Kosher Vegan Lasagna

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2008-03-03T19:55:00.005-05:00

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Kosher Vegan Southwest Falafel

2008-02-18T21:25:00.005-05:00

I love being an American! We get the best of everyone's foods. Let's take a little bit of Mexico, a little bit of Texas, and a little bit of Persia and throw them all in a blender. It turns out they play very nicely together.

As I've said before, you really can't go wrong with chickpeas. They're crazily versitile. Any time I start wondering what to do with a new spice blend or random vegetable I find in the fridge, somehow chickpeas creep into my improvised meal.

Therefore, I unwittingly turned an experiment with southwest spices into what I later realized was just fancified falafel. Ah, well. It felt so creative at the time. Somtimes it's fun to throw a couple different kinds of cuisine together and see what happens. This southwest falafel is just as easy as classic falafel but with a little fun for those of you who can't put the chillies down.

I suspect these would be even better in a deep fryer, but they're pretty darn tasty pan fried.

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 four oz can diced green chilles
1/2 medium yellow onion
1/2 medium red bell pepper
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp hot paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp flour
1/2 cup olive oil

In a large skillet, bring the oil to a medium heat. While the oil is heating, throw the chickpeas, chilles, onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley, cilantro, paprika, oregano and cumin into a blender or food processor. I like to leave mine a little bit gritty, but you're welcome to blend it until it's completely smooth.

Mix the flour and baking powder. Now scoop everythign out of the blender or food processor and combine it with the flour mix. You should end up with a stiff dough. If it's too wet or falls apart in your hands, add another 2 tbsp of flour.

Make the dough into balls about the size of a silver dollar, then squish them slightly flat in your hands. Basically, you're trying to make sure the oil will cover most of the falafel patty. Don't mash it paper thin. Then you just end up with a confusingly crunchy crust.

Try one patty first to make sure it comes out alright. If the first one falls apart in the oil, add another 1 - 2 tbsp of flour to the batter. Once you're sure they're a texture you like, feel free to fill your pan with as many as it'll take.

Fry the patties for 2 - 4 minutes per side - basically until they're golden brown. Drain them on a few paper towels to cut back on any greasiness. If you have a deep fat fryer, try making the falafel into balls and cooking it for about six minutes. I'm guessing here, so if you try this, please let me know.

SERVING SUGGESTION

Since these are southwestern flavored, I recommend making sandwiches with tortillas instead of pita bread. Pile the patties with your favourite salsa, some corn relish, lettuce, and soy pepperjack cheese.

Kosher Vegan Lentil and Onion Soup

2008-01-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

I love onions. When I lived in Germany, I'd sometimes saute a sliced onion with a couple cloves of garlic and eat it on a toasted baguette. My roommates thought I was The One Poor American, and therefore kept trying to kindly slip meat into my food for fear I'd starve to death.

1 pound brown lentils
1 medium yellow onion
1 small red onion
1 cup peeled pearl onions
2 leeks
6 cups vegetable broth
1 head garlic
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp olive oil

In a very large soup pot, bring the vegetable broth and bay leaf to a boil.

Meanwhile, dice the onions into different sized chunks for texture variation. Personally, I dice the red onion pretty fine, the yellow onion into larger chunks, and the white portion of the leeks into broad strips. Throw away the green portion of the leeks.

Bring a skillet to medium heat. Add the olive oil and all your onions (including the peeled pearl onions). Saute until the the onions start to turn translucent. Now press or dice all the garlic and add it in as well. Stir heartily and continue to cook until some of the onions just start to caramelize. Don't worry that a lot will still be translucent. They're different sizes and types. They're supposed to cook at different rates.

Now add the rest of the spices. Stir well so your onions are thoroughly coated.

Hopefully, your stock is now boiling. (If not, take the onions off the heat until the vegetable broth boils.) Add your pound of lentils to the boiling broth and stir well. Now dump in your onion mix. Try to scrape any lingering spices and such out of your skillet.

Once the mix is boiling again, give it another good stir. Now cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. If your pot is prone to boiling over, leave a tiny crack for steam to escape.

Stir once every half an hour. It should take about 2 hours for the lentils to fully cook.

Serve with a hearty brown bread. On the second day, it'll be thick enough to serve on top of cooked rice for a complete protein in one meal.

Kosher Crockpot Herbed Chicken

2007-12-13T23:54:00.000-05:00

I whipped this up for a Chicago themed Murder Mystery Party where one of my guests didn't like garlic. Tragic, I know, but it happens. I wanted a crockpot main dish with a nice sauce to put on pasta and a vaguely Italian-American flair without that most stereotypical of Italian spices.

6 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion
2 bell peppers (your choice of red, green, or yellow)
1 can petite diced tomatoes
3 tbsp oregano
3 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp basil
1 tbsp rosemary
1/2 tbsp marjoram
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Mix all of the spices, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.

Dice the onions into small pieces and pile them at the bottom of your crockpot. Trust me on this. If you put the meat straight on the bottom, the part touching the crockpot will end up tough and overcooked.

Sprinkle about 1/4 of the spice over the onions. Top them with a single layer of chicken. Now sprinkle half the remaining spice mix on top of the chicken. Add another layer, then add more spices - it's kind of like making an all meat lasagna at this point. If it looks like you'll need more than 2 layers of chicken, just make sure each layer gets a roughly equal amount of spicing.

Once your crockpot is full of onions and chicken, add the bell peppers. For this, I like them cut into large square pieces - perhaps 2 inches on a side. You're welcome to cut the peppers into strips if you prefer. Either way, spread them on top of the chicken. Now open the can of diced tomatoes and dump it on top of the whole mess.

Put the lid on your crockpot and turn it to "low" for 4 - 5 hours. Resist the urge to peek. When you take the chicken out, the breasts will probably fall into 2 - 3 pieces. You may have to be extra careful with the bottom ones. Oh, the juicyness.

If you're serving this with pasta, polenta, or rice, scoop the chicken out carefully, give the rest a good stir, and use it as a topping. Otherwise, I recommend a hearty bread to help soak everything up.

If you'd like a chunkier sauce, add another can of diced tomatoes after you remove the chicken. (I'd recommend a can of the basil, garlic, and oregeno spiced ones.) Stir well and use the sauce as a topping.

VARIATIONS

If you're making this for a seder meal, I recommend switching to bone-in chicken breasts with skin. They keep their form better when left overnight at a low heat. Rub a generous amount of the spice mix under the skin and coat the outside of the skin with the rest. Pile in as many breasts as you can squeeze into your crockpot. Shove the onions, tomatoes, and peppers in around the breasts. Set the crockpot at "keep warm" just before sundown and you should be in good shape for a hot meal at lunch the next day. I haven't tried this personally, so if you do, please let me know how it works out.

Unsurprisingly, I happen to believe this recipe would benefit greatly from 4 - 6 cloves of minced garlic.

A can of diced chile peppers added when you add the tomatoes could spice this up nicely as well.

Kosher Vegan Pan Fried Basil and Herb Carrots

2007-12-08T17:28:00.000-05:00

These were a happy accident. I wanted to make some lightly pan fried fingerling potatoes as part of a Hanukkah dinner. Oh, yes. While the rest of the country is dressing their dogs up to have photos taken with Santa, I'm indulging in the sinful delights of fried foods. The festival of lights is my excuse to enjoy donuts for breakfast, latkes and applesauce for dinner, and delicious experiments with oil.

On a whim, I decided to peel some carrots and throw them in alongside some herbed heirloom potatoes. At the end of the meal, the incidental carrots had been eagerly consumed while the allegedly main course potatoes sat lonely and accusing on the plate, wondering why they weren't loved.

1 pound carrots
3 - 4 tbsp basil oil
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence
1 tsp salt

Peel the carrots and cut them into 1.5 - 2 inch chunks. If you cut them on a diagonal, you'll have more surface area. This means more of the carrots natural sugars will be caramelized by the heat. Caramelization means tasty goodness.

Bring 3 tbsp basil oil to a medium heat in a large, sturdy skillet. Add the salt and mix well. Now add the carrots and stir until they're well coated in oil. If they look a little dry, add another tbsp.

Now comes the easy yet boring part. Stir fry the carrots until they're cooked through. This should take about 15 minutes. You don't need to hover over them nonstop. Go ahead and give them a good stir 3 - 4 times while cooking, just enough to make sure none of the chunks end up with one side burned and the other side raw.

After fifteen minutes, you should start to see some browning, maybe even a couple of crispy edges. I've tried this recipe twice this week and found that letting them darken until they flirt with that line between highly caramalized and lightly burned, they come out downright cracktastic. Take a risk. Worst case scenario, you've wasted 20 minutes of your life and $1 in carrots. So, once your carrots are well cooked, add the Herbs de Provence. You can get this French spice mix in an adorable overpriced rustic pot at Williams Sonoma, or for less than $4 in an ordinary plastic jar from Amazon.com.

Sprinkle the spices over the carrots and mix thoroughly. Cook the carrots for another minute or so, then serve. In case you're wondering, adding herbs at the beginning of a high heat or frying process will result in burned herbs. If you think about it, herbs are just little leaves, and a tiny piece of leaf cooks pretty quickly. Don't burn your leaves. Adding them near the end lets you bring out the flavor via cooking before they end up unpleasantly charred.

If you don't happen to have any Herbs de Provence around, you can make a little homebrew using the following ingredients. If you like the mix, scale it up, put it in an old spice jar, and use it to season fish, chicken, or potatoes.

1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp bay leaf
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp lavender (optional)

Kosher Parve Sweet Honey Corn

2007-11-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

To my surprise, a lot of people aren't entirely sure how to boil corn. It's okay. I knew how to make a good channa masala before I learned how to make basic tuna salad. We all have interesting little gaps in our kitchen skills. Pretend you're here looking for spice advice while you sneak a peek at the cooking instructions. I won't tell.

Most people love basic boiled corn on the cob slathered in butter. It's oh so delicious. However, if you're looking for a parve/vegetarian dish that, as an added bonus, won't smear your makeup while eating, give this variation a try.

6 ears yellow corn

6 tsp honey

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp kosher salt

Find a pot large enough to fit six ears of corn and a bunch of water. In an ideal world, this pot will have a lid. You may not live in an ideal world, though, so don't sweat it. Either way, fill the pot about half way with water and bring it to a boil. Throw in the corn. Now, if you have a lid, put it on top, turn the heat off, and wait 15 minutes. If you don't have a lid, turn the heat down to medium (just enough to keep the water boiling) and let it steam up your kitchen for 15 minutes.

Remove the corn from the water. How you do this is up to you. In an ideal world, a pair of tongs or super heat resistant silicone gloves might be involved. In my world, I usually use a couple of forks while doing the 'ow ow ow hot water just splashed my legs' dance. Do as I say, not as I do. Wouldn't it be better if we all lived in an ideal world?

Using your sturdiest knife, cut the corn from the cob. Now, you may be wondering why you nearly boiled your arm off when the grocery store sells perfectly good corn in cans. Trust me, the texture and flavor aren't even remotely the same. Fresh ingredients make a world of difference, and in the world of corn, it's like going from the inhospitable surface of a hostile, brackish world to the sweet warmth of a newly terraformed virgin planet.

Scoop your newly shorn corn kernels into a large bowl. Add the honey, garlic, and salt, then mix until everything is pretty evenly distributed. Serve warm. If you happen to have any leftover, add about 1 tsp water per cup of corn and it'll reheat pretty well in the microwave.

Variations:

I sometimes like to add 1/2 - 1 tsp paprika or cayenne to give this a little bit of a bite. The same quantity of freshly ground white pepper instead can also add a nice touch.

Kosher Vegan Thanksgiving Dressing

2007-11-09T18:15:00.000-05:00

This hearty dressing makes a great vegetarian main course.

Home made bread cubes really aren't that hard to come by. If you pick up a baugette from the store, just leave it out overnight and it'll go rock hard. If you're well prepared, you can even cut it into chunks first. A baguette is easy, but this recipe works great with artisan breads. Go ahead and pick up that Rosemary and Basil Foccacia or Roasted Garlic Herb Bread. It'll add more flavor. Stay away from sweet breads, though. I'm not sure how this would turn out with Cinnamon Swirl Bagels or Blueberry Muffin Loaf.

Roughly 7 - 8 cups of stale bread ripped into cubes
4 cups vegetable broth
1 granny smith apple
1 onion
1 red bell pepper
6 cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sage
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary

Preheat your oven to 350.

Peel the apple and cut it into roughly 1 inch cubes. Now peel the onion and do the same thing. Ditto for the bell pepper. Most people put celery in their dressing, but I don't like it. Therefore, we're going to forgo sauteing the onion so it'll still give a little bit of crunch.

Now, in a large bowl, mix all the spices and 2 tbsp of the olive oil with the canned vegetable broth. If your broth has some frighteningly high sodium content, feel free to leave out the extra salt. You're mixing the spices with the broth to better distribute them into the bread. Otherwise, you risk ending up with a big bite of sage at one corner and an unseasoned chunk of dull bread at the other.

I happen to like my dressing moist. I didn't grow up with gravy, so the dressing had to be able to stand on its own. For a vegetarian recipe, this is extra important. If, however, you like your dressing a little drier, only use 3 cups of broth.

Now dump your breadcubes, onion, apple, and bell pepper into the broth. Mix until everything is pretty damp and well blended. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so. This should give the bread a chance to really soak up all the broth. This is especially important if you used a dense artisian bread, like foccacia or cibata.

Rub your remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the inside of a large cake pan (I recommend glass or pyrex, as dark pans are more likely to make the bottom and edges burn.) Press the dressing into the pan. Don't be afraid to squish it down a little. You don't want it too fluffy.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Check it with a fork. Now, this is the only tricky bit. Some people like their dressing a little runny and others like it bone dry. I err on the moist side. If in doubt, go ahead and scoop out a discrete fork full from near the middle. If it's not dry enough for you, let it bake for another 10 minutes. If you bake it too much longer than that, once it hits the table, it'll dry out tremendously. (So much you won't want to use it for leftovers, which is always the best part of the holiday for me.)

Kosher Dairy Super Simple Candied Yams

2007-11-06T16:40:00.000-05:00

Last week I offered a fancy alternative to traditional candied yams. This week, I've been reminded that some people like tradition.

These are so simple I almost feel guilty calling this a recipe. There's something wrong with that, though. I learned how to make channa masala before I learned how to make a tuna sandwich because people assumed everyone knows how to do that.

There are a lot of simple foods out there which people love but don't have a clue how to make. Thus I present to you the easiest and most reliable recipe I've ever had for that holiday classic, candied yams. The great thing about these is, if you're a new cook, they're almost impossible to mess up. If you're new to cooking and want something to bring to a dairy meal without any fancy schmancy holiday stress, give these a try.

3 large sweet potatoes/yams
2 sticks butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp salt

You new cooks will need a cake pan for this. If you don't own one, a disposable aluminum one from the store works great. Either way, bringing your own pan means you already have something to carry leftovers home in. Aren't you smart!

Back at your own place, well before festivities begin, preheat your oven to 400F. Peel the potatoes. Now comes the hard part - hack the potatoes into roughly 1/2 inch discs. Now, the thing about sweet potatoes and yams is that they're incredibly dense. Cutting them takes some muscle. If the only knife you own is a wobbly steak knife you stole from the cafeteria back in college, you might be in for some trouble. Try wrapping a washcloth around the handle to give you more leverage.

Once you've mightily sawed your discs, cut one stick of butter into 4 big chunks and put one at each corner of the pan. Now dump in all your hard fought sweet potato slices. Cut the second stick of butter into 4 pieces and scatter them on top of the yams. Dump the brown sugar pretty evenly over the whole mess.

Put the pan in the oven at 400 and bake for 45 minutes. Now, it'd be nice if all ovens were equal, but we know that's not the case. At 45 minutes, check and see if they're done. If you can stab all the way through one with a fork, you're good. If not, cook them for another 15 minutes.

The yams should now be swimming in a delicious concoction of sugar and butter. Try one. You'll like it. Now seal that pan tight with aluminum foil. That'll keep the heat and moisture in.

When you get to your host's for Thanksgiving, politely wait until the oven is empty for a bit and pop the pan inside (still safely sealed in foil) for about 10 minutes. This is just to warm the yams up. Don't worry about the temperature of the oven. Whatever your host's have it set at is just fine. Trust me.

VARIATIONS:

If you're feeling a little fancy, add 2 tsp of cinnamon along with the brown sugar.

If you're feeling a lot fancy, top the whole mess with kosher marshmallows. Politely wait your turn until the oven is empty, then pop your pan in there long enough for the yams to reheat a little and the marshmallows to brown - for me, about 8 - 10 minutes, but your mileage may vary. Ovens lose a lot of heat at Thanksgiving with all the opening and closing.

If you're impatient and your hosts happen to possess both a creme brulee torch and a sense of humor, feel free to amuse your fellow guests by piling on a thin layer of marshmallows and carefully ~~setting them on fire~~ browning them with the gentle flames. It's festive!

Kosher Parve Mashed Sweet Potatoes Stuffed in Oranges

2007-10-29T12:52:00.000-04:00

These are a great presentation dish for a dinner of 8 or less. If you're having a dozen or more people over for Thanksgiving, they can turn into a hassle.

Ironically, the best oranges for stuffing are not the tastiest ones for seasoning. Pick big, fat navel oranges with as flat a bottom as you can find. They're just for cosmetics. The actual orange juice should come from whatever OJ you normally drink at home (I go for the pulp free Tropicana with extra calcium myself.)

The banana may seem like an odd addition, but it helps firm up the potatoes while also adding an extra hint of sweetness. Go on. Give it at try.

8 large, attractive navel oranges, roughly the same size
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 banana
1 cup orange juice
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

Kosher Parve Honey Lime Yams

2007-10-23T21:37:00.000-04:00

This parve alternative to the usual butter drenched candied yams goes great with spicy foods. It's also lower in fat and calories, but that's just a bonus.

2 large yams or sweet potatoes
1/2 cup honey
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne

Preheat your oven to 400F. Peel the yams and slice them into roughly 1/2 inch circles. The thinner you slice the yams, the faster they'll cook, but you don't want to slice them so thin you end up with slightly mushy yam fries.

Mix the honey, lime juice, salt, and cayenne in a bowl.

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Dip each slice of yam into the honey/lime mix. Spread the yam slices in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Repeat on a second cookie sheet if you have more yam slices. Drizzle the remaining mix over the top of the yams. You don't want to take the easy route by layering the slices then drowning them in the mix because the honey will just pool between the slices and burn.

Bake at 400F for 30 minutes, or until the yams are tender.

Kosher Bourbon chicken with pan fried apples

2007-10-15T09:27:00.000-04:00

I interrupt the flow of Thanksgiving themed recipes for something I threw together for guests last night. It was a great opportunity for me to break away from my usual fallbacks, as one of them detests both garlic and onions. Shocking, I know. I wanted to make something nice, but not intimidatingly fancy. More important, I wanted something I could cook mostly on autopilot while still hanging out with friends. Nothing is more dull than twiddling your fingers in the living room while someone else is cooking.

Really, this is just stir-fry using currently trendy western ingredients. You don't even have to keep a close eye on it - which is great for entertaining.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup bourbon (or whatever whiskey/scotch you drink)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup parve margarine
2 tbsp Chinese Five spice
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Peel the apples and cut them into thin slices. Cut the chicken breasts into around 8 pieces, depending on the size of the breasts. Rub the chicken pieces with the Chinese Five Spice powder.

Melt the margarine on a medium-high heat in your largest skillet. Brown the chicken pieces for a couple of minutes. Add in the bourbon, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until you have a nice, thick liquid. Throw in the sliced apples and stir until they're well coated.

It should take around 15 minutes for the apples and chicken to fully cook. Stir from time to time to make sure everything is cooked evenly. You'll end up with a nice, creamy bourbon sauce. Feel free to add more five spice cinnamon, or delicious artery-clogging fat.

(Benecol, Earth Balance, and Fleishmans all make parve margarines that work decently in cooking.)

Kosher Parve Wasabi/Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

2007-10-12T15:55:00.000-04:00

I find these wasabi/horseradish potatoes go great with beef dishes. Try them alongside a nicely peppered New York Strip Steak (with a bit of extra horseradish on the side for the meat.)

3 pounds potatoes
1 cup soy creamer OR 1 cup soy milk + 1 tbsp light vegetable oil
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tbsp horseradish - FRESH, NOT PREPARED! (Prepared horseradish often has dairy)
1/2 tbsp green wasabi paste
1 tsp fresh ground white pepper

I recommend peeling the potatoes. You can leave the skins on if you prefer, but I think the added texture distracts too much in this recipe. Skinned or not, boil and drain the potatoes then return them to their original pot. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl until smooth. This is just to ensure even distribution in the potatoes. You don't want to accidentally bite into a lump of pure wasabi. Add the mix to the pot of potatoes and mash until you reach your desired texture. I like mine a little lumpy, but you're welcome to get out a hand mixer if you prefer them uniformly smooth. If you'd like your potatoes a little creamier, add 1/4 cup soy creamer/soy milk. Don't add more sesame oil. It's more for flavor than texture.

If you want the flavor with a little less kick, cut the wasabi and horseradish in half and double the salt. If you're the type who loves the way horseradish clears your nostrils, go nuts with it. Or try adding a few cloves of garlic to enhance the flavor.

A note of caution - both prepared horseradish and some cheap wasabi pastes can be made with dairy. Please check the labels to be sure of what you're getting before you take anything home.

Kosher Parve Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2007-10-12T12:54:00.000-04:00

In this age of excellent milk substitutes, parve mashed potatoes don't have to be mealy and dry. You can get that rich, creamy texture from nut milks.

In exchange for the texture, you're going to have to spice the potatoes up a little. Silk brand coffee creamer is a real joy in mashed potatoes, but there's no denying the heavy the nutty taste. I haven't been able to lay hands on Wildwood Organic's soy creamer, although I hear good things about it. 8th Continent soymilk tastes a lot more like the real thing (I especially love their light chocolate soymilk), but like most soymilks, is too low in fat to give the full, creamy mouthfeel. Regardless of which milk/creamer alternative you use, you'll want to disguise the flavor with spices. Luckily, those spices include garlic. You can never go wrong with garlic.

3 pounds potatoes
1 cup soy creamer OR 1 cup soy milk + 2 tbsp light vegetable oil (or parve margarine)
10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh grated mixed peppercorns
1 tsp onion salt

Boil and drain the potatoes. It's entirely up to you whether or not to leave on the skins. Dump everything else in the pot you boiled your potatoes in and start mashing. Again, it's entirely up to you whether to stop while they're still a little lumpy or get out the hand mixer and blend them until smooth.

The stealth ingredient here is the onion salt. Somehow, the slightly acidic tang of it really covers any nutty soy flavor. If you can't get ahold of onion salt, try throwing the garlic, 1/2 cup of diced onion, and a tsp of oil into a blender until you have a nice, smooth paste. I'd add a couple extra cloves of garlic, too, since a few precious scraps will still be left in the blender. Add the paste to the pot of potatoes and blend as per the other directions.

Just as some people like their potatoes lumpy versus smooth or with bits of skin versus pure pulp, there are degrees of creamyness. If these are a little dry for your taste, try adding 1/4 cup creamer (or 1/4 cup milk + 1/2 tsp oil or 1 tsp parve margarine) until they reach your ideal texture.

Kosher Crockpot Turkey

2007-10-10T16:12:00.000-04:00

Oh, yes. There's a chill in the air and a new Bon Appetit in my mailbox. It must be Christmas. Wait, no, that's not until after Halloween, right? I'm so confused. My local Walgreens has a display with a cheerful green faced witch sitting on Santa's lap.

But here at home, I can dwell on the best fall Holiday of them all - a secular one shared by all Americans (even if I see gobbler turkeys decorated with skull necklaces next to a bed of mistletoe). It's finally time for Thanksgiving.

I literally can't get enough of those seasonal foods - and not just because most of them are delightfully parve. Thanksgiving isn't just a one day event for me. It' s more like eight weeks of hearty fare indigenous to our continent. Try to imagine a world without potatoes, tomatoes, corn, pumpkin or turkey. Okay, you can stop now. If you think about it too long, you'll get the shakes.

I let my Mother-in-law handle the dramatic Presentation Turkey for Thanksgiving itself. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking you must spend ten hours carefully crafting a hand basted golden brown bird every time you want a little turkey. No, no, no. In fact, as long as you don't mind a little judicious slicing before you bring it to the table, no one needs to know how easy this fall-off-the-bone moist turkey really was.

1 four to six pound bone-in turkey breast, thawed
1 yellow onion
1 carrot
1 head garlic (or 3 - 4 tbsp minced from a can)
1 tbsp basil
2 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water

Make sure you remove any neck, giblets, gravy packets, or other extras that come with your turkey breast. You don't want a greasy surprise later. Now mix the garlic, basil, salt, and olive oil into a thick paste. Loosen the turkey skin and rub the paste between the skin and the breast. Wipe any leftover on your fingers on the outside of the skin. Stuff one bay leaf on each side of the breast.

Roughly chop your onion and carrot. Honestly, if you don't plan on making any gravy or using the juices, you can skip this step. I think it makes the broth taste better. Put the turkey in the crockpot, stuff the chopped vegetables under the bone, and add the water.

Cook the turkey on low for 8 to 9 hours. I put it in before I go to work and come home to a great smelling dinner. The turkey will literally be falling off the bone at this point. Remove the largest chunks you can and let them cool before slicing. Add a couple tablespoons of the juices to keep it extra moist (or just bring a bowl of the drippings to the table and let people add their own.)

NOTE: If you can only get whole turkeys, this recipe works just as well. The only real problem is fitting the whole thing in your crockpot. If you have one of the huge ones, you're all set. If you have a normal sized crockpot, you can always chop off the legs (kids often enjoy helping with this part) and wings, save those for later, and throw the breast in a crockpot.

LAZY GRAVY: Add a cup of the cooked vegetables and two cups of the drippings/broth to a blender. You might want to add a few ice cubes first if your blender doesn't play nicely with hot liquids. Add in a teaspoon each of salt and fresh ground pepper, then blend until smooth. This will be a little thicker than broth, but not really as thick as gravy. If you'd like to thicken it up a little more, add 1 tsp of cornstarch to 1/2 cup cold water and blend until smooth. Once the cornstarch mix is smooth, add it to the gravy. Stir well and wait for it to cool a little more. That should give it some body.

Kosher Vegan Yellow Lentils with Whole Spices

2007-07-04T14:52:00.000-04:00

I love lentils. This sometimes surprises me, because I grew up hating beans. In retrospect, it turns out I didn't like the spices. Discovering South Asian and Middle Eastern food opened up a whole new word of tasty goodness for me.

Since they both take time to make and always taste better the next day, I tend to make lentil dishes in large batches so I can leave a pot in the fridge and graze out of it all week long. This particular lentil dish is a nice sweet variation loosely based on something I recently enjoyed at a Turkish restaurant.

2 cups yellow lentils, soaked overnight
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
2 tbsp minced garlic (or 4 cloves)
1 cinnamon stick
1 inch peeled and chopped ginger
1 bay leaf
4 whole cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground white or mixed peppercorns
6 cups water

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the garlic, cinnamon stick, ginger, bay leaf, cloves, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir well, cooking the spices for 2 - 3 minutes. Trust me - this really brings out the flavor. You'll notice a real difference if you skip the step (although I've dumped spices in the pot without cooking them first in plenty of recipes and had the result turn out perfectly edible. But that's not what you want. You want mouth watering.)

Now add the chopped onion and apricots. Stir frequently, cooking 4 - 5 minutes, until the onions turn translucent. Once the onions are ready, you can finally add the water and lentils. Stir everything well, then bring it to a boil. Cover the pot and bring it down to a simmer. Let the lentils boil for a good hour.

Now you get to decide if you want them slightly soupy or thick enough to stand a spoon in. If you'd like a more soup like consistency, take it off the heat, fish out the bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon stick, then serve. If you like your lentils thicker, take the lid off and continue cooking for another half hour - longer if you like your lentils really thick.

If you're feeling schmancy, let the lentils cool slightly, pick out the spices, and puree everything in a blender until it is nice and smooth. Personally, I like the mouthfeel of bits of onion and apricot (and, being honest here, I hate cleaning my blender).

Serve over rice or with naan.

VARIATIONS

Brown or red lentils don't need to be soaked overnight. If you're in a hurry, go ahead and use either of them. Red lentils hold up to to the sweetness of the apricots better, but they will fall apart faster, so you won't want to use the longer cooking time. You might also want to reduce the water by 1 cup. Brown lentils won't balance as well with the sweetness, but have a hearty solidity to them.

If you're feeling bold and daring, try substituting dried cranberries for the apricots.

If you'd like something a little mellower, try substituting diced dried apples for the apricots.

Kosher Greek Chicken and Potatoes

2007-05-19T14:36:00.000-04:00

I'm on a crockpot kick right now. Crockpots are more than just an easy way to make shabbat meals. They're also great for weeknight dinners when I want to have something hot waiting for me the minute I get home from the gym.

For those of you who don't own a crockpot, they're dirt cheap (the low end starts around $15 these days) and incredibly easy to use. You put in the food. You put on the lid. You turn it on. That's all.

1 whole roaster chicken
1 pound baby new potatoes
3 tbsp oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (2 small lemons or one big one)
1 tsp kosher salt

Put the potatoes at the bottom of your crockpot. Mix the oregano, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt into a paste. Loosen the skin of the chicken and smear the paste underneath. Trust me - you want it under the skin instead of over it. The flavor difference is incredible.

Put the chicken on top of the potatoes. This way, the juices will drip down and season the spuds. If there isn't enough room in your crockpot, then put the chicken in first and stuff in as many potatoes as you can wherever they'll fit.

Cook on "low" for 4 - 6 hours. I usually make this at lunchtime and come home to a hot dinner. I've never tried making this before work and coming home to it in the evening, so I don't know how the meat will react to 8 - 9 hours of cooking time. I suspect it'll be fall-off-the-bone tender. If you try, please let me know.

Variations:

Add 1 tsp minced garlic to the spice mix.
If you have an open bottle of white wine, pour 1/2 cup over the top of the chicken after the chicken and potatoes are arranged in the crockpot. Always cook with what you drink.
Slice up 1 white or yellow onion. Spread the potatoes at the bottom of the crockpot, add the onions on top of the potatoes, and the chicken on top of the onions.

Kosher Passover Irish Beef and Beer Stew

2007-05-14T13:44:00.000-04:00

Impress the family next Passover with a "Guinness" stew. No kidding. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but I love using it as an ingredient. It does wonders for any kind of beef in a crockpot. All of Ramapo Valley Brewery's beers are kosher, but their award winning HB Brew is also kosher for Passover (and, incidentally, drinkable by people with celiac disease. Some days, I really love modernity.) The tricky part of this recipe is finding the kosher for passover spices. One alternative is to buy fresh, refrigerated spices. If you can't find anything more than salt and pepper, use them liberally and trust the beer to provide the rest of the flavor.

2 pounds stew beef
2 large onions
4 large carrots
4 medium potatoes
1 bottle kosher for passover beer
1/4 cup brown sugar (or honey)
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp minced garlic (or 2-3 cloves)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes

Dice the onions, carrots, and potatoes into large chunks, at least two inches. Add them to the bottom of the crockpot. Next add the meat. On top of that, sprinkle all the sugar and spices. Top it all off with the bottle of beer.

Cook on "low" for six to eight hours. Don't worry about over cooking. If you throw this in the crockpot before leaving for work, it'll be fine if you get home nine or more hours later.

When ready to serve, add the cup of mashed potatoes. Without this, the liquid will be tasty, but the flavors won't stick as well. The potatoes thicken up the stew and bind the flavors together. Like most stews, this one is even tastier after sitting in the fridge overnight.

WARNING

Resist the urge to make this stew too busy. You'll see Guinness Beef Stew recipes with rosemary, basil, marjoram - pretty much any western European kitchen herb. Don't do it. The simpler you keep this recipe, the better it turns out.

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR

You can substitute 1/4 cup cornstarch well blended with 1/2 cup cold water instead of mashed potatoes. Both perform the same function as thickening agents.

Kosher Meatballs

2005-08-04T17:23:00.000-04:00

I've recently rediscovered the joy of meatballs. I can make a big batch one night then have all kinds of easy leftovers for the rest of the week - spaghetti, meatball sandwiches, crushed over rice - they're just so versatile!

1 pound of the leanest ground beef available
1/4 cup "Italian" style breadcrumbs (if the only spiced ones you can find are dairy, add 1 tsp "Italian" blend spices to plain breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced fine
1/4 cup bell pepper (red, yellow, or green), diced fine
1 tbsp worstechire sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground mixed peppercorns

The real key to these meatballs is texture. If you like a meatball with a little interior crunch, dice the onions and peppers by hand. If you prefer a smooth texture in your meatball, dice the onions and peppers in a food processor until they're very, very fine. If you want a buttery smooth texture in your meatballs, use a food processor on the vegetables first, then once everything is thoroughly mixed together, put meat mix into the food processor again and process until smooth.

However you prefer to do it, thoroughly mix all ingredients until they're well blended. Once you have the texture you prefer, roll the dough into golfball sized balls.

Heat your largest skillet to medium/medium low. Do not add any oil. Arrange the meatballs in the skillet so you still have a little space for maneuvering room. Allow each side to brown, about five minutes, then use a tablespoon to turn. Mine usually need to be turned 3 - 4 times before they're finished.

These freeze very well. You can put 3 - 4 between a couple papertowels and microwave them from frozen in just a couple minutes (depending on your microwave.) They're great for fast, low-fat meals.

Kosher Persian Inspired Beef and Yellow Split Pea Stew

2005-07-19T13:42:00.000-04:00

This is a dirt simple recipe, perfect for stuffing into the crockpot on your way out the door to work. It works equally well with beef or lamb, depending on your preference, but use a cheap, tough cut! Otherwise, the meat will fall completely apart after cooking for 8 hours. If you use cheap stewing meat, it'll be deliciously tender without falling to pieces.

1 pound inexpensive stew beef or lamb, cubed
1 cup yellow split peas
1 onion, chopped
1 fourteen point five oz can stewed or diced tomatoes
3 (newly emptied stewed tomato) cans of water
3 tbsp tomato paste (about half a 6 oz can)
1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 tbsp tumeric powder
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 lime, juiced

Mix everything BUT the time in your crockpot. Stir thoroughly. Leave the crockpot on low for at least 6 hours, preferably at least 8. Just before serving, juice 1/2 of the lime into the crockpot. Taste, and if it needs a little more lime, squeeze in the other half.

Don't put the lime in while cooking! The cirtus acids don't play nicely with the meat.

Serve with hot rice and/or pita bread.

Variations:

If you can find them, use 2 - 3 dried persian sour limes instead of a single regular lime. Ethinic groceries might have them. If they're not available where you live, don't worry.
Most versions of this recipe call for eggplant. I've never developed a taste for it, so I leave it out, but if you like eggplant, chop up a medium one and add it to the crockpot along with the rest of the ingredients. Eggplant lovers tell me it's a very tasty addition.
A bay leaf added to the crockpot adds nicely to the flavor.

Kosher Tzaziki Sauce - Turkish and Persian

2005-07-15T10:56:00.000-04:00

Since I'm lactose intolerant, this is something of a sin food for me. It can be made with soy yogurt, but to be honest with you, it's just not as good. I'm a big fan of cucumber, so I like the Turkish style Tzaziki best, but a lot of my friends prefer the mintier Persian, so I thought I'd include them both. The Turkish is delightful with falafel while the Persian is a fantastic accompaniment to salmon. Turkish Tzaziki

2 cups plain yogurt (fresh if you can get it)
1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic (about 3 cloves)
4 tbsp dried mint
1/2 tsp salt

Persian Tzaziki

2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 cup dried mint
2 tbsp dried parsley
2 tbsp dried dill
1 chopped garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt

The instructions for both are the same. Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight. If you eat it too early, it'll taste like lumpy yogurt, but if you let it sit overnight, the flavors will mingle and it'll be to die for. Stir again before serving. Serve chilled with falafel, salmon, a fresh vegetable tray, or whatever cries out to you. Stays good in the fridge for several days, though mine never lasts that long.

Kosher Vegan Banana Ice Cream

2005-05-31T19:23:00.000-04:00

I made 2 ice creams this weekend - one with Lactaid milk, one with Soymilk. My husband raved over this one and said the Lactaid milk experiment was okay, but nowhere near as crack-a-licious. This is also so easy it's almost criminal. No scalding of milk or melting of cocoa - just mix and pour. In a couple hours, it's ready to eat. I can picture making it every weekend this summer.

2 cups vanilla soy milk (8th Continent or Sun Soy preferred)
3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup sugar

Mash the bananas until they're paste. The blacker the skins, the easier this is. Mix in the sugar. Mix in the soymilk. Keep mixing until relatively smooth. Pour into your ice cream maker and follow your manufacturer's instructions.

Variations:

I think 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips would be a tasty addition.

Kosher Cinnamon Apple Chicken

2005-05-22T13:37:00.000-04:00

I've finally made a chicken dish with no garlic or onions! Be impressed. Of course, I personally think a teaspoon of minced garlic and a small sliced onion would mingle beautifully with the rest of the flavors, but I've been outvoted on this one.

1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp coase ground peppercorns
4 four oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp olive oil
4 medium granny smith apples, cored and sliced thin (1/4 inch slices)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix sage, coriander, salt, and pepper. Dampen chicken then rub the spice mix onto both sides. If you have a George Foreman Grill, cook the chicken there. If not, spritz a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and cook the chicken on both sides until done (usually 7 minutes per side, though always cut your chicken open to make sure).

Set cooked chicken aside. If you used a skillet, keep using the same one. If not, get out a skillet and put it over a medium heat. Add the olive oil, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Mix until smooth. Now add the sliced apples and stir until they're evenly coated with oil mix.

Cook apples over a medium heat for about five minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat and add the chicken back to the pan, stirring until it gets a nice glazed coat of the sugar/oil mixture.

One serving is a single chicken breast and about 3/4 cup of apples. It comes to 6 Weight Watchers points per serving.

Variations:

Add 1/2 tsp minced garlic to the oil, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon mix.
Add 1/2 tsp anise seeds to the oil, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon mix. This will add a sort of licorishy flavor which goes well with fruit.
Substitute 2 medium white onions for 2 of the apples. Yes, I love onions. I promise, a nice mild white onion would go beautifully with these flavors. If you do it, I'd also add the garlic.

Kosher Lite Apple Cinnamon Muffins

2005-05-03T13:07:00.000-04:00

Unlike the Blueberry and oh-so-tasty Banana Chip muffins, these are Healthy with a capitol H. I still like them, but keep in mind, these are for enjoying the sensation of fullness after a hard workout, not for kids lunchboxes (unless you want them trading up for Fiery Hot Cheetos.)

1 1/2 cups lite apple pie flavored yogurt
1 cup lowfat milk
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs (or your favourite egg substitute equivalent)
1 cup diced dried apples
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Preaheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix yogurt, milk, oats, vanilla, and eggs. Let sit around 5 minutes (so the oats will soak up the moisture. Otherwise, you'll have tough muffins.) While waiting, take your cup of dried apples (an entire bag of the Sunmaid brand) and dice them up. Add them to the bowl and mix well. Let sit another 2 minutes (again, so the dried apples can soak up some moisture.) Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Either use paper liners or spritz your muffin pan with cooking spray. Fill muffin cups about 1/2 full of batter. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Makes about 32 muffins at 2 Weight Watchers points per muffin. These freeze well for a couple months.

Kosher lite Blueberry Muffins

2005-04-10T15:26:00.000-04:00

I've been looking for a low-fat blueberry muffin recipe that isn't chock full of artificial sweeteners. Most recipes either go overboard with healthiness, substituting wheat bran and oatmeal for normal flour, or they're loaded up with so much butter and eggs they're a gazillion calories each. This is my personal compromise. These light and fluffy low fat muffins are moist but still pleasantly sweet. They're not healthy, but they're not cholesterol-o-rific, either.

3/4 cup lite vanilla yogurt
1 cup fat free milk
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Mix the yogurt, milk, egg, and sugar until smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix well. When the batter is smooth, gently fold in the blueberries. You don't want to overmix them or else they'll fall apart and turn the batter purple.

Either line a muffin pan with paper cups or spritz it with nonstick spray. Fill the cups 1/2 full of batter. Bake at 350F for 18 - 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Variations:

If you're absolutely obsessed with low sugar as well as low fat, substitute 1 cup of Splenda for Baking (the type measured cup for cup like sugar.)
To make this recipe parve, substitute plain soy yogurt and vanilla soymilk.
If you really want more blueberry flavor, substitute low fat blueberry yogurt for the vanilla. If you do, be prepared for your muffins to be a lovely shade of blue.

Weight Watchers Points: 3 points per muffin. If you make them as mini-muffins, reduce the baking time to 12 - 15 minutes. The mini muffins only have 1 point each.

Kosher Lite Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

2005-03-23T15:23:00.000-05:00

I made some minor but tasty modifications to a Weight Watchers brand recipe to end up with these oh-so-tasty mini loaves. They make an incredibly filling six point breakfast for days when you have to be out the door in a flash. Cut in half, they're a great 3 point snack. Since there is no consistency in the size of a "mini loaf," I should add my Weight Watchers scale says my loaves are about 100 grams, baked in a 3x2 inch mini loaf pan.

3/4 cup lite banana yogurt
1/2 cup fat free skim milk
1/2 cup uncooked quick oats
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 very ripe bananas, mashed (black if you can stand them that long)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Mix yogurt, milk, oats, vanilla, and egg until well blended. Set aside for at least five minutes. This will give the oats a chance to absorb moisture. If you don't let it sit, you'll end up with very textured bread instead of tasty smoothness.

After five minutes, stir in the mashed bananas.

Now add all the other ingredients and mix well.

Spritz your mini-loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and fill about half way with batter. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a fork poked inside comes out clean.

Variations:

To make this recipe parve (or to make it dairy free for people who are allergic to milk/lactose intollerant) substitute vanilla soy yogurt (banana flavor is better, if you can find it) and vanilla soy milk for the regular yogurt and milk. Leave out the chocolate chips (unless you have a source of good dairy free ones.)
Instead of mini-loaves, bake the batter in the form of mini-muffins. The muffins take 15 to 18 minutes to cook and have only one point each.
Have fun with the yogurt flavors! I used a generic Banana's Foster lite yogurt and had great results.
If you prefer a more traditional tasting banana bread, leave out the chocolate chips, substitute vanilla for banana yogurt, and add 1 tsp cinnamon.

Kosher Vegan White Beans and Corn

2005-03-22T18:53:00.000-05:00

I've never been fond of black-eyed peas, but I absolutely love most white beans. This is my (much lighter) take on a colorful southern dish.

1 cup Habichuelas Blancas (small white beans), soaked overnight (you can find canned ones in some Mexican groceries)
1 cup (two large ears) fresh corn, cooked
3 cups water
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic (or two cloves, chopped)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp basil
juice of 1 lime

Bring water to a boil. Add beans, cover, and reduce to low. Simmer until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. If you haven't already boiled the corn, this is a good time to do so. You'll have some time to kill.

When the beans are nearly ready (no more than 15 minutes left to go), put a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Saute the chopped onion until translucent (longer if you like). Add the bell pepper, cooked corn, tomato, and garlic. Saute until tender-crisp, about 4-5 minutes.

When the peas are fully cooked (all water absorbed, tender when tasted), add the corn mixture and all remaining ingredients. Stir until well blended. Serve hot.

Variations:

If using canned beans, cook the corn mixture as per directions. Drain the beans and add them directly to the frying pan, along with the vinegar, garlic, lime juice, and spices. Mix well and serve hot.
You can make this even more colorful by adding half a green bell pepper to the corn mix.

Kosher for Passover Parve Deviled Eggs

2005-03-21T17:55:00.000-05:00

These aren't lite by any stretch of the imagination, but they're very tasty and can be served with meat or dairy meals, or just eaten as an enjoyably fatty snack.

12 hard boiled eggs
1/3 cup Kosher for Passover mayonnaise, such as Manischewitz
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika

Shell the eggs. Cut them in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Mix the yolks, mayonnaise, lemon juice, cumin, pepper, and salt in a bowl. Mash until an even texture. Spoon the mash back into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika.

I don't dare figure up the Weight Watcher points. Assume it's a lot. A whole lot.

Kosher Vegan Vegetable Medley

2005-03-09T08:13:00.000-05:00

This is so simple I don't even think it deserves the title "recipe." My husband disagrees. In fact, he disagrees so fervently he has promised, if I'll post it, he'll make dinner without me sitting in the other room and eyeballing everything for him. I can't turn down an offer like that. In case you've never tried, fresh vegetables with a dash of olive oil cook up beautifully in the microwave. The olive oil keeps them from drying out and the microwave cooking leaves them beautifully crisp.

2 cups mixed veggies (I use green beans, sliced carrots, red peppers, asparagus & sliced onions)
1 tbsp basil flavored olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic (the refridgerated kind that comes in a jar, or you can mince yourself)
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Mix the olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large, microwave safe bowl. Add the veggies and toss well until the veggies are coated. This may take a couple minutes. A tablespoon really will coat them all - you don't want them to drip.

Microwave on high for 3 - 4 minutes (we have a weak, cheap 600 watt microwave. A more powerful machine will need less time.) Mix well again, recoating veggies with oil. Serve hot.

Yes, it really is that easy.

Use whatever vegetables you prefer. Like broccoli? Go for it. Hate onions? Leave them out. All you need to do is make sure your vegetables cook at the same speed. That means if you add carrots or squash, slice it into thin pieces.

Other good oil-and-herb mixes include 1 tbsp garlic olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of your favourite Jamacian, Cajun, or Moroccan spice blend. I've also used 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp steak rub (especially good on asparagus) or fish rub (good with carrots and green beans.) Sadly, curries and Indian spice blends do not work well.

Kosher Bread Pudding

2005-02-21T13:29:00.000-05:00

I love bread pudding, but it's almost always dairy. I whipped up this parve version at home recently and absolutely loved it. The soy chai adds a nice punch of flavor.

3 cups Italian bread, cubed
2 cups soy chai
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tbsp lite olive oil
2 shots bourbon or whiskey
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Mix everything but the bread until smooth, then mix in the bread. Pour mixture into a nonstick baking pan and let sit for at least 10 minutes so bread can soak up the mixture. Bake for 1 hour at 350. For an espically moist bread pudding, place your baking dish into a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with water until the water reaches about half way to the top of your baking dish. Put the whole caboodle in the oven, treating it like a giant creme brulee.

Since this is parve, there won't be a whiskey sauce. You can make one with veggie margarine, but it's just not as good, so why pretend? Instead of topping a good bread pudding with a merely adequate whiskey sauce, try combining 1 shot bourbon with 3 shot glasses of packed brown sugar (or a larger 3:1 ratio if you want more coating) so the sugar is soaking wet. Sprinkle wet sugar on top of your baked bread pudding and either heat dramatically with a creme brulee torch or just broil within 4 inches or less of the broiler for a few minutes, until the sugars start to carmalize. It'll make an incredibly tasty topping.

Variations:

Slice 1/2 cup granny smith apple. Pour 1/2 bread mix into pan, layer half the apples. Add 1/4 mix in, layer remaining apples, then top with final 1/4 mix. Bake normally.
Slice 1 medium banana. Mix in with the bread and liquid then bake normally.

Kosher Lite White Chicken Chilli

2005-01-30T22:36:00.000-05:00

This is a lite take on the heavy southwest inspired soups which are usually served with a ton of shreaded cheese and fried tortilla strips. In this version, the lack of cheese not only keeps it kosher, but also strips away a ton of calories. If you love cheesy soups, try adding a quarter cup shreaded soy cheese before serving.

12 oz cooked chicken breast, diced small
6 cups veggie broth or low fat, low sodium chicken broth
3 fifteen oz cans Great Northern Beans
2 four and a half oz cans diced green chilli peppers, undrained
1 can "Fiesta" corn
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp minced bottled garlic
1.5 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cloves
1 bay leaf

Bring oil to medium-high heat. Add diced yellow onions, cloves, and garlic, then cook until onions are translucent. Add broth and stir well. Add all other ingredients, mixing well. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes, preferably for about an hour. Serve hot.

There are 30 Weight Watchers points in the entire pot. That adds up to 3 points per 2 cup bowl of soup - not as lite as the Confetti Soup, but incredibly filling.

Kosher Vegan Lite Confetti Soup

2005-01-30T22:19:00.000-05:00

This is a light, tasty, zero point soup. The key to it is dicing the vegetables into very tiny pieces. A food processor works well in this regard. If you don't have one, just be patient when chopping.

6 cups home made vegetable broth
2 yukon potatoes, diced into 1/4 inch pieces.
1/2 large carrot, sliced very thin
1/2 yellow onion
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 ear yellow corn (or 4 tablespoons canned)
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp thyme
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Bring broth to a boil. Add spices and potato. Cover and reduce heat to low. Add everything else. Mix well, cover and continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 15 - 30 minutes, or until potatoes are fully cooked. Makes about 8 cups. Like most soups, this one is even better the next day.

There are only 4 Weight Watchers Points in the entire pot. That adds up to about half a point per cup, so eat up and enjoy!

Kosher Vegan Lite Vegetable Stock

2005-01-30T21:52:00.000-05:00

As part of my diet, I decided to experiment with home made broth. I'd always heard they were both tastier and better for you, but I'd never actually put in the time to find out for myself. Now, I'm glad I did. This broth is good enough to drink on its own as a soup. It freezes well and makes a fantastic base for quick soups.

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
4 large yellow onions, with skin
4 celery stalks, with leaves
4 carrots
1 turnip
1 rutabaga
1 head garlic
2 fresh bay leaves
4 strands fresh thyme
4 fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp black peppercorns
16 cups (4 liters) water

In a large stockpot, heat oil at medium-high.

Chop all vegetables into rough pieces, no more than 2 inches each. KEEP the skin of the onions and garlic - they will add color as well as flavor.

Add the vegetables to the stockpot, stirring frequently until they are lightly coated in oil. Cook over medium-high, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until the vegetables are almost burned, about 20 minutes. If they start to smell burned, you've gone too far, but you really do want the vegetables to be dark brown and well past the point where you'd normally eat them. If they look edible, keep cooking. The longer you cook, the more flavorful your broth will be.

When the vegetables are a deep brown, add the water and fresh spices. You can find fresh spices in your produce section, but if they're not available, substitute 2 tablespoons of thyme and basil. Mix well and bring to a rolling boil. Partially cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer at least two hours, stirring about once every half an hour (more if you just like to peek in the pot every now and then.) Put in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, strain broth through 2 layers of cheesecloth. If you can't find cheesecloth, put oil splatter screen over a bowl. Put your colander over the splatter screen. Then carefully pour the broth through the two layers of mesh. Discard vegetables. Use or freeze broth.

This broth has no Weight Watchers points. That's right, folks, it's free!

Kosher Curry Chicken Salad

2005-01-19T23:07:00.000-05:00

I know it's not terribly creative, but I like a nice, sweet curried chicken salad. I wanted to make one that would fit into my new Weight Watchers diet. If you're having trouble getting in all your fruits and veggies, one serving of this is a much better choice than a Lean Cuisine microwavable lunch.

12 oz chicken (2 small kosher breast halves)
1 medium apple, diced (granny smith works best)
1 1/2 cups red or green grapes, sliced in half
4 tbsp parve fat free mayo substitute
2 tbsp canned crushed pineapple
2 tbsp medium heat curry powder

Coat the chicken with half the curry powder and cook in a George Foreman grill (or other fat-free cooking method). When the chicken cools, shread it into the smallest pieces you have the patience for. If you prefer to use precooked chicken, cut the curry powder down to 1.5 tbsp.

Combine all ingredients in a single bowl until well mixed. Chill and serve cold either on whole wheat bread or a bed of lettuce. Yes, it's that easy.

Points estimate for entire dish: Chicken, 12; Fat Free Mayo, 4; Grapes, 2; Apple, 1; Pineapple, 1; spices, 0. Total points per serving: 5 (meal sized serving), 3 (sandwich sized serving).

Kosher Chicken Vatana Soup

2005-01-18T17:45:00.000-05:00

It was 20 degrees outside and I was in the mood for a thick, hearty, chicken soup. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to experiment with the Vatana Dahl I picked up at Jungle Jim's. If you like light, sipping broths, cut all solid ingredients in half. I prefer dense soups that will fill you up on a cold night. This is a flavorful, colorful soup that helps warm the belly and sustain you for a long night out in the cold. Incidentally, Vatana Dahl is the same as yellow peas (remember Mendel's genetics experiments? These are the peas the west decided they disliked in favor of the common green peas found in the supermarket.)

1 cup dry vatana dahl/yellow peas
2 fourteen and a half oz cans fat free low sodium chicken broth
2 cans water
8 oz cooked chicken breast (about 2 small kosher breast halves)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 ear corn (or 1/2 cup drained canned corn)
1.5 tbsp oregano
2 tsp minced garlic (or 2 fresh chopped cloves)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper

Cover the beans with 2 - 3 inches of water and soak overnight. Trust me, you really have to do this. Dry beans stay ubercrunchy if you don't.

The next day, put the broth and 2 cans of water (just refill the broth cans) into a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Add all spices. Drain the soaking water off the beans and add them to the pot. Let boil uncovered for about 45 minutes. You'll boil off about 1 can of water. Don't worry. You're supposed to.

Meanwhile, chop the onion and red pepper and cut the kernels off the corn cob. When the soup has boiled for half an hour, add the onion, pepper, corn, and chicken. Cover and let simmer for another half hour. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add 1/2 cup of water and adjust seasonings to taste.

Points estimate for entire dish: Broth, 0; Water, 0; Vatana Dahl, 4; Chicken, 8; Onion, 1; Corn, 1; Bell Pepper, 0; spices, 0. Total points per serving: 2 (8 side dish servings), 4 (4 meal sized servings).

Variations:

Add 1 can diced mild green chillies when adding spices to broth
For a hotter soup, add 1/2 tsp red pepper or a few drops of your favourite hot sauce
For a stronger base, substitute more broth for the cans of water

Kosher Vegan Lite Aloo Masala

2005-01-12T17:56:00.000-05:00

To my surprise, potatoes aren't prohibited by Weight Watchers. I'm looking forward to rediscovering some of my favourite Indian vegetarian foods. In this one, all I really did was cut down on the oil and cheat a bit on cooking the potatoes. It's dirt simple and very, very fast.

2 cups unpeeled red potatoes, cut into the size of cheese cubes
2 tsp garlic flavored olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1.5 tbsp chaat masala (available from Indian grocery stores)

Put the potatoes in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Trust me on this one. Meanwhile, add the 2 tsp of oil to a large skillet and bring to a medium heat. Throw the microwaved potatoes and chaat masala in the pan and stir well. What you're doing is the equilivent of parboiling the potatoes so they'll fry in less oil (and less time). Keep stirring until potatoes are evenly coated in oil and spices. Cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. The potatoes should begin to brown. Add the peas and onions. Stir until well mixed, then cook, stirring frequently, for another five minutes. (If your chaat masala is salt-free, add 1/2 tsp salt when adding spices.) Serve with cool sliced cucumbers or (if octo-lavo) a cucumber-yogurt sauce. Makes 2 servings as a meal, 4 servings as a side dish. Points estimate for entire dish: potatoes, 4; olive oil, 2; onion, 1; peas, 1. Total per (side dish) serving: 2.

Kosher Lite Sumac Chicken

2005-01-11T01:24:00.000-05:00

I fear I like to eat as much as I like to cook, so I've joined Weight Watchers. Many of my recipes from this point forward will probably be on the slimmer side. This is a lite version of one of my favourite middle eastern dishes. In addition to being lower in calories and points it also cooks up in under fifteen minutes. This makes two servings of (by my rough estimate) 6 points each (5 without pine nuts), plus whatever's in your brand of naan/pita bread. You can find sumac at Mediterranean grocery stores or you can order it over the internet.

6 oz chicken breast, cut into small strips
1 medium yellow onion, sliced very thin
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp red sumac
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 slice naan or Greek style pita bread

Add one tsp of olive oil to the pan and saute the onions over a medium heat until nearly translucent. Add the chicken, remaining oil, and spices. Stir well, ensuring everything is nicely coated. Continue to saute, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through.

Warm naan/pita in the same oven you've used to toast the pine nuts (or just pop it in the toaster oven or microwave if you're not using pine nuts.) Cut the warm naan/pita in half. Separate the sumac chicken into 2 servings as well. Serve with fresh sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. Curried chick peas would make a good side dish.

To toast the pine nuts, spread them on a nonstick cookie sheet and put them in the oven at 400F. Keep a close eye on the nuts. As soon as the tops take on the smallest hint of golden brown, yank them out and sweep them off the cookie sheet. Time will vary depending on how fresh or stale your pine nuts are, how dark your cookie sheet, and how accurate your oven, but they rarely take more than 5 minutes.

Points estimate per serving: Chicken, 3; Pine Nuts, 2; Olive Oil, 1; Onion, 0; Spices, 0. Total, 6.

Kosher Oatmeal Fig Cookies

2004-12-21T15:01:00.000-05:00

These are basically just oatmeal-raisin cookies with figs instead. I adore figs, though, so I had to concoct some holiday desert including them. You'll need to cut off the stems and chop the figs yourself, as I've never seen chopped figs in my local grocery store. You're welcome to just substitute raisins or dates in their place, but the figs add a nice richness of texture and flavor. These can easily be made vegan/lactose free by substituting dairy-free margarine in the place of butter.

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups flour
2.5 cups quick-cooking oats
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups chopped mission figs
1.5 cup cinnamon chips or toffee chips
1/2 cup dried cherries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Beat until smooth. Add flour. Mix well. Stir in oats, chopped figs, and cinnamon/toffee chips.

Drop by tablespoonfulls onto greased cookie sheet. Place one dried cherry on center top of each cookie. Bake 10 - 12 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet (otherwise the toffee/cinnamon chips will stick to your spatula, making a mess.)

Makes around 4 dozen.

Kosher Turkey Val Soup

2004-11-30T15:46:00.000-05:00

I tried to wait until we were out of Thanksgiving leftovers, but my new bean collection just calls to me. Instead of waiting, I've decided to combine something old and something new into something tasty. This soup is loosely inspired by the seasonings in white chilli (sans dairy), with the Val dal substituted for navy beans and the addition of seasoned tomatoes because, what the heck, they're in nearly every dal recipe I've ever seen.

4 cups chicken or turkey stock
2 cups shreaded chicken or turkey (leftovers)
2 cups Val dal
1 can Italian Seasoned tomatoes
1 empty tomato can of water
2 medium onions, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Put everything in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 - 3 hours, until beans reach desired tenderness. Be careful not to overboil the soup, or these beans will disintegrate and turn into a gross mush.

Variations:

Try adding 2 ears of fresh corn
Try adding one diced red or green bell pepper
I'm still new to Val dal, but I'm guessing this might be a good crockpot soup. Try dumping all the ingredients into a crockpot set to low before leaving for work in the morning, then serving it up for dinner. If you try this, please email and let me know how the beans turn out.

Jungle Jim's International Market

2004-11-22T02:57:00.000-05:00

My husband and I just got home from a week long business trip to Columbus. Cincinnati is on the way back home, so we stopped at Jungle Jim's International Market. Words can not express the wonder of this store. If you're a foodie living under 3 hours drive from Cincinnati, this place is worth the pilgrimage. Honest. If you're a world traveler with a craving for anything from fresh Thai Durian fruit to German RitterSport Cornflake Chocolate, then you can not resist the siren song of this massive warehouse of imported, rare, and just darn tasty foods. I don't make it often, so when I do go, I try to limit myself to a theme. Otherwise, it's just too easy to pick up $300 in fascinating imports and find yourself with no money left for staples the rest of the month. This visit, I was in bean heaven. In addition to my usual beloved chick peas, I brought home Gula Artor beans from Sweden, Vatana white peas, Val Dal, and the far more common Toor Dal and Yellow Split Peas one can find at any good Indian grocery. I've already got plenty of ordinary red, green, and brown lentils at home. To be honest, I don't have a clue what Vatana white peas or Gula Artor taste like, but I can't wait to find out.

Kosher Sausage Balls - edited

2004-11-09T15:27:00.000-05:00

It's college basketball season again, which in my household means high cholesterol snacks and an an inverse relationship between athletic prowess and viewer sloth. These sausage balls are a great alternative for either sports fans keeping kosher or lactose intolerant sports fans.

4 cups (about 1 pound) kosher ground beef sausage (the sort you turn into patties, not the sort you eat on a bun)
3 cups cheddar flavor soy cheese
2 cups parve biscuit mix, ala Bisquick (which is Kosher Dairy) or 2 cups "home made Bisquick" from below.

Mix the three ingredients into a hard dough. This will take some elbow work. Do not add any water. The fat in the sausage adds more than enough moisture.

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a dark cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes (depending on how browned you like your balls).

* * * * * * * * * *

Edit:

If you've been to any restaurant in the south, you've probably had this conversation.

"What're you drinking, honey?" asks the waitress

You flip to the back of the menu, searching for beverages, then give up and say, "I'll have a Coke."

"What kind?"

You blink twice, then repeat slowly, "A Coke."

The waitress shrugs. "We've got Pepsi, Sierra Mist, and Sweet Tea."

"No Coke?" You start searching the back of the menu again. The deserts all look good.

The waitress sighs heavily. "I said we've got Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Sweet Tea - oh, I forgot. We've also got Dr. Pepper."

"I'll just have a water, thanks."

By the same token, when I say "Bisquick" I mean, "whatever biscuit mix is appropriate." I know better. Bisquick is an easily recognizable name brand product, and I should remember that people reading recipes take ingredients literally.

Folks who keep Kosher could tell that recipe wasn't written correctly (thanks for the quick comment) but those who are here because they're allergic to dairy or lactose intolerant might've been in some serious trouble if they took the first version of this recipe literally.

For those who don't live close to a grocery with a good kosher food section, here's a recipe for parve biscuit mix which works just as well as good old name brand "Bisquick."

Source: Budget Cooking-Elegant Dining, The Kosher Experience by Sue Epstein Yield: makes 15 cups

12 cups flour
1/4 cup baking powder
2 tbsp salt
1 pound vegetable shortening (soy "butter" works well. Olive oil does not.)

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. 2. Add vegetable shortening and blend together with a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips, until mixture is the same texture as coarse cornmeal. 3. Store in a dry cool place.

Kosher Vegan Garlic Peas

2004-11-05T15:03:00.000-05:00

I thought I hated peas as a child. This was because they always came out of a can before being boiled into submission, then served with nothing but a dollop of margarine. I was delighted to discover frozen peas might as well be a different vegetable and the addition of a few spices brings out wonderful richness. The best thing about peas is they're *fast.* This recipe goes from freezer to table in five minutes.

1 cup frozen green peas
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper

Mix everything in a microwave safe bowl. You do not need any extra water. The minimal bit of ice clinging to the frozen peas is enough. Microwave for 3 - 4 minutes, depending on your microwave. Stir well so all spices and oil are distributed evenly, then serve.

Oh, and in the name of speed, use the pre-minced garlic you can find at any grocery store. There are times to peel and mince your garlic by hand. This is not one of them.

Kosher Clove and Honey Peas

2004-11-05T14:59:00.000-05:00

This is a dirt simple side dish you can prepare in five minutes. The sweetness of honey works well with any fruity entree. The cloves temper the sweetness, adding a nice richness of flavor.

1 cup frozen green peas
1 tbsp honey
3 whole cloves (do not use powder!)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

Put everything in a microwave safe bowl and mix well. Microwave for 3 - 4 minutes (adjust time for your own microwave.) Stir again while hot, making sure the peas are evenly coated. Serve.

Do not use clove powder! If you do, the flavor will utterly overwhelm your peas, making them inedible. The whole cloves impart a subtle flavor rather than beating your taste buds into submission.

Kosher Crockpot Turkey & Gravy

2004-10-21T17:32:00.000-04:00

My Bon Appetit arrived today, reminding me it's time to start planning for Thanksgiving. Half the recipes within seem to be some desperate attempt to make a turkey juicy instead of the sad, dry things so many of us are familiar with come Thanksgiving. My personal solution is to give up on the presentation turkey and instead focus on moistness and taste. Instead of a golden brown roasted bird, I put warm slices of juicy turkey on a pretty platter and let people dig in without having to carve off a hunk of meat. The best part is - it's incredibly simple. Like most crockpot foods, just plug it in and forget about it. No basting, no thermometers. No worries. In addition to reducing your stress, this leaves the oven free for pies, breads, and dressing.

5 - 6 pound bone-in turkey breast (or whatever will fit in your crockpot)
1 cup white wine (cook with what you drink)
4 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp basil
2 tsp fresh black pepper
4 small bay leaves
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onions

Loosen the skin along the turkey breast, but do not remove it. Mix the garlic, pepper, thyme, and basil into a thick paste. Smear it under the turkey skin, covering as much area as possible. Tuck the bay leaves under the skin as well, two on each side of the breast, and smooth the skin back down over the turkey.

Put the turkey breast into the crockpot and "stuff" the cavity with the diced onions and carrots. This will be a bit of a sloppy mess, but try to get them down around the bones. Pour the white wine over the turkey.

Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours, or overnight.

In the morning, your turkey will be all but swimming in tasty juices. Drain off as much broth as you need for your dressing. Save at least 1 cup of broth for the gravy.

Remove turkey from crockpot and let sit until cool enough to handle. It should nearly fall off the bone. When cool, remove skin and bay leaves. Wait until the turkey cools, though. If you try to cut it fresh from the crockpot, it will be so hot and moist you'll end up with oddly sized turkey hunks. If you let it cool enough to handle, you can slice it into neat, enviable pieces. Drench the slices with warm broth and prepare to serve.

If you like making your own very tasty broth (excellent for December holiday recipes), put the bones, skin, and bay leaves back in the crockpot, fill with water, and leave on "low" overnight. The day after thanksgiving, when trying to figure out what to do with the rest of your leftovers, strain the turkey broth, throwing away the bones and bits. Frozen broth will last at least 3 months (possibly longer, but mine is always used up by then.)

If you don't have your own favourite, here's my e-z turkey gravy recipe.

1 cup broth
1 cup diced onions and carrots scooped out of broth
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp black pepper

Put broth, pepper, and veggies in a blender and blend until smooth. This will considerably thicken the gravy. Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Gradually add to the broth mix, stirring well. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring to prevent lumps.

Kosher 2nd Generation Chilli

2004-10-20T16:22:00.000-04:00

Heirloom recipes are wonderful things. I want to send a big Thanks out to Margi, my wonderful Mother-in-Law, for this incredibly tasty Chilli. I've made a few modifications (mostly substituting my beloved chick peas for red beans and flavored tomatoes for plain ones) but this is her recipe. It's not cheap. I usually spend around $60 getting all the ingredients. However, I end up with a massive vat of chilli (around 5 gallons) which will feed me and my husband for a week...or a large group of our friends for a night. If you make your own modifications, please leave in the two kinds of meat. They add variation in the texture, which adds a wonderful mouth-feel to the richness of the chilli. (Unless you are a vegeterian, in which case you are excused.) I also urge you to cut fresh corn off the raw cob rather than use canned (or *shudder* frozen). Fresh corn stays amazingly crisp even after days in the fridge.

2 pound roast, defatted and cut into cubes
2 pounds ground beef
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 yellow bell peppers, chopped
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 jalepeno peppers, seeded and chopped
6 uncooked ears of corn, cut from cob (honest. Unlike canned, this will stay crisp)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 four oz can diced green chilli's
2 28 oz cans chopped tomatoes with juice ("Italian" seasoned or plain)
2 fifteen oz cans white kidney beans/great northern beans (with juice)
2 fifteen oz cans chick peas/garbanzo beans (with juice)
1 cup strong coffee
1 twelve oz bottle beer
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tbsp paprika or chilli powder
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp thyme
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp black pepper

Brown the ground beef, drain off the grease, and set it aside. Brown the cubed meat (I just put it in my George Forman grill while browning the hamburger), drain off the grease, and set aside.

In a deep kettle, add olive oil and onions. Saute until translucent. Add hamburger, steak, brown sugar, garlic, coffee, chilies, jalapenos, and all spices. Mix very well, then simmer for about 10 minutes. It should smell very strong.

Add all remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly mixed, then bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn heat to low and simmer for at least 2 hours - the longer the better. Stir every half an hour. You can leave it simmering on low all night and enjoy it for breakfast in the morning, or refridgerate it before bed.

Serve with chopped onions, grated soy cheese, and either cornbread or crusty French bread.

Variations:

For more traditional chilli, substitute red kidney beans for the chick peas.
For hotter chilli, double the chilli powder.
For economical purposes, cut meats in half and double beans.
For vegetarians, eliminate the meats and substitute 3 pounds of veggie ground meat substitute. Add the veggie ground round when adding the canned tomatoes.

Chilli is good in the fridge for up to 5 days. To preserve, refridgerate overnight, then ladle single bowl sized servings into freezer safe plastic bags and freeze. Chilli stays good in freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, empty the solid block of chilli into a microwave safe bowl, add 1 tbsp water, and microwave for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir well, let sit for 1 - 2 minutes, and enjoy.

Kosher Vegan Basil Green Beans

2004-10-13T17:19:00.000-04:00

Vegetables have a bad reputation. People think they're bland, difficult to prepare, or just tasteless. This is because people make the great mistake of steaming or boiling their veggies then failing to add any spices. It's positively criminal. This weeknight recipe cooks up in 5 minutes, fridge to table. No kidding. People who hate eating veggies will think you're a culinary genius. Their tastebuds won't know what hit them.

1/2 lb fresh green beans
1 tbsp basil flavored olive oil
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper (or 1/4 tsp pre-ground)

Mix everything but the green beans in a microwave safe bowl.

Add the green beans and stir until well coated.

Microwave for 3 minutes. (Microwaving veggies is the best way to keep them crisp and avoid cooking out all nutrients.)

Stir well and serve. Yes. That's it.

Flavored olive oils are a wonderful thing. They can be found at most grocery stores alongside the olive oil and at all Wild Oats, Whole Foods, and other upscale grocers. My personal favourite for cost/flavor is the Consorzio brand.

Kosher Crockpot "Drippy Chicken"

2004-10-13T17:02:00.000-04:00

This is called "Drippy Chicken" because it is a very wet recipe. Most lemon chicken recipes result in a dry chicken that seems to absorb moisture as it struggles down your throat. Not this one. It's wonderfully moist and absolutely melts in your mouth. One of the reasons is it's cooked in a crockpot. I do so love my slow cooker. Throw in your food in the morning, come home to dinner - no fuss, no worry. Crockpots are a wonderful invention. Every home should have one. This is loosely based on a delicious Greek recipe from "Jim's Coney Island" back in Tulsa, Oklahoma. If you're ever in Tulsa, stop by one of the best hole-in-the wall restaurants you're ever going to find. It's half coney shop, half Greek food, and 100% delicious.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice from 4 lemons
3 medium onions, sliced
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup white wine
1 bay leaf

Put everything but the chicken in the crockpot and stir until well mixed Add the chicken, making sure it's well coated in the wet mix.

Cook on Low for 6 hours or high for 4.

When you take off the lid, the chicken will no longer be nice, solid pieces of meat, but instead will have fallen all to pieces. Use a fork to stir briskly until it has the texture of pulled chicken, like the kind you get in BBQ joints. This should produce a very wet mix of tender chicken and onions.

Ladle the wet chicken mix into heavy pita bread for sandwiches or eat alongside fresh green beans (preferably beans cooked with basil and garlic.) Store the chicken in it's juices. It should be good in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes:

DO NOT USE LEMON CONCENTRATE. Your chicken will taste like Lemon Scented Pledge. Honest. Just squeeze 4 lemons.
Frozen chicken breasts work just fine. Cook them on low for 6+ hours.
If you absolutely must have intact chicken breasts for presentation purposes, use the same mix, but put it in a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake in a 350F oven for 45 minutes.

Kosher Fruity Angelhair

2004-10-11T18:09:00.000-04:00

This is one of those recipes inspired by staring at the pantry and thinking, "I've got a lot of ingredients, but I don't have any food." It started as a way to concoct dinner from a lot of unrelated leftovers and evolved into something that gets regularly requested. It's fast, simple, and very versatile.

Enough angelhair pasta to serve one
2 medium onions, diced
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp basil flavored olive oil

Cook pasta according to package directions. It won't look like enough, but don't worry. The fruit and peppers are the stars of this dish with the pasta taking a backup role.

In a huge skillet, cook onions in olive oil until translucent. Add everything but the pasta. Mix well and continue to cook until onions start to brown.

This should be about the same amount of time it takes for the pasta to cook. This is no accident. :) Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet, mixing until well coated.

Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until all excess moisture is gone. Serve with hot crusty bread.

Variations:

If you can't get full without meat on your plate, add 1 cup of precooked, diced chicken after the onions are translucent.
When seasonal, I sometimes add 1 -2 ears of fresh cooked corn. Canned gets mushy, and let's not talk about frozen, but a hint of fresh corn works surprisingly well and adds some nice color.
Don't like raisins? Just add 3/4 cup of whatever dried fruit you like best. I use whatever's around the house. Just beware of dried apples - they turn into a sticky mess.
Red peppers too expensive? Any 2 bell peppers will do.

Kosher Parve Lentil & Egg Curry

2004-10-04T18:41:00.000-04:00

High in protein, low in fat, low in calories, and amazingly cheap to make - sounds like the worst dinner ever, right? But South Asian spices can rescue even the dullest of ingredients, and this combination transforms plain brown lentils and boiled eggs from sparkling glass to the rarest diamond. This a wonderful Parve dish is great as a side at either a meat or milk meal, or as the centerpiece of a hearty vegetarian meal. Like most (non dairy or soy based) curries, it tastes even better as leftovers, when the flavors have had a chance to mingle overnight. Ingredients

1/2 cup brown lentils
3/4 cup water
6 eggs
2 medium onions, chopped
4 chopped tomatoes or one 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 heaping tbsp minced garlic (or 6 minced cloves)
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ginger powder (or 1/2 inch ginger root, peeled and finely chopped)
1/2 tsp kosher salt (unnecessary if using canned tomatoes)
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cloves
1 tbsp olive oil

Egg and Lentil Curry

Boil lentils according to package directions - approximately 30 minutes, or until just tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, hard boil eggs. When cool enough to touch, peel eggs and cut lengthwise.

Fry onions in a large saucepan until almost translucent. Add all spices and continue to fry another 5 minutes, or until onions are tender and spices are aromatic. Add tomatoes, sugar, and 3/4 cup water. (If using fresh tomatoes, add 1 full cup of water rather than 3/4). Stir well and bring to a boil.

Simmer 5 - 10 minutes until sauce thickens. Add boiled lentils and stir well. Drop in boiled eggs, drenching with sauce but not handling too much.

Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serve with basmati rice or warm bread to sop up the juices.

Variations:

I like my curries hot, so I use the canned tomatoes with "zesty jalapeno" and add another 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.
Add 1/4 cup of diced dried fruit when you add the tomatoes to add contrast to both the flavor and texture.
Simply leave out the eggs to make it vegan.

Kosher Cajun Meatball Soup

2004-09-27T14:29:00.000-04:00

It's time for my weekly soup experiment. Today, I had some leftover beef sausage in the freezer and some "cajun" flavored canned tomatoes I wasn't sure when I'd use. I decided to make them the basis for a new soup, and while I won't dare call the "cajun" flavors authentic, they sure are tasty. Kosher Cajun Meatball Soup

1/4 lb kosher beef sausage
4 medium onions, diced
2 fourteen oz cans "Cajun" seasoned tomatoes
1 fourteen oz can red beans
1 fourteen oz can white beans
1 10ish oz can condensed kosher beef broth
1 eight oz can tomato sauce
1 twelve oz bottle beer (like wine, cook with what you drink)
1 six oz cup black coffee (trust me, even if you hate coffee, you want the bitterness)
4 ears fresh corn, cut off cob (or 1 twelve oz can yellow corn)
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 heaping tsp "cajun" seasoning
1 tsp black pepper

Roll the sausage into small (nickel sized) meatballs. Brown meatballs in a large saucepan (if you don't, they'll fall apart). Drain fat and remove meatballs.

In the same pan, brown the onions until translucent.

Add meatballs, onions, and everything else to a large soup pot and stir until well mixed. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat tolow, cover, and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Variations:

Don't like beans? Leave them out. While the soup is simmering, cook 1/2 pound of your favourite pasta (I find ditali works well) according to package directions. Five minutes before serving, mix in the pasta and let it simmer for a few minutes.
This is a good "stone soup" recipe. If you've got a little leftover bell peppers, mushrooms, or potatoes from last night's dinner, go ahead and throw them in.

A note on beer and coffee

If you just mix beer and coffee, you have a horrid tasting mess. It's no wonder people raise their eyebrows when I recommend both in tomato based soups. Trust me. The combination works. Beer adds a wonderful sweetness to soup, which is balanced by the bitterness of coffee, resulting in a wonderfully rich flavor. Even if you hate both beer and coffee, try using both in the soup. The alcohol will burn off and the flavors will mingle with the spices and other ingredients until the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.

Kosher Pasta Fagioli

2004-09-24T14:00:00.000-04:00

I love soup, but I hate spending half a day slaving over a hot pot. My soups tend to be simplified, something you can make in around an hour without messing up your entire kitchen. This is no exception - but keep in mind, all quick soups are better the next day, when the spices have a chance to mingle overnight. You find some version of Pasta Fagioli at most Italian restaurants these days, but most versions I see are both way too busy and full of two or more kinds of pork. My Pasta Fagioli is heavily inspired by the soup you find at The Olive Garden, but without any pork or celery (which I personally despise.)

1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 fourteen oz cans diced tomatoes
1 fourteen oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 fourteen oz can great northern beans/white beans
1 fifteen oz can tomato sauce
1 twelve oz can spicy V8 juice
4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tbsp canned minced garlic)
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp basil
2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb ditali pasta

Brown meat and drain off fat. Set aside. In the same pan (which will still have some grease in it) saute onions until translucent. Return beef to pan.

Add everything but the pasta. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour to let flavors mingle.

In a separate pan, boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to soup. Simmer for an additional 5 - 10 minutes.

Serve with a light salad and hot, crusty bread.

Variations:

Make this vegan by leaving out the beef and doubling the beans. No other changes are necessary.
For people who want the Olive Garden Experience, switch the chick peas to kidney beans and add 1/2 cup julianned carrots (easiest from a bag) and 3 celery stalks, chopped. You shouldn't need to change the spices.
If you prefer a less spicy soup, substitute regular V8 for the spicy V8.
For a spicier soup, substitute more spicy V8 for the plain tomato sauce.

Kosher Curried Chicken and Chick Peas

2004-09-23T18:13:00.000-04:00

I've already said I love Chick Peas. To me, they're the vegetarian version of chicken - little flavor on their own, but so versatile, so able to absorb any spices, and so tasty in so many different contexts. So I was craving curry curry tonight, but too lazy to drive to Shalimar or Annapurna's Veggie Place, my two favourite Indian restaurants here in Louisville. Instead, I raided my cupboard and came up with this quick and easy curry. It took half an hour, start to plate. Ingredients

1 can chick peas, drained
1 can diced tomatoes (unseasoned)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 medium onions, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup "goldens and cherries" or your preferred dried fruit
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 heaping tsp your favourite curry powder (Madras Hot, if you don't have a fave)
2 tsp olive oil

Curried Chicken and Chick Peas

In a medium saucepan, brown onions until almost translucent. Add chicken and brown.

Dump everything else in the pan and stir until well mixed. Cook over medium heat until the liquid is boiled down.

Serve with basmati rice, hard boiled eggs, and hot naan or pita bread.

Variations:

This can be made vegan by simply excluding the chicken. If so, double the chick peas or just cut the curry powder by 1/2 tsp.
If you don't like a sweet bite with your hot food, leave out the dried fruit.
If you're not fond of hot food, use a mild curry powder. There are plenty of good curry powders out there which don't have a bit of heat. Don't reduce the quantity of curry, though, or you'll end up with a boring, bland plate.

Kosher Channa Masala

2004-09-23T13:28:00.000-04:00

I adore chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans). My quick version of channa masala (there are as many versions as there are languages in India) substitutes olive oil for dairy and canned beans for ones you'd otherwise have to soak overnight. Served with rice or bread, this makes a great weeknight meal. For carnivores, it also makes a great side served alongside curried chicken or spicy steak.

1 can chick peas/garbanzo beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 chopped onions (or 2 cups frozen chopped onions)
1 inch peeled and chopped ginger, or 1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 tbsp minced garlic (from a can is fine)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (less if you don't like hot foods)
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 tbsp olive oil

In a medium saucepan, over a medium heat, fry the onions in the olive oil until they turn translucent.

Add the ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, cayenne, and tumeric. Stir well and continue frying spices for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the seeds start to pop.

Add drained chickpeas, undrained tomatoes, and brown sugar. Stir until everything is well blended.

Cook uncovered for around 15 minutes, or until the liquid has boiled down to a thick sauce. If you forgot to drain the chickpeas first, increase all spices by 1/4 tsp (it's fine if you throw them in at the last minute), up the heat to medium-high, and cook for an extra 15 minutes.

The end result should have a thick sauce, perfect for serving with basmati rice and naan or pita.

Variations:

My heavily carnivorous husband loves this (and most dahl's) with a hard boiled egg. If you're octo/lavo, boil some eggs, slice them in half, and cover them with the hot channa masala when serving. The flavors soak in beautifully.
Use 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter in place of the olive oil if you prefer the flavor of dairy.

Garam Masala is just a mix of half a dozen commonly used Indian spices. Using the mix is a lot easier than using 1/8 tsp of five different things. It is available in the spice isles of most mega-grocery stores these days, right alongside Garlic Salt. If yours doesn't have it, the staff of your local Indian grocery will be more than happy to introduce you to their favourite blend.

Vegan Keema

2004-09-22T11:00:00.000-04:00

I adore Indian food, but yoghurt is one of the staple meat sauces. There are two ways of getting around this when cooking at home. You can use fake meat or fake yoghurt. In this particular recipe, I use both, making it not only kosher but vegan. This recipe is also great if anyone in your family is lactose intolerant. Unlike the Keema with Whole Spices, this simple recipe cooks up in half an hour start to table with no fuss. It makes a great weeknight meal. Like many soup/stew/wet recipes, it's even better as leftovers because the spices have more time to mingle and mature.

1 lb bag frozen ground beef substitute
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp ginger powder (or 1/2 inch piece of peeled ginger, chopped fine)
1/2 tsp allspice
4 tbsp soy yoghurt
2 tbsp olive oil

Cook the diced onion in the olive oil over a medium heat until translucent. Add the ground beef substitute and mix well, cooking until warmed through. You MUST use the olive oil here, as the beef substitute is usually fat free and will not only stick to your pan but will burn horribly. Add all other ingredients except yoghurt and mix thoroughly. Reduce heat to low and add yoghurt. Mix thoroughly. Continue to cook on low for 20 minutes so the spices mingle.

Serve with warm naan (substitute pita if naan is unavailable.)

Variations:

Keema is often made with green peas. I like it both ways. If you want to add peas to this one, add 1/2 cup green peas after mixing everything thoroughly and before continuing to cook on low for 20 minutes, and you'll be set to go.
If you like your meat from a cow, go ahead and use 1 pound of very lean ground beef and reduce the olive oil to 1 tsp (for frying the onions.)
If you have no dairy issues, feel free to use regular yoghurt. If using regular yoghurt and regular beef, follow the above variation.

Keema with Fresh Spices

2004-09-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

Like most Indian food, it's easy to turn it from treif to kosher by substituting soy yoghurt for milk yoghurt. Since the yoghurt forms the base of a sauce and is not the major flavoring ingredient, you're honestly not missing anything. The tang of soy and dairy are the same, as is the viscosity. Whole spices are a different matter entirely. Using whole spices rather than ground makes a world of flavor difference, but often takes a lot of extra time. If you want to make an impressive, flavorful dish, this is a great way to show off for friends and family. The smell will tantalize them the second they walk in the door and the taste will absolutely blow them away.

1 lb extra lean ground beef
2 onions, sliced
2 small tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
6 whole cloves
6 whole black peppercorns
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp soy yoghurt

Chop all spices and veggies.

Brown meat in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Drain off any fat.

Add everything but the yoghurt and stir until well mixed.

Cover saucepan, stirring every 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Cook until moisture is gone (15 - 20 minutes).

Add soy yoghurt and stir well. Cook another 5 minutes, or until keema is relatively dry.

Serve with hot naan or pita bread.

Variations:

After everything but the yoghurt is mixed in, add 1/2 cup frozen peas. Follow the remaining directions.

Kosher Winter Lentil Soup

2004-09-21T16:30:00.000-04:00

Most hearty brown lentil soups are made with pork. People insist there is no way to capture the flavor of a thick lentil soup without a ham bone in it. Ah, the naivete. In response, I submit this kosher lentil soup. I always think I'll have enough soup to provide my lunch for 3-4 days and always end up staring sadly into a fragrant yet empty pot by day 2.

This thick, hearty, Kosher soup is perfect comfort food for a cold winter day. It is inspired by the first course I enjoyed at a medieval themed bed and breakfast. Serve it with a hearty brown bread for mopping up the bowl. Like most soups, this one is even better as leftovers than it is the first day, so make it on a weekend and eat it for the rest of the week.

1 lb brown lentils
3 fourteen oz cans reduced sodium beef broth
1 fourteen oz can diced tomatoes
4 medium yellow onions, diced
4 large carrots, diced
3 tbsp chopped garlic (or 2 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, or 1 tbsp garlic powder)
2 tbsp coarse ground pepper (mixed peppercorns are best, but plain black will do)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp coriander
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp olive oil
Wash and rinse the lentils. If you don't, you'll find some stones in your soup.
Brown the onions and carrots in the olive oil over a medium heat for about 10 minutes.
When the onions start to turn translucent, add the beef broth. Stir well. Add all other ingredients, stir well.
Bring the concoction to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for the next 2 - 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Once the soup thickens from lentils in broth to a thick lentils in paste texture, it is ready to eat.
The soup will be VERY thick, almost more like a beanpot. If you prefer a thinner soup, add an extra ½ can of beef broth and stir. If that is still too thick for your liking, add another ½ can of broth.

Variations:

* Vegetarians substitute veggie broth for beef broth and increase the thyme and basil by 1/2 tsp each. It won't taste exactly the same, but it will still be surprisingly good.
* Beef lovers, when you add the broth, also add either 1/2 pound lean browned ground beef or 1/2 pound lean stew beef minced very small.
* Instead of regular olive oil, use basil flavored olive oil. Do not reduce the basil.
* Instead of plain diced tomatoes, use some of the pre-flavored tomatoes on the market these days, such as the garlic and oregano ones. Stick with European themed tomatoes. Cajun style, for example, wouldn't taste right alongside the other ingredients.
* Rather than chop onions yourself, buy bagged frozen ones instead. 4 cups frozen onion works well.
*If you're a good person who likes fresh veggies, rather than chop all the veggies by hand, cut the stems off the carrots and the outer skin off the onion then drop them all in a blender. The finer the veggies the better.

Fig and Blackberry Chicken

2004-09-19T15:12:00.000-04:00

I whipped up this shockingly easy dish as something sweet to celebrate Rosh Hashana for 5765. The sauce is delicious on rice and tastes great sopped up with challah. It's also surprisingly good as cold chicken leftovers or chopped up and thrown onto a sweet chicken salad.

1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup dried figs, stems removed and figs quartered
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp white pepper (black will do)
1/4 tsp salt
3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat your oven to 375. Mix everything but the chicken in a big bowl. (If you add the ingredients in the order listed, you only need to dirty a single measuring cup.)

Put chicken in a shallow baking dish, preferably one just large enough to hold the flat chicken breasts side by side. Pour the fruit mix over the chicken and cover the baking dish with a piece of aluminum foil.

Bake at 375 for half an hour. If doubling the recipe, bake for 45 minutes.

Serve with rice or challah.

Crack Carrots

2004-09-14T20:41:00.000-04:00

Crack Carrots got their name because they're as addictive as a street drug. My mother-in-law refuses to be embarrassed by drinking whatever juices remain after the carrots are gone, and this is a woman who is keen on appropriate cutlery.

1/2 pound baby carrots
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp Star of Siam Oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Mix everything but the carrots. Mix in the carrots until well coated. Either microwave for 4 minutes (longer if you prefer your carrots mushy) or bake at 400F for 20 minutes.

Serve still in the juices, which taste great on rice, noodles, or whatever starch they touch.

** If you don't want to invest in the Star of Siam oil, and I highly recommend you do, try adding a pinch of lemongrass, garlic, and ginger to 2 tbsp peanut oil. It won't be quite as addictive, but it'll still be pretty darn tasty.

Canned Soup

2004-08-27T17:17:00.000-04:00

This is a simple, hearty, parve soup made almost entirely from canned ingredients. It'll stay good about 5 days in the fridge and freezes well for up to 3 months. It's perfect for a busy weeknight meal.

1 bag frozen onions (10 to 16 oz will do, depending on how much you like onions)
1 diced bell pepper (red, yellow, or green)
2 cans Italian seasoned (Basil, oregano, Garlic) diced tomatoes
2 cans garbanzo beans
1 can yellow corn
1 can beer
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
1 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp minced garlic

Put everything in a pot. Stir. Heat until boiling, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and allow to cook for around an hour so flavors can blend. Serve with hot, crusty bread.

This makes fantastic leftovers. It gets much better the second day.

Kosher Vegan Lasagna

2004-08-27T15:03:00.000-04:00

This is almost too easy. Feel free to simply substitute soy cheese for dairy cheese and vegetarian ground beef substitute for meat in your favorite recipe. Or, use the recipe below. Ingredients 1 pound vegetarian ground beef substitute 1 cup chopped onion (frozen is fine) 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp canned minced garlic) 1 14 oz can Italian (Basil, Garlic, and oregano) seasoned diced tomatoes 1 6-ounce can Italian (Basil, Garlic, and oregano) seasoned tomato paste 1-1/2 teaspoons basil 1 tablespoon oregano 1 teaspoon fennel seed 1/4 teaspoon salt 9 packaged dried lasagna noodles 1-1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded vegetarian mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup (1 oz) grated vegaterian Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil Directions: Heat olive oil in a saucepan. You MUST use the oil because vegetarian meat substitutes are mostly fat free and will stick to your pan and burn. Cook beef substitute, onion, and garlic until onions are translucent. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, fennel seed, and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Simmering allows the flavors to penetrate the unflavored beef and onions. Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain well. Mix shredded cheese and grated cheese. If you can't find grated vegetarian Parmesan, then just add more grated cheese in your choice of flavor. Hold back an ounce or two of cheese. Layer one-third of the cooked noodles in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish, trimming ends to fit. Spread with 1/4 of beef substitute and tomato mixture. Top with 1/4 shredded cheese mix. Repeat layers until out of noodles. Top with sauce. DO NOT TOP WITH REMAINING SOY CHEESE! Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle held back cheese on top AFTER you pull the lasagna out of the oven. Otherwise, the soy cheese will burn. If you put it on as soon as the lasagna comes out of the oven, it'll melt nicely instead.