YOU ARE THE QUEEN IN THE KITCHEN THE PESACH KITCHEN 3 DAY COOKING GUIDE LIFE IS GOOD

! TABLE OF CONTENTS

GETTING IT TOGETHER page: 2…… Introduction, the serious stuff 4…… The Notebook, let’s get practical 5…… Sample Menus, & the fun begins 6…… Equipment, we are only as good as our help 7…… The Pesach Pantry Basics, the fun continues 8…… Build the Refrigerator Pantry, are we having fun yet?

READY?, APRON?, ACTION! 9…… Day One 10…. Day Two 11…. Day Three 12…. Eggs & Potatoes, Potatoes and Eggs 13…. Recipes: Handy Substitutions for your Pesach Pantry 14…. Recipes: Dressings

PUT YOUR REFRIGERATOR PANTRY TO WORK 15…. Recipes: Provencal Fish Salad Tunisian Salad Cobb Salad Caesar Salad Greek Salad Planned Over Chicken Salad 16…. Recipes: Chopped Salad Toss Ups 17…. Recipe: In Praise of the Braise 17…. Recipe: Passover Cholent—no beans about it 18…. Recipe links from Cooking for the King and TheKosherChannel.com 19…. THE END

You are welcome to reprint or share any part or the whole of this document. Any errors are completely my responsibility. Please contact me with any questions, suggestions or corrections at [email protected].

Link to: “How to Clean for Pesach, Stress-less and Gadol-approved.”

1 INTRODUCTION: Please read carefully—and re-read as needed.

In these pre-Pesach weeks we spend a lot of time learning and doing all that is required of us to ensure a kosher Pesach for those in our orbit of friends and family. This is also the opportune time to deeply focus on how this awesome process can help us move to places of freedom within, places we have yearned for.

What is Pesach Really About?

Pesach is about getting back to the basics. When we clean out closets and drawers we’re identifying and throwing away the resentment, pain and frustration that block us from seeing our world with clarity. We scrub windows, walls and floors. We’re polishing our neshamos back to their purest state. We sit as kings and queens at the Seder; we internalize the basic purpose of our lives as Jews.

What is true in the pre-Pesach & Seder experience is true in our kitchen as well. After all, the most basic food in the world might just be matzah: flour, water, 18 minutes and you’re done. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were that simple for all of our Pesach cooking?

But it is not… in fact, cooking takes so much time, money and planning (so much; but never too much. Hashem knows exactly what we need) to bring our homes into the z’man, the time, of Pesach. And in spite of the tempting aisles of so-called convenience pesadik products jamming grocery store shelves, my success in Pesach cooking has been when I keep it simple.

The Secret is in the Seder

The centerpiece of Passover is our Seder. This is a clue for how we can approach the monumental tasks in the weeks before the holiday—and still arrive at the Seder table in eager anticipation and proud of our efforts; each of us, with our crown intact.

Seder means “order”, a progression of events. In other words, seder means there is a plan. The Seder tells us things are not random. The King of the universe has a plan, and it is always for our good. We also must have a plan. A plan is the best tool for simplifying a process.

You are about to read my Queen in the Kitchen 3 Day Pesach Cooking Plan. It works for me, and countless women who implemented it in the past three years have told me how liberating their Pesach was. I hope you will find it beneficial and that it will help get your own plan going.

Plan to Plan

First, you’ll need to make your menus. This is the fun part. Read through the 3 Day Cooking Plan pages 9-11, and incorporate what works for you. Use your tried and true menus, peruse favorite Pesach cookbooks, and get inspired by ideas on websites like TheKosherChannel.com and cooking magazines. AND keep it simple. If you have one or two family favorites that are a potchke…reconsider. If that is not an option, eat the big frog first (that saying has more meaning this time of year). So plan to make it, but only if you have plenty of time and can freeze it. Crucial advice.

It’s important to keep in mind that, “Man plans and G-d….has another plan.” So we start by inviting Hashem into our kitchens. Stand there and ask Him out loud for His help and guidance, strength and patience. I promise, with this as your first step, regardless of the inevitable unexpected missteps and mishaps, everything will work out. After all, you are a Jewish woman cooking so that some of the most important mitzvos of the year can be observed and enjoyed. As hard as it is, this is a responsibility to embrace with love and joy. You are Hashem’s partner, cooking for the King. With this frame of mind, your Seder will be transformed. We might even be sharing the korban Pesach this year, together in Yerushalayim. May it be so.

2 OVERVIEW:

PLAN & PREPARE FOR THE 3 DAYS OF COOKING- PAGES 4-8 Invite friends, family, and include those without family or friends observing the holiday Make your menus Purchase equipment, non-perishables and meat Turn the kitchen ~-~ With the 3Day Pesach Cooking Plan we create the building blocks of delicious meals you’ll use throughout the week of Pesach. Anyone in your household will be able go to The Refrigerator Pantry and see in an instant, the delicious entrees, side dishes, salad & snack makings that you have prepared, stored and labeled. You’ll feel freer because the meals are planned, the components ready to go to work. B’seder!

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DAY ONE, PAGE 9 Make & freeze all the meat dishes and desserts Shop for produce

DAY TWO, PAGE 10 Roast &/or grill vegetables Make salad dressings, , and sauce substitutions Make Salmon Cakes and soups for the freezer Wash and check fresh herbs

DAY THREE, PAGE 11 Fresh veggie prep Make hard boiled eggs Roast nuts Squeeze & zest lemons and oranges

Be sure to give yourself a treat every day of Passover preparations: a walk, a bath, a nap, chocolate or maybe a quick trip to the mall—or Maui…

3 THE NOTEBOOK After you’ve read through this plan and incorporated the ideas, get a notebook, nice and big. Brand new, or retrieve that raggedy, beat up treasure with all your notes from previous years. Open a page, get ready, GO! Make your menus. Make them simple. Make them smart. Write where to find the recipe, or the name of the person bringing, by each menu item. Print this page and overwrite the grey if you like.

Apr19 -1st Seder Apr20-YT Day1 Apr20-2nd Seder #ppl #ppl #ppl Dips and Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Fish Fish Fish Soup Soup Soup Meat Meat Meat Potato Potato Potato Vegetable Vegetable Vegetable Vegetable Vegetable Vegetable Dessert Dessert Dessert

Apr21-YT Day 2 Apr26- YT Shvi Apr27- YT Day 7 #ppl Shel #ppl #ppl Dips and Salads Dips and Salads #ppl Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Fish Fish Dips and Salads Soup Soup Fish Meat Meat Soup Potato Potato Meat Vegetable Vegetable Potato Vegetable Vegetable Vegetable Dessert Dessert Vegetable Dessert Apr27- Leil Apr 28Last Day/ Shabbos Pesach Shabbat- #ppl Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Dips and Salads Fish Fish Meat Soup Potato Meat Vegetable Potato Vegetable Vegetable Dessert Vegetable Dessert 4 My SAMPLE MENUS

Seder #l8 ppl YT day or night #14 ppl Hard Boiled Eggs-Kim -Elise Shabbos Day #12 ppl Chopped Salad 1&2 (p16) Israeli Salad (p16) Chopped Sal #6&7 (p16) Gefilte Fish -Kim Chopped Salad 3 (p16) Carrot Salad (tkc) Matzah Ball Soup-Mom Brown Sugar Salmon Babaganoush (tkc) Top of the Round Roast (cftk-RH47)-Elise Salmon Patties (tkc) (cftk-RH, 66) Cabbage Soup (cftk-RH, Chicken Cutlets (tkc) Whipped Butternut 40) Pesach Cholent (p17) Squash and Sweet Potato London Broil-(tkc) Roasted Potato & Carrots (tkc) Southern Turkey & (tkc) Roasted Medley (tkc) (cftk-CH,96) Tossed Salad-Sue Choc. Cake- Sheva (tkc) Sweet Potato Fries (tkc) Brownies-Linda (tkc) Pear and Pom Fruit Salad Quinoa Salad-Miriam (tkc) Fruit Salad-Linda (tkc) (cftk-RH,107 ) Chocolate Bark-Ruby (tkc) Fruit

And for Chol Hamoed… Brunch/Lunch Dinners Breakfasts 1_cobb salad (p15) 1_Hamburgers & oven 1_matzoh brei 2_Cauliflower latkes (cftk- fries (cftk-CH64) 2_salami & eggs CH118) & salad 2_Matzah Pizza and 3_yogurts, fruit, matzah 3_Chicken Salad (p15) Greek Salad (p15) and butter! 4_Salmon Patties (tkc) 3_Ceaser Salad with 4_cheese toast matzah and Salads (p16) planned over chicken 5_Anything’s Possible cutlets (p15) Soup (cftk-CH,48) 4_Cabbage Soup 6_Quajados Eggplant or loaded with planned Spinach Souffle (cftk-CH, over brisket (cftk-RH40) 77/78) 5_QIK Favorite Salmon (cftk-CH.60)

& SNACKS of course potato chips bowls of fresh fruit nuts cut up veggies and Recipe (p14)

KEY: tkc=theKosherChannel.com (links on page 18) cftk-RH=Cooking for the King, Rosh Hashanah Edition cftk-CH= Cooking for the King, Chanukah Edition p #-numbers, example: “(p16)” refer to pages in this booklet

5 EQUIPMENT THE QUEEN IN THE KITCHEN ESSENTIALS: We use equipment for Pesach for less than two weeks of each year, so it may seem frivolous to invest much money in it. However, it’s far better to forgo some of the hottest prepackaged foods and newest gadgets in favor of a couple of really good knives and a decent food processor. Durable cutting boards and a few sharp vegetable peelers don’t cost a lot and make your time in the kitchen exponentially more efficient and probably safer. Inadequate equipment + heavy cooking = a recipe for danger. More math: 10 days of use X 15 Passovers = almost half a year of standing in the kitchen in your life. Doesn't it make sense to go for the good stuff?

Cooking Essentials-this is all meaty, you’ll read about how to handle dairy later on. Sharp Chef’s size chopping knife and a few small knives Large heavy cutting board Vegetable Peelers (2 at least, you can employ only as much excellent potato peeling help as you have excellent peelers) Spatulas, mixing spoons, soup ladle Microplane zester for grating ginger, nuts, garlic and zesting citrus (I love this tool!) Food processor Immersion blender: a.k.a. “zhuzzer” Electric Mixer, hand held is fine Large, heavy bottomed pot Large, heavy baking pans-2 Kitchen Scissors Manual Citrus Juicer (cheap here, I did find a decent on at the dollar store, it’s fuscia )

Supply Essentials: same as for equipment, get good stuff and you’ll end up saving time and money. Have you ever pulled a flimsy aluminum foil pan out of the hot oven and ended up with spilled juices (hopefully not the whole chicken) to clean up with cheap paper towels? Uh-hum.

Zip lock bags-small & large Heavy-duty paper towels Heavy-duty aluminum foil pans and lids (lids make stacking in the fridge possible) Heavy-duty aluminum foil (we just love foil on Pesach, don’t we?) Parchment paper Rectangle stacking food storage containers, two sizes only (these work better than round to save fridge space, and only 2 sizes avoid the frustration of matching tops to containers) Sharpies for labeling containers (More than one, because they like to hide in unexpected places. In red, blue & green for meat, dairy, pareve if you want. But if you are that organized, you don’t need this plan. You could for sure teach me. I get colors just to jazz it up a bit) Duct tape, silver or white (you wonder, right?)

6 THE PESACH PANTRY BASICS

Now that you know what you are cooking, you can make your shopping list. Shop early for these non-perishables. All the recipes in the Queen in the Kitchen 3 Day Pesach Cooking plan can be made with these basic ingredients:

Pepper: finely ground black pepper Pickles coarse black pepper Cocoa cayenne pepper, optional Chocolate chips Salt: Kosher Potato Starch table salt Matzoh meal : red wine Matzoh balsamic Soup mix-beef or mushroom white Cola cider Oils: Extra Virgin Olive-This is all I use but if you bake a lot you’ll want coconut, palm or Nuts-walnuts, almonds, pine nuts walnut Coffee Cooking spray Tea Dried herbs: basil, oregano, thyme, bay Canned Tuna leaves, dill Canned Salmon Spices: garlic and onion powder, ground Canned Tomatoes ginger, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric Green & Black Olives Craisins, raisins or chopped apricots Sugars: White, brown, honey Tomato Sauce

PLUS—Candy, chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate for desserts, snacks, treats (breakfast?).

You can store leftover salt, peppers, sugar & cocoa with Pesach dishes. Make a note for next year. Any unused herbs and spices can replace those in your everyday spice cabinet. Herbs and spices loose their potency and will disappoint next Pesach if you pack them away.

Refrigerator Basics Purchase after the fridge is cleaned:

Orange juice Milk Butter Yogurts

MY TAKE ON DAIRY My Peasch kitchen is meaty. It’s just easier that way since I have one oven. If you have 2, you might expand your repertoire. We eat dairy for breakfast and have and yogurts on hand around for snacking and salads. We even make stovetop pizzas in my one large dairy pan—>no one feels deprived.

7 WHEN TO TURN THE KITCHEN? This year is the best possible scenario! We have allllll week to get ready. I plan to turn the kitchen on Monday. Shop for vegies and start Day One on Tuesday. Marathon cook on Wednesday finish up on Thursday. Rest on Friday. Really.

READY TO COOK? it’s going to be an adventure! It’s nice to have that attitude to start at least. Now’s the time to invite Hashem into your kitchen & here we go….

THE REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER PANTRY

Starting with Day One we create the building blocks of delicious meals we’ll use throughout the week: organized, labeled containers of meats and sides, chopped vegetables, dressings, marinades and KLP substitutions.

LABEL IT AND LIKE IT Everything we make we’ll store in an appropriately sized, rectangular, well-sealed container.

Aluminum Foil pans will contain main courses and are labeled with a Sharpie on all 4 sides + the top —a little ocd now will save you the frustration of moving AF pans all around to figure out if its kugel or cake later. (you’re welcome) Label should have: a) the food inside b) the meal you plan to serve it c) other frozen dishes in that menu (optional) d) add a smiley face, heart or flower to the label; artwork is a secret ingredient-it will make you happy I promise. The food just tastes better when the cook is in a good mood.

Appropriate sized rectangle plastic containers that stack for refrigerated foods: a) duct tape label each narrow end, this end will show when stacked in the fridge b) with a Sharpie, write the food item it contains c) ☺again

8 DAY ONE Today we’re making freezable meats and desserts. With your plan in hand it should take about 4-5 hours of hands-on kitchen time. Shop for perishables if you have not yet done so.

Fill the Freezer: (see recipe links on page 18):

No Potchke Meats Top of the Round Roast, Brisket, Meatballs, Turkey Breast, Chicken Cutlets. Slice and place in heavy-duty (see above) aluminum foil pans with matching lids (see above), wrap well, label (see above) and freeze. (I hope things are looking up.)

Simple Freezable Desserts: Brownies, Matzah Brittle, Chocolate Bark and Flourless Chocolate Cake. Label as above. Because dessert is chocolate in my house. Fresh and dried fruit, nuts and candy will broaden the choices.

Produce Run: The fresh fruits and vegetables you will need through Chol HaMoed. Make your list based on your menus and the fresh ingredients you want to have on hand for the salads on pages 15 & 16. Bring them home, gently put those in column one in your pristine almost empty refrigerator. Column 2 can be left out overnight.

Column 1 Radishes Column 2 Zucchini Apples Fennel Lemons Carrots Oranges Bell peppers Peaches if in season Hot chilies Avocado Celery Beets Cucumber Sweet Potatoes Eggplant White or Red Potatoes Green onions a.k.a., scallions White Onions Leeks Red Onions Cilantro Garlic Dill Butternut Squash Mint Plum tomatoes Parsley Cherry or Grape Tomatoes Kohlrabi Ginger knob Lettuce

If you are up for it you can wash everything, or delegate it to someone staying up late. Get a good night’s sleep. Maybe a massage. Tomorrow is another day, Scarlett.

9 DAY TWO Roasting is the backbone of my vegetable cooking on Pesach. Roast a wide variety and most people will find themselves in a happy place at your table. FYI: aluminum disposable pans do not work as well for roasting as good quality heavy baking pans—ok, you now know.

Basic Roasting “Recipe”: 1. If you are lucky enough to have a Passover grill, it’s a yum factor. Set grill or oven (it’ll still be great, I promise) temperature to 400 F/200C. Cut vegetables as suggested below. Toss each veggie separately with to coat, a sprinkle of dried herbs, kosher salt & coarse pepper, then a drizzle of honey. Exact measurements only complicate this recipe, do it your way.

2. For best results, roast and store vegetables separately. But, it’s OK to roast veggies of similar density together. Place them in one layer in baking pan or grill, sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for 30-50 minutes depending on density of vegetables. Yes, you can place 2 pans in the oven at the same time, I sure do.

3. Halfway through cooking, vegetables will be browning nicely around the edges. This is the time to flip the plank-cut veggies, stir the cubed ones, and swap placement of pans if you are using two.

Prep-ahead tip (good one): Cut roast-able veggies and place in sealable plastic bags. Toss in the olive oil, seasonings and honey; seal and smush around gently. Store in fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to use, plop them in a pan and roast or grill as above. You can have freshly roasted vegies all week.

Vegetables good for roasting: eggplant- slice into rounds for roasting as above; Special treat: cut into cubes for “Dead Sea Babaganoush” fennel – slice (don’t understand fennel?) I sympathize. So I made a video about fennel on theKosherChannel.com …go, now. sweet potatoes-slice into rounds or for sweet potato fries; leave whole to bake, mash or puree. Who doesn’t like sweet potatoes? Oh, yeah, my husband. white or red skinned potatoes-cannot be peeled ahead or they turn brown. I know they’ll find a way to my table—and yours. Every. Single. Day. carrots- peel and cut into sticks for roasting. Put raw sticks in fridge for snacking. There is never anything to snack on, as we all know on Pesach. Hey—you’ll have carrot sticks! zucchini-trim ends and slice in 1/3 inch “planks,” roast them and be adored. plum tomatoes –are meaty so they roast well: quarter, toss with oil, lots and lots of peeled, sliced garlic, coarse salt, coarse pepper and roast as above. Be adored as above, of course.

10 bell peppers-seed and cut into quarters or eights. They do add such nice color. hot chilies-roast whole, turning to blacken all sides. Serve whole alongside meats or make : use rubber gloves to peel, then chop finely with garlic & cilantro. Cover and refrigerate. HOT! beets-wrap in foil and roast at 400 F/200C for an hour until fork firm, cool, the peel and dice for salads on page 16. Don’t worry, your hands will eventually be the same.

Roasting is hands off cooking, so it’s a great time to get a lot accomplished in the kitchen. This is when I make our salad dressing, mayonnaise and soy sauce recipes (on pages13 & 14), Salmon Cakes (tkc) Leek Patties (cftk-RH p80) and soups that I can freeze.

Wash and check fresh herbs and celery leaves HI! Fresh herbs are your friends. It’s really worth your time to have parsley, cilantro and dill in your Pesach refrigerator pantry. They give life and punch to vegetables, salads and soups. Wash well, check and dry completely. Wrap loosely in paper towels and store in zip lock bags, labeled and with a smiley face. Parsley will last 10 days, dill about a week and cilantro…well use it up first.

Make salad dressings page 14, and substitutions page 13

DAY THREE Filling the Refrigerator Pantry slicing and dicing the freshest vegetables you can find for the salads and side dishes on pages 15-17.

Fresh Veggie Prep-Vegetables that are good for salads and more: bell peppers –stem & seed; cube and slice green onions- chop, store white and green parts separately radishes- cut tips, slice, quarter or store whole kohlrabi -small cube; great in any salad for mild taste and crunch fennel-clean well, chop (did you see the video yet?) carrots-peel, leave some whole, make carrot sticks for snacking celery-chop, make sticks for snacking cucumber-small cube, slice leeks-wash well; chop, bag and freeze for soups and Sephardic Leek Patties (cftk-RH,p 80) ginger-peel, cut in 1” chunks and freeze. When ready to use, thaw under running water ginger, steeped in hot water is good for tummy aches and nausea onions- white and red onions, peel only: kosher note: leave whole with root end intact* garlic-peel, kosher note: leave whole with root end intact * lemons: zest and juice loads of lemons

*We leave the ends on onion and garlic and the peel on eggs until ready to use so that they will not be subject to the “ruach raah.” We cannot see “ruach raah” evil sprits, and perhaps that is why there are differences of opinion on this matter of kashrus observance. Nonetheless, the concept of “ruach raah” teaches that there is a plane of reality that we don’t see and there is more to life than meets the eye.

Store all your precious prepped produce in plastic stacking containers and label as on page 8. More Nuts: walnuts, almonds, pine nuts-roast in a single layer for 10 minutes in 350F/165C Hard boiled eggs: see oven method on the next page 11 EGGS & POTATOES, POTATOES AND EGGS

EGGS have gotten a bad rap: New research shows that, contrary to previous belief, moderate egg consumption has no negative impact on cholesterol. A healthy adult should have less than 7% of total calories in saturated fats. For a 2000 calorie per day diet, 140 calories in saturated fats are considered safe. Eggs contain 18 calories of saturated fat and they are a powerhouse of preventative medicine:

-One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids. -Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D. -The choline in eggs has been linked with lower levels of breast cancer, and eggs contain -Lutein connected with reduced incidence of age-related macular degeneration. While lutein is found in greater amount in dark green leafy vegetables, fat increases its bioavailability so the egg is considered a perfect lutein source. Hashem so loves us.

TIP* To prepare lots of hard boiled eggs without water, bake them right in the oven. HB eggs are the basis of hearty yom tov and chol hamoed lunch salads (page 15) right from your refrigerator pantry.

HOW TO MAKE HARD BOILED EGGS IN THE OVEN: 1. Place all the eggs you need in a large aluminum foil pan, not too close together. 2. Put pan in oven. Now set it to 350F/160C do not preheat. Cook for 30 minutes. 3. Remove the pan of eggs and cover with ice water for 15 minutes. 4. Peel when ready to use. (see ruach raah note above) Tap all over, remove a bit of shell and underlying membrane. Then the rest of the peel should come off cleanly.

Food usually becomes softens when cooked, but eggs become harder. The egg symbolizes how our inner character forms and solidifies when the heat is on.

POTATOFEST Pesach and potatoes go hand in hand. Good thing because besides being adaptable to so many variations, potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. Plus they have some great health benefits:

-White & Red Skinned Potatoes are high in B6, linked to heart health. Big in Vitamin C, which is necessary to help fight off cold and flu, and accelerate healing (of our dry rough hands from all the cleaning; nicks, cuts and burns from our inevitable cooking mishaps).

-Sweet Potatoes are touted for iron, potassium and beta-carotene. Most interesting is their high magnesium content. Magnesium is the relaxation and anti-stress mineral. It is reported that nearly 80% of the population of N. America may be deficient in magnesium. I think some magnesium would be welcome in any Jewish home these pre- Pesach days.

12 HANDY SUBSTITUTIONS FOR YOUR PESACH PANTRY Use these sauces for marinades, drizzle over roasted vegies, stir fry, and add to hamburger.

Passover Soy Sauce-makes 2 cups 1/2 cup beef broth, instant, or save some from cooked brisket 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 cup red wine 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoon garlics powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper to taste

1. In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil uncovered for 10 minutes until reduced to about 1 cup. 2. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, Store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Passover Teriyaki substitute-makes about one and a half cups 1/4 cup soy sauce substitute 1 cup water 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 5 tablespoons packed brown sugar 2 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons potato starch 1/4 cup cold water

1. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, mix all ingredients except the last two (potato starch and 1/4 cup water). Stir until blended and simmering. 2. In a separate small bowl, mix potato starch and 1/4 cup water until smooth. Add all at once to saucepan and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and cool. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Links to more handy substitutions: How to Make Mayonnaise on theKosherChannel.com Gluten & gebroks free Pesach piecrust

PESACH SALAD DRESSINGS Homemade salad dressings & mayonnaise make plain food come alive. Use with the Satisfying Salads on page 15. Ranch is a perfect dip for raw veggies and sauce for fish, especially salmon.

13 doubles as marinade for chicken, fish or meat. Kids love the taste of Hometown Dressing on just about anything.

Lemon Vinaigrette 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves 2 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons honey 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, optional 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Blend the lemon juice, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a food processor or zhuzzer (you know what that is right?). With the machine or zhuzzer running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette to taste, with more .

Ranch Dressing Recipe 2 cups mayonnaise 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried dill

Place all ingredients in a container with a tight fitting lid. Cover and shake.

Hometown Dressing: 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup onion, minced juice of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Place all ingredients in a container with a tight fitting lid. Cover and shake. Keeps covered tightly in fridge for up to 10 days.

*Amazing Avocado & Lemon Dressing and Dip in Cooking for the King, Chanukah (p 43)*

14 SATISFYING SALADS~ These hearty salads go together from your Refrigerator Pantry of salad dressings and prepped vegies in a snap. They are perfect for Chol HaMoed meals, bulked up with hard boiled eggs and potatoes, topped with “Planned Over” meats, they are meal in themselves, & tote-able too. For dinner you might want to serve one along with a bowl of soup. Queen in the Kitchen salads need no set ratios, use these guides according to the ingredients you have on hand and your tastes. Substitutions and creativity, definitely encouraged.

Provencal Fish Salad: 1. Toss a can of tuna or salmon with lemon juice, olive oil, diced celery, salt, pepper and garlic powder. 2. In a separate bowl, place sliced bell peppers, cherry tomato halves, black olives, chopped scallions and “planned over” roasted potatoes. Toss with Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing. 3. Arrange cut up lettuce on a platter, top with dressed vegies and mound fish salad in the middle. Sprinkle with and chopped hard boiled eggs. Drizzle with more dressing.

Tunisian Salad: 1. In a large bowl toss thinly sliced red onion, bell pepper strips, thinly sliced fennel and radishes with olive oil, orange juice, cider vinegar, cinnamon, a pinch of cayenne pepper and salt to taste. 2. Plate and top with salty cheeses or “planned over” meat or fish, and quartered HB eggs.

Cobb Salad: 1. In a medium bowl, toss shredded lettuce with just enough Hometown Salad Dressing to moisten. On a platter arrange rows of sliced HB eggs, cubed or sliced turkey breast (and/or salami, pastrami), sliced tomatoes, avocado, pickles and dressed lettuce. 2. Sprinkle with fresh herbs on hand. Drizzle with more dressing.

Caesar Salad: 1. In a large bowl, toss coarsely chopped romaine lettuce, chopped HB eggs, “planned over” chicken, turkey or fish tossed with Ranch Salad Dressing. 2. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss again.

Greek Salad: 1. In a large bowl, toss coarsely chopped romaine lettuce with thinly sliced red onions or scallions, tomatoes and cucumbers with Lemon Vinaigrette and dried dill. 2. Gently toss in salty cheese like Feta or Bulgari.

Planned Over Chicken Salad: 1. In a large bowl combine: shredded “planned over” chicken, finely chopped celery and onion, almond slivers and Craisins or raisins with enough mayonnaise or Ranch Salad Dressing to hold the mixture together. *Make a big bowl of this, it gets better by the day and is always on the ready for your hungry family, -keeps for 3-4 days

15 Vegetable Braise Makes: 6-8 servings You’ve got all those vegetables cut up, here’s a delicious alternative to roasting.

2-4 pounds root vegetables such as parsnips, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, fennel, celery root, rutabaga, peeled, trimmed and cut in 1/2 inch cubes 1 medium onion or 3 medium shallots, thickly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 1/2 cups orange juice 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Heat oil in a medium sized pot with lid over medium heat. Add all vegetables, oil and salt and cook, stirring occasionally for 12-15 minutes, until slightly browned. 3. Add orange juice, water and thyme. Cover pot and place in preheated oven. Lower heat to 350F/165C and bake for 25-35 minutes, until vegetables are very tender. 4. May be served warm or at room temperature.

~ Can make ahead~ active time: 15 minutes ~ Cooking time: 1 hour

Passover Cholent~a.k.a. Yapchik Makes 8-12 servings Who says you can't have great Passover cholent? Try this creamy, filling recipe and you might not ever go back to barley and beans.

8 pounds potatoes, peeled 5 large onions, peeled 1/4 cup catsup 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2-4 pounds shoulder roast, brisket or flanken 3 carrots, optional

1. Into a large bowl, grate or finely shred half of the potatoes with allof the onions. Add catsup, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper and combine well with potatoes and onions.

2. Place mixture in a 9” x13” roasting pan or into a large slow cooker pot. Place the meat in the center of the potato mixture. Preheat oven to 250°F or set slow cooker to high.

16 3. Cut remaining potatoes and carrots, if using, into 3” pieces and place them around meat. Do not add any liquid. Cover pan with heavy duty aluminum foil or place lid on slow cooker. Cook in oven for at least 12 hours. If using a slow cooker, after one hour, turn heat to low for at least 12 hours.

Makes 8-12 servings ~ must make ahead active time: 20 minutes ~ cooking time: the longer the better ~must make ahead~ active time: 15 minutes ~ cooking time: 10-20 hours

COOKING FOR THE KING Passover Recipes So far, I’ve written two cookbooks with well tested recipes and timeless Torah thoughts to bring majesty to your menu. While the books are written with specific holidays in mind, the recipes are perfect for any Shabbos or yom tov meal. Here are the KLP recipes from each book. I hope you’ll get your very own copies of “Cooking for the King” on Amazon or see the special offer here: http:// www.thekosherchannel.com/order-the-book/html

Kosher for Passover recipes in Cooking for the King, Rosh Hashanah Edition Soup: Pareve Cream of Zucchini Soup, page 36 Hearty Cabbage Soup, page 40 Fish: Brown Sugar Salmon, page 47 Mango-granate Barbecued Fish, page 50 Meat: Queen of the Kitchen Top of the Rib Roast, page 66 Side Dishes: Sweeter than Sour Roasted Cabbage, page 74 (substitute cinnamon for allspice) Carrots Marsala, page 78 Good as Gold Potatoes, page 79 Sephardic Leek Patties, page 80 Forgotten Zucchini, page 88 Dessert: Spiced Pears with Pomegranate, page 107

Kosher for Passover recipes in Cooking for the King, Chanukah Edition Spreads: Green Olive Tapenade, page 21 Black Olive and Caper Tapenade, page 22 Shemen Tov, “Good Oil,” page 27 Salads: Nuts About Kale Salad, page 32 Meet and Greek Salad, page 38 Orange, Onion & Radish Salad, page 40 Avocado & Lemon Salad Dressing, page 42 Soup Anything’s Possible Potato Soup with variations for Creamy Musroom, Spinach or Broccoli Soup, page 48 Most Marvelous Minestrone Soup, page 50 Fish Queen in the Kitchen Favorite Baked Fish, page 60

17 Dairy: Sephardic Spinach Soufflé, page 77 Sephardic Eggplant Soufflé, page 78 Spanakopita Latkes with Tzatziki Sauce, page 108 Meat Dishes: Stracotto, Italian Pot Roast, page 90 Southern Roast Turkey Breast & Garlic Gravy, page, page 96 Side Dishes: Oven Fried “Chips,” page 64 Cauliflower Fritters, page 118

THEKOSHERCHANNEL.COM PASSOVER RECIPES I know you’ll want to tune in to TheKosherChannel.com where I reveal the secret to great kosher cooking—is YOU! And Here are handy links to the main sections and some of my best KLP recipes on TheKosherChannel.com, with make ahead tips and thoughts to keep you happy.

TheKosherChannel Passover Salads, Dips and Dressings

The Kosher Channel KLP Fish, Chicken & Meat Recipes: Salmon Patties http://www.thekosherchannel.com/salmon-patties-recipe.html Lemon Garlic Chicken http://www.thekosherchannel.com/recipe-for-lemon-garlic- chicken.html Chicken with Figs and Honey http://www.thekosherchannel.com/chicken-with-figs.html Herbed Turkey Breast http://www.thekosherchannel.com/turkey-breast-recipe.html Brisket http://www.thekosherchannel.com/passover-brisket.html

The Kosher Channel KLP Pareve Side Dishes: Simple Roasted Potatoes http://www.thekosherchannel.com/roast-potato-recipe.html Quinoa Salad http://www.thekosherchannel.com/quinoa-salad-recipe.html Oven Roasted Carrots http://www.thekosherchannel.com/roasted-carrots.html Oven Roasted Cauliflower http://www.thekosherchannel.com/roasted-cauliflower.html Sweet Potato Fries http://www.thekosherchannel.com/sweet-potato-fries-recipe.html Roasted Vegie Medley http://www.thekosherchannel.com/leek-recipe.html Whipped Up Butternut Squash & Sweet Potatoes http://www.thekosherchannel.com/sweet-potatoes-recipe.html Master recipe: Roasted Vegies http://www.thekosherchannel.com/roasted-vegetables-for-passover.html

The Kosher Channel Passover Dessert Recipes: Matzah Brittle http://www.thekosherchannel.com/passover-dessert.html Almond Cookies http://www.thekosherchannel.com/macaroons.html Flourless Chocolate Cake http://www.thekosherchannel.com/flourless-chocolate-cake.html Fruit of the Season Salad http://www.thekosherchannel.com/fruit-salad-recipe.html

18 PARTING WORDS

Mazal tov! You did it. Your meals are planned, the freezer bulges with organized entrees and desserts. The fridge shelves are a veritable library of side dishes and the makings of toss-and-serve salads. Your kitchen is raring to go, kosher for Pesach. And here it is, erev Pesach and there is nothing to eat?

Our custom, and you can use it too, is hot dogs. So that when the big day comes, pans of hot dog appear on the table with KLP ketchup, bags of chips and cans of pickles. Paper plates of course. Do it. Then let the clan go at it and you can sneak off for a well-deserved manicure. ______

I want to leave you with these wise words that I’ve learned from very wise women. Repeat them throughout the weeks up to and during Pesach. They will move you through the work of the mundane—to the world of the majestic, so that you will arrive at your Seder with your crown intact:

~Hashem may give us SO much to do, but never TOO much. He always gives us exactly what we need.

~whispered when I get nervous: “Hashem has my back”

“Man plans and Gd...... has another plan.”

~“It always comes out OK in the end, if it’s not OK it’s not the end.“

! Thank you for joining me in my Pesach kitchen. I truly hope this guide helps you to have a CHAG KASHER V’SAMAYACH!

Warmly,

Renee This is the end. We’ll be OK. We’ll be OK. We’ll be OK.

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