Tag Archives: Cooking with Elli

Deep Depression Cake from www.kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com

Deep Depression Cake

There is nothing easier to make than a Deep Depression Cake. A cake that dates back to the Great Depression, it is easy to make, a moist and inexpensive cake that has an amazing flavor. Made without butter, eggs or milk, this cake was inspired during the Great Depression.

https://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/chocolate-depression-cake/

  • 1 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 cup Sugar (or Splenda)
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (or more – lol)
  • 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil (or…)
  • FOR A NO FAT VERSION SUBSTITUTE…
  • 2.5 oz Unsweetened Applesauce
  • 1 cup Water
  • Chocolate Frosting of your choice (or NO frosting works too!)
  • Rainbow Sprinkles optional
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease an 13×9 pan with butter.
  3. In the greased pan, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Whisk lightly with a fork or small whisk to combine.
  5. Make two small wells on the sides and 1 large well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
  6. Pour the vinegar and vanilla into the small wells then pour the oil in the big well, if they spill over the wells that’s perfectly okay.
  7. Pour the water over the top and whisk again to combine thoroughly.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  9. Cool completely.
  10. Frost the cake with your choice of chocolate frosting. Our 5-Minute Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is wonderful with this cake!
  11. Optional; sprinkle rainbow sprinkles on top.
  12. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts Deep Depression Cake: Amount Per Serving Calories 216Calories from Fat 72 % Daily Value* Fat 8g12% Saturated Fat 6g38% Sodium 228mg10% Potassium 64mg2% Carbohydrates 36g12% Fiber 1g4% Sugar 20g22% Protein 2g4% Calcium 6mg1% Iron 1mg6% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Fishy Instant Pot Italian Zoodles with Salmon

Fishy Instant Pot Italian Zoodles with Salmon

A Healthy & Nutritious, quick and easy one pot meal

  • 22 oz Zoodles (Spiralized zucchini, squash, carrots, sweet potato Approx. 22 oz assorted)
  • 1 Jar Prepared Marinara sauce (or make your own.)
  • 3 5 oz cans of Salmon (de-boned)
  • 1 can or one package prepared chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
  • 1 meduim onion (diced)
  • 1-2 Sliced or diced Bell Peppers (assorted, Red Green, and Yellow)
  • to taste McCormick garlic and herb seasoning
  • to taste Salt and pepper
  1. Set the 3qt Instant Pot to Sauté
  2. When it says HOT add 1 Tbsp Olive oil
  3. Add the Diced Onions
  4. Stir until soft
  5. Add the Peppers
  6. Continue to stir for 3-5 minutes
  7. Add in the Zoodles
  8. Stir for 2-3 minutes
  9. Add the Jar of Sauce
  10. Stir to mix
  11. Add the chickpeas
  12. Stir to mix
  13. Add the Salmon
  14. again, stir to mix.
  15. Cancel the sauté and set to Manual (High) Pressure for 5 minutes
  16. QR (Quick Release)
  17. Stir it all up and Enjoy!

A 3qt Instant Pot was used for this recipe.

You can add any other vegetables or beans etc.

Don’t like fish?

You can substitute dark meat chicken thighs, meatballs etc…

 

 

Shabbos Menu 3

SHABBOS DINNER:

  • Kiddush Wine
  • Whole Wheat Raisin Pull-apart Challah
  • DIPS:
    Chumus, Madbucha, Techina
  • Salmon Gefilte Fish Balls in Tomato sauce
  • Pea Soup
  • Chicken Thighs and spiralized veggies & peppers in a Mushroom sauce

SHABBOS LUNCH:

  • Kiddush Wine
  • Whole Wheat Raisin Pull-apart Challah
  • DIPS:
    Chumus, Madbucha, Techina
  • Salmon Gefilte Fish Balls in Tomato sauce
  • Cold Meat Loaf with Quinoa salad

SHABBOS HODU MENU

SHABBOS HODU MENU
(Thanksgiving 2019)

THURS (Pre-Prep day)

MAKE

  • Whipped Sweet Potato Pie
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Orange/Cranberry Sauce
  • GF Cornbread Muffins w/Cranberries
  • GF Corn Pudding
  • GF Cornbread for Stuffing
  • Low-Fat Shredded Multi-Colored Carrot Ambrosia w/Mandarin Oranges & Rasins
  • Pumpkin Pies

Refridgerate anything that needs it for tomorrow.

FRI

MAKE

  • MAKE GEFILTE FISH
  • Sautéed Onions (for the Mashed Potatoes
  • Mir Poix & Sausage for Stuffing
  • Turkey Breast (make sure Turkey is at least 3/4 cooked before Candle-lighting time)
  • GF Cornbread Stuffing w/Leg/Wing and Gravy
  • Stuffing w/Leg/Wing and Gravy
  • Cocktails: Sauvage/PomJuice/Seeds
  • Dips

DAY OF…Reheat the:
Whipped Sweet Potato Pie, Mashed Potatoes, and GF Corn Pudding an hour or so before your Friday night Shabbos dinner!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

HANDY CHARTS FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING MEAL PREP


Some Funny Shabbos Thanksgiving Torah
(but not really!)

Bayla Jacobson posted in Great Kosher Restaurant Foodies.

Kislev 5, 5778 and November 23, 2017

Dear Friends,

Based on the numerous requests I have been receiving about the issue of Thanksgiving; I have decided to compile a short guide which should be helpful to all in navigating these delicate halachos.

Hilchos Hodu

The Origin of Thanksgiving
1. Although the day is not explicit in the Torah there are Rishonim who find a Remez to the obligation to eat Turkey in the Passuk in Shir HaShirim 2:12; “V’Kol HaTur Nishma B’Artzeinu”- “and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” The first letter “K” of the word Kol combined with the last syllable of the word “HaTur”- spells Turk(ey).

2. From this Passuk the Rambam learns out a Rabbinic obligation to eat Turkey on Thanksgiving.

3. The obligation is specifically on the day of Thanksgiving- any Turkey eaten tonight will not fulfill your obligation of eating turkey on the day itself

4. The obligation begins at noon tomorrow (Thursday) and lasts until sunset

5. One must eat at least a Kezayis of Turkey before Shkiah

6. The firsts Kezayis must be eaten without any condiments as the poskim learn out a Gezeira Shava between Turkey day and Pesach; just like the first Kezayis of Matzah is eaten without salt; so too the first Kezayis of Turkey must be eaten without condiments including cranberry sauce.

7. There are those who are Makpid (very strict) to eat the first Kezayis within two minutes; there are other poskim who extend the window for the first Kezayis to nine minutes.

8. How big is a Kezayis of Turkey?

9. This is fascinating question, it is quoted in the name of the Rebbe Reb Fliegel that “Der Heintigeh zennen fill klenerer vie d’ershte”- the turkeys nowadays are much smaller than those of the original pilgrims.

10. For this reason, most Chariedish Yidden are careful to eat two Kezaysim of turkey within two minutes.

11. No talking should be done as the two Kezaysim are being consumed

12. According to YYK, a Kazayis is 8 ounces; so to be Yotzei all opinions, one must eat 16 ounces (one pound) of turkey in less than two minutes.

13. Preferably, one should insert the entire pound of turkey in their mouth at one time and chew without swallowing.

14. Optimally, one should attempt to swallow the entire Kezayis in one swallow; although for the elderly and the infirm they can be lenient and swallow half a pound in one swallow and the second half of the pound in a second swallow.

15. One should stand on one foot while eating their Kezayis and flap their hands in a turkey-like motion.

16. Before standing on one foot and before the wing flapping one should say out loud: “Zecher L’Bias America”- In memory of our coming to America

17. The head of the household should be careful that all his children and his wife are standing properly on one leg and flapping while consuming the entire pound of turkey in two minutes and in one swallow

18. One who is careful to eat Turkey in this manner will be guaranteed never to have any problems eating Matzah on Pesach

19. The first Kezayis must be consumed before 4:31 PM EST.

20. Kol HaMarbeh Harei Zeh Meshubach- there were great and holy Gedolim (large people) who were careful to eat an entire turkey on Thanksgiving.

21. The main thing is everyone should be smiling and happy

Part Two
Thanksgiving for Americans in Eretz Yisroel

1. Since there is a doubt as to when the first settlers of RBS arrived from America if they had time to eat turkey before Shkiah on Thursday, most poskim hold that Americans in Eretz Yisroel for Thanksgiving should observe two days of Yom Tov.

2. They are only obligated to eat turkey on both day

3. There is no obligation to stand on one leg and flap; although lately most have taken a stringent approach and most Americans now observe two full days of Thanksgiving while in Eretz Yisroel including pumpkin pie and stuffing

4. However, there is a dispute between RBS and Har Nof as to if an American is allowed to eat Turkey in public on Thanksgiving. The Minhag in RBS is to be Meikel and eat turkey even in public while in Har Nof most close their shutters and lights and eat their turkey quietly.

Minhagim of the Day
1. Al Pi Kabbalah there is a minhag to save the pulkah of this year’s Turkey and use it to “Klap Hamman” in Shul on Purim

2. However, the correct Minhag is to use the pulkah only to Klap the first, ninth and eleventh Haman

3. The Litvaks have a practice to eat their turkey ice cold

4. Hassidim are careful to have their turkey hot

5. There are those who sing bentching to the tune of “G-d Bless America”; others do not.

6. The Minhag some have to say “Gobble Gobble Gobble” to three different people is a Minhag b’Taus (a misplaced practice) and people mistakenly borrowed it from Kiddush Levanah.

7. The biggest and best Minhag is to be happy and always full of gratitude to Hashem and all those people who help us and allow to be happy each and every day of our lives!!!!

Enjoy your day!!!!

Comments…

Elli thekingofbroadway Amen כן יהי רצון!

In my family we postpone (Hodu Nidchah) the day till Friday night (Shabbos) to avoid unnecessary hardship to the cook having to cook large meals two days in a row (1)(1.1)

(1) See Hilchos Tircha D’Bllaboostah 7:23)

(1.1) also similar to why one is allowed to cook on Yom Tov for the same day.)

Glossary:

Nidchah: Pushed off (ie a fast day that falls on Shabbos would be pushed off until Sunday)

Hilchos: Laws of

Tircha: Hardship

D’Balaboostah: Homemaker (usually Female, but not always)

Instant Pot Tilapia with Veggies

Instant Pot Tilapia with Veggies

Instant Pot Tilapia with Veggies is another “Elli’s One Pot and Done” recipes.

Easy to prepare and goes from IP to plate in less than 30 minutes.

  • 1 16 oz package Frozen Tilapia (You can put it in thawed or frozen (add 2 minutes cooking time if frozen))
  • 1 Package Spiralized Vegetables (I used spiralized Yellow, Green, and Butternut Squash but feel free to use any veggies you like!)
  • 1 Onion Sweet Vidalia Onion, sliced
  • 1 Pepper Green, Red, Yellow Pepper (Your choice or use all 3!)
  • 1 14 oz Can Diced Tomatoes (No Salt Added) (whole can with the juice)
  • 1/2 tub Achla Madbucha (or you can use Salsa)
  • 1/2 cup water (used to make the IP come to pressure)
  • 1/2 tsp each Salt, Pepper, McCormack No Salt Garlic & Herb, Badia Sazon (or any combination of spices that you like)

  1. Note: Tilapia is added at the end before cooking

  2. Slice your vegetables and place in the bottom of a 3 qt Instant Pot (that’s what I used for this recipe. If you want more, just double the recipe and use a larger IP)

  3. Add the Diced tomatoes (juice too)

  4. Add the Madbucha or Salsa

  5. Add the Water

  6. Season the vegetables as per ingredients above

  7. Place a metal or Silicone Trivet on top of the vegetables and press down.

  8. Place the Tilapia (fresh or frozen) on the trivet.

    Note: It’s ok to stack or overlap the fish. I place one each way stacked.

  9. Season the TIlapia

  10. Close and seal the IP lid and vent (to the closed position).

  11. Set to Manual Pressure for 8 minutes if using fresh or defrosted – 10 if frozen.

  12. When the IP beeps that it’s done, do a QR (Quick Release), and open the IP

  13. Being VERY careful (it’s REALLY HOT) remove the Trivet and place on a plate to drain.

  14. Using a slotted spoon, take out the veggies and plate.

  15. Set a piece (or two!) of Tilapia on top of the vegetables.

  16. Let it cool a minute or two before eating.

  17. ENJOY! ENJOY! ENJOY!

Cooking with Elli