Category: Shabbos

Cherries in Red Wine Syrup

Sometimes I feel like a grandma. And not just because I’m always tired from running after the kids or because I like to sit on the glider in my babies room and crochet. It’s because I have that old lady habit of not wanting to throw food away. And let me tell you people. I did not grow up that way. If a tomato so much as had a dimple, my mom would consider it rotten. Me? I go through my fridge and brainstorm about how I can use each and every fruit and vegetable to the last drop. If my fruits are getting too soft, I’ll make a compote. If my tomatoes are mushy, I’ll make a tomato soup. I just can’t stomach throwing food away. Lucky for my family, I don’t serve up Shabbos leftovers passed Monday, but I’ve been know to turn my leftover chicken soup into chicken pot pie. Lets hope I don’t become like one of those Bubby’s who is still serving up their leftover gefilte fish on Thursday!

Turning leftovers into do-overs recipes:

curry chicken salad
turkey pot pie
salmon pasta salad
chicken pot pie
black grape and plum compote
Bubby’s cabbage soup with flanken

Last week, I had some cherries that were on their way out. I thought about making cherry clafoutis, but I wasn’t really in the mood of baking (am I ever?). So I googled “leftover cherries” and I found my way to David Lebovitz’s cherries in red wine syrup. I’m a sucker for anything in red wine, so I knew I just had to make it. I’ve poached pears, figs, and prunes, but never cherries. My only issue with David’s recipe is that he uses cornstarch to thicken the sauce. I did not see a need for that at all. If you let the wine reduce enough, it will thicken into a lovely syrup. I served it over vanilla bean ice cream and pound cake, but I could eat it plain, straight out of a bowl.

More red wine recipes:

poached pears
mulled wine
Rosh Hashana roast
london broil with red wine reduction

 

Cherries in Red Wine Syrup
adapted from David Lebovitz

1 pound fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups red wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Put the cherries, wine, vinegar, almond extract and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 30 minutes, until the cherries are wilted and the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Serve over ice cream.

1 year ago: fried fish sandwich

Post a Comment

Bubby’s Challah Kugel

With just 3 weeks left until Pesach, I’m sure you’re all scrambling to use up your chometz. While the boxes of pasta, bags of rice, and cans of beans get stored on the top of the pantry, all that extra bread  in the back of the freezer has got to go. And what about all those bags of chips from shalach manos? And the gazillion types of crackers you have leftover in the closet? Well instead of throwing them all to the birds, I’ve compiled a list of some ideas to help you turn your leftovers into delicious pre-Pesach meals.

If you’ve got more ideas for using up chometz before Pesach, please share them with me in the comments below!

Leftover wraps (tortillas):

– quesadillas
– breakfast burritos
– tortilla chips
– thin crust pizza
– tacos (soft-shell or toasted)
– cigars (spread with cream cheese and jelly or mayo and turkey and roll up like a cigar)
– taquitos (like cigars but baked or fried and filled with meat)
– chicken avocado wraps

Leftover challah or bread:

– french toast
– bread pudding
– challa kugel
– croutons
– stuffing
– grilled cheese
– meatball filling
– garlic bread
– panzanella salad
– toasted bread sticks to dip into soup
– bread cups for quiches (roll our flat with a rolling pin and place in muffin tins and fill)

Leftover cereal:

– marshmallow cereal bar treats
– breading for french toast
– mix into cookie batter
– coat fish or chicken

Leftover chips or pretzels:

– coat fish or chicken
– add to chocolate chip cookie dough
– crush and sprinkle on mac ‘n cheese
– add chips to cold cut sandwiches
– sprinkle over stuffed mushrooms

Leftover crackers:

– use in stuffing in place of bread
– add to salads in place of croutons
– use in meatballs in place of breadcrumbs
– use as coating for fish patties
– crumble on mac ‘n cheese or any casserole

Leftover puff pastry:

– pinwheels
– cheese straws
– franks in blanks
– pot pie
– pizza
– deli roll
– asparagus and cheese tart
– knishes
– turnovers
– rugelach
– croissants
– napoleon
– palmiers
– cinnamon or chocolate twists
– strudel
– apple galette

Bubby’s Challah Kugel

Growing up, we would relish a piece of Bubby’s challah kugel on erev Shabbos. This recipe is made using leftover challah, but is completely different than bread pudding. Here, the challah is soaked and then squeezed to remove the water. The result is a sweet doughy kugel that kids really enjoy!

1 large leftover challah
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla sugar (optional)
1/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
cinnamon-sugar

Method:

Peel or thinly slice the crust off the challah and tear into pieces. Add to a large bowl, cover with water, and soak for several minutes. Remove the challah from the water and squeeze it out thoroughly. Mash the dough and add remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased dish and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until browned around the edges.

1 year ago: leftover cereal bar treats

Post a Comment

Wild Mushroom Barley Soup

I remember the first time I made mushroom barley soup. I was having a large group of people over for a simcha and I decided to whip up a batch of the hearty soup. Having never made it before, I underestimated how much the barley would expand. Lets just say it was more of a cream of barley soup than a mushroom anything. I have since learned my lesson and to be sure of myself, I cook the barley separately and add it the soup once it’s already tender.

But that’s not the only thing that makes this soup anything but average. Instead of serving up a bowl of soup with a puddle of grease floating on top (you all know what I’m talking about), I blend the soup using only half of the barley. Since my kids wouldn’t normally eat mushrooms, blending it makes for a perfect disguise and they don’t have to miss out on this delicious recipe. After blending, I add in the remaining barley for added texture in every bite.


Wild Mushroom Barley Soup

1 leek, ends trimmed and diced into rings
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
1 pkg crimini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
1 pkg shitake mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
1 pkg portobello mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
2 32oz. containers chicken broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dried thyme (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, for sauteing
1 cup pearl barley, cooked (see note)

Method:

Add leeks to a bowl of water. Agitate the rings with your hands and mix to loosen sand and grit. Drain leeks and dry on paper towels.  Saute leeks, onions and garlic in olive oil. When they begin to golden, add carrots and then mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes (add thyme if desired). Add chicken stock, soy sauce, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add half of the cooked barley and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Using a tongs, remove some mushrooms to use for  garnish. Then, blend the soup with a hand blender. Add remaining barley and simmer for 20 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add water until desired consistency is reached. Garnish with mushrooms.

NOTE: To cook barley, add to a pot with 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.

Post a Comment

Black Grape & Plum Compote

My husband and I can’t seem to figure out if we actually save money at Costco. We usually end up buying things we don’t need (or have space for) with money we don’t have. The truth is, I figure it’s worth buying paper towels (my guilty pleasure), tissues, napkins and such in bulk. But when I start to venture down the forbidden aisles – like the produce, I’m in trouble. Don’t get me wrong, the stuff looks delicious. But I don’t have a family of 10, it’s not Pesach, and I don’t need an entire carton of apples!

Alas, here are my top three things to avoid when heading to Costco:

#1 Don’t go to Costco hungry
#2 Dont go to Costco with your kids (or else you’ll end up buying them toys and books that they don’t need just to calm them down).
#3 Don’t go to Costco without a shopping list. Prepare a list in advance and buy ONLY what is on that list.

Why am I going on and on about Costco? Well, for starters, I did not follow cardinal rule #1 and I went to Costco hungry. Thankfully, I did not buy that humungous bag of chips to snack on, but rather, I loaded my cart up with cartons of California prunes (fancy plums) and black grapes. Then I got home. And I looked in the fridge. And I realized. I. Have. No. Room. For. Cartons. Of. Costco. Fruit. Enter this trusty compote recipe and problem averted :)

This crimson compote is intoxicatingly delicious, not to mention beautiful to look at. Because the grapes are so sweet, I avoided adding any more sugar. Instead, I used some Moscato wine which added a delicious fruity flavor. You can serve this up by the cup, ladle over pound cake, or spoon over ice cream.

 

Black Grape & Plum Compote

16 california prunes (or use 10 plums)
2 small bunches (about 3 cups) black grapes
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup Moscato wine

Method:

Wash plums, remove pits and chop into pieces. Wash grapes and remove from stems. Add fruit, lemon and moscato to a pot and simmer over high heat until it reaches a boil. Lower the heat and continue to cook until the fruit starts to fall apart (about 15 minutes). Using a potato masher, mash the fruit and continue to cook until thickened (another 15 minutes).

Post a Comment

Green Guacamole

I’m embarrassed to tell you how old I was when I first ate avocado. I was scared to try it for the longest time. But once I did, I was hooked. It’s buttery taste and creamy texture lends itself well to a variety of applications from breads and salads to desserts and pastries. Avocados don’t just taste good, they’re good for you too! They’re rich in healthy monounsaturated fat, folate, potassium, as well as many vitamins. As for me, I’m catching up on lost time. This guacamole is just one preparation that I enjoy!

Green Guacamole

2 avocados
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, minced
1 scallion, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
cilantro, optional
chips, for serving

Method:

Peel and diced 1 avocado. Add to a bowl and mash. Peel and dice the second avocado and add to the bowl without mashing. Add peppers, jalapeno, scallions, olive oil, lime and salt and mix to combine. Add chopped fresh cilantro, if desired (I’m not a fan of cilantro so I leave it out, but it is a classic accompaniment to guacamole, so if you like it, go ahead and put it in!) Serve with chips.

NOTE: If jalapenos are too hot for your taste, use a long hot green pepper instead.

TIP: Always wear gloves when deseeding a chile pepper as capsaicin (the chemical that gives peppers their heat) can stick to your hands. Since capsaicin is only found in the seeds and veins, you can control the heat factor by eliminating some, or all, of the seeds.

Post a Comment