Matzah Ball Soup

My grandmother would not be happy that I am telling you this-but great Matzah Ball soup is just a box away.

Just go to your closest grocery store, buy a box of Manishewitz matzah ball AND soup mix, follow direction, and serve.

A few tips:

• Put the matzah balls in the fridge for 15-30 minutes after you roll them so they maintain their shape when cooked
• Add celery, noodles, carrots, onion or your favorite herbs to broth while its cooking

Baked Balsamic Herb Chicken

• Preheat Oven to 450 degrees Farenheit
• Combine ½ c. balsamic vinegar, ½ c. honey, ½ c.  brown sugar, ¼ c. soy sauce, 2  tbls minced garlic in large Ziploc bag-mix well in plastic bag
• Combine mixture with 10 pieces of mixed chicken pieces
• Chill for 2 hours
• Place chicken in greased glass baking dish, baking until browned (about 30 minutes)
• Meanwhile, bring remaining marinade to a boil.  Remove from heat and pour over cooked chicken to serve

Tip:  Add sprigs of fresh rosemary to chicken while baking for a unique flavor twist

Steamed Ginger Baby Carrots

Ingredients

• 4 cups baby carrots
• 4 tbsp water tablespoon water
• 8 tsp orange juice 
• 8 tsp honey
• A few dashes of ground ginger

Preparation

1. Put baby carrots in an open glass container with the water.
2. Microwave on high for 3 to 5 minutes until tender.
3. Drain and toss with orange juice, honey and ginger.

Tips: You don't have to use ginger, or orange juice for that matter... steam the carrots in the microwave in chicken broth instead of water and you will get some great flavor.

Nana's Potato Kugel

Ingredients:

• 5 Large Potatoes --  peeled and cut in quarters
• 1 Onion
• 3 Eggs
• 1/3 cup of Matzah Meal
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 tsp. Pepper
• 3 heaping tsp. Crisco  melted in 400 d. Oven in Pyrex

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Blend potato and onion in a food processor
3. Drain liquid from potato and onion mixture.
4. Whisk eggs and combine with mixture, matzah meal, salt and pepper
5. Melt Crisco
6. Add half of the Crisco to the potato mixture and pour into an 8x11 glass baking dish
7. Spread remainder of melted Crisco on potato mixture
8. Bake at 400 for 1 hour
9. Allow to cool
10. Cut in squares to serve

Tip: My Nana wants me to encourage you to make this the night before so you don't have as much to do the day of your meal.  To reheat, just put it in a 300 degree oven for half an hour.

Easy Chocolate Rugelach

There are plenty of great recipes out there for making rugelach-most of which involve making your own dough.  This recipe is for those of us who like to skip the kneading, and go straight on to the eating.

Ingredients:

• Pre-made pie refrigerated pie crust (a package is 12-15 ounces)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preparation:

•  
  
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. Sprinkle your work surface with 1/3 of the sugar .
  3. Unfold crust and place on sugar, rolling thin to an even thickness.
  4. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly within center of dough, leaving about 1 inch free on each side.
  5. Roll the dough tightly into a log, sprinkle with remaining sugar.
  6. Cut roll into ¾ inch thick slices, placing slices sugar side up evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or sprayed really well with cooking spray)
  7. Place pieces about 2 inches apart as they will expand
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

You can actually fill the rugelach with anything-your favorite preserves and nuts, nutella, sprinkles, apple cinnamon.