Jewish Foods for the Soul...From our House to Yours...
Chicken Schwarma Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts) 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (4 large thighs) 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp allspice 3/4 tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp cinnamon Pinch of cayenne Salt and black pepper Nonstick cooking oil spray Servings: 6 Kosher Key: Meat Slice the chicken breasts into 5-6 pieces each and the thighs into 3-4 pieces each. Place them in a marinating dish or large plastic zipper bag. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, the spices, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper (if you're salt sensitive, use 1/2 tsp of salt). Pour the spice marinade over the chicken pieces. Stir with a spoon till all the chicken pieces are evenly coated in the marinade. Cover the marinating dish with plastic wrap, or close the zipper bag. Place chicken in the refrigerator and let it marinate at least 1 hour, up to overnight. Oven Cooking Method Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking oil. Place the chicken pieces on the sheet, evenly spaced. Place the chicken in the oven. Let it roast for about 15 minutes till cooked through, turning the chicken pieces once with tongs halfway through cooking. Take chicken out of the oven and let it cool slightly. Use a sharp knife to slice the meat into small, thin shawarma-like pieces. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet on the stovetop over medium. Pour half of the chicken into the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes till the smallest pieces of chicken turn brown and crisp. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet. Heat another 1 tbsp of oil and saute the remaining chicken in the same way. Serve warm. Grill Cooking Method Spray the grill with nonstick cooking oil and preheat to medium heat. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto wooden skewers. Cook the chicken for about 20 minutes, giving a quarter turn every 5 minutes, till cooked through (slice into the thickest piece of meat to check for doneness). Let the chicken cool slightly, then remove it from the skewers. Use a sharp knife to slice the meat into small, thin shawarma-like pieces. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet on the stovetop over medium. Pour half of the chicken into the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes till the smallest pieces of chicken turn brown and crisp. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet. Heat another 1 tbsp of oil and saute the remaining chicken in the same way. Serve warm. Note: If you are making this recipe for Passover and you are avoiding kitniyot, don't serve it with the tahini sauce-- it's great without sauce, too. I like mine with Tzatziki sauce Ingredients 1 cup Greek whole milk yogurt 1 English cucumber, seeded, finely grated and drained 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper 
Israeli Salad4 small plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped 3 scallions, cut in 1/2" slices 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped 1/2 cup fresh mint, dill, cilantro or a mix of these, finely chopped 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 juice of one large lemon 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon cumin Mix all ingredients and serve either at room temperature or chilled. Makes 6-8 servings ~ can make ahead Active time: 20 minutes A kosher for Passover Recipe Now for the fun...try some of these variations: a chopped pickle a handful of sliced olives a couple of stalks of celery, the leaves are good, too a drizzle of honey a tablespoon of zaatar 
Shakshuka Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 medium brown or white onion, peeled and diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped 4 cups ripe diced tomatoes, or 2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp chili powder (mild) 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste-- spicy!) Pinch of sugar (optional, to taste) Salt and pepper to taste 5-6 eggs 1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (optional, for garnish) Prep Time: 10 Minutes Total Time: 30 Minutes Servings: 5-6 Kosher Key: Pareve, Kosher for Passover Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant. Add the bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened. Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir till blended. Add spices and sugar, stir well, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes till it starts to reduce. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka (be careful with the cayenne... it is extremely spicy!). Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. I usually place 4-5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook "over easy" style on top of the tomato sauce. Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn't reduce too much, which can lead to burning. Some people prefer their shakshuka eggs more runny. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top-- then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if desired. Shakshuka can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For breakfast, serve with warm crusty bread or pita that can be dipped into the sauce (if you’re gluten-intolerant or celebrating Passover, skip the bread). For dinner, serve with a green side salad for a light, easy meal. 
Noodle Kugel
Ingredients-
-1/2 pound wide kosher for Passover egg noodles -1/2 stick butter, melted -1 pound cottage cheese -2 cups sour cream -1/2 cup sugar -6 eggs -1 teaspoon ground cinnamon -1/2 cup raisins Directions- 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Boil the noodles in salted water for about 4 minutes. Strain noodles from water. In a large mixing bowl, combine noodles with remaining ingredients and pour into a greased, approximately 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 3. Bake until custard is set and top is golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes. 
Challah French Toast
After Shabbat it is always good to make Challah French Toast for breakfast. While this is not exactly just a "Sunday" recipe you can still make it a point to do special food anytime and this is a great recipe.
Ingredients- -6 extra-large eggs -1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk -1 teaspoon grated orange zest -1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract -1 tablespoon good honey -1/2 teaspoon kosher salt -1 large loaf challah or brioche bread -Unsalted butter -Vegetable oil Directions- 1.Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. 2.In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, orange zest, vanilla, honey, and salt. Slice the challah in 3/4-inch thick slices. Soak as many slices in the egg mixture as possible for 5 minutes, turning once. 3.Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a very large saute pan over medium heat. Add the soaked bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Place the cooked French toast on a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven. Fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding butter and oil as needed, until it's all cooked. Serve hot with maple syrup, raspberry preserves, and/or confectioners' sugar. 
Latke's (Potato Pancakes)
Ingredients-
-3 large potatoes, peeled and shredded -1 small onion, shredded -3 eggs -1 teaspoon salt -2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Directions-
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