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.