Once an old traveler met a group of children in the marketplace who were hungry and sad.
“What is the matter, little ones?” asked the old traveler.
“We wanted to have a special meal for Shabbos!” answered the oldest child.
“Yes, that would be an oneg (delight)” said the old traveler.
“But we only one piece of bread!” said a red haired child.
“And it is a very small piece of bread!” said another child who felt he had a right to speak.
“Not big enough for even one of us!” girl noted.
All the children became quiet as they looked at the piece of bread with large eyes, and their mouths went up in the middle and down at the sides.
“Well,” said the old traveler, “suppose we have the feast just the same! I think we can manage it.”
He broke the cookie into four pieces, and gave one piece to the littlest child.
“See!” he said. “This is a piece of roast chicken. It was golden brown and crispy as could be, and small mountain of mashed potato; it must be a volcano, it smokes so. Do you see?”
“Yes!” said the littlest one; and his mouth went down in the middle and up at the corners.
The Old traveler gave a piece of bread to the next child.
“Here,” he said, “is a little pie! Outside, as you see, it is brown and crusty, with a wreath of pastry leaves round the edge and in inside of it is chicken, carrots and potatoes surrounded by a special gravy. Have you ever seen such a pie?”
“Never I did!” said the child.
“Now here,” said the old traveler to the third child, “is steaming golden soup. See how thick it is and how it smells so good. The steam rises to the very heavens.
“So it is!” exclaimed the third child.
Then the old traveler gave the last piece of bread to the oldest child.
“My friend” he said. “Just look! Here is lekach (honey cake). Look at the nuts on the and inside there are raisins, and great slices of apple. It is the most enjoyable cake I’ve ever had. “Now, when I clap my hands and count one, two, three, you must eat the feast all up. One—two—three!”
So the children ate the special meal for Shabbos all up.
“There!” said the old traveler. “Did ever you see such a special meal for Shabbos?”
“No, never we did!” said all the children together.
“But you didn’t have any!” said the oldest child..
“Oh, yes!” said the old traveler. “I had a little of everything.”
One of the children asked, “I wonder who the old traveler was?”
The oldest child smiled, “Maybe he was Eliyahu haNovi.”
Homemade Chicken and Biscuits
Ingredients
For the Chicken
2 – 3 lbs chicken pieces (bone-in) (legs and thighs work nicely)
3 cups chicken broth
1 small onion (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons margarine/shmaltz
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen peas (cooked; or peas and carrots)
Dash salt (or to taste)
Dash pepper (or to taste)
For the Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 – 2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup Olive Oil
¼ cup Water
Prepare the Chicken
Put the chicken in a large saucepan with the chicken broth, onion, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue cooking at a low simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
Remove the chicken from the broth; reserve the broth and set aside.
Grease an 8 or 9-inch baking dish or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
Heat the oven to 375 F.
Put the chicken in the baking dish.
Sprinkle the cooked peas or peas and carrots over the chicken in the baking dish.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the margarine/shmaltz.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes.
Gradually add the 2 cups of chicken broth and continue cooking until thickened, stirring frequently. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables in the baking dish.
Prepare the Biscuits
In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, sugar, and parsley. Blend well.
With a fork, stir in oil and water until moistened.
Drop biscuit dough over the hot chicken and sauce mixture in the baking dish.
Bake the chicken and biscuits until browned, about 20 to 30 minutes.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)
