Recipes We’ve Enjoyed During the Holy Days – Part 1

I cooked up a storm this season since we’ve had lots of guests at meals meal during the Holy Days. These can, however, be made and enjoyed at any time and they’ll be perfect no matter what the occasion!

Let me start with an appetizer that went over very well:

Sesame Chicken Toasts

Serves 12

Photo from: Simply Southern - With a Dash of Kosher Soul

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast half
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12-15 slices white sandwich bread, crust removed and cut into 8 triangles
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• Vegetable oil

Directions

1. Process chicken in food processor until finely chopped. Add egg, green onion, garlic, cilantro, broth, pepper, and salt. Pulse a few times to mix well.
2. Scatter sesame seeds onto a plate. Sread a thick layer of chicken mixture over bread pieces. Press spread side into seeds making an even covering.
3. Heat 1/2 oil in a skillet until hot. Quickly fry triangles for 2-3 minutes on both sides. turning once until golden browned. Drain toasts on paper towels.

Toast may be prepared in advance. Store in refrigerator for 3 days or frozen up to a month. Thaw overninght in refrigerator. Reheat in hot oven for 5 minutes.

Roasted Summer Vegetables

(Adapted from The Big Book of One Pot)

Serves 4

Photo from: The Big Book of One Pot

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 eggplant, thickly sliced
• 2 zucchini, thickly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• ground black pepper
• crusty bread, to serve

Directions

1. Brush an ovenproof dish with a little oil. Arrange the fennel, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers in the dish and tuck the garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs among them.Drizzle with the remaining oil and season to taste with pepper.
2. Roast the vegetables in a preheated oven at 400 F, for 10 minutes. Turn the vegetables over, return the dish to the oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and beginning to turn golden brown.
3. Serve the vegetables straight from the dish or transfer to a warm serving platter. Serve immediately, with crusty bread to soak up the juices.

(Adapted from: The Big Book of One Pot. When I made this dish I tripled it, as we had 11 people at the particular meal).

My guests were very pleased with the above dishes, I hope you will enjoy as well.

SYR