Secret Recipe Club: Cheddar Beer Bread

Yay, it’s one of my favorite days of the month, my Secret Recipe Club reveal day for March! I’m honored to be a part of this diverse international group of food bloggers.  In case you forgot, everyone in the Secret Recipe Club gets “assigned” a blog from which we are supposed to pick a dish to cook.  But, it’s all done in secrecy.  It isn’t until the ultimate reveal day (today) that everyone showcases the dishes and discovers who’s been their secret foodie link.  This club has provided me valuable exposure to blogs I might not otherwise … [Read more...]

Mom’s Chocolate Chip Mondel Bread

Let's face it, most desserts that are kosher for Passover don't seem that appealing. How good could they be without flour and baking soda and baking powder? After just getting back from a week long vacation in Italy, it's the same as eating a pizza without the tomato sauce--- you're more aware of what's missing than what you have. There's nothing appealing about this display- neither the sign, nor the flavorless treats in the boxes However, one of my favorite Passover desserts is Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread. Maybe that's because I'm … [Read more...]

Passover Matzoh Kugel

  While Kugel has been a staple of Jewish cooking for centuries, this is only my very first year experimenting with Mom's kugel recipes (definitely check out  Mom's Noodle Pudding). Served hot or cold- as a side, or, for the sweeter versions, as a dessert-most people characterize kugel as a type of casserole or pudding made from egg noodles or  potatoes.  However, since Passover restricts one from eating both potatoes and noodles, it's only logical to use a matzoh the substitute. I know you're probably thinking there's no way a … [Read more...]

Pesto, Pasta, Peas and a Video

The stressful part about dinnertime for me is diversifying our meal options. I’ve gone to great lengths these past two years to try to vary our dishes so we’re not eating chicken with broccoli every night. I’ve also taken a lot of pride in making most of our dinners from scratch. But I must admit, when the weeks are hectic, sometimes it’s hard not to get caught in the routine of opening up the pantry door and staring at the cans, trying to figure out what can be thrown together on the fly. Yesterday was one of those days. I was home for … [Read more...]