pan and stir once every minute until they brown.  Make sure not stir too often as they won't brown, and if you don't stir enough they will burn! (I know, lots of rules)  This process may take up to 30 minutes.  If you feel you need more olive oil and/or sugar, add a little bit at a time, and stir. 

6. Once onions are caramelized set aside. 

7. Slice sausage links into small bite sizes.  Lightly coat a frying pan with olive oil and add sausages.  Add 4 tablespoons of barbecue sauce and stir until they are cooked through on a medium-high heat.

8. Unfold pastry sheets and spread a thin layer of barbecue sauce.  Add caramelized onions and sausages to one of the ends of the pastry sheet.  Tightly roll.  

9. Place in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until the pastry sheet begins to brown. 

10.  Once the sausage rolls are taken out of the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Slice the sausage wraps diagonally in order to serve as individual pieces. 

*This goes well with garlic mayo, mustard, ketchup, chipotle sauce, or any condiment of your choice. ~Enjoy ~