One Pot Shabbat

Last night Mimi and Gramps and Doda (I know, funny names in our fam) came over for Shabbat dinner and we all loved this yummy and easy dinner. My dear friend PITA gave me this recipe, so I can't take credit-but I can share it with you so you can have an easy one-pot dinner for your family too! This is healthy, yummy, comfort food-made easier by combining all ingrdients in one pot and baking in the oven. The best part, are you ready? While it is in the oven, you can actually sit down with your coffee and read a magazine! Oh wait, that's just wishful thinking! But the point is, you don't have to stand over the stove with this great recipe! It's not an exact science so measurements all depend on your tastes, etc...you can change the seasonings depending on your mood to give the dish different flavor-Middle Eastern, Tex Mex, Indian, etc. Last night I went for traditional Shabbat chicken and you can't go wrong with that! So experiment with it and have fun!

INGREDIENTS

1 whole cut up chicken, with skin and bone (I used an extra package of bone-in breasts)
2 cups basmati rice or brown rice (just not instant)
4 cups chicken broth or water
Olive Oil
Garlic Powder
Kosher Salt
Onion Powder
Pepper
Paprika

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Using a Dutch Oven or heavy pan with a lid (if you don't have one, you can use a baking dish or aluminum tin pan covered well with foil-the key is covering this tightly), combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, rice and liquid in the bottom of the dish and mix to combine.
• Rub both sides of the chicken with a little EVOO and season well to your liking. Place the chicken skin side up on top of the rice mixture.
• Cover tightly with lid or foil and bake for 90 minutes. Uncover and check the rice-sometimes it needs a few more minutes, so stir and recover and bake for 20 more minutes. When done, the chicken will be falling off the bone (which is good-remove skin and bones!!) and the rice will be absolutely delicious!
• Serve with a roasted vegetable and your guests (or family!) will love you for this dinner!

EAT AND ENJOY-IT'S YUMMY!

Wannna Waffle?

Sometimes breakfast rolls around and you feel like there is nothing in your house to feed the kids! Well, with this recipe you can always have a hot breakfast on the table in less than 15 minutes. Oh, and it will be yummy-I promise! We made these this morning-not only were they gone, I even ate one-they are that good! You can substitute whole-wheat flour and they will be just as yummy, just not quite as light and crispy. And if you don't have any buttermilk you can use all regular milk-it's flexibly yummy either way!

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1 cup skim milk (or whatever you use in your house)
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 cup grapeseed oil (or vegetable/canola oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with whisk until fluffy. Beat in milk, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Whisk in all dry ingredients until just smooth.

Spray preheated iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the iron-it will be thick because of the buttermilk so just spread it to cover the iron.

Cook, eat and ENJOY!!

Yes these are Kosher for Pesach!

It's not hard to do without many of your favorite foods for just 8 days. We can give up the bagels, the pita, the pasta, the diet coke...but some (namely my hubby!) just can't give up the chocolate chip cookies! The great news here is that this Passover recipe doesn't taste like matzah like so many of your typical Pesach dessert recipes-they actually taste like delish chocolate chip cookies. So yummy that every year L says "these are better than your regular ones" and wants them for weeks after the 8 days are over! Not to mention that even virgin bakers can whip this up in 5 minutes and know that they will come out perfect!! Case in point-this recipe comes from a very old, very good family friend who I only ever knew to make hot dogs and mac & cheese, the from-the-box kind. When she started making these and shared the recipe with Mimi and I, we knew it was not only a winner but a keeper too! Chag Pesach Sameach-may this be the beginning of a wonderful spring for you and yours!!

INGREDIENTS

½ C margarine or butter (1 stick), softened (if you need pareve make sure you choose a Pesach pareve margarine)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (if you can't find kosher l'pesach vanilla, you can easily omit)

1/3 cup potato starch

2/3 cup matzah cake meal

½ teaspoon kosher salt

8 oz. chocolate chips (the Pesach bags I found this year are 9 ounces and I used the whole bag!!)

DIRECTIONS

Cream together the margarine and sugar.  Beat in the egg.  Add the dry ingredients and combine well. Use a cookie scoop and place on cookie sheets lined with silpat or parchment paper.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

1 batch=about 2 dozen ( I double and often triple it!!)

EAT AND ENJOY!