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Passover Red Wine Chicken Marsala
This perfect for Pesach (Passover) recipe stars a red wine sauce and potato flour dredging for the chicken. Although Marsala wine and flour are typically used in this recipe, I have adjusted the recipe to use red wine and Pesach gluten-free ingredients that pair so well with the flavors and themes of the Pesach seder…
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Shabbos Table Tip: Napkins That Stand for Kiddush
A simple way to change up your Shabbos table setting is to play with the napkins. For this Shabbos, I used a simple ivory, clear glass and silver color palate. I folded the cloth napkins into fourths and then folded them accordion style. I then stood them up in sturdy napkin rings. Shabbat Shalom! …
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Pesach Onion Kugel
I absolutely love a challenge! In a comment on my Simply Amazing Onion Kugel, Pearl asked about adjusting this simple and delicious recipe to Pesach (Passover) cooking. I worked on making this recipe suitable for Pesach and my family contends that this recipe is even better than the original.
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Lemon Poppy Dressing
This dressing adds another dimension to these elements and that makes it is delicious and oh, so memorable. Poppy seeds add color to this dressing, but more importantly, add a pop-in-your-mouth texture that is unforgettable.
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Shabbos Table Tip: Bring the Outdoors Inside
Despite this week’s snow, our Magnolia trees are budding. This week’s Shabbos table is seen through a few Magnolia branches as a nod to springtime renewal. Shabbat Shalom!
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Simple Cranberry Sorbet
I’ll share a secret with you. My Purim seuda (feast) menu is designed around the chametz (leavened products) that I must use up before Pesach (Passover). This year, I found myself with lots of frozen challah, hence the stuffed chicken breasts and meatballs. I found that I had three bags of fine egg noodles, and thus yerushalmi kugel was…
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Simplest Mushroom Barley Soup
Here’s another great soup, simple to prepare with the crockpot doing all the work. It uses a few simple wholesome ingredients that can be tossed right into the crockpot with no sauteing in advance.
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Shabbos Table: Mix It Up!
This Shabbos, Avigail and Judah will be visiting unexpectedly as Kaitlyn has the flu. We always love these type of surprises and this is the perfect opportunity to blend disposable and real dishes on the Shabbos table. Judah still looks forward to his two forks on Shabbos and he will have two spoons, too. Just…
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A Simple Chicken Soup Upgrade
“What did you do differently to the soup?” asked Leah. “Yeah” chimed in the rest of the family. I braced myself. After all, upgrading a thirty-year constant can be a big deal. I need not have worried because they all loved the assertive flavor and color of the diced rutabaga. It was just another distinctive…
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Shabbos Table Tip: When Desperate Times Call for Disposable-Mix it Up!
Last Friday night, we hosted an oneg (lit. delight, Shabbos get-together) at our home for Davida’s friends from her seminary alma-mater, Midreshset Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY). Logistically, this means that we enjoyed our own Shabbos dinner meal before and during inviting dozens of MMY-ers into our home for a night of learning, food and Shabbos delight. This is…
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No-Chop No-Fuss Spinach Split Pea Soup
This soup takes the bowl! It uses a few simple wholesome ingredients with no chopping and no mess. Just take a few minutes to toss all the ingredients in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a finished delicious soup in the evening. The pot does all the work, no dicing. no sauteing,…
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Streuseled Cranberry Pie
This recipe gets an A for versatility and simplicity. It uses simple ingredients and can be used as a side dish or as a dessert. It can be served cold, room temperature or hot. It can be a delicious accompaniment to grilled chicken and can be served as a side dish right in its pie plate. Or,…
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Set It and Forget It Lentil-Vegetable Soup
There is something so hearty and comforting about lentil soup. And, there is something about taking just a few minutes to prepare a soup on these cold, snowy mornings and coming back at the end of the day to a warm, thick, velvety and delicious soup. Ordinary lentils really have that magical texture, firm yet…
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Shabbos Table Tip: A Creamer to Distribute Kiddush Wine
On Friday night and Shabbos morning, our Shabbos meals begin with the recitation of Kiddush (blessing over wine) by the patriarch of the family. The word Kiddush actually means holiness as we recall G-d’s creation of the world and His dedication of the Shabbos as a day of rest and holiness. We designate a special cup for the…
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Roasted Confetti Vegetables with Cashews
This is the perfect side dish for a weeknight. It uses wholesome ingredients, takes minutes to prepare and requires only 20 minutes to roast. The meatiness of the cashews paired with the tender shreds of zucchini and rainbow carrots make this dish hearty, flavorful and satisfying.
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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…