Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! A delicious Shabbat dinner doesn’t have to mean that you end up with a sink full of dishes at the end of the meal! There’s nothing that I love better than making an all-in-one meal on the same pan. Baking foods that have similar cooking times together in one pan is a wonderful timesaver, and certainly saves on cleanup. That certainly works for me.

I’ve chosen some enticingly delicious recipes from Kim Kushner’s three best-selling kosher cookbooks. She is a mother of four, a culinary instructor and cookbook author, with a style that reflects her busy, multitasking life. Kim Kushner’s recipes are flavour-packed and made with straightforward techniques that combine ease, time-savings, and creativity in the kitchen. Best of all, her recipes guarantee stellar results every time. Enjoy in good health!

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ROASTED CARROTS & CHERRY TOMATOES

Adapted from I Heart Kosher: Beautiful Recipes from my Kitchen by Kim Kushner (Simon and Schuster)

Kim shares, “This is a quick-and easy dinner that can be ready in no time flat. Chicken thighs are wonderful when cooked alongside bright vegetables, because they can stand the heat without drying out. The combination of earthy carrots, cherry tomatoes, and green pesto is a winning one. To serve, I like to transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large platter and top with an aromatic bunch of fresh basil and some extra black pepper.”

12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 yellow onion, cut into thin slices

6 medium carrots, stemmed and cut into quarters lengthwise

2 cups (360 g) assorted cherry tomatoes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup (180 ml) Green Pesto (below)

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the chicken, onions, carrots, and tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle the pesto over all the ingredients and use your hands to rub it into the chicken and veggies. Pat the chicken and veggies down so they are in a single layer on the parchment paper. Drizzle the oil over the top.

Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and top with fresh basil and some extra pepper.

Make-Ahead Tip: Chicken thighs with roasted carrots and cherry tomatoes can be assembled and marinated in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Can I Freeze It? Chicken thighs can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

How to Reheat: Let the chicken come to room temperature before reheating, uncovered, in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven for 7–10 minutes.

Makes 4–6 servings

GREEN PESTO (Vegetarian)

Kim explains: “When most people think of pesto, they think basil, garlic, and Parmesan. What a lot of people don’t know is that pesto can actually be made with any greens or herbs. “Pesto” is derived from the Italian word pestare, meaning to ‘pound’ or ‘crush.’ Whenever I see that the herbs and greens in my fridge are on the brink of going bad, I throw them in the food processor and make pesto! I use whatever I have on hand: basil, parsley, mint, arugula, and even kale. Mixing the different herbs and greens creates different burst of flavour and complexity. My favourite combination is arugula, basil, and mint.”

3 cups (150 g) fresh leafy greens and herbs of your choice (I recommend basil, flat-leaf parsley, mint, arugula, kale—use one type or a combination), stemmed

1 clove garlic

1 chili, stemmed and seeded (optional)

2 Tbsp nuts or seeds of your choice (I recommend walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Place the herbs, garlic, chili, if using, and nuts or seeds in the work bowl of a food processor (a mini food processor works well) and blitz until chopped finely. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and blitz again until a paste is formed. Transfer the paste to a glass jar and stir in the oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Make-Ahead Tip: Pesto can be stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Can I Freeze It? Pesto freezes well. I recommend freezing in 1-teaspoon portions in an ice-cube tray (reserved for savoury purposes). Once frozen, store the cubes in a lock-top plastic freezer bad for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter.

Makes one 10-fluid ounce (310 ml) jar

READ: THE SHABBAT TABLE – KNEADLESSLY SIMPLE!

KIM’S STICKY CHICKY WITH POTATOES (Meat)

Adapted from The New Kosher: Simple Recipes to Savor and Share by Kim Kushner (Weldon Owen)

Kim Kushner shares: “This recipe has been one of the most sought-after on my blog. Every time I have posted a picture of this scrumptious sticky chicky, the response has been wild. So finally, I am sharing it with you. This is a recipe that you will memorize, master, and make time and time again. Don’t be afraid of the indefinite measurements. The beauty of this dish is that it can be thrown together quickly, with a squirt here and a drizzle there. I use any potatoes I have on hand, including sweet potatoes (yams) and small potatoes, and often mix them. This is the way dinner was meant to be—fast, flexible, and delicious.”

8 skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces of your choice, about 3 lb (1.5 kg) total weight

1 yellow onion, chopped

4–6 potatoes (any variety, including Garnet yams), about 1 1/2 lb (750 g) total weight, peeled and cut into wedges

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 big squirt of tomato ketchup

1 squirt of honey

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (look for a brand that doesn’t contain anchovies)

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

Place the chicken, onion, and potatoes in a roasting pan or a rectangular baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Add the ketchup, honey, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, then use your hands to slather them evenly over the chicken and potatoes.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan, reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF (165ºC), and continue to cook until the chicken is golden brown, sticky, and perfect, about 2 hours longer. Serve right away.

Serves 4–6

GINGERED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SWEET POTATOES (Vegetarian)

Adapted from The Modern Menu: Simple. Beautiful. Kosher by Kim Kushner (Gefen Publishing House)

Kim Kushner writes, “Every time I serve this dish, my guests ask: ‘What is this!’ The creaminess of the butternut squash and sweet potatoes contrasts beautifully with the sharpness of the ginger to create magical flavours. I like to make this in the morning, turn off the oven, and leave it in there all day long. Your house will smell so good, you’ll want to make it again and again. Sometimes I make this a day in advance, cover and refrigerate, then reheat in a low oven until warm.

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch wedges

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch wedges

3 yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 (4-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and julienned

5 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1/2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the squash, sweet potatoes, onions, ginger, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together until the wedges are evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.

Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300ºF and bake for an additional 90 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 200ºF and bake 1 hour longer. The potatoes and squash should be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. If you are not serving this dish immediately, keep in the oven, with the oven turned off, until serving.

Serves 8