Inspiration for new recipes can occur in the most unexpected places. Like the dentist’s office. And no, my revelation did not come from the six-year-old well-thumbed magazines in the waiting room. I look forward to visiting the dentist not only because the sparkle in my smile is restored painlessly but because I also get to schmooze with my multi-talented dental hygienist, Rachel, about our latest kitchen exploits. On my last…
I lingered proudly over my son’s picture of his babies – plump, healthy and green. I’m referring to his tomato babies. My father was a virtuoso vegetable gardener. Every August, our backyard vegetable patch produced a bumper crop of juicy, red, sun-ripened tomatoes. I did not inherit his green thumb but I’m thrilled that his talent has been passed down to the next generation. However, growing your own tomatoes is…
In anticipation of the recent celebration of my niece’s wedding, we welcomed out-of-town family members for a weekend visit. Accommodating guests with arrival times that were at the mercy of whimsical airline schedules was a cinch with this recipe for loaded baked frittata, by Genevieve Ko, published in the New York Times. A frittata is an egg dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or supper. It tastes as…
Summer has finally arrived and every sunny day is a gift that I’m reluctant to squander. Homemade dessert is always appreciated but sometimes a pint of premium ice cream can save the day and send your guests home wearing happy smiles. Put your own special signature on that store-bought treat and raise it to the next level with the addition of a sprinkle of Dorie Greenspan’s deep, dark cocoa streusel. Published…
Looking forward to the grandkids joining us for Shabbat, I thought long and hard about the menu. How would I entice them to join us at the dining room table when their most requested meal is invariably macaroni and cheese? When I saw this recipe for honey-mustard chicken tenders by recipe developer, Ali Slagle, published in the New York Times, I felt a glimmer of hope. But chicken tenders are…
Having a son-in-law who grew up in Mexico has added an element of piquancy to our family. Although he is descended from grandparents who hailed from the same neck of the Transylvanian woods as my grandparents, nevertheless, his food preferences are Mexican. Chilaquiles always trump brisket. Elote (eh-LOH-teh), also known as Mexican street corn, is savory, sweet, crunchy, and creamy in every bite. Made with corn on the cob that…
Summer is just around the corner and we’re all looking forward to spending more time outdoors. This recipe for roasted sesame green beans, adapted from Cook’s Illustrated magazine, is the perfect side dish for anyone who is looking to minimize time spent in the kitchen. With just a few minutes of prep work that can be done in advance, these honey-sweet, garlicy beans require only fifteen minutes of oven time.…
Serving dairy desserts and pastries on Shavuot, the holiday of receiving the Torah, is a custom that I always look forward to. But shopping for the imported farmer cheese to make cheese delkelekh (Danish) gave me pause when I saw that the price was fourteen dollars a pound. Was the cheese being flown in on a private jet, accompanied by a masseuse and stylist? At these prices, it seemed likely.…
Driving to join friends for lunch, I turned my head to check on the salted caramel cheesecake, my most requested dessert, nestled carefully on the back seat, and gasped in dismay. Unable to resist a preview of the finished dessert, I had topped the cake with lush, golden caramel sauce before leaving the house. It was a mouth-watering sight. Unfortunately, the caramel had languidly dripped off the top of the…
With eyes peeled on my 2 ½ year old grandson as he tore down the driveway on his scooter, I basked in the sunshine, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and savored the intoxicating, yeasty scent of freshly baked challahs perfuming the air. I smiled at my neighbor, the calm, organized mother of a large brood, who was taking a well-deserved break before tending to the next batch of braided, golden…