Sunday, October 28, 2012

Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings


Growing up in West Roger’s Park Chicago I felt I was really blessed to have the Bnei Akiva Lishkah* two blocks away.  The Lishkah building was the gathering place for Zionistic, Modern Orthodox grade school kids, teenagers and young adults.  It was the hub of everything fun, interesting, and “cool” going on for Jewish Modern Orthodox kids in the region.  Every Shabbat morning there was a Minyan at the Lishkah with beautiful singing, but somehow we managed to daven* fast enough that the services never seemed too long and we always finished before the traditional shuls!  I have always said the Bnei Akiva here in Chicago really helped to shape who I am today.  I have a great love for the State of Israel, and a strong connection to my Judaism.

Every Simchat Torah there would be energetic (and that does not even begin to describe it) dancing in the Beit Knesset* on the second floor of the Lishkah.  You could actually feel the floor vibrating from the dancing, the girls danced in the women’s section too, and we were seriously afraid that the entire second floor would collapse!  After the hakafot* there was always an organized oneg* at a nearby house where the teenagers would gather in a safe but fun environment – often at my house!  We’d empty out the basement to make space for the crowd, and the foods of choice were Spaghetti with Meat and Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings.  Considering the volume of people, we made a lot of food, and it was all nearly gone by the time everyone left.


Sadly the Lishkah left West Rogers Park (where we still live) before my kids were born and moved to Skokie.  We really feel its loss as our kids are growing up.  We, however, have continued the custom of Spaghetti with Meat and Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings on Simchat Torah in our house.  Some traditions are just too good to give up.

Recently I bought a few wedeal.com (similar to groupon) vouchers for Garden Fresh Market in Northbrook (a suburb of Chicago) where they have a lot of kosher foods and even a kosher pizza shop in the store.  When I got there they had the most gorgeous looking chicken wings I had ever seen.  I know that to some of you that might sound incredibly ridiculous – gorgeous chicken wings?  Gorgeous?  Really?  YES!  I have often bought chicken wings that looked like they were about to fly away as soon as they came out of the package – ugh!  It meant a lot of time cleaning the darn feathers off of the wings for a few moments of chicken wing nirvana.  The Garden Fresh ones were clean and beautiful!!! I know that you know that when things are really crazy you need all the help you can get, and I was not going to buy chicken wings that needed lots of prep time – voucher or no voucher.  Before Shabbat I pulled out my huge wok, sautéed some delicious white onions and garlic in a little canola oil then tossed in the wings, tomato sauce, duck sauce, and white pepper.  I let the wings cook for a long time until the sauce had really cooked down and was thick and gooey.  YUM!!!  They were a huge success (as always). 

It occurred to me that these wings would also be awesome for the current football season for your huge football parties – the perfect sticky finger food for the guys (and gals) who are glued to the TV for the season.  You could stir fry all the ingredients in a large wok or skillet in the late morning and let it simmer until game time.  Your guests and family will not only be super-fans of football but you as well!!

Although we miss the Lishkah a lot, we have tried to instill the values that the Lishkah represented into our own children.  We have tried to make our home into a Lishkah of sorts, where kids come and go and always feel welcome, continuously instilling the values that were learned in the Lishkah and serving great food too!

Glossary
Lishkah: Literally translated as office.  The Bnei Akiva Lishkah in West Rogers Park was an old two story building that was the hub of Jewish youth activity in the neighborhood.
Daven: Pray
Beit Knesset: Synagogue
Hakafot: On the holiday of Simchat Torah we celebrate the completion of a whole year of reading the entire Torah.  We celebrate by doing “hakafot” – dancing and singing around the synagogue seven times with all the Torah’s in the synagogue.
Oneg: A gathering where people hang out on Shabbat or a Holiday.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings
·         5 pounds chicken wings, cleaned
·         2 cups finely diced white onions (fine dice blade on the Hindy Chopper)
·         6 cloves crushed garlic, or 6 frozen cubes
·         2 tablespoons canola oil
·         30 ounces tomato sauce
·         40 ounces (1 jar) sweet and sour sauce (duck sauce)
·         ½ teaspoon white pepper

In a large wok or skillet, heat the canola oil.  Sauté the garlic and onions until soft. Add the chicken wings, tomato sauce, sweet and sour sauce and white pepper. Heat on medium-high until hot and bubbling, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for at least 1 ½ hours until the sauce has reduced considerably and is very thick.  Serve hot with crusty bread and lots of napkins!
Check out these gorgeous wings!!!
 All the ingredients...
Don't forget the white pepper...
 Use the Hindy Chopper for around 2 cups of 
finely diced onions.
 Sauté the garlic and onions until soft...
 Add the gorgeous chicken wings...
 Then add the rest of the ingredients...
 Stir to combine....
 It's BUBBLING!!!
 Cook until significantly reduced...
 These are making me SO hungry!!
Your fans will love them!
(and you too!!)

Kosher Everyday is dedicated to the memory of my father
Dr. Theodore Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L
May his memory be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.

Look for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,
aish.com, Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,
The Chicago Tribune Syndication,
 or on Facebook at Edible Experience by Sharon Matten.

These recipes are for sole, personal use of visitors to Sharon Matten -Edible Experience Kosher Everyday. Edible Experience Kosher Everyday recipes are for your enjoyment but are not to be posted or reprinted without express permission from Sharon Matten. Thank you!!

Congratulations!
KosherEveryday is one of the finalists for the 
2011 CBS Most Valuable Blogger Awards!! 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Grab & Go Salmon Quinoa Patties


Ok, so I’ve been feeling kind of crummy lately (shocking right?).  So I went to the doctors.  One of the doctors was kind enough to tell me “Well if you lose weight you’ll feel better…you know “calories in less than calories out…”  Really?  No kidding.  So I have put on quite a few pounds in the past few months, it’s true. Ok, a lot of pounds.  So, I went to the nutritionist.  “Oh honey, it’s all the stress.” (Really? No kidding.)  “You need to exercise and get some rest!” (Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha).  “And you need to be prepared with the proper foods to grab on the go….”  Then she pulls a pouch of tuna out of her bag.  Now the nutritionist is the sweetest person you will ever meet.  And she really means well.  But a pouch of tuna?  Can you imagine trying to eat that in the car? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

As funny as that was to me, the message wasn’t totally lost.  Here I am actually writing a food blog for people with busy lives and I wasn’t listening to my own advice.  Doink.  So after that appointment I took a much needed break, grabbed an amazing shwarma in whole wheat pita with extra techina at Mizrachi Grill, sat outside in the wonderful 70 degree sun, and contemplated what I had been told.  I knew that I wasn’t going to be grabbing tuna pouches, but I could make some healthy things in advance (maybe at 4 am – HA!) that I could grab and take with me.  I knew where I could find some recipes just like that ;-) (www.koshereveryday.com – duh!).

Grab these & go!
What’s even more funny about the whole thing was the fact that I had spent time discussing what to write about this week with my dear son Nachum (KIH).  He said that since this week’s Torah portion was “Lech Lecha” (loosely translated as “you should walk”) I should write about something that you could grab and take to go.  Perfect!! But…whatever it was it needed to be super healthy (calories in less than calories out!).  So I thought about what are the healthiest, non-carb foods I know of.  Salmon, quinoa, vegetables, olive oil, crushed red pepper.  You get the idea.  The first batch of Salmon Quinoa Patties were a little too big and didn’t have quite enough eggs to bind them (can you say Salmon Quinoa Patty Scramble?).  I added another two eggs to the mix, made the patties a little smaller and thinner and they were perfect!  I made enough that I can put them in the fridge or freezer and when I need to grab something to take with me for lunch – poof, there they are.

In the theme of “Lech Lecha” maybe I”ll even get on the treadmill this week….

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

Ok, I really will….maybe…..

Salmon Quinoa Patties  (GFE – Great for the Gluten Free Eater!)
Using the entire can of salmon, bones and all, is really good for you (calcium, omega 3’s…).  Just make sure to do a good job crushing all the bones & stuff in the salmon!!
·         2 cans (14.75 oz) pink salmon
·         2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
·         4 eggs
·         1 small onion, minced
·         ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
·         Squirt ketchup
·         Olive oil for frying

Place the entire contents of the 2 cans of salmon in a large bowl.  “Smush” the salmon with your hands (I wear disposable gloves) breaking apart any bones in the salmon, until the salmon is smooth.  Add the quinoa, eggs, onion, crushed red pepper, and ketchup to the salmon.  “Smush” until completely combined.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add just enough oil to coat the pan.  Place large generous tablespoons of salmon in the skillet, being careful not to crowd the pan.  Fry until golden brown and crispy on the bottom, then flip the patties and continue frying until golden brown on the second side.  Remove from the pan and repeat with remaining salmon.  These are delicious hot or cold!

 All the ingredients...
Put the gloves on & smush!!!
No bones about it...
it's really cathartic!
 Add the rest of the ingredients...
except the quinoa & mix!
 Add the healthy quinoa...
 This is what you don't want to do...
TOO BIG!!
 Can you say patty scramble??
So sad :-( 
 Much better!
Smaller is better!!
 These are really pretty!
 Healthy and yummy and convenient!!
Grab & go!


Kosher Everyday is dedicated to the memory of my father
Dr. Theodore Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L
May his memory be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.

Look for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,
aish.com, Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,
The Chicago Tribune Syndication,
 or on Facebook at Edible Experience by Sharon Matten.

These recipes are for sole, personal use of visitors to Sharon Matten -Edible Experience Kosher Everyday. Edible Experience Kosher Everyday recipes are for your enjoyment but are not to be posted or reprinted without express permission from Sharon Matten. Thank you!!

Congratulations!
KosherEveryday is one of the finalists for the 
2011 CBS Most Valuable Blogger Awards!! 

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Mini Pretzel Dogs & Noah's Ark Fries revisited


I’ve lost it.  I’ve really lost it.  You’ve been warned.

There once was a girl named Sharon,
Who was pooped from all the Yom Tov food she’d been preparin’.
She went to the store,
For pre-cooked chickens galore,
And some peace before Shabbat she was grabbin’.

Sharon writes a weekly blog,
From one crisis to another she does jog.
Things are always crazy,
She is never lazy,
And she doesn’t make recipes with hog.

A great idea for Sukkot Sharon had,
For Mini Pretzel Dogs her family was glad.
With dogs from Romanian,
Great for any occasion,
They gobbled them up with Dear Husband the Dad.

Sharon gave the recipe & ingredients to her girls and Chaya,
Who really turned out to be a huge life say-vah,
The dough was prepped,
The Pretzel Dogs wrapped,
The dogs boiled then baked for best flay-vah!

MORE! They shouted…there aren’t enough!
We know to make them is not so tough.
It was a hunch,
They wanted more for lunch.
The Dogs were so yummy and in the oven they puff!

So Mini Pretzel Dogs became a year-round treat,
For a quick grab & go lunch they can’t be beat!
With a little mustard for a snack,
We know they’ll be back,
And they made me promise more poems not to repeat!!!

You were warned ;-)


Ok, in honor of the anniversary of my Dear Son Nachum’s Bar Mitzvah on Parshat Noach I am sharing a photo of a cake I made.  How fun is that??!!!  Here is also a link to my last year’s Noah’s Ark Fries which were a big hit too!

Noah's Ark Cake
The water & boat are chocolate!!!

Mini Pretzel Dogs
If you don’t have mini hot dogs you can cut a standard sized hot dog into bite size pieces.
These can also be made with “big” dogs too for a “Big” Pretzel Dog! 
  • 1 pound mini hot dogs (we love the ones from Romanian Kosher here in Chicago)
  • 1 ¼ cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
  • ¼  cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 ½ - 2   cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons baking soda

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.  Let the yeast sit for 5 minutes until foaming.  Add the sugar, bread flour and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour.  Mix by hand or with a dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic – around 10 minutes, adding the additional ½ cup of all-purpose flour as needed.  Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.  The dough will not necessarily double in size.

Preheat oven to 500° F.  Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Divide the dough into 24-32 pieces, depending  upon how many mini hot dogs you have.  Roll each piece of dough into a ball and flatten into a 3 to 4 inch ball, slightly larger than the length of a mini hot dog.  Wrap the dough around the mini hot dog, pressing the seam to seal.  Repeat with remaining mini hot dogs and the remainder of the dough.

Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil.  Add the baking soda and stir to dissolve.  Dip each pretzel dog in the baking-soda/water for 5 to 10 seconds making sure the pretzel dog is completely immersed.  Shake off excess water, and place the pretzel dog on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down.  Repeat with remaining pretzel dogs.

Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.  Serve warm with ketchup & mustard or your favorite hot dog toppings.

 A double recipe of dough rising
to the occasion!
 It's easiest to roll the dough into
logs then divide it.
 Check out these gorgeous
Romanian Kosher Hot Dogs!!!!
I want to eat them now!!!
 A smusher of dough...
not exactly a circle but that's ok...
 A cute little dog, waiting to be wrapped.
 Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!!!
 And it still wasn't enough...
 (A close-up!)
 Doin' the Dog Paddle...
Swim little doggie...SWIM!!
 All golden brown and they smelled
AMAZING!!
 YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM!!!!!


Kosher Everyday is dedicated to the memory of my father
Dr. Theodore Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L
May his memory be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.

Look for additional information about Edible Experience Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,
aish.com, Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,
The Chicago Tribune Syndication,
 or on Facebook at Edible Experience by Sharon Matten.

These recipes are for sole, personal use of visitors to Sharon Matten -Edible Experience Kosher Everyday. Edible Experience Kosher Everyday recipes are for your enjoyment but are not to be posted or reprinted without express permission from Sharon Matten. Thank you!!

Congratulations!
KosherEveryday is one of the finalists for the 
2011 CBS Most Valuable Blogger Awards!!