Homemade Chicken Soup with Not-So-Homemade Matzo Balls

IMG_4514I always make my own chicken soup. It is delicious broth. I usually make a few batches and freeze them because it’s a great thing to have frozen in quart containers as stock and will last for up to six months frozen. When the holidays come—whether Rosh Hashanah or Passover—I always make my chicken soup with matzo balls. I make the soup a day ahead and skim whatever fat is on there before adding my matzo balls. Keep reading for my “secret matzo ball recipe”.

INGREDIENTS: CHICKEN STOCK:

1 5lb. organic roasting chicken (I throw away the insides)

1 package of chicken wings (this was suggested to me a long time ago by my BFF Karyn and she was oh so right. It adds some fat, which translates into a lot of flavor and you will skim off the fat the next day. Thanks, Karyn…yes, I remembered!)

1 large, yellow Spanish onion; unpeeled and quartered

A big bunch of dill

4 celery stalks with leaves, cut into thirds

4 carrots, unpeeled and halved

Bunch of flat-leaf parsley (Use this only if you want. This time, I didn’t have it so I used only the dill.)

A bunch of thyme (if you wish)

1 head of garlic, cut in half cross-wise (skin and all)

2 tbsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. whole black peppercorns

DIRECTIONS FOR SOUP:

I place the chicken, chicken wings, onion, carrots, celery, whatever herbs I’m using, garlic, salt and pepper in as large a  pot as I can find (usually about a 16-20 qt. stockpot.) Add cold water to cover chicken by at least 2 inches above the chicken but not to the top of the pot because it will boil over (very messy). Bring to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, for about 3 hours. I skim the soup skum (sounds lovely) off for the first half hour or so—after that, you shouldn’t have much more. I remove the chicken from the broth after an hour or so, because it is cooked and it will taste like a rubber chicken if you plan on eating it. Sometimes, I like to shred it and return it to the soup. If you are not using the chicken (what a waste of good chicken), just leave it in. It will fall apart in there. I leave the wings and discard them at the end of the 3 hours. Next, I strain all of the soup, discard all remnants, fill my containers and put in the fridge. The next day (or the day of the holiday), I usually skim off the fat that has risen to the top and make my matzo balls (recipe below).

MATZO BALLS:

This has always been my secret, but now it’s out. Okay, I own it. After years of making matzo balls from scratch, my mother (yes, my mother, the cook) turned me on to Manischewitz boxed matzo ball mix! It just wasn’t worth it. My balls weren’t as consistent as I would have liked, whereas these are always perfection! Light and fluffy and everyone always loves them. No sinkers here!

I follow the directions on the box carefully. They sell just the mix box. You will need vegetable oil and 2 eggs per box. I do add a little piece of dill inside each ball, but that’s it! Now my secret is out. Sometimes this is really the only way to go. It saves time and ingredients and is really good. No MSG or trans-fats either! So make the soup, cheat with the balls, and enjoy. There is no substitute for homemade chicken soup, though.

*You can also add thin soup noodles to this recipe, if you like. (obviously not on Passover)

Traditional Ashkenazi Charoset–Apple/Walnut

DSCN2703Let’s start at the beginning of the meal. This is my easiest Charoset. It’s traditional in the sense that it’s an Ashkenazi (Eastern European) recipe. I add a little brown sugar instead of white sugar and it gives it just a bit more character. This makes about 4 cups, but you can easily double it. My family loves it, so I always make a double batch. Remember, while a reminder of the mortar used in making bricks for Pharaoh, charoset is really just a sweet condiment of apples and wine!

Ingredients:

3 medium Fuji apples (or any other kind you like), peeled, cored and finely diced (use processor to make your life simpler) I usually use whatever is in the house, but on Passover I go through so many apples, so buy what you like (I always like Granny Smith because they are nice and tart)

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped (buy them pre-chopped)

1/2 cup sweet red wine such as Manischewitz Extra Heavy Malaga or just Concord Grape is fine

*20 pitted dates, chopped; or 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

*for a bit of extra added flavor you can add 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger (optional)

Directions:

After chopping apples, stir all ingredients in a large bowl. Keep in refrigerator ’til ready to serve. Serve at room temperature. You can also pulse everything together in processor, just be very careful not to over-process. I often do this to save time. You don’t want it too fine, so just go gently with the processor if you go that route. I do it in the processor, and I know exactly how I like it to come out, so go easy with the chopping.  If it’s a little dry or too thick, you can always add more wine. I find this always tastes better after it sits and allows the wine  to really soak and ripen for 24 hours. Before serving, check for consistency and add a little more wine, if necessary.

Passover ’17

It is almost here and the buzzing about “what I’m making” has already started. I try to put it to the back burner till about 2 weeks before the actual shopping and cooking. I have to admit to already picking up farfel, matzo, and matzo meal and a few other key ingredients.  The stores have had Passover ingredients for a few weeks already and I see a few of you sneaking peeks at my Passover Recipes already. No denying it, it’s time to at least start thinking about your menu or what you’re planning on bringing to the Seder you will be going to.

I am going to start posting all the recipes that I think you’ll be needing to look at in the next week or so.  You can also go to cookingwithcandi.com and put in the title of the recipe you are looking for,  you can also put in Passover to the search box and the Passover recipes should come up . I will try and make sure that all Passover recipes are tagged appropriately. Please do not hesitate to email me or contact me on cookingwithcandi.com , I do try and respond to all inquiries. Any suggestions?  I am always open to new and different recipes even if my family always wants the same old recipes. Tradition is what it’s all about.

Here are some of the recipes you might want to take a look at:

Let’s start at the beginning.

Homemade Chicken Soup with Not-So-Homemade Matzo Balls

Passover Popovers

Traditional Ashkenazi Charoset

Chicken Marbella-probably my go to Main Chicken Dish -it’s wonderful and spring like

Bree’s Slow Cooked Skirt Steaks

Slow Cooked Brisket-Super Easy

Happy New Year Brisket

Old School Meatballs (sweet and sour)

Un-Stuffed Cabbage

Apricot Honey-Mustard Chicken

Honey Roasted Chicken

Peach Farfel

Karyn’s Cranberry Apple Crisp for Passover

Chocolate Bark

Grandma Regina’s Farfel for Passover

Judy’s Apple Matzoh Kugel for Passover

Spinach Souffle for Passover-so very easy-Vegetarian/Dairy Side Dish

Chocolate Bark Surprise

Passover Cobbler

My Favorite Macaroons-Traditional Style for Passover

 

 

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Passover Cobbler

 

 

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Skirt Steak and Brody Birthday 004

Bree’s Slow Cooked Skirt Steaks- perfect for Passover because it frees up your oven

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Traditional Ashkenazi Charoset with Apples and Walnuts

 

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Peach Farfel -a must make dish

 

 

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Couscous Salad, Real Mediterranean Style

It’s springtime so I am thinking of lighter food, and of course salads come to my mind. I make this recipe with couscous or quinoa. I have another recipe for quinoa on my website so I figured that I would make one with couscous this time, but feel free to use either one. The dressing has a definite Greek flavor. This dish is perfectly tasty and served with grilled fish or chicken you have a perfect meal. As far as salads go, this one is perfection. This is not an exact science; if you like a lot of tomatoes, add more. If there is another item here that you don’t like, feel free to substitute, and I’d love to hear what you did. I love to hear variations on my recipes. This is so quick and easy to assemble. Can definitely be made ahead of time.

Ingredients: 

Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 /2 teaspoon dried oregano (if you like to use fresh, use 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste – I started with a 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher Salt and a few grinds of the peppermill.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (use a good one)

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk in the olive oil slowly. Adjust the salt and pepper and set aside.

Ingredients for Couscous:

Prepare 1  box (usually 10 – 12 ounces) couscous (or quinoa) according to the directions but use 1/4 less water than it calls for. For example, the Near East Couscous calls for 2 cups of water or broth so I would reduce by 1/2 cup. After cooking, allow to cool for a bit then stick in the fridge for about an hour. I usually cook my couscous in either chicken broth or vegetable broth for extra added flavor.

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half (I like a lot of tomatoes, so use more if you do too) I tend to like my tomatoes cut into smaller pieces but cut however you like just don’t leave whole

1 cup pitted black or Kalamata olives (I prefer Kalamata because they are saltier)

1 roasted red or orange pepper (you can use from jar) I just eyeballed from the jar, use as much as you’d like

1 cup garbanzo beans (drained from the can are fine)

6 ounces cubed feta cheese

1/4 cup sliced green onions or chopped red onion would work quite well here as well

* chopped cucumbers would be a nice addition as well, I didn’t use this time

In a large bowl, gently toss the couscous, tomato, pepper, olives, beans and feta. Add the dressing, transfer to a lovely serving bowl and there you go. This is so delicious and light, it’s a perfect side dish and a beautiful salad .

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes

photo 5 (59)photo 1 (3)photo 3 (2)photo 1 (2)

photo 2 (2)I love one pot meals. I think they have become my most favorite kind of meal to make. This one is so delicious and perfect. Chicken was cooked perfectly and the lemons caramelized in the pan adding a delicious flavor to the chicken and potatoes and beans. We thoroughly enjoyed this and it is a perfect recipe for all year round. I made it with 2 chicken breasts for the 2 of us, this recipe should serve 4 beautifully according to directions with 4 breasts. You will need a large baking dish or you can make in a cast-iron skillet. The prep is pretty quick and the shopping is easy. Nothing exotic here just good old cooking with easy ingredients.

The other night I made it with 2 thighs , 2 legs and 1 breast and it was just perfect! IMG_0634

 

Ingredients:

Olive Oil– 6 Tablespoons, divided 1 and 5

2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced and 1 you will juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound trimmed green beans

8 small red potatoes, quartered

4 chicken breast, bones in and skin on

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. I always spray my baking dishes with cooking spray for easy clean-up. Then coat your baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 5 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using tongs or slotted spoon again, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl and coat with the olive-oil mixture. Place the chicken , skin side up in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.

Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or the skillet. ( you may want to cut into chicken to make sure it’s ready, I roasted for about 55 minutes) then place the beans and potatoes back in oven for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. I covered the chicken with aluminum for that 10 minutes.

When potatoes are ready, place a chicken breast on the plate and plate up the beans and potatoes. Serve Warm from the oven.

 

 

Roasted Cauliflower–Thyme, Garlic, Onion and Parmesan

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I am a big fan of cauliflower and will eat it almost any which way it is prepared but this way was pretty delicious. You can take out the parmesan out at the end if you so choose. I love the way the parmesan melts in and the flavor is wonderful, but if you want to exclude it you can do so. I roasted for almost an hour at 425 degrees, you can check on it after 40 minutes. The onion starts to caramelize nicely but it can get burnt so keep your eye on it. This makes for a pretty awesome side dish to go alongside almost anything.

P.S. I got Joel to taste it but he still doesn’t like it that much–just getting him to taste cauliflower was a milestone!

Ingredients:

1 whole head cauliflower

1/2 large yellow onion – I sliced in 1/2 and made 1/2 moon thin slices, you can slice it however you’d like

4-5 thyme sprigs –I left them whole

4 unpeeled garlic cloves — 4 nice size garlic cloves

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Kosher Salt –app. 1/2 Tsp. was enough especially if you’re using the Parmesan Cheese

Freshly Ground Black Pepper–app. 6 grinds on the mill was what I used –you can taste for Salt and Pepper

*optional but delicious addition 1/2 cup of Grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

You’ll need a large rimmed baking sheet

Wash and dry head of cauliflower, cut up into florets. Slice up onion ( I only used 1/2 of the onion because I didn’t want it to overwhelm the flavor) you can add more if you’d like

I then took out a large bowl and tossed the cauliflower florets, thyme sprigs, unpeeled garlic, and olive oil together in a large bowl. I added app. 1/2 Tsp. Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper. I let it sit for a little bit while I prepped the rest of my meal.

I then spread out on large rimmed baking sheet and roasted for 1/2 hour, tossing occasionally. After 45 minutes I sprinkled with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan, tossed to combine, and roasted for about another 12-15 minutes till cauliflower was slightly browned and tender. Perfection!

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Mushrooms

IMG_0586

IMG_0589I had chicken breasts in the refrigerator ready to go and had to figure out what I was doing with them using ingredients that I had in the house. I have been waiting to try a Tikki Masala Recipe but didn’t have all the ingredients so I had lemons, garlic, even had fresh rosemary in the house. I really threw this together and the next time out I would use thin chicken cutlets .  I would use 1 package of cutlets for the 2 of us, which is usually around the 1 lb. mark. This recipe would be perfect for 1 lb. of chicken cutlets. Double up for 2 lbs.

As I said this was a very thrown together recipe. I tried to keep track of what I was doing so I could duplicate recipe. It is one of those recipes that you sort of wing as you go. We really enjoyed this chicken and I hope you will too.

Ingredients:

1 package of thin chicken cutlets or app. 4 chicken cutlets

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. Grapeseed Oil, if no Grapeseed Oil use canola or sunflower

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice ( app. 1 average size lemon)

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, if you’re gluten-free use gluten-free flour such as rice flour, or corn flour and it will be just fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tsp. Kosher Salt and more to taste

1/2 Tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper and more to taste

1/4 cup dry white wine

Directions:

Whisk together in a large bowl the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary and 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Place chicken cutlets into bowl and place in the refrigerator for a 1/2 hour.

Remove chicken cutlets from marinade and place on a plate, discard the marinade. I sprinkled a little more kosher salt and pepper on the top side of chicken (shiny side) . Then dredge lightly in the flour, you should have more than enough flour with 2 Tbsp. but if you need more you can add it. Tap Breasts after you dredge to remove excess flour.

Turn oven on low or a warming drawer works well here , just to keep chicken warm after you cook it on stovetop.  Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat and add grapeseed oil. When oil is very hot, place one or two pieces of chicken in the pan–don’t crowd. Cook for a few minutes on each side, (try not to overcook or the chicken will be very dry) just until you see it browning up, this is why the thinner chicken works best here.  Transfer to a plate and blot the chicken with paper towel. Cook all the chicken. I placed chicken on a baking sheet and put in the oven/warming drawer while I cooked the mushrooms.

Turn burner down to medium high heat , add mushrooms to the pan and sprinkle with a little kosher salt and pepper. Let them sear for about a minute without touching them, then stir , scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. When the mushrooms start to soften add the wine, chopped thyme, and you can taste for salt and pepper. Continue to stir the mushrooms until the wine has evaporated and mushrooms are tender and ready , app. 10 minutes. I removed chicken from oven , plated it up over basmati rice and added the mushrooms over the chicken. That’s it and it was delicious.

Springtime in a Bowl – Shrimp, Asparagus and Tomato Pasta

It is really Springtime now and it just makes you want to lighten up the menu a bit, and my mind immediately goes to asparagus!  This recipe is a variation on my Summertime Tomato Pasta. I wanted to use some of those beautiful asparagus out there. Even though I knew Joel would pick them out , I still made this dish. The asparagus are large enough for him to easily pick out and put on my plate. This dish is light and delicious and pretty quick to prepare. It is like springtime in a bowl!  There are so very many things to do with asparagus but this just appealed to me tonite and if you leave the shrimp out you have a lovely vegetarian pasta dish. I used the shrimp.  I also used linguine in this , it just seems to hold on to the flavors nicely. Happy Spring and Enjoy. This recipe was inspired by Giada de Laurentis .

Ingredients:

1 lb. box linguine ( I used Fini Linguine , it was lighter than regular linguine and was just perfect)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 containers of little grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or any small tomato ( app. 20 oz. of tomatoes)  I cut tomatoes in 1/2.

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

* crushed red pepper ( we like the heat) use your own discretion depending on how you like it, totally optional

3 large cloves of garlic, chopped finely

1/2 cup dry white wine ( I use whatever I have open)

1 lb. Asparagus , trimmed, stalks cut on a diagonal into app. 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

fresh basil chopped ( app. 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to box directions.( Fini Linguine cooks in 6 minutes perfectly)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the tomatoes, app.  1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and app. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft , it takes about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and garlic. Cook for another few minutes ( don’t burn the garlic)keep on low heat and stir around. Add the wine and the asparagus. Bring to a low boil and simmer for at least 5 minutes . Taste for Salt and Pepper, if it needs more this is when I would add it, and I did. I added a bit more salt here, pepper was fine. You need to use your own discretion about the salt .

Sprinkle shrimp in a bowl with a little salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan and continue to simmer until the shrimp is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Shrimp needs to be firm to the touch, and opaque if cut into. Stir in the chopped basil and the oregano.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well to combine.  You can always add more crushed red pepper when finished.

This was really delicious and light. Joel of course picked out every piece of asparagus, and put them in my bowl. That was fine with me because I love asparagus.

*this dish will easily serve 4, if you like you can always add another 1/2 lb. of shrimp for 4 people.

Green Pea Soup from Bergdorf Goodman – Happy St. Patricks Day

IMG_7457IMG_7459IMG_7455 IMG_7466 IMG_7469Let’s celebrate St. Patricks Day with this delicious green soup! The first time I had this soup was downstairs in BG and I thought to myself I must re-create this delicious light soup. Low and behold along came *The Bergdorf Goodman Cookbook which included this delicious recipe.   My two favorite items to order on the BG menu are the Gotham Salad and  the Green Pea Soup and they are both right there in this wonderful little cookbook. There are many other delightful recipes in the book as well which make it a worthwhile purchase. The shocking part of this delicious soup was the addition of a sweet potato and soy sauce. I didn’t see that coming, I would have made it without either of those two items. The soy sauce adds an intense layer of flavor and the potato gives it some real texture. Blend well. I used my high-speed blender for this .

*The Bergdorf Goodman Cookbook by Laura Silverman–available through Amazon or Bergdorf Goodman

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 whole sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, if you have white pepper use it but I didn’t so I used black

3 3/4 cups chicken stock

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 lb. fresh or frozen , thawed green peas. I used one whole bag of frozen green peas.

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat parsley

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat and sauté the onion, celery, carrots, sweet potato, garlic, salt and pepper until the vegetables are tender but not brown. I let it cook down for about 1/2 hour.

Add the stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Stir in the peas and just blanch them for a minute.

Turn off the heat. Cool slightly, then add the parsley ( don’t omit the fresh parsley, please) Taste for Salt but I found it was just right with the 1 teaspoon.

In a blender or food processor, do it in batches ( I did it in 3) , puree all the ingredients until smooth. Serve warm!

Love the taste and enjoy all the healthy benefits!!!

*can be made vegan with vegetable stock

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes

photo 5 (59)photo 1 (3)photo 3 (2)photo 1 (2)

photo 2 (2)I love one pot meals. I think they have become my most favorite kind of meal to make. This one is so delicious and perfect. Chicken was cooked perfectly and the lemons caramelized in the pan adding a delicious flavor to the chicken and potatoes and beans. We thoroughly enjoyed this and it is a perfect recipe for all year round. I made it with 2 chicken breasts for the 2 of us, this recipe should serve 4 beautifully according to directions with 4 breasts. You will need a large baking dish or you can make in a cast-iron skillet. The prep is pretty quick and the shopping is easy. Nothing exotic here just good old cooking with easy ingredients.

The other night I made it with 2 thighs , 2 legs and 1 breast and it was just perfect! IMG_0634

 

Ingredients:

Olive Oil– 6 Tablespoons, divided 1 and 5

2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced and 1 you will juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound trimmed green beans

8 small red potatoes, quartered

4 chicken breast, bones in and skin on

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. I always spray my baking dishes with cooking spray for easy clean-up. Then coat your baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 5 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using tongs or slotted spoon again, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl and coat with the olive-oil mixture. Place the chicken , skin side up in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.

Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or the skillet. ( you may want to cut into chicken to make sure it’s ready, I roasted for about 55 minutes) then place the beans and potatoes back in oven for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. I covered the chicken with aluminum for that 10 minutes.

When potatoes are ready, place a chicken breast on the plate and plate up the beans and potatoes. Serve Warm from the oven.