Orange Chicken

When you don’t eat processed foods on Pesach, you’ve got to make the most with what you’ve got. That’s where sauteed onions come in. I know some people who prepare vats of it and freeze it in individual portions. Most of my family’s meat and chicken Pesach recipes include sauteed onions as a base and some kind of braising liquid like wine or juice. The onions practically melt into the juice and the resulting sauce is delicious over mashed potatoes.

For my orange chicken recipe, please view my guest post and recipe on Joy of Kosher.

1 year ago: roasted beet & orange salad

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Rice Vermicelli

Is your pantry filled with little bags of assorted leftover pasta? That extra orzo from when you only made half the box?  Or the scraps from the 10 oz. bag of egg noodles (whose recipe only called for 7 oz.)? Well luckily, I have a great recipe to use up your leftovers before Pesach! This Shabbos, you can turn your simple plate of rice into a two-toned pilaf that is just as pleasing on the palate as it is on the eyes! It’s simple, easy, and kids love it!

 

Rice Pilaf

2 cups white rice
3/4 cup fine egg noodles, spaghetti cut into pieces, orzo or other fine pasta
4 cups water or chicken stock
3-4 tbsp oil
2 tsp salt

Method:

Heat up oil in a saute pan and add pasta. Saute over medium heat, stirring constantly, until pasta is fragrant and golden. Watch the pasta carefully because it can quickly go from golden to burnt. Add the rice and stir for a minute or two. Add water or stock and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

1 year ago: sesame linguini with marinated chicken breast

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Sweet Pepper Burgers

Unless you’re the type of person who has all their Pesach food cooked in advance, most people are pretty sick of cooking by the time Chol Hamoed comes around. Quick and easy dinners are a must!  This simple recipe is a nice change from the standard chicken & potato fare, and works for lunch or dinner. The burgers can be broiled, grilled or pan-fried, and seasoned according to your Pesach pantry. If you use ketchup or spices, feel free to add some. In my case, I need to peel the peppers, but the sweetness it adds to the burgers makes the effort worthwhile.

 

Sweet Pepper Burgers

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup mixed colored peppers, diced
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix gently to combine. Scoop out palm-sized portions of meat and shape into patties. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and broil on high for approximately 7 minutes on the first side and 5 minutes on the opposite side. Drain on paper towels. Alternatively, you may cook the burgers on the grill.

TIP: Always mix the beef gently and pack the burgers lightly as squeezing the meat results in tough, rubbery burgers.

NOTE: I like to switch to a clean cookie sheet when I turn the burgers over so that they don’t cook in the fat that was released from the first round of broiling.

1 year ago: mock chopped liver

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French Fried Chicken Nuggets

I would imagine there are about as many Pesach minhagim as there are recipes. Each family has their own book of standards and mine is no different. Thankfully, my husband’s family grew up similar to mine so I don’t have to go eating shmaltz or anything! I always considered myself lucky that my family wasn’t that strict, but I guess compared to some people they are. Basically, we use nut oil, peel all fruits & veggies, use liquid sugar and salt (no other spices). The only processed foods that we buy are orange juice, chocolate, potato chips and lady fingers.

On the days leading up to Pesach, once the kitchen has already been cleaned, my mom likes to use many of the processed kosher for Pesach (non-gebroks) products in her cooking. This way, we don’t feel like we are eating Pesach food too early, and we don’t have to eat pizza out of a plastic bag on the front stoop. The following recipe is great for those who use processed ingredients on Pesach, and for those who only eat it before. The instant mashed potato flakes form a crust on the chicken that tastes similar to french fries. It also reminds me of tater tots.

 

French Fried Chicken Nuggets

1 pkg chicken breasts
2 cups instant mashed potato flakes
2 eggs
onion powder, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
oil, for frying

Method:

Trim chicken cutlets and cut into bite sized pieces. Set up a dredging station with separate plates of chicken, whisked eggs and potato flakes. Season the potato flakes with onion powder, salt and pepper. With tongs, dip the chicken into the eggs and then the flakes. Place in a pan of sizzling hot oil. Fry on each side until golden. Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

1 year ago: breaded gefilte fish patties

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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

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