Passover starts on Friday , April 15th and ends on Saturday April 23 this year. So I guess it’s about that time that we should start thinking about what we’re going to make for the Seders. Every year people ask me about freezing some of my recipes. I can’t really speak to freezing everything because I haven’t done so. I will try and note recipes that I’ve frozen and add to recipes. Everyone asks me about freezing the Peach Farfel and while I haven’t I know some of you have , I don’t see why you can’t freeze it. I would only cook it 1/2 way through and when it cools down and is more solid I would wrap it well and freeze. I would wrap with plastic and aluminum. If you have an extra freezer and can keep it in the baking dish even better.

I will start to post the tried and true recipes that mean so much to me and my family and I know have become a part of your Passover traditions. If you have a great Passover recipe please email to me I would love to check it out.

Happy Cooking from my kitchen to yours.

Happy Passover.

So delicious and so perfect. I used thin chicken breasts to start , if you’re using thicker ones you’ll have to monitor the timing of them a bit more and you should just use a meat thermometer to do so. This really couldn’t be easier and it was super tasty and is a cheese lovers delight. It’s lightened up from traditional breaded and fried chicken parm.

Prep and ingredients are super easy .

This recipe is for 4.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 – 2 pounds of thin chicken breasts

1 egg

3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 tbsp. garlic powder

1/2 tbsp. onion powder

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasonings — It comes in one jar and is available in most spice sections in supermarkets —

pinch kosher salt

1/4 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

and because we like a little extra kick I add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 -1 cup Jarred Marinara or if you have home made that’s good too . I prefer Raos Arabiata or Marinara

Shredded Mozzarella — probably 1/2 cup to 1 cup depending on how much cheese you like — I like a good sprinkle of cheese — see pics.

A little olive oil for drizzle in pan before cooking

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees

I used a large baking dish and sprayed with cooking spray and drizzled a bit of olive oil to bottom of pan — just a little

Beat egg in a wide enough bowl for dipping chicken

In a second wide bowl combine the parm cheese and spices and mix

Dip each piece of chicken in the egg and then the cheese, coating both sides. Place in prepared baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes — since cutlets are thin this should be fine because you’ll be cooking more with sauce and cheese. If thicker cutlets you may need a bit more time.

Top each piece with sauce and shredded mozzarella. ( you can spread a little sauce in between chicken as well . I served over spaghetti and needed a little more sauce so this was enough. If you want you can heat up extra sauce in a small saucepan for spaghetti. Bake for another 10-20 minutes till chicken is 160 degrees when checked with meat thermometer and cheese is melted and bubbly. I like my cheese just slightly browned so you can turn to broil for a minute or so depending on your broiler but be careful you don’t want to burn the whole thing.

I served over pasta and had enough sauce for us.

That’s it folks — enjoy!

Bone in Chicken Thighs work beautifully here as they cook up rather quickly and are very tasty . I browned them first and gave them a nice crust and then they get braised in a beautiful tomato sauce with coconut milk and amazing spices. It’s stew like in consistency and I served over rice. Any rice will do . I added some red peppers and it was enough of a meal on it’s own with the rice. Bread would be lovely if you’d like to soak up the remaining sauce . A nice green salad would work well here as well.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 – 2 lbs. bone-in , skin-on chicken thighs, at room temperature

Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

2 Tablespoons grapeseed or Canola Oil — I used Grapeseed

1 medium red onion thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves minced

1 2 “piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Curry Powder — I use Spicy Curry Powder use whatever you like

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1/2 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes– I left them whole

1 Red Bell Pepper– cut into thin strips

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with their juices

1/2 (13 oz.) can full-fat coconut milk — save the rest of can if you feel the sauce needs more– I didn’t use it

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

*handful of roughly chopped fresh cilantro — totally optional

Directions:

Pat chicken thighs dry and I placed on a baking sheet and sprinkled kosher salt and coarse black pepper all over

In a deep 12 inch pot or pan — I used my cast iron Le Creuset –perfect. add the 2 Tablespoons Grapeseed Oil till oil gets hot enough to add chicken ( medium-high heat) I use tongs and place the chicken skin side down, let them brown up nicely without disturbing them for about 5 minutes using the tongs you can look at them and make sure they’re lightly golden not burning. Flip and brown the other side for about 5 more minutes . If too hot you can lower the heat. When finished transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Turn heat to medium-low add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, cinnamon and red pepper flakes, cook for a minute or so then add in the red pepper strips and cook down for a few minutes till peppers are softened.

Add the can of tomatoes with their juices , the tomato paste, fresh tomatoes ( I left them whole), and the coconut milk , stir until combined and scrape up all the brown bits that may have formed on bottom of the pan. Nestle the chicken back into the skillet ( do not submerge the chicken) Simmer uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has had a chance to thicken slightly ( if too thick add a little more coconut milk) Taste the sauce for Salt and Pepper. Cook anywhere from 30 – 40 minutes more. If you have a meat thermometer you can test for chicken doneness (165 degrees) I probably cooked for 40 minutes. Then if not crispy enough put whole pot under broiler in the oven for a few minutes but be careful not to burn the chicken.

I divided rice into bowls and plated chicken and sauce on top , Sprinkled a little cilantro and we thoroughly enjoyed this very flavorful dish.

While our daughter was out here visiting I had the opportunity to flex my Vegetarian Muscle a bit. I made the Jennifer Aniston Salad and Allison Roman’s Chickpea Stew. I had the stew at our daughter’s house and found it so delicious and figured it was perfect to make for her while she was out here since she’s a vegetarian not a vegan . I made a few changes to the original recipe so if you’d like to see it google the original recipe as this is my version. It’s really more of a soup than a stew and again depending on how thick you like it .

It’s always good to have some meat-less meals even if you’re not a vegetarian. And I am a chickpea lover so this was right up my alley.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Olive Oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 2″ piece of Ginger , finely chopped — I love fresh ginger but if no fresh ginger use powdered ginger –use 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger for every 1 Tablespoon of Fresh — so probably 1/4 teaspoon would be right

Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes — now I love spicy so if you don’t you can omit

2 15 oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 15 oz. cans full-fat coconut milk, be sure to avoid low-fat coconut milk, coconut milk meant for drinking or cream of coconut. They are all very different and would not be suitable for this recipe and yes I know this is a lot of coconut milk but I think it’s the right flavor and consistency in this recipe .

2 cups vegetable stock , and you may need some more so hang on to the rest of the container

1 bunch spinach, kale, collard greens, or swiss chard, stems removed and torn into bite size pieces. I used baby spinach and I like it the best because it breaks down very quickly and is easy to use.

toasted pita, lavash or other flatbread, like Naan would be delicious served alongside

Directions:

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with a little kosher salt and some coarsely ground black pepper, cook and stir occasionally until onion becomes translucent and starts to brown a bit around the edges but not burn. About 5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and the chickpeas, I sprinkled a little salt and pepper here as well. Cook, stirring frequently so the chickpeas sizzle and fry up a bit in the spices and oil, they’ll start to break down and get a little browned up as they crisp, another 10 minutes or so. Remove about 1 cup of chickpeas and set aside.

Using a wooden spoon or a masher crush the remaining chickpeas slightly which will release their starchy insides and help to thicken the stew. Add the coconut milk and stock, taste for salt and pepper.

Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that may have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally , until stew has thickened, probably 1/2 hour . If after 1/2 hour stew is not thick enough continue cooking. If you need more broth add it here as well. The desired consistency is sort of a personal thing so however you like it will be just fine.

I then added the greens and the remaining whole chickpeas , my spinach broke down pretty rapidly , taste for salt and pepper . Add as much or as little greens as you’d like.

Divide among bowls and if you’d like to top with some fresh mint and I served alongside yogurt ( or sourcream) and toasted pita if using bread.

This salad has been all over the internet and I have to say it looked absolutely delicious and right up my alley. Upon closer inspection of it I realized that I would make it but with a few changes to better suit my taste. I definitely think it needs dressing but that’s just me, some of you may like this a lot without any dressing and apparently that’s the way Jennifer Aniston ate hers. Also she used Bulgur and I used Farro it’s just a little different flavor and taste , you can also use quinoa but I prefer Farro. I would also only use 2 cups cooked Farro , the original calls for 4 cups which I guess would be better for more people. You can substitute any of the ingredients or omit. I made for my daughter and myself and she didn’t want Parsley so I left it on the side so I can taste it with the parsley. I love the mint and thought it was an important flavor but you can play around with it and make it your way. I love chickpeas in my salad so this was a must but if you hate them just omit them. Obviously not an exact science so add more or less of any of the ingredients– this is just a guideline.

We ate a lot of the salad for dinner and still had leftovers.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked Farro — obviously you can use Bulgur or quinoa or any grain you prefer — follow instructions on the package of Farro — it will probably be 1 cup uncooked farro to two cups water but check your packaging

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup finely chopped mint

1/2 cup or more or less shelled pistachios –leave them whole they’re better this way

2 mini cucumbers — chopped into small pieces ( see photo) 1/2 cup approximately

chickpeas – I used 1 can organic chickpeas — rinsed and drained and I let them dry for a while

1/2 cup or more crumbled Feta — use as much or as little as you like

Dressing Ingredients:

1 whole lemon – juiced — I use a juicer to get every last drop

1/4 cup Olive Oil

Sprinkle of Kosher Salt — to taste

Directions:

Prepare farro according to package directions. I made about an hour or so prior to dinner so it would be cooled down.

Finely dice up all of your herbs and ingredients that require chopping

Put dressing in a measuring cup and with a small whisk whisk it good and add a sprinkle of kosher salt once it emsulifies it is ready – a few quick whisks should do it

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and right before eating dress it and mix well — very delicious and will be in my rotation often.