Gourmet Kosher Cooking

Broiled Dijon Mustard - Honey Salmon
You’re probably a little tired of being in the kitchen (a little?!). You’re probably a little tired of eating meat (a little?!) But, even after all that Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed cooking, your family still has to eat. And, surprise of surprises, everyone is still hungry. Here is an easy dinner that all my kids happen to love. It’s a nice light break from the past week of heavy meals…Serve with couscous and a green salad. More . . .

Pumpkin- Black Bean Soup
There’s something about Sukkot that says pumpkin. It is so clearly one of the harvest vegetables and so versatile that it can be used in soups, sides and desserts. This is a nice and easy soup that uses pumpkin for sweetness and Mexican/Moroccan spices to give it a little kick. More . . .

Indian Inspired Pineapple Coconut Milk Kugel
Everyone is looking for new and interesting recipes for Yom Tov. Well it doesn’t get much newer or more interesting than this pineapple coconut milk kugel. Although it sounds unusual, it tastes great and you will end up making it year after year. Especially if, like me, you are a big fan of pineapple (and cinnamon and sugar and coconut milk…)More . . .

Ceviche
This is a great dish for a hot Shabbos day. It is a beautiful appetizer served in martini glasses and garnished with avocado and tomatoes. More . . .

Chunky Drop Cookies
Whether you’re thinking of Yom Tov or Shabbos, or still dreaming of lazy summer days with the family, these cookies will be an unusual and delicious hit! More . . .

New Year’s Coleslaw
It’s hard to believe but Rosh Hashanah is actually only 4 weeks away; it’s almost time to plan your menus. To start you off, here is an easy and colorful salad that will look beautiful on any Yom Tov table. More . . .

Pistachio Cranberry Cookies There’s chicken, there’s salad, there’s vegetables…and there are cookies. No matter the weather, no matter the time of day, cookies are always good to bake – and even better to eat! Here is a colorful and delicious cookie that you probably haven’t tried yet but after you do, well I’m never responsible for the results… More . . .

Mini Imitation Crab Cakes I love these imitation fish products. They taste really good and they both test and expand our creativity. Don’t let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. It is a very easy recipe and worth every second of preparation! More . . .

5 Minute Chocolate Cake

Moms,
This recipe is for you; it’s for that moment when you want a chocolate pick me up but you don’t want a huge mess. And you don’t want to have to bake for an army. And maybe you don’t even want to share!! Enjoy… More . . .

Vegetable Gratin - This recipe is adapted from one in a recent Food and Wine issue. It’s a nice, light summer dish that takes advantage of the fresh vegetables of the season.… More . . .

Szechwan Green Beans This is easy, pretty healthy and delicious. It is also versatile and can be made with other vegetables – we particularly like baby zucchini or baby pattypan squash. More . . .

Green Salad with Sweet Tomato Dressing Salad Summer says salads and this is the perfect versatile one that can be a side with any meal or add some more vegetables or some grilled salmon or chicken and it’s a meal in and of itself. Everyone has their own favorite salad ingredients. I would add some hearts of palm, some dried cranberries, some pine nuts, some avocado and maybe some chickpeas. I also like radishes but no one else in my family does so I have to put those in a separate bowl. More . . .

Cheesy Asparagus Casserole This is a variation on the famous green been casserole. It’s easy to throw together and the taste combination just seems to work. It can be a brunch side dish or even a dinner’s main course served over rice. More . . .

Coconut Rice with Pistachios We’re always looking for new side dishes for Shabbos or even just for during the week. This easy Thai-style rice dish is a nice break from the standard long-grain variety – or from Minute Rice! An independent, non-empirical survey shows that kids like it too. More . . .

African Peanut Soup I made this recipe one Succos just for a change and it was a big hit. It’s not where you expect to find peanut butter but it actually works! More . . .

Ground Lamb with Farfalle While not exactly summery, this dish is so good that it works all year ‘round. In fact, I’m getting in the mood for it as I type. It has that Moroccan flavor which my family really enjoys. This recipe makes about enough for 8 but it’s so good you might want to double it and freeze the rest of the sauce for another time. More . . .

Moroccan Chickpeas We are big fans of cumin around our house, and cilantro is a close second. Not everyone feels the same way so if you don’t this recipe is not for you. But if you do, this is an easy throw-together side dish where the flavors just pop! It could also be a weeknight vegetarian main course served over rice. More . . .

Chocolate Fudge Squares with Mocha Glaze Starbucks shared this chocolate-coffee dessert with us. My husband thinks there is no better taste combination although he can be a purist and usually prefers just a piece of bittersweet chocolate and a cup of espresso. This dessert is more my style and will probably soon become yours as well. More . . .

Sautéed Indian-Style Cauliflower Cauliflower is a much-maligned vegetable yet it is actually one of my favorites. By dressing it up in unusual dishes and puréed soups, I have even persuaded my kids that cauliflower deserves a second look. If your family likes spicy, this is the dish that will change their impression of cauliflower forever (okay, perhaps that’s an exaggeration but I think they will enjoy it!) More . . .

Salmon Patties It’s time to elevate the lowly salmon patty. This one is not made from a can (avoiding the current worm dilemma) and is a fresher, more colorful and more flavorful version of the ones our mothers used to make. Although I have included a sauce, despite the updated ingredients, your family may still choose ketchup as their desired accompaniment. Don’t fight it. More . . .

Doctored-Up Fish Sticks (we could try a fancy French name but who are we kidding?) - I’m really embarrassed to post this recipe. It’s pathetically simple, it relies on frozen products – in fact, it’s not gourmet at all! But it’s a big hit with the kids (they could actually make it themselves), it’s reasonably healthy and it takes about 30 seconds (a minute if you’re slow) to pull it together. Sometimes this is just what a busy mother needs. More . . .

Pasta with Red Onion, Artichoke Hearts, Olives and Feta If you’re like me then, as wonderful as Pesach was, you have had enough meat and potatoes to last you…a while anyway. Try this nice, light pasta dish as a welcome change for your family. More . . .

A Break from Brisket - Minute Steak Here is a delicious Pesach main course using, of all things, minute steak. It is easy, unusual and tastes great – what could be better? More . . .

Maple-Glazed Salmon All that meat and matza on Pesach is good – right?! But sometimes you need a break. Here’s a lighter option for either a Chol HaMoed dinner or even a Yom Tov lunch. Your guests and family will actually be grateful… More . . .

Matza Lasagna Okay, it’s pretty simple. Okay, it’s not that creative. But this matza lasagna is a big hit. I won’t even tell you how many pieces my oldest daughter eats! I never use less than 4 pans per lunch. Some of my kids even prefer this to the real thing. So take a break from meat, take a break from the hard work and make these easy, delicious matzah lasagnas… More . . .

My Mother’s Cabbage Soup There is no better soup on a cold day – or any other day for that matter – than my mother’s cabbage soup. I make it on Rosh HaShanah. I make it on Pesach (without the rice). And I make it on other days in between. Just because it’s so good… More . . .

Hamantashen It wouldn’t be Purim without hamantashen, the three-corner pastries shaped like the evil Haman’s hat. They are an expression of our wish to completely “consume” our enemies – and fun for the kids to boot. We have listed a variety here – some of our favorites and some contest entries – for you to try… More . . .

An Adult Cookie - Although chocolate chip cookies were always my all-time favorites (sometimes the simplest is the best!) I find that I now enjoy cookies that are a little less sweet. These hermits are my cookie of choice at the moment. Filled with walnuts and raisins these are a substantial snack with more adult flavor.… More. . .

Rainbow Marzipan Bars My husband loves anything with almond extract or almond paste. If I’m feeling especially generous, I will make these rainbow marzipan bars for him. Not everyone loves this taste, but if you do, these are great. And colorful enough to brighten any day!… More. . .

Baked Ziti with Vegetables Sunday nights, it’s my husband’s turn to make dinner. Yes you read that right. It doesn’t always work out that way but he is quite willing to help and I think he even finds it relaxing. I have to give very specific instructions though and we had a bit of a tussle today because I was adapting a recipe from the Williams-Sonoma catalog and he followed their instructions not mine! Here’s the recipe–my way!… More. . .

Sweet Noodle Kugel I always think that people who spending their lives searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie need to…well…get a life but I confess to, perhaps not searching, but definitely being on the lookout for a creamy yet pareve sweet noodle kugel. And I think I finally found it... More...

Ginger Cookies It was dark and rainy today, the perfect day for baking. While chocolate chip cookies are always good, today we were in the mood for something different. So we went with ginger cookies. I think there are a few left…More...

Curried Cauliflower I have become a big fan of Peri-Peri Cooking Sauce, the curry coconut flavor. It can be used on chicken or for a vegetarian dinner. Here I have chosen to use it to make an Indian cauliflower dish. Served over rice, this is an easy and healthy dinner. Oh, and did I mention it’s delicious also?…More...

Potato and Garlic Soup I’m trying to relate to being snowed in – it’s difficult with the sun shining once again and biking at the beach as the afternoon plan- but I didn’t grow up on the east coast so I am reaching back into my memories. What would be good now is something warm and comforting that I can make with ingredients I am sure to have lying around the house. I definitely would not want to make any trips to the store! Try this simple, easy soup guaranteed to take the chill off.…More...

Easy and Filling Beef Stew It was a cold rainy day (in normally beautiful sunny LA) and I needed to change my dinner plans. I grabbed a chuck roast out of the freezer and made the kind of hearty stew the weather called for. Not a drop was left. This was the perfect meal for those unusual wintry days in California and for every day of the winter months on the east coast! (Am I gloating? I don’t mean to be…).…More...

Minestrone Soup This is the best minestrone soup I ever made!! I’m not bragging, I’m just telling you so you can enjoy it too. And not only is it the best, it’s really easy. You just throw everything into the pot. You can throw in other things you may have in your kitchen like zucchini, celery, spinach, cabbage…it’s a great way to use up leftover vegetables…More...

Corn and Black Bean Salad in Won Ton Cups Enough about the cold. Let’s think warm temperatures. . .Here’s a summery appetizer that you can eat all year round. Just shut your eyes and imagine you’re in sunny Mexico, sipping a margarita, watching the sunset over the water…More...