Parshas Vayishlach – Basar (meat)

This week's parsha food comes from a very way out, corny type of place. The pasuk says in בראשית, ל"ח, כ"ה – "ויותר יעקב לבדו", pronounced "va'yevaser ya'akov l'vado," meaning that Yaakov remained alone. In Hebrew the word בשר(basar), meat, though spelled differently, sounds the same. I know, I know, it's very corny, but it's too close to Shabbos to think of something better.

So, I bring you Peppered meat (otherwise known as Pepper Steak).

The directions for this recipe are somewhat vague, somewhere along the lines of taking as much as you want of each ingredient, putting it together in a pan somehow, and baking it until it's done. I've never actually tried it, but I had it at someone's house while I was in Israel, and it was delicious!

Pepper Steak

Sliced pepper steak
Peppers
Onions
Baby corn
Soy sauce
Paprika
Garlic powder
Salt
Water

Parshas Vayeitzei - SEVEN Layer Cake

This week's parsha starts off with Yaakov leaving Be'er Sheva, literally, the SEVENth well. SEVEN layer cake is very appropriate for this shabbos ....

Cake:
7 eggs, separated
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 lb sweet chocolate
3 Tbsp cold water

Frosting:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 sticks margarine
1 tsp vanilla

Cake directions:

• Beat egg yokes until thick and lemon colored.
• Add confectioners' sugar gradually, beating constantly.
• Sift flour and salt together and fold into yolk mixture.
• Beat egg whites until stiff enough to hold a peak and fold in lightly.
• Line seven-layer cake pans with paper and grease the paper.
• Divide batter evenly among pans and bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) for 12 minutes.
• Remove from pans at once.
  

Frosting (filling) directions:
For the frosting, heat chocolate and water in the top of double boiler. Mix eggs and sugar thoroughly, combine with melted chocolate and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add butter and beat until well blended.
Add vanilla and continue beating until filling is stiff enough to spread. Cover each layer and top and sides of cake with filling.
NOTE: It may be necessary to place several toothpicks through the top layers to hold them in place until filling sets.
Serve after 24 hours.
Serves 14 to 16.

Parshas Toldos - RED Velvet Cake

Starting a new series - recipes appropriate for every parsha. This week is Parshas Toldos. In this week's parsha, Yaakov and Eisav are born. Eisav is an Admoni (red head), and he later asks Yaakov for some of that red stuff (talking about red lentil soup).

1/2 oz red food coloring
3 Tbsp cocoa
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp water (1/2 oz)
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (1 cup milk substitute + 1 Tbsp vinegar)
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
scant tsp salt

Mix the food coloring, cocoa and water. In a separate bowl, cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs and cocoa mixture and beat well until blended smoothly. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth. Bake in greased layer pans at 350 until done (30-35 minutes). You can also do this in a 9x13 pan, but add more time and keep checking until it's done.

Heaven Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 sticks softened margarine ( for a healthier version use 1 cup oil instead)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 bag (10-12 ounces) real semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place cut parchment paper onto cookie sheets. Cream the margarine and sugars. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add the flour salt and baking soda. Mix until well combined. Add in the chocolate chips. Spoon onto the cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes until the center does not look wet, being careful not brown the edges too much. Cool on wire racks. ENJOY!!!!!

Easy Lokshen Kugel Souffle

8 oz thin noodles

5 eggs

16 oz applesauce

½ cup oil

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

¾ cup sugar

1 can (15 oz) crushed pineapple, drained

 

Cook noodles as directed. Mix all the ingredients together well, sprinkle cinnamon on top, and bake in a 9x13 pan at 400 for 45 to 1 hour.

Butternut Squash Kugel

2 10 oz boxes frozen butternut squash

½ stick margarine, melted

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

3 eggs

½ cup non-dairy creamer (soy milk)

1 deep dish frozen pie shell

Sprinkle of cinnamon

---

Preheat oven to 350. Defrost squash and mix with melted margarine. Add flour and sugar, and mix well. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and nondairy creamer together. Add to squash mixture. Pour into pie shell and sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Bake uncovered for 1 hr.

• Can successfully be doubled
  
• Freezes well
  

This recipe is from the TAG cookbook, but I forget the exact title. Enjoy!!

Broccoli-Craisin Salad

1 lg package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
Handful of almonds or cashews, toasted lightly in oven
Handful of craisins

Dressing:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon (1 ½ Tbsp)
2-4 Tbsp sugar, to taste

Combine salad ingredients in bowl. Mix together dressing ingredients and taste to adjust flavors. Pour over salad, toss, and serve chilled.

Shabbos Chicken

1 chicken cut in pieces
Carrots (2), sliced
Zucchini (1), sliced
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 stalk celery, sliced

Breadcrumbs
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Salt
Paprika

Clean chicken. Layer vegetables in bottom of roaster and place chicken on top. Cover chicken with breadcrumbs. Mix spices and sprinkle over chicken. Bake covered at 400 for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake for another 45 minutes.

NOTE: the numbers in parentheses are the amounts I used. You can add more or less of each ingredient as you see fit.

Beena's Macaroni Salad

1 lb macaroni (whatever shape)
Mayonnaise (start with 2 spoons, add more as needed)
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 tsp salt
Pepper, diced

Cook noodles according to directions on package. VERY IMPORTANT: Immediately after draining, mix in mayonnaise (so it won’t get greasy). Mix in rest of ingredients.

Honolulu Chicken

1 chicken, whole or in pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 can crushed pineapple
½ cup brown sugar
3 tsp lemon juice
1 small can tomato puree/sauce
¼ cup water
Salt

Put chicken in covered broiler pan. Smother it with vegetables. Mix all other ingredients and add to pan. Bake at 300 for 2 hours until tender. Slow cooking allows chicken to absorb the other flavors.

Sauteed Fish and salsa

I made this on vacation with access to a frying pan, a stove and a fridge/freezer.
It's a quick and easy meal.

Any thin-ish white fish, such as turbot, tilapia, flounder, etc.
Lemonade
Jar of salsa
Can of corn
Two tomatoes
Cooking spray or oil

Saute fish in oil or cooking spray on both sides until mostly cooked through (test in the middle). Add lemonade to the pan until it comes about halfway up the fish. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove fish to a plate and cook liquid until slightly reduced. Pour over fish.

Rinse and wipe out pan. Add spray or oil and add corn. Cook until slightly blackened. Add salsa and diced tomatoes. Cook several minutes until warmed through. Serve with fish.

Mushroom- Pastry Appetizer (Easy!)

1 can of condensed mushroom soup
1 cup Coffee Rich, soy milk or rice dream
1 container button mushrooms, baby bellas, or mixed
1 package Pepperidge Farm pastry shells

Combine soup and milk-substitute in small pot on low heat. Stir intermittently until well combined and heated through. Slice mushrooms and sautee briefly until just softened. Add mushrooms to saucepan.

Bake pastry shells at 350 for about 20 minutes. Pop off tops with a fork and return for a couple more minutes.

To serve, put a shell on each plate and spoon in a generous helping of mushroom sauce (overflows? perfectly OK). Place pastry cap on top.

Note: This sauce is also good without the pastry. You can use it on chicken, on top of deli roll, or even as a thick soup with toast. Can also be made milchigs by using milk.

Cranberry Crumble

Crumbs:
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal, uncooked
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 stick margarine, melted
2 tsp cinnamon
Fruit:
1 (16 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, not drained
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges

Mix ingredients for crumbs until crumbly. Pat ½ down on greased 9x13 pan (or 3 6” rounds). Mix fruit together and put on top of bottom layer. Sprinkle remaining crumb-like mixture on top of fruit. Bake uncovered at 350o for around 45 minutes.

Note: This recipe is from Simple Pleasures

My aunt's no-fry schnitzel

Canola or vegetable oil
2 onions
One large package of chicken cutlets (works with white or dark- no need to flatten in any way)
Italian dressing
Matza Meal
Seasoned bread crumbs


Pour oil into two baking pans, enough to very thinly cover the bottoms. Slice the onions and cover the bottoms of the pans with them.

Put Italian dressing in one bowl and mix together matza meal and seasoned bread crumbs in the other (if your Italian dressing in highly seasoned, you can use plain breadcrumbs). Dip each cutlet into dressing and then into matza meal/bread crumbs. Lay on top of the onions in the pan.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, then flip cutlets (I use a fork or tongs so I don't scrape off the crust). Bake another 20 minutes. Serve with the onions.

Notes: The outside "crust" won't be crispy, but soft, and it's very juicy. Also, this recipe freezes VERY well.

Scalloped Potatoes

6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp chopped onions
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper
¼ cup margarine
2 ½ cup milk, heated

Preheat oven to 350o.

In a 2-quart casserole (9” round), arrange potatoes in 3 layers. Between each potato layer, sprinkle 1/3 of the onion, flour, salt, and pepper, dotting each layer with margarine.

Pour hot milk over the layers.

Bake casserole, covered, for ½ an hour. Uncover and continue baking for another hour or until potatoes are tender.

Note: This recipe is from Spice and Spirit

Mushroom Quiche

1 frozen pie shell
6 slices American cheese

1 lg onion, chopped
1 lg can mushrooms

⅓ cup milk
⅓ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
2 eggs

Sauté the onion and mushrooms. Layer ½ of the mushroom mixture and 3 slices of cheese in the pie shell. Repeat with rest of the mushrooms and cheese. Mix the other ingredients and pour on top of mushrooms. Bake at 350o for ½ an hour.

Tuna Casserole

This is my own recipe. I combined a bunch of other recipes to make something that my family really likes. In fact, we’re having it for supper tonight.

1 lb noodles (elbows)
3 cans tuna
can of peas
salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste
3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp flour
1 ½ cups milk
5 slices American Cheese

Cook the noodles according to directions. In a separate frying pan, heat the oil. Mix in flour to make a paste. Add milk, stirring constantly. When hot, melt the cheese into it.

After draining noodles, spice to taste and pour in the cheese mixture, peas, and tuna. Mix well. Bake at 350o in a 9x13 pan until done (30-60 min) or serve as is.

Milchige Noodle Kugel

In honor of the Nine Days ... More to come BE"H.


8 oz medium noodles
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg whites + 1 egg (I use 3 eggs + 2 whites)
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 container cottage cheese
8 oz plain yogurt (vanilla, coffee ... whatever [have used less])

Mix all ingredients. Sprinkle top with cinnamon. Bake at 350 covered for an hour, uncovered for 1/2 an hour. Enjoy!

Brocha B’s Sesame Chicken

Chicken pieces - cutlets or not
Cornflake crumbs
Onion powder
Pepper

Duck sauce - sweet and sour
Sesame seeds
A little water

Clean chicken. Sprinkle with cornflake crumbs, onion powder, and pepper. Bake covered for 45 minutes at 350^o. While chicken is baking, mix duck sauce and sesame seeds (& a little water). Pour onto chicken. Bake covered or uncovered for another 45 minutes.

Carrot Kugel

This recipe is from my cousin in Israel. I haven't made it very often, but it was delicious when I had it at her house.

2 eggs
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups shredded carrots
1 tsp vanilla
(½ tsp cinnamon)

Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350^o for 35-40 minutes.

Disclaimer

I want to make sure you all have the right idea about this blog: I am an up-and-coming cook; an eishes chayil in the making. At the moment, I cook for shabbos and yom tov and supper a few times a week. As such, I basically only have fleishig mains, parve sides, a few milchige stuff (which I plan to put up for the nine days, but they're few so don't rely on them), and cakes. That's it. I'm not some accomplished I-don't-know-what who is on her way to publishing her own cookbook. I thought that since I wanted to put my favorite recipes on-line so I won't lose them, there was no reason that others shouldn't benefit from it.

Please feel free to contribute your own recipes by emailing me at MusingMaidel@gmail.com. I'll be glad to add you as a contributer to make this blog better. Just don't expect more from me than I can give.

Broccoli/Cauliflower Quiche

This is another recipe I got from Israel, from Sorah Grossman. I don't know which cookbook she originally got it from.

1 lb bag frozen broccoli/cauliflower, cooked
Cornflake crumbs
1 Tbsp onion soup mix
½ cup non-dairy creamer
½ cup mayonnaise
3 eggs
1 ½ Tbsp flour
1 ½ Tbsp margarine
1 thick pie-crust (optional) or greased round pan

Combine margarine, flour, and creamer in a small pot. Stir on low flame until really thick. Take off flame and cool for approximately 5 minutes. Combine mayonnaise, soup mix, and eggs. Mix. Place vegetables into pie crust or pan (see below). Combine both mixtures and pour over vegetables. Sprinkle cornflake crumbs on top, and bake at 350^o for ½ an hour.

For round pan: put ¼ cup cornflake crumbs on bottom of pan, then mixture, then another ¼ cup crumbs.

Chicken Salad

I got this recipe from Bassie Gruen (from Mishpacha magazine and the book Mother's Musings). I went to her house for Shabbos once, and let me tell you, this salad went fast. I've made it many times since I've come home, and it's become one of my family's favorites.

Chicken (from soup, leftovers …), shredded into pieces
Cherry tomatoes
Pickles
Scallions
Celery

Dressing:
    Mayonaise
    Spurt of mustard
    Pickle juice (just a little)
    Salt
    Pepper

Mix all salad ingredients together. In a separate bowl (or cup), mix dressing ingredients until smooth. Toss together. Enjoy.

You can be as original as you want with this. I've put in noodles, left out vegetables, etc. It is extremely adaptable and ca fit any family's needs.

Mushroom Chicken and Farfel

1-2 chickens (as much as needed)
1 pkg (2 Tbsp) onion soup mix
1 lg can mushrooms
1 pkg farfel
2 tsp garlic
5 cups water

Pour 4 cups of water into a 9x13" pan or any roaster. Add dry farfel or rice into the pan. Place clean, skinless chicken on top of farfel. Mix soup mix and mushrooms with last cup of water. Sprinkle garlic powder on top. Cover tightly. Bake for 1 ¾ hrs at 350^o.


Note: Farfel can be replaced by rice using the 1 cup rice to 2 cup water ratio.
* From the cookbook Simple Pleasures

Libbi’s Corned Beef

Corned beef (ready to boil)

Glaze: 1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp margarine
1 Tbsp mustard

Boil corned beef. Melt margarine in pot before adding rest of ingredients. Mix all ingredients and boil together. After boiling corned beef, pour glaze over it. Bake covered for 35-40 minutes at 350^o. Slice when cooled.

Juicy Pineapple Chicken

1 chicken, quartered
3 Tbsp oil
1 15-oz can pineapple chunks (reserve juice for sauce)
1 lg onion, sliced
1 28-oz can tomatoes
1 green pepper, diced
1 4-oz can mushrooms
2 scallions (optional)

Sauce:
1 cup pineapple juice (from can)
½ cup sugar
½ cup vinegar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Dash of salt

Clean chicken. Brown chicken in skillet.

Drain pineapple chunks and reserve liquid for sauce.

Layer sliced onion in roasting pan and add browned chicken, vegetables, and drained pineapple chunks. Bake covered for ½ an hour.

While chicken is baking, stir ¾ cup pineapple juice, sugar, and vinegar in a 4 ½ quart saucepan. Simmer over a low flame. Make a paste of cornstarch, salt, and remaining pineapple juice, and add to hot mixture, beating briskly. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables and bake covered for 30 minutes, and then 30 minutes uncovered.

* This recipe is from Spice 'n Spirit

Apple Juice Chicken

"shake 'n bake" chicken in:
Flour
A little salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Apple or Orange juice (approximately 1 1/2 cups)



Put chicken in baking pan. Saute a lot of onions in mushrooms. Put on top of chicken. Cut up tomatoes (wedges, rings) and put on top. Pour apple (orange) juice over whole thing. Bake covered at 350^o for an hour. Uncover for 15-20 minutes.

Chicken Scallopini

Chicken cutlets
Bread crumbs
Oil for frying

Dip cutlets in bread crumbs and lightly fry. Arrange in pan or roaster. (Honestly, I usually don't bother frying the cutlets. It comes out just fine anyway.)

Sauce:
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 cup water
1 Tbsp onion soup mix
2 Tbsp flour
½ cup wine

Garnishes:
mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
Red bell pepper

Sauté onions and garlic. Mix water, soup mix, flour, and wine, and add to pan. Stir until the mixture thickens, then pour over chicken. Bake for 45 minutes. Garnish.

My Mother’s Gefilte Fish

Stock: amounts per 2 lb of fish

4 cups water
6 Tbsp sugar (reduce)
1 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
1 chopped onion
2 carrots

Put all ingredients into a large pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and leave to simmer for half an hour. Add the fish rolls in the paper. Gently cook for 2 hours. Cool and slice.

Chana’s Salmon

2 big onions, cut into rings
½ cup sugar
Salmon fillets
1 Tbsp salt
¼ cup lemon juice
Pickling spice

Caramelize onions in sugar (add a little oil). Place fillets, skin side down, in pan. Add water until it just covers the salmon. Mix other ingredients and pour over fillets. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 18 minutes. Serve cold.

The sauce is optional. I've never actually tried it, but I trust Chana's good taste.

Sauce:

½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp and a little lemon juice
1 clove garlic
Dill

Mix in food processor until smooth.

Cherry-Blueberry Squares

2 sticks margarine
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Filling: ¾ can cherry or blueberry pie filling

Cream sugar and margarine. Add remaining ingredients, except pie filling, and mix well. Flatten batter into greased cookie sheet and draw into 20 squares (5x4) (mark squares with knife). Place approximately three cherries or blueberries in each square.


Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. When cool, cut squares so that each has some pie filling in its center. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Yield: 20 squares

(I usually end up using a 9x13 pan, and the cherries sink in, which gives it an interesting look. They might come out better on a real cookie sheet.)