Brisket made very easy–in the slow cooker

Posted on April 12, 2020 | 1 comment

This Brisket recipe is probably the easiest recipe I have ever made . I like my Brisket made in the slow cooker and this recipe makes it so very easy , you don’t even have to brown it first on the stove top.

It has a sort of barbecue flavor rather than the traditional brisket flavor. If you have a slow cooker and can order a few very simple ingredients this one is for you.

Please stay safe and stay home and keep on cooking along with me.

Ingredients:

5 lbs Brisket– I made this for the two of us and used a 3 lb. first cut brisket– just adjust ingredients — the dry rub I used the same ( doesn’t matter) and I used 1 cup of the honey bbq sauce and a little less brown sugar–this is a loose recipe a little more or less will not harm a thing

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 tsp. Onion Powder

1/2 tsp . Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Paprika — you can use Smoked Paprika but I used regular

1/2 tsp. Cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper– I used 1/2 tsp. because we like the heat

1 1/2 cups Honey Barbecue Sauce — I used Sweet Baby Rays (any sauce will do but this is very good and available at most supermarkets)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

Directions:

Pat Brisket dry with some paper towels . I take out a large baking sheet and place the brisket on this to do this next step.

Sprinkle brisket generously with Salt and Pepper. Mix all other dry spices in a small bowl . Dry rub both sides of the brisket with this mixture

Stir together the Barbecue Sauce and brown sugar

Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray and then pour half the of the sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the seasoned brisket fatty side up into the slow cooker. Don’t worry if it’s very big for the cooker because it shrinks down considerably. Cover the top of the brisket with the remaining sauce.

Cover the slow cooker and set heat to low for 9 hours, or until fork tender

When the brisket is finished cooking, remove it carefully from the slow cooker and put on a cutting board

Pour the sauce from the slow cooker into a large bowl and let it cool

Slice off the fat cap from the top of the brisket and discard

Flip the brisket over so the leaner side faces up. You can see the grain of the meat this way. Slice the brisket against the grain at a slight diagonal. Thin slices are best– I use an electric knife which really helps here.

Skim the fat that has risen to the top of the sauce in the large bowl. I actually have a measuring cup that filters out the fat — if you can get one of these it’s great. I didn’t have that much fat so don’t worry too much about this unless it looks very fatty which it probably won’t

In a small bowl , stir together the cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. of Water till completely smooth. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the bowl of sauce and stir to combine

Pour 1/2 the sauce back into the slow cooker. Layer the sliced meat on top of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the brisket

Turn slow cooker to high for about an hour till the meat and sauce are heated through and the sauce is bubbling and it thickens. Keep on warm setting if you’re serving that day.

the leftovers were great for a few days

Total cooking time is 10 hours so you can get up early like I did and get it in the slow cooker early enough to have for dinner depending on what time you like dinner

Or make ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze with the sauce and heat it up the day you want to eat it.

We ate it that night and had leftovers for a couple of days

 

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Matzo Brei

Posted on April 9, 2020 | 4 comments

Stuck in and trying to make the best of Passover? This is a delicious way to make a meal with eggs and matzo. Sometimes we eat it for dinner and it’s just sort of perfect. Real comfort food for us.  I always loved Matzo Brei since I was a little girl, and I always wondered why it is that we only eat this delicious concoction during Passover.  It’s such a delicious treat why don’t we eat it more often? In our house we usually eat it till the matzo runs out. Usually for the week of Passover, then we stop. It’s so good. Everyone has their own little special spin on it.  Before I met Joel I always ate my matzo brei sweet with maple syrup sort of a matzo french toast. Joel loves it crispy and salty with a lot of pepper and since I know him he always asks for it this way. I sort of grew to love it this way as well. What’s not to love?  You definitely don’t have to be Jewish to love Matzo Brei. This is how we make it around our house.

Ingredients:

*serves 2 just barely (can and should be doubled)

3 Sheets of Matzo broken into little pieces

2 Large Eggs

Salt and Pepper

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Break the matzo into little pieces and place in a bowl. Cover with very hot water from tap. Let it stand for a couple of minutes, and then drain it. ( I usually put a plate over bowl and pour out all the water) Beat Eggs in another bowl, season with salt and pepper. Use your own discretion here, Joel likes it with a lot of salt and pepper. Combine the eggs with the drained Matzo till a batter forms. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium -high heat. I add the matzo mixture and start to fry it up scrambling it as I go, we like it in little pieces. ( you can make this batter into small pancakes as well and just fry up until golden brown) I cook it till it is all fryed up and crispy. It should cook up pretty quickly if the oil is hot enough. You can serve it with less salt and pepper and put jam on the side, maple syrup on it, cinnamon , whatever you like! Matzo Brei is awesome even when you feel like you can’t face another piece of matzo.

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Marcy’s Matzoh Crunch ( like candy)

Posted on April 6, 2020 | Leave a comment

Marcy gave me this recipe a long time ago and it’s one of those recipes that I have made every Passover since. We all love it –it’s very easy with simple ingredients and you can make it your way. I make a few days before and you can even make a week before and store in an airtight container or ziplock plastic bag that’s  sealed tightly. This recipe may be fun to do with your kids and Grands .
My friend Marcy ( who is a great cook) says she must always supply it for her kids, and she keeps in tins in refrigerator and sends them home with it ( even better) this is the stuff that I find deadly to keep around. It’s candy, and fun to make with your kids or grandkids. You can use white chocolate, M & M’s , or toasted almonds/pecans /walnuts etc. or stick with recipe as it is. You would add the nuts and or candy sprinkled on top as chocolate is setting. Thanks for sharing  the recipe Marcy.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you about how good this is.

Enjoy and Have a Happy Passover.

Ingredients:

4 – 6 unsalted matzoh sheets

1 cup unsalted butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

3/4 cup chocolate chips or semi-sweet chips you can use white chips as well

*nuts if you’d like sprinkled on top (almonds/walnuts etc.) or colored sprinkles are fun !

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Line a cookie sheet with foil and cover bottom of pan with baking parchment on top of foil. ( this is important b/c mixture is very very sticky) Line bottom of pan evenly with matzoh sheets, cutting extra pieces of matzoh to fit on the cookie sheet as even as possible. Combine margarine/butter and brown sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour over matzoh. Place in oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.  Bake for 15 minutes watching to make sure the mixture is not burning. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let stand 5 minutes, then spread melted chocolate over matzoh. Then add your toppings– sprinkles , nuts whatever you’d like. While still warm, cut into squares or odd shapes and put in refrigerator until set. Chocolate will get hard. I think it’s better to go with the “odd shapes” as it may be hard to cut perfectly square. You can use white chocolate, and if you’d like sprinkle nuts on top as I mentioned above.

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Traditional Ashkenazi Charoset–Apple/Walnut

Posted on April 6, 2020 | 2 comments

DSCN2703This is my easiest Charoset and maybe this year we just have a little bit of this on the table for tradition sake.  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. Remember, while a reminder of the mortar used in making bricks for Pharaoh, charoset is really just a sweet condiment of apples and wine!

Again try and have a Sweet Passover I know how difficult this year is. If you do nothing more than have a piece of Matzoh with charoset or Matzoh with butter for breakfast.

Stay Safe and Keep on Cooking at Home.

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.

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Posted in condiment, Holiday Recipes, Passover Recipes, Raw, sides, vegetarian

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Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil)

Posted on April 5, 2020 | 3 comments

It’s been a challenge these days even for someone like me who loves to cook. Cooking every night is one thing but coming up with ideas of what to cook is quite another. Hopefully I have helped you with this a little. Everyone needs a little inspiration now and then and this is definitely one of those times.

This is a super easy recipe with very few ingredients . Hopefully you’re all getting what you need from the supermarkets. Add along these easy ingredients and you’ll have a delicious meal.

Stay Safe and Keep Cooking at Home along with me.

 

Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil

INGREDIENTS:

1 box spaghetti (16 oz.)

1/3 cup olive oil

8 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

Kosher salt

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Save about 2 cups of the pasta water before you drain the pasta.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot (large enough to hold the pasta; a large sauté pan is perfect.) Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently without burning the garlic (be careful!). Add the red pepper flakes. Add the reserved cooking water from pasta to the garlic and oil and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 tsp kosher salt and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until liquid is reduced by about a third.

Reserve a cup of the pasta water and set aside in the event you’ll need some liquid for the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and give it a good toss. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and parmesan and toss to coat well. Allow the pasta to sit for a few minutes or until the sauce is absorbed. Taste for seasonings and serve with additional parmesan cheese on the side. If pasta looks dry add a little of the pasta water and mix well till pasta absorbs the water.

*If I use shrimp in this, which I sometimes do, I just sauté the shrimp in garlic and oil and skip the parmesan cheese. (About 1/4 lb shrimp per person.) For me and Joel, I use approx 1/2 lb raw shrimp. For 4 people, I use a pound. You can also add broccoli and keep it vegetarian.

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Judy’s Apple Matzoh Kugel for Passover

Posted on April 5, 2020 | 2 comments

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If you ask me, kugels are the best part of Passover. Put together in a casserole dish these sweet and savory dishes are my absolute favorite dish on the Seder table.  It was always about the kugel with me from the time I was a kid. This is an awesome recipe from a family friend which came to me via Karyn, so thanks Judy and thanks again Karyn. I used to make this recipe all the time and over the years I replaced it with something else and completely forgot about till another friend asked me for the recipe. Karyn came to the rescue. This is a delicious sweet addition to the table and if I remember correctly everyone loved it. It is easy and not too many ingredients and hardly any steps at all. Enjoy!

Plan ahead:

Kugels can be made a day or two ahead. On the day of the serving, allow the dish to come to room temperature. Then heat it, covered in a preheated 350 degree oven until warm, 30 – 40 minutes. My experience has always been that the kugels hold together better when they are pre-made.

Ingredients:

12 sheets matzoh

9 eggs beaten, use eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 large apples, peeled and sliced (any kind will do)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 Tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups white raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Break matzoh into colander and run warm water over it, just to soften, then drain and put in a large bowl. Add beaten eggs, add salt , sugar , apples, oil, cinnamon and raisins and pour into a pre-greased ( or cooking sprayed) baking dish . Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. Enjoy!

*first time baking it keep it uncovered, when you re-heat you will cover it so it doesn’t dry out.

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Cauliflower Chicken Parmesan

Posted on April 4, 2020 | 1 comment

Here it is with cheese baked on top --honestly delicious either waycheese on topI came across this recipe recently and thought wow that sounds so amazing I will have to give it a try. I pretty much followed Jennifer Fisher’s recipe on her site for this recipe. I made a few changes but basically that was it. It’s pretty easy and I had all the ingredients in my house which has been my criteria for my cooking these crazy days.

Thanks to @jenniferfisher.com for this delicious recipe.

Stay Safe and Keep Cooking at Home.

This is what I did and I think it’s the kind of recipe you may play around with yourself.

Ingredients:

1 bag Cauliflower Rice– 16 oz.

1 small onion -finely diced

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil for onions

1 cup Tomato Sauce — I actually made my own because I had so much free time but you can use Raos which is my preferred brand if using jarred sauce or any sauce you’d like

1 lb. Chicken Tenders — I happen to have them in my freezer but you can use any chicken you’d like here. I cooked up and cut up into small pieces. *see note below on the chicken

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese –plus more if you would like to sprinkle on top before baking — I didn’t add on top but by all means feel free to add more

Kosher Salt

Directions:

Heat the olive oil – Add the onion and cook for a few minutes till onions start to look translucent. ( app. 5 minutes) Add cauliflower rice and some kosher salt ( app. 1 teaspoon ) and cook stirring often to get this going. I sauteed for approximately 10 minutes until rice was tender (al dente), add cooked cut up chicken and 1/2 cup sauce and continue allowing to cook down. Continue stirring and cooking for a few more minutes. Taste for salt and tenderness of the rice– as I said I like rice to have a little bite not mushy. Add remaining 1/2 cup sauce and cook down a few more minutes. Toss in mozzarella and parmesan and mix well to combine.

I sprayed a small rectangular baking dish with cooking spray ( this is important) you can use an 8×8 or I think mine was 11 x 7 actually.

I transferred mixture to baking dish and if you’d like you can sprinkle with even more cheese (both parm and mozzarella) I didn’t and I have to say we loved it as is.

Bake at 350 degrees until it starts to bubble around edges if you added extra mozzarella when the top gets brown and the edges get crunchy . I cooked for app. 20 minutes. All ovens vary and if you added cheese it may need to come out faster just keep an eye on it.

It was more than enough for the two of us and I actually think this was good for 3 people. Maybe 4 if you have a substantial salad .

*pics on top show it both ways with cheese on top and without– obviously if you’re looking for a lower calorie route go without –it’s delicious either way

We had a small simple green salad alongside and it was perfection.

*a little note on what I did with chicken tenders. I put in a bowl and added a little olive oil ( just to give a light glaze to chicken) and kosher salt and freshly ground pepper–mixed around and heated up on a grill pan. If no grill pan any pan will do. I cooked chicken till just done because it’s going back in pan and into oven for more cooking. (but it was fully cooked)

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Bree’s Slow Cooked Skirt Steaks

Posted on April 3, 2020 | 2 comments

Skirt Steak and Brody Birthday 004Skirt Steak and Brody Birthday 006Skirt Steak 014This recipe has been with me since 2013 and it is truly one of my easiest go-to recipes that I really love to make and mostly love to eat. It’s perfect for the Holidays or any night. I started making it for Passover and Rosh Hashana because it cooks in the slow cooker and frees up my oven . This is a winner in every sense of the word.

Super easy to make and very few ingredients.

Thanks again to Bree for this much beloved recipe.

* I used 1.39 lbs. of meat for the 2 of us and there wasn’t a single morsel left. Increase all ingredients as you need them.

Ingredients:

*this should be good for 3-4 people

2 lbs. of skirt steak– skirt steak tends to shrink a bit so you can go a little over

Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki

1 Orange ( app. 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice) if no fresh available use concentrate

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

I pat my meat dry with paper towels, then I salt and pepper both sides. I lightly sprinkled because of the sauce which contains salt. I sprayed my slow cooker with Pam to make clean up easier on Joel. Placed steak in slow cooker, covered with enough Soy Vay just to cover , as Bree told me it doesn’t need to swim in it just to cover. Added fresh OJ, moved steak around a bit to mix up all ingredients, turned on slow cooker for 6 hours on low! Awesome! Thanks so much to Bree for sharing this recipe.

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Posted in marinade, meat, slow cooker

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My Favorite Macaroons–Traditional Style for Passover

Posted on April 2, 2020 | Leave a comment

macaroons for passover

I am not sure why I only make these macaroons during Passover. They are definitely my favorites; they are very easy to make, look totally professional, and are the Passover cookie in my book. These can be made ahead of time and stored. I usually make a few days before the Seder because I dip them in melted chocolate (just the tops). You don’t have to dip, you can leave plain. I dip up to 1/2 the macaroon in the chocolate. They are sweet and crunchy on the outside, and moist and chewy on the inside. After Passover, if there are any left over, I freeze them. Cannot have them lying around. Of course you may make these any time of year…they are always welcome on the menu.

*When dipping, just turn macaroon upside down (with top part into the chocolate). I usually go just a bit more than the top (probably 1/2 the macaroon into the chocolate). Use as much or as little as you like.

*just a little note, silpat is awesome to use for this recipe instead of parchment paper. You must cool completely before trying to lift off the paper. Also before you dip into chocolate I like to cool down completely.

This could be a fun recipe to do with your kids. A little messy but whatever — desperate times call for desperate measures right? They may not come out uniform but the kids could have making them and dipping them.

Stay Safe and Be Smart

Ingredients:

3  large egg whites (When I bake, I always leave eggs out so that they are at room temp.)

1/2  cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package (14 oz.) sweetened, flaked coconut ( I like this Angel Flake Baker’s Brand, but they’re all fine)

*1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (You can really use any semi-sweet chocolate to melt. It’s just easy with the chips.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (you can use non stick cooking spray, like Pam, but I just line with parchment, which works really well).

In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar and salt until frothy. With a fork, stir in coconut until moistened.

Using a level tablespoon (measuring ones are perfect), pack the mixture into the spoon, so all macaroons are equal size. Drop mixture onto prepared sheet (cookies will not spread). Bake until golden brown, about 25 – 30 minutes. Towards the end, check on them to be sure they don’t burn. I make a little peak with my fingers on the cookies before I bake them (this makes for easier dipping). You can also just leave the top round — this is perfectly fine.

*To melt chocolate on stove top: I bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil, and on top of it put a small stainless (oven proof) bowl filled with the chocolate.( works like a double boiler if you don’t have one) When it completely melts, take off heat. Once macaroons are completely cool, you can dip the tops. Just make sure chocolate and macaroons are cooled off first. Just dip top of cookie in chocolate and place on a plate to cool. When I am all done, I refrigerate the macaroons to set the chocolate. You can leave in fridge until you are ready to serve and take out with enough time to bring to room temp. Before serving, I usually use a cool cookie sheet with parchment paper to cool off cookies once they’ve been dipped.

*should yield about 20 – 25 cookies. You can double if you’d like.

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Passover 2020

Posted on March 31, 2020 | 16 comments

I don’t even know where or how to begin writing this. Since most of us including myself are not going to be with their families and extended families for the Seder this year. We ask should we do it? Should we observe? I’ve been wrestling with these questions all along and have gone from upset to angry to just plain heartbroken. Between the current state of affairs which has me filled with anxiety and terror to the fact that I don’t know when I will see my children and grandchildren again. To say this night will be different from all other nights is a total understatement since who even knows what night it is.

We decided to observe the 8 day ritual of no bread which will add a further burden to our already difficult state of affairs. We decided to do it for tradition sake.

So even if you make one or two traditional dishes or none at all — sit down with whoever you can — even if it’s on zoom. And say a few traditional lines and I will do my part by providing you with some recipes and if you can get the ingredients please do so and follow along.

For sure I am not happy about this situation but have vowed to try and make the best of it and do my part. I am social distancing and I am staying home and since I can’t get take-out out here in the hills of Colorado I am cooking every night.

So make matzoh balls — make a chicken– make haroset– make something or order something that will help to make you feel like you’re celebrating Passover. Even if it’s just Matzoh! how about Matzoh Brie? easy to make and delicious to eat.

I will be posting recipes starting tomorrow but if you’d like a sneak peek put Passover Recipes into the search box on my site or google Passover Recipes @cookingwithcandi and they should come up.

Be Safe and Be Smart and Stay Home.

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Posted in Holiday, Holiday Recipes, jewish holiday, Passover Recipes

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