Category: Recipes
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Pistachio Encrusted Cajun Tilapia
So, I started thinking… Salmon is so flavorful and distinctive on its own. Why don’t I try this encrusting technique on a blander fish like tilapia? Tilapia is one of those inexpensive fish ingredients that is always available at my local fish counter. Its meaty flesh and mild taste make it suitable for kick-start cajun…
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Shabbos Table Setting: Using Napkins as the Star
Thank you, Alyssa and Sara! Last week, Alyssa suggested that I post a picture of my Shabbos table. I received great positive feedback on this post from friends who have been at our Shabbos table, so I will try and post a picture weekly. To maintain the theme of this blog, with each picture, I will try to…
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Simply Magical London Broil
There are some dishes that need garnishing and extra sauces once cooked. This is not one of them. This London Broil roast is ready to serve and self-garnished with baked onions and scallions. It is simple enough for a weekday dinner and “wow” enough for Shabbos or that special celebration. It uses the simplest of…
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Our Shabbos Table
One of my reader’s, Alyssa, asked that I post a picture of our Shabbos table this week. Here’s to you, Alyssa! Shabbat Shalom. (Have a peaceful Shabbos.)
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Red Velvet Salmon
I decided to name this salmon recipe red velvet for the color and texture of the cranberry glaze. There really is something velvety about this simple salmon recipe that takes cranberry sauce to a whole new level.
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15 Minute Mushroom Soup
This soup was one of the best that I ever produced. Sorry, kids! Although my kids often chastise me for complimenting my own food, I subscribe to the belief that a cook may compliment or criticize their own handiwork. Why not? The soup was so flavorful and so silky that Don could not believe that…
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Tulips Times Two
On these frigid winter days, it is so exciting to see tulips for sale at the local market. Tulips, a member of the lily family, are a welcome harbinger of spring and it keeps hope alive for warmer weather ahead. Tulips come in thousands of varieties and can be found in all colors, shapes and…
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Belgian Waffles for a Crowd
I made three batches of our favorite waffle recipe and stored them in mason jars. I set up the waffle maker, the waffle batter, a small measuring cup, cooking spray and an assortment of toppings.
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Hearty and Simple Udon Soup
Udon soup is our new family fave. It has all the penicillin-qualities of a hearty chicken soup and oh, so much more! It is a soup that can easily be transformed into an entire meal and is so satisfying and comforting on these cold winter evenings. This Udon soup starts from scratch but it can…
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Nearly No-Carb Cheesecake with Mom’s Voice
Don brother, Mordechai, is on board with this new plan. For this trip, he will be traveling without the love of his life, Yael. But, he doesn’t want to give up another love of his life. Cheesecake. Don told Mordechai that we will find a way for him to have his cheesecake and eat it,…
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Cranberry Pears on Blankets
This dessert is just that, simple, gorgeous and not too sweet. The contrast of flavors and textures between the pastry, pears, cranberries and dates is incredible. The puffed pastry outlines the natural shape of the pears and the pastry leaves add dimension and flair.
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Thanksgiving Turkey Drumsticks for Dessert
This dessert is simple, adorable and delicious. It is the perfect dessert to bring the turkey to your Thanksgiving table, even if you opt out of Thanksgiving turkey as we are this year.
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Pumpkin Quiche for a Dairy Thanksgiving
We normally celebrate Thanksgiving with a delicious heimeshe (traditional Jewish style) turkey and meat dinner at our niece’s house. Michal and Shui open their beautiful home and prepare an assortment of delicious foods for this occasion. After all, the theme of hakaras hatov (thanksgiving) is of paramount importance to our Jewish faith and Thanksgiving is an…
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Avigail’s Simple Pilgrim Hats
With no green vegetables left to recreate the Thanksgiving turkey, I had to try something else. So, I opted to reintroduce Thanksgiving to our meal with these adorable Pilgrim hats. The good news is..they are so simple that my four year old granddaughter made them with a bit of assistance from Davida, my youngest daughter. …
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Simple Celery Ribbons
I am fascinated with garnishes, especially simple garnishes constructed from ordinary ingredients. After all, simple garnishes put the wow into a dish. This one is fast and simple, using just celery and cold water.
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Simple as Pie Pretzel Pizza
On the first Motzei Shabbos after changing the clock, I decided to change things up. Rather than order or prepare from-scratch pizza, I decided to layer on-hand ingredients to prepare something delicious and different. I prepared a pizza pretzel pie. It started with frozen pretzels. I spread the pretzels out atop a bed of wraps. I then layered sauce…
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Out of the Bowl Tiered Salad
Who says that salad must be served in a salad and tossed? Today’s salad is about layering a gorgeous vessel with different vegetables and toppings. Its effortless simplicity achieves an elegance that highlights the colorful and flavorful vegetables themselves.
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Drunken Mushroom Lime Chicken
It starts with boneless chicken breasts, a lighter option than whole roast chicken. It uses wine and lime juice for the perfect balance of flavor and freshness. Oh, and it is smothered with lots and lots of mushrooms. It is fragrant with loads of flavor and texture.
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Simple 10-Minute Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach pairs so well with deli, meat, fish and just about every protein. It is a favorite at steakhouses and delicatessens. The bright green wilted spinach takes only minutes to prepare and its creamy texture and fresh flavor tantalize the eye and the palate. This classic recipe can be easily prepared with soy or…
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Simply Amazing Onion Kugel
My life is rather like a “Chopped” competition. After all, so many of my favorite recipes are developed using the ingredients on hand, keeping the preparation quick and transforming simple ingredients into something more than the sum of the parts. Most often, my time is limited so I am racing the clock just like the…
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Simple No-Bake Sorbet cakes
Desperate times call for desperate measures. A few weeks ago, I had finished preparing a simple Shabbos menu when we found out that we were about to have a houseful of Shabbos company. I had plenty of real food, but I needed to create an impressive dessert…quickly and with ingredients already on hand.
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Sukkos No-Knead Ciabatta: Harvest and Humility
The Autumn Jewish holiday of Sukkos is referred to as Zman Simchaseinu (season of rejoicing) and Chag Ha’Asif (Festival of of Gathering). It falls at the time of year in Israel that the grain, grapes and olives are ready to be harvested and brought to market. The winter, spring and summer months of hard work in…
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Abracadabra Potato Kugel
I have been preparing potato kugel for as long as I remember and most kugels share similar ingredients. I have two potato kugel recipes on this blog (Davida’s Awesome Potato Kugel, Simply the Best Potato Kugel Ever and ) and they are both delicious, but rather similar. There just doesn’t seem to be much new in…
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Streusel Topped Challah
Sometimes, just a simple topping can be a recipe-changer. This simple streusel topping transforms my Simply the Best Challah Recipe…ever! into something extraordinary. It adds a delicious sweetness and texture that is unique and oh, so decadent.
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German Chocolate Cake for Mordy
Last week, my brother, Mordy, celebrated his birthday. Growing up, nobody made much of a deal about birthdays and that has become part of my DNA. Most of the time, we forget each others birthdays and I have been know to forget my own birthday and anniversary. Thankfully, my brother, Itzy, often calls, texts…
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Machzor Cupcakes
So much of the Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) holidays are spent in shul (synagogue). The prayer service follows an order of prayers delineated in the respective machzor (prayer book) for each of these holidays. In preparation for Rosh Hashana and Staci Segals’ charity bake sale, I prepared some cupcakes…
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Upside-Down Apple Nut Beehive
This cake is both creative and delicious. The upside-down cake is simple to prepare and can be served as is. For a Rosh Hashana twist, I surrounded the cake with a chocolate honeycomb and some candy bees.
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Red Apple Cupcakes with a Purpose
Last year, I prepared these beautiful and delicious apple cupcakes in time for Staci Segal’s pre-Rosh Hashana bake sale. They were such a hit that one of my blog readers rushed down to the bake sale and purchased all the baked goods that I had delivered. Rosh Hashana is around the corner again and I…
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Pacman Gefilte Fish
Sometimes the wow is all in the presentation. The presentation takes a simple menu item to a whole new level. Just cutting something a different way or finding a unique manner to plate it creates a real wow. Gefilte fish is a Jewish Shabbos and Yom Tov (holiday) staple. It is like a meatloaf,…
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Perfect Lean and Moist Brisket
This recipe doesn’t require marination. It also doesn’t call for any oil. What it needs, though, is time. Plenty of time. Three hours of cooking time. Oh, and onions. Plenty of onions to keep it moist. The low and slow cooking keeps the flavor and moistness. The sliced onions create a flavorful and tender blanket…
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Fan Potatoes and Family Memories
When I was young, I vividly remember my mother preparing fan potatoes. She did not serve them often. They were a rare treat. I can picture in my mind how the potatoes fanned out and how delicious they were: crisp on the outside. soft and buttery on the inside. The fins of each fan potato created pockets of…