A Very Pesach Cooking Adventure

So, here's the thing: Pesach cooking is very scary for me. In general, I'm easily intimidated by my kitchen. Over the past year or so I've gotten better, testing the waters here and there until I've reached a comfort zone with my appliances. When I was younger and living at home, Pesach cooking seemed really easy: Beat eggs with milk, add matzah, fry and voila! Matza brie!

Ever since I got married, though, I've been unceremoniously tossed into the world of non-gebrachts Pesach. Lemme tell ya, I'm drowning here in the deep-end. My brain can't fathom attempting to cook without proper carbohydrates. Potatoes are okay, but there are only so many I can eat!

This year I was determined to make at least one proper Pesach dinner. I wasn't about to attempt a Yom Tov or shabbos meal because I'm just not there yet. I decided I would take advantage of the one night of true chol hamoed available to me this year (that being tonight) and make something yummy but simple.

So last week I stopped by my parents' house to collect a couple pans from a set someone gave me for my wedding that I'd never brought home. I gave them to Yaakov to tovel and then I was set.

Or so I thought.

This morning I peered into my fridge with the dawning realization that I had absolutely nothing in my fridge except cheese and eggs. Needless to say, I acted quickly and sent Yaakov off with a shopping list.

After I got off work, it was time to start cooking. I very soon realized that, in my haste, I had completely neglected a couple of basic necessities--a knife, a cutting board, and a peeler. Thankfully I live only a few blocks from my parents so that was resolved pretty easily.

Anyway, here's the menu I pulled off:

1) Butternut squash soup
2) Honey-garlic chicken
3) Crispy potatoes and carrots

The soup afforded me the exciting opportunity to try out my brand new immersion blender (aka a hand blender), though I wasn't thrilled with how the recipe I used turned out. (seen here) It was pretty bland, but it was definitely easy.

The honey-garlic chicken was my own recipe. I mixed honey, olive oil, chopped garlic and black pepper to make the sauce. However, I made the mistake of adding some water to thin it and it turned out a little too thin. Still, it was pretty tasty. I recommend trying it, without the water.

The potatoes were pretty basic. Just some olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder baked at 375 for a little over an hour.

Ultimately, I declare my first foray into the world of Pesach cooking to be a success. Hurray!

How's Pesach going for the rest of you?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Sounds like you and Yaakov had a yummy dinner. I have a cookbook that had a great butternut squash kugel in it with no matzo. I am making it for when you come over so you can have some and i will give you the recipe for next year. :) You can also make meatballs and spaghetti squash, no need for matzo in either of those items.
April 2, 2010 at 11:11 AM
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