Passover Basics: Honey Roasted Chicken

 

An Apocalyptic Passover

Honey Roasted Passover ChickenThe holidays usually means large meals with big crowds. Spending time in Shul (AKA Synagogue) and visiting with friends and family. But this year everything is different. With everyone stuck at home alone for Pesach (AKA Passover) due to the Covid-19 (AKA Corona Virus) quarantine, many people are cooking for Pesach for the first time and others are struggling to figure out how to cook for a small crowd. I wanted to share a simple recipe that is perfect for feeding a small family. It so easy that even first time Pesach cooks can make it.  This is my go to easy chicken recipe that I use all year, but is also perfect for a simple holiday meal.

This recipe calls for a whole chicken spatchcocked. I find whole chickens stays more moist when cooking and are often a little cheaper than buying pre-cut chicken. Spatchcocking is easier than you think.  You simply cut out the spine with a heavy chef’s knife or kitchen shears and flatten out the bird. By flattening out the bird, it cooks more evenly. Pro tip: when spatchcocking a chicken don’t throw away the spine, save it for your chicken soup. That being said, if you don’t trust your butchery skills, this recipe works just as well with a pre-cut 8 piece chicken or even leg quarters (AKA bottoms).

Something a Little Different

While this recipe is pretty basic for Pesach, you can always jazz it up for something a little different during the year. If you like things a little spicy, use a hot paprika or some cayenne pepper. For something a little more complex try a curry powder or for an Asian twist try some soy sauce and Chinese five spice powder.

What is your go to simple Passover recipe for a small crowd? Let us know in the comments.

Recipe: Honey Roasted Chicken

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Honey Roasted Passover Chicken
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Honey Roasted Chicken
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 

A quick and easy whole chicken recipe that is sure to please.

Course: Main Course, Main Dish, Meat
Cuisine: Kosher, Passover
Keyword: Chicken, Passover
Servings: 4
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 Whole Chicken
  • Garlic Powder To taste
  • Onion Powder To taste
  • Paprika To taste
  • Salt To taste
  • Pepper To taste
  • Honey Enough to drizzle both sides of your chicken
Instructions

  1. Start by removing the backbone of the chicken by cutting down each side of the spine. This is know as spatchcocking. You can do this with a heavy chef's knife but I prefer to use kitchen shears. Then flip the chicken over so the breast is facing up and press down on it flattening the bird. The reason for this is by flattening the chicken out it will cook more evenly

  2. Season both sides of the chicken with the garlic, onion, paprika, salt, and pepper. Then drizzle with honey. Don't put on too much honey, as it can burn. Place the chicken in the roasting pan and cover tightly with foil.

  3. Preheat your oven to 350°F and roast the chicken until the deepest part of the part of the breast reads 160°F. Then remove the foil and increase the heat to 425°F and allow the chicken to continue to cook until the skin is browned and crispy, but keep an eye on it so it does not burn

  4. Once the skin is browned pull the chicken out of the oven and allow it to rest. Once it is cool enough to handle, cut the chicken in to quarters by cutting the skin between the breast and the thigh and split the breasts in half by cutting through the breast bone with a heavy chef's knife. If you have a lot small children, you may want to cut the chicken into eights by cutting the leg off of the thigh and cutting the wing off of the breast. Serve immediately.

Happy Passover!

 

Why is this Passover Different from all others?

Passover is just over a week away and I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s going to be strange. No seder with family. No traveling. But here at Meat Your Vegetables we have put all of our delicious, no-fuss recipes in 1 place for you. We’re here to make this year’s holiday as stress-free as possible. As if you probably weren’t stressed already!

It’s a strange time we’re living in right now and while we’re under quarantine, it might seem like the perfect opportunity to spend more time in the kitchen or creating recipes, but honestly, I’m just trying to get to a new normal – whatever that means. But fear not, I’m still puttering around with some recipes that I think you’ll love – especially for erev Pesach when it always feels like there’s nothing to eat!

Recipe All-Stars

So in the meantime, while I mess around with a new recipe for Passover crepes, or “tortillas”, here are some fantastic recipes, perfect for Passover or anytime of year, that you might have missed on MYV over the years.

And thanks to YOU all – our readers and supporters, we are proud to have been able to bring you content for over 3 years!

From both Daniel and me here at MYV, we wish you and your family a Chag Kasher V’Sameach, a Pesach Sameach – and we hope above all that you and your family stay safe, healthy (and sane)!

PS – if you follow us on Facebook, make sure to check out my recipe for Cheez-Its!  Just ONE ingredient and you have the perfect cheesy cracker that tastes just like the boxed version! Or you can call it a “frico”, if you’re feeling fancy. 🙂 Check out the recipe here!

Jeweled Rice with Crispy Salami Croutons

 

Latest Obsession

Fair warning, readers!  In the coming months, you’ll come to notice that I have quite the obsession with Adeena Sussman’s cookbook, Sababa. Using her recipes as inspiration, while I drool all over the pages (jk, that’s gross), I adapted her Jeweled Rice recipe for a fun twist on a dish for Purim! Truthfully, I am not paid to endorse her book, I’m just THAT much in love with it!

A New Twist

A few weeks ago, my husband Elliott and I were eating Friday night dinner and catching up on the past week. Occasionally we’ll go down these rabbit-hole conversations and this one was just that. He was helping me brainstorm for a Purim recipe. Now, don’t get me wrong, Hamantashen are great. But we have a good amount of those recipes on MeatYourVegetables, so I thought it was time to do something different.

Elliott made some comment about his love of hanging salamis above our back door and he mentioned something along the lines of “ya know, Haman… hanging… salami.” Ah, here comes the light bulb moment.

It makes so much sense now why serving hassleback salami at a Purim seudah has become a “thing” because Haman was hanged on the gallows. So we put two and two together and decided on “Jeweled” rice, because you know – Queen Esther, royalty, crown, jewels. You get the idea. 🙂 And topped with my ever popular salami croutons – how can this go wrong? And yes, I know, I’m making a dish with MEAT?! Sometimes ya have to switch it up, right?

Household staple

Yes, my salami croutons have become a staple in our house (well, just for Elliott). All I do is dice up some salami (it’s easier to do this with softer salami, but you still can with dried, it’ll just be much harder to peel off the paper and chop) and fry it in a bit of olive oil until they’re SUPER crispy. BOOM- salami croutons. A great way to get my husband to eat salad, HA!

Side note here on the jeweled rice. Just like Adeena’s recipe goes, feel free to use any dried fruit. I opted for apricots because Elliott likes apricots and not much else in the dried fruit category. And I went with sliced almonds because again, he’s very particular and he loves almonds. Adding some pomegranate seeds on top would be a great addition too, for that jeweled look. Or, try dried cranberries, or maybe even sun-dried tomatoes!

So there you have it! A great new twist on a dish that’s perfect for Purim, or any time of year! I’m serving this for our upcoming seudah and for Friday night Shabbos dinner!

Purim Sameach!

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Jeweled Rice with Crispy Salami Croutons
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 
Course: Side
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Basmati or Jasmine Rice If all you have on hand is regular white rice, go ahead and use it. It'll still be delish
  • 1/2 Onion, diced I used red onion for this photo because, well that's all I had in the house and it gives the dish a nice sweetness, so use what you like!
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp Dried dill I love using fresh dill but dried is so much easier to use since most of us already have it in our pantry. If you use fresh, chop up 1/2 cup
  • 1/2 cup Dried apricots, chopped Again, use whatever dried fruit you like!
  • 1/2 cup Sliced or Slivered almonds
  • 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced I had a meyer lemon on hand and love that bright burst of sweet, tart lemon!
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup Salami, cut into cubes
  • 5 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions

  1. Make the rice: Rinse the rice in a sieve and place in a medium-sized pot or rice cooker. Add 2 cups of water and cook for about 20 minutes until fluffy and tender

  2. While the rice is cooking, in a medium-sized skillet, heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil over medium-heat

  3. Add the onions and and sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt

  4. Make sure to stir frequently so the onions don't burn

  5. Cook for about 20 minutes until the onions are golden and caramelized - remove from pan and set aside to cool

  6. While the rice is cooling, add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil into the pan where the onions cooked and add the salami cubes

  7. Cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes until crispy but be careful not to burn (they cook pretty fast)

  8. Add the semi-cooled rice in a large bowl and add the dill, chopped apricots, remaining salt and pepper, lemon zest and juice and almonds

  9. Add the salami croutons along with the remaining oil from the salami

  10. Mix well and add in pomegranate if desired!

  11. Serve warm or room temp and enjoy!

 

“Bacon” Ranch Crack Dip

 

Superbowl Snacking

I know what you’re thinking. Bacon and Crack? Did Rachel fall off the deep end? Not so fast, ya’ll! Since the Superbowl is this Sunday, it seemed only fitting to make a party dip that was so addicting, it was like crack!  Seriously, look up “crack dip“, it’s a thing!

So let’s dive head-first into this (meatless) Bacon Ranch Crack Dip. Obviously we’re not talking about real bacon here. The “bacon” comes from the salty, earthy, umami flavors of… MUSHROOMS! It’s a great way to sneak some veggies into a dish for your kids (or in my case, my husband, who isn’t a big veggie eater, but sadly, he despises these delicious fungi – shhh, don’t tell him there are mushrooms in this dip)!

Easy as…mushroom bacon

This recipe is so easy to whip up for your Superbowl party or any time of year. Yes it’s a lot of fat (and very Keto-friendly), but it’s a fun spin on a typical onion dip. And maybe you get a little tired of guacamole at every party, so this is a great alternative to introduce to your party guests.

Of course if you’re not into mushrooms, you can omit them. You won’t get as much of that umami flavor bomb, but you could always add in some fake bacon bits instead. And for the record, the mushroom bacon came out insanely delicious – crispy, smoky (the shiitakes are known for their smoky flavor), and a little salty – the PERFECT addition to this creamy, cheesy dip!

I like how versatile this dip is (well, aren’t all of my recipes pretty versatile?). You can add in some caramelized onions, to add a hint of sweetness to balance out the earthy mushroom flavors. But how can you go wrong when you mix cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing? I mean, now you can understand the meaning behind “crack” dip, right?

True, the traditional recipes call for real bacon but I put my own twist on it! Adding the meatless mushroom “bacon”, and some freshly squeezed lemon juice for a bright pop of acidity to round out all the flavors. And for this recipe, I used Walden Farm’s Bacon Ranch Dressing. Most of the time I have my own homemade salad dressings in the fridge, but I wanted an extra kick of that salty bacon flavor so I went with it for this go-around. But if you want to add in some homemade ranch – go for it!

So whoever you’re rooting for (Go CHIEFS!!!!) and wherever you’ll be during the Superbowl this year (or not even watching it because you’ll forget about it, or just don’t care, ha), go ahead and whip up a batch of this super creamy, salty, sweet and undeniably addicting Bacon Ranch Crack Dip!

And after you made it, feel free to comment below with your thoughts! What did you add to make it more fun? Maybe a squeeze of sriracha or hot sauce? We’d love to know how you liked it!

Enjoy – and Happy Superbowl Snacking!

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Meatless "Bacon" Ranch Crack Dip
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 15 servings (1/4 cup per serving)
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Shiitake Mushrooms Caps only - use the stems for making veggie stock! Also, shiitakes specifically have kind of a smoky flavor compared to other types of mushrooms, so they work best in this recipe
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Bacon Seasoning, optional I love the brand, Flavor God, the "bacon lover's seasoning" - their spices mixes are awesome, AND Kosher!
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese 8 oz = 1 cup
  • 3/4 cup Ranch Dressing I used the Bacon Ranch dressing from Walden Farms, but use whatever you like - store bought, or homemade!
  • 1/3 cup Sour Cream
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/3 cup Green Onions, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 Lemon, halved and juiced
Instructions

  1. Make the mushroom bacon: Pre-heat the oven to 375F and line with parchment paper

  2. Remove the mushroom stems and slice the mushroom caps into thin slices

  3. Add the sliced mushrooms to the baking sheet, and drizzle the olive oil, salt and bacon seasoning (if using). Make sure the mushrooms are coated evenly, then arrange in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap

  4. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes, then flip each slice over. Return to the oven for 7 more minutes, until the mushroom caps are browned, but not burnt. They'll get crispy around the edges but even if the centers are soft, don't worry, they'll crisp up as they cool

  5. Cool the mushroom bacon for at least 15 minutes. Remove any excess oil with a towel and chop into small pieces, to use for the dip later

  6. And now, make the dip! Pre-heat the oven again but this time at 350F



  7. Heat the cream cheese slowly in the microwave until it's warmed (NOT hot) and stirs easily. I popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds, stirred, the 30 more seconds until warm and melty

  8. Pour the ranch dressing into the cream cheese, and mix until smooth, then add in the sour cream. Once mixed thoroughly, add in the cheddar, mushroom bacon, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice (but NOT the green onions)

  9. Add the dip into a 1/2 quart baking dish (or similar size) and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly

  10. Garnish with the green onions and serve hot or warm with cut up veggies, tortilla chips or low carb chips or crackers!

Lemon Bars

 

Lemon Love

I love acid. I know that sounds bad, but if I could squeeze lemon juice on top of everything, I’d be happy. Lemon ANYTHING is my favorite. Lemon meringue pie is my favorite dessert (we served it at my wedding). And acidity really does help round out the flavors of a delicious meal, especially on a perfectly-cooked piece of salmon. So when Trader Joe’s started carrying Meyer Lemons for the winter (a sweeter version of a lemon), I had to make something super lemon-y. And in my book, that means lemon bars.

Even though my lemon bars are gluten-free, dairy-free (perfect for a Shabbos dessert) and low-carb (yay Keto-friendly), it doesn’t mean that these are without flavor. Quite the contrary. The perfectly crumbly golden crust and the sweet yet tart lemon filling, dusted with some powdered sugar (or I like to use powdered Swerve for a no-sugar alternative). It’s truly heaven in a square-shaped bite.

Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!

I had a total craving for these lemon bars and luckily they’re only 5 ingredients so they’re super simple to whip up in no time! Just make sure that you give the crust a good 10 minutes to cool down before you pour the filling on top. And I doubt that anyone would know these AREN’T made with gluten, sugar or dairy!

Or, if you’re an acid lover like me, feel free to swap out the lemon (or Meyer lemons, in my case) with key lime! How can you go wrong with a key lime tart? Just the thought is making me daydream about sitting on the beach with a cocktail in hand and these bars stacked high on a plate in the other. So there is your cue to make these ASAP!

Happy eating my friends!

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Lemon Bars
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
48 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 16 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Oil, or Betterine (margarine alternative) You can use butter if you want to make these dairy!
  • 1 3/4 cup Almond Flour
  • 1 cup Sugar, or Swerve sugar alternative
  • 1 tbsp Powdered sugar, or Powdered Swerve, sugar alternative
  • 1/2 cup Lemon juice, or juice from 3 lemons (or use Meyer Lemons like I did!), or use bottled
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Lemon extract Optional, for an extra kick!
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line an 8x8" square baking pan with parchment paper

  2. Mix melted coconut oil or Betterine in a bowl.

  3. Add 1 cup of almond flour, 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix well

  4. Pour into the pan and using (damp) hands, press the crust into the pan

  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes (watch it carefully that it doesn't get too brown) and let cool for 10 minutes

  6. In another medium-sized bowl, combine the lemon juice, extract (if using), eggs, 3/4 cup of sugar or Swerve, 3/4 cup of almond flour and a pinch of salt. Whisk together to smooth out any lumps in the batter

  7. Pour filling onto cooled crust and bake for 22 minutes until just barely jiggly in the middle. I over-baked mine for 1-2 minutes which made it crack but that's okay, it's still delicious! Dust with powdered sugar or Swerve and cut into squares and enjoy!

Low Carb Vegan Cornbread

 

New Inspiration

A few weeks ago, a colleague of mine said to me in passing, “I have some news for you. Oh don’t worry, it’s nothing bad, I just think you’ll find it interesting.” Well, glad she made a mention that this wasn’t anything to worry about, phew! And she was right, I DID find it interesting. She had recently gone vegan (not cold turkey, but at her own pace) and wanted to pick my brain on recipes and ideas for making her cooking life easier. Granted, she’s not low-carb, but making this recipe keto-friendly was an added bonus for me!

And… this is the time in the story where the wheels in my brain start turning furiously. First, I mentioned all of the vegan recipes I had in BOTH of my blogs, Riskyveggie and of course, the vegan recipes here in MYV. Then I suggested the fantastic Megan Gilmore of Detoxinista – WOW does she have a huge repertoire of vegan recipes galore!

The wheels in my brain came to a screeching halt. And born was my Low Carb, (Keto-Friendly), Vegan Cornbread! And don’t worry, it’s still delicious, even without the dairy. Of course eggs are not vegan-friendly so I made a chia egg. It sounds weird, but the texture imitates that of an egg – really! I already had a bag of ground chia seeds (you can use flax seeds too), but if you don’t, I recommend grinding your own. Not that you can’t use chia or flax in your cornbread but it might have a strange texture, so I use ground.

Not Vegan? No Problemo!

The nice thing about this recipe too is that you can totally mix it up to what YOU like! Add in some diced jalapeno for a nice kick, or if you’re not vegan, go ahead and add some shredded cheddar and real eggs too (3 in this case). I love using nutritional yeast in vegan recipes because it gives that cheesy flavor with no dairy but added in Vitamin B6! And for those Keto fans out there, this is a great option for you – with or without the baby corn.

This side dish is a perfect accompaniment to any holiday meal, as an addition to your chili while watching football, or really, any time of year! Even for a picnic, it’s great to serve since it doesn’t require refrigeration.

This is for you, Sarah! ENJOY! Happy vegan-cooking!

Catch ya’ll in 2020!

3.25 from 4 votes
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Low Carb Vegan Cornbread
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
 
Course: Side
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cornbread
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Almond Flour
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
  • 3 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt (or Pink Himalayan Salt, for those electrolytes!)
  • 1/2 cup Avocado oil
  • 1 tbsp Chia Seeds, preferably ground Or you can use flax seeds
  • 2 1/2 tbsp Water
  • 1/4 cup Almond Milk Or any non-dairy milk you like!
  • 25 drops Liquid Stevia
  • 1 cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 2/3 can Baby Corn, chopped
  • 1 Jalapeno, diced, seeded and ribs removed Optional - but a good kick!
Instructions

  1. Make the chia egg (egg substitute): Mix the chia (or flax) seeds, preferably ground, with the 2 1/2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes to thicken

  2. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and grease a 9-inch casserole dish with avocado or olive oil

  3. In a medium-sized bowl. combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to remove any clumps and and set aside

  4. In a another (large) bowl combine the chia or flax egg, avocado oil, almond milk, liquid stevia, diced jalapenos (if using) and nutritional yeast. Whisk until full no lumps. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet so you have 1 thick batter

  5. Fold in the chopped baby corn and transfer all to the casserole dish

  6. Bake for 37-40 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes and slice into squares. Garnish with some green onions and non-dairy sour cream - or serve alongside chili for a hearty meal!

Pulled Beef Filled Mini Doughnuts With a Trio of BBQ Dipping Sauces

 

Pulled Beef DoughnutsWhat’s the Deal With Doughnuts

Chanukah (or Hanukkah if you prefer) is upon us. On of the things I love about Chanukah are the doughnuts (or is it donuts).  Ok, I love doughnuts any time of year, but on Chanukah I have a good excuse. Doughnuts, along with other fried foods such as latkes, are eaten on Chanukah to celebrate the miracle of one night’s worth of oil found after the Greeks invaded the Temple burning for eight nights in the menorah.

Everything is Better With Brisket

If you follow this blog,then you know one of my culinary passions is BBQ. How could I combine doughnuts and BBQ you ask? I happened to have a smoked 2nd cut brisket in freezer waiting for just such an occasion. I felt like I needed some sort of sauce to compensate for the lack of frosting or creamy filling.

This gave me the opportunity to showcase three different regional styles of BBQ sauce. You can choose to serve any or all of them. These included a spicy southwestern chipotle sauce, a sweet Dr. Pepper sauce in the Kansas City style, and finally a tangy South Carolina mustard sauce. I originally thought of adding the sauce to beef filling or tossing the doughnuts in the sauce, but after talking to some friends, I ultimately decided to keep the sauce on the side.  This allows the diner to chose the type and quantity of sauce the desire and prevents the doughnut from getting soggy.

Another goal of this recipe was to make something a little more bite sized. Smaller donuts make a great hors d’oeuvre for your holiday party or an appetizer for shabbat dinner. Originally, I planned to make doughnut holes (AKA munchkins), but soon learned they are too hard to stuff with the brisket. I eventually settled on a mini doughnut ball slightly larger than a golf ball, which worked perfectly. As I have said many times before, I am not baker so I did start with Alton Brown’s yeast doughnut recipe  and then modified it to be a bit fluffier and to make smaller, rounder doughnuts.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest Chanukah recipe for the other staple of the holiday: Potato Latke Waffles

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Pulled Beef Doughnuts
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Pulled Beef Filled Mini Doughnuts
Prep Time
4 hrs
Cook Time
4 hrs
 

A savory twist on a Chanukah treat.

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Hors d'oeuvre, Side, Snack
Cuisine: American, Holiday, Jewish, Kosher
Keyword: Beef, brisket, Doughnut, Pulled Beef
Servings: 12 Doughnuts
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Doughnut Dough
  • 12 oz All Purpose Flour Yes, get a scale!
  • 2 Large Eggs Beaten
  • 1/4 cup (Non-dairy) Milk I used soy milk to keep it kosher, but if you don't need it to be kosher you can use regular milk.
  • 1-1/4 oz Vegetable Shortening
  • 2 Envelopes Instant Yeast
  • 1/3 cup Warm Water About 110°F
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 cup Sugar Optional, if you want a sweet doughnut
  • Vegetable Oil For Frying. Enough to come 3" up the side of your pot.
Pulled Beef
  • 1 2nd Cut Brisket or Chuck Roast
  • 4 Cups Beef Stock Homemade would be best, but boxed will work in a pinch. You may not need all of it.
  • 1 Carrot Peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 Onion Peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Peeled and roughly chopped
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Instructions
Doughnuts

  1. Add the yeast and warm water to small bowl and stir until the yeast is completely wet.

  2. In another bowl combine the (non-dairy) milk and the shortening. Microwave until the shortening is melted, about 30 seconds. Alternately, you could heat the mixture in a saucepan. Set the mixture aside to cool.

  3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the yeast and water mixture, the shortening and milk mixture, the salt, and the eggs, with the paddle attachment on the "stir" setting. At this point, add the sugar if you want a sweet doughnut. Slowly incorporate the flour until the mixture forms a cohesive mass.

  4. Switch to the dough hook and and knead for 5 minutes.

  5. Move the dough to an oiled bowl and cover. Allow the dough to rise on the counter until it doubles in size.

  6. Divide into 12 pieces and roll each piece in to a ball a little larger than a golf ball and allow them to rise on the counter until they double in size again.

  7. Add 3 inches of oil to a large heavy pot or dutch oven and put on the stove over medium heat. Once the oil get to 350°F, fry the doughnuts in batches on each side until golden brown.

  8. Put aside to cool.

Pulled Beef

  1. Season the brisket or chuck roast heavily with salt and pepper.

  2. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic, to a large pot or Dutch oven. Place the meat on top of the vegetables. Add enough of the beef stock to cover the meat about 3/4 of the way.

  3. Cover the pot and place the it on the stove over medium heat and allow the meat to braise until tender.

  4. Once the meat is tender, remove from the pot and allow it to rest until cool enough to handle, and shred using two forks.

  5. Using a knife, cut a slit in the doughnuts and stuff with the meat. Serve immediately with the BBQ sauce of your choice.

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Pulled Beef Doughnuts
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Chipolte BBQ Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
 

Add a kick to your cooking

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: BBQ, Mexican, Southern
Keyword: BBQ, Chipotle, Sauce
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 3/4 Cup Ketchup
  • 3 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped These come in a small can is the Latin food section of your local grocery store.
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tbsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a small sauce pot and simmer until all the solids are dissolved.

0 from 0 votes
Pulled Beef Doughnuts
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South Carolina Mustard Sauce
Prep Time
2 mins
 

A tangy sauce from the south

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: BBQ, Mustard
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1/2 Cup Yellow Mustard
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Prepared Horseradish Mayo Sauce
Instructions

  1. Add all the infringements in a bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined.

5 from 1 vote
Pulled Beef Doughnuts
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Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: BBQ
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1/2 Cup Dr. Pepper Syrup You can reduce a 2L of Dr Pepper or use Soda Stream Dr. Pete Sparkling Drink Mix
  • 1 Cup Ketchup
  • 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
  • 1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 Tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/4 Cup Molasses
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pot and simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat while stirring regularly.

 

Potato Latke Waffles

 

The Festival of…Waffles?

Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah. The holiday of…waffles?  Sure, why not? These waffles are made with potatoes, onions, egg and oil! The very BASICS of latke ingredients. So why not take the traditional latke and form it into a fun and different shape, the WAFFLE – my Potato Latke Waffles!

But before we get into the deets, can ya’ll believe that it’s already Hanukkah? I mean, it feels like yesterday that I was making my Pizza Latkes for MYV. And by the way, check those out, they’re super easy and SO good.

Food Trends

Truth be told, I’d been thinking about transforming potato latkes into waffles for a while now and my clearly my brain was already thinking ahead on the “waffle-trend” (when did waffles become trendy exactly?) when I read in the latest issue of Fleishigs Magazine that yes indeed, waffles are in. This, from a recipe excerpt of Daniella Silver’s new cookbook, “Variations“. Her “hash brown potato kugel waffles” that helped with my inspiration.

I’ve always found food trends to be a bit silly. Just like how we determine that florals are always in for spring (“florals for spring…groundbreaking”), will next season’s food fads be fava beans, or kimchi or even gefilte fish? Well, you never know about the latter, but sure, there are ways to fancy-up gefilte I presume.

Regardless, I do love making waffles, whether it’s the (yes, the trendy) Keto “chaffle” (cheese waffle) or a chocolate protein waffle, they have always had a special place in my heart. I have such vivid memories of my sister Avi and me sleeping over at my Bubbe and Zayde’s house and the next morning, my Bubbe would have a big plate of hot, crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside Belgian waffles. Topped of course with a big heaping glug of maple syrup. Ah, those were the days. The days of wonderful family food memories (and boy, do I have a lot – but don’t we all)!

Some “Variations” for you!

Alright, I guess this is a little punny since I mentioned Daniella Silver’s book already, but hey, variations are what excites me about food! Use a recipe as a base and create your own variant of that! Full disclosure, the waffle maker I used at home is Dairy (it’s the only one I have), but regardless, here are some more options/variations for you, using this base latke waffle recipe to take it to the next culinary level.

  • Add cheddar cheese into the mix for a full-on dairy spin – top with sour cream, bacon bits and green onions and you’ve got yourself a “loaded potato latke waffle”! YUMMMM
  • Keep the base parve, but garnish with chopped pastrami or salami and drizzle sriracha mayo! A.k.a. crispy hash browns with meat for a filling brunch.
  • Keep the base parve but fry up some chicken thighs for a fun spin on chicken ‘n waffles! Serve alongside honey mustard dipping sauce and maple syrup
  • You can do what I did using my husband as a guinea pig and topping his with a drizzle of ketchup. What can I say, he’s a man of simple tastes
  • Or, if you’re feeling fancy, garnish how I did in my photo, with a drizzle of truffle mayo and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley
  • And for a super traditional option, serve with applesauce or sour cream

So there ya have it. A fun, innovative way to enjoy your latkes and with plenty of that oil drippings too. Wishing you all a Chag Chanukah Sameach – from your team at MYV!

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Potato Latke Waffles
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Keyword: latke
Servings: 4 waffles
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 White onion, diced or thinly sliced
  • 1 1lb. bag Shredded potatoes Sure, you can hand-shred potatoes or using a food processor but it takes times and it's messy, and who wants to slave over doing dishes. I LOVE using the pre-shredded potatoes, it saves so much time!
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked or sweet paprika
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat waffle maker and spray with non-stick cooking spray

  2. In a bowl, add the shredded potatoes, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, paprika and oil

  3. Mix (using your hands is easier - they're your best tool) until fully mixed

  4. Spoon about 3/4 cup into waffle maker. You don't want to overstuff it because the middle will get crispy but the sides won't, so make sure it's an even layer

  5. You can use any kind of waffle maker - regular, Belgian, mini - you name it! Just be patient and let them cook and crisp up!

  6. Serve with a whole slew of toppings! If you're making them dairy, add a heaping spoonful of sour cream or applesauce. Making these meat? Add some chopped salami or pastrami and top with sriracha mayo!

Pho gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup

 

POP-UP NIGHT

Before we get to the pho, some exciting news. On Sunday November 17th we are doing another pop up night at Congregation Ezras Israel. Last time we did a pop up night it was sold out, so make sure and get your reservations in ASAP. The menu this time is Vietnamese (hence the pho recipe, which will also be served at the pop up). I love the super bright flavors used in Vietnamese cooking. Your taste buds will be rocked by anise, lemongrass and ginger. See below for the full details. Make sure you register for the event before registration closes this Sunday, November 10th!

 

PHO

PhoPho, pronounced fuh, is a Vietnamese street food staple soup that is influenced by Chinese immigrants and French settlers and was later made popular across the world after the Vietnam war by refugees. It is usually made with boiling beef stock poured over thinly sliced raw beef. If you go that route, make sure to slice the beef super thin (partially freezing it first helps) and make sure the stock is boiling so the beef cooks., You can make pho with chicken as in this recipe, pork, or even vegetables. If you make a version with chicken (or pork for our non-kosher friends) I recommend precooking the protein. Unlike beef, you never want to serve rare chicken or pork.

What makes pho different than your Bubby’s chicken soup? It is seasoned with aggressive spices such as ginger, clove, and star anise.  Pho is almost always served with rice noodles, and usually comes with a series of accompaniments such as chilies, cilantro, Thai basil, lime, bean sprouts, and scallions. I recommend just giving everyone a bowl with only broth and noodles and putting all the extras on a big platter in the middle of the table so your guests can choose what they want. I think people enjoy what I like to call “interactive eating”. Who says you can’t play with your food??

CHICKEN PHO RECIPE

Pho

5 from 1 vote
Pho
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phở gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 

A little Jewish penicillin with some Asian flare

Course: Soup
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
Keyword: Pho
Servings: 8 Bowls
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Broth
  • 1/2 Gallon Chicken Stock See recipe for chicken soup below or use store bought in a pinch
  • 6 Cloves Garlic Peeled and smashed
  • 1 Large Onion Peeled and quartered
  • 2 inch Piece of Fresh Ginger Peeled
  • 2 Sticks Cinnamon
  • 3 Star Anise Pods
  • 6 Cloves Cloves
  • 1 tbsp (Vegan) Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce See my recipe for vegan fish sauce below
Add Ins
  • Rice Noodles Cooked per the directions on the package
  • Fresh Chili Peppers Sliced thinly on a bias
  • Scallions Sliced thinly on a bias
  • Cilantro Stems removed
  • Lime Cut into wedges
  • Thai Basil Stems removed
  • Bean Sprouts
  • Shredded Roast Chicken This is a great way to use up leftovers or you can you use grocery store rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the garlic, onion, and ginger on the sheet pan. Roast until the aromatics begin to brown.

  2. Add the roasted aromatics, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and chicken stock to a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes and strain out the solids.

  3. Add the noodles to the bowl and cover with the broth. Top with your favorite add ins and squeeze in some lime juice for some brightness.

5 from 1 vote
Pho
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Chicken Soup
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
 

A classic kosher comfort dish.  It's good for what ails you, they don't call it Jewish penicillin for nothing. I don't like anything too fancy in my chicken soup so I stay away from things like zucchini and tomatoes, but if you like them feel free to add them, it won't hurt anything.  

One final note, your soup will never taste as good as your mother's for 2 reasons:

1. Memories are a strong force

2. She probably added some soup mix with MSG to give it that little something extra.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: Jewish
Servings: 1 Large Pot
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 4 Medium Carrots Peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 4 Ribs Celery Rinsed, tops and bottoms cut off and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 Large Sweet Potato Peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 Turnip Peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 Parsnip Peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 1 Onion Peeled and roughly chopped
  • Salt To taste
  • Pepper To taste
  • 1 Handful Dill
  • 1 Handful Parsley
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 4 Chicken Leg Quarters Remove and save the fat and skin to make schmaltz
Instructions

  1. Put all the ingredients in your largest pot and fill with enough water to cover everything, making sure not to fill too high in order to prevent it from boiling over.

  2. Cover the pot and put over high heat and bring to a boil.  Once the soup is at a boil remove the lid and turn the heat down to a simmer.

  3. Let the soup simmer for about four hours or until the soup reduces by about 15%.

  4. Remove chicken from the bones, adding the chicken back in to the soup and discarding the bones.  Serve within a week or freeze for up to six months. 

0 from 0 votes
Pho
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Vegan "Fish" Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Fish sauce is a sauce used to add a little funk to a dish.  Fish sauce is usually made by fermenting small fish such as anchovies in salt and then pressing out the liquid from it. While kosher fish sauce is available, I chose to make my own vegan fish sauce as many people who eat strictly kosher do not mix fish with meat or fowl. To create the requisite funk I used a quartet of fermented products, some of which can be hard to find. For that reason, even though I usually shy away from recommending specific brands, I make an exception here. I ended up buying much of what I needed at Whole Foods, but most they can of course be found on Amazon.com.

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Fish Sauce
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir until all the solids are dissolved. 

Recipe Notes

This recipe contains affiliate links. We at MYV earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s pop up preview recipe: Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)

Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)

 

Vietnamese Pop-up!

Well, it’s that time of year again!  A pop-up event featuring yours truly – the team from Meat Your Vegetables!

Last July, Daniel and I hosted a very successful Indian pop-up night, and this year, we’re cooking Vietnamese on Sunday, November 17th at Congregation Ezras Israel in Chicago! Make sure you register for the event before it closes this Sunday, November 10th!

Recipes in the works

It’s no surprise that in order to get prepared for this exciting night of good food, we both did some research, cooking, and taste-testing! Pop Up

As I was researching desserts, this creamy Vietnamese Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango, aka “xôi xoài” , or “mango sticky rice”, seemed to pop up a lot. My variation has lime zest and juice and topped with diced mango.

Is lime zest traditional in this recipe?  Not necessarily, but that’s the beauty of creating a recipe – do something to put your own spin on it! I love the bright flavors of acidic fruits like lemons, limes and grapefruit and I thought the lime and cardamom in the pudding would be a great pairing. Turns out, it IS!

And here’s my TIP: instead of laboring over peeling and chopping a fresh mango (because we all know that’s annoying), buy frozen! It’ll save you so much time!

Low-carb options

Plus, if you want a low-carb option, try using cauliflower rice instead. This dessert can be completely 100% keto-friendly too, if you use a sugar substitute like Swerve, instead of white sugar. And the chopped pistachios on top add a nice bright crunch on top, but feel free to add chopped almonds or even peanuts for a crunchy kick! For this pop-up, we are serving 100% nut-free menu, due to a severe nut allergy with some of the congregants, but maybe we could add roasted sesame seeds on top.  Even substitutions can be better than the original, right?

For all you local Chicagoans, check out this creamy coconut dessert recipe – just a preview for more Vietnamese recipes coming soon!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s pop-up preview recipe: Pho gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup

Hope to see you at the pop-up on November 17th!

 

0 from 0 votes
Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango
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Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup White Sugar Or sugar substitute like Swerve
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom, plus more for serving
  • 1 13 oz. Can of Coconut Milk Do not use light coconut milk as it will result in a watery consistency and flavor. Use full-fat coconut milk (but not coconut cream)
  • 1/2 cup White rice (Arborio rice works great too) Rinse the rice under cold running water for 20-30 seconds; drain well
  • 1 Lime, Zested & half juiced
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Mango cut up into chunks I love using frozen mango for this because it's so much easier than peeling and chopping!
  • 1/4 cup Shelled, roasted pistachios (optional) I used sliced almonds because that's what I had handy!
  • 2 1/2 cup Water
Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350F with a rack in the middle position

  2. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, salt and cardamom; set aside

  3. In a large pot, stir together the coconut milk and 2 1/2 cups of water; bring to a boil over medium-heat

  4. Once the water and milk is boiling, stir in the rice, sugar mixture and lime zest. Cut the lime in half and squeeze half the lime into the mixture.

  5. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour, until rice is tender and creamy

  6. Take the rice pudding out of the oven and add the vanilla extract and mix well

  7. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve in individual bowls at warm or at room temp

  8. Garnish with more ground cardamom and chopped mango and/or chopped pistachios