-
Kaitlyn’s Simple and Spicy Roasted Green Beans
I recently hosted Sheva Brochos (wedding after-party with seven blessings) for Gila and Shimshon. I wanted a simple, delicious and green side dish that would stand up well on a buffet. My daughter, Kaitlyn, suggested this simple and spicy roasted green bean recipe. She suggested using Trader Joe’s fresh Haricot Verts (French Green beans). They come in…
-
A Simple One Pot Meal: Low-Carb Cauliflower Couscous with Chicken
I am still on a low-carb high-protein diet and I am feeling great. I am always on the lookout for low-carb options that mimic the texture of carb-heavy foods that I once craved. Cauliflower is an excellent ingredient to mimic the texture of rice, potato and/or couscous. I have developed a recipe for cauliflower…
-
Inspirations from the Cramim Spa in Israel
I look for inspirations for recipes, flavor combinations, designs and plating ideas everywhere I can find them. At the end of our Pesach (Passover) holiday, I spent one day at the Cramim Spa (translation: Spa of Vineyards) in Kiryat Anavim, right outside of Jerusalem. It is a beautiful place set into the Judean hills surrounded by…
-
Simple to Wow Amazon Deals
I am a frequent online shopper and love the selection and convenience that online shopping provides. So many of you have asked for resources to purchase the harder-to-find supplies and equipment that I reference in this blog. For this reason, I will begin including online resources for the supplies and equipment referenced in each blog post. I have…
-
When I look in the mirror, I must thank my mother
My mother is my role model, my mentor and my cheerleader throughout the twists and turns on my path through life. As the first Mother’s Day of my new blog approaches, I would like to thank her. So much of who I am is because of my mother and all that she has instilled in…
-
“Love Your Neighbor as Yourself”: Inspiration from my return flight from Israel
I fly long-haul flights often enough to cringe when I contemplate the discomfort, dysfunctionality and sheer exhaustion of being in the air with so many other people in such close proximity. I shudder when I think of the passengers who are rude and inconsiderate and the all-too-often “I’m in it for myself” attitude of those…
-
Deliciously Simple Onion and Garlic Rolls
These onion and garlic rolls are simple to prepare and delicious. When I was first married, I prepared these onion/garlic rolls regularly. Since the total rising time is less than two hours, I found that I was able to start these after work on Friday and still have them ready for Shabbos.
-
Pretzel Challah: Crusty and Salted
One challah recipe would never suffice in a family with many types of palates and personalities. This pretzel challah recipe is unique, delicious and oh, so reminiscent of hot pretzels that you may just want to serve it with mustard. Our youngest daughter, Davida, decided to try a new pretzel challah recipe. We were all skeptical,…
-
Simple and Delicious Challah to Wow your Shabbos Guests
I recently hosted a few boys for a friend’s son’s Bar Mitzvah. As a token of appreciation for hosting these teenage boys, my friend sent over some delicious baked goods and the most delicious challah ever. This challah was everything that one can imagine a challah to be. It was beautiful. It was moist. It was…
-
Ciabatta Challah: a Simple No-Knead Solution
In case you haven’t noticed, our family table accommodates many different personalities and food choices. Among us, we have meat lovers and vegetarians, those with simpler palates and those with more adventurous palates. Of course, our taste in challah varies, as well. We have some who love the sweet refined taste of a traditional challah and those…
-
DIY Everything Mix Topping: Perfect for Breadsticks and Challah
Now that Pesach (Passover) is behind us and chometz (leavened food items) are back on the menu, I would like to highlight a week of challah and bread-related recipes. Over the next few days we will count down to our first Shabbos after Pesach with challah. Many people who don’t ordinarily prepare home-baked challah choose to bake…
-
Divine Challah: Blessings to Nourish the Soul
Bread is considered a staple of the human diet, a true symbol of our material existence. There is something about the preparation and aroma of bread that is heavenly. To bridge the gap between the material and spiritual worlds, when preparing bread, we are commanded to set aside a piece for G-d. The Torah (Numbers 15:17-21) says:…
-
Simple Celery and Mushroom Crockpot Soup
My kids have been getting tired of all the pureed soups that I have been preparing over the past few months. I have decided to surprise them with a vegetable soup that is not pureed, so that they can enjoy all the different textures of the vegetables. Here is the simple, delicious and low carb…
-
Crockpot Orange Root Vegetable Soup
This is one of the simplest soups to prepare and it is a favorite soup classic at my dinner table. It is easily adaptable to any combination of orange vegetables, but the key is the seasoning. It has a unique flavor, thanks to the combination of sweet and savory ingredients. INGREDIENTS 4 sweet…
-
Pizza Potatoes
One of the simplest and most satisfying Erev Pesach (Pesach eve) and Chol Hamoed (middle days of Passover) meals for the kids has been pizza potatoes. It is gluten-free and it is not one of those menu items that we prepare often during the year when we have pasta and pizza available to us. But it is a…
-
Simple Greek Salad
One of our mainstays for Chol Hamoed Pesach is Greek Salad. I usually serve the olives on the side, since I have olive-lovers and olive-haters among my crew. It really is a main dish salad, very nutritious and filling. Best of all, it is simple to make. INGREDIENTS 1-2 small cucumbers, scrubbed and sliced…
-
Simple and Wow! Lady Finger Strawberry Shortcake
Pesach (Passover) is a springtime holiday that falls out in the Hebrew month of Nissan. Our Jewish lunar calendar has a leap month designed to make sure that Pesach always falls out in the spring. This year was a Jewish leap year and therefore Pesach falls out in late April, a full month later on the…
-
Seder Table Ideas and Inspirations
Every year, I try to set a majestic and unique seder table. There is something magical about that first Pesach (Passover) meal: the anticipation, the new dishes and the silver wine goblets. Over the years, I have tried all types of tablecloths and seder themes. There are a few helpful tips that I have incorporated into…
-
Atkins Baked Meatballs with Cauliflower
For Pesach (Passover) this year, I am trying to tailor my original recipes to meet the criteria of my low-carb diet. For the holidays, I usually prepare baked meatballs. I find that they are simple to prepare, delicious and kid-friendly. I love the baked method because it allows me to remove all the fat that drips off…
-
Simple and Delicious Mango Mousse Cups
I find that my guests love variety for dessert and sweet, decadent desserts are best served in tasting-size portions. For the past few years, I have been preparing individual-sized mousses and trifles when I entertain. This mousse can be made with any of your favorite fruit or berries, fresh, frozen or even canned. It is…
-
Simple and Succulent Make-Ahead Brick Roast
We travel to Israel for Pesach (Passover) and I bring my already-prepared meats with us. I kasher (make ready for Passover) my kitchen and ovens for one day and prepare all of my meats, slice them and then deep-freeze them in advance of my trip. It allows me to enjoy the Yom Tov (holiday) time…
-
Low-Carb Cauliflower Onion Soup
Don and I are still on a high-protein, low carb diet. We are finding that soup is very nourishing and satisfying, helping us to curb carb-cravings. For these reasons, I try to start a soup in the crockpot just about every morning. I eat the soup as my afternoon snack and Don usually enjoys it when…
-
Baked Spaghetti Squash with Sauce and Cheese
Davida and her friend, Chava, made dinner for themselves this week. They looked around the kitchen and found a spaghetti squash sitting on the counter. They roasted it, scraped it, filled it with sauce and cheese and then rebaked it just until the cheese melted. It was a simple and delicious meal, gluten free and kosher…
-
Nutty Warm Mushroom Salad
Who says that salads have to be cold? This one is delicious and warm. The interplay between the fresh greens, warm mushrooms and nutty topping is heavenly. To add a bit more pizzazz, the warm mushrooms are combined with lightly marinated red onions. In our family, we have plenty of carnivores and some herbivores. Although…
-
Simply Delicious Baked Apples
There are some recipes that are truly simple and easily overlooked. Baked apples definitely falls into that category. They are simple to prepare and can easily become a wow show-stopper.
-
Simple and Delicious Low-Carb Basil Pesto
I love pesto served with chicken, fish or pasta. This recipe is simple and beautifully fresh and green. It can be prepared quickly and can really wake up grilled chicken, fish or boiled pasta. It is important to make sure that the basil is dry before preparing the pesto, so that the pesto remain bright…
-
Bubby’s Gedemfte Chicken: Stewed Chicken for the Pesach Seder
Every year for the Pesach (Passover) seder, my mother-in-law a’H would prepare her famous Gedemfte Chicken. We all could barely pronounce its name, but we would all so look forward to this delicacy. There was nothing fussy about it. It was simple, it was delicious and it was falling-off-the-bone succulent. During the year, the kids would ask me to…
-
Simply the Best Flourless Chocolate Cake
This cake is so simple and decadent. It requires no separating eggs and is delicious. The original recipe was given to me by my dear friend, Rose Feldman a’H, who made this cake for our first Thanksgiving dinner as a married couple, circa 1987. She made it with a glaze and decorated it with chocolate-dipped nuts. Rose’s…
-
Edible Ginger Candy Spoons
I love ginger in all shapes and forms. I use ginger as a spice in many dishes. I love ginger ale, candied ginger and pickled sushi ginger. Whenever we eat sushi, I become the lucky recipient of everyone’s pickled sushi ginger and I love it. I especially love ginger with my tea. For a recent…
-
Simple Low-Carb Broccoli Crust Pizza: Perfect for Passover
Cauliflower rice has become the rage as an ingredient in faux fried rice and as a low-carb pizza crust alternative. As an experiment, I tried similar adaptations of broccoli and have found it to work beautifully. My family is always looking for something delicious and nutritious to eat on Erev Pesach (the eve and day…
-
A Simple, Delicious and Beautiful Flourless Fruit Tart
When I entertain, I love to serve a fruity dessert. Few can resist a dessert topped with fresh fruit. Berries are in season and this Pesach (Passover) fruit tart can be made with your favorite assortment of berries and fruit. I made mine using a combination of frozen blueberries, strawberries and cranberries. I topped mine…