I first heard about Julie Hauser’s innovative way of making Pesach when she wrote an article about it for Mishpacha magazine a couple of years ago. Without a Pesach kitchen, Julie set about figuring out a way to make Pesach cooking happen without the stress.
Her solution? She sets up a little work space near her utility room with several Crock-Pots and a cabinet full of supplies, including disposable pans, containers, dry goods, and of course garbage bags. Then she plans her mains, soups, and sides, fills her slow cookers, and lets them do the work for her. Each night a different dish cooks its way to perfection while she sleeps, and all she has to do in the morning is transfer the finished food to a container, cool it, and stick it into the freezer, ready to be enjoyed two or three weeks later. By the time she’s ready to turn over her kitchen, Julie’s got a freezer stocked with fully-cooked meals, and the pressure is (mostly) off.
If you like to get her cooking done in advance yet doesn’t have a budget for anything beyond a few Crock-Pots, this system is for you! Julie points out that it works well when you’re expecting a baby around Pesach time (which happened to her three times) or when you can’t rely on cooking right before Yom Tov, for whatever reason. If you’re a no-fuss cook, this system might be just what you’re looking for.
Last year, Julie took her Pesach prep method a step further and published it in a book, Pesach While You Sleep: The Easy Way to Cook Ahead for Yom Tov (Israel Bookshop Publications, 2017), complete with recipes. This 80-page, spiral-bound book is an easy purchase and full of great tips for any busy homemaker. Even if you don’t want to cook ahead, if you’re a cookbook addict as I am, you’ll enjoy the readable layout and fun, simple recipe ideas.
Here are a few sample recipes from Julie’s book. Enjoy!
Creamy Broccoli Soup
This soup is not too thick; it’s just smooth. With the combination of the other veggies, and being that it’s all immersion-blended, it’s very hard to detect the broccoli. The soup has a filling, deep flavor without feeling heavy.
1 lb. frozen broccoli (no need to defrost beforehand)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 yellow squash, peeled and chunked
1 zucchini, peeled and chunked
2 T. olive oil
1/2 small Yukon Gold potato
1/4 c. almond milk
6 frozen garlic cubes
1/2 T. onion powder
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup water
Put all ingredients into slow-cooker. Leave on high for 4 hours. Remove bay leaf. Blend soup. Return bay leaf. Cook on low for another 3 hours, or until ready to serve/freeze. Remove bay leaf before serving/freezing. If you are making this soup overnight, just leave it on low. In the morning, remove the bay leaf, blend, and cook an additional hour. Yields 6 to 8 servings, about two 2-lb. containers.
Aromatic Herbed Chicken
This chicken recipe wins the award for making your house smell like the most gourmet restaurant while it cooks. It’s delicious and moist, as well!
6 chicken legs
2 T. Italian dressing
1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 c. Merlot wine
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 T. dried oregano flakes
3 shakes of dry dill weed
1 tsp. paprika (for color)
4 frozen garlic cubes
Line slow-cooker with liner. Place some of the onions on the bottom. Add chicken to pot. Add the rest of the ingredients. Wearing disposable gloves, smear the herbs and wine/dressing mixture all over the chicken, including under the skin. Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 hours or overnight. Yields 6 servings.
Sweet-and-Sour Pepper Steak
This type of meat shrinks a tad when it cooks, so it is easy to make a lot of it in a slow-cooker. This is a great supper choice to pull out of the freezer in the morning and reheat it after a Chol Hamoed outing. Or, make it fresh that morning. Pair it with sweet potato discs or a fresh lettuce salad and/or soup, and you’re set!
2 lbs. pepper steak
1 onion, diced
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. ketchup
3 T. honey
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 shakes onion powder
1/4 c. wine
1 T. honey-BBQ sauce
1 tsp. salt
Line slow-cooker with liner. Add pepper steak and other ingredients. Cook overnight on low. For best results when freezing, use a pan lined with parchment paper. Also, be sure to pour all the sauce over the meat, or it will dry out when reheated. Yields 3 to 5 servings.
Slow-Cooker Chocolate Cake
I wondered if it could be done. It can! This cake looks better covered with sprinkles or frosting, or used as part of a trifle. But it works, it’s delicious, and the kids love it!
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. almond milk (or any pareve milk)
3/4 c. oil
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
3/4 c. cocoa powder
3/4 c. potato starch
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
2 handfuls chocolate chips
Turn slow-cooker to high before starting the recipe (to preheat your “oven”). Line with a slow-cooker liner, then add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom. (This will help keep the cake from sticking to the plastic liner.) Mix together all ingredients, except for chocolate chips, in a bowl or disposable pan. Spoon batter into slow-cooker. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Turn slow-cooker to low. Cook for 6 to 7 hours, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
