If you’re looking for delicious ways to use up your chametz before Passover, here are some ways to do it.
Use rolled oats in ground meat, fruit crisp toppings or granola bars for the kids.
Bread can be made into a bread pudding. Make a quick pasta casserole for dinner — adding cooked leftover chicken from the freezer, frozen veggies, canned beans or chickpeas and tomato sauce.
Bottled salad dressings and open jars of jam can be combined with dry onion soup mix and poured over chicken and meat dishes.
Heavenly Chicken
From “Food Processor Bible”
Makes 8 servings
2 broilers, each cut in 8 pieces (about 3 lbs. each)
3⁄4 to 1 cup Italian salad dressing (homemade or bottled)
3⁄4 to 1 cup apricot, peach or pineapple jam
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 package (1.9 oz.) dry onion soup mix
Place chicken pieces in large, sprayed roasting pan.
With steel blade, combine remaining ingredients and process for a few seconds, until blended. Pour over chicken. (May be marinated for several hours or overnight in refrigerator; turn once.)
Bake uncovered in preheated oven at 350 degrees about 2 hours, until golden brown. Baste occasionally. Reheats and/or freezes well. Serve with rice or couscous.
Special K Mandel Bread
Adapted from “Healthy Helpings”
Makes about 4 1⁄2 dozen slices
3 eggs (or 2 eggs plus 2 whites)
3⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup canola oil
2 cups flour
2 cups Special K, Rice Krispies or corn flakes
2 tsp. baking powder
3⁄4 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄2 to 3⁄4 cup sliced almonds
1⁄2 to 3⁄4 cup chocolate sprinkles, optional
2 tsp. cinnamon mixed with 1⁄3 cup sugar
Spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray. In large bowl, beat eggs with sugar and oil until well mixed. Add flour, cereal, baking powder, cinnamon, almonds and chocolate. Mix well.
Chill mixture in refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough evenly into 4 long, narrow rolls directly on the baking sheet. Flour your hands for easier handling. Leave at least 3 inches between the rolls because they’ll spread during baking. Dough will be somewhat sticky. Smooth the tops and make the edges neat with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 25 minutes, until pale golden in color. Remove pan from oven and cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 250.
Using sharp knife, cut rolls on a slight angle into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices. Lay cut-side up on baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake at 250 about 45 minutes, until dry and crisp. These freeze well, if you can hide them fast enough!
Vegetarian Kishka
Adapted from “Food Processor Bible”
Makes 8-10 servings
3 1⁄2 cups cracker crumbs (or matzah meal)
2 cloves garlic
2 medium onions, cut in chunks
2 carrots, cut in chunks (or 10 baby carrots)
2 stalks celery, cut in chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut in chunks
3 Tbs. fresh dill
salt, freshly ground black pepper and paprika to taste
3 Tbs. oil
1 cup water, or vegetable or chicken broth
Use steel blade to make cracker crumbs. Process crackers until finely ground, 20 to 25 seconds. Empty into bowl. Process garlic, onions, carrots, celery, bell pepper and dill in batches until minced, emptying processor each time. Combine all ingredients and process with quick on/off pulses, until mixed.
Form 3 long rolls, each about 2 inches in diameter. (Wet your hands for easier handling.) Wrap each roll in foil that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. (You can prepare the kishka to this point and refrigerate until needed.)
Place rolls on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Unwrap and slice. Serve hot. Reheats and/or freezes well.
Microwave Method: Instead of making long rolls, place half of mixture on a microwavable plate and shape into a ring about 2 inches wide. Wet your hands for easier handling. Cover with waxed paper, tucking ends under dish. Repeat with remaining mixture. Microwave one plate at a time on high for 6 to 8 minutes, until dry to the touch. Let stand covered for 2 minutes.