"Shh! Don't tell" shortcuts

Rubber Ducky

Thu, Mar 08 2018, 9:44 pm

Jewishfoodie wrote:

Overnight Cholent
in 9x13 deep foil pan w/cover
(I did steal some ideas from Alexander Rebetzin, credit where it's due)

On Wednesday night, I peel and cube 6 nice sized red potatoes and salt them liberally with Diamond Kosher salt (course)

Leave them overnight and day. They must turn black! Bear with me! That's how it's done!

Thursday night, I take a bag of either kidney beans or a "chulent Mix" bag and wash and drain very well, and add to the "blackened" potatoes, now with liquid at the bottom.
(in essence, what you're doing is removing some of the moisture from those potatoes so they're ultimately better. The black will not show after its cooked)

Then add:
3/4 cup onion soup mix (I use Leibers, my brother prefers Osem)
Fresh crushed garlic or garlic powder
A shake of black pepper
Half a teaspoon coffee (I use Nescafe Tasters Choice Medium )
Half a cup oil
And any spices you prefer.
(no paprika necessary.)
Then add flanken. I use 3 strips. Any meat will do. Not chicken. It's too long to cook, even on low temp.
And Marrow bones for added flavor

Then, fill the pan with water until an inch from the top, seal it with foil cover and place in the oven on 250 degrees Fahrenheit from about 7:00 PM to 12:30 the next afternoon. By Friday, you have delicious chulent to taste. Remove from oven and refrigerate until Shabbos. I never have leftovers. It serves at least 8 people..

BTW, if you noticed, no barley. I make it gluten free. If you were to add barley, do so with more oil and water. Barley absorbs tons of water and it also needs the fat or the oil so it's not clumpy.

NO pot to wash and no cholent smell during Shabbos because u dispose of pan..

To give you a visual idea, the chulent is dark dark brown and delicious!

Very simple to make.
Just looks like a lot of words.. 😊

The first time I made it, it was completely on faith. I was grossed out by the black potatoes. But I would never skip that step today!

Thank you!

shiaeisen

Thu, Mar 08 2018, 9:59 pm

[quote="alwaybhappy"]~Take a day and make a few different types of chicken (alot) and then freeze it. Then, all you have to do it take it out of the freezer to defrost and the main dish of supper is made. Alot of sides also freeze well. You can make a huge batch of mashed potatoes and freeze that in portion sizes. Let it defrost and then pop it in the microwave till it is hot and mushy.

~I feed my daughter in the bath (not necessarily to save time, but bec. otherwise she doesn't eat.)>>>>

Um, you’re not allowed to eat in the bathroom....

imorethanamother

Thu, Mar 08 2018, 10:39 pm

My shortcuts:

1) Shop for all the food on Sunday morning, when everything is less crowded. Like 8am. Shop for the week - all your fruits and vegetables and meats for shabbos. Decide whether you'll have company for shabbos on Sunday. Then, bring it all home and make the family put away groceries together.

2) Cook one thing every night of the week for shabbos, if you're having company.

3) In the month before a yom tov, cook two of everything you're making for shabbos. One goes in the freezer. Obviously not for Pesach.

4) Cook enough food for shabbos to have leftovers, and make leftover night on MONDAY. Sunday you likely have time to cook something!

5) Pizza night. Taco night. One night where the kids cook, and it doesn't matter how young they are. Everyone needs to start learning how to feed themselves!

6) Shop online for everything. Zappos is amazing. Nordstrom is amazing. My sister in law lives somewhere where they get Google Express, which basically brings all the things you need from Costco and Target to you for FREE, no shipping costs, and usually the next day! If you live somewhere with Google Express, LIVE YOUR LIFE.

7) Store. Bought. Cookie dough. Expensive, and worth it. Voila, dessert is served.

8) Child labor. Everyone needs to learn how to make a bed and put their clothes in the hamper. Everyone has a chore for shabbos. Cleaning their toys and their rooms earns rewards, such as screen time. No cleaning? No screen. Even my three year old gets into it.

9) Two-in-one: For shabbos, make extra roasted veggies, and the leftovers from friday night get put into a salad for shabbos day.

10) Fish is the fastest dinner ever. It's done in three seconds, and so much healthier. Tilapia? Here's some butter sauteing in a pan, salt, pepper, some actual peppers if you're fancy. Flip, flip, you're welcome, children. Or Salmon with drizzled honey and teriyaki sauce under a broiler for 15 minutes.

11) Veggie soup is best with those frozen bags of vegetables. DO NOT CHOP THINGS, life is for the living. Yes, children, carrots DO occur in nature cubed like that. Also? Those boxes of pareve "chicken" broth goes perfectly with frozen veggies. Done in 30 minutes! You're welcome.

12) Kids love vacuuming. I don't know why. For fun, hide coins and tell them if they find them while vacuuming, they get to keep them.