Main Dish

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili

prehfusLeave a comment
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups diced yellow onion
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 28-ounce can crused tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • Additional broth, if needed.

Place all ingredients except for the spinach in a slow cooker and stir.

Cook on low for 8 hours. The sweet potatoes should be tender.

You can serve it right away or reheat it later. Just before serving, stir in the spinach until it wilts.

If the soup seems too thick. (This is especially likely if you are reheating it). Add more broth to achieve the desired consistency.

Serve with the topping(s) of your choice. Suggestions: Scallions, cheese, sour cream, avocado, chopped jalapeño, cilantro, crushed tortilla chips.

, ,

Brisket with Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

prehfusLeave a comment

Adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser (2021)

  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
  • 6 large cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1 1/2 cups Coca Cola (regular – not diet)
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black peper, or to taste
  • One 6-7 pound first-cut brisket, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients except the brisket in a food processor and process until smooth.

Place the brisket, fat-side-up, in a heavy roasting pan just large enough to hold it and pour the sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours.

Turn the brisket over and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour and check for tenderness. If it is fork-tender, you’re done! If not, cover loosely with foil and continue baking. Depending on the thickness of the brisket, this can take up to an additional hour. Keep checking every 20 minutes or so.

Once the brisket is done, take it out of the sauce and allow it to cool. Then wrap it in foil and refrigerate overnight. Pour the sauce into a container, cover it and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, transfer the brisket to a large cutting board and trim off the fat. Slice the brisket with a sharp knife against the grain. Remove any fat that has congealed on top of the sauce. Place the sliced brisket in a baking dish or roasting pan and pour the sauce over it, letting it run down between the slices.

At this point, you can reheat and serve using the instructions below. If you prefer to serve it later, wrap the whole thing in foil and freeze it or keep it in the refrigerator for a day or two until ready to heat and serve. If you decide to freeze it, thaw it in the refrigerator for about 24 hours before reheating.

When ready to serve, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the brisket and sauce, covered, for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 12

Chicken Stir Fry

prehfusLeave a comment

Adapted from the Weight Watchers Take Out Tonight Cookbook.

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast, sliced into bite-size pieces
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil (divided)
  • 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
  • 2 cups broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 1 cup carrots, coarsely shredded or cut into match sticks
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
  • Cooked rice

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat a large deep skillet or nonstick wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil, swirling to coat the pan. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan. Add the remaining teaspoon of vegetable oil. Add the vegetables, and stir-fry until they are cooked, about 5 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking, whisk together the broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and sesame oil.

When the vegetables are done, add the meat and sauce to the pan. Cook over medium heat until sauce and chicken are heated through and the sauce begins to boil and thicken.

Serve over rice.

Makes 4 – 6 servings.

Quinoa Burrito Bowls

prehfusLeave a comment

Adapted from The I Love My Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Diet Recipe Book by Maryeay Flaherty (HappyHealthyMama.com)

This is a great weeknight recipe. It also makes a great lunch reheated the next day. I have added cubed cooked sweet potatoes in place of the avocado and it was yummy.

  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil
  • 1/2 medium red onion, peeled an diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup roasted tomato and chipotle salsa (or any salsa you like)
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium avocado, peeled pitted and sliced
  • 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Press the Saute button and add the oil to the inner pot. Add the onion, salt and cumin and cook 5 minutes. Press the Cancel button.

Add the quinoa, salsa, stock and beans and stir to combine, scraping up brown bits that may be suck to the bottom of the pot. Secure the lid.

Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button and adjust the time to 5 minutes.

When the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally until the valve drops and then unlock the lid.

Spoon the quinoa mixture into bowls and top with avocado and cheese and whatever other burrito-type toppings you might enjoy.

Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Fajita Pasta

prehfusLeave a comment

Adapted from Skinnytaste One and Done by Gina Homolka and  Heather K. Jones

  • 1 pound thin-cut boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (divided)
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (divided)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
  • 3 teaspoons olive oil (divided)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 7 ounces celentani or other corkscrew/elbow pasta
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 sliced Haas avocados
  • Chopped scallion (optional)
  • Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of the chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the garlic powder, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Toss to coat.

In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and peppers along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and well-combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the plate of chicken.

In the same pot, combine the broth, tomatoes and uncooked pasta. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot, stir well and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream.

To serve, spoon 1 1/2 cups into bowls and top each with avocado and other toppings of your choice.

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

prehfusLeave a comment
  • 3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
  • 3 large carrots, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, halved and sliced
  • 1 ½ pounds , boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 2 handfuls of baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 2 packages (5.2 ounces each) Boursin cheese with garlic and herbs, quartered

Put first 7 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 ½ hours.

Raise heat to high. Add peas and spinach. Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.

Turn off heat, add cheese and stir until melted.

Easy Brisket

prehfusLeave a comment

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties! copyright 2001 by Ina Garten.

  • 5  pounds (or so) beef brisket, very well trimmed of fat
  • 6 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 8 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 6 dried bay leaves
  • 1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice or low-sodium V8 juice.

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Place half of the sliced onions in the bottom of a heavy roasting pan.  Place the brisket on top of the onions. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano. Rub the mixture on the brisket. Pile the carrots, celery, remaining onions, and bay leaves on the brisket and pour in enough juice to come about 3/4 of the way up the meat and vegetables (in my roasting pan, that’s the whole can). Cover the top of the pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, then with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil.  Seal the edges well.

Bake for 4 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove the meat from the pan and slice it against the grain. Remove the bay leaves and discard.  Put the vegetables, with sauce into a food processor with a steel blade.  Process until you get a chunky sauce.  Place the sliced meat in a 13×9 pan.  Pour in enough sauce to cover the meat.  There will be sauce left over that can be used for pasta or for use in other recipes.

At this point, you can refrigerate or freeze the brisket until ready to use.  (If you freeze it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.) When ready to serve, heat the brisket in a 325° oven for 30 – 45 minutes, until the meat is heated through and the sauce is bubbly.

Serves 6 people, with leftovers.

NOTE: We think this is even better when prepared ahead and frozen for future use.

Rehfwitz Chicken Soup

prehfusLeave a comment
  • 4-5 pounds chicken parts
  • Leaves and small stalks from the inside of 2 bunches of celery, plus 2-3 big celery stalks cut into 2” pieces
  • 6-8 carrots, (peeled if you will be using in soup, otherwise just washed well) and cut into 2” pieces
  • 2-3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
  • 2-3 onions peeled and quartered
  • 8 sprigs parsley
  • Some fresh dill (optional)
  • 1 Tbs. peppercorns
  • Kosher salt to taste

Cover chicken pieces with about 3 inches of water in large stock pot.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As the water boils, scum will form. Skim it off and discard. This may take a while. Keep cooking until scum stops forming. The scum will not affect the flavor of the soup, but if not removed, it will make the broth cloudy. Add remaining ingredients; reduce heat and simmer, with the lid partially open, for 2 hours or so.

Remove chicken and vegetables and cool.

Strain stock using cheesecloth and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Skim fat from the top of broth and discard or save to use in other recipes like matzo balls.

Separate chicken from veggies, bones and skin. Chicken can be shredded and added back to soup or saved for another purpose. You may want to slice carrots and add them back to the soup if you will be reheating it right away. If the carrots are too mushy, or if you are planning to freeze the broth before using, discard them with the rest of the veggies, bones and skin.

When ready to reheat the soup, add salt to taste. You may also want to add fresh carrots and/or celery, noodles, kreplach, or matzo balls.

Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Kimberly Garcia.  Adapted from a recipe found here:  http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2009/03/recipe-for-asian-lettuce-cups-or-wraps.html

  • 1 T peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used sesame oil)
  • 3 T minced red onion or shallots
  • 2 T minced garlic (i use fresh)
  • 2 T grated ginger root (fresh if possible)
  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey (or turkey)
  • 4 T soy sauce (try to find low-sodium)
  • 1 T Chile Garlic Sauce or more to taste
  • 1 tsp. fish sauce (optional) – I’ve never used this
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 1/2 large bunch)
  • 1 large head or 2 small heads Boston Lettuce or butter lettuce, or substitute 1 head iceberg lettuce

Chop onion and set aside. Peel ginger root, then grate with the large side of a cheese grater, and chop garlic if using fresh garlic. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add onion and sauté about 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger root and sauté about one minute more.

Add ground turkey to frying pan (with a bit more oil if needed) and break apart and spread out with turner, then add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and fish sauce (if using). Cook until the turkey is brown and crumbling apart, and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

While turkey cooks, wash and chop fresh cilantro to make 1 cup. Remove the core end from lettuce, separate leaves, and wash in salad spinner and spin dry (or wash under running water and dry with paper towels.) Chop peanuts and put in small bowl to serve at the table.

When turkey is done, add chopped cilantro and cook 1-2 minutes more. Serve filling and lettuce leaves in separate bowls. Each person takes a lettuce leaf, fills with desired amount of turkey mixture and then eats the mixture from the lettuce cup. I fold the lettuce cup over when I eat it, so it’s kind of taco-shaped, but some people like to wrap the lettuce clear around the filling.

Serves 4-6 (although we never seem to get 6 servings out of it)

Gefilte Fish

prehfusLeave a comment

Stock

· 4 stalks celery, cut into 3-inch pieces

· 3 medium onions, sliced (onion skin may also be added to the stock for flavor and color)

· 6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias

· 14 cups water

· Fish bones (and heads, if using)

· 2 Tablespoons kosher salt

· 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 2 Tablespoons sugar

· A sprinkling of paprika

Fish

· 7 pounds ground fish (5 pounds whitefish and 2 pounds pickerel, or similar)

· 2 medium onions, very finely chopped in the food processor

· 2 Tablespoons kosher salt

· 5-6 eggs, lightly beaten (Start with 5 and be ready to add another one later to achieve the right consistency.)

· 2 Tablespoons sugar

· ¾ – 1 cup Matzo meal (I measure out a cup and add gradually until correct consistency is reached.)

· ¾ cup water

· 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 2 medium carrots, finely grated

Put stock ingredients in a very large pot. Bring the stock to a boil while you prepare the fish. Reduce heat and let the stock simmer while you finish.

In a large bowl, preferably made of wood, add the fish and the remaining ingredients on the “Fish” list, stirring and chopping with a hand chopper as you go. Keep blending and chopping until the desired consistency is reached and there are no large chunks of fish, onion, or carrot. The mixture should hold together, but still be moist. Your arm will probably get sore.

With wet hands, form the fish into fat, oval-shaped patties. The end of a largish wooden spoon is useful for this, and keeps the size relatively uniform. Slide each patty carefully into the simmering stock.  NOTE:  Don’t crowd the fish balls; they will swell during cooking.

Cook slowly for about 2 hours. Allow fish to cool in pot for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a container. Strain the broth. Remove and save carrots for garnish. Discard other veggies and fish parts. Pour the strained broth over the fish. Store the fish and broth in a covered container in the refrigerator. It is best when made 2-3 days ahead.