Cookbooks | Simple By Cindy

Chicken Marbella

Oct. 12
2015

I have been making this dish for many years. It has become a staple in my go-to recipes. This is a dish that is easy to prepare (you make it the night before) yet will look and taste as if you have been cooking it all day!

This recipe is courtesy of the beloved Silver Palate Cookbook. It is deserving of a post as I hope to pass it on to those of you who have not tried it yet.

The marinade for this dish is extraordinary. The combination of the olives, prunes and capers give it a Spanish style flavor and helps the chicken to come out moist, tender and juicy. It also provides a unique texture that will be a delight to your guests!

This recipe is a must try!

Today’s Hint: Always read the entire recipe before you start cooking. This will help you organize your preparation plan and remember details you might miss along the way. Measure, chop and prepare all the ingredients first. Set them aside until you need them. This will make the actual process of cooking your recipe more efficient with less mistakes. It will also prevent you from discovering missing ingredients at the last minute.

Ingredients for Chicken Marbella

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup dried oregano
3 tbsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tbsp pepper
2 chickens, cut into eighths
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup of good, dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley or fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and their juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper into a flat pan. Cover the chicken with the mixture, rubbing it well onto the chicken.

Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat 350.

Spoon mixture over top of the chicken again.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the chicken and pour the white wine around them.

Bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, for 50 minutes up to 1 hour. Prick the thigh, the juice should run clear, not pink.

Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Spoon pan juice over the chicken and sprinkle generously with the parsley.

It’s that simple! I promise you will love this recipe!

Pan Roasted Cod and Farfalle Pasta

Sep. 30
2015

Fish, particularly cold water fish like cod, has been shown to be very healthy and an excellent source of protein. Cod is a hearty firm white fish. It has a meaty flesh, flaky texture and mild flavor. This delicate, sweet fish is versatile and easy to prepare. Remember, you can use this recipe with any fish of your choice. I hope you try the Atlantic cod fish. It is simply delicious!

This farfalle pasta recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. I have been making it for years! It is easy and flavorful. Giada writes that the secret ingredient is anchovies! She is right! This is the dish that turned my son into an anchovy lover! It turned my entire family onto this delicate treat as well. Now you can understand how I became enamored (or obsessed) with anchovies! Thanks Giada!

Ingredients for the Cod

3 1/2 pound pieces of Atlantic Cod
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups of panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup fresh parsley (or 3 tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix panko crumbs, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper into a bowl. Dip cod into egg, and then into panko mixture. Set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium heat in pan on stove.

When heated, place cod into pan. Set timer for 4 minutes. Turn cod over and cook for 4 more minutes. Crust should look lightly browned.

Ingredients for the Pasta

1 pound Farfalle (bow-tie) Pasta
2 heads of broccoli, trimmed to florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 anchovies, chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally.

After 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the pasta, stir, and cook for another 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the anchovies and cook until they melt down. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the pasta and broccoli, salt and pepper and toss. To make the sauce thicken, add some of the reserved pasta water a little at a time (you do not have to use the entire cup).

Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

It’s that simple!

Noodle Kugel

Sep. 16
2015

I am not usually fond of anything sweet. Therefore, when I was searching for a non-dairy noodle kugel, this one initially did not appeal to me. However, since my holiday dinners often have 10+ people, I had the feeling that some of my guests might enjoy it so I gave it a try.

This kugel, adapted from The Hadassah Cookbook, was a pleasant (and “sweet”) surprise! It sounds like a recipe my grandmother would have made.

Maybe it was an old recipe, but it turned out to be a flavorful, delightful dish! I did not expect to like it, but after I tasted it, I was transformed! It was delicious! Give this one a try, you will not be able to stop taking many yummy bites! You can make this kugel for any holiday. Your guests will thank you for it!

Ingredients for the Kugel

1 pound medium egg noodles, cooked 3 minutes less than instructions
7 eggs, lightly beaten
2 sticks unsalted margarine or butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan.

Combine eggs, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, crushed pineapple and raisins

.

Add noodles.

Pour into pan.

Combine brown sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over top of mixture.

Bake about 45 minutes, until kugel is golden brown and bubbly.

It’s that simple!

Pecan Noodle Ring

Sep. 11
2015

This is a side dish from one of my favorite cookbooks, “The Kosher Palette” by Susan Fishbein and Sandra Blank. The book was written to raise funds for the school her children attend and is a collection of the authors’ most delicious recipes. You do not have to be kosher to use this book! I have tried and shared many of these recipes with many of my non-kosher friends who love them. You will find that many of the recipes that I will share with you come from this book!

Ingredients for Pecan Noodle Ring
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 (16 ounce) package extra wide noodles
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine pecans, brown sugar and margarine and spoon into Bundt pan coated heavily with cooking spray.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and transfer into large bowl.

Add eggs, sugar, salt and cinnamon, stirring well. Pour into noodles. Mix well with spoon. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool on rack for 10 minutes. Turn over onto a serving plate.

Mmmm! Yummy!

It’s that simple!

Mini Bilinis

Aug. 17
2015

This is another yummy recipe from “The Kosher Palette” that I consistently cook for holiday parties. This is a fantastic appetizer and is a genuine crowd pleaser. The greatest thing about this recipe is that you can make the bites in advance and freeze them. Take them out the day of your party and bake! The aroma alone while baking will make your guests mouths water!

Ingredients for Mini Bilini
2 (8 ounce) packages Cream cheese, softened
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 loaves sliced white bread, crusts removed
1 cup butter, melted
Cinnamon
Sugar

Mix a handful of cinnamon and sugar together on a plate. Set aside.

Beat together cream cheese, egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Roll bread slice as thinly as possible with a rolling pin.

Spread each slice with cream cheese mixture. Roll each slice up and dip in melted butter.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Place on baking pan, cover with freezer paper and freeze.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400.

Remove Mini Bilinis from freezer, remove freezer paper and cut each piece in half.

Place in oven and and bake 10-13 minutes.

It’s that simple! This is a great one!