Who Needs an Oven?

         Ahhh . . . there is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment one gets putting dinner in the oven and sitting back for the hour or so while the whole meal cooks.  It’s a rare treat that happens only occasionally in my home.  There is nothing like the feeling of complete and utter shock and OMG SHOCK when said oven chooses to implode while that meal is cooking.  So much for sticking to my weeknight menu plan!  After the smoke cleared and the initial moment of alarm the damage was clear.  My trusty double oven was off to that place old ovens go when they have lived a full life – the dump!  Thank Gd for an understanding husband who picked up take out on his way home and over dinner helped me to look online for a new oven. 

         Then I had mini freak out #2.  How am I going to make food for Shabbat?!?!?!?  Not only for my own family but I cook for a client every Thursday.  I don’t have an oven, but I still have a gas cook top.  I got this!  With a few tweaks to the menu I felt like things would be ok. The only trick would be a parve dessert.  No baking happening this week.  Something yummy and not too much of a potchke (difficult) . . . No Bake Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake Cups!  Sheet Pan Roasted Green Beans and Cauliflower became Stir-Fried Green Beans and Stir-fried Popcorn Cauliflower.  The Baked Chicken entrée was switched out for Chicken Piccata. Shabbat meal saved! (BH, I planned ahead and had Challah in the freezer so that was one less worry.)

Easy No Bake Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake Cups makes 12 cupcakes

(can be made as a no bake pie instead)

Ingredients:

1 containers Rich Whip, defrosted

1 8oz. container nondairy Cream Cheese (Tofutti, Wayfair)

½ cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

½ teaspoon Elite Instant Coffee (this is very fine powder, and it dissolves in the cream mixture well)

 ½ cup Vegan/ Parve Butter, melted

2 packages Cappuccino Tea Biscuits – one for the crust, one for decorating

1 small bar/ chunk Bittersweet Chocolate 

Directions:

Crush one package of tea biscuits into a fine crumb (think graham cracker crumb consistency).  Mix with the melted vegan butter to form a wet sandy like texture and press into the bottom of your cups or the bottom of lined cupcake tins to form the crust of the cheesecake.  Set into the refrigerator while making the batter.  In a large bowl mix the room temperature cream cheese, powder sugar and vanilla extract using an electric handheld mixer on high.  Add the cocoa powder and instant coffee.   While mixing slowly add the Rich Whip.  Continue beating until the mixture is fully incorporated and the whipped topping has fully whipped.  Using a spatula scoop the chocolate mixture into a piping bag.  Pipe into the prepared cups.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Dust with additional cocoa powder & coffee powder or shave dark bittersweet chocolate over the top. Place an individual tea biscuit in each cup sticking out of the top for a ‘fancy’ finish.

***to make this dairy replace parve products with dairy***

Kosher Chicken Piccata makes 6 pieces plus three tenders

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts, beaten thin or butterflied

½ cup Flour

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Vegan Butter (Earth Balance or something similar)

1/3 cup Dry White Wine

¼ cup Lemon Juice

¼ cup Vegetable Stock or Water

¼ cup Drained Capers

Sliced Lemons

Freshly Chopped Cilantro/Parsley for garnish

Directions:

Prepare the boneless chicken breasts by removing the tender then either beating them thin with a food mallet or using a chef’s knife butterfly and separate the breasts into two thin pieces.  Place the flour into a Ziploc bag and season it with salt & pepper.  Toss each piece of chicken in the flour to coat, shake off excess.  In a skillet melt 1 tablespoon vegan butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil add chicken pieces and cook on each side until slightly browned.  Remove to a plate and repeat until all chicken is cooked (you may need to add additional oil). Deglaze the pan with the wine and then add the lemon juice and the stock.  Place lemon slices into the pan and add the capers.  Let simmer a few minutes and place the chicken back into the sauce.  Turn chicken to coat both sides with sauce.  Simmer and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.