Passover: Chocolate Brownies

Ahem.  Take one look at these brownies and you tell me....do they look kosher for Passover to you? How can you tell they don't contain any flour or baking powder? Well, you can't tell... Absolutely NOTHING in these brownies is sacrificed.  Not looks.  Not even taste. That's right my friends.  Another simple, easy, Passover dessert that plays nice with your taste buds. Don't be afraid.  Even though the recipe calls for a whopping 5 eggs, and a hefty 2 1/2 cups of sugar, these brownies don't taste like imposters. This is what 5 eggs plus … [Read more...]

Passover: Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread

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?  To me, 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 also a lover of biscotti, the well-known Italian dessert, to which Mandel … [Read more...]

Passover: Chocolate Covered Matzoh

I loved Passover as a child. To me, the holiday represented the most beautiful traditions of faith and family. At one point in time, our Passover Seder boasted 4-generations of family (sometimes upwards of 35 people) sitting around the festive table, singing, celebrating, questioning our Jewish heritage. The abundance Jewish holiday food was just as memorable as the meaningful dinnertime service. A week before the first night of Passover, Mom would begin the act of clearing the house of "Chametz" (bread and flour). And then, she'd start … [Read more...]

Dry-Roasted Edamame and Cranberry Mix

It's hard to believe edamame has been around since the 13th century and I'm finally starting to experiment with it in my house only as of this year.  While I've always loved boiled, salted edamame as an appetizer at Japanese restaurants, somehow, they never made it on to my own kitchen table. Edamame's Japanese translation is "branched bean." I've learned that they're actually young, green soybeans when they're picked so they're soft rather than hard and dry like mature soy beans.  And, if you want to get really fancy (and lazy), you can … [Read more...]