Campfire Cholent

This cholent is a fan favorite for resident's of Washington Heights. I came up with the recipe only about a year ago, but it is already a big hit in the neighborhood if I should say so myself.
We named this the "Campfire" cholent at the Mt. Sinai shul cholent cook-off this past winter, due to one major ingredient... baked beans.

• 2 cans pareve baked beans
• 1 container of vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup of barley- you can make it more or less depending on preference
• Pearl or regular onion chopped into chunks
• salt
• black pepper
• cumin
• 1 log of frozen kishke
• "Shabbos" meat

In medium to large size crock pot, combine cut up meat chunks, baked beans, 3/4 cup barley, onion, vegetable broth and spices. Stir to combine. Drop in kishke in it's second outer layer. Turn the crockpot to low. Start the cooking process either thursday night or friday morning and let the cholent cook on low till right before shabbat. Then turn the crockpot to warm and enjoy campfire cholent all shabbos long!

Easy Chicken Satay

I love peanut butter. It's so simple yet so tasty. I had been hearing about chicken satay and I thought what a delicious grown up way to eat peanut butter. I was on peanut butter and co.'s website and they had a chicken sandwich with spicy peanut butter and pineapple jelly and thus an idea was born. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups natural peanut butter smooth or chunky
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tbsps. lime juice
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• red pepper flakes adjust for your own personal taste
• salt
• black pepper
• 4 tbsps pineapple jelly
• chipotle tabasco sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 chicken breasts pounded and sliced in strips

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a sauce pan. Heat and whisk till smooth. Place sliced chicken in a pan. Pour jalf the marinade over the chicken, reserve the other half. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Heat a table top grill or grill pan. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken pieces on grill and cook until white and juicy. Serve with reserved peanut sauce for dipping.

Cinnamon-Sugar Half Whole Wheat Challah

This is a recipe that I combined from two different places. I recently had really amazing challah, which was made with cinnamon and sugar by Rachel (Neuman) Fryman. I am using Aish.com's "Half & Half" Challah recipe and combining it with her cinnamon and sugar coating. (The half and half refers to half whole wheat flour, half white flour).

For those of your who love cinnamon buns, or sweet pastries, you'll love this challah!!

• 2 oz. (60 gm.) yeast
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups warm water
• 4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup honey
• 5-6 cups white flour
• 3/4 cup oil

Mix together yeast, water, honey, oil, and eggs. Add the sifted flour. Knead until dough does not stick to fingers. Cover dough with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Separate challah, if necessary. Divide the dough into 6 balls. Divide each ball into thirds and braid (see illustration, page 122). Let rise for 1 hour.

Spread and mix cinnamon and sugar onto large flat surface or tray. Roll each piece of risen dough into the sweet mixture and make sure the dough is sufficiently, but not overly, coated.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C.), for 30-45 minutes. Do not overbake. Makes 6 loaves OR 2-3 large round challahs.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• Cinnamon
• Sugar
• Flour
• Oil
• egg

Brush challah with egg, combine rest of ingredients and crumble over the top.

Mexican Spicy Fruit

My husband has been raving about this since he came across this on the streets of Los Angeles. We recently came across similar vendors here in NYC in Washington Heights, in the Dominican area. This is a great healthy snack that hits all the major tastebuds in your mouth: sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. 

Your choice of cut up:

• Mangoes
• Pineapples
• Watermelon
• Or any juicy sweet large fruit

Salt

Mexican Spicy Chili Powder

Lime Juice

Plastic Ziplock style bag

Cut fruit into large chunks and place in plastic bag.

Liberally add salt, lime juice, and chili.

Fully close bag and shake! Make sure the fruit is covered by the added ingredients. Open the bag and eat with a fork or your fingers. Enjoy.

Spinach Salami Roll

I am a huge fan of the flavors of caramelized onions and roasted garlic. Both get sweeter throughout the cooking process and add amazing flavor to anything. I wanted an alternative to deli roll and I thought what if combined onions garlic and salami? I added spinach for color and to add a veggie and voila, I had a hit on my hands. It's so easy to make and you can roast the garlic ahead of time to save time when you actually make it. You'll find yourself coming back to this over and over because it's easy, tasty, and affordable.

Ingredients:

I cup Cubed Salami

1/2 Package frozen spinach

1 red onion caramelized

5-6 cloves roasted garlic

1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in warm water. 

1 sheet phyllo dough

1 egg beaten 

sesame seeds

Mustard ( any type you like)

Preheat oven to 350F. Caramelize onions and roast garlic. add onions to spinach and saute spinach till wilted. Add in garlic and salami and saute for 5 minutes. pour boillon and stir occasionally till most of liquid is absorbed. remove from heat. place mixture on phyllo sheet flod sides in and seal with warm water. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds.  Bake for 35 mintes till puffed and golden.

To serve cut slices and place on a platter with a small bowl of mustard in the middle.

Herbed Flounder

This is so easy and so healthy. I love fish and I find it satisfying and still light. You can make this and feel good afterwards for making a truly tasty and healthy meal. I make this often when I don't have a lot of time and want something good and homemade that can cook quickly.

Ingredients:

4 pieces  fresh or  frozen flounder

4 tsps low fat mayonnaise 

Fresh chives

Fresh parsley 

Fresh basil

salt

pepper.

Defrost fish if you are using frozen. Smear fish with 1 tsp mayonnaise per fillet. Chop herbs and sprinkle over mayonnaise. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Place in a toaster oven/convection oven and put on broil for 10-15 minutes. Serve with a fresh salad and some brown rice. Yum!

Strawberry Mango Salad

Before I got married I liked to experimebnt in the kitchen to prepare for my future home. One shavous I made this salad and was it a hit. The sweet flavors of mango and strawberry mingling with the tangy balsamic vinegar dressing really hits the spot. The salad goes great with both meat and dairy. This salad has many variations but I find this one to be the most satisfying.

• 1 carton strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 or 2 medium mangos peeled and cut up
• I bag baby lettuce or spring mix
• 1/2 red onion chopped
• a handful of Pine nuts.

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

• 1/2 Cup balsamic Vinegar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tbsp honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients and set aside. In a medium skillet heat the olive oil, then add the garlic saute for about a minute to infuse the flavor. Put vinegar in a bowl, slowly whisk in warm garlic olive oil. whisk thoroughly to combine. Add honey and make sure it's combined. if needed add salt and pepper. Taste the dresing to make sure it's not too sweet or tangy. Adjust accordingly. If not serving immediately pour dressing only when ready to serve.

Caesar Salad

Caesar salad is always a hit. I make it very often for parties or sometimes on just a random shabbat. If you want to really cheat, buy the store bought dressing otherwise make this easy at home dressing to go along with the salad.

Ingredients

• One bag romaine lettuce
• 1 carton cherry tomatoes halved (optional)
• Homemade croutons (see below) or a bag of store bought

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 fresh lemon juiced
• 2-3 cloves minced garlic
• 4 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard. (brown will work if you don't have dijon)

Croutons

Take any leftover bread you have and cut into cubes and place on a baking sheet. sprinkel with garlic powder, onion powder, and italian seasoning. Spray with a misto and bake for ten minutes. Let cool and Voila croutons without the preservatives.

To make the salad combine ingredients. Mix the dressing ingredients together and pur over salad. Toss and Enjoy. For a real treat. Grill some checkine breasts, slice them and place over the top and you have a meal in a bowl.

Butternut Squash Kugel

One shabbat we ate by someone's house I don't recall who. I tasted this kugel and thought it was delicious. I didn't know the recipe so going by taste I came home and threw it together. This kugel is so easy and is pretty much always a hit. Plus if you make a large kugel it will last for a few meals.

Ingredients

• 2 cartons frozen butternut squash
• 1 cup sugar
• drizzle of honey
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• cinnamon
• 1/4 cup parve cream (optional)

Defrost squash in microwave. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium to large bowl combine all ingredients and stir to combine. Use margarine to grease a 9''13 inch roaster pan and pour in mixture. Spread to create an even layer. place in oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes till set. When cooled, lightly sprinkle cinnamon over the top for a pretty presentation.

Apple Crisp

I started making this in high school and it has become one of my signature recipes. Whenever I seve this whether I make a big or small pan there is never any left. It is so easy and can be served as a side dish or desset with vanilla ice cream. It is best served immediately, but if you serve it on shabbos I suggest serving it cold otherwise the crust will turn mushy.

Ingredients

• 10 apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• Cinnamon and Sugar (optional)

Topping

• 1 stick margarine cold
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup flour

Place apples in pan. Pour prange juice over them and if you want cinnamon and sugar. In a medium bowl combine topping ingredients. Cut margarin in in pieces let sit for a few minutes and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork or your hands combine the topping ingredients by mashing the margarine with the dry ingredients till you get a crumbly texture. Sprinkle over the top of the apples and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. The topping should be golsden and the apples should be bubbling.