Recipe: Overnight Chicken

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This post is long, long overdue!

I've been meaning to post about one of my favorite ways to streamline my Shabbat cooking.

Some of you have heard me say that I'm getting some of the cooking out of the way on Thursday night before I go to sleep by prepping "Overnight Chicken". During really busy times, this is a lifesaver!

I know a lot of people really don't like Crock Pot Chicken, but I really love the convenience of prepping food and letting it cook while I sleep. And the thing I love about overnight chicken the way I do it is its forgiving nature. I can leave it in for 8 hours as planned, or if I need to, take it out after 10 hours! It's better than Crock Pot Chicken.

So here's what I do:

I use a nice big roasting pan. I think it's one of the keys to success with this recipe. The other key to success is the baking paper. Read on and I'll explain the method I use. If you don't have a large roasting pan like this, I recommend setting aside some money to buy one. (You can even find a very affordable one - this one ships to Israeli addresses and currently has a FREE shipping option!)

THE BASIC METHOD:

Place cut up chicken in the pan.

*Season the chicken.

Cover with baking paper.

Cover TIGHTLY with aluminum foil.

Place in oven.

Turn oven on 100 C for 8-10 hours.

After it's cooked for 8-10 hours (and most likely the aroma of your Shabbat chicken is driving everyone in the house crazy), take it out of the oven.

Take a look inside the pan:

(This was 2 chickens, cut up)

*Seasonings:

When I make overnight chicken, I default to one of two flavor profiles. And I'm completely imprecise about it. I just line up my seasonings on the counter and then one by one I shake some out onto the top of all the chicken. Obviously, this means it can vary a bit in flavor from week to week...

Flavor Profile #1: "Spicy Chicken"

For this flavor profile, I use:

Soy Sauce (I use GF soy sauce with no sugar added)

Turmeric

Granulated or Minced Garlic (lots)

Ground Ginger (not a lot)

Black Pepper (coarsely ground)

Smoked Paprika

Hot Pepper (I prefer the Chipotle version of this so it's smoked and hot - you can find it on iHerb - note that this link is my referral link)

You can leave out the soy sauce if you're soy-free, but if you do, it might be worth sprinkling a bit of salt onto the chicken with the other seasonings.

Flavor Profile #2: "Date Honey Chicken"

For this flavor profile, I use:

Granulated or Minced Garlic (don't skimp)

Ground Ginger (don't skimp)

Black Pepper (coarsely ground)

About 1/4 cup silan (Date Honey - I use the kind that is 100% dates)

 

I don't add salt to this one.

I'm sure you can use the same method for any other flavor profile you like -- I'd love to hear your favorites!

Hope you like this recipe. Please leave me note if you make it, and I'd be thrilled if you tag me on social media if you post about it. Thanks!

Food Recall - Frozen Kebabs

Of Yerushalayim and the Ministry of Health have announced a recall of the following product:

Brand: OF Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Poultry)
Product: Frozen Chicken Kebabs, made of spiced ground chicken and vegetarian protein
Size: 500g
Production Date: 28-11-17
Expiration date: 28-1-18






The product is being recalled because tests showed it may be contaminated with Salmonella.

If you have purchased this product DO NOT EAT IT. You may return it to the store where purchased to obtain a refund.

Please call Of Yerushalayim Customer Service at 02-585-2336 with any questions or concerns.

"Oven Fried" Chicken (and Shnitzel too)

Everyone loves Fried Chicken, but all that oil doesn't appeal to me. So instead of frying it, I BAKE my "fried" chicken.


It's easy, and delicious, and here's how I do it:


Mix equal parts flour (I use whole spelt flour these days, but it works really well with whole wheat too) and yellow corn meal with spices (I usually use black pepper, cayenne pepper, parsley, and granulated garlic) in a "ziploc"-style bag, or in a bowl.

Coat shnitzel pieces with mixture. 

Arrange in a well oiled baking pan, "mist"the top with oil, and bake, covered, at 200 C - coating will get all deliciously crispy. Usually done in about 25 min, but I don't use super-thin shnitzel.

 
I do the same with cut up pieces of chicken, without adding any oil to the pan, (tightly covered in foil) only those cook for much longer! I usually leave those for about 1.5 hrs.

Additional Products with Undisclosed Peanuts

Of  Yerushalayim has announced that the following products contain undisclosed peanut ingredients:

Kebab Mizrachi
Burger Mizrachi
Jumbo Hamburger
Home Style Lamb Kebab
Jumbo Romanian Kebab
Rodriguez Kebab
Chicken Burger
Chicken Kebab

Sold under the following labels: Hadar HaBasar, Of Yerushalayim (hechsher: Mahpud), Of Ta'im, Idit (hechsher: Rubin) and Glatt Yerushalayim (hechsher: Badatz She'erit Yisrael)

The recall affects all batches with production dates between 29/02/16 and 16/06/16, and expiration dates thru 16/08/16

If you have purchased these products and have a peanut allergy, please call customer service at 073-232-0406/8/9  to arrange your return.

Please check out my previous post for more information about the other products that have been recalled.

Food Recall (Israel)!

The Ministry of Health issued the following RECALL today:



Maadanei Hataleh brand Stuffed Boneless Chicken Thighs (with onions and mushrooms)

Barcode # 2410874, sold in 2 packs (frozen) with a use by date of 14.10.2015 are being recalled from store shelves because of a possible listeria contamination.


Consumers who have purchased this product are being asked NOT to eat it, and to call the company's customer service line at 08-624-6000 

Please share this recall with anyone else who may have purchased this product!

Stay up to date - find me on Facebook!

"Of Tov" coupons (printable coupons - Israel)

Get some printable coupons!

Those of you who buy Of Tov products will be very happy to find these coupons today!
Please be sure to check that your supermarket is on the list of stores that honor these coupons.
Please note these coupons expire on December 31, 2014

Teva Of Recall

Teva Of, the company that produces poultry free of antibiotics, announced that one routine test showed possible traces of antibiotics in one batch of poultry this week, and has issued a voluntary recall of the product.

The affected product, small chickens, is labeled "pargit tari פרגית טרי", with barcode # 2565116, and a sell by date of 17.7.2014

Consumers who purchased this product should to call the company at 1-800-555-420 to arrange for a refund/voucher for replacement.

The company apologizes for this incident.

Please share this information with others who may have purchased this product!

Printable Coupon - "Of Tov"

Looking for fast food solutions? Trust me, I know how it feels when life gets in the way and you just.can't.cook.

(My family is suffering from this problem right now.)

Here's your Of Tov coupons.

They're good thru December 31, 2013

Cheap Chicken

Everyone seems to be talking about how chicken seems pricier than usual right now...

Well, just in the nick of time, Mega Bool is offering fresh, whole chickens for 9.99/kg!
Minimum purchase requirement of 100 shekels to get this sale, and max of 4 kg of sale chicken per purchase. (thru the 10th)


(You card holders only - but it's free to sign up for a You card, so go ahead!)

Other sales at Mega: Ground beef (from frozen beef) 2kg/55 shekels (thru the 10th)

Produce for 2.99: lettuce, eggplants, melon, red onions, potatoes, corn, light green peppers (thru the 10th)


They also have cherries for 2 containers for 30 shekels, but I do not know how large the containers are! (thru the 7th)


Happy deal-hunting! Let me know if you find a great deal somewhere!

Getting Ready for Rosh Hashana!

Right now, I'm a little apple-obsessed.

First, I made apple kugel. I make a really simple version: First, thinly slice 6 good-size apples (I used a mix of green and red, and sliced them very thinly in the food processor). I sprinkled lemon juice over the apples, my attempt at stopping the inevitable oxidation. Pile them into a large baking pan. Then I pour the following batter over the top of the apples - 1 c. whole wheat flour, 1/2 c. oil, 1/2 c. sugar, and 3-4 T. ground flaxseed steeped in 1 c. of very hot water.

Bake at 350 F for about 1 hour.

Then I made apple crisp. Four of them. One got eaten tonight, so 3 are in the freezer for use as needed. I still have another 15 or so apples, so I'll probably make something else appley tomorrow. I am torn between more apple crisp and apple bread...

I've only sort of planned my menus. Here's a list of foods I am making, and we'll construct meals out of it. About half of our meals will be pareve or dairy.

Pareve Foods

Honey Challah

apples and honey (we'll offer 3 kinds of apples)

Chinese-style mushroom soup (this is a slightly complicated recipe, but a favorite. Saute white parts of 6-12 scallions, 4 cloves of garlic, and some finely diced ginger in olive oil. when lightly browned, add sliced mushrooms and reduce. Add teriyaki sauce, rice vinegar, and some white wine (if desired) - sorry I just guess the quantities - and simmer for at least 10 min. Add soup stock (I use vegetable stock) and bring to a boil. Then add black pepper and chopped scallion greens to taste.)

Butternut Squash soup (I think I blogged this recipe a few weeks ago)

Potato Kugel

Apple Kugel

Carrot Kugel

Israeli salad, Cut Vegetables

Roasted Ratatouille


Rice

Tofu (marinated in soy sauce, and stir fried)

Chick peas sauteed with other vegetables (peppers, onions, garlic, potatoes, with ground black pepper, salt, cinnamon, and ginger) 

Some sort of red lentil dish

Meat Foods

Pomegranate Chicken

Baked Breaded Chicken (served with a honey/ginger dipping sauce)

Dairy Foods

Broccoli Puff (Broccoli and Cheese Casserole)

Spinach Quiche (with Feta cheese if I remember to get some)

Lasagna


Pasta with Cheese (SOME of my children are picky and won't eat lasagna...)

Phew! I think that's enough!

Oh, Desserts:

Apple Crisp


Honey Cake


Chocolate Chip Squares


Banana Chocolate Chip Cake


Fresh Fruit
 

Shabbat Parashat Eikev, Aug. 19-20

I am back in the business of cooking for my family! The oven is here, and is ready to use.

Here's our Shabbat menu (sorry, I ran out of time to write up recipes!):

Gezpacho
Some sort of Baked or Roasted Chicken
Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Vegetables (I had onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes for this)
Corn Bread
Rice
Fresh Fruit
Chocolate Cake

I also made chocolate chip banana bread, for a Shabbat treat.

What's on your menu?

Shabbat Parashat Chukat, July 1-2, 2011

This is my 100th post! What a milestone! Thanks for following my adventures and sharing in my quest for frugal food in Israel!

This Shabbat I am serving the leftovers from the birthday dinner for Friday night, but I'll make some General Tso's Chicken to go with it, instead of the vegetarian version we had the other night. This plan was ok'd by the family - I know it's unconventional to have leftovers on Shabbat, but I wouldn't want the food to go to waste!

For lunch we'll have:

Breaded, oven-"fried" chicken

Make your own salad (lettuce, roasted red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, diced carrots, cucumbers, and whatever else I find around)

Roasted Zucchini with olive oil, salt, and pepper - this is delish served cold!

Potato Kugel

Chocolate cake for dessert (the kids made a big cake recipe for my hubby's birthday)

Seudah shlishit note:

I do very informal seudah shlishit usually. The leftover challah and whatever salads, chummus, peanut butter, jelly, etc are around. no fussing...

Shabbat Parshat Sh'lach

We've been sick, as well as busy, as well as sweltering hot.
I'm trying to work out a menu that will not require any time over a hot stove (although I'm willing to run the oven. The architect who designed this house put a little alcove off the kitchen where the oven is, so I can shut that part off from the rest of the house, open up the window in there and the heat doesn't come into where we are!)

Here's the plan:

Salatim (vegetarian liver, chumous, various other salads)

Chicken in ? sauce

Southwestern style Pasta salad (to be served at lunch) - I'll cook ONE pot of pasta on the stove, at night, Thurs night.

Make-your-own-salad (we have lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers)


Rice with mushrooms (oven baked) (for Friday night)


Oven-Roasted Butternut Squash (found a sale - 2.99 NIS/kilo - much lower than what I usually see)

Oven-roasted Kishuim with olive oil, salt and pepper (also, 2.99 NIS/kilo sale)

Potato Kugel


Carrot Kugel from freezer

Popsicles, watermelon, and other fruit for dessert


Gazpacho and whatever I pull together for seudah shlishit

Wish me luck getting it all done!

Shabbat Shalom! Feel free to share your menus and deals...

Shabbat Parashat B'ha'alotcha, June 10-11, 2011

Assuming I can breathe tomorrow, I'll cook for Shabbat... (I'm having something of an asthma flare-up which was exacerbated by smoke in the air from a nearby brush fire today, and I'm trying very hard to avoid the emergency room. Good luck to me...)

Here's the plan:

Some sort of cold soup (help!)

Chicken with date honey (again. trying to use up the date honey)

Barley with mushrooms

Roasted Zucchini

Fresh tomatoes and cucumbers


Baked Potatoes

Fruit for dessert


...

Shabbat Menu

This week's Shabbat menu is built around the produce I got at Kim'at Chinam for 1 NIS/kilo, and the produce I got at Yesh for 1.99 NIS/kilo. Both really great deals! I just have to learn how to figure out how heavy 3 kg is, as the maximum you can usually get when they have these sales is 3 kg per type. Unfortunately, I lowballed all my purchases, and could have easily come home with twice as much produce for these awesome prices...

When we don't have guests, I try to keep my menus simple - that means fewer courses and fewer dishes, but still plenty of good food to fill everyone up! Since we have no guests this week, here's my plan:

Vegetable-Noodle Soup
Pomegranate Chicken
Pan-Fried Tofu Steaks for my favorite vegetarian (my 12 yr old - yes, a boy!)
Carrot Kugel
Oven Roasted Beets
Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Toasted Barley with Mushrooms
Salad - lettuce, purple cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and avocado
Lentil-Barley Stew (in the crock pot, for lunch)


Some notes about these dishes:

When making a vegetarian vegetable soup, I always sautee all the veggies in extra virgin olive oil, then cook, covered, to reduce, for 10-15 min. before adding any liquid. I don't know, I just think it tastes better this way in the end. I use onions, garlic, celery, tons of carrots, zucchini, and other veggies as the mood hits me. It's a really easy soup.
I also save all the trimmings from vegetables (don't use potato peelings or beet trimmings, though!) in gallon-size zipper-close bag in my freezer. when the bag is full, I simmer the trimmings in water for many hours in my huge stock pot, to make vegetable stock. Just make sure you strain it well when it's done. I then use some for the day's cooking, and freeze the rest in pint-size containers for later use.

Carrot Kugel - I usually make 6 of these at a time, and freeze for later. My 3 year old can't get enough of them, so I serve carrot kugel almost every week. I use a modified muffin recipe, bake in loaf pans, wrap well, and freeze.

Oven-Roasted Veggies - what could be easier!

The toasted barley recipe is new for my family, but I have promised them that we'll be trying out new dishes, in order to find some new favorites (this is what I need that vegetable stock for this week)

A Note of Explanation

We basically follow a lacto-ovo-vegetarian lifestyle (that means we do include dairy and eggs in our diet), and we even eat chicken on Shabbat. I know that there are others out there who do the same, and for those of you who eat more meat, well, you can always use my ideas to expand your repertoire of vegetable-based dishes! For those of you who are vegan, I will have to refer you to my friend over at Vegan Start, although many of my dishes can be adapted as you like.