The Wifey’s Shiska Potato Latkes

October 1, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Thanks to my two fantastic Jewish roomies in LA, when fall rolls around, I get excited for the Jewish holidays and their gift of out of this world food traditions.

Do you think I married a Jewish man by accident?! I think NOT.

Al’s favorite traditional Jewish foods include; matzo ball soup and potato latkes.

Last year I attempted matzo ball soup from scratch and accidentally added so many cloves that it was a bigger culinary bomb than anything I’ve ever attempted. This year I planned to redeem myself, but I’m suffering from a MAJOR case of preggo brain (32 weeks!) and ended up ordering from Manny’s Deli.

HOWEVER- I did re create my famous latkes which are honestly so stupid simple, that anyone can make them. And now I’ll share them with you.

The Wifey’s Shiska Potato Latkes

What You Need/Grocery List:

a bag of frozen hash browns (they should be left out to thaw before starting your cooking)
a small yellow onion
two eggs
vegetable oil
salt and pepper
flour
sour cream/greek yogurt and or apple sauce for dipping
a strainer
a slotted spoon
a large plate and paper towels

What To Do:

pour your vegetable oil until it’s about a half an inch in a large pan and heat on low/medium. you DONT want it to burn but it needs to pass the sizzle test when ready. (drop a piece of hash brown in there and if it sizzles then it’s ready to go)

put your thawed bag of hash browns into a strainer, cover with a napkin or paper towel and smash them down till most of the water has drained

chop your yellow onion into small pieces (you can also buy pre chopped onion)

dump 3 tablespoons of flour into a bowl

good job! now add your two eggs, and chopped onion, plus a dash of salt and pepper and stir it all up.

it should mix pretty well and look like this. now add your hash browns and give them a bath of your egg mix

now is a GREAT time to check your oil since we’re almost ready to start cooking.
now is also a great time to get out a large plate and line it with paper towels for blotting.
oil is perfect? great, use your hands and roll these little bad boys into little balls- about the same size as if you were making cookies. (not huge, but not tiny)

now, CAREFULLY lower about 3 of the potato balls into the oil at a time. If you drop them, the oil will fly everywhere, ruin your cute outfit and burn like hell…so don’t. then flatten them into “pancakes” with your slotted spoon.
let them cook for about two mins- please resist the urge to check them every 10 seconds or they will fall apart.
after your 2 mins are up , then you are allowed to pick them up with your slotted spoon and take a look at the other side- are they golden brown? great- then flip them over. if not- wait another 30 seconds or so and check again.

depending on how you and your love like them cooked, they should look something like this. if you prefer more well done, let them sit longer (duh).
let the pancakes sizzle for around two mins on the other side, do a check and if they look ready, ONE AT A TIME- use your slotted spoon to lift them out (let the oil drain thru the spoon) and put them on the plate with paper towel, blot them.

oh hey, aren’t I pretty??

you’ll want to serve these right away – unless you are cooking for a ton of people and in that case, cover them in foil to keep them warm

serve them with dipper of your choice and watch everyone fall in love with you as they eat them. MAZEL.

our holiday table for two

The Best Fudge Ever

July 22, 2015July 22, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Let me start by saying that this post wouldn’t be possible without my Pops.

This is my Dad’s recipe and for as long as I can remember he’s served it at parties and people go WILD for this stuff.

I always imagined it was a super complicated Michelin-esque dessert until I asked him for the recipe and…well let’s just say that it’s so simple that I feel robbed.

I kid.

But really, a child could make this dish and yet people (including me) beg for it at each one of my family gatherings, so I feel it’s time to share the recipe with the masses.

Ready? Let’s get Wife’d Up!

The Best Fudge Ever

What You Need/Grocery List:

1 and 1/2 bags of chocolate chips. My dad is a huge believe that Costco brand is the best
1 can of condensed milk. Eagle Brand is my Dad’s brand of choice
2 tablespoons of butter
1 ounce of Kahlua (Dad’s fav) , or 1 once of rum or 1 teaspoon of vanilla (which I used for this batch)
pinch of salt
cup or so* of chopped nuts – Dad prefers Walnuts or Pecans- *I used about 1/4 cup of walnuts

What To Do:

dump the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat them for about 1 1/2 mins. DONT LET THEM BURN- KNOW YOUR MICROWAVE POWER PEOPLE

stir with a spoon, add the butter, heat for another 30 seconds, stir
add the condensed milk, pinch of salt and *flavor of choice and microwave for another 30 seconds or so. *Kahlua, rum or vanilla

the mix should be totally melted at this point- if it’s not- heat it for another 30 seconds or so.
stir until you can’t see any lumps

take a little butter and grease a plate

THIS NEXT PART IS DEPENDS ON IF YOU ARE SERVING TO PEOPLE WHO LIKE NUTS OR NOT: if they DONT: pour mix on plate, put in fridge for about an hour, then cut into pieces. IF THEY DO: stir in nuts, pour on plate, place in fridge for about an hour then cut into pieces

serve, take compliments, give props to The Wifey’s Dad, share recipe!

How to Host A Party Without Freaking Out

July 17, 2015July 17, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Let’s be honest- having people over is stressful…unless:

A: You are a total dude (like my husband) and you think a few bags of doritos and burger patties =’s party central

B: You are a gazillionaire and have party planners, caters, and servers

C: You just don’t give a snake’s rattle and you enjoy things as they come (if this is you, let’s talk…I’ll $$$ for your info on how you do it)

or…..

You have The Wifey’s Survival Advice!

I used to attend BBQ’s like a deer in headlights- stunned by my friend’s abilities to put on a culinary show and was terrified to try to follow their efforts.

Then I realized something: people like to eat. And drink. And enjoy themselves. If you serve them enough to fill them up they will be happy.

Also? People love tacos. Which is how I came up with Wifey Fiesta Night- a DIY extravaganza. And now I’m sharing the wealth*.

*pennies

You ready? Let’s Get Wife’d Up!

What You Need/Grocery List:

fish/shrimps/meat/chicken of your choice (I like to get pre seasoned shrimp and fish from the counter if they have have it)
tortillas (I polled the ladies and flour wins every time) – a package of flour tortillas is perfect
salsa/pico de gallo- it’s your choice (I’d include a mild and medium…if you serve a pico de gallo- you also get your onion serving in there)
gauc- make your own or buy pre made – *I like to buy pre made
cheese- Mexican blend cheese ideal
sour cream/greek yogurt
hot sauces of choice
tortilla chips! ( I like to have a low fat/organic option and an old stand by as well)
put out every hot sauce you own- the more the merrier
I like to serve a fruit salad as well, for those who don’t feel like Mexican
cut up a few avocados and serve those – they make everything look a little more fancy
a tequila drink or Coronas with cut limes

What To Do:

KNOW YOUR GUEST ARRIVAL TIME- For a fiesta- most things need to happen right before or as guests arrive
fire up your grill
put our your guac, hot sauce, salsas, cheese, sour cream/yogut, chips…..
set out tortillas in tin foil and put to the side ( they will go on the grill for 2 mins per side at the last moment)
grill ears of corn for about 10 mins on medium, turning every 4 mins or so, season with salt. pepper and a little butter. Cut off ear and serve as a side.
microwave a bag of instant Spanish rice (90 seconds) and serve in a fancy bowl
Amy’s brand refried beans (or any brand really), is so simple to make- put the beans in a microwave safe dish, nuke for a min or so and stir, serve in a fancy bowl
cut some limes up for people to squeeze over the shrimp/fish/meat and beer
throw your shrimp on the grill, cook for about 2 mins per side or until shrimp isn’t pink or translucent
toss foil wrapped tortillas on – 2 mins per side- then serve on a plate or in a basket , covered with a napkin
set everything else out with some pretty plates (paper or not), silverware and napkins and FIESTA!

The Girlfriend to Wifey Beer Can Chicken

June 10, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

I swear that the first time Alex ate this recipe, I could see him picking out rings in his head- it’s really THAT good.

And lucky for me, and you- it’s also THAT easy to make.

For some reason this recipe sounds so intimidating and I think that’s what keeps people from attempting to make it, but hopefully reading and watching this post will give you the confidence to stick a beer can up a chicken’s butt.

This recipe is a knockout for 4th of July BBQs, book club dinners, entertaining, feeding a family or date night -plus plenty of leftovers.

LETS GET WIFE’D UP!

The Girlfriend to Wifey Beer Can Chicken

What You Need/Grocery List:

a roasting/grilling chicken (already cleaned out if possible)- you can ask your friendly poultry counter person to help you pick out the perfect bird
a can of beer- doesn’t matter what kind…get classy like we do and use Bush Light if you like
about 1/4 cup of olive oil
half a stick of butter
a spice rub mix- I like using a jerk mix for poultry
*optional: rubber gloves, a beer can roasting stand like this one from Amazon

What To Do:

turn your RIGHT and LEFT grill burners on low/medium heat, leave the middle burner OFF. this insures the chicken will get the heat it needs to cook, without cooking too quickly and unevenly
unwrap your bird and if the legs are hooked together, unloop them

drizzle olive oil on both sides of the chicken and rub in with your hand or a brush
sprinkle seasoning over bird and rub in evenly, making sure to also oil and season inside the bird- this is where rubber gloves really come in handy

open your beer and drink half, or dump out if you’re with child like this Wifey. Set can upright and put it into the stand if you’re using one

take your chicken – legs down- and slide it over the can/stand until it sits comfortably (poor little chicken)

if you’d like (and I like)- stuff a 1/4 stick of butter down the top end of the bird…it will melt and assist with that juicy, cripsy skin

place in the center of the grill and close the lid, check out the bird after about an hour and fifteen mins

use a thermometer or your common sense and check the chicken to see if it’s done- it shouldn’t be pink at all, instead it should be juicy and fall off the bone

carve it, serve it, get ready to feel the love!!!
save leftovers (if they exist) and use for sandwiches, enchiladas, soups…or just to eat with your fingers!

Why Make It When You Can Bake It

June 5, 2015June 5, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Making your own cauliflower crust pizza is extremely gratifying and totally something to brag to friends about – not that I would know, since that’s a challenge I’m just not ready to tackle yet.

THANKFULLY- I don’t have to and I still get my pizza fix.

A lot of health food tastes like total crap, even to someone like me who spent years eating it and has tricked their tastebuds for the most part. But not these little pizzas from heaven, they are truly magical.

I found them at my local Plum Market, which is a bit of a specialty store, but I’m sure you can find them on-line as well.

Here’s the real kicker: each pizza has only 57 calories!! And you can eat the WHOLE BOX for 150 calories!! No one is getting full on one of these little guys, but after eating three, I was completely full.

Plus they are gluten free- so even your pickiest eaters will dive right in…well, unless they are dairy free or raw and then…you’re on your own.

Enjoy!

The Wifey’s Grilled Summertime Corn Salad

June 2, 2015June 2, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

It’s FINALLY warm enough to grill outside here in Chicago, so this week The Wifey Kitchen took the action upstairs to our roof deck- cause nothing says “summer” like grilling.

The first time I tried this salad, it was my friend Lindsay’s version and I swear I wanted to marry her myself. It’s so light and fresh and is the perfect side piece to any main course.

Heck- you can even serve it as the main course and throw some grilled shrimp on top!

My version of this dish can be modified as you like- add and or omit. And per usual, I don’t get super anal with my measuring … I just use common sense and throw in ingredients as I go. And yes, I made things even easier for myself and hit up the salad bar for cucumber and red onion.

Ready? Let’s get Wife’d Up- in the sun!

The Wifey’s Summertime Grilled Corn Salad

What You Need/Grocery List:

about 6 ears of corn- pre shucked or DIY
a package of goat cheese
a package of grape or cherry tomatoes- cut in half
half a cucumber- sliced into rounds and then cut into fourths
a pat of butter
an avocado- cut into chunks
a small bit of fresh cilantro or about 1/2 tsp of dried cilantro
1/4 cup of red onion- finely diced
a small lime, cut in half
a drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper

What To Do:

pre heat your grill to medium/low heat
butter each ear of corn, sprinkle with salt and pepper
throw corn on the grill, and turn every 5 mins or so until the corn has deepened in golden color and is charred in some spots

cut your tomatoes in halves, cucumber into fourths, avocado into chunks (hit the video for tutorial), dice your onion, and your cilantro.
remove corn from grill, BE CAREFUL when you cut corn off the ear
dump corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, onion, cliantro and squeeze the juice from half a lime onto the mix, give it a few good stirs,add a healthy amount of goat cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
drizzle olive oil, stir until desired amount “glosses” the salad.
serve and get ready to share the recipe!

WATCH THE STEP BY STEP VIDEO HERE:

DIY Wifey Fish Filet

May 13, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Lately I’ve really been craving Filet o’ Fish from good old Mc D’s.

STOP JUDGING ME!!

There is just something so perfect about the ratio of soft bun, melted cheese, crispy fish and cool tartar sauce that makes me want to send Ronald a love letter.

Since hitting up the drive thru isn’t an IDEAL way to spend one’s day, I decided to create my own- Wifey Style.

Let’s Get Wife’d Up!

WHAT YOU NEED/GROCERY LIST:

Trader Joe’s reduced fat fish sticks. (3 per sando) You can really use any fish stick, but these are healthy, tasty and fit so nicely on the bun..
Kraft singles- 2 per
hamburger buns
tartar sauce

What To Do:

pre heat your oven to 400
bake the frozen fish sticks till they are brown and crisp
cut the bun, throw a slice of cheese on one side of the bun and pop into the oven for about 3 mins, until the cheese gets melty
remove from oven, spread cold tartar on the other half of the bun
close your eyes, bite into sandwich and praise Ronald for the inspiration!

The Wifey’s Mother’s Day (or any day) French Toast Casserole

May 6, 2015May 7, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Mother’s Day can be stressful, right?!?

We all want to show our Mom’s some major love, but scoring that “perfect” reservation or cooking a delicious breakfast can seem nearly impossible.

Growing up, my Mom made the best French Toast EVER…and I’ve tried to recreate that delicious dish…and add a Wifey Twist.

I got it* from my mamma *my height at the very least

Me and my Mom on the day I became a Wifey

This French Toast feast is pretty much guaranteed to be flawless and it’s fun to make with kids. (it involves ripping things with your bare hands!)

PLUS- it’s inexpensive and can be customized for the Mamma in your life.

Ready? Let’s get Wife’d Up: Mother’s Day Style.

The Wifey’s Mother’s Day (or any day) French Toast Casserole

What You Need/Grocery List:

a loaf of bread. I used Challah bread from my local Plum Market, you can use any variety including; whole wheat, raisin, white bread or even a loaf of stale stuff. tip: if it’s moldy, it ain’t gonna work
6 eggs
1 cup of half and half
1 cup of milk, I used low fat vanilla (can be; skim, full fat, vanilla, almond, soy- I’ve even seen people use Rumchata)
3 tsp cinnamon * in the video I only use about 1tsp- but in the batch before I used 3 tbsp and it tasted MUCH better*
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup maple syrup
a 9 x 13 pan and either butter or Pam spray to grease the pan
any *extras* you’d like to throw in. Examples: walnuts, bananas, blueberries, raisins…get CRAZY with it.

What To Do:

set your oven to 425
grease your pan & pour 1/2 syrup to coat the bottom

slice your loaf

then rip apart the slices into about 1 inch pieces- don’t stress over the size- in this case it really doesn’t matter

crack your eggs in a bowl, add half and half, milk , cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and sugar and mix it with a whisk or fork until combined

dump your bread pieces into the pan
dump your egg mix over the bread , slowly and evenly

take your hands and mush down the bread to make sure every piece has taken an egg bath
pour 1/2 cup syrup on top
pop into the oven for 30 mins, check on it-it should be fluffed up. if it’s getting burned, take it out. If it looks ok, let it bake 10 more mins.

serve with anything you like! Cool Whip, Strawberries, etc.
Kiss your Mom!

SEE HOW SIMPLE IT IS TO MAKE VIA VIDEO…COMING SOON.

My family- LOVE YOU MOM!

Wifey Bars

May 5, 2015May 5, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

My name is Kelli Zink Levy…and I’m addicted…to Lara Bars.

It’s true, I’m obsessed with nearly every flavor (minus the minty one) and how well these little healthy bars travel along in my purse or pocket.

Just last week I whipped one out at Soho House while having drinks with friends including Marshall Faulk & Cam from Modern Family- but that’s a story for another time.

In true Wifey form, I read the simple list of Lara Bar ingredients and decided I could make my own version. My first few attempts landed me with the Zexy Mamma Bars, but now with a few tweaks, I’ve come up with my most genius version yet.

Oh, and BTW- these are NO BAKE! That’s right, all you do is blend ’em and they are good to go.

Ready to try ’em? Let’s get Wife’d Up!

Wifey Bars

What You Need/Grocery List:

dried pitted dates- if you can only find them with the pits in – that’s fine- you’ll just have to remove them. You’ll need about cup
1/2 cup dried oats
1/3 cup walnuts
1/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup honey- I use Manuka honey for the added health benefits
1/2 cup raw almond butter (you can also use peanut, cashew, etc)
a blender (or not and they will be chunkier)
mini foil baking pans or non stick plastic muffin sheets
plastic wrap or zip lock baggies

What To Do:

dump the dates, oats, almonds and walnuts into your blender
put your honey and almond butter into a small bowl and microwave until both are soft. start with about 20 seconds, stir and continue- but make sure the ingredients don’t burn
transfer the hot mix to the blender
mix and stir, stir and blend until it all looks the same. if you like yours chunkier, that’s cool too- I prefer to blend mine a bit
lay a sheet of plastic wrap down and lay a layer of the mix, spreading evenly and covering with plastic again. Watch the video for the demo of the ziplock baggies too. Or simply dump even spoonfuls into the muffin tins – no plastic needed
pop into the freezer for 20 mins and “set”
if using the pan, cut into bars…eat and enjoy!

I love giving these away as little gifts. I’ve given them to; book club girls, friends who are always on the go, and for thank you gifts.

Feel free to add your twist on them and throw in whatever ingredients YOU and your people love!

WATCH AND LEARN HOW TO MAKE EM :

Bikini Poppers- Wifey Style

April 8, 2015April 8, 2015 / thewifeykitchen / Leave a comment

Remember years ago when the South Beach Diet was all the rage and those egg bakes were super popular??

Well, the Wifey is bringing ’em back- thanks to a reminder from my Brother in law Andy (yes Andy AGAIN- what can I say- he’s an eggcellent cook) (hee hee)

The beauty of these little poppers is that you can realize personalize them. For example:

Andy uses eggs , mine call for egg substitute. Andy adds peppers and other veggies, mine simply call for cheese.

You can add meat, various veggies- whatever you want. I’m keeping it basic and I’ll let you build if you like.

And while we’re using this baking method, I’m also going to show you how to make my version of the “egg” in the egg mcmuffin- Mc’D’s style.

The best part about both of these is that they are low carb and you can freeze and reheat for breakfast all week long. AND these are the perfect pool/beach party snacks to throw into the cooler…they energize without weighing down your bikini style.

Ready? Let’s get Wife’ed Up!

What You Need/Grocery List :

a carton of egg substitute and or eggs
a container of crumbled goat cheese
a bag of Mexican blend cheese
PAM spray or butter
salt and pepper
a muffin baking tin- I use the disposable kind
something to pop the eggs out with- I think above is a frosting spreader… real technical , I know.

What To Do:

pre heat your oven to 350
spray the muffin pan with PAM or grease with butter
pour equal amounts of egg mix into each muffin area- NOT all the way to the top – it will expand when it bakes
sprinkle goat cheese equally into each area, it will sink and mix
sprinkle Mexican blend on top
IF USING EGG- crack open and pour entire egg, unmixed into area

see how fluffy!?

salt and pepper
bake around 20 mins

Ronald called- he wants the Wifey’s recipe!

serve with toast, english muffins, salsa/guac/sour cream or simply eat on it’s own and ENJOY!

STEP BY STEP VIDEO COMING SOON

The.wifey.kitchen

"She's more than my girl , she's my wifey"

The Wifey’s Shiska Potato Latkes

The Best Fudge Ever

How to Host A Party Without Freaking Out

The Girlfriend to Wifey Beer Can Chicken

Why Make It When You Can Bake It

The Wifey’s Grilled Summertime Corn Salad

DIY Wifey Fish Filet

The Wifey’s Mother’s Day (or any day) French Toast Casserole

Wifey Bars

Bikini Poppers- Wifey Style

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go

The Wifey To Go